m o r f s g n i G reet ! s r o o d T Camp OU
Back To School
QU Scholar heads off to camp before returning to the classroom PLUS: Check out our Camp OUTdoors! Preview
LGBT NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | VOL. 26, #20 | ISSUE 672 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | COMPLIMENTARY
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inside this issue Issue 672 | Vol. 26, #20 | September 2015
features
NEWS 10 4 Your Information 12 News Briefs 16 Datebook 20 Openly gay U of A swimmer offers advice to closeted athletes 22 InQUEERy brings together queer researchers, professionals and academics 24 GLSEN Phoenix introduces professional development series to raise awareness and promote inclusion
Photo courtesy of Camp OUTdoors! volunteers and staff.
30
27 Fantasy Fridays combine nightlife and networking
Out of the Closet, Into the Woods Youth, volunteers and staff prepare to descend on Camp OUTdoors for the eighth consecutive year.
Photo by Fernando Hernรกndez.
35
QU Scholar Yuma youth Kellsey Jane is heading off to camp and back to school. Bonus: Meet the 2015 Phoenix Pride Scholarship recipients.
PREVIEWS AND REVIEWS 55 Without Reservations 58 At the Box Office 62 Opening Nights 66 Recordings 68 Between the Covers COMMUNITY 69 All Over The Map 70 Money Talks 71 Balanced Living
Photo courtesy of Ken Furtado, Quaintance: The Short Life of an American Art Pioneer.
44 m Greeting s fro oors! Camp OUTd
QU Scholar heads off to camp before returning to the classroom PLUS: Check out our Camp OUTdoors! Preview
LGBT NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | VOL. 26, #20 | ISSUE 672 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | COMPLIMENTARY
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Work Fierce, Part 2: Home Base Phoenix-based creative professional discusses the challenges and benefits of being a digital nomad.
ON THE COVER QU Scholarship recipient and OUTscout Kellsey Jane. Photo by Fernando Hernรกndez. Camp OUTdoors! 2014 group photo courtesy of one n ten. Cover design by Geoff Hulme.
Back To School
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Quaintance: The Short Life of an American Art Pioneer Local author immortalizes gay artist in new biography. Bonus: Marshall Shore reflects on the evolution of gay themes in art.
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inside this issue
on echomag.com web exclusives
Photo courtesy of Wolfe Video.
Student Storylines Stream these six titles, with storylines centered on LGBT youth, before you go back to school this fall. echomag.com/student-cinema
10 Steps To Starting A Gay-Straight Alliance The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Jump-Start Guide can help you create a GSA at your school. echomag.com/glsen-gsa
School Pride Find out more about the LGBT clubs and groups on the campus of Arizona’s universities and community colleges. echomag.com/school-pride
Cash For College Check out the various scholarships local organizations and colleges have created with the LGBT community in mind. echomag.com/cash-for-college
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notes from the
managing editor By Kara J. Philp LGBT NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT
facebook.com/EchoMagazine twitter.com/EchoMagAZ
W
elcome to Echo’s annual backto-school issue. Throughout the past several years we’ve established a tradition of featuring local scholarship recipients on the cover of this issue. Year after year, the stakes get higher as students continue to raise the bar – within the classroom and beyond – and this year is no different. For 2015, I’m proud to introduce you to QU Scholarship recipient Kellsey Jane. Kellsey’s ambition in academics, and in the community, is truly an inspiration. Anthony Costello brings us more on Kellsey in “QU Scholar” on page 35. From there, our lesson plan takes us to the athletic department (or P.E. for the sake of this analogy). Megan Wadding caught up with openly gay University of Arizona swimmer Jon Denton-Schneider just as he shared his story with the world. Find out what advice he has for closeted athletes in “Coming Out To The Team” on page 20. Next up is Queer Studies, well, more like a networking group brings together queer researchers, professionals and academics. Learn more about this Phoenix-based interdisciplinary collaborative in Lorraine Longhi’s “InQUEERY” on page 22. For fourth period, you have the choice of advocacy 101, LGBT in politics, sex ed, art or music. What these subjects really have in common is that they’re all going to be offered as workshops at this year’s Camp OUTdoors! Laura Latzko has the details on what else awaits the youth and volunteers this Labor Day weekend in “Out of the Closet, Into the Woods” on page 30.
Then, Marshall Shore is leading our history class with a closer look back at the work of local artist George Quaintance. Our hip historian caught up local author Ken Furtado following the release of his new biography “Quaintance: The Short Life of an American Art Pioneer” on page 44. No education is complete without giving some thought to your future employment opportunities. To address this subject, Liz Massey presents the pros and cons of working remotely in today’s digital world in “Work Fierce, Part 2: Home Base” on page 50. Then, for those of you who are ready to continue learning in the workplace, Desi Rubio introduces us to a new Professional Development Series presented by Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. For details, see “Creating A Safe Space” on page 24. Now, for your homework. If we’ve overlooked a club, group or scholarship, or if you know of a educator, student or athlete you think we should know about, drop me a line at editor@echomag.com. I look forward to hearing from you! Extra Credit: Team Echo has already started our research for our Hall of Fame’s Class of 2015. If you know of someone who is deserving of this honor, we invite you to submit a nomination on their behalf. For more information on how to send us your submissions, see page 12. I look forward to hearing from you!
Kara J. Philp is the managing editor of Echo Magazine and can be reached at kj@echomag.com.
If you know of community hero who should be considered for induction into Echo Magazine’s Hall of Fame or as Echo’s 2015 Leaders of the Year, we want to hear from you! For submission details, see page 12. 8|
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PUBLISHER: Bill Orovan ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Bill Gemmill Editorial MANAGING EDITOR: Kara J. Philp CONTRIBUTORS: Cait Brennan Anthony Costello Laura Latzko Art Martori Melissa Myers Hans Pedersen Terri Schlichenmeyer Marshall Shore Megan Wadding Chelsea Young
Alex Chambers Tiffany Hopkins Lorraine Longhi Liz Massey David-Elijah Nahmod Desi Rubio Richard Schultz Michael J. Tucker Nate Whitten
Production ART DIRECTOR: Geoff Hulme PHOTOGRAPHY: Bill Gemmill, DePoy Studios, Gregg Edelman and Nightfuse.com. Advertising DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING: Ashlee James ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Gregg Edelman National Advertising Representative: Rivendell Media, 212-242-6863
ECHO Readership: 50,000 Copyright © 2015 • ISSN #1045-2346
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Echo Magazine is published by and is a trademark of Ace Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Written permission must be obtained in advance for partial or complete reproduction of including any advertising material contained therein. Opinions expressed in are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff or ACE Publishing, Inc. does not assume responsibility for claims by its advertisers. Publication of the name or photograph of a person or organization in articles, advertising or listings inis not to be construed as an indication of the sexual orientation of such organizations or persons (unless such orientation is specifically stated). Manuscripts or other materials submitted remain the property of ACE Publishing. Free copies limited to one per person.
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ON THE RECORD “It is heartbreakingly difficult to be a transgendered youth in America. To be transgender in our society means finding the courage again and again to overcome bullying, hostility and bureaucratic inflexibility. By sharing my story with Arizona’s LGBT youth, I hope to show them what it really means to live your truth.” – Jazz Jennings, 14-year-old celebrity transgender activist, author and the subject of TLC’s upcoming documentary series “I Am Jazz,” ahead of her Aug. 8 visit to Phoenix as the guest of honor of one n ten’s “An Evening of Jazz.”
MUSIC Actor and recording artist Scotty Dynamo came out in his new music video for “Show Me Yours,” which debuted last month. Ahead of the video release, in which Dynamo bypasses a group of women in favor of planting one on a guy standing behind them, Dynamo tweeted, “Everything changes next week.” To watch the video, visit youtube.com/user/scottydynamo.
BY the numbers
SPORTS According to the Human Rights Campaign’s latest youth survey, “Growing Up LGBT in America,” 64 percent of LGBT youth say they are out to their classmates. Source: hrc.org/youth/ view-statistics
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The recently released documentary Game Face tells the parallel story of Fallon Fox, MMA’s first transgender pro fighter, and Terrence Clemens, a young, ambitious and talented college basketball player in Oklahoma, who happens to be gay. The award-winning film captures the realization that coming out will be necessary for their own sense of integrity and peace of mind, but the lack of a clear roadmap and the unpredictable consequences instill understandable anxiety and caution. For more information, visit gamefacedoc.com. 4 your information
, y s ”
news briefs
one n ten to Host First-Ever Camp OUTdoors! Reunion If you have ever attended, applied for, volunteered at or want to learn more about Camp OUTdoors!, you’re invited to one n ten’s first-ever camp reunion fundraiser.
Echo Seeks Nominations for Hall of Fame Each year, as part of LGBT History Month, Echo Magazine honors community heroes who have helped raise consciousness and spark change on the local and national levels by inducting a select few into our Hall of Fame. Similarly, we wrap up each calendar year by naming Echo’s Leaders of the Year (formerly known as Man and Woman of the Year) and honoring the extraordinary efforts and accomplishments made by two individuals as part of our annual year in review tradition.
If you know of LGBT and allied community member who is deserving of either of these honors – whether it’s for their contributions in government and politics, nonprofit service, activism or entertainment – we invite you to submit a nomination on their behalf.
This free family event for all ages will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 22 at the PHX Renews garden area of Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix. As part of the event, there will be games, demonstrations and
workshops presented by the youth. Local food trucks will be on site, offering a variety of food items for purchase. A portion of proceeds from all food trucks will be donated to help with the expenses of camp. RSVP is requested with Nick Fletcher at nick@onenten.org. For more information on Camp OUTdoors!, see story on page 30 or visit outdoorsgaycamp.com.
To submit a nomination, please send your letter of nomination (300 words outlining why the individual being nominated should be considered) to editor@ echomag.com by midnight Sept. 6.
This year, we want to hear from you.
For more on Echo Magazine’s Hall of Fame, including a complete list of inductees, visit echomag. com/hall-of-fame-2014.
ArizonaDrag.com Announces 2015 Diamond Crystal Award Winners ArizonaDrag.com is a website dedicated to the art of drag and promotes and supports the men and women of drag in Arizona and around the country. As part of an evening celebrating the art form of drag and honor individuals for outstanding achievements, arizonadrag. com hosted the 2015 Diamond Crystal Award Winners July 10 at The Rock in Phoenix. Since 2011, arizonadrag.com has honored Arizona’s men and women of drag in with awards in more than a dozen categories. Each year the nominees are announced and the winners are determined by online voting. The 2015 Diamond Crystal Award winners include: 12 |
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Rising Star of the Year: Kristofer V. Lee Best Performance by Duo or Group: Tyra Marie’s “Mommie Dearest” Talent Show of the Year: High Heels & Halos, show director Neveah McKenzie Pageant of the Year: Miss Gay Arizona America, promoter Daniel Eckstrom Humanitarian(s) of the Year: Neveah McKenzie, Olivia Gardens, Eddie Broadway, Cruz Carter and Barbra Seville Best Drag by a Non-Professional: Jessica Puglisi Chantelle L. Douglas Performance of the Year: Grecia Montes D’Occa’s “You Must Love Me” Celebrity Impersonation of the Year: Nova Loza as Lady Gaga
Photo by Fernando Hernández.
Fan of the Year: Jesse Lungren Male Impersonator of the Year: Eddie Broadway Femme Performer of the Year: Sophia St. James Male Performer of the Year: Ish Female Impersonator of the Year: Kira Daniels Entertainer of the Year: Savannah Stevens – Courtesy of arizonadrag.com. news briefs
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news briefs
Arizona Launches Pride at Work Chapter As part of the first-ever official Pride at Work-Arizona chapter meeting, which took place July 13, by-laws were voted upon, officers were elected, the new website and Facebook page were unveiled and general business for the newly formed chapter was conducted. According to Jim Volpe, Phoenix resident, TWU Local 556 Union Member and newly elected Chair of the Arizona Charter, this effort began once he discovered there were chapters operating in many cities throughout the country, but none in Arizona. Two months ago, Volpe began researching the requirements to establish a chapter in Arizona, reporting that he found strong support from many volunteers in all sectors of work, union and non-union. “To get this chapter off the ground it has taken about 150 volunteer hours and I am very excited for the volunteer support that has been given me along the way from others as well,” Volpe said. While the Arizona Chapter of Pride At Work serves the labor communities of our state, it supports all legislation that advances anti-discrimination protection for all workers. Membership is open to all who support the goals of the organization.
Phoenix Women’s Chorus Announces New Artistic Director Ahead of its 23rd performance season, the Phoenix Women’s Chorus announced the selection of Livia Gho (pictured) as the new artistic director July 25. Born and raised in Singapore, Gho holds a bachelor of music in composition from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and a master’s degree in choral conducting from Indiana University. Gho sang in Indiana University’s top vocal jazz ensemble at Carnegie Hall and at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater. She has furnished studio recordings for 14 |
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Now that marriage equality is the law of the land, as ruled by the Supreme Court, Volpe said it’s time to start looking at other protection.
support for those seeking assistance.
“While you can now get legally married, you can get fired the next day for telling your employer you have a same-sex spouse,” Volpe said. “As insane as it sounds, you can legally be fired in 22 states just for being LGBT. The laws allow it.”
Pride At Work is a nonprofit organization that represents LGBT union members and their allies. Pride at Work – Arizona is an officially recognized constituency group of the AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations) that organizes mutual support between the organized labor movement and the LGBT community to further social and economic justice.
According to its website, Pride At Work – Arizona’s mission is to “seek full equality in the workplace and our communities, including greater openness and dignity.” Volpe said the chapter will continue its efforts to recruit more members, and also to share information and provide
Hal Leonard Publishing, and was named the Graduate College Winner in 2014 DownBeat magazine’s 37th annual Student Music Awards. As classically trained pianist and an experienced choral and orchestral conductor, Gho is also proficient in the Chinese zither (Zheng) and voice and is intimately familiar with sounds from both the Eastern and Western world. Gho embraces the Phoenix Women’s Chorus Mission, which is committed to enhancing lesbian visibility, celebrating the contributions of women in music, and passionately pursuing artistic excellence. According to Gho, the chorus is a support
“It is simply wrong to be able to fire an employee simply because they are LGBT,” Volpe. ‘That is inhumane.”
For more information, visit prideatworkaz.org or like them on Facebook at facebook.com/ prideatworkarizona.
system and network for women who join this musical community. She sees it as her responsibility to maintain and strengthen the fabric of these relationships within the Chorus by acknowledging its history and helping to build its future. Phoenix Women’s Chorus is a nonauditioned chorus that welcomes all women. As a result, the diverse group comprises more than 50 LGBTQ and allied members, in both singing and non-singing capacities. As part of its 23rd season, the chorus will move to a new performance venue at Church of the Beatitudes (555 W. Glendale Ave. in Phoenix), where the chorus will perform its fall concert Nov. 21 and 22. For more information on the Phoenix Women’s Chorus, or to find out how to join, visit phoenixwomenschorus.org. news briefs
date book
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Date book
sept. 17 & 21
Shedonism, the official girl parties of Las Vegas Pride, returns to Sin City. The sinful women’s weekend, featuring a start-studded “celesbian” lineup, will take place at SLS Las Vegas and various other locations.
Aug. 21 & 23; sept 2 & 11
The Phoenix Mercury will host the Los Angeles Sparks, the Minnesota Lynx, the Washington Mystics, respectively, at Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix.
shedonismvegas.com sept. 18 & 19
mercury.wnba.com
Las Vegas Pride presents the 2015 parade and festival, respectively.
Aug. 23
The third annual Pride Guide Wedding and Honeymoon Expo, featuring vendors, fashion shows, raffle drawings and more, will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort and Spa, 350 Marriott Drive, Phoenix.
The annual Las Vegas PRIDE Night Parade will take place in through the streets of downtown at 8 p.m. Friday (immediately following the 7 p.m. parade pre-show at the Main Stage). The Pride festival will take place from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Clark County Amphitheater.
gayarizona.com/phoenix/wedding-expo
lasvegaspride.org
Aug. 22 & sept. 6
Join Desert Valley Squares for a dance party from 5 to 7 p.m. at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church, 3456 E. Thomas Road, Phoenix. 480-704-9604 info@desertvalleysquares.com
Photo by Moyan Brenn.
sept. 4
sept. 16
The Greater Phoenix Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Marcellino’s Ristorante, 7114 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, AZ.
The LGBTQ Consortium’s Safe Out Meeting will take place at 6 to 7 p.m. at TERROS Central Office, 3303 N. Central Ave., #200, Phoenix. lgbtconsortium.com
RSVP at phoenixgaychamber.com.
Aug. 30
sept. 25
Equality Arizona presents the Aqua Pura, a pool party benefitting the advocacy organization, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Hotel Palomar at CityScape, 2 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. equalityarizona.org sept. 2
Join Arizona’s Children Association for a Grow Your Family Orientation, and learn more about becoming an adoptive or foster parent at 6 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center, 801 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. phoenixpridelgbtcenter.org
sept. 13
The Illusions Drag Show, a new Las Vegas-style celebrity impersonation show starring hostess Olivia Gardens and performances by Savannah Stevens, Saellah V, Adriana Galliano, Apollo Tobias, Coco St. James and Luna Love St James, will begin at 8 p.m. (meet and greet at 7 p.m.) at Tempe Improv, 930 E. University Drive, Tempe. tempeimprov.com sept. 16
One Community presents the 2015 Multicultural Networking & Recruitment Forum, a free event designed to strengthen business relationships and recruitment efforts between LGBT and diverse allied business professionals, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel, 340 N. Third St., Phoenix. onecommunity.co 16 |
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Join GLSEN Phoenix for another installment of its recently launched professional development series, designed to raise awareness and promote inclusion, at the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center, 801 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. (See story, page 24.) glsen.org/chapters/phoenix sept. 26
AIDS Walk Northern Arizona, benefitting Northland Cares, will kick off at the Ken Lindley Park Ramada, continue on to the Prescott Courthouse Square and return to Ken Lindley Park. Registration will be open through the day of the event. naz.aidswalkaz.org
MARK OUR CALENDARS
To have your event considered for Echo’s print and online calendars, submit your event details to echomag.com/ community-calendar. All submissions are subject to Echo’s discretion. events
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7TH ST AND MONROE IN PHOENIX
OUT ‘n ABOUT Dancing With The Bars 2015 Aug. 9 at the Tempe Center for the Arts Photos by Randy’s Vision Photography.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
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Coming Out To The Team Openly gay U of A swimmer offers advice to closeted athletes By Megan Wadding
J
on Denton-Schneider is a 24-year-old collegiate athlete who lives in Tucson.
