Echo Magazine August 2016 by OUTvoices Phoenix (former Echo Magazine)

Wedding Bells Local couples celebrate the season of saying “I Do”

PLUS:

Don’t miss Arizona’s LGBT wedding expos

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | VOL. 27, #11 | ISSUE 683 | AUGUST 2016 | COMPLIMENTARY

inside this issue Issue 683 | Vol. 27, #11 | August 2016

features NEWS

“Pride of Phoenix, September 1977,” ASU Libraries.

10 4 Your Information 12 News Briefs 14 Datebook 16 Savannah Stevens earns Miss Gay Arizona America crown 18 Dancing With The Bars 2016 cast revealed PREVIEWS

Photo courtesy of Valentino Luna and Marcus Flores.

AND REVIEWS 46 At The Box Office

48 The Small Screen 50 Opening Nights

Save The Date Pride Guide to host annual LGBT Wedding & Honeymoon Expos in Phoenix and Tucson. Bonus: Local couples share their stories.

One For The History Books Arizona State University, Phoenix Pride and historian Marshall Shore launch Arizona LGBT History Project and archives exhibit.

COMMUNITY 52 All Over The Map 54 Money Talks

ON THE COVER Kristi Branstrom (left) and Molly Gilbert exchanged vows Feb. 13, 2016, at Villa Siena in Gilbert, Ariz. Photo by DePoy Studios. Photo by Devin Millington.

AUGUST 2016

Pride Night The Phoenix Mercury celebrates the LGBTQ community and honors Orlando during a game against the Dallas Wings.

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Photo by Dean Stockings.

Summer Entertainment Echo chats with Culture Club drummer Jon Moss and Ab Fab’s leading ladies in the season’s hottest interviews.

inside this issue

echomag.com web exclusives PHOTO GALLERIES Did the Echo cameras catch you out and about at this month’s events? Find out at echomag.com/ gallery/2016-photos. COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Take Me To The River Writer/director Matt Sobel offers behindthe-scenes look at his debut feature film. echomag.com/take-me-to-the-river

Fear and Clothing Fashion critic Cintra Wilson asks the question: Is fashion dictated by where you live? echomag.com/fear-and-clothing

From pageants to advocacy, this is where the community goes to find out what’s going on in the gayborhood. echomag.com/ community-calendar. COMMUNITY DIRECTORY Looking for a local group to join? Have a group that’s seeking new members? Either way, this is the place to connect: echomag.com/ community-directory. MARKETING SOLUTIONS Find out why Echo is the publication your future clients are already reading. echomag.com/ marketing-solutions.

Tallulah Ellen Page and Allison Janney (Juno) reunite in Sian Heder’s 2016 Sundance selection. echomag.com/tallulah

online now

Hit Me With Your Best Shot For all the Out & About photos in this issue, and more, visit Echo’s online photo gallery. echomag.com/gallery

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AUGUST 2016

notes from the

managing editor By KJ Philp

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT

ince my last letter, the world feels like quite a different place.

In the days following the June 12 attack at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, I’ve seen communities across Arizona #StandWithOrlando. I’ve been contacted by countless community members who are committed to raising funds for our grieving family members in Florida using whatever means they have access. And I’ve seen resilience and unity in a time when some might have expected fear and division. I’ve seen something else among our community: celebration. If celebration is critical to healing – which I believe that it is – then thank you for celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month, thank you for celebrating the oneyear anniversary of marriage equality, thank you for celebrating President Obama’s designation of the new Stonewall National Monument, thank you for celebrating the Pentagon’s repeal of its ban on transgender military service. I personally believe that’s what our 49 brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short in Orlando would have wanted. It is with that in mind, that I present the August issue of #EchoMagAZ. My sincere goal with this issue is to deliver reminders of why we celebrate. Because love conquers hate, marriage seems like an appropriate place to begin. After so many years of working toward marriage equality, we’re celebrating it every chance we get. Ahead of the Pride Guide’s annual LGBT Wedding & Honeymoon Expos in Phoenix and Tucson, we caught up with a few local couples to find out more about their big days. Our brides, Kristi Branstrom and Molly Gilbert, exchanged vows Feb. 13,

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2016, at Villa Siena in Gilbert, Ariz. Find our more about their story in “Here Comes the Brides” on page 26. Our grooms, Valentino Luna and Marcus Flores, share their experience attending a past wedding expo in “Save The Date” on page 24. Then we caught up with Gary Guerin and his fiancé Benjamyn Gorsky to find out how Phoenix’s most memorable event planner is tackling the task of planning his big day. Find out more, including valuable tips, in “SWAYing ‘I Do’” on page 28. Another celebrationworthy community milestone is the opening of the “LGBT History in Arizona, 1969-2014” at Arizona State University. We’ve got the details on this exhibit, which is part of the Arizona LGBT History Project, in “One For The History Books” on page 32. From there, we take a closer look at the Phoenix Mercury’s annual celebration of the LGBTQ community. You’ll find our coverage of this year’s event in “Pride Night” on page 36. Last, but not least, Echo caught up with Culture Club’s Jon Moss and Ab Fab stars Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley to preview the summer’s mostanticipated entertainment. Read more in “A Blast From The Past” on page 40. In the midst of the negative headlines, news coverage and social media feeds, I’ve never felt more connected to – and proud of – my LGBTQ brothers and sisters around the globe. My hope is that, through this issue, I can relay that feeling to you and that in these pages you find a few reasons to celebrate, too. KJ Philp is the managing editor of Echo Magazine and can be reached at editor@echomag.com.

PUBLISHER: Bill Orovan ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Bill Gemmill EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR: KJ Philp CONTRIBUTORS: Danae Barnes Melissa Myers Cait Brennan David-Elijah Nahmod Tony Contini Tia Norris Tamara Juarez Hans Pedersen Laura Latzko Terri Schlichenmeyer Greg Marzullo Richard Schultz Liz Massey Michael J. Tucker Devin Millington Megan Wadding ART DEPARTMENT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Jake Rojas PHOTOGRAPHY: LaQuan Photography, nightfuse.com and Tony Contini. ADVERTISING DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING: Ashlee James ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES: Adrian Bradley Gregg Edelman Randy Robinson NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE: Rivendell Media, 212-242-6863

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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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AUGUST 2016

by the numbers ON THE RECORD

The number of transgender-identified adults who live in the United States, according to new figures released June 30 by the Williams Institute, the country’s leading researcher on LGBTQ demographics. The report, titled “How Many Adults Identify as Transgender in the United States,” states that transgender people make up 0.6% of the country’s total population. For more the entire survey, visit bit.ly/29b0n71.

“Our mission is to defend this country, and we don’t want barriers unrelated to a person’s qualification to serve preventing us from recruiting or retaining the soldier, sailor, airman or Marine who can best accomplish the mission. We have to have access to 100 percent of America’s population for our all-volunteer forces to be able to recruit from among them the most highly qualified — and to retain them.” – Ashton Carter, Secretary of Defense, June 30 following the repeal of the Pentagon’s ban on transgender service members.

sports television The first gay dating show is currently in production and slated to debut on Logo this fall. “Finding Prince Charming,” hosted by Lance Bass, will be the reality dating competition to feature a cast of all gay men. The show will feature 13 male suitors who will all live together as they compete to win the heart of one of the “nation’s most eligible gay heartthrobs.” The contestants will be eliminated each episode and in the finale, the heartthrob will choose the prince charming he would like to “commit to an exclusive relationship” with, according to Logo. For more information, visit logotv.com. Photo courtesy of instagram.com/lancebass.

A record number of openly LGBTQI athletes have already qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro from Aug. 5-21. According to outsports.com, at least 34 publically out athletes and three coaches have qualified for the Summer Games. Additionally, several out athletes have also qualified for the Paralympic Games (Sept. 7-18). For an up-to-date list of athletes, visit bit.ly/29Lg5z2. 10

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4 your information

news briefs

Phoenix Announces New Police Chief Jeri Williams has been named Phoenix Chief of Police by City Manager Ed Zuercher, following a highly competitive national recruitment. Williams is thrilled to return to her hometown roots in Phoenix this October as her law enforcement career comes full circle. “We are looking forward to hav[ing] Jeri Williams lead our outstanding police department,” Zuercher said. “Her experience in community-based policing will have a tremendous impact on our city, one that she is very familiar with, having spent 22 years of her 28-year career rising through the ranks of the Phoenix Police Department.” Williams currently serves as the Police Chief of Oxnard, Calif., where she has managed the department with a focus on community-based policing. She also oversaw several high-profile events including large community protests. Williams has overseen approximately 400 sworn and non-sworn employees and

the management and operation of a $50 million budget. Phoenix is where Williams spent the majority of her career, having joined the department in 1988 as a police trainee. After graduating from the academy, she rose through the ranks in many roles including walking the streets as a beat officer, being promoted to sergeant, lieutenant, commander and assistant chief. “I am excited about returning to Phoenix, the city that has always been my home,” Williams said. “I look forward to continuing to build on the trust of the community by ensuring the utmost collaboration and understanding between our residents and the great men and women of the Phoenix Police Department.” Williams earned her master’s degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Arizona State University. She has also completed a comprehensive examination in pursuit of a Doctorate in

educational leadership at NAU. Williams has been married for 26 years and has two sons. She is a Phoenix native and was raised in the Maryvale area in west Phoenix. She is expected to start at the city of Phoenix in October 2016 when current Police Chief Joseph Yahner will be retiring.

ArizonaDrag.com Announces 2016 Diamond Crystal Award Winners

SW Center for HIV/AIDS CEO Passes The Torch

As part of its annual Diamond Crystal Awards ArizonaDrag.com presented the 2016 awards during a ceremony July 8 at The Rock. ArizonaDrag.com, which is owned by managing director Edward Michael, is dedicated to the art of drag and promoting and supporting the men and women of Arizona’s drag community and beyond. Meet the 2016 Diamond Crystal Award Winners: Nevaeh McKenzie Rising Star of the Year: Jeremiah Daniels Best Performance by a Duo or Group: Karime Lizaldi, EOY Talent Show of the Year: High Heels & Halos, show director Nevaeh McKenzie Pageant of the Year: Miss Gay Arizona America 2015, promoter Daniel Eckstrom Chantelle L. Douglas Performance of the Year: Vanity St James Cello, talent at Miss Gay Diamond of the Desert USofA Newcomer Pageant Celebrity Impersonation of the Year: Naomi St James as Dolly Parton Humanitarian of the Year: Daniel Eckstrom Best Drag by a Non-Professional: Tiffany Katoure

Cindy Quenneville, who has served as chief executive officer since mid-2014, departed the Southwest Center June 30 to pursue a new direction in her career, the center’s board of directors announced in late June.

