Echo Magazine - Arizona LGBTQ Lifestyle - Nov 2019 by OUTvoices Phoenix (former Echo Magazine)

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Jane Lynch and Kate Flannery bring their Two Lost Souls tour to Scottsdale for a one-night show. Echo chats with Lynch about this perfect partnership LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | Vol. 31, #2 | Issue 722 | November 2019 | COMPLIMENTARY

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INSIDE THIS

ISSUE

Courtesy of Phoenix Pride.

Issue 722 | Vol. 31, #2 | November 2019

NEWS

8 Editor’s Note 12 News Briefs 14 Datebook

COMMUNITY 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72

Without Reservations At the Box Oﬃce Opening Nights Recordings Between the Covers Talking Bodies Not That You Asked History

Out & About

16 Young Professionals Multicultural Network 18 Come Get Kinky with The Ambassadors 24 Echo’s 30th Birthday Celebration 28 Bliss ReBAR Anniversary Celebration with Barbra Seville 46 Hustle Tea Dance 50 Phoenix Fashion Week 71 Dorian Electra 78 Pose The Competition 80 Mr. Prime Beef Contest

Rainbows Festival and Street Fair In addition to local entertainment from acts like Stacy’s Follies and DJ Image and guest headliners like Prince Poppycock, ﬁnd out what else is in store at this annual celebration.

ON THE COVER

Jane Lynch. Photo by Jake Bailey.

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NOVEMBER 2019

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Echo’s 2019 Hall of Fame Meet this year’s inductees and ﬁnd out what they’re doing to build a stronger community.

The Great American Lie. Photo courtesy of The Representation Project.

Scottsdale International Film Festival Going strong since 2001, this yearly event is a must for ﬁlm fanatics. From November 1-10, see an array of diverse ﬁlms and enjoy talks by special guests. Echo talked to event founder, Amy Ettinger for some details.

Kate Flannery and Jane Lynch. Courtesy of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.

On the cover: Jane Lynch

Getting hitched? Puerto Vallarta might be your destination Gorgeous sunsets, beautiful beaches, and breathtaking views are just a few reasons to have your ceremony here. Jerry Jones oﬀers a few more points of inspiration.

When this incredibly funny woman isn’t dazzling us with her wit, she’s dancing or singing her way into our hearts. Teaming up with the equally talented Kate Flannery was a perfect move. Find out how that happened before their Two Lost Souls tour hits Scottsdale. ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

EDITOR’S NOTE By Amy Young

t’s November and at Echo, that is when a new class of Echo’s Hall of Fame inductees are announced. We appreciate all the nominations that we received. It’s heartening — especially at a time when glaring divisiveness is rampant in so many communities — to see that the efforts of so many people are not unnoticed. It’s an honor to spread the word about these individuals who work to educate, raise awareness, and facilitate endeavors that strive for positive and beneficial results.

On a personal level, this issue is especially meaningful. It marks my completion of 12 issues of Echo. I am endlessly grateful to my team that includes the magazine’s staff and interns, and our exceptional writers. To share the stories that fill our pages is a treasure I don’t take lightly. In addition to our annual Hall of Fame profiles, we’ve got plenty for you to absorb. That’s the incomparable Jane Lynch on the cover. From her performances on TV shows from Glee to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, it’s hard to get enough of this multi-talent. She’s headed to town to do a show with another dynamo, Kate Flannery. The pair is on tour, offering their take on Broadway tunes. Echo contributor Seth Reines had a conversation with her. Another couple of big events in November include the Rainbows Festival and the Scottsdale International Film

Festival. We dig into those annual happenings; enjoy. Thank you for reading Echo. Don’t forget to check us out online for exclusive stories weekly. See you in December with our Giving Issue, where we’ll shine the light on some thoughtful — and fun — ways to spend some holiday cash.

Write for Echo? If you're interested in joining our team of writers, please submit pitches and samples to editor@echomag.com.

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT PUBLISHER: Bill Orovan ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Bill Gemmill EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR: Amy Young CONTRIBUTORS: Kimberly Blaker Grace Bolyard Edward Castro Jenna Duncan Buddy Early Michelle Talsma Everson Melissa Fossum Mark C. Horn Tamara Juarez Justin Keane Jason Kron Jeff Kronenfeld

Laura Latzko Logan Lowrey-Rasmussen Tuesday Mahrle Judy McGuire Ashley Naftule David-Elijah Nahmod Tia Norris Tom Reardon Seth Reines Mikey Rox Terri Schlichenmeyer Colby Tortorici

INTERNS Grace Lieberman Brianna Moore ART DEPARTMENT PHOTOGRAPHY: nightfuse.com.

Amy Young is the managing editor of Echo Magazine. A longtime journalist, her work has appeared in numerous publications, regional to international. Please contact her at editor@ echomag.com.

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING: Ashlee James ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Gregg Edelman NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE: Rivendell Media, 212-242-6863 ECHO READERSHIP: 50,000 SUBSCRIPTIONS: $29/year ACE PUBLISHING, INC. MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 16630 Phoenix, AZ 85011-6630 PHONE: 602-266-0550 EMAIL: manager@echomag.com Copyright © 2016 • ISSN #1045-2346

MEMBER:

Echo Magazine is published by ACE Publishing, Inc. Echo is a registered trademark of ACE Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Written permission must be obtained in advance for partial or complete reproduction of any advertising material contained therein. Opinions expressed therein are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff. ACE Publishing, Inc. does not assume responsibility for claims by its advertisers or advice columnists. Publication of a name, photograph of an individual or organization in articles, advertisements or listings is not to be construed as an indication of the sexual orientation, unless such orientation is specifically stated. Manuscripts or other materials submitted remain the property of ACE Publishing, Inc. 8

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GET TESTED. GET EDUCATED. BE SAFE. LET US HELP NAVIGATE YOUR HEALTHCARE SERVICES

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NEWS BRIEFS

Aunt Rita’s Foundation launches new ongoing statewide HIV testing initiative with Arizona Department of Health Services; ‘Get Tested AZ’ now at 116 Walgreens, Albertsons/Safeway, Sonora Quest Laboratories

HIV FAST FACTS:

unt Rita’s Foundation in partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services, launching Get Tested AZ, an ongoing HIV testing initiative throughout Arizona increasing the accessibility for free HIV testing locations to 116 through collaborations with Sonora Quest Laboratories, Walgreens and Albertsons/Safeway pharmacies. Free HIV test vouchers are available to Arizonan’s over 18 years old who have not received an HIV test in the last 12 months. To receive a voucher, log onto GetTestedAZ.org complete the request form and choose the best testing location. Questions? Call Aunt Rita’s Foundation HIVAZ Connect hotline at 602-903-1221. Testing locations will be available across the state in Greater Phoenix, Greater Tucson, Prescott, Flagstaff, Kingman, Yuma, Lake Havasu City, and smaller communities. There are different protocols for the testing sites. Sonora Quest Laboratories is the only testing facility that takes a blood draw which gives the patient a confirmatory test result in 3-4 days, either by email or through their secure patient results portal at SonoraQuest.com. HIV tests at Walgreens and Albertsons/Safeway pharmacies is a 20-minute rapid test and results are delivered in person and if positive, they will refer to Aunt Rita’s Foundation to receive a voucher for a confirmatory test at Sonora Quest Laboratories. What happens after test results are in? Aunt Rita’s Foundation has made it a priority for people getting tested to be informed about additional services available to them, especially to those who test positive for the HIV virus. A positive test results in mandatory reporting to the Arizona Department of Health Services, which will contact Aunt Rita’s Foundation to reach out to the client and help them connect them with service providers.

Persons testing negative will be referred to Arizona’s free mail-order condom service, as well as being connected to PrEP providers. PrEP, a pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a one-pill daily medication and powerful tool in HIV prevention efforts that is 96% effective in preventing the transmission of HIV. PrEP is covered by most insurance, including AHCCCS. Persons testing positive will be linked into medical care, either through the 12

NOVEMBER 2019

ECHOMAG.COM

HIV is 100% preventable using condoms, PrEP, and effective treatment of people living with HIV. HIV is 100% treatable with numerous welltolerated HIV medications available, and 8 regimens that are one pill daily. 15% of HIV positive Arizonans are not aware of their status. Currently there are 18,000 HIV statewide infections and an additional 3,000 don’t know they are positive. 40% of all new HIV infections in Arizona are among young persons between the ages of 13 and 29. In 2017, 768 persons in Arizona were newly diagnosed with HIV. In 2019 Maricopa County was identified by the CDC as one of 48 counties nationwide with unusually high HIV infection rates. There are 3,007 counties in the U.S. individual’s existing insurance or through statewide Ryan White programs that provide medical, pharmaceutical, and case management support for persons living with HIV. HIV treatment has never been better, with multiple single pill daily regimens that have proven to be very effective reducing viral loads to undetectable levels, and in turn preventing the transmission of HIV to others while the patient is on treatment. “This HIV testing initiative is consistent with Aunt Rita’s goal to normalize HIV testing and complements our existing home HIV test kit initiative promoted at MysteryKit. org,” said Glen Spencer, Executive Director of Aunt Rita’s Foundation. “By offering testing locations at 116 locations throughout Arizona at three trusted names in healthcare we hope to achieve our goal to have 90% of all HIV positive persons tested and connected into medical care.” In Arizona, 15% of all HIV positive individuals are not aware of their status, which represents a public health problem for the continued spread of the virus. The CDC recommends that every U.S. adult be tested at least once for HIV, and that at-risk individuals be tested on a regular basis. Persons who are sexually active or sharing needles for injection drug use should be tested at least annually. This new program supports the overall goal of the Arizona Department of Health Services to have 90% of all HIV positive persons in Arizona tested and identified, as well as President Trump’s goal to end HIV by 2030.

In Arizona 85% of new HIV infections result from men who have sex with men. Blacks are six times more likely than whites to become HIV positive in Arizona; Hispanics and Native Americans are three times more likely. The worst HIV status is “unknown,” and the CDC recommends all Americans be HIV tested once. HIV treatment after diagnosis can lead to an undetectable viral load in 60 days or less. HIV-positive persons with an undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV to others, a concept known as undetectable = untransmittable, or U=U. About Aunt Rita’s Foundation: Aunt Rita’s Foundation promotes HIV awareness and education throughout Arizona throughout its websites HIVAZ.org, a onestop database for the diverse services and resources to develop, enhance or expand a healthcare strategy, and in Spanish HIVAZ. org. These sites provide complete directories of HIV service providers throughout the state. Aunt Rita’s also offers free HIV testing through at home HIV test kits, MysteryKit.org, Spanish MiPaquete.org, and GetTestedAZ. org at 116 locations in Walgreens, Sonora Quest and Albertsons/Safeway pharmacies in Arizona. Aunt Rita’s is also providing grant funding to 13 nonprofit partners in Maricopa County. Since 2005 Aunt Rita’s has granted over $2 million dollars to its partner agencies in Central Arizona. For more information visit auntritas.com. NEWS

DATEBOOK October 31-November 2 This three-day Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos party starts out with Stacy’s Annual Halloween Bash and rolls into the RipplePHX Carnival. Live entertainment includes mariachi bands and Latinx performers. Enjoy carnival rides, games, costume contests, and food and drinks. Admission is free. The fun starts on Halloween night at 7 p.m. at Stacy’s @ Melrose, 4343 N. Seventh Ave., in Phoenix. stacysatmelrose.com

October 20

The weather’s nice; there’s no reason not to get your two-wheels rolling. The DTPHX Rainbow Ride celebrates LGBTQ History Month and includes a look at Phoenix’s LGBTQ history via the city’s Hip Historian, and event host, Marshall Shore. There are tasty eats along the way, and limited edition t-shirts if you want to commemorate the fun through fashion. Proceeds beneﬁt a local LGBTQ charity. Participation is free; the meet-up to ride is at 4 p.m. at Civic Space Park, 424 N. Central Ave.