Denton-Schneider grew up north of San Francisco, California and moved to Tucson in 2009 to attend – and swim for – the University of Arizona. After graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics, entrepreneurship and Spanish, he had another season of NCAA eligibility remaining. So, he did what any athlete would do: He started his master’s degree in Latin American studies in order to continue competing in the sport he loves. Although Denton-Schneider came out to his swim team in 2011, Echo caught up with him just as he shared his story with the world. Echo: How old were you when you started swimming? Denton-Schneider: I started swimming at a young age and competed in a summer league, but I waited until my sophomore year in high school to switch to a yearround team. I come from a family that is huge on soccer, so that was my focus until I had a knee surgery when I was 13. I cannot imagine my life without the sport. Echo: Growing up, or at least while you were in college, who were your role models? Did you have any gay athlete icons that made you believe you could actually be out and successful in your sport? Denton-Schneider: I was lucky to come to a program in which there had been several gay athletes over the past decade. In a sense, I already had the trail-blazed for me on my team. I was incredibly fortunate to be able to swim at Arizona, which is one of the best teams in the country. My role models were the many teammates who were national champions, Olympians, world record holders, Rhodes Scholars and NCAA Women of the Year. As a huge soccer fan, I also consider Robbie Rogers a role model. He seems like an awesome guy and it is great how he is breaking down barriers in the world’s most popular sport. Echo: What kind of swimming did you do during your career as a Wildcat?
Echo: Can you tell me a little about your coming out story? How did your team react to the news? Denton-Schneider: It went against our team culture to gather everyone around and make big emotional announcements in the locker room. Instead, I decided to tell the teammates I was closest to, knowing they would do the heavy lifting of telling everyone else. My goal was to make it as little of an “event” as possible. I am sure most of my teammates already knew because I never dated any girls and was not heavily religious, so that left only one other explanation. Echo: What about your coach? When did you tell him? Denton-Schneider: I decided not to explicitly come out to my coaches. A college coach – while always mentor and sometimes a father figure to his athletes – is first and foremost their boss. I wanted to keep our relationship professional. That being said, the swimming world is so small that everyone knows everyone else’s business very quickly. My coaches were unfailingly supportive throughout my college career and that did not change in the slightest after they learned I am gay. I took the guy I was dating at the time to dinner with my primary coach and her husband, and we had a blast. Echo: Before coming out to your team, what were your fears? Denton-Schneider: My biggest fear was that I would have to spontaneously retire from swimming. In high school, I did not know of any openly gay swimmers at the
Denton-Schneider: I swam breaststroke and a bit of sprint freestyle for the UA team. I started competing as soon as I arrived in Tucson, but sat out the following year because of my knee. I returned to competition in 2011 and finished my collegiate career in 2014. 20 |
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Photo by Stephen Peacock.
Photo by Sarah Howard.
NCAA Division I level, so I assumed there was causal relationship: one could not compete for a top program and be openly gay. Obviously, that fear was ridiculous and I had a collegiate career of which I am extremely proud. Echo: Are you glad you came out to your team when you did? Denton-Schneider: I am very glad I came out when I did and how I did. I was not ready for it until that moment, and I am not someone to rush things. The way I came out was ideal for our team culture and I would not change anything about it. Echo: How did things change – or not change – after you came out to the team? How did you feel? Denton-Schneider: Nothing changed at all. It was exactly the response I wanted. We were the Wildcat family and I felt relieved to no longer keep a secret from
the guys I considered brothers. I cannot imagine anyone was particularly surprised, either, so I am sure that helped.
Photo by Daron Shade.
Echo: What were some of the reactions you received from your peers and team?
Denton-Schneider: I had absolutely zero bad reactions from anyone. The best reaction was actually from one of the guys I was most concerned would have a problem with a gay teammate. He is from a very rural and conservative part of the country, so I did not know what would happen. I got tired of tiptoeing around the issue with him, so at a party I made an edgy joke about it. To my surprise, he laughed so hard he doubled over. Then he hugged me and said, “I love you, buddy.” It was perfect. Echo: Do you feel it is becoming easier for athletes to come out? What is changing with regard to the sports world? Denton-Schneider: It is definitely less difficult for most athletes to come out, but it varies by many factors specific to the athlete, including sport, family, race and religion. In more individual-based sports, like swimming, there is less of a concern that a gay teammate would be a “weak link,” but that could still be a stereotype in a team sport like football. Given that there are no active openly gay NFL players, it may well be a concern for closeted athletes. On the other hand, leagues like the MLB and companies like Nike have been at the forefront of inclusion in sports, and they deserve a lot of credit and thanks from the LGBT community.
Echo: What advice would you have to athletes who are struggling to come out of the closet? Denton-Schneider: My advice is to find the person in the world, or at least on your team, you are closest to and tell them once you feel you are ready. More often than not, that person already knows. I also recommend rehearsing what you will say to that person. An athlete would never play a game or compete in a race without extensive preparation, so you want to be able to rely on your training when the nerves hit as you come out for the first time. Echo: What is your life like now? What are you up to? Denton-Schneider: I am very much enjoying studying and conducting research, so I am very confident in my decision to pursue a career in academia. At the moment, I am finishing my Master’s thesis, which is a case study of startups in a second-tier city in Brazil. My life is great. Denton-Schneider plans to pursue a Ph.D. in economics. He can be reached by email at jdschn@email.arizona.edu or via Facebook at facebook.com/jon. dentonschneider. Megan Wadding is a freelance writer and travel addict with a degree in journalism. Follow her on Twitter at @MeganWadding.
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InQUEERy
Networking group brings together queer researchers, professionals and academics in Phoenix By Lorraine Longhi
I
n the major urban sprawl of the Phoenixmetropolitan area, it can difficult for niche researchers, professionals and academics to meet and find other individuals to collaborate with on new ideas and research. For individuals interested in queer research in particular, one Phoenix-based group is seeking to unite likeminded people and give them a forum for discussion and innovation. Housed in Arizona State University’s School of Social work, InQUEERy is an interdisciplinary collaborative that aims to enhance the field of study related to sexual orientation, gender identity and self expression. Now roughly two years old, the group was founded with a mission to build a community of scholars that are invested in queer research, and enhance knowledge about available resources for individuals interested in queer studies. For Vern Harner, a co-chair and founding member of the group, their work as a second year master’s student in the field of social work sparked an idea to create a space where individuals could focus on queer issues within the frame of social work. “We realized there were a lot of us doing this LGBT and queer-focused research,” Harner said. “But it would take us a while to find each other and discuss what others were doing because we were so siloed.” Harner founded the group with Natasha Mendoza, an assistant professor in ASU’s School of Social Work. Mendoza teaches classes on LGBT issues, with an emphasis on evidence-based treatment of substance abuse disorders. In its beginning stages, InQUEERy mainly networked and discussed their individual research, but the group has now expanded to include presentations on research methodology, social work practice and various LGBT issues at its monthly meetings. At the group’s September meeting, for example, discussion centered on how to competently collect LGBTQ demographics on surveys and application forms. “Typically, surveys just have sexual orientations listed as gay, straight or bisexual, which is no longer an accurate 22 |
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representation of our community,” Harner said. “We’re going to talk about how we can develop these criteria to more accurately reflect the population.” Mendoza echoed Harner’s point and underscored the importance of relaying this information to the rest of the community. “These are great opportunities for people to learn how to collect data while honoring gender and sexual minority status,” Mendoza said. “It’s more complicated than what many people who consider themselves allies might understand.” Other projects being worked on by the collective include an autoethnographic research project that highlights what it means to be queer and work in the queer community, as well as discussions on boundary issues when members of the LGBTQ community are also involved with social work. “The queer community in Phoenix is still very small, so we do run into things like boundary issues, especially where that intersects with social work,” Harner said. “For example, if I’m a therapist and you’re a client and I stop seeing you, it’s not ethical for me to then start a relationship with you. In social work, we say ‘Once a client, always a client.’” These boundary issues can create several difficult to navigate situations to confront within the framework of social work and a member of the queer community, situations that Harner believes can be dealt with headon through discussion and open dialogue. While not an official university organization, the group’s affiliation with ASU’s School of Social work gives it a foothold to invite students, faculty and members of the surrounding community to come out and discuss research and issues relevant to the queer community. The group’s next meeting will include a presentation by Lisa Daughters, a licensed private counselor, on the power of expressive arts therapies. Daughters is a counselor for
Integrated Mental Health Associates, a private Arizona practice that competently serves LGBT individuals, particularly transgender adolescents. The group also hopes to see more attendance by members of the community in future meetings, as well as attendance by faculty and student researchers, in order to bring a well-rounded and diverse group of opinions to discussions. “It’s a very different experience having someone with an academic knowledge of queer theory and having people who are members of the community,” Harner said. “It’s just a great opportunity to for researchers and community members to come together and have a dialogue and a discussion about what we can learn from each other.” InQUEERy’s next meeting will take place Oct. 22. For more information and updates, join InQUEERy’s Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/inqu33ry. Lorraine Longhi is a Mesa-based freelance writer interested in covering the intersection of community and diversity. Follow her on Twitter at @lolonghi. Natasha Mendoza (left) and Vern Harner. Photo courtesy of facebook.com/ Dr.NatashaMendoza.
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A Classroom For Community
GLSEN Phoenix’s professional development series aims to raise awareness and promote inclusion By Desi Rubio
F
or some LGBT students, going back to school means socializing and learning, for others it raises concerns of isolation and bullying. With 25 years of experience, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) can help you ensure that your school provides a safe and affirming learning environment for all students, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. In support of GLSEN’s mission, the Phoenix chapter has launched a new professional development series in effort to raise awareness around LGBT-youth related issues and promote inclusion, both in the classroom and beyond. “Our goal is to educate our community about outstanding issues still facing young people – especially youth attending area schools,” said Danny Hernandez, Education and Policy Coordinator for GLSEN Phoenix, who will also be leading the sessions. The professional development series kicked off in July and, during the first session, Hernandez introduced effective ways to be an LGBT ally in a session called “Ally 101.” Then, July 30, he hosted a session called “The State of Anti-Bullying Policies in Arizona,” which explored ways to strengthen federal and state policies aimed at LGBT youth. In support of GLSEN’s goal to “improve school climate and champion LGBT issues in K-12 education,” each professional development session will address a different topic – from how to creating safe spaces for LGBT youth to learning about specific legalities that protect (or don’t currently protect) LGBT students in the state of Arizona. “It seems like a no-brainer that districts, and even the
state, would want to adopt more inclusive laws and protections,” Hernandez said. “But it’s a fight, even here in the Valley.” According to “Growing Up LGBT in America,” a youth survey conducted by the Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org/youth/viewstatistics), “LGBT youth are twice as likely as their peers to say they have been physically assaulted, kicked or shoved at school.” The same study also revealed that LGBT students cited “not feeling accepted by their family, trouble at school/bullying and fear to be out and open” as their biggest problems. Meanwhile, their non-LGBT peers cited trouble with class, exams and grades. “People returning to school may want to learn how to address certain LGBT issues,” Hernandez said. “These workshops are a great starting point on how to educate and then take action.” All topics discussed are research-based (found on GLSEN.org) and Hernandez added that research has indicated that having conversations centered on issues affecting LGBT youth can lead to higher student achievement.
This professional development series, which hosts two sessions scheduled each month at the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center, is open to anyone interested in learning more – from educators and students to parents and professionals.
“We’re hoping to gain interest in each [session, and] expand the types of people we market the classes to, as well as the people who might benefit from them,” Hernandez said.
For those who are not be able to attend the workshops in-person, Hernandez said, there are many additional resources are available at glsen.org.
According to Hernandez, the bigger goal behind the concept of the series is to encourage and enhance the ways educational leaders, as well as the community, can take charge and protect Valley LGBT youth.
For more information on attending the professional development sessions, or to RSVP, email Hernandez at danny@ glsenphoenix.org. For more information on the GLSEN Phoenix, find them on Facebook at facebook.com/glsen.phoenix. Desi Rubio is a Chandler-based freelance writer, who holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and culture. She can be reached at rubiodk@gmail.com.
Speak Out About Your School Experiences If you are an LGBT student, GLSEN invites you to participate in The 2015 National School Climate Survey at glsen.org/chapters/phoenix.
Photo courtesy of GLSEN Phoenix.. 24 |
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The information gathered from this survey will help GLSEN to inform education policymakers and the public about the right of all students to be treated with respect in their schools.
OUT ‘n ABOUT Rebel & Divine Talent Show Aug. 15 at Rebel & Divine UCC, Phoenix Photos by Kara J. Philp.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
one in ten Queer Prom July 11 at A.E England Building, Civic Space Park, Phoenix Photos by Bill Gemmill.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
Fantasy Fridays
New female-focused event combines nightlife and networking By Tiffany Hopkins
Photos courtesy of Fantasy Fridays.
I
f you’ve ever wondered where the ladies of Phoenix go for go-go dancers, celebrity appearances, live music, the hottest DJs as well as local fashion and art, we have the answer. For the past six months it’s been Fantasy Fridays, at AQUA Night Club. Billed as the Valley’s only exclusive night for “women who love women,” this weekly event is the latest collaborative effort by Miss DJ MJ and Nick Offenberger, Boss Couple Entertainment founder. This duo, known for throwing a variety of LGBT events throughout the Valley, started discussing the possibility of a recurring event like this last year – a concept that started with a quest to do something bigger and better. “We wanted to do something really big for the LGBT community, because everyone has shown us so much support with our past events,” said Marla Young, also known as Miss DJ MJ. “We thought to ourselves, ‘we know a lot of lesbians, let’s make a lesbian party.’” The result has included everything from themed parties and bottle service to celebrity appearances and guest performers. “A lot of LGBT clubs just cater to the men, and we wanted to provide something for the ladies,” Offenberger said, adding that he and Young find joy in coming up with new ideas and staying relevant. “We keep our ears open, creating a great event is a combination of work and ideas throughout the entire process.” According to Young and Offenberger, people in the community constantly reach out to them and want to be a part of the movement, and they are open to the ideas they receive. One such example is that, while Fantasy Fridays serves as a giant weekly party, it’s also as a place for female artists in the community to showcase their work. From performing artists to fashion designers, every week the event promises something new.
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“We’re so grateful for the support, and we wanted to give LGBT female artists a place to shine,” Young said, “we want to give them a platform to expand their brand[s].” Among the artists who have been featured as part of Fantasy Fridays is snapback designer and founder of Sugar Candy Snapbacks Terria Harvey. “If it wasn’t for Fantasy Fridays, my business would not be what it is right now,” Harvey said, adding that it has been one of the best opportunities she has encountered since creating the brand. “The networking is so awesome and it allows me to collaborate with other artists.” According to Harvey, the response to her and her snapback line has been “unreal” since she showcased at the event, and she describes the exposure as a “domino effect” in regards to artists supporting one another. “It’s all teamwork, and I see that from MJ and Nick,” Harvey said, adding that Fantasy Fridays is a testament to the passion of its creators. “I think it just comes down to wanting to see everyone succeed.” Harvey added that she sees new people every time she attends the event. “We wanted an event with all-around good energy, and we want to share it,” Young said. “It’s all love in the building on this night.” This atmosphere is exactly what Young and Offenberger were shooting for, agreeing that their goal was for every aspect of Fantasy Fridays – from the special guests to the and collaborators to the venue and music – to produce good vibes. “As simple as it sounds, another reason why it’s been successful is that we play good music,”
Miss DJ MJ and Nick Offenberger.
Offenberger said. “These girls are some of the best DJs in the state.” Whether it’s Young on the 1s and 2s, or a guest DJ, she said the majority of the music at Fantasy Fridays is hip-hop. “[T]he fact that it’s an LGBT event that plays a lot of hip-hop music makes it different from other LGBT events,” Young said. “It’s a really positive night, and everyone that I see leaves happy.” According to Young, the number one goal is to make sure everyone in the building is having a great time. And it seems to be working. Just six months into this new endeavor, Fantasy Fridays is still heating up with no sign of cooling down this fall. For more information, including future theme parties, special guests and opportunities to get involved, like Fantasy Fridays on Facebook at facebook. com/fantasyfridaysaz and follow @ fantasyfridaysaz on Instagram.
AQUA Night Club 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m. every Friday 1730 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix fantasyfridaysaz.wix.com/ffaz Tiffany Hopkins is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication who spends her time freelancing and traveling.
OUT ‘n ABOUT Fantasy Fridays At AQUA Night Club, Phoenix Photos courtesy of Fantasy Fridays.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
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feature story
Photos courtesy of Camp OUTdoors! volunteers and staff.
Out of the Closet, Into the Woods
Youth, volunteers and staff prepare to descend on Camp OUTdoors! for the eighth consecutive year By Laura Latzko
N
o summer is complete without a camping experience. Better yet, a lifechanging camping experience.