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“Cindy has executed strategy with focus, integrity and passion to the clients and constituents at Southwest Center building upon the Center’s well-established position as a premiere HIV/AIDS health center in the Southwestern United States,” said Mike Sparaco, the center’s board chair. “We wish Cindy well in her new ventures.” Lifetime Achievement Award: Devina Ross Miss Ebony Hall of Fame Award: Devina Ross Fan of the Year: Gloria Jacques Male Impersonator of the Year: Eddie Broadway Femme Performer of the Year: Nova Loza Male Performer of the Year: Kriis DiKay Female Impersonator of the Year: Diva Entertainer of the Year: Nevaeh McKenzie Source: arizonadrag.com

The Southwest Center’s board has engaged an executive search firm to find Quenneville’s successor. In the meantime, Jessica Fotinos, a past board chair and a member of the board for more than 12 years, will step off the board and become the interim CEO until a permanent replacement is found. Fotinos, an Arizona native, has been a practicing attorney in both the public and private sectors for more than 15 years. According to a press release, Fotinos is poised to meet the needs of the Southwest Center, its clients and partnering agencies because of her long-standing involvement with the center and familiarity with its mission and programs. For more information, visit swhiv.org or contact Mike Sparaco, the board chair, at msparaco@alphagraphics.com. news

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aug. 9

datebook

Save The Date ... aug. 21

Pride Guide’s fourth annual Phoenix LGBT Wedding & Honeymoon Expo will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Arizona Grand Resort & Spa, 800 S. Arizona Grand Parkway, in Phoenix. Sept. 25 Pride Guide’s second annual Tucson LGBT Wedding & Honeymoon Expo will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa, 3800 W. Starr Pass Blvd., in Tucson.

For more information, see “Save The Date” on page 24 or visit gayarizona.com.

One Community presents Connections – Found: Re-Grand Opening, a quarterly opportunity to connect with and be inspired by the innovative work of your peers as well as the Valley’s business and community leaders, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Found, 1100 N. Central Ave., in Phoenix. aug. 14

Desert Overture Wind Symphony presents an a la carte concert beginning at 3 p.m. at Orangewood Presbyterian Church, 7321 N. 10th St., in Phoenix. desertoverture.org aug. 16

Photo courtesy of Valentino Luna (left) and Marcus Flores.

july 23 & 30

You’re invited to Saturday Pool Parties at Hotel 502, featuring a live DJ, cash bar and food trucks on site, all summer long. These events are free, open to everyone and all proceeds benefit the Phoenix Metropolitan Men’s Chorus. 502 W. Camelback Road, in Phoenix. hotel502.com

For Humanity’s Tom Hopkins and B. Joseph Howell – will take place from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at 3501 N. Mountain Ave., in Tucson. tucsonglbtchamber.org aug. 5

The Greater Phoenix Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Season’s 52, 2502 E. Camelback Road, in Phoenix. RSVP at phoenixgaychamber.com

july 27

Watch the 14 contestants of Dancing With The Bars season 9 take the stage at Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, in Tempe. onenten.org/dancing-with-the-bars-2016

bit.ly/29FoHL5 july 29

The Tucson GLBT Chamber of Commerce’s July Out & About Mixer – hosted by Habitat 14

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aug. 23 The original members of Culture Club have reunited for an international tour, which is heading to Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., in Phoenix. (See story, page 40.)

celebritytheatre.com

aug. 7

Gay Skate Neon Night Summer 2016 Edition, benefiting GLSEN Phoenix, will take place from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. at Great Skate Glendale, 10054 N. 43rd Ave., in Glendale. For details, search “Gay Skate” on Facebook.

Equality Arizona and International Printing Company invite you to Good Soul Summer, a happy hour with that will include light refreshments and a brief update on the organization from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the McKinley Club, 800 N. First Ave., in Phoenix. RSVP at bit.ly/29W38Is or jenny@ equalityarizona.com

aug. 13

Phoenix Pride, in partnership with Borderlands Food Bank, presents Produce On Wheels Without Waste (POWWOW) on the second Saturday of each month. POWWOW distributes fresh produce– $10 for up to 60 pounds – at the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center, 801 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. phoenixpridelgbtcenter.org

sept. 12 One Community presents a Young Professionals Multicultural Network event, designed to strengthen business relationships and recruitment efforts between LGBT and diverse allied millennials, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Ocotillo, 3243 N. Third St., in Phoenix.

onecommunity.com

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

Be a part of the ARTS!

LGBT NEWS, VIEW

TOBER 2015 | ISSUE 673 | OC T | VOL. 27, #1 EN NM AI RT TE EN S AND

RY | COMPLIMENTA

Each year, Echo dedicates its annual Arts Issue to local galleries, theaters, venues and artists, including a snapshot of what the upcoming arts season has in store. This year’s Arts Issue is already in the works, but there’s still time to be included.

To place your ad in this premium issue, call 602-266-0550 by Aug. 31.

Photo by Scotty Kirby.

The Fourth Time’s A Charm After three years as first alternate, Savannah Stevens crowned MGAA By Laura Latzko

fter three consecutive years as first alternate to Miss Gay Arizona America, Savannah Stevens earned her crown in a tiebreaker June 26 at the Tempe Center for the Arts. The only other tie in the system’s history, according to Daniel Eckstrom, MGAA pageant promoter, occurred in 2004 between Celebrity Starr and Veronica Halliwell for first alternate. As part of the 2016 pageant, a qualifier for Miss Gay America, 10 contestants competed in male interview, solo talent, evening gown and talent categories, and the top five went on to onstage interview. To determine whether Stevens would finally be crowned or end the night with first alternate honors for the fourth time, the top five contestants came back onstage to answer an additional question. The judges’ final scores revealed Stevens was the winner and Tempest DuJour was this year’s first alternate. Both contestants will advance to the national Miss Gay America 2016 pageant, which will take place in October in Memphis, Tenn. Stevens, also known as Chris Zizzo, has been perfecting the art of female illusion

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for 15 years, and is best known for her impersonations of Cher and Reba McEntire. Echo Magazine caught up with Stevens at the pageant and here’s what she had to say: Echo: What were your thoughts and emotions during the tiebreaker? Stevens: When we were standing backstage, all of the contestants were all so tired and ready to call a winner ... It came down between me and Tempest DuJour, and I was trying to stay calm and confident. It was really, really hard because I wasn’t completely in love with either of my onstage question answers. I was like, “Oh my God, am I going to be first alternate again?” When Daniel said on the microphone, “The next Miss Arizona, also the winner of talent,” I was like, “Oh my God, is it me? Is it really me?” He said, “contestant four,” and it was all basically a blur from there. Echo: What did it mean to you to win the title doing Reba McEntire as your talent? Stevens: It felt great. I just enjoy Reba McEntire. She’s a diva to me because anything she does turns to gold. For me to be able to emulate her is just an honor … even though there are other categories

that do determine the winner … talent is something that not only I enjoy but my team enjoys and the community enjoys as well. Echo: How did you become involved with the Miss Gay America system? Stevens: The very first time I ever saw a drag show was at a placed called Pookie’s. I saw Barbra Seville and Phaedra, and Barbra Seville was Miss [Gay] Arizona at the time. I just saw how she performed, how she spoke to the audience and just how much people were drawn to her and looked up to her. That was the very first time that I ever learned about the system and drag queens, for that matter. In 2002, I went to the Miss Gay Arizona America Pageant. It was the year that Angela Dodd won Miss Gay Arizona America, and I met my very first national titleholders. It’s something I’ve always remembered ... The energy in the whole room was just so uplifting, and it was just so great that I was just like, “Oh my God, I just have to be part of this.” Echo: What plans do you have for your reign? Stevens: With the recent Orlando shooting tragedy, I want to bring a chapter of the Matthew Shepard Foundation to Phoenix. I want to bring the Matthew Shepard Foundation more into the public eye here in Phoenix to raise awareness for hate crimes. I also want to put together a Miss Gay Arizona America workshop, both in Phoenix and in Tucson. Anyone who is interested in competing in the system can come and learn more about the system and what they are looking for in the Miss Gay Arizona America and Miss Gay America system. Another thing I want to do as Miss Gay Arizona America is ... to travel, not only around the state, but around the country to other preliminaries and be a very visible Miss Gay Arizona America … Echo: What do you think it takes to be a titleholder in the Miss Gay America system? Stevens: To be any titleholder, you have to be humble. You have to be kind. You have to be willing to adapt. You have to be willing to grow. You have to be a wellrounded entertainer and adult. You have to be approachable. You have to be likeable. You have to do the job before you have the job. Before I was Miss [Gay] Arizona, I had been doing the job of Miss Gay Arizona by attending the city preliminaries as first alternate. I feel that you need to surround yourself with the job and do the job as if you already have [it]. For more information on Miss Gay Arizona America, visit missgayarizonaamerica.com.

READ THE REST For Echo’s full interview with Miss Gay Arizona America 2016 Savannah Stevens, visit echomag.com/mgaa-2016.

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.

OUT & ABOUT Miss Gay Arizona America Pageant June 26 at Tempe Center for the Arts. Photos by nightfuse.com.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

F RE N C H D

It’s about love. It’s about time.

Thurs Art Walk: 6 to 9 pm Mon – Sat: 10 am to 5 pm

7 1 4 8 E . M A I N S T R E E T S C O T T S D A L E A Z 4 8 0 . 9 9 4 . 4 7 1 7 W W W. F R E N C H O N M A I N . C O M EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE

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AUGUST 2016

Dancing With The Bars 2016 Contestants Revealed

he 14 contestants of the ninth annual Dancing With The Bars competition, benefiting one n ten, were revealed during a kickoff party May 25 at Stacy’s @ Melrose.

Meet the 2016 Dancing With The Bars contestants, along with the bars they’re representing and the professional dancers from Arizona Ballroom Champions they’ll be performing with at 2016 competition Aug. 7 at Tempe Center for the Arts.

Representing Los Diablos Dancing with Cullen Daniel

Representing Lustre Bar @ Hotel Palomar Dancing with Shawn Nerdahl

Representing Kobalt Dancing with Leela Fazzuoli

Representing The Rock Dancing with Diona Peltcs

Representing Fez & Bliss/ReBar Dancing with Tim Bishop

Representing BS West Dancing with Freddie Maese

Representing Charlie’s Dancing with Iliana Gonzalez

Representing Karamba Nightclub Dancing with John Holzworth

Representing ION Arizona Dancing with Diona Peltcs

Representing Cruisin’ 7th Dancing with Dave Hart

Representing Harley’s Italian Bistro Dancing with Kyle Farr

Representing Stacy’s @ Melrose Dancing with Selina Vega

Representing Cash Inn Country Dancing with Drew Mitchell 18

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Representing Kobalt Dancing with Leela Fazzuoli

Dancing With The Bars 2016 August 7 VIP, 5 p.m.; doors, 6 p.m.; show, 7 p.m. Tempe Center for the Arts 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe Tickets: $38-$100 onenten.org/dancing-with-the-bars-2016

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AUGUST 2016

OUT & ABOUT Bisbee Pride Weekend June 17-19, downtown Bisbee. Photos by KJ Philp.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

AUGUST 2016

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OUT & ABOUT Pride in the Pines 2016 June 25 at Thorpe Park, Flagstaff. Photos by Bill Gemmill.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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AUGUST 2016

Photo by DePoy Studios.

wedding feature

Save The Date

Pride Guide to host annual LGBT Wedding & Honeymoon Expos By Laura Latzko

eddings are a collection of small details that create the foundation for one of the most memorable days in every married couple’s journey, and also for their future together. For same-sex couples, having access to accepting and open-minded wedding vendors is one small detail among many that future brides and grooms can check off their list, thanks to Pride Guide’s fourth annual Phoenix LGBT Wedding & Honeymoon Expo Aug. 21 at the Arizona Grand Resort and Spa. Additionally, Pride Guide will also host its second annual Tucson LGBT Wedding & Honeymoon Expo, which has been rescheduled for Sept. 25 at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa. According to Michael McFall, Pride Guide publisher, this year’s wedding expos will be “open-minded” affairs for LGBTQ people as well as allied couples with LGBTQ friends and family. Having inclusive wedding vendors. McFall added, is becoming increasingly important at opposite-sex weddings. “If their best man or so forth is gay, or they have a lot of gay friends, they don’t want them to be discriminated against on the dance floor by the photographer or the DJ,” McFall said. As far as trends go, McFall said he’s seeing LGBTQ couples taking a number of years to plan more elaborate themed weddings and also looking to get married in picturesque settings – such as zoos and botanical gardens – instead of a traditional church setting. No matter what the current trend is,