November 15 to 20

Equality Arizona presents Trans Week of Celebration leading up to Transgender Day of Remembrance (Nov. 20). Events include a ﬁlm screening of Out in Arizona, a trans poetry slam, LGBTQ trivia and game night, and a storytelling session. Admission is free; visit the site for details and for speciﬁc TDoR information. Nov. 15-19 events happen nightly at The Coronado, 2201 N. Seventh St., in Phoenix. equalityarizona.org

November 1-3

October 24

A night of dance is in store at Ballet Arizona’s special performance of Napoli, hosted by Phoenix Pride and the Greater Phoenix Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. In addition to the show, attendees enjoy a pre-event reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Hard Rock Café with complimentary hors d’oeuvres. Admission is $30. The show begins at 7 p.m. at Phoenix Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., in Phoenix. phoenixgaychamber.com

October 24-27

Buck up, it’s time for the World Gay Rodeo Finals. 2019 marks the 33rd year of this IGRA-sanctioned event. It’s three days of roping, riding, and racing by male and female contestants. Single day tickets are $10 online and $15 at the gate. Visit the site for complete details. The rodeo takes place at WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road, in Scottsdale. igra.com 14

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Ready for something new? It’s the Urban Inferno Weekend. This three-day celebration is hosted by Bridging Leadership Alliances for Equality (BLAEQ), a non-proﬁt whose mission address the minds, bodies, and souls of LGBTQ persons of color and their allies. Events include a fashion show and expo. Visit the site for tickets, multiple event locations and complete information. blaeq.org

November 9

From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. the Grand Avenue Festival is a great way to see what the downtown diagonal avenue has to oﬀer. Enjoy local businesses, from restaurants to art galleries, along with several special events. The day features building tours, food trucks, music, fashion shows, vendors, and sites to make arts and crafts. Admission is free. grandavenueartsandpreservation.org

November 16

The Mister and Miss ArizonaDrag.com Pride Pageant is the oﬃcial preliminary to Mister and Miss Phoenix Pride 2020 and ﬁnds contestants competing in categories like Talent, Evening Gown/Red Carpet Attire, and On-Stage Question. Olivia Gardens hosts the night that honors Roman Holiday and features Mister Phoenix Pride Gray Matter & Miss Phoenix Pride Vanity St James. Admission is $10. The competition runs from 5 to 8 p.m. (doors open at 4 p.m.), at The Rock, 4129 N. Seventh Ave., in Phoenix. arizonadrag.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.

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Young Professionals Multicultural Network

Sept. 19 at Galvanize, Phoenix. Photos by nightfuse.com.

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Call Today! 520-440-5802 Amy Powell Licensed Insurance Agent 0H90041

Not all agents are licensed to sell all products. Service and product availability varies by state. HealthMarkets Insurance Agency is the dba of Insphere Insurance Solutions, Inc. which is licensed as an insurance agency in all states. HMIA003206

Come Get Kinky with The Ambassadors

Sept. 25 at The Phoenix Theatre Company, Phoenix. Photos by Melissa Fossum.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2019-photos. 18

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OUT & ABOUT

“We try to make Rainbows a little bit different and an opportunity in the fall to offer a safe place for a big event,” says Fornelli. “We keep it more of a street fair feel so that it doesn’t echo the same thing we do in April for the festival. We want to make it different for everybody.” This year, Phoenix Pride will host its 17th annual Rainbows Fest on Nov. 2 and 3 at Heritage Square Park in downtown Phoenix (south of Seventh and Van Buren streets). The two-day festival is free to the public and will feature more than 150 sponsors, vendors, and exhibitors. There will also be two stages, providing entertainment for attendees throughout the weekend.

Rainbows Festival By Brianna Moore Photos courtesy of Phoenix Pride

“It’s kind of like going to the state fair on an LGBTQ+ level,” says Fornelli. “It’s just a safe space for people of the LGBTQ community to come together.” It’s no coincidence that the Rainbows Fest takes place shortly after LGBTQ History Month. The festival is meant to serve as a reminder to members of the community to be proud of who they are all year long. Aside from pride, one of the themes of the Rainbows Festival is community. Rainbows Fest provides the LGBTQ community, allies, friends, and families with an opportunity to gather and celebrate one another. The street-fair style event is put on in the fall of each year to give attendees to the space to be their authentic selves. Mike Fornelli believes that Rainbows is so successful as an event because of its emphasis on community.

he city of Phoenix, the fifth largest city in the nation, is full of people from various walks of life. That’s what makes it so special. It gets even better when an event takes place that celebrates individuality. One of those events is the Rainbows Festival and Street Fair. Launched in 2002, Rainbows Fest has earned the title of “Arizona’s Greatest Street Fair” as it celebrates the diversity of the LGBTQ community. The Rainbows Fest is the second largest LGBTQ event in the entire state of Arizona, second only to the Phoenix Pride Festival, which takes place in April. This year’s festival is expected to draw in more than 25,000 people. Mike Fornelli, executive director at Phoenix Pride says that Rainbows Fest offers guests more of a smaller, street fair vibe, as opposed to the large festival atmosphere of Phoenix Pride.

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FEATURE STORY

“It’s another way to connect the community all together,” says Fornelli. “My favorite part of the festival is just seeing everyone come together, especially all of the entertainment from all of the different bars. It’s really fun to watch.” The Rainbows Festival also provides local business and exhibitors with a great opportunity to get their name out and display their support for the community. “It’s a great networking platform for everyone who attends as well for the businesses that attend,” says Fornelli. “Whether you’re looking for a gay-friendly business to support, or a gay-friendly organization to become a part of.” According to Fornelli, Phoenix Pride looks to bring in businesses and entertainment that “resonate with the community and [our] demographic” to the festival. Every vendor, sponsor and entertainer are openly supportive of the LGBT+ community. “Before we sign on with a sponsor or exhibitor,” he explained, “we make sure that they have a diversity and inclusion policy within their business. We want to make sure that everyone that is included does support our community and is an ally.”

The Entertainment This year’s Rainbows Festival will have two stages; a main and community stage. Attendees can expect to be captivated by performances from local acts, as well as big name acts throughout the weekend. Known for his larger than life persona and voice, the glamorous and witty Prince Poppycock will grace the main stage Saturday afternoon. Prince Poppycock describes himself as a “roguish operatic dandy.” He rose to fame when he made his debut on America’s Got Talent, where he took fourth place, back in 2010. However, he’s been singing opera since he was 11 years old.

acts throughout the weekend as well, such as Desert City Jazz, Stacy’s Follies, and DJ Image.

The Impact As mentioned before, one of the overarching themes of the Rainbows Fest is community. The Phoenix Pride organization recognizes the power in community building and gathering, which is why this year’s street fair is open to the entire Phoenix community. For 17 years, the annual Rainbows Festival and Street Fair has been put on by the Phoenix Pride organization to highlight and celebrate the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. It was created as a safe space for community members, along with their friends and families, to gather in the name of pride and a good time. The Phoenix Pride Organization also gives back to the community through its Community Grants Program. This program provides project-based financial grants in support of impactful programs that serve the LGBTQ community in Maricopa County.

Funds generated from Phoenix Pride events have been donated to community programs for nearly ten years. This year, the program has given out more than $60,000. Phoenix Pride also has a Partnership Grants program for eligible metro Phoenix non-profit organizations that focus on the LGBTQ+ community. Through this grants program, organizations that provide nonbeverage volunteer services at Phoenix Pride events will receive credits that transfer into donations from Phoenix Pride. This year, Phoenix Pride’s Partnership Grant Program has given out about $5,000. For more information about the Rainbows Festival and Street Fair including scheduling and parking, visit phoenixpride.org. Brianna Moore hails from the City of Angels. Her passions include music, movies and television, and writing. Her love for storytelling brought her to the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at ASU. She loves food as much as she hates exercise.

Most recently, Prince Poppycock performed on America’s Got Talent: Champions in January. His powerful performance of Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory” left the judges and the audience no option but to give him a standing ovation. America’s Got Talent judge Sharon Osbourne even dubbed Poppycock as “the male Lady Gaga.” The party doesn’t stop there, though, as Roxxxy Andrews of Ru Paul’s Drag Race will be performing on the mainstage on Sunday afternoon. She’ll be joined by Elementals, the band. Andrews competed in the fifth season of Drag Race and won fourth place. She also competed in the second season of Drag Race All Stars. Andrews set drag race history by being the first competitor to survive the show, despite being in the bottom five times. There will also be entertainment from local FEATURE STORY

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NOVEMBER 2019

Echo 30th Birthday Party Sept. 28 at Stacyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s @ Melrose, Phoenix. Photos by Gregg Edelman.

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OUT & ABOUT

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2019-photos. OUT & ABOUT

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Protection against HIV begins with knowing your HIV status. Order your free HIV home test kit today at MysteryKit.org.

Bliss Anniversary Soirée — A Barbra Sevillabration!

Sept. 27 at Bliss ReBAR, Phoenix. Photos by Melissa Fossum.

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“One of the most accomplished new American operas.”

Forbidden Love. Dangerous Consequences.

FELLOW TRAVELERS Do you remember your first love? For Timothy, it’s Hawkins. The thrill of their lives and careers in Washington D.C. meets with political turmoil. It’s 1953— Senator Joseph McCarthy is hunting to remove the “subversive” elements of homosexuality and communism from the government. Can their love survive in secrecy? With rich, moving music, Fellow Travelers is sure to cut straight to the heart. Music by Gregory Spears, Libretto by Greg Pierce

November 8 & 9 at 7:30pm November 10 at 2pm Herberger Theater Center Fellow Travelers is part of the McDougall Arizona Opera RED Series. Production made possible, in part, through generous support from the Flinn Foundation, Robert S. and Shoshana B. Tancer, Dennis and Jane Fennessey, the Fred Delgado Real Estate Group, and an anonymous donor.

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Production Photos: Philip Groshong

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Movie magic: Scottsdale International Film Festival offers ten days of films and events

Festival founder Amy Ettinger.

By Amy Young

NOVEMBER 2019

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FEATURE STORY

f stimulating your senses through cinematic experiences puts you in a happy place, a trek to the Scottsdale International Film Festival should have you awash in a state of bliss. The annual festival launched in 2001. It runs from November 1-10 in multiple theaters, and true to form, this year’s schedule is loaded. From centerpiece films and Scottsdale premieres, this destination event also includes documentaries, children’s animated shorts, foreign films, and a selection LGBTQ-focused flicks.