For eight consecutive years, that’s what Camp OUTdoors! has offered to youth and volunteers alike. Whether it’s sharing your coming out story, feeling the adrenaline pump through your veins while navigating a ropes course or a zip line, digging deeper during discussions about your sources of strength, expressing your true colors while decorating your cabin or any of the countless other activities that occur at camp each year, some aspect of camp will ensure you do not come home the same. This year, 175 LGBT youth and allies, ages 11 to 24, and 60 volunteers, who will serve
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as cabin counselors, rangers, entertainment troupe members, and workshop leaders, will converge in Prescott from Sept. 4 to 7 for a life-changing experience fondly referred to as “Gay Camp.”
Leading By Example According to Kado Stewart, one n ten programs manager and Camp OUTdoors! founder and director, camp facilitates the development of a stronger sense of self and important leadership and teamwork skills youth can take home with them and use in their everyday lives. The purpose of camp, Stewart added, is to empower youth to make a difference in their home communities, while providing an inclusive environment for connecting and learning.
“As a community, we’ve been excluded in a lot of ways. That’s one thing we don’t want to do to each other. It’s very important to teach that to our youth,” Stewart said. “It’s something that we find important and that goes with the sense of family and the sense of community we try to instill as our main core value.” As a result, Stewart said she’s heard many testimonials of camp attendees heading back home and back to school to take on roles in their student governments, 4-H clubs, church groups, gay-straight alliances and communities at large after going to camp. The youth aren’t the only ones transformed by camp, Stewart added. Each year, volunteers and staff, who come from a wide variety of backgrounds, also get to know one another on a deeper level. For example, volunteers and staff arrive at camp a day and a half ahead of the campers for training, which includes a story-sharing portion. “We all cram, all 60 of us, into one little cabin, and talk about our coming out stories,” Stewart said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be coming out as LGBT, it could be coming out as undocumented. It’s really profound because it’s a level of sharing that I don’t think the adults in our community are used to.”
A Home Away From Home Because so much of the bonding at Camp OUTdoors! takes place inside cabins, youth are grouped in cabins based on age. Each cabin comprises campers of different gender identities/expression and sexualities, as well as two counselors and a counselor-intraining. A CIT is usually someone between 20 and 24 years old who is committed to taking on such leadership roles as assisting counselors and planning activities. When making the cabin arrangements, Stewart said it is important to combine youth and volunteers with different backgrounds – from cisgender to transgender youth and from GSA leaders to campers with little or no access to LGBT agencies – so each cabin has the opportunity to experience full representation of the diversity that makes up the LGBT community. This year, one n ten received applications from more than 300 youth and 100 volunteers – a far cry from the 42 youth that attended the first Camp OUTdoors! in 2008.
“When I started Camp OUTdoors!, I could never have predicted the level of community and youth engagement that would help camp grow so rapidly,” Stewart said, adding that the youth have played a major role in shaping what camp has become over the years. According to Stewart, sponsoring organizations, such as third-year sponsor PetSmart, have also played an important role in the camp’s growth.
It Takes A Community While life-changing moments at camp aren’t guaranteed and can’t be predicted, the chances are good that they’ll take place during a workshop. This year, campers can choose from a wide variety of workshops, including LGBT in comics and anime, Phoenix Pride history, advocacy 101, LGBT in politics, LGBT history and various religion-themed workshops. Many of the workshops feature interactive activities such as journaling, question-andanswer panels and storytelling. And, in response
to youth feedback, camp will offer more sexual health education and job skill related workshops this year. Wilderness and survival skills workshops will again be led by OUTscouts, an adventure-based group of 15 dedicated youth from Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff and Yuma. In addition to having their own wilderness adventures throughout the year, the OUTscouts help plan camp each year and get involved in leadership roles. (For more information, see “QU Scholar,” page 35.) For the first year, CJ Minott, director of events at Aunt Rita’s Foundation, and will serve as a workshop coordinator. In the past, Minott served as a cabin counselor, ranger and workshop leader. Minott said camp workshops help to facilitate growth and leadership development in youth. “Here we have the current generation of our LGBT community. It’s a chance to pass down that knowledge and help them to be the best generation they can be,” Minott said. “Workshops
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are a way to learn about and have shared experiences, and that helps to strengthen our community as a whole.” Beyond the cabin atmosphere and workshops, youth and volunteers also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities that facilitate skillbuilding, personal growth and getting to get to know each other on a more personal level during activities. Unplug and Tune In Like many other summer camps, Camp OUTdoors! offers high and low ropes courses, zip lines, horseback riding, teambuilding exercises and music- and arts-related activities, including drag shows and a 250-person drum circle. This year, youth will be encouraged to bring their musical
instruments and creative sides for special camp activities. According to the Camp OUTdoors! website, good old-fashion face-to-face communication replaces smartphones and tablets at camp. The lack of technology helps to facilitate a more genuine and deeper bonding during activities, according to Caryn Bird, a Phoenix-area educator who has volunteered as a camp counselor and also led workshops on queer literature and storytelling. “It’s so nice to see what they are like when they are not on their screens,” Bird said. “The first day, they go through withdrawals. By the last day, they are glad they didn’t have it because they are so focused on their experience.” Year after year, the word of Camp
OUTdoors! continues to spread. While the majority of the youth will travel to camp from within Arizona, some campers will travel from North Carolina, Alaska, Georgia, Texas and Wisconsin for this year’s experience. No matter where you’re from or what capacity you attend Camp OUTdoors! in, it’s highly likely you’ll have an experience that’s worth writing (not texting or tweeting) home about. For more information on Camp OUTdoors!, visit outdoorsgaycamp.com. Laura Latzko is a Phoenix-area freelance writer, originally from Michigan, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communication studies from Hollins University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.
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A Match Made At Camp
As a teen, Cohen said she didn’t know what “gay” was and lacked mentors or resources.
By Laura Latzko
“For me, to help [the youth] at this age is a blessing, even if I am just an ear to talk to,” Cohen said. “I think being in [the cabin counselor] role, you spend four days with them and have the greatest ability to be available to them and help them.”
Local couple shares a love for each other and for volunteering
A
lthough Camp OUTdoors! has a strict no-dating policy, some sparks transcend the campfire and turn into real-life flames that burn well beyond that weekend in the woods. It’s been a year since Stella Kowalczyk, a first-year camp counselor and Kellie Cohen, a second-year camp counselor, met at Camp OUTdoors. After sharing personal stories during counselor training, which takes place prior to the start of camp, the women discovered that they had a lot in common. “[During counselor training] you are emotionally stripped naked and built up so you know how the campers feel,” Kowalczyk said. “The youth need us, and we need to support and hold each other up.” According to Kowalcyzk, hearing Cohen speak at camp last year really moved her. “When I listened to her tell her story, I thought, ‘I need to get to know this person,’” Kowalczyk said. “I am painfully shy and watched from afar. The last day of camp, I came up and talked with her for a few minutes. I watched her, and she has a smile that is infectious …” It didn’t take long for the two to connect after camp. Kowalczyk and Cohen explained that, because many of the counselors stay in contact and meet up regularly, the women found themselves in the same social circle. After a night out with a close group of friends, the pair felt a deeper mutual connection, and by December they were officially dating. “The more I got to know her, the more I saw that she is the most dynamic and interesting person I know,” Kowalczyk said. “I fall more in love with her every day.” Cohen describes Kowalcyzk as one of the most generous people she knows. “Stella is gorgeous. She is amazing, inside and out, so caring and giving, intelligent, honest,” Cohen said. “When people ask me about Stella, I say she is a good person. No matter what her needs are, she puts everyone else before herself.” Camp not only introduced the couple to one another, but it also fueled their interest in working with one n ten. In February, Kowalczyk became the program coordinator for the Youth Education and Success (Y.E.S.) Program. She scaled back her career in real estate to part time in order to devote more of her time to working with one n ten.
“The youth changed my life and made me change my priorities,” Kowalczyk said. Kowalczyk has also volunteered as a deaf interpreter and accessibility co-manager for Phoenix Pride and in several capacities for the Special Olympics. Cohen serves as a mentor in the Y.E.S. Program and volunteers for other one n ten events, such as the annual Fall Feast. She also volunteered for Phoenix Pride for the first time this year. Despite their busy schedules, the two make time for each other and for giving back and, in many cases, both at the same time. In fact, they spent their first Christmas day together at one n ten’s Queermas celebration, and one of their most memorable dates was attending one n ten’s Fresh Brunch. The couple sees volunteering, especially with camp, as opportunity to be a part of something they didn’t have growing up.
As Cohen and Kowalcyzk prepare to return to camp, this year as a couple, the women said they plan to lead by example. “Camp is for the youth,” Cohen said. “We are not putting it out there that we are a couple. We wouldn’t keep it a secret or hide it, but it’s a safe place, not a hookup place. We need to emulate that.” Making camp a special experience for the youth is what brought them together, and it continues to be their top priority. Laura Latzko is a Phoenix-area freelance writer, originally from Michigan, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communication studies from Hollins University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. Stella Kowalczyk (left) and Kellie Cohen. Photo by Randy’s Vision Photography.
feature story
QU Scholar
Yuma youth heads off to camp and back to school By Anthony Costello
W
hile college courses are designed to educate, the broader experience offers students the opportunity to follow their passion, take on leadership roles, discover more about themselves and others and, in some cases, gain a better sense of community. But for Yuma resident and Arizona Western College student Kellsey Jane, none of these concepts are entirely new. In fact, they’re part of the every fiber of her being. Jane’s personality is so contagious that she easily won over the QU Foundation whose panel presented her with a $10,000 scholarship at this one n ten’s Fresh Brunch earlier this year. So, what is it about Jane that leaves such a profound impression on anyone she comes in contact with? After even a brief interaction with her, you’ll find that she has a levelheaded, affable, yet direct, personality with a distinguishing ability to put herself in other peoples’ shoes. And that compassion has opened many doors for her.
Photos by Fernando Hernández.
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“Ever since that weekend I found my calling; I found family, support and love apart from my own initial family.” Kellsey Jane
Camp OUTdoors! For Jane, the road to leadership and community began after she attended one n ten’s Camp OUTdoors! program six years ago. “Ever since that weekend I found my calling; I found family, support and love apart from my own initial family,” she said. Jane’s moving camp experience led her to become involved with OUTscouts, a yearround program, through one n ten, that teaches leadership and wilderness survival skills through group camping trips and hikes. “Being an OUTscout is important to me because it’s like having mini Camp OUTdoors! sessions throughout the year,” Jane said. “Living in Yuma, where we don’t have much of an LGBT community, it’s important that I have those connections with my peers.” Additionally, Jane said she loves having a group of friends that are passionate about camping and being in the wilderness, and are also passionate about being a part of the LGBT community in a leadership role. In turn, OUTscouts take the skills they’ve learned and teach them to other youth – especially at camp. “Campers say ‘oh this is someone who knows what they’re doing’ it’s about showing how to be a responsible part of this community,” Jane said. Jane’s skills as an OUTscout and a leader were put to the test while serving as a counselor in training one summer at camp. “When I was a counselor in training I was partnered with a younger cabin,” Jane recalled. “I overheard that a camper was planning on sneaking out to meet up with someone from another cabin for an ‘encounter.’” 36 |
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Using intuitive thinking, Jane was able to dissuade the camper from breaking the rules.
mentioning she wanted to pursue an LGBT major during the class introduction exercise.
“I decided to take the route the camper would understand more and told them the consequences of going out. I could’ve gone to the camp counselors and higher-ups, but I didn’t want to go that far and make it a bigger deal than it needed to be,” she said. “I talked to them like an adult at a time when they weren’t … they later thanked me for sitting down and speaking with them ...”
“She scoffed at me and told me ‘That major doesn’t exist,’” Jane said. “Later on when she discussed essay topics that we’d cover later in the semester she looked directly at me and basically said, ‘Oh and no LGBT topics either.’”
Another highlight of camp each year, according to Jane, is seeing people from Yuma experience Camp OUTdoors! for the first time.
Although the dean sided with Jane, with the option of firing the teacher on the table, Jane urged a more empathetic route.
“I get to see their eyes fill with wonder and their hearts fill with love as they make new family members in a matter of days and friendships that will last a lifetime,” she said. “I know that over the years I have made friends and family that will be in my heart for all my life.”
Higher Learning While Jane has already earned an associates degree in English from Arizona Western College, she is currently finishing up another associates in American Indian studies. Despite a pleasant coming out experience in high school, where she helped form her high school’s first gay-straight alliance, she found herself facing discrimination where she would least expect it: college. On her first day of English 101, a core class of her major that aligns with her passion for creative writing, Jane recalled her instructor’s scoff in response to her
Jane, taken aback by her instructor’s rudeness, took the issue to the college dean at her mother’s behest.
“She made a mistake … she has her views. It wouldn’t have changed her if I did that, and I don’t think that’s a good experience to have,” Jane explained. “I didn’t want her to hold a grudge against the community.” Through this experience, Jane said she learned, not only that her mom is her biggest ally, but also that there are always people above the one bullying you and often times those higher ups are allies. “Any time I come across a person with negative views about me being a lesbian, I don’t hold it against them,” she said. “They have the right to hold their beliefs, as I do about them. It’s about mutual respect.”
QU Scholarship It’s these aspects of Jane’s character that made her such a strong candidate for QU co-founder and chairman of the QU Scholarship Selection Committee Shel-Don J. Legarreta and other co-panelists during the
QU Scholarship interviews. “She was very impressive from the get-go, her personality is larger than life and full of positivity,” Legarreta said. “Just her whole vibe was everything that we were looking for; people who are young, out and proud advocates for the community.” According to Legarreta, he personally chose Jane based on her ideas and personality. “She’s a breath of fresh air and [she] brightens the room when she walks in,” Legarreta said. “She has great ideas and is well spoken and driven.” Jane is currently putting the scholarship toward furthering her education at Northern Arizona University, where she plans to double major in English and women and gender studies. And if that wasn’t enough poetic justice on its own, Jane has even bigger aspirations of taking her experience full circle by becoming an English professor. Although Jane has been busy taking 19 credit hours, she plans on giving more time back to the LGBT community and the Yuma community at large. “In Yuma we don’t exactly have a strong LGBT community, a lot of people are quietly LGBT because [it’s] such a conservative town, which means youth like me don’t have many role models,” she said. This is a void Jane hopes to fill – at least until she relocates to Flagstaff next fall. “I feel like there’s so many people, especially youth, that don’t believe we have importance in the world and many in our community don’t have broad opportunities to go to school,” Jane said. “There’s always ways you can find your education and better your life. We need to show them the possibilities [that] an education offers.” While Jane is leading by example as she returns to the classroom, as well as her sixth annual Camp OUTdoors! with one n ten, she has a broader message for LGBT youth everywhere. “I was the first openly lesbian student at my school. After I came out, several other students came out to me in turn,” she said. “I got to help people with their own coming out and it was a wonderful experience helping people become comfortable with who they are. I want to be able to show everyone that it’s not just about education, but you can be a bright, happy person and have a good life as an LGBT person.” For more information on the QU scholarship Fund, visit quscholarship.org.
Anthony Costello is an awardwinning writer, a graduate of ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and a fraternity brother of Sigma Phi Beta, a gay, straight, bisexual and transgender fraternity.
Educating Our Community Phoenix Pride Announces 2015 Scholarship Recipients
T
he Phoenix Pride Scholarship Program is a charitable program to provide scholarships to self-identified LGBTQ college students.
Cody Holt Cody Holt recently completed his freshman year at Arizona State University, during which he served his fellow student residents as the vice president of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Residential Council, a student leadership organization that advocates for tens of thousands of students on campus.
Since its inception in 2008, the Phoenix Pride Scholarship Program has awarded $112,500 in scholarships, in addition to the $30,000 it will award in 2015. Phoenix Pride announced the 2015 scholarship recipients as part of this year’s Pride Gala, which took place June 20 at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort and Villas.
Katie Curiel
Dan Galloway Scholarship Recipient Originally from Phoenix, Katie Curiel completed her undergraduate studies at Arizona State University as part of the class of 2000. Curiel returned to ASU and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in global technology and development. In her various roles within higher education, government and community organizations, Curiel has traveled to 14 countries in four continents and worked with people from more than 100 countries.
Curiel served on various ASU international-related committees, is a facilitator for ASU’s DREAMzone Ally Certification Program, an advisor to the ASU Saudi Students Club and Women on the Move organization, an advisory committee member for ASU Chavez Programs, an 11-year member of Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc., and continues to serve as a youth mentor and scholarship judge for various organizations in the Phoenix-metropolitan area. In her various roles, she advocates for the equality and well being of local and global LGBT communities, inclusive environments and policies, provides insights into the LGBT-experience, especially for immigrants and international students. She supports LGBTidentifying people from around the world through informal mentoring, support network building and local and international resource providing. Curiel plans to apply her degree toward a career in international public service and global development that focuses on solving the problems of both global and the local communities through sustainable global development, access to quality education, immigration, human rights, intercultural competence, peace building and the development of globally experienced, globally minded multicultural communities.
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Holt was also a part of the National Residence Hall Honorary, a leadershipbased organization that comprises the top 1 percent of student leaders on campus. This year, he represented the ASU-Tempe delegation at the Intermountain Affiliation of College and University Residence Halls in Idaho. Holt maintains employment as a new student orientation leader at ASU. Next year, he will serve as the CLAS council president while pursuing degrees in both global health and global studies, as well as a minor in economics.