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however, the annual wedding expos offer couples the opportunity to interact directly with different types of LGBTQ-friendly vendors to get a head start on their wedding planning, regardless of how far out their wedding date is set for. “A wedding is stressful as it is,” McFall said. “[Couples] don’t want to go through the effort to find out if [vendors] are gayfriendly. They just want to know that they are.” Even more then a year after the landmark Supreme Court decision that made samesex marriage legal in all states, McFall said an LGBTQ-focused wedding expo is still necessary, because many wedding events aren’t inclusive of LGBTQ people. “The regular bridal shows or wedding expos don’t really try to make the effort to cater to the LGBT community,” McFall said. “It’s not that they are against it. They are just not making the effort. They still have a lot of vendors who do discriminate [and] won’t do LGBT weddings.” Additionally, McFall said the expos produced by Pride Guide offer a more intimate environment where couples can have more interaction with the vendors. Phoenix expo vendors include various wedding planners, venues, dress and tuxedo shops, DJs, cake makers, florists, jewelers, photographers, bartending services and catering companies. Additionally, attendees will find vendors to meet their needs as a married couple – after their big day has come and gone – including dentists, fertility and adoption services, realtors and more. In an effort to further the interaction

between attendees and vendors, this will be the first year that guests are invited to cast their vote for their favorite booths – the vendor with the most votes wins a prize. And, of course, the vendors will not be the only ones with a shot at a prize. Like past expos, attendees will have the opportunity to enter into raffle drawings for a wide variety of giveaways, ranging from smaller, local prizes to a honeymoon package in Sedona. Also new this year, two fashion shows featuring two brides, two grooms as well as a bride and a groom will take place at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. on the second level overlooking the vendor hall. “Everyone on the main floor of the expo can look up and see [the fashion shows],” McFall said, adding that in previous scenarios, booths obstructed the view from some vantage points of the expo. No matter what couples come to the Pride Guide Wedding & Honeymoon Expos looking for, McFall said it’s proven to be an important step in the wedding planning process. Although they were married in New Mexico, Valentino Luna and Marcus Flores used expo vendors for their shoes, suits and reception venue. Continuing a longtime Flores family tradition, the grooms were married March 17, 2015, at the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe in front of about 100 friends and family members. Flores and Luna were one of the first same-sex couples to tie the knot at the historic chapel. “It meant a lot to me because that’s where I’m from,” Flores said. “My family has been wedding feature

getting married there [in Santa Fe] over 300 years.” According to Luna, Pride Guide’s expo offered an environment where he and Flores felt comfortable as a same-sex couple and found themselves surrounded by other same-sex couples. “The fashion show almost made me cry,” Luna said. “Just to see two women and two men, just really shows where we are going and where we are growing as a community.” The inclusivity of the expo, Luna added, stood out as very powerful to him. “To be able to experience that, it really gives you a sense of acceptance in that moment,” Luna said. “It was nice to see other couples holding hands, kissing, getting super-excited …because they know now they can move forward to the next level of their future together.” Pride Guide Wedding & Honeymoon Expos Phoenix: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 21 Arizona Grand Resort & Spa 800 S. Arizona Grand Parkway Admission: $10 online, $15 at the door Tucson: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 25 JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa 3800 W. Starr Pass Blvd. Admission: $7.50 online, $15 at the door gayarizona.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.

Photo courtesy of Valentino Luna (left) and Marcus Flores. wedding feature

EchoMag.com

AUGUST 2016

Here Come The Brides

Echo cover models reflect on their big day By KJ Philp

feature story

ollege roommates. Best friends. Girlfriends. Fiancées. Soul mates. Twin flames. There may not be two halves more destined to complete each other than Kristi Branstrom and Molly Gilbert. The blushing brides exchanged vows Feb. 13, 2016, at Villa Siena in Gilbert, Ariz, but their story begins back at the University of Arizona. Gilbert, who was born and raised in Phoenix, and Branstrom, who moved to Tucson from Elk Grove Village, Ill. for college, first crossed paths after deciding to join the same sorority their freshman year, and have been best friends ever since. The proud Wildcats are so much alike, in fact, that they even took turns proposing. Echo caught up with the newlyweds to find out more about the details of their big day. Echo: What was the most memorable part of your wedding day? The Brides: Of course one of the most memorable parts of our big day was saying and listening to our wedding vows. We decided to write our own vows, so it was very special to hear such nice and loving words said in front of all of our good friends and family members. We also decided to have a choreographed wedding party dance with all of the bridesmaids … this is one of the memories that stands out most … because it was so much fun and nobody saw it coming. Echo: What was the best advice you received while planning your wedding? The Brides: The best advice that we received was to not worry too much what other people think. Just keep in mind that

wedding feature

this was our wedding day and that we should plan it with that in mind. You can't please everyone, especially when it comes to wedding planning, so make sure that the day goes how you would like it to go. Echo: Any advice you'd give recently engaged couples? The Brides: It is a very long process so make sure that you budget the time and energy into it. Don't be afraid to ask others to help you ... a lot of people want to be involved and would love to help. Also, make sure that both people are involved in the planning because it is a good challenging relationship builder and you will feel closer and more accomplished on your wedding day. Echo: If you had it to do over again what would you do differently? The Brides: I don't think that there is anything significant that we would have changed. The day was absolutely perfect. The only thing that [we] wish [we] could change was to have time go by slower because the day goes by so quickly.

READ THE REST For Echo's full interview with Kristi Branstrom and Molly Gilbert, including both of their engagement stories, visit echomag.com/here-come-the-brides.

Kristi Branstrom (left) and Molly Gilbert exchanged vows Feb. 13, 2016, at Villa Siena in Gilbert, Ariz. Photos by DePoy Studios.

KJ Philp is the managing editor of Echo Magazine and can be reached at editor@echomag.com.

EchoMag.com

AUGUST 2016

SWAYing ‘I Do’

Future grooms offer tips for making your big day flawless By KJ Philp

t wasn’t long ago that SWAY Events was throwing the Valley’s poshest parties and the swankiest soirees. Those days might be over, but Gary Guerin and fiancé Benjamyn Gorsky are still hard at work planning their biggest event yet – their wedding weekend, of course.

Echo Magazine caught up with the future grooms, who will tie the knot Feb. 18, 2017, at The Croft Downtown in Phoenix, to find out what advice these experts had to say about their experience thus far. Echo: In what ways has planning some of the community's best events influenced your wedding planning? Guerin: I've been a professional event planner for over 15 years now and almost every event is different. Usually there's some[thing] creative from each project that sticks with me … The challenge is that there are just too many ideas floating around in the archives of my brain.

3. Great cocktails. We are creating a signature drink after each of our dogs (we call them the "16 Paws"). You wont find any dixie cups at our wedding, but the garnishes will be on point. 2. Entertainment. We've always said we wanted our wedding to be something special for our friends and family so we're giving them a couple really special performances (I can't give it all away here, but should be pretty magical). 1. Venue. This was huge for us, and the most important. We went through a ton of literature and looked online, but when we saw our venue in person we just knew. It felt like us. Echo: What is the most overlooked touch/ necessity when it comes to events (in general) and weddings?

5. Swag. Our wedding will have a lot of special touches with our stamp on them.

Guerin: I'd say staffing. It can make or break any event. And that's not just attributed to bodies doing a job; it's all about attitude. Our friends are always eager to help and we are taking them up on all their offers. Everyone is contributing their talents/personalities in their own special ways, which is what's going to make this so special.

4. Décor. Our venue has a lot to offer when it comes to the different spaces within it. We want to make sure that each space has that "special something" that makes it stand out and creates lasting memories. Lighting is everything – lots and lots of candles!

Gorsky: One of the things that is most important to us is incorporating our friends

Echo: When it comes to budgeting for your big day, what five cost priorities would you say are the most important? And why?

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Echo: How do you two feel about the traditional aspects of weddings? Do you plan to incorporate any? Are there any you absolutely despise?

Photos courtesy of Gary Guerin (left) and Benjamin Gorsky.

and family throughout the whole process. We are both perfectionists, so it’s great to have such a strong support system to bounce ideas off of. I’m really excited to explore the non-traditional with our wedding. It's going to be a wild six months, but I definitely know that we both want to do some things differently than the traditional approach. We are also cutting the “Macarena,” so there's that. Echo: Are you groomzillas? Or have you had groomzilla moments you'd like to share? Guerin: Not yet, but I'm saving up all my freak-out moments for one really epic meltdown. Gorsky: Ditto, but I will probably have more than one. Echo: What were some of the key resources you used when you began planning? Gorsky: Our wedding planner, Angela, who is actually the owner of the venue, is absolutely fabulous … We attended the LGBT Wedding & Honeymoon Expo at the JW Marriott, it's actually how we found our venue. We downloaded a wedding planning template online, which basically was so much information it gave Gary a mini-anxiety attack so he created his own spreadsheet anyways. Everyone we've encountered so far has been extremely supportive and genuinely excited – no issues with acceptance whatsoever. It's been awesome to see how many people genuinely wedding feature

just love love. That's all that matters. Guerin: I've realized the importance of a planner. When you have so many ideas and are too close to something it's important to have someone to reel you in, break it down, and make it a reality. I've found myself a bit overwhelmed at times, but now appreciate what I do for other people on a level I didn't quite understand before. Echo: Most significant lesson learned during wedding planning? Gorsky: Start early so you have more time to stress out about it. By planning sooner rather than later, you have the flexibility to wipe the slate clean a few times and incorporate new ideas. We can't make up our minds. Guerin: Go with your gut. If you get hung up on every detail you'll never get through it. Echo: What’s the best advice you received along the way? Gorsky: Don't worry about everyone else. This is your day, so be selfish – this has taken some getting used to. Enjoy the process. Make as many memories as you can along the way. Echo: Any advice you'd give newly engaged couples who are trying to figure out where to begin? Guerin: Find one thing that's a nonnegotiable and start there. You'll always have that piece to hang on to and be proud

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of and the rest will start to fall into place. Since it's really a matter of what comes first, take a stand on something. For us, it was the venue. If we hadn't chosen one, I'm not sure anything else would have happened. Gorsky: I would also say, "don’t rush." I am thankful that we started planning as early as we did because it gave us the ability to change our minds and throw different ideas around. This is one of the most special days of a person's life, so it should be everything you've ever wanted (minus the aerial choreography). Take the time to make sure that it’s what you really want. Echo: When your big day arrives, what is the one thing you are looking most forward to? Guerin: Seeing all of our friends and family all in the same place. Gorsky: Totally agree with Gary. I am also so excited to look into his eyes and say "I Do!" [Cue tears.] Guerin: I just started crying.

READ THE REST For Echo's full interview with Gary Guerin and Benjamyn Gorsky, including their top five secrets to a successful event, visit echomag.com/swaying-i-do.

KJ Philp is the managing editor of Echo Magazine and can be reached at editor@echomag.com.