Marriage Story shows at this year’s SIFF; photo courtesy of Netﬂix/Wilson Webb.

Special events are part of what make this yearly happening a must-attend — an opportunity to meet some of the behind-thescenes folks involved in these thoughtfullycrafted productions.

A scene from Love Them First: Lessons from Lucy; photo courtesy of KARE 11 Originals.

Founder Amy Ettinger loves that the festival has gotten so much bigger over the years but emphasizes that, no matter the size, selecting quality films is always her team’s number one mission. “We have definitely grown in terms of audience development,” she tells Echo, “but quality has always been, and will always be, our mainstay.” Ettinger has a team of programmers who work throughout the year to find the movies they want to screen. “We comb the globe for films,” she says, “we are at festivals and take all avenues to continuously hunt for movies that we feel are well done.” For her and the crew, “well done” means films that aren’t easy to figure out. Talking with her about it, you understand the team’s collective penchant for showcasing movies that have interesting angles and don’t lose themselves to staid formulas. Balloon is one on this year’s roster that Ettinger refers to as “so thrilling.” The 2018 German film is based on a true story of resistance and takes place during the Cold War. Her goal is to find movies that “throw you a curve ball,” and this one seems to have hit her mark. Another one she is excited to show is Taranta on the Road. Salvatore Allocca’s movie is set in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings in the early 2010s. In this comedydrama, two Tunisian migrants with nothing in common find themselves traveling partners. Ettinger likes that the movie finds humor and tenderness despite the tragedy. FEATURE STORY

Hear firsthand from people like Lindsey Seavert, who wrote and directed the documentary, Love Them First: Lessons from Lucy Laney Elementary, about Minneapolis public school principal Mauri Friestleben ,who rallied to get her school off a list of “failing” schools. Beyond that, it offers a look at issues our public school system face. This is another area where Ettinger says quality is crucial. The festival has seen its share of big names throughout the years, like actors and directors Mike Leigh and John Sayles, and stars like Jennifer Tilly, Lesley Ann Warren, and Patrick Warburton. Ettinger says that it isn’t uncommon to get feedback from attendees who are looking for the festival to serve them a heartier diet of famous folks, and she gets that. “We do try,” she says. “We strive to have a world class event annually, but we aren’t alone. There are a lot of festivals that happen and often, it can be a matter of scheduling that makes it hard

to acquire specific guests.” She knows that for true film lovers, all of the guests are welcome, as they offer very particular insights into the processes that it takes to bring these films to life. “It’s really terrific, what we learn from them, and those presentations and interactions resonate with our attendees.” “We have an impactful year,” she offers, “there’s lots of revelatory filmmaking.” And regarding the future of the event? “I am very proud of what we’ve done so far,” Ettinger tells us. “We want to continue in the same direction — creating a destination for film fans. There are so many amazing stories to tell and we want to show the filmmakers who are telling those stories.” For a complete schedule of events, tickets, and all SIFF information, visit scottsdalefilmfestival.com. Amy Young is the managing editor of Echo Magazine. A longtime journalist, her work has appeared in numerous publications, regional to international. Please contact her at editor@echomag.com.

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All Store Fall Sale! November 14th – 17th Flea Market: Sunday November 17th 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

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NOVEMBER 2019

Hidden In The Hills Artist Studio Tour

CAROLE PERRY LaughingGlass.com • Studio #31

LINDA KORSTAD LindaKorstad.com • Studio #4

JUDY BRUCE

MARTY GIBSON

JudyBruceArt.com • Studio #4

MartyGibson.com • Studio #7

COME SEE WHAT’S HIDDEN IN THE HILLS!

TESS MOSKO SCHERER MoskoScherer.com • Studio #30

TRACY PAUL

2019

PentimentoMetalwork.com • Studio #8

Nov. 22, 23, 24 Nov. 29-30 & Dec. 1 CAVE CREEK • CAREFREE • N. SCOTTSDALE

Open 10 am to 5 pm each day

SANDY PENDLETON SandyPendletonGlass.com • Studio #20

HiddenInTheHills.org 480.575.6624

Hidden In The Hills Artist Studio Tour

JANE BOGGS

CARLOS PAGE

JaneBoggsGourdArt.com • Studio #28

CarlosPage.com • Studio #32

PAUL DIEFENDERFER

NICOLETTE MAGUIRE BONNSTETTER

DesertRatForge.com • Studio #47

NicsArt.com • Studio #8

COME SEE WHAT’S HIDDEN IN THE HILLS!

ELIZABETH BUTLER ElizabethButlerFineArt.com • Studio #15

KIMMBERLY IOANE

2019

KimmBerlyIoane.com • Studio #20

Nov. 22, 23, 24 Nov. 29-30 & Dec. 1 CAVE CREEK • CAREFREE • N. SCOTTSDALE

Open 10 am to 5 pm each day

HiddenInTheHills.org 480.575.6624 LAUGHING GLASS STUDIO LaughingGlass.com • Studio #31

Community Heroes Inducted into the Class of 2019

ach year, as part of LGBTQ History Month, Echo Magazine honors community heroes who have helped raise awareness and spark change on the local and national levels by nominating them for induction into our Hall of Fame. Echo’s annual Hall of Fame tradition was established in 2006, and each year LGBTQ and allied community members have been recognized of their contributions in government and politics, nonprofit service, activism, and entertainment.

2019

The individuals profiled on the following pages join more than 100 others who have been left a lasting legacy throughout the years. Echo would like to thank those who took the time to submit nominations for this year’s candidates and we invite you to join us in congratulating the Class of 2019.

Meet Echo’s previous Hall of Fame Inductees:

2006

2010

•Kirk Baxter •John Bircumshaw •Ed Buck •Bj Bud •Bill MacDonald •Bob Ellis •Amy Ettinger •Neil Giuliano •Don Hamill

•Bob Hegyi •Linda Hoffman •John King •Steve May •Marti McElroy •Dianne Post •Steve Schemmel •Tish Tanner •Dale Williams

•Bob Aronin •Morrie Carter •Babe Caylor •Dr. Kenneth Fisher •Gerrie MayerGibbons

•Katie Gummere •Bill Lewis •Artie Michaelis •Jeff Ofstedahl •Don Pintacura •Bob Spier

2008

•Jimmy Gruender •Lauren Henschen •Daniel Hernandez •Angela Hughey •Pussy LeHoot •Lawrence Moore

•Dr. John M. Post •Boots/Ray Reid •Donna Rose •Bill Sheppard •Darin Simmer •Tom Simplot •Kyrsten Sinema

•Dr. Rebecca Allison •Ron Casola •Damon Dering •John Goldschmidt

•Nancy Nunez •Sheri Owens •Amanda Simpson •Megan Schmitz •Micheal Weakley •Rick Welts

•Sen. Jack Jackson Jr. •Robrt Pela •Kado Stewart •Rev. Brad Wishon •Rich Zavala

2013

2009 •Melinda Mae Brown •Bob DeJardine •Conrad Egge •Cheryl Emery •Bob Fernie •Regina Gazelle

•Rocco Menaguale •Tambra Williams •Dr. David Payne •Roger Rea •Lila Sherman •The Rev. Patrick Stout •Bunny Tarquinio |

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•Freddy Prinze Charming •Neil Cohen •The Rev. Charles Coppinger •Alan East •Al and Donna Ellis

•Millie Carter Bloodworth •Rev. Jeffrey Dirrim •Linda Elliott •Jason Green

•Brendan Mahoney •Felicia Minor •George Martinez and Fred McQuire •Why Marriage Matters

2015 •Eddie Broadway •Bruce (Trethewy) Christian •Tempest DuJour •Bobbi Lancaster •The Pattersons

2012

•Madelaine Adelman •Gregg Edelman •Mike Fornelli •Scott Jacobson •Barbara McCullough-Jones •Annie Loyd

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•Brandi Sokolosky •Meg Sneed •Charlotte Strayhorne

2011

2007

•Ken Cheuvront •Randy Gorbette •Helena Grayson •Gary Guerin •Sam Holdren •Donna McHenry •Barbra Seville

2014

(David, Kevin, Caden and Cayla) •Marshall Shore •Keith Thompson •Claudia Work

2016 •Daniel Eckstrom •Olivia Gardens •Neal Lester •Sheila Lopez •Gabriel Medellin

•Ron Passarelli •Stephanie Sherwood •Eileen Yellin

2017 •Dawn Bowman •Jeremy Bright •Josef Burwell •Edward Castro •Geoffrey Dorsey

•Silvana Salcido Esparza •Jeffery Perales •Stevie Tran

2018 •David Fiss •Austin Head •Kit Kloeckl •Lawrence Robinson •Donna Rossi

•Julie Craig •Leticia Frye •Steve Gallardo •Doug Klinge •Liz Massey

•Elle Murtaugh •Barbra Seville’s Wonderful 100 •Rhonda Walden

HALL OF FAME

Karen Bailey and Nelda Majors Story and photos by Laura Latzko

2019

n Oct. 2014, Karen Bailey and Nelda Majors made history as the first LGBT couple to get married in Arizona. They were plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit that stuck down the same-sex marriage ban in Arizona. The two have been together for 61 years, but they weren’t able to tie the knot officially in Arizona until they had been a couple for over 50 years. “We tell everybody that we waited until 2014 because we didn’t want to rush into anything. We wanted to make sure our relationship was going to last,” Majors said. The two held a public marriage ceremony at the Orpheum Theatre and reception at the Farm at South Mountain on Nov. 23, 2014. They decided on a public ceremony to celebrate not just their union, but the work of others involved with bringing marriage equality to Arizona. As they are coming up on their fifth wedding anniversary as a married couple, they are as strong of a unit as ever. Recently, they have faced a difficult time in their lives as Majors has been battling cancer. She went through chemotherapy treatments after being diagnosed last August and is now in remission.

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Throughout it all, Bailey has been by Majors’ side. Their two daughters have also been sources of strength for them. They adopted their great-great nieces Marissa Diamond, 21, and Sharla Curtis, 27, when they were small children.

people when we told our story, and they realized that we’re just like you. We just want our rights too,” Bailey said.

Bailey and Majors helped to bring change by sharing their story and coming out very publicly after living in the closet for most of their relationship.

“We had been in the closet for so many years, and then all of a sudden, when we got out of the closet, we really got out of the closet,” Majors said.

Among their top moments have been speaking in Washington, D.C. during the Defense of Marriage Act hearings and serving as grand marshals in the Phoenix Pride Parade. During the trip to Washington DC, Bailey had a chance to see the impact their story had on others’ lives. “The young people were the ones that would come up to us crying and say thank you. That was so meaningful to me,” Bailey said. During the federal court case, they became the faces of marriage equality in Arizona, making the issue more relatable as two women who had owned their own business, raised children and built a longlasting relationship. “It made an impression with a lot of

Majors said that being so public was a different experience after having to stay hidden for most of their lives.