Joseph Florez Originally from New Mexico, Joseph Florez received his bachelor’s of applied studies in sports medicine at New Mexico State University. “My passion for the medical field stemmed from my early childhood,” Florez said. “I was born with a congenital birth defect, and from infancy, I had to undergo numerous surgeries and physical rehabilitation to cure my condition. It was through enduring those years of recovery that I truly learned the power of perseverance and gained an appreciation for the medical field.” Florez then moved to Phoenix to obtain a degree in cardiovascular echosonography at the West Coast Ultrasound Institute’s School of Imaging and Nursing. Florez serves as the president of the Student Assembly Board, as an ally and mentor to youth in the Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project (QUIP) and conducts voluntary diagnostic cardiac exams on at-risk demographics. “Thanks to the support of the Phoenix Pride Scholarship Foundation, it will allow me to continue to break barriers in the medical field and to assist those in our community,” he said. “I will continue to be an advocate in cardiovascular medicine as a member of the LGBT community and show that I am not only capable of curing the sick, but can do so as a proud gay man.”
Nemanja Demic
Allison Knuth
Nemanja Demic is a first-generation, second year student at Northern Arizona University. Demic is pursuing a bachelor of arts in philosophy, politics and law with a minor in international relations.
Allison Knuth, also know as Allie, began her senior year at the University of Arizona this month and is pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in theatre arts, with a double minor in both Spanish and 2D studio art.
Demic and his family immigrated to the United States as war refugees of the Serbo-Croatian wars in 2000. “It is this experience that drives me to pursue higher education in order to help children who, like myself, were once lost in the dark hoping to find a helping hand,” Demic said. Demic is involved with the NAU Red Cross Club and the Academic Transition Programs. Off campus, Demic is the district intern for Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick of AZ-D1. “On a more personal note, I identify as a homosexual male,” Demic said. “Through the trials, joys, and experiences of living this lifestyle I have found out not only much about myself but about society as well. I hope to change any stigmas the acronym LGBT carries while at the same time raising awareness to issues affecting gay men in the modern day.”
Raised by a single mom, Knuth said she has been blessed with support from both of her dads and her family members in each and every endeavor she’s embarked upon. Knuth is an active member of the National Theatre Honors Fraternity Theta Alpha Phi where she does graphic design and marketing. As an avid supporter of the arts, her goal is to attend theatre performances, art shows, dance classes and open mic nights as frequently as possible. As a dancer, Knuth has performed with Coco St. James at Pride events throughout Arizona and also participated in many LGBT fundraising events with various organizations. Additionally, Knuth said she feels excited to be finding herself and her voice in her fight as an ally.
Joseph Margolias Born in New Mexico, Joseph Margolias moved to Arizona at age 5 and went on to attend Pinnacle High School where he was involved in a wide variety of clubs. Margolias served as the head of the Junior Executive Board, the vice president for Key Club. He was also a member of the National Honors Society and the Spanish Honors Society where he held Junior Head of Community Service and a Conversación y Comida leadership positions, respectively. Additionally, he held the positions of treasurer and president in his school’s Gay-Straight Alliance. According to Margolias, he’s always had a passion for community service and that’s why he joined so many clubs that focused on helping people. Next year he will be attending the Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University, where he plans on studying accountancy and Spanish. For more information, visit phoenixpride. org/pride-scholarships. – Courtesy of Phoenix Pride
Kevin, David & Family - Phoenix
Grow Your Family
with Arizona’s Children Association
Learn about Foster Care & Adoption 1st Wednesday of every month at 6 PM Phoenix Pride LGBT Center (801 N. 2nd Ave.) No RSVP required. Or call us, statewide, to get started: 602.253.1620 or 800.944.7611
www.ArizonasChildren.org
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3/24/15 5:26 PM
OUT ‘n ABOUT Drag Starz Aug. 13 at The Orpheum Theatre, Phoenix Photos by Bill Gemmill.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
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Join us at our 5th annual business luncheon where we applaud ONE Community LGBT and allied business, and community heroes for their commitment to diversity!
October 16th | 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel
Purchase tickets at www.ONECommunity.co CENTER STAGE SPONSORS
FLOODLIGHT SPONSORS
SEARCHLIGHT SPONSORS
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OUT ‘n ABOUT SWAY Pool Party July 26 at Hotel Valley Ho, Scottsdale Photos courtesy of SWAY Events.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
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Five years of helping parents build their families
Southwest Adoption Services is a licensed adoption agency that performs adoption home studies (certification), post placement supervision reports, information, and support for couples, singles and families living in Arizona.
7254 E. Southern Avenue, Mesa, Arizona 85209 Phone: 480-380-6248 www.swadoption.com
Are you feeling overwhelmed, unsupported, lost, or frustrated? Trying to find your “new normal”? Ready to move forward and make the most of your life?
Mariann Arcari Rubin, LCSW
Counseling Professional Over 20 years experience
7254 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 123, Mesa, Arizona 85209 Phone: 480-380-6248 www.marubin.com EchoMag.com • september 2015
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feature story
Quaintance: The Short Life of an American Art Pioneer Local author immortalizes gay artist in new biography
By Marshall Shore
“Siesta.” Photos courtesy of Ken Furtado, Quaintance: The Short Life of an American Art Pioneer.
“Thunderhead” (left) and “After the Storm.” Quaintance’s most iconic images are from Arizona, most of which contain idealized young men and casual, but abundant, nudity, in a context that was rugged, masculine, romantic, sensuous and erotic.
N
ew York. Los Angeles. Phoenix. Though this may sound like stops on a national concert or exhibition tour, but it’s actually the journey of a relatively obscure, but iconic gay artist who changed how we look at male and female beauty. Despite the fact that his art was a precursor to Tom of Finland and Alberto Vargas, George Quaintance (1902-1957) remains a virtually unknown, unsung pioneer of the arts and queer communities – until now.
Ken Furtado and John Waybright (see sidebar), crossed paths on their individual quests for Quaintance information. Through their connection, they realized that there was very little authoritative information available on the man whose resume included dancing professionally, painting early pin-up girls, working as a celebrity hairdresser, directing art for several muscle magazines and, most notoriously, creating beefcake images of beautiful men with bulging Levi’s, six-pack abs and perfectly quaffed hair. This alone made the decision to collaborate on a definitive Quaintance biography an easy one for Furtado and Waybright, and the soon-to-be co-authors agreed that Waybright would write about the artist’s years on the East Coast and Furtado would depict the years Quaintance spent in Los Angeles and Phoenix. “After 10 years and dozens of publishers’ rejections, the George Quaintance biography that John and I co-authored is available as an ebook,” Furtado share on via georgequaintance.com. “John passed away in 2013, and in 2014 I made a New
“Rodeo Victor.”
“Havasu Creek.”
Year’s resolution to create an ebook version by year’s end. I completely rewrote every chapter, adding about 12,000 words to the original manuscript in the form of new information that we learned since first completing the bio. That task was completed, and this morning, the book became available.” Furtado stuck to his guns and, Quaintance: The Short Life of an American Art Pioneer is the only comprehensive look at the artist’s life available today. EchoMag.com
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“Herald.”
George Quaintance loved to be photographed. This was his favorite photo of himself, wearing a blond wig and tailored cowboy duds. Stephen Barclay portrait.
The Original GQ Born in rural Virginia, Quaintance showed an early aptitude for art, not farming. And, at the age of 18, he went to New York to study at the Art Students League. Shortly thereafter Quaintance joined a Vaudeville troupe that was the opening act for Sophie Tucker’s farewell performance. He continued to study ballet and modern dance until an injury forced him to pursue other creative outlets. From there, he when on to become one of America’s preeminent hair stylists, whose clients included such stage and screen stars as Marlene Dietrich, Helen Hayes, Jeanette MacDonald and Hedy Lamarr. He also painted formal portraits of celebrities, diplomats, socialites and pinup girls for a variety of magazines in the ‘30s and ‘40s. This opened the door for him to become the art editor for men’s magazine 46 |
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Your Physique. This introduction to the sculpted male physiques of the body building community would influence his art in such a way that it would overshadow his prior artistic endeavors. Quaintance’s career culminated with the work he produced from his Phoenix home and studio, dubbed Rancho Siesta, where lived, painted and loved from 1952 to 1957. Through Quaintance: The Short Life of an American Art Pioneer Furtado and Waybright’s shared goal is to tell the complete story of this iconic gay artist’s life. To purchase a copy of Quaintance: The Short Life of an American Art Pioneer, visit smashwords.com. For more information, visit georgequaintance.com. Marshall Shore , Arizona’s Hip Historian, has dedicated his livelihood to keeping Arizona’s past alive through archiving efforts, tours and presentations. Find out more at marshallshore.com.
Mrs. Victor Moore portrait.
Questions About Quaintance Local author’s research paints a complete picture of iconic gay artist By Marshall Shore
A
s one of the original six founders of Echo Magazine, Ken Furtado (pictured) knows a thing or two about the gay history of Phoenix. During the publication’s early years, Furtado did a little bit of everything – from writing and editing to laying out the issues and serving as Echo’s first webmaster. Eventually, he took on the role of writing book reviews and entertainment-related articles, and was the sole editor and webmaster of Echo’s now defunct adult co-publication, X-Factor. Furtado, a long time admirer of the work of George Quaintance, lives only a few miles from late artist’s infamous Rancho Siesta in Phoenix.
Echo caught up with Furtado following the release of Quaintance: The Short Life of an American Art Pioneer, and here’s what he had to say. Echo: Who is George Quaintance? Furtado: A remarkable fellow. He was born in 1902 to a fairly wealthy family of farmers and landowners in rural Virginia. He was just a flaming queen from birth and his parents weren’t horrified by that – they supported him. They loved him and let him do what he wanted to do, which was to become an artist.
Echo: How did Quaintance end up in Arizona? Furtado: I don’t know how he ended up in Arizona. Some of his earliest paintings are of Havasu Creek, how that happened I was never able to discover. He bought property in Phoenix and established this fictitious Rancho Siesta, which was actually his studio, and presented it as this huge sprawling cattle ranch that was populated by livestock and lots of scantilydressed hunky men and people bought into that and that help him to market his work. Echo: How did you decide to write a biography? Furtado: I went to an estate sale here in town and one of the things in the sale was a loose leaf notebook that contained 75 to 80 vintage prints of George
Quaintance’s paintings and they wanted $5 each picture. But, when I asked for the price for the entire notebook, it was something ridiculous like $50. I took it home and wanted to learn more, but realized that there was not much information and lots of conflicting information. I found a reference to the Tom of Finland foundation and a biography in the works. Years went by and no biography appeared, come to find out there was a fire and all of the data was lost. While researching, I ran into a fellow who lived in Virginia, a retired newspaper editor, named John Waybright. John and I struck up a conversation [along the lines of], “too bad there is no biography. Why don’t we do it?” Echo: How long did it take till there was a finished document? Furtado: Eleven years. It took a long time, we had no financing. I was still working full time and didn’t have time to do research. John was still working. We agreed that John would cover the part of Quaintance’s life that was spent in the East. That would be art school, vaudeville, dancing and the diplomatic portraits. I would do the part Quaintance related to Los Angles and Phoenix. That’s how we divided up the work. Sadly, John did not live to see the fruits of his labors in print.
Echo: When did his paintings begin to show skin? Furtado: He was painting pin-ups, female pin-ups, very busty babes for different pulp magazines of the era. At some point, he started doing male nudes, and that’s what he did for the rest of his life. Though he continued to paint portraits, which he loved to do. His celebrity ties sort of dropped him when he started doing the male nude stuff. The Hollywood and Broadway celebrities disassociated with him, which is kind of weird because you think they would have been more open-minded to the kind of person he was, they weren’t.
John Waybright, 1938-2013 John Waybright was a newspaper editor, earning Virginia Press Association awards for columns, editorials and newspaper page designs, who lived in Luray, Va., not far from George Quaintance’s birthplace in rural Alma, Va. After Waybright and Furtado connected, while both were searching for Quaintance
information, they realized that there was very little authoritative information about Quaintance available; so they decided to collaborate on a definitive biography. Waybright was a personal friend of a Quaintance relative who opened the family archives to him. And, 11 years later (two years after Waybright passed away), Quaintance: The Short Life of an American Art Pioneer was published. EchoMag.com
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from John’s wife (he was a married gay man) saying John passed away. We both did all this work and never saw anything published and now he is dead. I decided I am going to do this myself. If nobody wants to publish this, I’ll publish it. So I had to learn how to do an e-book. It had been probably three years since I looked at the manuscript. So I basically started all over again rewriting from page one to the end and put it into an e-pub form and it’s online. Echo: Why is it important that we know the story of Quaintance? Furtado: Because there was none else like him and because he was the first one who dared, if that’s the right word, to actually show men in more erotic situations with other men and they weren’t ugly, mean, sordid or perverted. They were nice to look at and he threw in Hispanics and Native Americans into idyllic situations. That had never been done. Photography had just reached the age where you could show guys in posing straps or guys with their genitals concealed. Nobody was doing any kind of illustrative work. So he was the first one to put this on paper and one canvas. He was groundbreaking.
Echo: What made you decide to publish an e-book?
Echo: Did Quaintance’s work influence others?
Furtado: We were never able to attract the attention of a publisher. The work languished and we would get fired up again and get 40 letters of rejection. On Mother’s Day three years ago, I got a letter
Furtado: From Quaintance we went right to Tom of Finland, full hard-core gay male representations of sex. During George’s
time you could get thrown in jail for putting something like that in the mail. Postal authorities destroyed one of his paintings because it was considered obscene. Though no pubic hair or penis were seen, just the fact the male was in a suggestive pose or position with another male, was enough. The art director for the film Querelle (1982) acknowledged that he was influenced by the work of Quaintance. Echo: What do you think George’s place in Arizona’s history is? Furtado: You know, it’s zero. When I was just starting my research I went to the research library at the Phoenix Art Museum. I spoke with a docent and we could find nothing, not a single thing. She said “You must be mistaken. If there was an Arizona artist named George Quaintance we would know something about him. So, you either have the name wrong or you have the place wrong.” That’s his place in Arizona history, pretty much unknown except for a very small few … So, I would hope that my book will help him get a foothold in art history, gay history and Arizona history. Marshall Shore , Arizona’s Hip Historian, has dedicated his livelihood to keeping Arizona’s past alive through archiving efforts, tours and presentations. Find out more at marshallshore.com.
ATTENTION AUTHORS Advertise your book release, signing event or author reception in Echo. As the leading LGBT magazine and media organization serving Arizona’s diverse communities, Echo is the prefect place for authors to reach new readers.
April 17, 1962 – July 17, 2015
WISHES TO DIE FOR and ANDY WARHOL Preface to book release and preview of Andy Warhol: Portraits
re TEMEKA In-Sto-Up JOHNSON Team dQ&A
ing an
sign Book
WNBA Star and author of Temekaʼs Choice and Meek Follows The Rules
+Alex Chambers author of 13 Teams
Friday, July 18th 7:30 pm
Changing Hand s Phoenix at The New 300 W Camelbaton ck Phoenix, AZ 8501 Rd 3
HOSTED BY
KEVIN HASELHORST, MD Phoenix Art Museum Sunday, March 1, 2015 6 – 9 p.m. In conjunction with Art Night Out and Changing Hands Bookstore Guest appearances by Fairy Godmother, Aladdin and the Magic Lamp • Palette Tasting Menu • DJ • Cash Bar Warhol Exhibit: 8 admission $
RSVP: www.phxart.org events calendar (attendance is limited)
* * * Pre-Order * * * WISHES TO DIE FOR at Amazon.com For further information, visit www.wishestodiefor.com Proceeds from book sales will be donated to Big Brother Big Sister of Arizona * WISHES TO DIE FOR was inspired by Landmark Education, New Vision Center for Spiritual Living, Sumits Yoga, Desert Song Healing Arts Center and Franciscan Renewal Center “Gifted and Called” * Organizations listed have inspired, but not formally endorsed the principles discussed in WISHES TO DIE FOR.
Find out more about advertising and promotion by calling our sales department at 602-266-0550.
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James Inghram
EchoMag.com
James Inghram was born April 17th, 1962, in Yuma, Arizona. He passed away July 17, 2015, in Phoenix. He was 53 years old. Inghram was a self-employed entertainment talent director who loved music, art, travel and entertaining. His favorite saying was, “Watch out now, you ain’t ready for Mr. James.” He performed as CeCe Peniston’s Road Manager for more than two decades and was also the owner of JY’s, which used to be Foster’s nightclub. Inghram is survived by his mother and father, Mary Rangel and Williams Inghram (Carol); his sisters, Roxanne Inghram (Alex) and Kim Waddell; his brothers Nathan Limburg and Christopher Inghram; as well as nieces, nephews and cousins. Inghram was a very kind person whom will be missed by many.
Needless to say, I bought that magazine. Just for perspective, Quaintance’s art predates the Stonewall Riots, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the idea of same-sex marriage equality.
Photos courtesy of Marshall Shore.
A Quaint(ance) Experience
Hip Historian reflects on the evolution of gay themes in art By Marshall Shore I first became aware of George Quaintance while on vacation in Provincetown, Mass. This hyper-quaint New England town is now a popular LGBT vacation destination. As I was browsing antique shops, I stumbled upon a stack of ‘50s muscle magazines with such titles as Physique Pictorial, Your Physique and Body Beautiful, featuring oiled up men with lots of rippling muscles in posing straps to cover their naughty bits. While perusing the yellowed pages, I spied an advertisement for Quaintance’s art, but the shocker was that the purchases would have been shipped from Phoenix. Yes, this Phoenix, in the 1950s.
Instead, the repressive atmosphere surrounding homosexuality in 1950s, meant being gay was a taboo, jail time was quite possible, police raided gathering places and being out or caught could jeopardize your livelihood.