EchoMag.com

AUGUST 2016

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One For The History Books Organizational partners launch the Arizona LGBT History Project By Liz Massey

ecent positive developments in the struggle for LGBTQ equality – such as the U.S. Supreme Court upholding marriage equality last year – as well as tragedies – such as the June 12 mass shooting in Orlando – have accelerated the development of Arizona LGBT History Project, according to organizers. The project, a partnership between Arizona State University Libraries, Arizona’s “hip historian” Marshall Shore and Phoenix Pride officially launched in 2015. As a result, an exhibit of local community archival materials, such as magazines, newsletters, political buttons, T-shirts and other items, entitled “LGBT History in Arizona, 1696-2014,” opened at Hayden Library on ASU’s Tempe campus one year later. Following the exhibit’s June 16 opening, various materials covering nearly half a century of the Valley’s gay history, with items dating from 1966 to 2015 are on display and open to the public through mid-August. “Events such as Orlando have a massive impact on our community … they remind the mainstream of how our community is marginalized and often pushed to the side,” said Justin Owen, Phoenix Pride executive director. In times such as these, Owen added, understanding how the LGBTQ community has survived is critical to move the national conversation on equality forward.

Curating The Collection

Although the Arizona LGBT History Project is a recent initiative, its roots extend more than a decade and a half into local queer history. The Valley of the Sun Gay and Lesbian Center, which disbanded in the early 2000s, held a substantial collection of books, periodicals and memorabilia in its Bj Bud Collection. At the time of the center’s demise, Shore said he was working as a librarian for the Phoenix Public Library, and he helped find temporary housing for the archival materials. “I found warehouse space for the collection with the help of Friends of the Library, a separate 501(c)(3), which is extension of the library and its fundraising,” Shore said. “There were many local periodicals in those boxes, and I became very familiar with the vibrant community that existed back then through those publications.” The books in the Bj Bud collection have remained with successive LGBTQ community centers, while most of the archival materials 32

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were donated to Arizona State University Libraries in 2004. While the 151 boxes in the collection were assimilated into the institution’s Arizona Collection, they sat unprocessed for more than a decade, according to Nancy GodoyPowell, an archivist with ASU Libraries. Godoy-Powell noted that she arrived in the University Archives department in 2012, and while she was hired to oversee the institution’s Chicano Research Collection, an opportunity to work on the Bj Bud Memorial Archives soon presented itself. “The state archives did a survey in 2012 to determine which communities in Arizona were under-documented,” she explained. “It showed that minority communities, including the LGBT community, were being marginalized in our collections. After the survey, opportunities became available to fix that.” In 2015, Godoy-Powell’s supervisor asked if she would like to process the Bj Bud Collection, and she spent most of the year doing just that, with assistance from ASU faculty and staff members, including senior history lecturer Pamela Stewart. After Godoy-Powell created a collection overview (referred to as finding aids) and organized the materials within the boxes, she reached out to the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center and offered to create an online exhibit of materials in the collection in honor

Captions (clockwise): “Pride of Phoenix, September 1977,” ASU Libraries. “Phoenix Pride March & Rally, 1983,” ASU Libraries. “Arizona Gay Rodeo Association (AGRA), C. 1980s,” ASU Libraries. Bj Bud. Photo courtesy of Phoenix Pride. “Sundays Childe, 1980,” ASU Libraries. “Phoenix Pride March & Rally, 1981,” ASU Libraries. “Arizona AIDS Walk, 1997,” ASU Libraries.

of the organization’s 35th anniversary. Once the online exhibit was launched, conversations about creating a traveling exhibit of selected physical materials from the collection followed. By January 2016, Phoenix Pride (the parent organization of the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center) offered to house the history project under its auspices. Another recent event that catalyzed the drive for an LGBTQ history project, according to Owen, was the demolition of the building that once housed the historic 307 Lounge in early 2015. A coalition of concerned LGBTQ residents labored with the city of Phoenix to stop the demolition of the building, but ultimately failed. They did, however, get the site developer to agree to place a historical plaque on the sidewalk in front of the property to explain its historical significance. feature story

Remembering Bj Bud The collection of LGBTQ history housed in the Arizona Collection at the ASU Libraries is named after local lesbian activist Bj Bud (pictured left), who died in 1996. At the opening of the “LGBT History in Arizona” exhibit at Hayden Library on ASU’s Tempe campus June 16, local writer and activist Robrt Pela described Bud as a “tiny hairpin of a woman” who was among a handful of activists to organize the Valley’s queer community in the 1970s. “She was never NOT fighting for the cause,” Pela said. Bud published a local newsletter in the 1970s called Sunday’s Childe, helped organize the first Pride march and demonstration in 1981 and opened her home up for endless advocacy meetings, Pela recalled. “Whenever Bj was asked why she was working for a particular cause, the answer was always the same: ‘No one else is going to do it, so we’re going to have to do it for ourselves,’” Pela said. Additionally, Pela said Bud probably would have been pleased that the archives had been named for her, and that she would have expected community members to roll up their sleeves to make the history project a reality. Editor’s Note: The Echo Magazine archives reflect various spellings of Bj Bud, including bj Bud, B.J. Bud and Bj Budd. For the purposes of this article, Echo has defaulted to the spelling that’s been agreed upon by Arizona State University and Phoenix Pride.

“After that happened, Brendan (Mahoney) and I were discussing the fact that various minority communities had documented their history, but our community had not,” Owen said. Capturing The Community

The destruction of the 307 Lounge highlighted another challenge to LGBTQ history aficionados: The generation that came out and lived before and immediately after Stonewall was passing away and, as a result, their stories were being lost. Owen said that one area in which the project would be able to complement ASU’s stewardship of the physical archives was by seeking out senior members of the community to discuss what their lives were like in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. In addition to the possibility of hosting a feature story

future Arizona Storytellers Project night focused on the LGBTQ community, Owen said the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center also wanted to record and collect oral histories from community members. “Oral history is a very important way for us to record the memories of our aging population,” he said. According to Shore, who has been named as the project manager of the Arizona LGBT History Project, older adults don’t always realize how significant their life experiences and stories could be to generations to come. “Outside of the collection of 1970s periodicals, we don’t have a lot about what life was like then for LGBT people. Once the people who lived those stories are gone, they will be lost,” he said. “We don’t just want to talk to the leaders of that time period, we want to know how everyday people survived in a hostile climate, who their friends were, what their activities were … It’s those ordinary things that become extraordinary to people in a future time.” The history project will most likely leverage the rise of smartphone technology to capture the oral histories, teaching community elders and younger volunteers

to record the audio and video files on their own equipment and share it with the community, Shore noted. Calling All Contributors

Project organizers emphasized that anyone interested in the history project could participate in its development. According to Godoy-Powell, the Arizona LGBT History Project will be hosting a community workshop on preserving LGBTQ history, similar to the one that ASU Libraries has hosted for members of the Latino community. The workshop (date and location TBA) will discuss how individuals with materials documenting Phoenix’s LGBTQ history can organize their collections, properly store them until they are ready to donate them, and how to keep the materials – particularly audio, video and computerbased resources – accessible through current technology. Older community storytellers will be needed for the oral history-gathering initiative, according to Shore, and younger community members and allies could assist by helping the storytellers record their memories, as well as by taking an active interest in the collection’s online and traveling exhibits. Although Owen said that the project EchoMag.com

AUGUST 2016

would be seeking grants to fund research costs and was looking into holding events to support the project long-term, donating funds to the Arizona LGBT History Project would help sustain it. “This project could be costly – there’s a lot of research involved in documenting and processing the contributions,” he said. “We will have to educate people about the cost of preserving our history.” For more information on donating to the project, visit phoenixpride.org/getinvolved/donate. The goal for the traveling exhibit, Shore explained, is to have various collections that can be set up at Pride festivals around the state, as well as in mainstream history museums that may not have an active LGBTQ historical collection yet and other interested locations throughout Arizona. After the current exhibit leaves ASU this fall, Owen said there will also be a booth at the Rainbows Festival Oct. 15-16 at Heritage Square Park, where more details would be forthcoming on many of the planned initiatives. Owen added that interest around the

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project is already surging, with many community members offering to donate items to the collection. “People are donating T-shirts, publications, buttons, photos of drag shows and family picnics,” he said. “We can take all that, and much more.” In the end, Owen said, it is incumbent on the LGBTQ community to preserve its own history, since that has been the only way for it to pass it along to younger generations. “The three traditional sources of learning your heritage – through institutions such as school, through your family of origin, and through your faith – just aren’t there for us,” he said. “But through this collection, we can document our history for hundreds of years to come, and help our youth better understand what those who came before them had to go through.” • To view the online version of the LGBT History in Arizona exhibit, visit asulibraries.omeka.net/exhibits/show/ lgbt-history-in-arizona. • To learn more about the Bj Bud Memorial Archives at ASU Libraries, visit azarchivesonline.org (search: Bj Bud). Liz Massey has been involved in LGBTQ 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.

Four steps to preserving your personal LGBTQ archive Whether it’s a cache of Pride Festival photos, programs from LGBTQ fundraising galas or T-shirts from your favorite community group or special event, here are four tips to ensuring these materials can be shared with future generations. 1. Take Inventory Write down an index of what materials (including audio cassettes, VHS tapes, diaries or scrapbooks) you have, as well as the physical artifacts and stories that others may know. 2. Organize Your Material. Sort your stuff by topic or by type. Identify people in photos or in audio/ video programs. 3. Properly Store Your Material Papers should be kept in acid-free boxes or plastic containers. The storage area should be at a stable temperature below 70 degrees, and at a humidity level between 30 to 50 percent. DON’T store materials in your attic, garage or basement! 4. Stay Current With Technology Convert VHS movies to DVDs, scan paper photos, and preserve “born digital” materials on external hard drives. Source: Arizona LGBT History Project

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Pride Night

Phoenix Mercury celebrates LGBTQ community and honors Orlando Story and photos by Devin Millington

s part of the WNBA’s 20th season, the league celebrated diversity, inclusion, and equality with its third annual Pride Night June 18 versus the Dallas Wings. The WNBA took the lead by becoming the first professional sports league to invite and recognize the LGBT community at a game each June, which is nationally recognized at LGBT Pride Month.

Orlando Strong Following the horrific events at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Fla., the Mercury announced a silent auction to benefit the OneOrlando Fund (oneorlando.org). The auction included authentic jerseys signed by Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, the opportunity to be part of the starting lineup announcements, lunch for two with basketball legend and Phoenix Mercury vice president Ann Meyers Drysdale and other one-of-a-kind items. As a result of the silent auction, combined with the sale of rainbow bracelets, Mercury Pride shirts and dollar donations at all concession stands, the Mercury raised $14,000 for the OneOrlando Fund on Pride Night alone. Additionally, the Mercury teamed up with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive on-site before the game.

#ProudToPlay The Mercury played their hearts out on Pride Night against the Wings, but lost in a triple over-time thriller. Although it was the first time Griner faced her ex-wife, Glory Johnson, on a WNBA court, the drama was kept to a minimum, with only one incident resulting in a technical foul for Johnson. Taurasi, Griner and Dupree fouled out and it appeared

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Dupree sustained an injury to her ankle late in the contest. The Mercury may have lost the game, but they won where it really matters. Their consistent and compassionate efforts for social change, diversity, inclusion, and acceptance showed that love really does beat hate. This year, the Mercury’s Pride Night halftime show included a Q&A session with Jason Collins, the first active player in NBA history to come out. During the on-court interview with Meyers Drysdale, Collins stressed the importance of LGBTQ allies – the individuals who identify as straight and are “out” as LGBTQ supporters. Collins also emphasized that it is vitally important to respond to attacks against our community in a more positive and productive way. Collins came out as gay in the cover story of the May 2013 issue of Sports Illustrated. And, after 13 seasons in the NBA, he announced his retirement from professional basketball Nov. 19, 2014. Collins last played with the Brooklyn Nets.