Although they have not been as active recently due to Majors’ health problems, they have continued to support ONE Community efforts. Along with their work with the LGBTQ community, the two have given back over the years in different ways, including teaching Sunday school at a church and volunteering for an AIDS organization in Texas and helping to feed the homeless in Scottsdale. When they first moved to Arizona, Majors volunteered with Equality Arizona. For most of their time together, they lived in Texas. They moved to Arizona in 2005 to give their daughters a fresh start. They met while attending Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. They ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

married.’ If you would have said that to me back in Texas, I would have said you were crazy. So, it was an eye-opening feeling the next day. Sometimes, I get it when we’re filing income taxes,” Bailey said. Although they have always been very simpatico, Majors and Bailey have always been very different. Majors played softball from age 12 to her 30s and was an All-American pitcher. In 2002, she became a member of the Softball Legends Hall of Fame. Both she and Bailey received a 2014 Compete Lifetime Spirit Award. Bailey has always been the artistic one, doing watercolor painting and ballroom dancing. She danced with Fred Astaire Dance Studios for five years, traveling to cities around the country and to Europe. The two ran a physical therapy business together up until they retired. Before that, Bailey worked at an oil company. As mothers, they have tried to raise their daughters to be accepting and stand up for others who are getting bullied. They have also been role models on how to build a strong, long-lasting relationship. Diamond and Curtis wrote letters in support of them during the court case, which detailed why they thought their mothers should be married. Diamond read her letter during the 2014 marriage ceremony, and Curtis sang Vince Gill’s “Look at Us” at the reception. developed a strong friendship before pursuing a relationship. When they first met, Bailey was engaged and knew very little about LGBT people. It was during a spring break trip, when they were apart, that they realized their feelings for each other. They consider March 2 their anniversary, as it was the day that they first got together as a couple. They grew up in different times, when LGBT people had to live double lives and keep their relationships a secret. If they didn’t, they could lose their jobs and families, get arrested and face other consequences. During most of their relationship, their families didn’t know they were together. They were close to each other’s parents, but they never came out to them. Back then, relationships between samesex couples just weren’t discussed. “I didn’t think about living in the closet. That was just a way of life,” Bailey said. As they got older, they had concerns over legal rights, including custody over their youngest daughter and the ability to make medical decisions for each other. While living in Texas, Bailey once wasn’t allowed to stay in the room with her when 42

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Majors got surgery. The two were only willing to come out publicly because they had already told their daughters about their relationship. They had always kept it a secret because they didn’t want the two girls’ to be judged by other parents or children. Curtis and Diamond were supportive from the start when they found out in 2008. This show of support allowed Bailey and Majors to go public and become plaintiffs in the court case. “Because our girls had accepted us so well, we were able to come out. It was enlightening for us. It was a good feeling, finding out how much people did care,” Bailey said. Upon coming out publicly, the two found support from different people in their lives, including their neighbors in their Scottsdale community. “This is a very conservative neighborhood, and all of our neighbors have been really nice. That meant a lot to us,” Majors said. Married life hasn’t changed their relationship but has made it feel more official legally. “I think that having the legal rights made it feel different. The next day after our wedding, I thought, ‘My gosh, we really are

In 2018, Majors and Bailey were honored for their roles as activists and mothers with a Valle del Sol Mom of the Year Award. The award is given to women who along with raising families also make contributions to their communities. Raising their daughters has been one of their biggest accomplishments, one that they never expected. The two girls came to live with them after they had already retired. Having a strong foundation has allowed Bailey and Majors to build a long-lasting relationship, despite trials and tribulations over the years. They have been each other’s greatest sources of support during hard times. They have both lost family members, including their siblings. Bailey said starting off as friends and really getting to know each other allowed them to build a deeper bond from the start. “It’s so natural for Nelda and me. We started out being best friends. I think that that helped because we got to know each other. We got to know what we believed in. Truly she is not only my partner, but she’s my best friend,” Bailey said. “I think it’s just really caring for the person, really caring enough to go through the hard times and the good times and still know that you have each other.” CLASS OF 2019

Danielle Bryant By Tom Reardon anything, emboldened by it. She truly lives life to the fullest, regularly competing in body building competitions, even though her left wrist was surgically removed and replaced with an iron bar. Her thumbs are fused, as well, but this does not stop her from working out and only pushes her to find ways to work around her condition when she must. A true warrior queen for our community, Bryant is compassionate and funnels all her success into helping others through her non-profit in addition to her work in the community as an advocate for being healthy and active. She donates a portion of the funds from each of her construction projects into MIC4D and while you can donate on her website (https://makeitcount4dani.com), she has yet to ask anyone to directly help fund her program. She’s also single, ladies, so…hint-hint. Echo: Tell us about you. Bryant: Oh heavens, that’s a loaded question. You’re from Phoenix, correct?

ow do you define someone who defies traditional definitions? You get creative, at first, and then you sit back and listen to her tell her story. Danielle Bryant is one such person. She’s powerful with a capital POWER and if there was a picture next to the word “Resilient” in Webster’s Dictionary, it would be of Bryant flexing her well-toned muscles. Intimidated yet? Don’t be. Bryant is approachable, positive, and possesses the fully formed yet still able to grow and learn type of self-awareness that many of us wish we could have. As the owner of a successful construction company and the originator of her own non-profit, Make It Count 4 Dani (MIC4D), as well as being a professional body builder, Bryant also lives every day with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and through MIC4D helps others who are impacted by RA and Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Recently, this condition also spread to her lungs, which brings added challenges, and two or three hospital stays each year for chemotherapy. This not your grandmother’s arthritis, friends, as painful as that can be. RA is a completely different animal. Diagnosed at 16 years old, Bryant has spent much of the last 28 years making sure that she is not defined by her disease but, if

CLASS OF 2019

I am. I was born in Scottsdale, but I was raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I moved back to Phoenix in 1995. I didn’t live my younger years in Phoenix, but now I’ll never leave because of my health problems. I did leave in 2009. I went to Canada for three years with my wife and son, but that all fell apart and I ended up moving back to Phoenix in 2012. I went through some major surgeries and then I started my own company because I decided to be a new person and live for me. I went after it and it has worked out great.

2019

I’ve been on my own since I’ve been 16. I’ve navigated my health problems by myself. I navigated coming out (at 26) by myself, and it hasn’t been easy. There have been times when I didn’t want to (pauses) live. I was at my lowest of lows when I lost my wife and child. That was a catalyst for me in more ways than I could have ever imagined. I was either going to come out of that or I wasn’t. It took me a good year to realize that the only person who can change situation is me. I just really changed my attitude. What does being in the Echo Hall of Fame mean to you? It is a complete honor. I’m a little bit separated from the gay community. I don’t drink, I’m athletic. You’d think I’d be able to find someone who wants to work out (laughs) but it really means a lot to me. I love who I am. I’m proud to be a lesbian.

There are so many ways to go there. I do so much. The construction company is the love of my life and my non-profit is my passion and I’m also a pro-body builder. My body building is a vehicle for my non-profit when I do motivational speaking. I talk about obstacles and persevering and how you can’t let the disease beat you. I’ve known a few people with Rheumatoid Arthritis and the idea of them being a body builder would be daunting to say the least. For sure. If you would have asked me if I was going to be able to do this, even four years ago, I would have said, “No way,” and here I am at 44. I have my pro card in one of the natural federations. I’ve had nine surgeries, six major hand surgeries, I have fake joints in my hands, so I’ve essentially transformed my life and I really believe it is all about my mindset. Wow. ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

Chris Deaton and Elisha Thompson By Michelle Talsma Everson

2019

ogether more than a decade, Chris Deaton and Elisha Thompson are ASU employees by day and educators on a variety of topics related to polyamory, kink, and BDSM on nights and weekends. While their classes often focus on sexuality as a whole, both Chris — who identifies as cisgendered and heterosexual — and Elisha — who identifies as cis-gendered and bisexual — place an emphasis on making sure their topics are inclusive of everyone. “Our educational focus is primarily for people that identify as non-monogamist in some fashion. This could be polyamorous, swingers, play partners, or any form of multiple partner relationship,” Chris explains. “Some LBGTQ+ members are non-monogamist in some fashion, so we do have some attendees that identify as such. However, our classes on relationship skills, such as emotional intelligence or creating and maintain trust through vulnerability, apply to anyone who would like to have more successful, better negotiated, and more fulfilling relationships.” “We also teach really basic level classes related to polyamory 101, kink 101, and sex health such as sexually transmitted infections and diseases,” he continues. “I am always amazed how many adults aren’t well informed about the things that impact their body, or their partner’s body, and are afraid to ask about. We try to provide a safe space to allow those questions to be answered and discussed.” Oftentimes, the duo’s courses are available at monthly public events, or in adult spaces, such as Arizona Power Exchange in Phoenix or Desert Dominion in Tucson. They have also taught across the state and country at various kink and polycentric conferences. “We were new to poly and kink at one time and having a community of experienced folks to talk to and learn from was crucial to our survival and success,” Elisha says. “We have learned a great deal from others who followed similar paths and believe that we would not have made it without them. So, we do what we do because we want to give back to the communities who gave so much to us.” The past couple of years have been busy for them both: they’re working on master’s degrees, won a local M/s title, and are 44

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launching a nonprofit called Truly Beloved to serve as a publishing house to their own books, including Elisha’s Yoga for Kink.

a major emphasis is on education. Why do you believe that’s so important in both of those realms?

“I would say that being bisexual allows me to have a broader perspective,” Elisha shares about her journey. “It helps give me a little bit of insight into others’ experiences.”

Chris: Not to sound cliché, but knowledge is power, right? We didn’t feel we had very many places to go for support. Those that were there for us we are still close to, but we wanted to give back. I needed to give back. I didn’t want others to go through what we did without having access to others with experience. We wanted to provide access to the failures and successes and to build a sense of community from that. Being able to provide people with proven tools to help take some of the emotions out of their decision making, to help them make better decisions, and to provide the perspectives and experiences of others to help drive successful outcomes is what feeds my soul.