Hollywood was portraying gays as limp-wristed sissies, serial killers and cross dressers, and an anti-homosexual Public Service Announcement from that time, called Boys Beware, labeled sexual predator as a generic homosexual.
dress in my own unique style, but this event called for something extra special. I already had the perfect outfit that artist Jordan Diamant hand painted with Quaintance homage images, for an LGBT history walking tour around Roosevelt Row, called the Fruit Loop. The Taschen Gallery show titled “The Flamboyant Life and Forbidden Art of George Quaintance” – which opened July 2, 2015, and will run through August – marked the first time for such public display of Quaintance’s artwork. Having previously only seen reproductions of the work, I was stunned at the intense colors and sheer beauty of the nearly life-size works. Even the small paintings were large. It was breathtaking to see the gallery full of people looking at art from a long-gone era when these beautiful works were seen as bordering on obscenity. Today they tell a visually stunning story of a pioneer artist that worked, lived, and loved right here in Phoenix. Oh, how times have changed!
So, I knew from that one advertisement there had to be an interesting story, but sad to say little information was available, until now. Soon after reading Quaintance: The Short Life of an American Art Pioneer serendipity struck like a bolt of lighting. I was tending bar on a slow night, getting ready to close down, when a couple walked in and ordered a round. We chatted as they drank, and I learned they were visiting and that he worked for Taschen Publishing. I immediately brought up that a few years ago Taschen had published a book about Quaintance and his art, and that Quaintance had lived in Phoenix. He asked, “You mean that guy who paints the half naked cowboys?” What he said next caused my jaw to drop onto the floor. “We are hanging a show of his right now at the new Los Angeles Taschen Gallery,” he said, followed by an invitation to attend the opening. If you know me, you know I typically
“The Flamboyant Life and Forbidden Art of George Quaintance” Through Aug. 31, 2015 The Taschen Gallery 8070 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles taschen.com/la-gallery-quaintance Marshall Shore , Arizona’s Hip Historian, has dedicated his livelihood to keeping Arizona’s past alive through archiving efforts, tours and presentations. Find out more at marshallshore.com.
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feature story
Work Fierce, Part 2: Home Base
Phoenix-based creative professional discusses the challenges and benefits of being a digital nomad By Liz Massey
D
ecker Moss didn’t intend to join a workplace revolution six-and-a-half years ago. He just wanted to hang on to a job he loved. Moss moved from Phoenix to Columbus, Ohio, in 2007 to take a job as an associate creative director with the digital marketing agency Resource/Ammirati. He worked in Ohio for almost two years. At that point, he had met his partner, Ethan Sullivan, and both of them worked for the agency. Both men had Phoenix roots, and wanted to return to the Southwest. “We asked our company if we could move and still keep our jobs,” he explained. The company agreed, and they did. Moss is among a growing number of Americans who work outside of a traditional office setting. According to a recent American Time Use Survey released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 23 percent of respondents reported completing some or all of their work from home. While his specific story as a trans man who came out and began his gender transition process while working from home is unique, his narrative illustrates more generally the advantages and pitfalls that this particular work style provides for many Americans, including members of the LGBT community.
Second Time Around Moss’s current telecommuting arrangement is not the first time he’s worked remotely. In 2000, he and his twin sister, Jenny, lived near each other in North Phoenix and worked remotely for a company in Tempe. While the situation was good for saving time and money on their commute, the technology to electronically review and approve complex graphics-heavy documents was lacking at the dawn of the 21st century. “We started with a dial-up modem, and our boss got us a high-speed modem,” he said. “We were just happy to have email.” But the faster modem couldn’t bridge other communications gaps, so Moss found himself spending more and more time at the company headquarters, eventually working in the office full time. 50 |
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“When a company insists on people working from their offices, they are limiting their ability to reach the best people for the job.” Decker Moss
Today, he is able to stay in touch with his colleagues in Columbus with the help of project management apps such as Trello, and the messaging app Microsoft Lync, which Moss said allowed him to contact coworkers during client calls and have access to information that he would otherwise need to be inside the conference rooms of his company to obtain. Although Resource/ Ammirati had employed a number of employees who worked remotely, Moss said he was among the first creative employees to work from home. Moss and the company discovered that having him fly in for brainstorming sessions and client meetings resolved one of the biggest challenges in remote work – collaborating effectively with others in an industry that has traditionally relied on in-person meetings to Photo by Fernando Hernández.
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“Because I’m so far away, I have chunks of time to focus,” he said. “When I need to do strategy work or copywriting, that’s huge.”
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Changing Gender From Far Away Working outside of a traditional office environment had its own advantages and pitfalls when Moss transitioned his gender identity from female to male three years ago. He said that being able to work by himself, out of the public eye, during the phases of his transformation during which his appearance changed the most helped reduce his stress levels. But he did not attempt to come out as trans to his employers from a distance. “I planned an in-person trip to talk to our HR director, to explain the impact of my transition and to ask for help navigating the process as it related to my job,” he said. On that same trip, Moss, the HR director, and the company founder crafted a plan for announcing the news to Moss’s co-workers and clients. Moss made a return trip a few weeks later when the announcement was made; his company used the opportunity to clarify its support of transgender employees and to provide education on the topic for staff.
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Moss said he’d experienced a high level of acceptance from coworkers and clients alike, something he said he knew was not typically the case for trans workers in his situation. One downside to working remotely during his transition, he said, was that his coworkers got fewer opportunities to practice the proper pronouns for Moss and using his chosen male name; he said he dealt with this challenge by asking a select group of work friends from the Columbus office to guide others into using the proper terms and letting Moss know how that effort was going. EchoMag.com
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The World Is The Recruiting Pool
Fast Facts About
Working Remotely
Moss acknowledged that his employer was a leader in hiring telecommuting employees; he estimated that nearly 100 of Resource/Ammirati’s 400 staff members worked outside the company’s four corporate offices. For those who want to work remotely, he advised pitching the concept to management and framing it in terms of how it improves the ability of the company to go after and sign top talent.
Of the 140 million Americans who have jobs, as many as 30 million work from home at least one day per week. About half of all jobs are compatible with remote work, at least part time. The number of full-time telecommuters is expected to rise from 3 million in 2012 to 4.9 million by 2016.
“When a company insists on people working from their offices, they are limiting their ability to reach the best people for the job,” he said. “Some functions clearly have to be onsite, but if a company can see the benefit to them (from telecommuting) and see how they can retain good people, that can help improve your chances of getting a remote position,” he asserted. Liz Massey has been involved in LGBT community-building activities in Kansas City and the Valley of the Sun, and is a former managing editor of Echo Magazine. She can be reached at lizmassey68@gmail.com.
If all jobs that could be done remotely were done so at least part-time, the collective savings – to businesses, employees and costs to the environment – would total more than $700 million. Remote workers are less fatigued both emotionally and physically, and report being happier and more satisfied with their work. Source: Benefits of Employee Telecommuting Infographic (boltinsurance.com/news/ miscellaneous/benefits-of-employee-telecommuting-infographic).
How To Find A Remote Work Position Work options advisor and negotiation coach Pat Katepoo of Work Options has the following advice for those seeking a remote work situation.
1. During a job search, scout out clues about the company’s culture related to flexible work arrangements, including telecommuting. 2. Your best bet for garnering a remote work arrangement is to negotiate it in your current work position, especially if you’ve worked for the same boss for at least two years and have a reliable work record. 3. Build your case for a remote work arrangement by doing your homework and framing your proposal in terms of how it benefits your employer. 4. Develop a written proposal that details how you will operate as an employee once you are working remotely.
Source: workoptions.com.
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Café Tranquilo
WITHOUT RESERVATIONS
Story and photos by Chelsea Young
T
he funky vibe of The Clarendon Hotel and Spa beckons both visitors and locals year round. Widely known for its signature saltwater pool and rooftop with views of downtown Phoenix, this four-star boutique hotel is an ideal home for a stellar restaurant. Nestled in the northeast corner of the first floor sits Café Tranquilo, a modern Mexican eatery that replaced the much-loved Gallo Blanco in February. Being from Texas, and a lover of all things infused with spice and south-of-the-border flavor, I was excited to try Café Tranquilo. After all, nothing beats an icy margarita and a bowl of tortilla chips on a warm Friday after work, am I right? Upon entering, a bar and lounge area gives way to a dining room of floor-to-ceiling windows, exposed ductwork and crisp, modern touches (think sleek woods and pristine whites). I personally loved the cobalt bottles of water that adorn each table. My first visit was a Friday dinner, and we were seated in a quiet corner (it wasn’t crowded at 7 p.m., but within an hour the place started to fill up). The sleek, minimalist space is small, so I’d suggest reservations during prime dining times. When our first server inquired about our drink orders (our table saw a total of three servers in one meal), I opted for the “El Hefe” margarita, which comprises jalapeno-infused tequila, elderflower liqueur, fresh lime juice, lavender syrup and blueberry purée. Whenever I see elderflower liqueur or lavender on a drink menu, I’m instantly intrigued as I love these two flavors. While the “El Hefe” was aesthetically pleasing, with a bright fuchsia color and a small stick of three blueberries delicately balanced across the saltcovered rim, the blueberry purée was overpowering for my taste. My friend ordered the classic margarita, which turned out to be the better choice (in both flavor and price). DINING
Classic margarita.
“El Hefe” margarita. EchoMag.com
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We kicked off our meal with an order of guacamole, which took a while to arrive, so we munched on chips with two kinds of salsas, a verde and a red, while we waited. The guacamole arrived, topped with mangoes and cilantro, but the flavor wasn’t as dynamic as I’d expect after tasting the daring dose of blueberry in the specialty margarita. We ordered a variety of entrées to share, and the first up was pork emmoladas: Corn tortillas filled with shredded pork, smothered in mole and sprinkled with Oaxaca cheese, served up with rice, beans and grilled veggies. We also selected the Campechana Ahogada torta, which promised grilled rib-eye, chorizo, tomato, mayo and Oaxaca
sePtember 2015
reservations. As expected, the place was abuzz with what appeared to a mix of locals and hotels guests; as a result, we waited almost 10 minutes to be seated.
As if that wasn’t enough to fill us up, I figured we should also try the tacos, so I ordered one pork barbacoa and one papa y nopal (mashed potato and grilled cactus). The pork was on the dry side, but the cilantro and pickled red onion sprinkled on top combined for a near-perfect flavor combination; however, the tortilla, mashed potato and cactus proved to be just too much of a texture adventure for my taste.
Their specialty brunch drink, a “Mexican Mimosa,” was a combination of prosecco and the agua fresca of the day. Although we were told today’s agua fresca was honeydew, our first round of drinks arrived featuring pineapple. I asked to switch mine to honeydew, and I’m glad I did. It proved to be a perfectly refreshing drink for summer sipping. And, the coffee (which is from Lux) was, of course, everything you’d want in a steaming cup o’ joe.
This visit left me less-than enthusiastic and hungry to give it another go, so I returned two days later for Sunday brunch. Knowing the demand for good brunch in the gayborhood, I made
For the main course, I ordered the huevos rancheros, which turned out to be a new experience for me because, here, the dish’s foundation consists of sopapillas (versus tortillas, which I’m accustomed to), giving it a softer, thicker texture. Topped with white
I couldn’t resist the cinnamon-infused churro waffles off the special brunch menu, which arrived covered in berries, with a dollop of whipped cream and drizzled with caramel sauce. If you’re in the mood for a sweet breakfast item, this one will definitely do the trick.
Huevos rancheros.
Veggie burrito. 56 |
cheese “smothered in red sauce.” When it arrived, there was a touch of this sauce underneath all the meat layered on one slice of the massive, open-faced sandwich. On the other slice sat the avocado, but no tomato. There’s also the option of adding an egg for a dollar.
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DINING
beans, over-easy eggs, crema, Oaxaca cheese, and doused in a red sauce, this dish was the clear winner, in my opinion. The Clarendon is not short on winning attributes, but it seems that Café Tranquilo is still catching up to its host hotel when it comes to excellence, attention to details and consistency. And, to be fair, this restaurant has big shoes to fill (I even heard someone call it the “not Gallo Blanco”). For now, I’m hoping the third time at Café Tranquilo is a charm. Café Tranquilo 401 W. Clarendon Ave., Phoenix 602-469-1730 goclarendon.com/restaurant Hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily; weekend brunch, Sat and Sun, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Chelsea Young is a writer, editor, poet, author and entrepreneur with a passion for food and travel. She’s been published in more than a dozen publications, and can be reached via chelseayoung.com.
Cinnamon-infused churro waffles.
Pork barbacoa taco. EchoMag.com
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AT THE BOX OFFICE By Hans Pedersen
Coming Out Video release Sept. 1 | Not Rated | 98 minutes
Z for Zachariah In theatres Aug. 28 | PG-13 | 95 minutes
Craig Zobel (director of the incendiary Compliance) cast his latest Sundance favorite with just three attractive and talented actors. Set a year after a cataclysmic disaster, this drama centers around a young Appalachian woman, Ann (Margot Robbie), who learns she’s not the last person alive when she meets Loomis (Chiwetel Ejiofor), an engineer struggling with the effects of contamination. When the pair encounters a third stranger, swarthy Caleb (Chris Pine), an uneasy love triangle develops in this slow-burning morality tale that unfolds in a decimated, post-apocalyptic world.
The Tokyo International LGBT Film Festival is a place where audiences are discovering all kinds of new movies about samesex love in contemporary Japanese society, including this 2015 festival selection that’s only now available to audiences in the United States. Written and directed by Kazutoshi Inudo, this coming-of-age tale focuses on a gay university student, Yo, who harbors a secret love for Noboru, a buddy from one of his school clubs. Meanwhile Yo’s friends and family are unaware of his powerful attachment to his classmate as well as his pent-up sexual feelings for other men.
The New Girlfriend In theatres Sept. 18 | R | 108 minutes
Love in the Time of Civil War Video release Sept. 1 | Not Rated | 120 minutes
Drug-addicted hustlers in Montreal are the half-naked characters romping through bedrooms in this movie, directed by Rodrigue Jean. A young prostitute, Alex (Alexandre Landry), and his friends Simon, Eric, Bruno and Jeanne, live a sordid lifestyle that’s fueled by drugs and sex with strangers for cash: they seem caught in a desperate cycle of chasing temporary highs and love in the shadows. Jean is an award-winning Canadian director who also made the 2008 male hustler documentary Men for Sale. 58 |
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In acclaimed French director François Ozon’s latest work, a young woman uncovers a secret about the husband of her dearly departed best friend. When Claire (Anaïs Demoustier) drops by the home of David (Romain Duris) to see how he’s coping with his loss, she finds him dressed up in his dead wife’s clothes, nursing their baby with a bottle. Nominated for several awards, this thriller about a cross-dressing husband in mourning is a well-crafted nailbiter with some comic touches in the Hitchcock tradition. Praised by critics, this movie has also been called out for relying a bit much on stereotypes, too.
Hans Pedersen is a freelance writer based in Phoenix.
movies
Grandma
Lily Tomlin leads knock-out cast in new dramedy By Hans Pedersen
L
ily Tomlin turns in an Oscar-worthy performance as pissed-off lesbian grandma Elle Reid in Grandma, which hit theatres Aug. 28. While this delightfully funny film is likely to elicit cackles of laughter, it also delivers an emotional punch. When her granddaughter shows up at her uniquely decorated home in the opening scenes, it’s clear from the start that Elle is truly an angry senior citizen. Her quips are cutting and her survival skills are shrewd, but her outlook has turned dour. Nobody could have played the role better than Tomlin. Her teenage granddaughter, Sage (Julia Garner from TV’s “The Americans”), confesses that she’s pregnant. She’s afraid to tell her high-strung mom, and admits to grandma that she’s made an appointment to have an abortion at the end of the day. The guy who got her pregnant has stood her up, and she’s asking her broke grandmother for several hundred dollars for the procedure. Since she’s nearing the end of her first trimester and no other clinics are nearby, Julia and Elle decide to race against the clock and try to raise the money in time for her appointment. To borrow cash and collect old debts, the pair hit the road in Elle’s clunky 1955 Dodge Royal, encountering characters from this angry woman’s past. Lightning-hot Laverne Cox is luminous as a friend who borrowed money to pay for implants. The late Elizabeth Pena plays a testy store clerk who’s unwilling to fork over money for some first-edition books that Elle treats like treasures. And Judy Greer is Elle’s younger ex-girlfriend, Olivia, who gets dumped in the opening scenes and later returns to duke it out. But Elle keeps pushing her away, clinging to the memory of a lover who died ages earlier.
More ghosts from the past are unveiled as the pair roll into people’s lives. Sam Elliot turns up as an ex-lover of Elle’s, and their discussion peels away the layers in a new complex relationship from her rich life.
the rich production design, with elaborately detailed sets and vibrant outdoor locations that enhance the realism of the film. It’s the perfect setting for such standout performances.
But the ultimate revelation is the neurotic mother, Judy (Marcia Gay Harden), who has all of Elle’s rage and feistiness, but none of her cool attitude or down-to-earth quirks.
About the time she purchased that Dodge Royal, Tomlin played a gospelsinging mom in Robert Altman’s Nashville, which earned her a best supporting actress nomination. Here’s hoping this fresh portrayal will peak the Academy’s interest once again, but Harden and other actors in the film also deserve consideration for their outstanding work, too.
Harden makes her entrance in the third act and bumps the already terrific film up yet another notch. This career-minded mom with a treadmill in her office is so tightly wound she could pop at any moment (it’s clear that is was not easy being the daughter of Elle Reid). Character-driven stories like this don’t emerge every day, and Paul Weitz has assembled a dramedy that really clicks. The story develops in unexpected ways, and even when we seem to delve into familiar territory, like a protest scene at the abortion clinic, Weitz takes detours into new vistas. It’s the first time since Big Business (1988) that Tomlin has played the lead role in a movie, which frankly seems impossible given the resume of this brilliant actress and comedian. She has performed her own onewoman show for years, currently co-stars with Jane Fonda in the Netflix Original Series “Grace and Frankie” and played major roles in everything from TV’s “Murphy Brown” to I Heart Huckabees.