The X-Factor Perspective Many fans believe Brittney Griner’s entrance into the league prompted the WNBA to create WNBA Pride Night. Kristen Powell, Mercury season ticket holder who resides in California and travels to Phoenix for all home games agrees, stating that Griner is the Mercury’s most vocal leader regarding LGBTQ issues. “Brittney Griner has always been very open about who she is and open about what she’s been through, which is cool,” Powell said. The Phoenix Mercury’s selection of

Brittney Griner as the number one overall pick in the 2013 draft has made it possible for the organization to buck the conservative political climate in Arizona and embrace the LGBTQ community more openly and much more meaningfully. Griner’s efforts, supported by the Mercury, have changed minds, especially with the youth of both the LGBTQ and X-Factor communities. Griner’s message – that being comfortable in your own skin is beautiful and that being a lesbian is not a threat – has championed anti-bullying campaigns, resulted in the introduction of her own BGBU app, earned her the role of grand marshal of the Phoenix Pride Parade in 2013 and landed her a number of PSA spots in support of various LGBTQ organizations. Still, Powell pointed out, not all WNBA teams are equal in actively showing their pride. “When you look at Twitter, only the Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury changed their icon to the rainbow. This is Pride Month and for only two teams in the league to change their icon; that’s insane to me.” Devin Millington is a retired teacher-turned-freelance writer and photographer. He is also the web designer and accomplished portrait artist behind devinmillington.com.

Left to right: Diana Taurasi, DeWanna Bonner and Kelsey Bone face off against the Dallas Wings June 18.

Phoenix Mercury vice president Ann Meyers Drysdale (left) interviews Jason Collins during half time of the Pride Night game June 18.

Echo goes 1-on-1 with the stars of Pride Night Before the Phoenix Mercury took on the Dallas Wings in their annual Pride Night game June 18, Echo Magazine sat down with Dewanna Bonner, Noelle Quinn and Alex Harden to discuss WNBA Pride Night. Echo: What about Pride Night is special for you? Bonner: Not a certain event, but for them to have this special night, especially with what happened in Orlando says a lot right now. Quinn: I’ve not participated in any events really. I’m just supporting my teammates and the cause. It’s great to unite on this night. Harden: Well, it’s something we never did in college. It’s just something in the professional realm because of politics in college. I think, especially after Orlando, this is a big step in supporting humans, that’s what it’s about, supporting human rights. They have families, they have kids and they love just like we do. Echo: Have any fans approached you to say what WNBA Pride means to them? Bonner: Not really. Quinn: Of course you hear fans talk about it all the time. As a league, we don’t discriminate. For the fans in general, it’s great for all of them to feel appreciated. Echo: Do you believe the Phoenix Mercury has taken more of a leadership role in how they show their Pride? Bonner: Oh yeah. [nodding head emphatically] Echo: Let’s end with a fun question. What is your favorite LGBTQ friendly television show? Quinn: I love “Modern Family.” It’s a great show. It’s very witty and also tackles real life issues. They have life lessons in that show and it’s very entertaining. Bonner: Oh, I love “Modern Family.” I watched every single episode that ever came out. It’s one of my favorite shows, so I vote for “Modern Family.” Harden: I’m binge watching “Orange is the New Black” right now, but I love “Modern Family” too. I think it opens people’s eyes to that, although the ideals are changing, it shows you that they’re human and are a part of normal society. sports feature

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AUGUST 2016

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summer entertainment

A Blast From The Past

Culture Club reunites for international tour By Richard Schulz

he 1980s was an era where such gender-bending fashion icons as Prince, Annie Lennox, Michael Jackson and Pete Burns, Dead or Alive’s lead singer, were rampant on the Top 40 charts. No blast from the ‘80s pop past would be complete without the music and the style of George O’Dowd, aka Boy George, who embodied the essence of that era even before he burst upon the international music scene as the lead signer of Culture Club – the 1980s mega-group that has reunited for a world tour that’s heading to Phoenix Aug. 23. Boy George, who always wore make up and dressed in fashions that were

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flashy and feminine, rose from the London nightclub scene and reflected the cultural New Wave that swept through England, the United States and the music charts. Often associated with the second British Wave in music, Culture Club, which formed in 1981, capitalized on their strong signature look and monopolized the new cable network called MTV. Boy George’s presence and influence was everywhere. He even made the cover of Cosmopolitan, a women’s magazine. When asked in an interview by The Huffington Post whether he associated more to being male or female, he answered, “I wanted to kind of look like a woman. And I did for a

while - and then I got hairy!” In an infamous moment of Grammy history, Joan Rivers was on hand when Culture Club won the 1983 Best New Artist award. In a live telecast from London, Boy George remarked “Thank you, America. You’ve got taste, style and know a good drag queen when you see one.” Yet, Culture Club’s impact extended far beyond Boy George’s flamboyant persona and tabloid headlines. Along with Boy George, Culture Club’s original lineup included Mikey Craig (bass), Roy Hay (guitar, keyboards) and Jon Moss (drums and percussion). The group achieved stunning success, scoring three Top Ten summer entertainment

Photo by Dean Stockings

Echo chats with legendary drummer Culture Club’s drummer Jon Moss chatted with Echo Magazine about the international reunion tour, the current state of music and the band’s legacy. Echo: How is it being back together as Culture Club? Any surprises? Moss: We are now past the differences we had. Most importantly, the magic is still there. It’s different. I have to say that George is so very good at performing now. He has a real rapport with audiences. He has gotten quite good on stage. Echo: What will the group be playing in concert? Moss: We’ve got new songs and the old songs. We have a big band travelling with us. We really put on a good show. People like the songs from our latest album, Tribes. Echo: So, what’s the audience like at Culture Club concert? Moss: It’s a real mix of generations. There’s an ‘80s nostalgia happening and kids are into that era now. There’s an intimacy about music from that period. It was not so polished as today. There is an innocence, in a way, about it. My son is listening to music from over 20 years ago.

between music now and back in the ‘80s? Moss: Now it’s all about computers. We went to Spain and we just went in the room together and played and jammed. The music came out of the magic happens and you build on that. That’s the core when the sparkle happens and you capture that magic moment. Echo: What is Culture Club’s legacy? Moss: I think we were the franchise for those who were disfranchised. Many were distracted by George’s adventures, but we changed people’s perceptions. I believe we had more impact than people may remember. Yes, people needed to deal with their shock when they first saw George and thought, “Oh, he is a girl,” and then found out he is a boy. We were about looking at things from a different perspective. I think that without Culture Club the change in society may have happened differently ... Above all, I just like to play music. Echo: What else would you like fans of Culture Club to know about the concert? Moss: Come out and enjoy it. You won’t be disappointed.

Echo: What do you think about the resurgence of vinyl records, which were in their heyday in the 1980s? Moss: The return to vinyl is good because it’s about the music ... Today’s music is more like fast food. You download and get it fast, but it’s an incomplete process. We use to wait in line for new releases and then go home and listen to it. We would read the liner notes. It was a total experience. Digital is compressed. You download it and don’t listen to the whole album and skip tracks. I do it too, but I know that it’s not the full experience of music as it was in the past. Echo: What’s your take on the difference

U.S. hits from their debut album, Kissing to Be Clever, and becoming the first group to hit that milestone since the Beatles. They sold more than 50 million records with ten singles that reached the Top 40. “Time (Clock of the Heart)” is included on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of 500 songs that shaped rock and roll. In his article “Rock: British Culture Club,” Stephen Holden, music critic for The New York Times, said “Culture Club blends soul, rock, funk, reggae and salsa into a music that programmatically reconciles white, black and Latin styles.” He added that, “Mr. O’Dowd made the group’s best songs – the Motown-flavored ‘Do You Really Want to summer entertainment

Hurt Me’ and the Latin-inflected dance tune ‘I’ll Tumble 4 Ya’ – shine like jewels.” The aim of Culture Club’s music, as described by Boy George, is “to be creatively fluid to make everything we do a little different. We want to be a bridge between white rock and black soul,” he said, adding that he wants “Culture Club to represent all peoples and minorities.” Despite group’s commercial success, significant pressures within the band led to its’ break-up. Boy George’s drug addiction and the end of George’s and drummer Jon Moss’ four-year relationship took its toll. The group split after their 1986 album, From Luxury to Heartache, amidst growing

Jon Moss and Boy George. Courtesy photo.

tensions in the band. Flash forward to 2016 and all four original members have rejoined forces for the reunion tour. Culture Club Aug. 23 Celebrity Theatre 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix Tickets: $59-$129; 602-267-1600 celebritytheatre.com Richard Schultz is a playwright, actor, director and freelance writer based in Phoenix. EchoMag.com

AUGUST 2016

Absolutely Fabulous

The movie of the summer is here, sweetie darlings By David-Elijah Nahmod

“We just get older. Edina gets older and fatter, and actually Patsy doesn’t change at all. She’s just sort of embalmed and remains exactly the same.” Jennifer Saunders

dina and Patsy are back! The eternally youthful and glamorous trendsetters (in their own minds, anyway) have landed big-screen roles in the most-anticipated movie of the summer. Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, the modern-day adaptation of the BBC television series “Absolutely Fabulous,” hits theaters July 22. Since its inception in 1992, Ab Fab has become a worldwide phenomenon – an impressive accomplishment for a series that has produced a mere 39 episodes in nearly a quarter of a century. Like the show, the new film follows the madcap adventures of Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders), a boozy, drug-addicted public relations agent who chases after bizarre fads in a desperate, delusional attempt to stay “young” and “hip.” Edina gets plenty of enabling from Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley), a fashion magazine editor whose substance abuse is far worse than Edina’s. Together, the ladies crash every celebrity gathering they can, often stumbling around in a champagne-induced haze, oblivious to the contemptible stares that follow in their wake. The result is some of the edgiest and most screamingly funny humor ever produced by our friends across the pond. “These are people who have been friends since they began,” Saunders said during a conference call with Echo. “Edina thinks she’s a fashion PR guru. Patsy works as an editor of a fashion magazine. They’re inseparable friends, and they walk in chaos.” A chaos of “cigarettes and champagne,” Lumley added. According to Saunders, updating the characters for the new film was an easy task. “We just get older,” she said. “Edina gets older and fatter, and actually Patsy doesn’t change at all. She’s just sort of embalmed and remains exactly the same.” In the film, the ladies are on the run – Edina has been accused of murdering supermodel Kate Moss, who appears as herself. Our hapless heroines take off for the South of France, where they hope to elude the law. This leads to more mishaps and wild celebrity encounters. Dozens of famous names from the worlds of film and fashion appear in the movie – some as themselves, others as deliriously over-the-top adversaries of the leading ladies. Viewers can expect cameo appearances by such celebrities as Kim Kardashian, Dame Joan Collins, Chris Colfer of “Glee,” Graham Norton and Jon Hamm, whose reaction to Patsy, his former fling, is “Oh God, I can’t believe you’re still alive!” Comedic highlights from Absolutely Fabulous: the Movie, include a hilarious turn by Barry Humphries, best known as Dame Edna Everage. Humphries plays a man this time out – he offers one of the film’s more unforgettable moments as a chubby, sleazy pornographer with a creepy grin. More laughs abound when Patsy appears in male drag so she can marry the world’s richest woman. “Patsy’s been a man before,” Lumley recalled. “We had a flashback to the ‘60s where she had a mustache and was dressed summer entertainment