“What’s the importance of being an ally? What is the other choice? Bystander? Not my thing. Enemy? Definitely not my thing,” Chris shares. “I try to set the right example for my children and for others whose paths I cross. I believe we are all here to help and support each other while we share this life on this planet and we should always try and perform each action, every day, with that in mind. Of course, we all slip from time to time, but we are all taking part in this human experiment together and the more people that share in our journey, the more diversity we throw in this big giant melting pot, the greater chance we have for successful, positive outcomes.” “We want to provide a safe place for people to get educated about all the relationship type things they are afraid to ask in traditional spaces,” Chris says. “We want to provide a safe space where education and experience can flow freely; a place where people can work on themselves, have some self-discovery, and hopefully, work toward becoming their authentic self.” Echo: With all the work you do in both the poly and kink communities, it seems like

Can you tell us more about what exactly True Beloved is? What are your hopes for it as people find out more about it? Chris: The primary purpose of Truly Beloved is as a publisher and distributer of books and other things we are both working on. However, it is also the next step, the next growth we wanted for our relationship and ourselves as it applies to giving back to the community. Elisha and I have been managing the state chapter of Loving More for the last couple of years. Loving More is a national nonprofit, 501c3, based in Denver, that is dedicated to the education and support of polyamory. I CLASS OF 2019

believe this is their 25th year in operation. We found Loving More earlier in our journey and it has been a beneficial relationship, but as we have grown so has our message and our mission. We both identify as polyamorous and plan to continue our support of the community and Loving More for many years to come, but we also felt a bit restricted. Creating Truly Beloved allows us more flexibility to reach a larger audience in the kink and consensual non-monogamy crowds. What have you accomplished in the past 1 to 2 years that you are most proud of? Elisha: In September 2018, Chris and I won the Arizona Master/slave contest. We were driven to run for this contest by our passions to share the message, “There is no ‘one’ way to structure power exchange relationships.” We had heard from others that we weren’t doing M/s right and we didn’t buy it. Our relationship is healthy and happy because we structure it based upon our shared desires and goals. We felt like the Arizona M/s title would help to spread our message farther. I’ve spent the last two years writing and producing a new book, Yoga for Kink. I had been practicing yoga for about four years when Chris and I entered the kink/ BDSM community. I immediately noticed similarities between the experiences of yoga and sadomasochism, such as, altered states of consciousness, connection to the self, improved body image, and reduced stress, anxiety, and depression. Even more, as I watched people prepare for bondage, they were doing stretches similar, and sometimes, identical to yoga. It was these realizations that inspired me to write my book. We are - I have a wonderful team of people working with me, including Chris - currently in the process of taking and editing photos to the book and I expect it to be ready for sales in February. Just in time for Valentine’s Day! Chris: Definitely the winning of the Arizona Master/slave contest title was huge. But, finding and being accepted in the local and national kink community was more important to my overall personal growth and confidence. I was starting to have some issue of belonging. As I learned more about myself and started to be more open and transparent with my friends and family, I lost a bunch of them. We have several sayings around what “chosen” family means to many of us and that really impacted me. The idea that you don’t have to keep up relationships with people you find to be toxic just because you always have or because there is some shared blood between you was revolutionary to my life. I still have some super close biological family, but our chosen leather, poly, and kinky family – with all the LGBTQ+ aunts, uncles, and cousins – has been instrumental to our success and our growth. Finding that family has allowed me to be more confident on other areas and has CLASS OF 2019

helped me be successful in reestablishing my relationship with my youngest son and the awesome growth Elisha and I have made as a couple. I am still working on my oldest, but the strength I get from our community provides me with the patience and perseverance to continually work toward a better future. What are some of the misconceptions you’ve both come across as poly and kink educators? Elisha: One common misconception we have come across is that, when we are not dating people often ask, “Are you really poly?” For us, poly is an identity, not just something that we do. We are picky about who we date and spend our valuable free time with. Thus, we don’t date often. However, not dating does not mean we are no longer poly. Chris: Yes, that one. Do you ask single people if they are still monogamous if they aren’t dating? Is a bisexual woman considered heterosexual because she isn’t dating another woman? Or because she is solely dating a man at the current time? I feel it really can be such an offensive assumption, but this speaks to why we educated and why we share our stories. The other big ones: poly = sex and sex = love. Or any version of BDSM/kink/ power exchange = abuse. The first one is hard. Western culture and religion have perverted the act of sex in so many ways that it is hard for us to accept that it is just a physical act that may or may not have an emotional commitment behind it. Adding to that, emotional commitment has thousands of degrees of relevance that we each define personally. But sex can be nothing more than an act, a physical activity, a sport, like soccer. So, when you tell people you have multiple relationships, they assume that they are all sexual. When I list my poly relationships these days, I list two: Elisha and my children. I would say that I have a couple of male friends that come close and in the scheme of things it really is a fine line. Emotionally connected and committed relationships do not have to be sexual in nature or ever include sex at all.

my world dramatically. My memoir will dive into the similar experiences between yoga and BDSM that I mentioned earlier and how those experiences influenced my personal growth and path to happiness. Chris: I have started to work on some erotica. Polyamorous, power exchange, science fiction … something fun, something in the vein of John Norman’s Tales of Gor with less repetitive passages, I hope. I am also working on a postmodern take on master/slave or power exchange relationships. We both need to complete our academic programs. She is down to the last year on her interdisciplinary graduate degree that is related to her memoir. I recently completed the same master’s program while looking at hierarchy and power exchange in long term polyamorous relationships, but I jumped right back into another, because education is an addiction with me apparently. I am still trying to find my academic place in all of this. I am hoping to move into a doctoral program over the next year or so and either take a closer look at consent issues in our community and how we can help inform the greater world or to take a deeper dive into the impact and outcomes of well negotiated power exchange, or authority imbalance dynamics. People don’t realize it, but liberal and sometimes radical feminism, has really redefined how many of us perceive these more diversified relationship structures and have allowed women in controlling positions within those dynamics. The feminist movement and its influence in creating the modern polyamory movement and impact to power exchange relationships fascinates me. There is a lot more I want to delve into there also.

I lost a close male friend recently. I am sure he would have loved to hear me say that he had become a poly partner very much in my head. I think he knew, but I wish I had told him that. Polyamory relationships come in many forms. What are your hopes for the future of Truly Beloved and your own educational journeys and projects? Elisha: We hope to see Truly Beloved continue to grow! We each have a couple of books that we want to publish. In addition to Yoga for Kink, I am writing a memoir about my journey from near suicide to discovering yoga and then BDSM. My discovery of those two practices, and the communities that came along with those practices, changed ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

Buddy Early By Tom Reardon

2019

t is only fitting that Buddy Early, the man who gave birth (not literally, as that may have been painful) to the Echo Hall of Fame, should be inducted into the institution he helped create while he was managing editor of Echo Magazine in 2006. Early is a self-proclaimed “Professional Homosexual” although, now that it is in writing, the words “Semi-retired” should be added in there somewhere since he has been out of the limelight for several years now. Early is a true Hall of Famer, though, and a wordslinger par excellence with exceptional wit and wisdom, really, for those of us who need (and heed) his guidance.

After leaving Echo, Early became managing editor at Compete Magazine (which can be found at CompeteNetwork. com) which celebrates diversity in sports and features some excellent articles about LGBTQ athletes and events from around the world. A sports fan and Arizona native, Early’s work in the written world is honest and forthright, occasionally sardonic but rarely mean and it playfully mocks the community at large at times though most of the fun is directed right back at himself. Early’s hilarious Facebook site, The Official Buddy Early Fan Page is a must visit if you’re still on the “Book” and not scared of Russian interference in your personal lives. In short, Early is just plain awesome and 46

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his induction here is not only warranted, but maybe even a bit late. As a regular contributor to Echo and several other publications, Early keeps his fanbase up to date on his latest thoughts and goings on, even if it is just to let us know that he really enjoys keeping it casual when it comes to dressing up for work. Echo: What does it mean to you to be in the Hall of Fame? Early: It was kind of out of left field. It never occurred to me. It’s ironic that we started this Hall of Fame when I was still the managing editor and the Hall of Fame was my brainchild. To see it continue, it’s cool and now I’m getting the phone call. It’s… weird (laughs), but it’s an honor. So, this was your baby and now you’re a fully-fledged adult member… It’s also weird because one of my many personality quirks is that I don’t do well with compliments or recognition of things, so when I heard, I realized I needed to be okay with this, so let me just enjoy it. I think a lot of folks, especially writers, don’t do well with compliments. You’re right. I was going to talk about a bit of self-loathing there, but I think that’s going a bit too far (laughs). I think writers — we have some self-esteem issues at times that won’t allow us to receive compliments and praise.

When you first started the Hall of Fame, what was some of the criteria you used to choose the honorees? The first year was easy because there were a number of people in our community who had done so much and were obvious choices. They were pillars of our community. They had founded organizations like Phoenix Body Positive, for example, or worked with the city to pass ordinances to protect LGBT people. These were important members of the community. What are you doing now? I work in insurance claims for State Farm. Very different. In the decade or so you’ve been gone from Echo, what’s been happening? I’ve really embraced the role of anonymity. I worked in gay media for so long and worked part-time at a couple of different gay bars at that time, and I was one of the founders of the Arizona Gay Volleyball league. I was just a huge part of the community 24/7. A lot of my heterosexual friends called me “The Mayor of Gaytown.” But since leaving those roles, I’ve really enjoyed a life of anonymity. Now if I go out to a bar or a community event, I’m not recognized by most of the crowd and that’s kind of cool. Being part of Echo as a writer and contributor, that’s fun, but I’ve been laying low in my old age. CLASS OF 2019

Kathy Hoﬀman By Jeff Kronenfeld Photos courtesy of the Arizona Department of Education

Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoﬀman.

2019

athy Hoffman, Arizona’s superintendent of public instruction, knows the moment she decided to run for office: the confirmation hearing for U.S. Secretary of Education in 2017. If you remember this, it’s likely for when Betsy DeVos said schools need guns in case of bear attacks. That year, Arizona ranked as the worst state for teachers in the U.S. according to a study by WalletHub. Diane Douglas, Hoffman’s predecessor, was more focused on issues like banning the word evolution from science classrooms and prosecuting teachers involved in the #RedForEd movement. The Copper State’s education system was a national punchline. Hoffman was a 31-year-old speechlanguage pathologist in the Peoria Unified School District during the DeVos confirmation. She realized educators like herself had to stand up if things were going to change. When teachers walked out to demand an increase in school spending, Hoffman marched with them. She proved a formidable debater, defeating tough candidates in the primary and general elections. This victory made her the state’s first Democratic superintendent of public instruction in over 20 years. The book she opted to be sworn in with — “Too Many Moose” — was a favorite of her students. Winning also made her the youngest CLASS OF 2019

currently serving state-wide political office holder in the country. As when she is in the classroom, she advocates for all students and teachers in Arizona. Hoffman knows how far a good education can take you. She grew up in Portland, Oregon. In high school, a Japanese immersion program taught her to speak that language fluently. It also gave her a chance to visit Japan as an exchange student. At the University of Oregon, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Japanese studies. After a year teaching preschool, Hoffman traded temperate rainforests for deserts. Tucson and the University of Arizona beckoned. There she earned a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. This combined her twin loves of language and teaching. A true polyglot, the Superintendent also speaks Spanish fluently. When she graduated from UofA in 2013, Arizona had become home. Hoffman started work as a speech-language pathologist in the Vail Unified School District. Her five years in Arizona schools inform Hoffman’s priorities as superintendent today. Number one on her list is to return education spending to pre-recession levels. Other goals include improving teacher retainment, expanding access to mental health services and ensuring an equitable distribution of resources. Hoffman praised

increases in funding for counselors and raises for teachers included in the 2020 budget. She said it was disheartening to see a surplus of nearly $400 million go to tax cuts instead of restoring school funding. Her battles are not limited to finances. Arizona lags behind other states in protecting LGBT+ students and providing scientifically accurate sex education. Hoffman has worked valiantly to reverse these trends. In a speech to the state legislature early in her term, she called for the repeal of Arizona’s blatantly discriminatory “no promo homo” law. It was finally axed earlier this year. After this, Hoffman proposed further updates to Arizona’s sex ed guidelines. The changes included requiring information in sex ed classes to be medically and scientifically accurate. The Gilbert-based nonprofit Family Watch International (FWI) — designated as an anti-LGBT+ hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center — encouraged opposition to the updates. The Arizona State Board of Education did not vote to approve Hoffman’s proposal. In the aftermath of the June vote, Republican politicians and rightwing extremist groups have continued to target Hoffman with false attacks. She takes it all in stride, remaining focused on her work as superintendent. When she’s not on the ECHOMAG.COM

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my colleagues in the Legislature and I decided to take other minor changes to the State Board for its consideration. These changes would have cleaned up language from the same era as “no promo homo” in State Board rules and would have ensured that, if and when, local districts choose to implement sex education curriculum, that any curriculum implemented be medically and scientifically accurate. I felt the changes merited discussion and consideration, but I can’t speak to why other board members voted the way they did.