It’s hard to find fault here: Grandma boasts a talented cast of women, gorgeous cinematography and a well-written script. It may not have the knock-em-dead ending of some indies or blockbusters, but the story wraps up with a sweet and moody coda. Weitz delivers a spot-on balance of comedy and drama with a compelling, original story and rich characters who come to life, thanks to a knock-out group of performers. Hans Pedersen is a freelance writer based in Phoenix.
The 1955 Dodge Royal that Elle drives around is reportedly Tomlin’s own vehicle – she told USA Today she purchased it four decades ago, knowing it would come in handy. It’s just one example of EchoMag.com
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DYLAN
Filmmaker advocates for self-discovery and acceptance through trans storyline By David-Elijah Nahmod
W
ith DYLAN, a short documentary about a transgender man’s personal journey, filmmaker Elizabeth Rohrbaugh seeks to demystify what it means to be trans.
interesting piece,” Rohrbaugh said. “He was my only friend to have had this kind of life experience at the time. I was so happy with the final writing piece but didn’t think to turn it into a film until about a year ago.”
dramatic impact comes from its simplicity; something Rohrbaugh has spent years perfecting. The Emmy winner worked at MTV for 10 years and is currently working with Logo TV.
Based on an interview with real life transman Dylan Winn Garner, the straightforward film follows Dylan (portrayed by New York performance artist Becca Blackwell) as he “explains his story, his exploration in the trans community, his family’s acceptance of his identity, and his physical and emotional transformation,” according to dylanmovie.com.
In her director’s statement, Rohrbaugh talks openly about her casting the role of Dylan.
“I hope that the message of selfdiscovery and acceptance will be embraced by all different communities,” Rohrbaugh said. “I hope that young people who are trans or questioning will feel embraced by this film. I would like them to know that there are people who care about them and that the transition process, while challenging, will ultimately be worth it in the end.”
When viewers first see Dylan, he’s riding an elevated subway train in Brooklyn, N.Y. Rohrbaugh follows him as he walks from the train station to the beach a few blocks away. He tells the audience stories from his life – from his first sexual encounter with a woman, prior to his transition, to his intense love affair with a somewhatconfused transman – which culminate with a newfound freedom in self-love and acceptance. The message of DYLAN is simple: transgender individuals are regular people trying to find themselves just like everyone else. “I originally wrote the script for DYLAN as part of a documentary theater writing workshop that was being taught by Erik Jensen and Jessica Blank of The Exonerated,” Rohrbaugh told Echo. “We were tasked to do a long, in-depth interview and then edit that down into an artful monologue.” Dylan, the subject of that interview, was a childhood friend of the filmmaker who, at that time, had recently come out as a transman. “I thought his story would make an 60 |
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“My first instinct was to cast a man in the role but was not sure if that was really the correct choice,” she explained. “Through a friend of a friend I was introduced to Becca Blackwell, an incredible transgender performer out of NYC. When speaking to Becca, we discussed casting the role and they told me that if there was one thing a man could never understand, it was what it was like to want to be a man. That statement resonated with me. Becca is a superb actor who took this role and performance very seriously.” Rohrbaugh explained her choice to shoot DYLAN on location at Coney Island, Brooklyn’s iconic beachfront amusement area. “Coney Island was a perfect place to film this because of its quintessential New York City association and its natural connection to nature through the ocean,” she said. “I was looking for Dylan to remove layers of clothing throughout the piece as he is shedding layers of baggage to reveal his true identity.”
To view DYLAN, visit vimeo.com/channels/ staffpicks/110822721. David-Elijah Nahmod is an American-Israeli writer who’s lived in New York City, Tel Aviv and is currently based in San Francisco. He’s been published in LGBT publications, monster magazines and SF Weekly, and can be reached on Facebook as David-Elijah Nahmod, Author and on Twitter at @DavidElijahN.
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OPENING NIGHTS By Richard Schultz Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin Arizona Theatre Company
Composer.” Featuring Berlin’s most popular and enduring songs – from “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” to “God Bless America” – Felder’s performance makes this production an unforgettable journey.
From the depths of Czarist Russia to New York’s Lower East Side, and ultimately all of America and the world, Irving Berlin’s story epitomizes the American dream. Hershey Felder, a bravura performer, compelling storyteller and superb concert pianist who delighted audiences in “George Gershwin Alone”, returns to Arizona Theatre Company in another tour de force. This time, Felder, who wrote the book for this production, brings to vibrant life the remarkable story of “America’s
Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin Arizona Theatre Company Tickets: $28-$68; 602-256-6995 arizonatheatre.org Sept. 16-Oct. 4 Temple of Music and Art 330 S. Scott Ave., Tucson Oct. 8-25 Herberger Theater Center 222 E Monroe St., Phoenix
comedy, having clocked a very palpable nine years in London’s West End. These madcap performers in tights weave their wicked way through all of Shakespeare’s comedies, histories and tragedies in one wild sprint that will leave the audience breathless and helpless with laughter. This show is a high-speed roller coaster ride that leads to a condensation of the Bard’s beloved characters and plots. This theatrical adventure features fractured speeches, plenty of mad dashes, audience interaction and clever cultural references, both from Elizabethan and modern times.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged Desert Foothills Theater
Believe it or not, this local company takes on all 37 plays in 97 minutes! An irreverent, fast-paced romp through the Bard’s plays, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged was London’s longest-running
South Pacific
are pitted against prejudice and the terrors of war in this classic Broadway musical that still resonates today.
Fountain Hills Theater
This award-winning musical, based on James Michener’s famous book with a score by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II, bursts with iconic melodies. An American nurse, stationed on a World War II South Pacific island, falls deeply in love with a French widower, but struggles to accept his mixed-race children. And an American lieutenant grapples with fears of social retribution if he marries his Asian sweetheart. Personal happiness and love 62 |
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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged Sept. 10-20 Desert Foothills Theater FCF-Holland Cabaret Theater 34250 N. 60th St., Building B, Scottsdale Tickets: 480-488-1981 (contact the theatre for pricing) dftheater.org
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Audience favorites include “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Bali Ha’i,” “Younger Than Springtime,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” “Bloody Mary” and “I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy.” South Pacific Sept. 4-20 Fountain Hills Theater 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills Tickets: $33; 480-837-9661 fhtaz.org
The Wiz Mesa Encore Theatre
This beloved Broadway gem infuses L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with a dazzling mix of rock, gospel, and soul music. Winner of the 1975 Tony for Best Musical, this timeless tale of Dorothy’s adventures through the Land of Oz is a family-friendly, modern musical. Dorothy, a restless Kansas farm girl eager to see more of the world, is transported by a tornado to a magical world of Munchkins, witches, and a yellow brick road. On her way to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard of Oz, who she believes can help her get back home to Kansas, she encounters the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion - friends who help her battle the Wicked Witch of the West and eventually learn that there really is “no place like home.” The score includes timeless favorites “Home,” “Ease on Down the Road” and “Don’t “Nobody Bring Me No Bad News.” This local production is directed by Damon Bolling with musical direction by Debra Jo Davey. Jacqueline Rushing portrays Dorothy with Savannah Alfred as Evillene and Ivan Thompson as the Wiz. This musical was adapted into a film version featuring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross in 1978.
The Wiz Sept. 11-20 Mesa Encore Theatre Mesa Arts Center One East Main Street, Mesa Tickets: $29; 480-644-6500 mesaencoretheatre.com Richard Schultz is a playwright, actor, director and freelance writer based in Phoenix.
Wanted: Colorful Characters Echo is always looking for LGBT theater artists to spotlight as part of Opening Nights. If you know of someone, please send a note with a short bio to Richard Schultz at rlschultz41@aol.com. theatER
Lucky Stiff
Arizona Broadway Theatre wraps 10th anniversary season By Richard Schultz Photo courtesy of azbroadway.org.
A
rizona Broadway Theatre wraps their 10th anniversary season with an offbeat murder mystery farce Lucky Stiff, which runs Aug. 28-Sept. 20.
That production also won the Helen Hayes Award over some stiff competition. Get it, stiff?”
This hilarious musical features a cast of zany characters, mistaken identities, $6 million in diamonds and a corpse in a wheelchair. Based on the novel The Man Who Broke The Bank At Monte Carlo by Michael Butterworth, this show is the first to be produced by Tony Award-winning writing team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, best for known for Once on This Island, Seussical the Musical and Ragtime.
Pappas has a long list of credits as both an actor and director. In addition to many regional and touring productions, he’s appeared on Broadway in My Favorite Year, Parade, Putting It Together and A Chorus Line, Off-Broadway in I Can Get It for You Wholesale, The Immigrant and Pera Palas, and in West End productions of Merrily We Roll Along and Follies. Additionally, his directing credits include Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Funny Girl, Parallel Lives, Daily Sounds and A Man of No Importance.
The story revolves around an unassuming English shoe salesman who is forced to take the embalmed body of his recently murdered uncle on a vacation to Monte Carlo. Should he succeed in passing his uncle off as alive, Harry Witherspoon stands to inherit $6 million. If not, the money goes to the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn or the uncle’s gun-toting ex. “Love ... wanting out ... wanting more ... wanting fun. Oh, and dodging bullets,” is how director Evan Pappas described the themes within this musical. Pappas candidly explained his history with the show and why it appeals to him. “It has stayed in me after all these years like a second skin,” he said. “I won a Helen Hayes Award, which is the Washington D.C. award equivalent to the Tony, for playing the lead role of Harry. There was so much love and fun on stage and off. Audiences couldn’t get enough …
The show, Pappas explained, is filled with many favorite moments. “If you’re a romantic, it’s when the lead rivals realize the attraction for each other and the iconic song that Annabel sings called ‘Times Like This,’” he said. “This show is incredible with its zany, witty lyrics and score.” Additionally, Pappas said he feels the show is deserving of its growing popularity. “This piece is such a surprise to theatergoers,” he said. “I am so pleased to see it get done more and more. It is a farce with great heart. You can’t help but root for these characters and want to run away with them. This was Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s first produced collaboration together. I was fortunate to continue my collaboration with them by starring in the lead role of Benjy in My Favorite Year on Broadway. If you’re a musical theatre queen, straight or gay, you know their shows and their brilliance.” Seth Tucker (pictured), who plays Harry in the ABT production, shares Pappas’ enthusiasm for the charms of this musical. Tucker is a native of Tempe who attended Arizona State University. His play Our Kiki:
A Gay Farce was produced by ASU last spring, after its success at the New York International Fringe Festival. In the past year he produced, directed and starred in a onenight production at Stagebrush Theatre in Scottsdale which raised $1,700 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. “Harry is a young British man who is stuck in a life and is not happy with,” Tucker said. “The struggle Harry goes through is absolutely akin to something many of us have or currently are going through. Wanting to be fearless and live your life in a way that will make you fulfilled. Before we were ‘out’ we were still afraid to follow our heart. Lucky Stiff is about living your life the way you want to, even if it is scary or difficult. It’s about finding the courage to break free from the boxes we are put in.” Pappas added that he is in awe of his talented cast. “Let’s just say that I can’t wait to get into rehearsal with these fearless actors who aren’t afraid of ‘bringing it,’” he said. “I’m especially excited that Abigail Raye, one of my students whom I directed in New York is playing the distressed, crazy, legally blind Rita. You may know her from her standout performance in ABT’s Legally Blonde as Paulette. Trust me, a good time will be had by all.” Lucky Stiff Aug. 28-Sept. 20 Arizona Broadway Theatre 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria Tickets: $50-$92.50; 623-776-8400 azbroadway.org Richard Schultz is a playwright, actor, director and freelance writer based in Phoenix. EchoMag.com
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Chicago
Artistic director offers sneak peek at season opener By Richard Schultz
M
commentary on the action of the scene. I also think that the power of sexual manipulation used by the female characters gives the show a very sensual look. The only real power they have is sexual because of their positon in life. Chicago really has a very sexy and somewhat sinister style to it.
ichael Barnard (pictured) will kick of his 17th season as Phoenix Theatre’s producing artistic director with the season opener of Chicago, which runs Sept. 9 through Oct. 4. According to Barnard, a multitalented and wellrecognized Valley artist, he’s concentrating his efforts on continued growth of the theater in production, education and new work development.
Echo: What themes do you believe still resonate with audiences?
The upcoming season at Phoenix Theatre will be an ambitious one for him as he tackles directing Chicago, Toxic Avenger and The Wizard of Oz. In addition, he will be producing two staged readings for two world premiere musicals. The first of which is Sweet Dreams, a modern story based on William Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream using the catalogue of the ‘80s pop music group Air Supply. The second project is a new musical based on a pilot on television years ago called “Cookin’s a Drag.” Additionally, Barnard is working on a musical revue for Las Vegas and, next spring, he will direct the 15th anniversary parade for Universal Studio in Osaka, Japan. Ahead of his 2015-2016 schedule, Barnard spoke with Echo about the upcoming production of Chicago, which stars Kate Cook as Roxie, Walter Belcher as Billy Flynn and Jenny Hintze as Velma. Echo: Chicago has been staged in both the more traditional style of the original Broadway production in the 1970s and in the more recent sleek and sexy version. What is your concept for the staging? Barnard: The truth is that I am combining the two concepts together. I love the original idea of the story being told through vaudeville acts and that the songs were 64 |
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Barnard: In the theme of getting away with murder, you have to ask if anyone really gets away with it. Chicago explores the power of women over men when it comes to using their feminine ways. This musical explores numerous themes ranging from “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” to “You are only as good as your last performance.” Echo: What do you anticipate will be the greatest challenge in directing this show? Barnard: I want to make the show seamless. I don’t want the show to ever stop, but rather dissolve or “dovetail” into the next moment. That creates a momentum and a constant sense of fluidity, which is important to me in telling the story.
Tango.” It mixes great humor, tremendous sensuality and a very violent subject which makes it seem exciting and stimulating. Echo: Many readers may be familiar with the Oscar-winning movie version. How do they differ? How would you encourage those who have seen the movie and not the stage version to catch a performance? Barnard: The movie has its own style. It is more realistic in nature, while the stage musical, especially with our approach, really tells the story in a way only theater can. Theatricality of vaudeville is something that only works live in stage. It really asks the audience to play along, enjoy the innuendos, engage in the sensuality of the show and the exciting and sexy musical numbers that really come alive when it is onstage live. Echo: What are your insights on the appeal of this show to the LGBT community? Barnard: The boys are beautiful. The women are strong and sexy. The story is fast-paced and sensual with a tremendous amount of sexual teasing. It feels dangerous and joyous at the same time.
Echo: What surprised you the most in preparing for the show? Barnard: I am always reminded how many layers are in the dialogue. It’s amazing how many angles are being played and how the characters are lying, yet not lying when they make a statement. They say just enough to make you think one thing, but in reality it is something else. Echo: Do you have a favorite moment, scene or song in the show and why? Barnard: I have always enjoyed the humor and sexy feel of the song “Cell Block
Chicago Sept. 9-Oct. 4 Phoenix Theatre 100 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix Tickets: $30-$80; 602-254-2151 phoenixtheatre.com Richard Schultz is a playwright, actor, director and freelance writer based in Phoenix.
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recordings
One Song In Heaven” with Georgio Moroder), pogo-tastic New Wave (“Angst In My Pants,” from the Valley Girl Soundtrack), and 21st century cabaret (“Lil’ Beethoven”). They also made fans of one of the United Kingdom’s best postpunk bands, Franz Ferdinand. It’s a rare day when such bands collaborate at all, rarer still when they unite for an entire album. Together they are FFS (Franz Ferdinand Sparks (what else could it possibly stand for?) and their debut is a Gestalt indie electropop triumph, merging the best elements of both bands into something greater still. Photo courtesy of facebook.com/spectacularband
Spectacular Spectacular Blur
spectacularband.com |
For all-female dream-pop trio Spectacular Spectacular, the band name says it all. Jessica De Grasse, Millie Chan and Isley Reust founded the band in San Francisco back in 2012. They’ve since relocated to Los Angeles and have become one of the most hotly tipped bands in town. Besides being a brilliant songwriter and musician, Reust is a multitalented artist who was featured (alongside your humble correspondent) in Laura Jane Grace’s AOL Originals series True Trans, and her compelling life story as an out trans artist has earned her still more fans. If there’s any justice in the world, the dark beauty of Blur will add to that fame. There’s a tres-cool cinematic vibe here, recalling the soundtrack to some great lost ‘60s cult films – the lovely vocals evoke a world-wise weariness that is impossible to resist, and the songwriting is top notch. With its infectious mix of analog reverb and electropop bounce, the opening single, “Wake Me Up,” is an urgent, Ennio Morricone-esque giddyup, a desperate, dizzying escape with time running out. The spooky, hypnotic disco vibe of “Orange Juice” is music for a dead-can-dancefloor. “Show me the monsters inside of you,” De Grasse sings like a mantra. It’s one of the album’s finest and most compelling moments. Not since Mazzy Star has dream pop been this good. There’s a palpable sense of mystery and peril here, like driving on some uncharted back road on a starless night. The songs aren’t afraid of the dark, though you might be. “All The Way” is total emotional crush, intimate, ethereal and full of longing. “The Dark Moon” is a dreamscape, with harmonies the Cocteau Twins would envy, while the powerful string arrangement on “50” underlines lyrics like “in the darkest of nights, your 66 |
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underworld is waiting … if you tempt it you’re a dead man.” The rocking “Saturday Night” perks things up considerably, recalling SleaterKinney in a two-car pileup with Garbage, with Shirley Manson coming out on top, but just barely. Ultimately, Blur is a record that isn’t afraid to get to emotional truth, wherever it leads. “If you could just tell me the truth, it wouldn’t have to hurt so bad,” she sings on the acoustic title-track closer, a dark night of the soul if ever there was one. The album is available on iTunes and at spectacularband.com.