in a Sgt. Pepper coat like a Beatle. This time she didn’t bother to go the whole hog and take the hormones and have something stitched on. This time she just glued a mustache on and put her hair back and thought she could probably get away with it. After all, she’s only trying to attract a 90-year-old person who can’t see!” With the police in hot pursuit – or so they think – the film also offers a few comical action scenes. “We insisted on doing our own stunts,” Lumley said. “Obviously it’s a reach from a car traveling at almost three miles an hour to take a cigarette off a completely supine man. It was a bit challenging, but I managed it.” “I’d never been on a scooter before, and they wouldn’t let me wear a helmet,” Saunders added. “I was very, very brave. It’s also the most exercise I’ve ever done.” Because people are “much more ready to be offended” due to today’s climate of political correctness, Saunders admitted that precautions were taken when writing the film’s screenplay, “If you write a movie, you have a raft of lawyers telling you who you can offend, and who you can’t offend, and who’s going to sue you and who won’t,” she noted. “So it was quite an issue, I have to say.” But it works. Edina and Patsy push the boundaries of good taste as few people can – and it’s all in good humor. After 25 years of playing these characters (off and on), Saunders and Lumley have developed a comfortable rapport with each other and slip into their signature roles with ease. Devotees of the television series will be pleased to see other familiar faces in the film: Julia Sawalha is particularly amusing as Edina’s jaded daughter Saffron who gets a scene-stealing moment when she leads a sing-along of the famed Janis Ian tune “At Seventeen” in a gay bar filled with adoring drag queens. If only life were as fabulous as this. For more information on Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, visit absolutelyfabulousthemovie.com or facebook.com/absolutelyfabulousmovie. 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.

PHOENIX MOVIE BEAR MEETUP Join the Phoenix Movie Bears, a LGBT movie social group, for a screening of Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie July 23 (theater TBD). For more information, visit facebook.com/ phoenixmoviebears/events.

EchoMag.com

AUGUST 2016

OUT & ABOUT “One Year of Love” Celebration Brunch and Discussion June 26 at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Photos by Marcus Farrell.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

AUGUST 2016

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AUGUST 2016

at the box office

By Hans Pedersen

Suicide Squad In theaters Aug. 5

Holding the Man Available on DVD Aug. 2

Hailed as “the great Australian love story,” this epic tale focuses on two young lovers whose relationship endures for 15 years. When John (Craig Stott), a high school football captain, falls in love with Tim (Ryan Corr), an actor in the school play, the two forge a bond that survives tempting hunks, long distances and prejudice. This award-winning gay romance is based on the best-selling memoir by Timothy Conigrave, who died in 1994; screenwriter Tommy Murphy adapted the true story for both the film as well as the stage versions in Australia and London’s West End.

While you can find queer readings of the Joker, they seem especially apt in the case of Jared Leto’s depiction of the character in Suicide Squad. Based on the DC comics series, the story follows a gang of criminal misfits who take on a dangerous mission from a secret federal agency that’s headed up by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) in exchange for a reprieve. The combination of Will Smith as Deadshot, Ben Affleck returning as Batman and alluring Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn is sheer dynamite on screen. Despite rumors of reshoots to lighten up the mood, the movie is poised to be big summer eye candy.

Beneath the Skin Available on DVD July 19

Star Trek Beyond In theaters July 22

Crew members of the USS Enterprise are exploring the edges of uncharted space when their ship is badly damaged and they are marooned on a remote planet with no way to reach Earth. Our heroes are also threatened by a new villain who harbors a grudge against the Federation and the group encounters several hurdles as they try to find their way home. Picking up two years into their five-year mission in space, the movie – directed by Justin Lin – stars out actor Zachary Quinto as Spock, hunky Chris Pine as Capt. Kirk, sexy Zoe Saldana as Lt. Uhura, the late Anton Yelchin as Chekov, and Idris Elba as Krall. 46

AUGUST 2016

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A story of gay bashing, abuse and high school love, this indie was written and co-directed by its star, Aaron Ellis. He plays Joshua, a teenager who moves to Canada following the death of his mom to live with his father, whom he doesn’t really know. The student quickly falls for Jay (Justin Liles), a handsome tattoo artist who was kicked out of his Alabama home by his abusive parents (who literally drag him out by his hair). The two young lovebirds are soon swept up in an idyllic romance until they start getting harassed by high school bullies. Michael MacKinnley co-directed the film.

Hans Pedersen is a freelance writer based in Phoenix. movies

Join Us & Celebrate 25 Years of

Sedona September 16 Phoenix October 6 Tucson November 4 Purchase Tickets at equalityarizona.com/awardsdinner

Dressed To Impress

Suited highlights one business that tailors to its gender nonconforming clientele By David-Elijah Nahmod

Aidan Star Jones, a 12-year-old transgender boy from Tucson, Ariz., in his new suit. Photos courtesy of HBO.

n HBO’s trend-setting new documentary, Suited, viewers are introduced to a Brooklyn-based garment maker whose business is custom tailored to its LGBTQ clientele. Directed by Jason Benjamin (boom operator for HBO’s hit series “Girls”), the film is currently airing in rotation on HBO and sister channels HBO2 and HBO Signature. The film can also be viewed online at HBO.com. The documentary begins at Bindle & Keep, a custom clothier co-owned by Daniel Friedman and Rae Tutera, where suits are designed to fit the sometimes less-than-traditional body contours of its transgender, androgynous and gender nonconforming customers. The company was born in the aftermath

Bindle & Keep co-owners Daniel Friedman and Rae Tutera.

of Tutera’s difficult search for a suit to wear. Tutera, who is also comfortable with both male and female pronouns, identifies as a transgender, gender nonconformist. Friedman, a straight cisgender male who takes great pride in his work, admits on camera that his life has been far more interesting since Tutera introduced him to the needs of the LGBTQ community. As the storyline progresses, we meet seven of Bindle & Keep’s clients, all of whom courageously reveal their private lives – not only to Friedman and Tutera, but also to Benjamin’s camera. Derek Matteson is a straight-identified transgender man who needs a suit for his upcoming wedding. The filmmaker drives back to the rural Pennsylvania home of Derek’s parents, who share photos of his childhood (pre-transition). His parents admit that their son’s transition was a difficult adjustment for them, but as his mom points out, your child is your child and you love them no matter what. Viewers will also meet Jillian T. Weiss, an attorney in need of a suit to wear to an upcoming federal court date. Then the conservative world of the legal profession is underscored by the story of Everett Arthur, an African-American law student from Atlanta who recalls being the only queer person in his high school. Having recently transitioned, Everett is in need of a suit that will impress his professors and potential employers. One of the most touching stories is that of Aidan Star Jones, a 12-year-old

AUGUST 2016

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transgender boy who has traveled from Tucson, Ariz., with his grandmother, Judy Shepard Gomez, to choose a suit for his upcoming bar mitzvah. As a lesbian, Judy empathizes what her grandson is going through. Friedman and Tutera listen to each of their clients intently – and show viewers that there’s more to meeting the needs of their clients than simply taking measurements. Their dedication to customer satisfaction is a lovely thing to see. What makes this documentary so moving is the non-judgmental, casual manner in which Benjamin introduces the seven Bindle & Keep clients who agreed to appear in his film. We not only learn their personal stories, but also get a first-hand look at the gender spectrum. Fashion, like many aspects of life, is far more complex than “male” or “ female.” Produced by Lena Dunham and Jennifer Konner (who launched the L.A.based production company, A Casual Romance), Suited is a human interest piece, an educational tool and glimpse at the challenges – and progress – of the transgender, androgynous and gender nonconforming segments of the LGBTQ community. 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. the small screen

Photo courtesy of facebook.com/ prescottcenterforthearts.

opening nights By Richard Schultz Prescott Summer Repertory Through Aug. 14

Escape the Valley heat and take a theatrical excursion to Prescott and enjoy three plays in repertory titled Lunacy, Love and Laughter! With a touch of the poet and couched in homespun language with down-to-earth humor, N. Richard Nash’s The Rainmaker is a magical tale of what we want and need to hear about hope and human nature. The Curry family is wilting under the dry Western heat when a traveling rainmaker with a smooth line of talk sells them a promise of renewal and refreshment in the form of rain that will end the current drought. Sure, he’s a phony, but he’s a true believer in the power of optimism to water dry souls. Lizzie, Pops, Noah and Jimmy learn that “once in your life you gotta take a chance on a conman.” The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged! Revised! is a parody of the plays of Shakespeare’s classic tales, and the entire canon is performed in comically shortened form by only three actors. The fourth wall is nonexistent as these actors speak directly to the audience where some scenes involve audience participation. There are common references to pop culture, local people and places. Each performance can be vastly different from another when this high-speed rollercoaster of a show condenses all of Shakespeare’s plays into 90 minutes. Neil Simon began his writing career in television and established himself as a leading writer of comedy by creating a succession of Broadway hits. The Good Doctor is vintage Simon, featuring 11 vignettes, hilarious and heart-warming as they put a twist on short stories written by Russian playwright Anton Chekov. Individually, the scenes are remarkably original as the character of the Writer – who some critics believe is Neil Simon’s vision of Chekov himself – narrates and bridges the scenes and also appears in some of them.

August: Osage County July 29-Aug. 14

Prescott Summer Repertory Through Aug. 14 Prescott Center for the Arts 208 N. Marina St., Prescott Tickets: $15; 928-445-3286 pfaa.net

Land of a Thousand Dances Aug. 8-18

Richard Schultz is a playwright, actor, director and freelance writer based in Phoenix.

CMY

The Lady With All The Answers Through Aug. 20

A vanished father. A pill-popping mother. Three sisters harboring shady little secrets. When the large Weston family unexpectedly reunites after dad disappears, the family homestead explodes in a maelstrom of repressed truths and unsettling secrets. The action takes place over the course of several weeks in August inside the three-story home of Beverly and Violet Weston, the drugged-up, scathingly acidic matriarch, outside Pawhuska, Okla. This powerful dramedy is the Tony Awardand Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Tracy Letts that unflinchingly and uproariously exposes the dark side of the Midwestern American family.

How did four Mexican American teens from the projects hit end up on Billboard Magazine’s Top 100 and opening for The Beatles on the band’s 1965 U.S. tour? It all began when Robert “Rabbit” Jaramillo, Richard “Scar” Lopez and Joe “Yo Yo” Jaramillo teamed up with Frankie “Cannibal” Garcia to play R&B and Doo Wop in East LA. Inspired by such groups as The Temptations and The Olympics, their band was called Cannibal and the Headhunters, but Paul McCartney nicknamed them “the na na boys,” a takeoff on the chorus of their biggest pop hit, “Land of a Thousand Dances.” The rest is rock ‘n’ roll history. New Carpa Theater Company brings this story to the stage.