Echo: What was the moment you decided to run for Superintendent of Public Instruction and how did your experience working in Arizona schools impact your decision?

You have been the subject of ugly and false attacks by Republican politicians and a dark money group funded by billionaire Betsy DeVos. How do you confront this as an elected official and handle it as a human being?

Hoffman: I decided to run for this office after watching the confirmation hearings of Betsy DeVos. As I watched her struggle to answer basic education questions, it was clear that she had never spent any significant time in a public school. I knew that if we were ever going to see any positive changes in education, educators like myself needed to stand up and lead. Can you discuss why your grassroots campaign was successful and how you got it started? When I started my campaign, it had been over 25 years since an educator oversaw the Arizona Department of Education. Linking stories of my students and colleagues to the challenges facing public education, I traveled across the state to meet with voters who were ready for an educator to lead our public schools. Thanks to the support of voters in every corner of the state and the dedication of my campaign staff, I became the youngest woman elected to statewide office in 2018. Would you explain how the effort to repeal Arizona’s “no promo homo” law earlier this year succeeded? For decades, this law has hurt our LGBTQ students and families. During my inaugural “State of Education” speech to the Legislature, I directly called for its repeal. In the months that followed, the state was sued, the Attorney General announced he would not defend the law in court, and the Legislature quickly realized it had no choice but to repeal the law. In a sense, it was the perfect storm of events, but we wouldn’t have been successful without individuals standing up and demanding change. Senator Martín Quezada’s leadership on this issue over the years also helped lay the groundwork that allowed us to be successful. Tell us about some of the updates you proposed to the state’s sex education guidelines and why you think the Arizona State Board of Education failed to implement them? After the repeal of “no promo homo,” 48

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I have been surprised at the personal nature of the attacks, but I take them in stride and remain focused on our mission of providing a high-quality education to every student in Arizona. As elected state leaders, we must serve our state by collaborating on policies even when our perspectives differ. I’ll continue to reach out and try to work with leaders from both parties because its best for our students and best for our state.

Kathy Hoﬀman being sworn in by former Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court Scott Bales.

road visiting school districts around the state, she swims and practices yoga. Despite facing chronic underfunding and opposition from billionaire-backed dark money groups, Hoffman remains upbeat about Arizona’s future. “I’m relentlessly optimistic because I know what Arizona’s students and teachers can achieve if we give them the resources they need,” Hoffman wrote by email. “We have tremendously talented, dedicated teachers in this state and some of the brightest students in the nation. It is up to us as state leaders to deliver for them.”

What are the most important issues facing Arizona’s schools and education system? A top priority for Arizona schools is restoring funding to pre-recession levels, and I’m hopeful that we can come together to find a bipartisan solution on this issue. In the meantime, my administration is committed to holistically supporting our education system. To find innovative ways to attract new educators and retain our dedicated, high-quality teachers, I’ve created two new positions specifically focused on teacher recruitment and retention. Additionally, I’ve prioritized the mental health and well-being of our students by partnering with state and community agencies to bring those supports directly to our classrooms. Finally, to ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education, we must focus on addressing inequities across our education system. To meet this need, I hired Arizona’s firstever Associate Superintendent of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion earlier this year. How can people help Arizona’s education system and the LGBT students within it? Schools bind communities together, so finding any opportunity to support your local schools can make a difference. I cannot understate how important it is for people to make their voices heard at both the local school board level and the Legislature, especially when it comes to being a voice for our LGBTQ students. We need people to be champions of public education, so let your Legislators know that supporting public education, and supporting LGBTQ students is important to you. Everyone’s voice matters. CLASS OF 2019

CLASS OF 2019

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Phoenix Fashion Week

Oct. 3 at Talking Stick Resort, Scottsdale. Photos by Logan Lowerey-Rasmussen.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2019-photos. 50

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Puerto Vallarta, Mexico offers beach weddings with picturesque sunsets Marriott and Westin hotels welcome LGBTQ weddings By Jerry Jones Photos courtesy of Marriott and Westin resorts

Puerto Vallarta, where weddings and water mix.

or many LGBTQ couples, a wedding in an exotic location or even one on the beach, was something they could dream about but never really afford. The staff at two sister hotels in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, want you to know that your wedding dreams can come true, and they are looking to work with you and your budget. The Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa and The Westin Resort and Spa Puerto Vallarta, sit about a mile apart from each other, and both have received LGBT certification by the Jalisco Tourism Secretariat and Talento Consultores; The Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa is also TAG Approved, and TMR Out Now certified. With the hotels operating under the Marriott International umbrella, they sit on beachfront property overlooking Banderas Bay and the Pacific, and each have ample space for just about any size wedding. Marriott International, has long been recognized as a leader in the hotel industry on topics of diversity and inclusion, regularly scoring a 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. The company also offers education and sales training to its associates to give them greater insight into what their guests might expect.

However, be warned that most of the American weddings performed at the hotels are symbolic in nature — the couples have gotten married before they left the USA. If you want a legal Mexican ceremony, the law requires that you be in the country at least four days prior to your wedding, and there are several other steps that you must take. “Love is love has become our inspiration to coordinate wedding experience. We remember that this is not only the wedding day for the couple, it’s also the arrival of friends and family, setting up the right moments for networking and details that will long last memories of your special day” said. Areli Vega, wedding and special events manager, The Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa. “Our recently renovated resort offers amazing beachfront locations; it has become a preferred resort for Americans and Canadians. Some couples have marked their first walk together on white horses, others prefer the butterfly release, and of course 54

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we can always make the vow pronunciation a special surprise for your love one.” Most of the weddings held at the hotels are done on the beach, and at sunset. Each hotel will only allow two weddings on the same day. With wedding packages starting as low as $75 USD per person (no including food), each hotel has specialists who will work with LGBTQ couples to help make them feel comfortable and make lifetime memories. “We have a lot option to offer with our packages, or we can personalize their wedding to meet their own needs,” said

Denisse Montes De Oca, wedding and special events manager, The Westin Resort and Spa Puerto Vallarta. “We love to work with couples. And their location in the USA is not a problem. We work through email, telephone and FaceTime right up until the wedding.” Planning for a wedding — especially one that is in a foreign country — can be a daunting experience. But, rest assured Montes De Oca said, the thousands of details will be expertly handled. “Our certified wedding planners are trained to help,” she explained. “After FEATURE STORY

Pool with a view at Marriott Puerto Vallarta.

completing demanding coursework, each Marriott Certified Wedding Planner is qualified to coordinate weddings of all types, including ethnic and military weddings. Relying on experience, training, tradition and oldfashioned intuition, Marriott Certified Wedding Planners can help you determine an overall vision for your wedding and help you execute each detail. That includes setting an event budget; deciding on a menu; arranging table settings; and finding florists, photographers, a band and other entertainment for the big day.” Montes De Oca said she is often asked “when is the best time of year to have my wedding” and she said that the hotels can make any time of the year work.

Westin Puerto Vallarta.

“We have a huge annual pride celebration in Puerto Vallarta around Memorial Day,” She said. “That’s always a high interest time. But there are pros and cons to our different seasons. The summer months can be hotter and the later in the summer rain showers are typical. But both hotels are experienced and can make anything work to please the happy brides or grooms.”

A breezy eve at Westin Puerto Vallarta. Marriott Puerto Vallarta.

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Oscar Graham, Los Andes owner and chef.

The entrance to Los Andes.

The Los Andes sign.

From Summit to Sea: Los Andes offers gourmet tours of Peru from Phoenix’s Westside Story and Photos by Jeff Kronenfeld

f you can’t visit the ruin-crowned mountains or penguin-studded coasts of South America anytime soon, then a trip to Los Andes Peruvian Cuisine on Phoenix’s westside is the next best thing. It’s easy to miss the little restaurant hidden in a nondescript strip mall off the I-17. Once your meal arrives, there’s no missing the explosion of yellows, oranges, and purples. Chef Oscar Graham continues transporting taste buds to Peru at Los Andes, as he did at Tumi Fine Peruvian Restaurant in Chandler before selling it last year. His decades of experience as a chef in places like Lima, New York, and California are evident. Despite the big menu, every item we tried masterfully commingled flavors both far-out and familiar.

Potato stuﬀed with ground beef loin, eggs, olives, onions and raisins. 58

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Don’t let the faded stucco exterior fool you. Inside, the food is as beautifully presented as it is mouth-watering. The decor is simple yet brimming with pride for the Andean nation it represents. A red and white flag hangs behind the register. Colorful tablecloths and a picture of Machu Picchu round out the decor. Graham ensures the full width and breadth of Peru’s unique gastronomic tradition are on tap. Peruvian food fuses local ingredients with African, Chinese, Spanish and other influences. Our party of four was only able to scratch the surface of the encyclopedic menu.

Instead of chips and salsa, tables get Concha, partially popped corn kernels. For refreshments, Los Andes offers Inca Kola, passion fruit juice and chicha morada. The passion fruit beverage, called maracuyá juice, was tangy, sweet and a little like a low-carbon footprint Capri Sun. Chicha morada is a drink made from purple corn. It was semi-sweet with a hint of spice, almost like a sweet mulled wine on ice. I suggest starting out with a pitcher of the dark violet refreshment, which will only set you back $7.50. One was more than enough to quench our thirsty quartet through the feast to come.

Affordable prices and a huge menu make this an ideal location for family-style dining. The friendly staff are quick to offer suggestions or answer questions.

The appetizer section is almost a menu to itself. According to “Potato: A Global History” by Andrew F. Smith, the common potato was first domesticated near the

Peruvian ceviche with white ﬁsh, shrimp, scallops, calamari, octopus, and mussel.