FFS FFS
Franz’s Alex Kapranos gets the first word in “Johnny Delusional,” the story of a man who hasn’t got a chance with the object of his desire. Kapranos’ warm baritone whispers invitingly, before Russell Mael’s iconic falsetto launches the song’s anxiety-driven hook. It’s funny, it’s tragic, it’s danceable, and Mr. Delusional is wanted at the front desk. At times it seems like the wry, arch Mael brothers have gotten the upper hand in this partnership, but Franz gives as good as they get. “Call Girl” puts Kapranos to the forefront, griping about hocking his guitar and giving up “blow and Adderall” for the girl who won’t call, not now, not ever. “Dictator’s Son” paints a movie-worthy picture of a tyrant’s trust-fund brat tearing up LA’s club scene, while “So Desu Ne” celebrates a “pamphleteer of love” sporting a Hello Kitty Uzi. The meta-todeath “Collaborations Don’t Work” finds the bands fake-sniping at each other, tossing in references to Willem De Kooning, Andy Warhol and Frank Lloyd Wright for starters. “I am the master! Independent! And if I ever need a father, it won’t be you, old man,” Kapranos sneers at Mael. “Mozart didn’t need a little hack to chart,” Mael spits back. “I’m going to do it all by myself,” they sing in unison. The set ends with “Piss Off,” a riotous rejection of life’s little annoyances. It thumps like an Iggy Pop tune, with full-on Franz fury and razor-sharp Mael wordplay (and a “harmonize” section that will give you goose bumps). Both bands say FFS isn’t a one-off project and that there’ll be much more to come. Here’s hoping.
Domino |
Los Angeles band Sparks (the duo of brothers Ron and Russell Mael) have been making challenging, brilliant and relentlessly fun music together since before this reporter was born (and trust me, kids, I’m hella old). Along the way they’ve influenced artists from Queen to Morrissey, scared the pants off John Lennon and created classic disco anthems (“The Number
Tommy Keene
Laugh In The Dark Second Motion Records |
Tommy Keene’s new album Laugh In The Dark is the kind of joyous, heartbreakingly great rock record you dream about but never see anymore. It’s the last unicorn of rock and roll. A power pop legend (think music
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bands like the Beatles, Big Star, Game Theory, the Replacements, the Muffs, etc.), Keene is also one of the great unheralded gay rock stars, a beloved cult figure in the music world but little-known in the LGBT community. Let’s fix that, gang.
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The set kicks off with “Out Of My Mind,” a wall-of-sound smash jam-packed with tasty riffs and Keene’s sweet doubletracked harmonies.
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“Save my life, come and tell me what you decide,” Keene sings on the beautiful midtempo gem “All The Lights Are Alive,” ringing with the music of the spheres. “I Want It To Be Over Now” hops with the beat of the old-school Sesame Street theme, an acerbic wit Elvis Costello would envy, and a been-there-done-that breakup tale that could only be Keene. Slide guitar chords rule “Go Back Home” with a Bo Diddley beat, a sort of powerpop blues, while the clever and revealing “I Belong To You” showcases Keene’s ruthless talent for lyrical laceration. The guitar in “Alone In These Modern Times” blisters like a Hüsker Dü song, but with a sonic sweetness that belies its loneliness and alienation.
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“All Gone Away” is an epic, psych-tinged closer, drenched in swirling keyboards and a thousand guitar chorus pedals simultaneously tripping balls in maximum Busby Berkeley glory. “Calling around the whole wide world,” Keene sings, in a voiceof-God echo that sounds like he means it. Call it “Dear Prudence II” if you want, but this is freedom rock, so turn it up, man. Keene is one of music’s all-time treasures, and Laugh In The Dark is his latest and greatest. Get it. Cait Brennan is a singer/songwriter and freelance writer based in Phoenix. EchoMag.com
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between the covers
Stella Brings the Family By Terri Schlichenmeyer
W
ho loves a party? YOU do, that’s who! You love the invitations, the decorations and the balloons. You love the cake and ice cream, and the games are fun. If there’s a magician or a clown, that’s even better.
But what if the party wasn’t quite right? What if the guest list made you upset? In the new book Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B. Schiffer, illustrated by Holly Clifton-Brown, a little girl learns how to make things all better. One day at school, Stella’s teacher said she had something special for the class. They were going to have a Mother’s Day celebration and everybody could invite their mommies as special guests. That was fine for Jonathan, Leon, Carmen and even Howie, who had two mothers, and he was sure they’d both come. It was fine for all the other kids, but it really worried Stella because she had two dads. That meant she’d be the only one at the party who didn’t have a mother. All week long, Stella fretted. She worried. She couldn’t stop thinking about it. Even her friends noticed she was sad but when Stella explained her situation, they didn’t quite understand. Leon wondered who made Stella’s lunch. Howie wanted to know who read bedtime stories in Stella’s house. Carmen asked who kissed Stella’s booboos. But lunch, bedtime and boo-boos weren’t the “problem.” Finally, Jonathan made a suggestion: Why didn’t Stella bring her whole family? She should bring all the people who made her lunches and gave her hugs and kisses.
Stella’s daddy liked that idea. Her papa did, too, but Stella “wasn’t so sure.” A few days later, when it came time for the class to get ready for the party, Stella worked very hard. The decorations went up, the invitations were made, and then party day arrived. So did Howie’s two mothers and Jonathan’s grandma – plus a whole family of people who belonged to Stella! And that was OK. It was more than OK, in fact, and they had the best Mother’s Day party ever. But Father’s Day was coming up soon. What would Stella do next? Some sticky social situations, sadly, have no lower age limit. Still, there’s always a solution, as your child will see in Stella
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Brings the Family. Head-on, and with no fuss, Schiffer deals with an issue that’s actually been around for a long time: what happens when a celebration occurs and a child is absent the “right” parent to laud? In this case, Schiffer gives her main characters a nice fix for what could be an upsetting day – and then she takes things a little bit further in a sweet, casually told story with illustrations, by Clifton-Brown, that are the perfect accompaniment. The ideal audience for this book, I think, is 4- to 7-year-olds, and preschool classes will want this book on their shelves. For sure, if your family has two mommies or two daddies, Stella Brings the Family is something your child will invite you to read again and again. Stella Brings the Family By Miriam B. Schiffer Illustrated by Holly Clifton-Brown. Chronicle Kids, 2015 | $16.99. Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm, lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 13,000 books. She’s been reading since age 3 and, to this day, she never goes anywhere without a book.
All the Way to Equality By Liz Massey
O
n a Friday morning in late June, our community had one of its biggest victories ever. The U.S. Supreme Court recognized our Constitutional right to form legal same-sex relationships and to call them marriages. Our civil rights as people who identify as LGBT were specifically affirmed. As marriage advocate Evan Wolfson said after the decision was handed down, “The day of the gay exception is over.” Achieving legal parity in our relationships is the culmination of 45 years of hard work by our activists and attorney advocates. But anyone who might think this win means we can shutter our political organizations and happily melt into the cultural mainstream should remember that marriage was a side issue, at best, for most of the postStonewall era. When I came out in 1991, responding to the overwhelming impact of AIDS-phobia dominated the LGBT political landscape. We were busy trying to keep those infected with HIV alive and unstigmatized. And we were trying not to get fired or lose our housing if our advocacy work
ALL OVER THE MAP
entered the public eye. A key survival strategy for many of us was moving almost entirely within queer circles, since trusting the larger society to treat us fairly was a far riskier proposition.
The irony is that while public acceptance and comfort of gay and trans individuals have increased substantially in the past generation, our legal protections have not. Just as in 1991, a queer person can be fired from their job in most jurisdictions simply for coming out, and gay students can be bullied, with few sanctions imposed upon their tormentors. People still become infected with HIV/AIDS and need access to treatment and services. LGBT teens rejected by their families swell the ranks of homeless youth, and trans individuals are still vulnerable to rejection and harassment as they reveal their authentic gender to the world. And our opponents, stung by our victory and dedicated to preserving their privilege, are testing out chilling new strategies that purport to be about “religious freedom,” but in the end boil down to enshrining their ability to treat poorly anyone with whom they disagree, and not having to suffer any legal consequences. Our battlefronts will change as the legal status of our relationships change, but even if this has been your core activism issue, there are ways to channel that passion to assist the other parts of the movement that need our attention. Here are four ways to keep our movement’s momentum going forward during this time of transformation:
1. Truly celebrate our victory. If you have been waiting “until it’s legal everywhere” to marry your beloved, start checking out LGBTfriendly wedding vendors. If you get invited to a same-sex wedding, clear your calendar so you can go. When it comes time for the newlyweds to sign their marriage certificate, say a prayer or word of thanks to all the people, all across the country, who helped make this moment possible.
2. Figure out where your heart is calling your activism. Love working with kids? Help out with getting anti-bullying measures passed, eradicating LGBT teen homelessness or creating a safe space for queer kids in foster care. Want all employees to reach their full potential? Get behind workplace antidiscrimination efforts, or lend your support to an LGBT employee resource group at your company (or start a group if it doesn’t have one).
3. Discover activism roles that didn’t exist 10 or 20 years ago. It used to be that you weren’t really “out” in some people’s eyes if you didn’t march in protests or speak at public forums. Today, you may wield just as much influence by living your queer life in front of others and normalizing it, or by blogging or posting in social media about what’s happening in our community.
4. Find creative ways to partner with allies outside the LGBT community. Outside-of-the-community alliances both provide more people who are on our side, as well as highlighting other important issues (i.e., immigration, racial profiling, poverty) that impact vulnerable LGBT populations just as badly or worse than the general population. In the end, our community, which emerged from the shadows of obscurity partly because we believed that we had the right to exist, will always have the task of championing the benefits of diversity, and liberating the misunderstood and oppressed. Queer liberation is a subset of human liberation, so we shall be busy with that assignment for a very long time if indeed we ever do achieve full legal parity in the United States. Gay theorist Don Kilhefner suggests that after equality arrives, our community will still have gifts to give, based precisely on the struggles that we encountered on our way to liberation. He says, “We must learn to honor, not hide, our being different; affirm and celebrate our gayness in original and playful ways; acknowledge a rich hidden heritage both within and outside of us; and find new models to explain the body of information and intuitive knowledge we have been carrying for a long time but that had no way to get out.”
Liz Massey has been involved in LGBT community-building activities in Kansas City and the Valley of the Sun, and is a former managing editor of Echo Magazine. She can be reached at lizmassey68@gmail.com. EchoMag.com
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money TALKS
Use Your Intuition When Paying For Education By Melissa Myers and Michael J. Tucker Melissa Myers: I may have inadvertently annoyed some clients recently when I questioned their decision to get married so soon.
financial-aid-eligible college student gets married, the income and assets of the stepparent will be included in her financial aid calculation from then on. Tucker: So the federal government Michael J. Tucker: Didn’t they look like considers all of the married couple’s “marriage material” to you? income when making its calculations? Myers: Well, no, they were clearly in a Myers: Yes, and that’s true whether or committed long-term relationship. In not the stepparent plans on contributing fact, you might say they were settled into anything toward the student’s education domestic tranquility. costs. Tucker: What was bothering you, then? Tucker: As I understand it, federal needsMyers: Turns out their child currently based student aid programs all rely on the attends college. The student has qualified Free Application for Federal Student Aid for a solid package of federal aid, as well as (FAFSA), a form that is required to compile financial aid from the college itself, and she information about the assets and income of is rounding that out with student loans to both the student and the parents. help pay the costs of her education. Myers: That’s right. In turn, that information Tucker: Oh, I see. Are you concerned that is plugged into a formula that computes these convenient financial arrangements the student’s expected family contribution, could be negatively affected if the parents or EFC. That’s the amount the family is were to tie the knot? expected to pay toward college. Myers: Exactly. When the only parent of a Tucker: So the idea is that any excess college costs can be financed through a combination of federal Pell Grants, Stafford or Perkins loans, parent loans through the PLUS loan program, and federal work-study aid programs? Myers: Correct. Also, many colleges administer their own scholarship and loan programs, in addition to what a student may qualify for through the federal student aid programs. Tucker: As we might expect, the colleges will rely on the FAFSA form to determine eligibility for their aid packages, rather Financial Planner than coming up with their own particular Consultant forms. Myers: In the case of my soon-to-be 6232 N. 7th Street • Suite 110 • Phoenix, Arizona 85014 newlywed clients, (602) 264-9331 • Fax (602) 279-1766 • Cell (602) 541-3477 their student has Email Robert@azmoneyguy.com • Website www.azmoneyguy.com been eligible for facebook.com/azmoneyguy • twitter.com/azmoneyguy both loans and
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scholarships from the college and federal aid. Tucker: Depending on their combined income if they marry, your clients may be jeopardizing their child’s eligibility for these aid packages. They could lose some or all of the aid, as well as their ability to utilize needs-based loans to supplement the aid package. Myers: One resource to determine the potential effect would be the college’s financial aid department. Their representatives can offer guidance in this area. Tucker: If the indication is that the couple’s finances would be negatively impacted to a significant extent, a possible solution would be to delay their marriage until the student completes her final year of student aid applications. Myers: Some education tax credits can also help. Tucker: Indeed. For example, the American opportunity tax credit can be claimed through tax-year 2017 for expenses paid for tuition, certain fees and course materials for higher education. Myers: Eligibility for this tax credit is based on income. If a single parent marries, both spouses’ incomes will be considered. Adding the second income may cause the couple to exceed joint income limits for eligibility. Tucker: It is important that the couple discusses this with their tax professional and financial advisor, prior to marrying, to avoid unwanted consequences. Melissa Myers is a certified financial planner with Camelback Retirement Planners, in Phoenix, a registered representative with Commonwealth Financial Network and a registered investment adviser. Michael Tucker is an attorney with Michael J. Tucker, P.C., in Phoenix, and is a certified specialist in estate and trust law. For more information, see their ads in this issue. This material has been provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute either tax or legal advice. Investors should consult a tax or legal professional regarding their individual situation. Neither Camelback nor Commonwealth offers tax or legal advice.
The Benefits of Cheating By Nate Whitten
W
hen you hear the word cheating you probably conjure up a negative feeling about hurting others or being hurt yourself. If you’ve ever cheated on something or someone, you may have experienced feelings of guilt or shame. If you’ve been cheated on, you may identify with feelings of betrayal or embarrassment, followed by anger. With this in mind, we can see why cheating tends to backfire and negate all the positive things we’ve been trying to accomplish – whether it’s in fitness or other aspects of life. Let’s look at the benefits of cheating by reframing two definitions of the word “cheat” so that the word – or act – of cheating can generate success rather than failure.
Definition 1: To act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, especially in a game or examination. Although we may not consciously think of our relationships with our self or with others as a game or examination, most of us live this way at a subconscious level. Society has programmed us to see our
balanced living endeavors as win-or-lose situations by creating categories of right and wrong. If correctness is your aim, you will most certainly fail. But life isn’t a game and eliminating examinations that cause you to feel the need to cheat in order to succeed is the best solution.
break. The intention is to let you have a day off from being perfect so you won’t quit.
Definition 2: To avoid (something undesirable) by luck or skill.
The first step for success in the gym is to let go of the subconscious idea that cheating is bad. You’ll be surprised how much easier it is to enjoy your day off without guilt or shame (we all know the Sunday morning social media selfies of you sweating it out at the gym were taken earlier in the week, anyway).
As for the word and action of cheating, I consider this the more-desirable definition. If you’re going to cheat, cheat the undesirable. Cheat the feelings of guilt or shame, by releasing the negative ideas of cheating. Cheat the statistics of divorce by being forthright about who you are. Cheat the systems that have been set up to use shame as a motivator to keep your true self hidden behind the imagined ideals of perfection.
When you plan to make a day off part of your routine and it’s not longer cheating. Whether you call it your “day off” or your “I-work-out-so-I-can-look-this-goodwhile-scarfing-down-chicken-andwaffles approach,” it’s no longer dishonest or deceiving when you allow yourself to be less than impeccable every day of your fitness regime. So, when you’re sleeping off Saturday’s shenanigans and gearing up for #SundayFunday, own it.
With both definitions in mind, here are some scenarios where we most commonly encounter cheating.
Life Cheating: In life, you don’t get to take a day off. However, you’ve entered relationships and jobs with the expectation that the person you were on those first dates, or the model employee you presented at your job interview, will be the person you are going to be all the time. And, let’s be honest, we’re not always the put-together, organic-eating, perfect catch or corporate professional that we believe we are in those initial impressions. Again, stop engaging in the idea that you must be perfect all the time. Being yourself shouldn’t feel like cheating.
Fitness Cheating: There are all sorts of diet and exercise programs that encourage a “cheat day.” And the premise of this program is that you cannot and will not be able to eat an extremely rigorous diet every day for the rest of your life. Fitness gurus know that it is impossible to exert your physical energy with extensive workouts without injuring yourself or eventually burning out. So the cheat day was created to give you a
As for the most common association with the word cheating, if you don’t believe in monogamy, don’t pretend you do. If you are not in agreement with your current or future partner on matters such as this, you will end up cheating. Conversely, when the two of you agree that an open relationship is the best plan for you, and eliminate the option of cheating, you can diminish the chances of temptation, dishonesty or betrayal. Regardless of whether it’s fitness or other aspects of life, the lesson is that if you are unwilling to be forthright about who you are and what you believe, you will end up cheating. Not the good kind. Do you smoke but pretend not to, to impress cutie pie? You’ll end up sneaking around for a quick cigarette, hiding Fabreze in your trunk and always carrying breath mints in your pocket. That’s cheating too.