For decades, newspaper columnist Ann Landers dispensed wit and wisdom to millions of Americans in need of advice. Written by David Rambo and directed by Sabian Tour, Landers, played by Leslie Abrams, finds herself writing a column about a new kind of heartbreak – her own. Drawn from Landers’ life and letters, this show is a touching and comic portrait of a wise, funny, no-nonsense woman who is one of the most influential figures in America. Through her sometimes-controversial opinions, she shaped the way we view war, politics, marriage, divorce, sexuality and even the proper way to hang a roll of toilet paper in the bathroom.

August: Osage County July 29-Aug. 14 Theatrikos Theatre Company 11 W. Cherry Ave., Flagstaff Tickets: $14-$19; 928-774-1662 theatrikos.com

Land of a Thousand Dances Aug. 8-18 Herberger Theater Center 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix Tickets: $6; 602-252-8497 herbergertheater.org

The Lady With All The Answers Through Aug. 20 Live Theatre Workshop 5317 E. Speedway Blvd., Tucson Tickets: $15-$20; 520-327-4242 livetheatreworkshop.org

AUGUST 2016

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The Art of Paying Attention By Liz Massey

ttention has a contradictory reputation in our culture – we condemn those who seek the spotlight, at the same time that we give them the focus that they crave. This paradox obscures the power that attention has to shape our own thoughts, our actions and our achievements. Attention is one of the few things we have control over in all circumstances, no matter how dire. Not that it’s easy to manage attention. Our contemporary digital culture has amplified our natural human tendency to scan for and worry about potential threats. As a result, it’s easy (especially at work) to fall into a distracted, reactive mode by default. The Internet picture meme that that sums up this line of thought best features an image of Cookie Monster, paired with the text: “Me pay attention to this moment, unless me no like this moment. If me no like this moment, ME EAT COOKIE!” If we want to intentionally pay attention to the moment, we are practicing mindfulness. Meditation expert Jon KabatZinn defines mindfulness as “paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, without judgement.” Each of those three hallmarks can be challenging for everybody, but LGBTQ folks sometimes have additional challenges to getting or staying in a mindful state, including: • Untreated trauma or PTSD • Body shame issues • Stigma that causes us to over- or under-

identify with our sexual orientation or gender identity • Literally being under attack from a rejecting family, community or society I have had an interest in practicing mindfulness meditation for a long time – nearly three decades, in fact. But something always got in the way. So I was surprised as anyone when last summer, amidst the chaos of a big move and its aftermath, I finally established a meditation practice. Most of my mindful progress has come courtesy of my addiction to my smartphone apps. I downloaded a program called Stop, Think & Breathe and managed to build a habit of meditating every day. I may only spend five minutes a day in this mindful space, but it’s consistent. I’ve learned from my daily meditation sessions that I – like most people – push away most of the feelings and bodily sensations I experience. Sometimes this is necessary, but often it’s done simply out of habit, because the assumption is made (consciously or unconsciously) that those impulses don’t carry valuable information. Meditating has made it slightly easier to sit with and pay attention to anger, sorrow and fear, three feelings that I’m sure that the Cookie Monster meditation master would resolve with treats. I’m slowly learning to embrace each session as valuable in its own right, even the ones where I’m sleepy or scattered and drift off into a daydream or a rant. Research has validated a number of health benefits from practicing

mindfulness, including a stronger immune system response, decreased emotional reactivity, boosts to working memory and focus, and decreases in the production of stress hormones in our bodies. Which is great, but the really nice thing about practicing mindfulness and pursuing inner peace is that it can improve our work in the outside world as social justice advocates, too. If one keeps at a mindfulness practice, they can: • Stop operating on autopilot, which can help a person think through the consequences of their actions. • Reduce pain and stress, which can help avoid burnout and improve one’s health. • Provide a clearer sense of personal values, which is essential for making progress on equality goals when negotiating strategic alliances with nonqueer-focused organizations. • Release attachment to societally implanted “dominator thinking,” which can help identify new ways to frame old debates and attacks against our community. • Connect us to an inner “freedom spot,” a place untouched by stigma and bias, where a person can truly relax and be themselves. We’ll never be able to meditate our way to equality – LGBTQ people will always need in-the-street activism, aided by structural analysis to expose what about the system is broken. But mindfulness can help our movement respond to new threats and opportunities in the present moment – and not re-fight old battles, or imagine (and react to) monsters who aren’t there. Tashy Endres, who worked as mediator and conflict trainer for the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York, explained the confluence of activism and meditation this way: “For me, when (social justicerelated) struggle and mindfulness are combined, both can flourish.” Liz Massey has been involved in LGBTQ 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.

AUGUST 2016

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AUGUST 2016

money talks

Nest Eggs and Nuptials: When should you consider which? By Melissa Myers and Michael J. Tucker Michael J. Tucker: Some clients continue to seek our legal and financial advice about the impact of getting married. Melissa Myers: A few are even asking before they tie the knot! Tucker: Yes, that’s particularly helpful in terms of timing. Myers: A lot of couples had pent-up demand to get married as soon as they could, when same-sex marriage became legal in Arizona and then across the country. Tucker: And other couples got married in order to gain particular benefits of marriage, such as spousal coverage under employerprovided health insurance or the ability to legally adopt their spouse’s minor children. Myers: Now that the “dust has settled” a bit, what are some of the concerns that couples continue to raise? Tucker: Some are concerned about marriage triggering legal or practical responsibility for the debts that their new spouse would bring to the marriage. Myers: Certainly we’ve had clients

expressing concern about the financial effect of divorce. Tucker: They might have heard my sermon on community property. Myers: Perhaps. Some individuals who have saved a long time for retirement are asking about the effect of a future divorce on their retirement benefits. Tucker: Several rules in this area are not what people would expect. Myers: And the rules are different depending on whether the retirement nest eggs are held in employer-sponsored benefit plans such as 401(k) plans, in individual retirement accounts (IRAs), in traditional pensions or otherwise. Tucker: All 401(k) plans are subject to federal law that gives the spouse the right to inherit the 401(k) plan account if the employee dies. Myers: The counterintuitive aspect is that this rule for 401(k) plans applies not only to the retirement nest egg accumulated during the marriage, but also to the money that was in the 401(k) plan account prior to the marriage. Tucker: A couple of clients have been blindsided by the effect of this rule. Myers: It’s possible, but not easy, to work around this default rule. Tucker: That’s right. It is with great sadness that we share the passing of The spouse must Noel Matkin, one of Southern Arizona’s greatest consent in writing to the heroes and advocates. employee’s designation A great family man, leader, friend and mentor, of a non-spouse Noel Matkin passed away at the age of 84. In beneficiary on the addition to his many family members, Noel is account. survived by his partner of almost 25 years, Jim Sincox. Myers: Many clients Noel brought experience and passion, to the imagine that they can numerous boards and committees he served on, handle this issue in a including serving two terms as Tucson Interfaith prenuptial agreement. HIV/AIDS Network’s president of the board of Tucker: That’s possible directors. and it’s also procedurally Noel’s efforts also included serving on the burdensome and LGBT&S Alliance Fund, the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, expensive. Also, many Southern Arizona Friends of Jung, the Campus Christian Center, Wingspan, couples feel that Arizona Human Rights Fund (now known as Equality Arizona), Tucson AIDS Project, the City of Tucson Commission on GLBT Issues. prenuptial agreements Noel was a true friend and leader, with a strong commitment and passion are distasteful and for equality, justice, diversity, inclusion and support for all people. He was one unpleasant. of TIHAN’s greatest supporters and champions, and we are stronger because of Myers: Certainly him. Along every step of the way, Noel helped us become who we are. prenuptial agreements – Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN) are expensive, because legally each party is required to have his or her own lawyer in the negotiation of the agreement. Tucker: Getting married

Noel Matkin

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1932 – 2016

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and protecting IRAs that were funded before the marriage is somewhat less complicated and burdensome. Myers: More and more, IRA custodians are requiring the spouse to sign off if the IRA owner wants to designate a non-spouse beneficiary on the IRA. Tucker: That’s based on Arizona community property law rather than federal retirement plan law. It’s a completely different chain of command with a similar result. Myers: Let’s say that I want my beloved to get 100 percent of my retirement when I die. Is it better for her tax-wise if we’re married than if we’re not? Tucker: Yes, generally, it’s quite a bit better. A surviving spouse can wait until she reaches 70-and-a-half years of age to start taking taxable distributions from her deceased spouse’s 401(k) or IRA. Myers: That’s not the rule if they aren’t married to each other. Tucker: Indeed not. A non-spouse beneficiary has to start withdrawing those taxable retirement benefits right away. Myers: This, perhaps, isn’t a big deal if the surviving partner or spouse is going to need to take those distributions from the retirement nest egg anyway, in order to make ends meet. Tucker: It’s a bigger deal for those surviving partners or spouses who wouldn’t need to withdraw that money in order to live on. Myers: Why pay taxes now if you don’t have to? Tucker: That’s a key concept. A tax dollar not paid today is a tax dollar not paid today. Myers: If you’re married or in a long-term relationship, take a look at any available retirement benefits and consider who will receive those benefits if you don’t manage to spend all of them during your long and happy retirement. Tucker: You can always consult your advisers to make this planning easier. 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 J. 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. FINANCE

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Registration opens at 7am Walk and Run starts at 9:00 am Walk Festival starts at 9:30 3rd Avenue and Washington Visit

www.aidswalkaz.org to register!

Grab a bite to eat and listen to live music at the new AIDS Walk Festival! 9:30-1:00pm

Sunday October 23rd Logo with Pantone Spot Colors

pantone 319C 62 c 20y pantone 497C 32 c 73 m 52 y 08 k

Logo with Pantone Process Colors

....Walk to End HIV

- Beer garden - Food trucks ...anD lots more!

WE SOLVE PROBLEMS The small business is our BIGGEST client. Call today and start saving money and time. Robert F.

Hockensmith, CPA, P.C. Financial Planner Consultant 6232 N. 7th Street • Suite 110 • Phoenix, Arizona 85014 (602) 264-9331 • Fax (602) 279-1766 • Cell (602) 541-3477

Email Robert@azmoneyguy.com • Website www.azmoneyguy.com facebook.com/azmoneyguy • twitter.com/azmoneyguy

EchoMag.com

AUGUST 2016

business cards For a complete listing of all Echo display advertisers, please see our Lambda Directory on page 66.

To advertise your business here, call 602-266-0550.

TRAIN THE

Master's degree and multiple certifications!

WITH

BEST

contact Eric | info@avengerfit.com

www.avengerfit.com PERSONALIZED FINANCIAL STRATEGIES with an understanding of LGBT issues

C AMELBACK R ETIREMENT P LANNERS 2720 E. Camelback Rd, #200, Phoenix 602.424.7503 camelbackrp.com

Melissa Myers

CFP®, CLU, ADPA®

Securities and Advisory Services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network; Member FINRA/SIPC, A Registered Investment Advisor

Accredited Domestic Partnership Advisor SM

AUGUST 2016

EchoMag.com

• 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments • Located in the Melrose district!

Contact: Jason

602.538.0555 priderentals.com

Local business

Quandt

Landscaping

Sprinklers Trees Shrubs Lighting Brick Patios & Walkways

602-481-8571

(623) 939-4389 AZ. Lic. #I-2362 B

8602 N. 39th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85051

Berney Streed, ABR, SRES, CIAS REALTOR® 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.