Fish ﬁlet submerged in seafood sauce with calamari, shrimp, scallops and octopus. It also includes rice and a mussel. DINING OUT

Lake Titicaca basin. Peru is still a hotbed of spud genetic diversity, as well as tasty ways to prepare them. In honor of this venerable history, we ordered papa rellenas. These fried potatoes — similar to croquettes — are stuffed with ground beef loin, eggs, olives, onions and raisins. The exterior was more like the flaky crust of a pie than the plasticized skin of fries. Beneath this was a mantle of doughy potato goodness. The tater innards seemed lighter the closer they approached to the puréed meatball core. A pile of finely shredded pickled onions and yellow pepper sauce comes on the side. We also sampled the yuca frita con huancaina, large yuca fries with a side of yellow sauce. The sauce blends cheese with aji amarillo, a bright yellow pepper popular in Peru. It tastes somewhat like queso, but with a subtler and more complex flavor. This golden dip is best described with a long series of ems. Yuca, also known as cassava, is a South American tuber. Don’t confuse it with the spikey local desert shrub yucca. Served in large deep-fried wedges, it was fibrous with a light crunch. There were many appetizers we couldn’t try on this visit, such as the anticuchos. Skewered like shish kebabs, this dish was popular even before Europeans arrived in the region. Once made with llama meat, Los Andes opts for the grilled beef heart variety. We left the appetizers section partially explored to save room for our impending seafood blowout. In Peru, raw fish marinated in citrus juice is serious business. The country even celebrates ceviche with a national holiday. Los Andes gives the dish its own section on the menu. Our party ordered the orgía de mariscos, literally meaning seafood orgy. It proved every bit the interspecies cuddle puddle, full of white fish, shrimp, scallops, calamari, octopus, and mussel. In traditional fashion, it’s served with Peruvian corn, fried plantains and yams. The sea creatures almost seemed to come back to life in the pool of lime juice, Pisco brandy, rocoto peppers and other spices. From the seafood section proper, we ordered pescado a lo macho. The large boneless fish filet came submerged in a

Peruvean-style ﬂan. DINING OUT

bright orange seafood sauce. Calamari, shrimp, scallops and octopus added zest and texture. A rice pyramid, mussel and yuca fries came as sides. One of our party thought it was so good she didn’t want to try anything else. Despite this declaration, we managed to convince her to taste the next two entrees when they arrived. Peruvian fried rice, arroz chaufa in Spanish, is another of the nation’s staples. People from China came to Peru in large numbers during the 1800s. They combined their traditional cuisine with local tastes. Our order of chaufa de pollo, chicken fried rice, was huge and made great leftovers the next day. The use of Peruvian ingredients and spices adds a unique spin to this familiar comfort food. This would be the perfect dish for a finicky child or manbaby. The last course was only for the more adventurous palettes. Called cau cau, it consists of honeycomb beef tripe, cubed potatoes, mint mignonette, and rice. The turmeric and pepper sauce was reminiscent of a yellow curry. The tripe melted into fatty oils as you chewed, rounding out the spicy flavor. The tripe was a little too rubbery for my taste, though another in our party couldn’t get enough of the cow stomach lining. Even with four entrees, we still missed out on several interesting dishes. There are rotisserie chickens marinated in the South American equivalent of Colonel Sanders secret spice blend and a half-dozen varieties of linguine.

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Los Andes offers a number of unique dessert options all for under six bucks. There are picarones, Peruvian donuts drizzled in molasses syrup. Often they’re made with sweet potato and squash, though we didn’t get to find out. Guts bulging, we ordered but one dessert, also passing on the Peruvian ice cream and sweet biscuits joined with milk caramel. Our decision to go for the crema volteada, Peruvian flan, didn’t disappoint. It was soft, light and rich all at once. Still, ever the neurotic, I wonder if I should have tried the donuts. The obvious solution to this FOMO is a second trip, which is already scheduled. Los Andes offers gourmet food in large portions at a low price point. This, plus its unaffected charm, makes it a true hidden gem. Jeff Kronenfeld is an independent journalist based out of Phoenix, Arizona. His writing has been featured in Java Magazine, the Arts Beacon, PHXSUX, and the Phoenix Jewish News, where he received the Simon Rockower Award for excellence in news reporting from the American Jewish Press Association. Links to his previously published work are available at www.jeffkronenfeld.com. ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

AT THE BOX OFFICE

Four films in theaters this month

By Tuesday Mahrle

Doctor Sleep In theaters November 8 | Rated R | 153 minutes | Horror

Danny Torrance is all grown up, 40 years after his time at the Overlook Hotel and he’s facing some new supernatural forces. Teaming up with a young girl named Abra who also possesses the “shine”, they fight Rose the Hat, a member of a dangerous cult called The True Knot. The cult members prey on children who have the gift of the shining. Written by Stephen King and Mike Flanagan, Doctor Sleep has all the thrills and chills you’ve waited for since you could utter the word “Redrum.”

Honey Boy In theaters November 4 | Rated R | 93 Minutes | Drama

Art is often used as form of therapy. In Honey Boy, Shia LaBeouf makes his screenplay debut with a movie based on his personal life experiences. The story follows a young, troubled actor as he crosses into adulthood in Hollywood. Abuse, addiction, and recovery are at the forefront of this story. LaBeouf takes on a daring role — portraying his own father, an ex-rodeo clown and felon. Artist and Musician FKA Twigs makes her acting debut in the art piece that inspires important conversations about family bonds, disease, and mental illness.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood In theaters November 22 | Not Rated | 107 minutes | Drama

Tom Hanks transforms himself into the loveable Fred Rogers, who brought joy to millions of young boys and girls throughout the years through his PBS television program. In this true story, centered around Fred and his journalist friend Tom Junod, Hanks brings a joy all his own, with a cable-knit sweater and a sunny disposition. When a magazine reporter is tasked with writing a story on Fred Rogers, he finds himself drawn in and pleasantly surprised by the authenticity that the gentle, kind, empathetic man exudes. You’ll leave the theater with a smile in your heart and asking the people around you, “Won’t you be my neighbor?”

Dark Waters In theaters November 22 | Not Rated | 107 minutes | Biography, Drama, History

Large corporations polluting local water is not a fresh news story to the public. Dark Waters brings the true story from the headlines to the screen and follows the lawyer who is set to bring them down. As an attorney who usually represents conglomerates, Robert Bilott (played by Mark Ruffalo) risks everything he holds dear to expose the corporate dumping. The truth hurts, and for this man, it could kill. Tuesday Mahrle is a film critic and host of “Whiskey and Popcorn,” a Phoenixbased movie podcast. 60

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NOVEMBER 2019

Two divine lost souls descend on Scottsdale By Seth Reines

“Music is one of God’s gifts to us.” — Jane Lynch

NOVEMBER 2019

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Kate Flannery and Jane Lynch performing at Café Carlyle by David Andrako.

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elebrated actresses and singers Jane Lynch and Kate Flannery bring their Two Lost Souls tour, featuring their one-of-a-kind spin on songs from Broadway to The Barry Sisters to the Swingin’ Sixties, to the Scottsdale Center for the Arts November 23. Lynch spent her early career in the Chicago improv scene before moving on to roles in over 70 movies and more than 100 television shows. Most famous for her coach Sue Sylvester on Glee, Lynch made her Broadway debut as Miss Hannigan in Annie for a limited run in 2013. Lynch: I hadn’t done a play on stage in what might have been 25 years. The minute I got out there, I got the bug again. I loved it so much, I relished every moment of doing it, with the audience right there to respond. Soon after, I got an offer to do four nights of cabaret but didn’t have a show. So, I had to call Kate. Echo: “Kate” was Kate Flannery, best known for her nine seasons as Meredith the drunk on The Office. But Lynch’s history with Flannery stretched back to their improv days. Lynch: In Chicago in the ’90s, we were moving through the same circles, doing sketch comedy at The Second City and Annoyance Theater. A bunch of us moved out to LA together to do The Real Live Brady Bunch. We’ve always stayed friends. We come from the same culture and love the same music. Since 2013, when Lynch and Flannery began performing See Jane Sing, a musical revue spanning a broad range of genres from pop to swing and jazz, the two have become inseparable. Although they both continue to have busy careers, they still find time to collaborate on shows — a Christmas tour was

their second and Two Lost Souls is their third. Lynch: Two Lost Souls is kind of a celebration of our friendship, all of the things we both love and our dynamic together. We’re astounded how lucky we are to have found each other. We’re like sisters, but we haven’t fought yet. When we decided to create a brand new show, we met at a restaurant, had lunch, small talked for about an hour and a half and then started throwing songs at each other. As we started singing together, the comedy between the songs began to take form. Echo: What was the process in creating Two Lost Souls? Lynch: It doesn’t really feel like a process. It’s more like, oh, we haven’t met in a week, we should sing. It took us about three months of “meeting” to devise Two Lost Souls. The hardest part was choosing what we’re going to do. We sat there staring at each other with no ideas and then we’d just start writing a bunch of stuff down: songs we wanted to sing — I’d send her songs, she’d send me songs, then we’d cull it down to 18 songs. The show’s title came from the song of the same name that Kate suggested we perform. I said that’s fantastic, and I think it’s the name of our show, too. There’s really no theme to it except songs we love to sing, with our little buffooneries in between. As we started singing together, the comedy between the songs began to take form. Reviewing Two Lost Soul’s 2018 New York premiere, The Hollywood Digest raved, “I knew that Jane could sing. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the vocal ability of Kate. Her harmonies were magnificent, and the two were a perfect singing match. They showcased a diverse selection with essentially something for everyone. The show was captivating, the comedy spectacular, and the vibe was absolutely precious.” Lynch: I sing all day long. I love music and I love singing with other people. I loved singing in choirs. It was my refuge. I never wanted to be up there alone. I pity people who don’t love music. It soothes your soul and is one of God’s gifts to us. Whether it’s a symphony or a choir or the amazing Tony Guerrero Quartet which backs Kate and I in Two Lost Souls, music is like divinity for us. For tickets to Two Lost Souls’ one-night performance at Scottsdale Centre for the Performing Arts on November 23, visit scottsdaleperformingarts.org.

Courtesy of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. ENTERTAINMENT

M. Seth Reines is an award-winning theater buff who has directed more than 500 productions nationally for stage and television, and formerly served as head of Roosevelt University’s musical theatre program. ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

RECORDINGS

here is always a bit of trepidation when reviewing Phoenix bands, at least for me. As a Phoenix musician, as well, I empathize a bit too much with my fellow musicians but I also feel the writer’s responsibility to share my truth so I straddle a fence that is sometimes made of cotton candy, and sometimes it is made of rusty, yet sharp, barbwire. Each of these artists and bands have a great career ahead of them and for all three I have reviewed, I truly believe, they have what it takes to be future hall of famers.

By Tom Reardon

Emby Alexander – Cactus Candy On Cactus Candy, which is the latest release by Emby Alexander, I feel like the proverbial fence to straddle here is made of wool. It’s warm and a great thing to have when you need it, but there are times when it just doesn’t quite fit. On one hand, I really like the myriad of influences I hear on Cactus Candy. I hear obvious nods to Morrissey, 64

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who might not be the best person to align yourself right now, but I still love 95% of his music, especially his work with the Smiths. I also hear Imperial Teen, too, which is really special to me in so many ways, but … I also hear an effort that does not live up to the high heights I think it was meant to live up to when Emby Alexander went into the studio and recorded this lush, but flawed album. It reaches for things it can’t quite grab, yet the talent is there and when it hits, it really hits hard. I enjoy “No Makeup” and “Bright Wound” completely and utterly. They are like cashmere, which is a wonderful fabric, but it also comes with a price for both the consumer and the goat and can get easily snagged when sitting on the fence.

Paper Foxes – Popular Confessions I’m old, at least when it comes to my ability to sniff out a killer early ‘80s post-punk riff and by post-punk I mean the music that came out in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s that predates “alternative” music and snuggles up nicely with “new wave.” Paper Foxes haven’t

been around since the ‘80s and I’m guessing some of the members may not have even been alive when their musical forefathers and mothers were cranking out the type of jams that permeate Popular Confessions, but the spirit of the era is alive and well on this new release from the Phoenix band. “Dance of the Dead” beautifully marries the old, think Oingo Boingo, and the relatively new, think Bloc Party. It’s the second track on the ENTERTAINMENT

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record and it really shines from start to finish, straddling a fence made of danceable bass madness and hook-laden vocals that make you want to sing along before you even know the words. Like the musical middle child it is, “Pop Confessions” is probably well-suited for just being allowed to go through life unnoticed and if any of the songs on Popular Confessions are “filler” this is the one. By the time you get to the adventurous “Get Off the Wall,” though, all sins are forgiven and the record finishes strong.