Nate Whitten is a successful living coach and personal trainer in Phoenix. Find out more at natewhitten.com. EchoMag.com
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business cards For a complete listing of all Echo display advertisers, please see our Lambda Directory on page 82.
To advertise your business here, call 602-266-0550.
Arcadia Dentistry
Matthew Milana, D.D.S. Cosmetic & family Dentistry
Dr. Milana, D.D.S. 4214 E Indian School Rd STE 102
We Create Beautiful Smiles
602-957-2170
www.MilanaDDS.com
Steven Price, CPA
• Tax preparation for individuals and businesses - Sole Proprietor, LLC, Partnerships, Corporations, and Non-profits. • Tax preparation for Same-sex and Domestic Partners. • Tax problem resolution - Installment Agreement, Offer-in Compromise, Liens, Garnishments, and other. • Accounting Software Selection, Set-up, and Training.
602-576-6255 or 415-955-0595 Email: smpcpa7@gmail.com | www.smprice.com
(623) 939-4389 AZ. Lic. #I-2362 B
8602 N. 39th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85051
call (602) 412-3434 • • • • • • • Nello A Rossi MD • 2 0 1 E a s t M o n t e r e y Wa y • Phoenix AZ 85012 • w w w. W i l l o M e d i S p a . c o m • (602) 296-4477 •
Botox ® Latisse ® Radiesse ® Juvéderm ® XC Juvederm Voluma™ Sermorelin Chemical Peels Testosterone Therapy HCG Therapy Facial Lipoatrophy SkinMedica ® Neova ®
Complimentary Consultation
72 |
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LOCAL BUSINESS
602-955-2121
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
E ODUS DROP THAT TAN LINE!
Eric
HAIR STUDIOS
2449 E. Indian School Road Phoenix, 85016
•Hotel Rooms from $99.95 •Sunbathing Passes $20 ($15 with AZ I.D.) - 11am to 5pm (no admission after 3pm) - Not a sex club. Rules strongly enforced A PRIVATE MEN’S RETREAT
royalvilla.com 602-266-6883
Camelwest Tax Service Serving Phoenix LGBT Communit y Since 1983
• Income Tax Preparation and Planning for Singles & Couples
• Tax Audits • Accounting for Small Businesses and Corporations
Bob Lind, EA
Near Bethany/43rd Ave., Phx
• Free Electronic Filing With Tax Preparation
(Fed. & Most States)
(602) 841-5414
camelwest@aol.com
Valdez Refrigeration All your heating and cooling needs Office 602.266.0812 E-mail ZOUCHAVALDEZ@hotmail.com All major credit cards accepted. K39-ROC177793 Res and Comm
• 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments • Located in the Melrose district!
Contact: Jason
602.538.0555 priderentals.com EchoMag.com
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www.desertmassageservices.com
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Psychic Consultant and Life Coach
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Instant Solutions to All of Life’s Problems Specializing in Reuniting Loved Ones Within Minutes Removing Negative Energy Helps with: Love Health Success Career Divorce Drug Abuse Guaranteed Results
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2301 W Glendale Ave • S.W. Corner of 23rd Ave & Glendale Ave
• Trained Movers in Uniform • Fully Insured & Bonded • Packing & Unpacking Services • “Family” Owned & Operated 2905 W. Indian School Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85017 email: info0167@twomen.com
(602) 242-2180
www.TwoMenPhoenix-WestValley.com Each franchise independently owned and operated
Bigger is ALWAYS Better! • All pool repairs • Weekly services
Bigg Momma’s
Complete Pool Care LLC. Britney Bazzell
602.434.8028
602-910-8250
Berney Streed, ABR, SRES, CIAS REALTOR® •Available 24/7 •Specialty Emergency Service •Unclog Drains •Sewer/Drain Cleaning & Video •Repair or Replace Faucets, Fixtures, Pipes, Water Heaters A Licensed •Leak Detection •Experienced Certified Technician NotContractor
480-628-6576 Cell 480-355-3500 Bus | 480-563-3995 Fax 8510 E. Shea Blvd. Suite #100. Scottsdale AZ 85260 www.BerneyStreed.com bstreed@cox.net Each Office independently owned and operated.
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Local business
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Greenway Pkwy 20
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䬀爀椀猀ꀀ䈀爀攀甀洀 伀眀渀攀爀⼀伀瀀攀爀愀琀漀爀
䌀䄀䰀䰀 唀匀 吀伀䐀䄀夀㨀
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䰀䤀䌀䔀一匀䔀䐀 ⴀ 䈀伀一䐀䔀䐀 ⴀ 䤀一匀唀刀䔀䐀 刀伀䌀 ⌀㈀㤀㈀㌀㜀㘀 簀 䬀䈀䄀䌀䄀一䐀䠀䔀䄀吀䤀一䜀⸀䌀伀䴀
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Roosevelt
17
Broadway
C L e
Neighborhood Bar Full Restaurant Dance Club
101 15
10 Mesa Chandler
Baseline
N r d
5t h
32nd St.
24th St.
143
*MAP IS NOT DRAWN TO SCALE
Bar Codes: M Mostly Males F Mostly Females MF Mixed Male/Female
.
5
7
10
Van Buren
© 2015
Av e
1
202 10 19
12
Scottsdale Rd.
Tatum
16th St. 24 4 18
McDowell 13 3
. Ave
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9
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Gra
10
4428 N 7th Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85013 (602)200-9154
Home of
51
2
21
14
Lincoln
40th St. 44th St.
8 23 27 2 6 11 17 25 Indian School 16
Your Neighborhood Community bar...
Cr
26
Camelback
Thomas
ve Ca Northern 7th St.
Central
7th Ave.
27th Ave.
43rd Ave.
51st Ave.
Glendale 17 Bethany
Shea Blvd
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N
Dunlap
Cactus
k
Thunderbird
Country Dancing Leather/Bears Entertainment (drag, strippers, etc.)
1
aNViL 2424 E. Thomas Road
M, d, L 602-956-2885
15
NUToWNe saLooN 5002 E. Van Buren St.
M, N, L 602-267-9959
2
aPoLLo’s 5749 N. Seventh St.
MF, N, e 602-277-9373
16
oFF ChUTe Too 4111 N. Seventh Ave
Me 602-274-1429
3
aQUa NighTCLUB NighT CLUB 1730 E. McDowell Road
F, N, e 602-253-0689
17
oz 1804 W. Bethany Home Road
MF, N 602-242-5114
4
Bar 1 3702 N. 16th St.
M, N, e 602-266-9001
18
PLazMa 1560 E. Osborn Road
MF, N 602-266-0477
5
Bs WesT 7125 E. Fifth Ave.
MF, d, e 602-200-9154
19
reBar/BLiss 901 N. Fourth St.
MF, N, r 602-795-1792
6
BUNkhoUse 4428 N. Seventh Ave.
M, N 602-200-9154
20
raiNBoW CaCTUs 15615 N. Cave Creek Road
MF, N 602-971-1086
7
Cash iNN 2140 E. McDowell Road
F, C 602-244-9943
21
rosCoes 4531 N. Seventh St.
M 602-285-0833
8
CharLie’s 727 W. Camelback Road
M, C, e 602-265-0224
22
royaL ViLLa iNN 4312 N. 12th St.
M 602-266-6883
9
CrUisiN’ 7Th 3702 N. Seventh St.
M, e 602-212-9888
23
sTaCy’s @ MeLrose 4343 N. Seventh Ave.
M, F 602-264-1700
10
Fez 105 W. Portland St.
MF, r 602-287-8700
24
The ChUTe 1440 E. Indian School Road
M 602-234-1654
11
harLey’s BisTro 4221 N. Seventh Ave.
MF, r 602-234-0333
25
The roCk 4129 N. Seventh Ave.
M 602-248-8559
12
FLex sPas PhoeNix 1517 S. Black Canyon Hwy
Me 602-271-9011
26
TiCoz resTo-Bar 5114 N. Seventh St.
MF, r 602-200-0160
13
karaMBa 1724 E. McDowell Road
d 602-254-0231
27
zoaN 4301 N. Seventh Ave.
F 602-265-3233
14
koBaLT 3110 N. Central Ave., Ste. 125
MF, e 602-264-5307
bar map
daily bar specials
S
m
t
w
t
f
S
Bunkhouse $1 drafts and HH prices all day and night
6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.: Free-to-join poker. HH prices for participants. Winners get $10 Bunkhouse bar tabs
7 and 10 p.m.: Free-to-join poker. HH prices for participants. Winners get $10 Bunkhouse bar tabs
9 p.m. Karaoke
Underwear night: $1 off all drinks if in skivvies!
8 p.m.-close: 8 p.m.-close: $2.50 Miller family $2.50 Bud family products. 4 p.m. products and 6 p.m.: Freeto-join poker
cash inn $2 Rolling Rocks from 7 p.m.-close
$1 Off You-Call$1 Off You-Call-Its $3 Three Olives DJ Jaypea Dance Its 7 p.m.; 2-Step 7 p.m.; Poker at lessons @ 7:30 8 p.m. night 8 p.m. p.m. w/ Jorge; Line Dance lessons @ 8:30 p.m. w/ Chandelle
$1 Well drinks 8-10 p.m.
Country/Top 40 Dance Party 8 p.m.
charlie’s Super HH 4-7 p.m., $3 pitchers; $3 Long Islands open to close
2-8 p.m. 2-for-1 well and domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 8 p.m.-close, 1/2 off cocktails and beer for those in underwear, $3 Jack Daniels
2-8 p.m. 2-for-1 well and domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 2-for-1 cocktails and beer 8 p.m.close
2-8 p.m. 2-for-1 well and domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; $3 Three Olives vodka flavors, 8 p.m.-close
2-8 p.m. 2-for-1 well and domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 2-for-1 cocktails and beer openclose
2-7 p.m. 2-for-1 well and domestics, $3 pitchers; HH 7-9 p.m.; $1 well and domestics, $1 drafts 10 p.m.midnight
Noon-7 p.m. 2-for-1 well and domestics; HH 7-9 p.m.; $1 well and domestics, $3 Absolut and Bacardi flavors 10 p.m.-midnight
HH open to close; Drag Bingo 9:30 p.m.; $5 Absolut cocktails
Karaoke 9 p.m.; HH open to close
HH 11 a.m.8 p.m.; Martinis & Massage 6 p.m.; $5 Martinis, $5 Bacardi flavors; Garden Variety Revue with Olivia Gardens 9 p.m.
HH 11 a.m.8 p.m.; Trivia Night w/cash prize 9 p.m.; $4 Stoli cocktails 8 p.m.– midnight
The HH Hotspot $3 signature cocktails, $2.75 domestics, HH until 11 p.m. video bar
HH 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Showtune night 6-9 p.m.; Karaoke 9 p.m.; Celia Putty’s 2 Girls One Cup Show (every second Saturday)
2-4-1 ALL DAY; $3 monthly charity shots ALL DAY; live DJ, top 40 and dance
Thirsty Thursday; HH and $1 draft pint, 4-8 p.m.; $1 draft pint AND wells, 8 p.m.midnight; live DJ, top 40 and dance, 8 p.m.close
HH, 4-8 p.m.; $3 monthly charity shots ALL DAY; $2 Kamikaze shots ALL DAY; live DJ, top 40 and dance, 8 p.m.close
HH, 4-8 p.m.; $3 monthly charity shots ALL DAY; $2 Kamikaze shots ALL DAY; live DJ, top 40 and dance, 8 p.m.-close
koBalt HH 10 a.m.8 p.m.; Bar Match Buy-In Dart Tourney 2 p.m.; 2-4-1 call drinks 7-8 p.m.; Karaoke 9 p.m.
stacy’s @ Melrose $1 Rolling Rock pints and well drinks until 10 p.m.
Karaoke, 9 p.m.-close; HH and $3 monthly charity shots ALL DAY
HH, 4-8 p.m.; $1 draft pint, $3 monthly charity shots, $4 Mojitos and Caipirinhas ALL DAY; live DJ
(Subject to change without notice; check with bartender when ordering.) EchoMag.com
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OUT ‘n ABOUT Miss BS Mess July 28 at BS West, Phoenix Photos by Bill Gemmill.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
Located in the heart of the Phoenix LGBT Community in Melrose
CLOTHES | SPORTS WEAR | UNDERWEAR | SWIMSUITS CARDS | LEATHER | PRIDE | FETISH & MORE
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OUT ‘n ABOUT Studio A-GoGo July 30 at Monarch Theatre, Phoenix Photos by Bill Travis.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
1440 E. Indian School rd., Phoenix | 602-234-1654 80 |
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www.chuteaz.com
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lambda directory Please support our advertisers who help keep Echo free.
AccommodAtions p. 73
AccoUntAnts/ tAX PREPARAtion Camelwest Tax Service p. 73 Robert F. Hockensmith, CPA, PC p. 70 Steve Price, CPA p. 72
AdoPtion Arizona’s Children Association Southwest Adoption Services LLC
p. 39 p. 43
p. 80 p. 81 p. 79
AiR conditioning & HEAting KB A/C & Heating LLC Valdez Refrigeration
p. 76 p. 73
APARtmEnts East-West Apartments
p. 73
AttoRnEYs Arentz Law Group, PLLC p. 65 Dean O’Connor, PC p. 51 Law Office of Melody Harmon p. 67 Michael Tucker p. 73 Phillips Law Group p. 15 Tyler Allen Law Firm p. 2 Udall Shumway Law Firm p. 53
AUto dEAlERsHiP Camelback Subaru 82 |
p. 28,29
SEPTEMBER 2015
Community Tire & Automotive Specialists p. 83 Compu-Tech Automotive p. 61
IVF Phoenix
•
Bunkhouse Cash Inn Country Charlie’s Phoenix Kobalt Bar at Park Central Stacy’s @ Melrose
p. 76 p. 81 p. 9 p. 81 p. 75
BUsinEss/ PRofEssionAl sERVicEs Greater Phoenix Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce p. 11
cosmEtic PRocEdUREs Skin Sultry Medical Aesthetics Willo Medi Spa (Nello A. Rossi)
p. 78 p. 72
dEntists
finAnciAl sERVicEs JW Advisors Inc. Parker and Schmidt Clothiers
p. 74
HEAltH & fitnEss
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p. 72 p. 51 p. 4
The Mattress Man Arizona’s Mr. Fix It Bigg Momma’s Complete Pool Care Don’s Painting Service Lyons Roofing Rainbow Bug Richard A. Peel Construction
insURAncE
p. 73
EVEnts 2015 Multicultural Networking & Recruitment Forum p. 34 AIDS Walk p. 13 Equality Arizona Dinner p. 54 Mens Health Seminar p. 61 Phoenix Mercury p. 5 Rainbows Festival p. 17 Scottsdale Center For the Arts p. 84 Spotlight on Success p. 41 Summer Ends Music Festival p. 23
p. 72 p. 74 p. 74 p. 53 p. 72 p. 51
HosPicE
Maricopa County Community Colleges p. 21
EVEnt PlAnnERs
p. 78
HomE sERVicEs
Hospice of the Valley
EchoMag.com
p. 72
foRmAl WEAR
EdUcAtion
Vermillion Events
p. 65
HomE fURnisHings
coUnsEling sERVicEs
Arcadia Dentistry My Dentist Open Wide Dental
PlUmBERs
Nate Whitten p. 73 Neuromotional Training p. 65
Deaf Access of Arizona p. 51 Mariann Arcari Rubin, LCSW p. 43
AdUlt EntERtAinmEnt/ REtAil Chute Flex Spas Phoenix Off Chute Too
fERtilitY
BARs & clUBs
To find out more about advertising in Echo, call 602-266-0550.
Royal Villa
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Hector Cerda, Allstate Benefits Arizona
p. 68 p. 3 p. 67
mAssAgE Desert Massage Service p. 74
moRtgAgEs
Brothers Plumbing Freddy Fox Rooter PlumberTime
PsYcHic AdVisoR Psychic Consultant Elizabeth Lee Edison Midtown
Arizona Gay Realtors Alliance p. 3 Berney Streed, Re/Max Excalibur p. 74 Bradley B. Brauer, HomeSmart p. 3 David Oesterle, ReMax p. 3 Fred Delgado Team, Keller Williams p. 3 Jan Dahl, HomeSmart p. 3 Matthew Hoedt, Realty One p. 3 Michael Smith, One Realty Group p. 74 Nicholas Yale, Realty Executives p. 3 Shawn Hertzog, West USA p. 3
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REstAURAnts China Chili Hula’s Modern Tiki Marcellino Ristorante Easley’s Fun Shop Fast Signs on Central
Calvin Goetz, Stragety Financial Group
CVS/CareMark Pharmacy p. 67 Fairmont Pharmacy p. 61
p. 57 p. 57 p. 57
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moVERs
PHARmAciEs
p. 32
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REtiREmEnt PlAnning
p. 67 p. 74
p. 74
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Jeremy Schachter, Pinnacle Capital Mortgage p. 3 Apartment Movers Two Men and a Truck
p. 53 p. 74 p. 74
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p. 3
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p. 73
UtilitY comPAnY APS
p. 39
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Margaret Cho: The psyCHO Tour There’s No “I” in “Team,” But There’s a “CHO” in “Psycho”
Saturday, October 17, 8 p.m. Edgy new comedy from the Agent Provocateur of stand-up, who tackles difficult subjects with sensitivity and razor-sharp insight.
See Jane Sing! With Jane Lynch Saturday, January 23, 8 p.m.
Side-splitting musical comedy with the Glee star, known for her magnificent timing and scenestealing one-liners. Signature Sponsors:
Celebrate with the Stars! Season Sponsor
Click ScottsdalePerformingArts.org Call 480-499-TKTS (8587 Visit 7380 E. Second St.