“Your Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Contractor

1115 W. Portland Street Phoenix, Arizona 85007 randy@mustanghvac.com www.mustangairmechanical.com Local business

Randy Mackey, Owner

602.769.2526 ROC CR39.217652-D

602-955-2121

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

E ODUS Eric

HAIR STUDIOS

2449 E. Indian School Road Phoenix, 85016

EchoMag.com

AUGUST 2016

Steven Price, CPA

Owe $10k or more in taxes? Unable to manage your tax debt?

If you answered yes, to both, you may qualify for an Offer in Compromise to settle your tax debt for pennies on the dollar.

Call me for a no obligation 15-minute eligibility assessment.

602-576-6255(m) or 415-955-0595(o) Email: smpcpa7@cox.net | www.smpricecpa.com

• 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

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

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 ® Cosmetic JUVÉDERM ® XC JUVÉDERM VOLUMA ® XC SKINMEDICA ® KYBELLA ® LATISSE ® RADIESSE ® (+) NEOVA ® Sermorelin Chemical Peels Testosterone Therapy HCG Therapy Facial Lipoatrophy

Complimentary Consultation 60

AUGUST 2016

EchoMag.com

out and about BIZ Bowl 2016 July 9 at AMF Christown Lanes, Phoenix. Photos by Bill Gemmill.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

BUNKHOUSE

the gayborhood

S M

$1 drafts & HH prices all day & night

T W T F

7 & 10 p.m.: Free-to-join poker. HH prices for participants.

6, 8 & 10 p.m.: Free-to-join poker. HH prices for participants. Winners get $10 Bunkhouse bar tabs

Greenway Pkwy Thunderbird

9 p.m. Karaoke

Olives vodka, 8 p.m.-close

2-8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 2-4-1 drinks

open-close

2-7 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestics, $3 pitchers; midnight

Thomas

domestics, $3 Absolut & Bacardi 10 p.m.-midnight

W T

2-4-1 ALL DAY; $3 charity shots ALL DAY; live DJ, top 40 & dance

Caipirinhas ALL DAY; live DJ

HH & $1 draft pint, 4-8 p.m.; $1 draft pint & wells, 8 p.m.-midnight;

Tatum 27

143

Broadway Baseline

HH, 4-8 p.m.; $3 charity shots ALL DAY; $2 Kamikaze shots ALL DAY; live DJ, top 40 & dance, 8 p.m.-close

101 17

*MAP IS NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

live DJ, top 40 & dance, 8 p.m.-close

Scottsdale Rd.

Roosevelt

4 Van Buren

HH, 4-8 p.m.; $1 draft pint, $3 charity shots, $4 Mojitos &

202

Karaoke, 9 p.m.-close; HH & $3 charity shots ALL DAY

. Ave

McDowell 14 2

. Ave

STACY’S @ MELROSE $1 Rolling Rock pints & well drinks until 10 p.m.

nd Gra

Noon-7 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestics; HH 7-9 p.m.; $1 well &

S M T

22 23 16 24 3 9 20

Indian School

HH 7-9 p.m.; $1 well & domestics, $1 drafts 10 p.m.-

8 25 21 13 6 26 18

5th

Camelback

2-8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; $3 Three

40th St. 44th St.

cocktails & beer 8 p.m.- close

2-8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 2-4-1

32nd St.

Lincoln 24th St.

Glendale 19 Bethany

1/2 off drinks for wearing underwear, $3 Jack Daniels

C Northern 7th St.

7th Ave.

27th Ave.

43rd Ave.

51st Ave.

Super HH 4-7 p.m., $3 pitchers; $3 Long Islands open to close 2-8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 8 p.m.-close,

Shea Blvd

e av

Central

Dunlap

8 p.m.-close: $2.50 Bud family products

CHARLIE’S S M

16th St.

8 p.m.-close: $2.50 Miller family products. 4 & 6 p.m.: Free-to-join poker

Cactus

Underwear night: $1 off all drinks if in skivvies!

Mesa Chandler

HH, 4-8 p.m.; $3 charity shots ALL DAY; $2 Kamikaze shots ALL DAY; live DJ, top 40 & dance, 8 p.m.-close

ANVIL 2424 E. Thomas Road

M, D, L 602-956-2885

KOBALT 3110 N. Central Ave., Ste. 125

MF, E, N 602-264-5307

AQUA NIGHT CLUB 1730 E. McDowell Road

F, N, E, D 602-253-0689

LOS DIABLOS 1028 E. Indian School Road

MF, R, N 602-795-7881

BAR 1 3702 N. 16th St.

M, N, E 602-266-9001

NUTOWNE SALOON 5002 E. Van Buren St.

M, N, L 602-267-9959

BLISS REBAR 901 N. Fourth St.

N, R 602-795-1792

OFF CHUTE TOO 4111 N. Seventh Ave

M, A 602-274-1429

BS WEST 7125 E. Fifth Ave.

MF, D, E 602-200-9154

OZ BAR 1804 W. Bethany Home Road

MF, N 602-242-5114

BUNKHOUSE 4428 N. Seventh Ave.

M, N, L 602-200-9154

PLAZMA 1560 E. Osborn Road

MF, N, E 602-266-0477

CASH INN COUNTRY 2140 E. McDowell Road

F, C, D 602-244-9943

R LOUNGE 4301 N. Seventh Ave.

F, N, E 602-265-3233

CHARLIE’S 727 W. Camelback Road

M, C, E, D 602-265-0224

ROSCOES ON SEVENTH

M, N, G

4531 N. Seventh St.

602-285-0833

CRUISIN’ 7TH

M, E

3702 N. Seventh St.

602-212-9888

ROYAL VILLA INN 4312 N. 12th St.

M, AO 602-266-6883

DICK’S CABARET 3432 E. Illini St.

M, G 602-274-3425

THE CHUTE 1440 E. Indian School Road

M, AO 602-234-1654

FEZ 105 W. Portland St.

R 602-287-8700

STACY’S @ MELROSE 4343 N. Seventh Ave.

MF, D, N 602-264-1700

FLEX SPAS PHOENIX 1517 S. Black Canyon Hwy

M, AO 602-271-9011

THE ROCK 4129 N. Seventh Ave.

M, N, E 602-248-8559

HARLEY’S BISTRO 4221 N. Seventh Ave.

R 602-234-0333

THE TWISTED PEACOCK 3108 E. McDowell Road

MF, N, E 602-267-8707

KARAMBA 1724 E. McDowell Road

D, E 602-254-0231

TICOZ LATIN KITCHEN

5114 N. Seventh St.

602-200-0160

MAP CODES: A Adult Retail & Entertainment M Mostly Males F Mostly Females MF Mixed Male/Female

N R D C

Neighborhood Bar Full Restaurant Dance Club Country Dancing

L E G AO

Your Neighborhood Community bar... 4428 N 7th Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85013 (602)200-9154

Home of

Leather/Bears Entertainment (Karaoke, Drag) Go-Go Dancers Accommodations/Other EchoMag.com

AUGUST 2016

EchoMag.com

bar photos Flagstaff Pride Official After Party June 25 at Collins Irish Pub & Grill, Flagstaff. Photos by Bill Gemmill.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

AUGUST 2016

EchoMag.com

We want to go home with you!

Pick us up at one of our 300 locations! Find out where: echomag.com/pick-us-up

EchoMag.com

AUGUST 2016

lambda directory Please support our advertisers who help keep Echo free. To find out more about advertising in Echo, call 602-266-0550.

ACCOUNTANTS/TAX PREPARATION Robert F. Hockensmith, CPA, PC p. 57 Steve Price, CPA p. 60 ADOPTION Child Crisis Center/Crisis Nursery p. 30 ADULT ENTERTAINMENT/ RETAIL The Chute p. 64 Flex Spas Phoenix p. 65 AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING Mustang Air Mechanical p. 59 Valdez Refrigeration p. 60 APARTMENTS @ 51 Luxury Apartments p. 67 Aura at Midtown p. 29 East and West Apartments p. 58 Proxy 333 p. 68 ART GALLERIES Exposures International Gallery of Fine Art p. 59 ATTORNEYS Jackson WhiteAttorneys At Law p. 25 Matthew Lopez Law, PLLC p. 31 Phillips Law Group p. 19 The Law Offices of Lemuel A. Carlos, PLLC p. 45 Tyler Allen Law Firm p. 5 Udall Shumway Law Firm p. 55

Charlie’s Stacy’s @ Melrose

COUNSELING SERVICES

p. 61

RESTAURANTS

MOVERS

RETAIL

EDUCATION

NETWORKING

Maricopa County Community College District p. 45

GPGLCC

EVENTS

CVS Specialty Pharmacy p. 53 Fairmont Pharmacy p. 57

Arizona Broadway Theatre p. 51 AIDS Walk 2016 p. 56 DWTB 2016 p. 38 Equality Arizona p. 47 Phoenix Mercury p. 35 Rainbows Festival p. 63 Release Labor Day Party p. 57 FINANCIAL SERVICES JW Advisors Inc.

p. 59

HOME SERVICES Don’s Painting Service Lyons Roofing Quandt Landscaping Rainbow Bug Studio Z Sunset Spas The Mattress Man

Benefits Arizona Hector Cerda, Allstate

p. 59

Concorde Dental Omer K. Reed D.D.S. p. 55 My Dentist p. 53 Open Wide Dental p. 4

DENTISTS

BAR & CLUBS AUGUST 2016

Rainbow Massage Therapy

First Congregational UCC p. 59

Jeremy Schachter, Pinnacle Capital Mortgage p. 3

HOSPICE

MASSAGE

China Chili COR Tapas & Wine Hula’s Modern Tiki Marcellino Ristorante

People Empowering People of AZ, Inc. p. 53

AUTO SERVICES Community Tire Pros & Auto Repair p. 2

Bunkhouse

p. 9 p. 49

Hospice of the Valley

p. 58 p. 37 p. 59 p. 59 p. 60 p. 13 p. 62

p. 55

INSURANCE

EchoMag.com

p. 52 p. 3

MORTGAGES

Always Affordable Movers Two Men and a Truck

p. 53 p. 60

p. 34

PHARMACIES

PHOTOGRAPHER DePoy Studios

p. 27

REAL ESTATE GayRealEstate.com

p. 53

REALTORS Arizona Gay Realtors Alliance p. 3 Berney Streed, Re/Max Excalibur p. 59 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 Nicholas Yale, Realty Executives p. 3 Shawn Hertzog, West USA p. 3 RELIGIOUS GROUPS Community Church of Hope p. 58

p. 44 p. 44 p. 44 p. 44

Easley’s Fun Shop p. 58 French Designer Jeweler p. 17 Off Chute Too p. 62 RETIREMENT PLANNING Calvin Goetz, Strategy Financial Group p. 3 Melissa Myers, Camelback Retirement Planners p. 58 SALONS Athleticuts Salon Exodus

p. 58 p. 59

TRAVEL INNdulge

p. 62

VETERINARY SERVICES Dynamite Animal Hospital p. 37 East Maryland Animal Hospital p. 58 WELLNESS Avenger Fitness, LCC p. 58 Banner Health p. 30 Dr. Shaun Parson Plastic Surgery & Skin Center p. 39 FitPro, LLC p. 59 Precise Body p. 22, 23 Skinny Bus - Mobile Cool Sculpting p. 11 TERROS Health-LGBTQ Consortium p. 27 Willo Medi Spa p. 60 lambda directory

ECHO MAGAZINE

| JULY 2016

ECHO 682

VOL. 27, ISSUE 10

ECHOMAG.COM