Rising Sun Daughter – I See Jane If you don’t fall in love with Grace Rolland a little bit after the first forty seconds of her first Rising Sun Daughter EP, I See Jane, then you’re straddling the wrong fence entirely. The Mesa-born-and-bred singer who is known for her work in Run Boy Run, hits all the right notes, pun intended, on this fivesong puller of heart strings. Rolland plays the majority of the instruments on this record and, at least for a bass player like me who tries to play guitar every once in a while, it is just unfair that someone can be so proficient on multiple instruments and sing like a goddamn angel. While her previous work fit nicely in the Americana genre, I See Jane shows a breadth of influence that portends great things to come for this talented young lady. Since this month I’m comparing our local talent to famous folks, I’d have to say that Rolland’s work here echoes, on occasion, Sarah McLaughlin, Brandi Carlile, and even a smidge of Laurie Anderson’s amazing instrumentation. Fans of Rolland’s earlier work may naturally gravitate to “Blackberry Bramble” but for my money, “I See Jane” and “Dark Highways” are the real revelations here.

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Tom Reardon loves to write about people who are doing something to contribute to our community in a positive way. He also loves his family and family of friends, his pets, music, skateboarding, movies, good (and bad) TV, and working with children to build a better world. Tom’s favorite movie is Jaws, his favorite food is lasagna, and he loves to play music with his friends. He’s a busy guy, but never too busy to listen to what you have to say so tell him a story. ENTERTAINMENT

ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

BETWEEN THE COVERS

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

ethered by a cord.

That’s what people think when they see you and your closest pal: that you’re tethered by some sort of invisible cord. You think alike, talk alike, you sometimes mirror each other’s actions. Where there’s one, there’s the other even, as in the new book Bosom Friends by Thomas J. Balcerski, when you’re often poles apart. In the years prior to the Civil War, our nation’s capital was “very much a work in progress”: roads were little more than mud, neighborhoods were far apart and, indeed, Washington, D.C. was a swamp to which most Congressmen had to travel. Since nearly all were landowners elsewhere, few elected officials brought their families to the city with them; those who came solo needed places to live, so boardinghouses — called “messes” — sprung up to house the politicians. It was at one such “mess”

that William King met James Buchanan. King was born to be a politician: educated at the University of North Carolina, he almost immediately went into politics after graduation. He was a social man, and very charming, but he never married, blaming it on a broken heart over a princess who was angered by a perceived insult. Balcerski hints that the princess story was a convenient ruse. Buchanan was also educated and politically-minded but his personal life differed: he was engaged to be married but a misunderstanding caused his fiancé to call off the nuptials. Before Buchanan could patch things up, she fell ill and died. For the rest of his life, he, too, claimed that a broken heart kept him from marrying. At that time in history, says Balcerski, homosexuality was strictly forbidden but deeply “intimate” friendships between

Bosom Friends: The Intimate World of James Buchanan & William Rufus King by c.2019, Oxford University Press $34.95 / higher in Canada 337 pages men were common and even encouraged; it seems likely that King and Buchanan formed one of these while living at the “mess,” partaking in debates together, and working at the capital. Their “bosom friendship,” however, appeared exceptionally close: tongues wagged and others publicly teased the politicians for their particular bond. But were they lovers, as rumors have claimed for over 170 years? Inconclusive, as you’ll see in Bosom Friends. There are many reasons to think either way; although author Thomas J. Balcerski says they weren’t, evidence otherwise is tantalizing. To get there, though, will take some rock-climbing.

Thomas J. Balcerski 66

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To understand the lives of King and Buchanan, one must inherently understand politics,

of which much of this book consists. This is necessary, since it also shows division between the two men, ultimately both physically and emotionally; the scrappy political competition in which they engaged; and an untraversable gulf of disagreement — facets that, individually and together, are fascinating. Readers will clearly see the affection between the two men here, though we’ll never completely know the true nature of it: possibly-argumentsettling written communication between the two disappeared shortly after the Civil War. That sets up a delicious double-mystery that leaves you to make up your own mind: letters lost or tossed? Bosom Friends, or more than that? If you’re curious to know, this book will keep you tethered to your chair. ENTERTAINMENT

here’s a long line of people behind you.

Some are afraid to be seen, to speak up, or to show up. Others don’t want to get involved, so they’re sitting this one out. One thing, though: they’re all watching to see what you do next because, as in the new memoir, A Wild and Precious Life by Edie Windsor with Joshua Lyon, someone’s got to be first. There was never any doubt that little Edie Schlain was fiercely adored. The youngest child of the family, Edie grew up wanting to be like her big sister, protected by her big brother, and the apple of her parents’ eyes. She admits that she was “spoiled” then, not in a bad way but just enough to give her the confidence and brass a child of the Depression might need.

Edie Windsor

She remembered the beginning of World War II, although not in the sense that most did: her recollections were of a houseful of boys, her brother’s friends, laughing and eating and gathering in her parents’ home before going off to war, and mourning when word arrived of those who’d never come home. Edie always liked boys and as she matured, she bantered with her brother’s friends although she occasionally thought it odd how much she liked watching other girls. “The idea that anything physically intimate with a girl could happen simply did not exist,” she said. But eventually, it did, with a tennis partner in college, then with a female roommate she loved before realizing that there was “no other available reality” than to fall into lockstep with other young women of the 1950s, settle down, and marry a nice man. The marriage lasted six months. At the end, Edie, who’d convinced her husband to adapt the surname “Windsor,” realized that she needed to tell him the truth. Pondering how to tell him, she immersed herself in Judy Garland “fantasy” musicals, and

A Wild and Precious Life: A Memoir by Edie Windsor with Joshua Lyon c.2019, St. Martin’s Press $27.99 / $37.99 Canada 274 pages ENTERTAINMENT

she planned: “Guess what, Judy? I’m a lesbian.” “If you’re looking to read about Edie’s Supreme Court case, put this down …” says co-author Joshua Lyon in his preface. But don’t be too hasty: A Wild and Precious Life has enough to offer, all by itself. Indeed, though he still touches upon the fight that helped achieve marriage equality, Lyon says that Windsor “desperately wanted” readers to know about her pioneering work in computers and technology, which was a “core part of her identity” and of which she was enormously proud. In her words here, which Lyon indicates that she edited herself, Windsor also woos readers with breezy wit, racy love stories, and seemingly casual-not-casual, seminonchalant depictions of being a lesbian in the mid-twentiethcentury, and what it was like living in the shadows but flirting hard with the light. Early in this book, Lyon says he fretted about how to finish it after Windsor died, but he needn’t have worried. Though its ending feels a little rushed, A Wild and Precious Life flows perfectly and entertains delightfully, making it a book you’ll want in front of you.

Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm, lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 13,000 books. She’s been reading since age 3 and, to this day, she never goes anywhere without a book. ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

TALKING BODIES

Holiday gift guide for the athletes in your life By Tia Norris

‘T

is the season for getting together with loved ones, eating delicious holiday dishes, and of course for giving gifts, too! I’m here as your resident fitness expert to make the gift giving process easy, at least for the athletic types in your life! Included below are some popular fitness pursuits, and gift ideas for each type ranging from stocking stuffers to splurges. Athlete: Runner Stocking stuffers: - Quality running socks. Don’t underestimate the beating a runner’s feet take during long training sessions. Take into consideration the level of cushioning your recipient prefers (minimal to maximal), the height of sock on the foot/calf (no-show to full compression), and the ability to wick moisture and keep feet dry. A runner’s feet are their most important asset.

weightlifting chalk on Amazon, and your Gym Rat will no doubt thank you on those tough, heavy sets! - Protein shakes or supplements of choice. Supplements are critical for many athletes, and they certainly aren’t cheap. Find out what your special weightlifter likes and stock them up! Solid bets: - New gym shoes. Who doesn’t need a little more flash and/or function for their gym routines? Check out Nike, NoBull, Converse, and other popular brands to help your weightlifter to look sharp and lift hard. - A gym bag. We all need a well-designed gym bag with plenty of pockets to hold all of our tools, supplements, clothes, and toiletries. This is a gift they’ll use frequently and for a long time.

- Visors and hats. Hats keep runners shaded, cool, and free from sweat dripping in their eyes and face … they’re essential.

- New clothes specially designed for temperature control. Plain ol’ cotton tees just don’t cut it when it comes to serious running. There are specially designed clothes for all conditions, and the more extreme the temperature swings, the more important it is to have the right gear. Splurges: - New running shoes. Shoes are the most important part of all running equipment. This may require some dialogue between you and your special person to figure out their unique needs, but shoes can be a difference maker for any runner! Prices range from $100-$300 for the best pairs on the market. - Entry into a destination race. Buy your person’s race entry and surprise them with a trip and a reason to keep training. Athlete: Gym Rat Stocking stuffers: - Liquid weightlifting chalk. Every weightlifter needs a grip of steel, but many gyms do not allow traditional weightlifting chalk because of the mess it makes. Search for liquid 68

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ECHOMAG.COM

- A good bike cleaning or tune-up. Triathletes are notorious for dirty, dirty bikes … treat your person of choice with a visit to the local bike shop for a cleaning, tune-up, and equipment upgrade. Splurge: - New Garmin or sport watch. Triathletes live and die by their watches — we’re constantly watching cadence, watts, splits, and heart rate. If your loved one is due for an upgrade, this is a gift that will certainly help them go the distance and perform at their very best. - New triathlon kit. Kits are expensive but necessary — check out which brands and styles your special person likes and hook them up with a new look. Athlete: Yogi Stocking stuffers: - Yoga mat and/or shoulder strap. This is one of the only pieces of equipment a yogi needs, so you can be sure that they’ll be using it constantly.

Solid bets: - Hydration backpacks, bottles, or belts. Hydration is a must, and investing in a well-made, durable hydration system is critical for serious runners. I personally prefer a hydration backpack for most runs, but also frequently use a running belt with bottles for shorter or cooler runs. Still, some runners prefer handheld bottles that slide over the hand for effortless carrying.

long, grueling training sessions. There are plenty of options on the market and your triathlete will use these on every bike and run for years to come.

Splurges: - A personal training package. Many gym goers can benefit from working with a coach, but simply can’t afford the premium. This is a gift that will pay dividends for years and decades to come. - A massage package or a TheraGun. Everyone needs massages, but so few actually make the time or the investment to follow through on them. Treat your athlete with a little bit of self-care and recovery. Athlete: Triathlete Stocking stuffers: - Supplements of choice. Similar to the Gym Rats above, every triathlete has their magic concoction of powders, pills, bars, gels, and chews that help them perform at their best. Find out what they like and refill their supply! - Swim accessories like swimming paddles, flip flops, and sunscreen. - Bike accessories like new bottles, tubes, and cartridges. Solid bet: - Bluetooth wireless headphones or AirPods. Wireless headphones are a must for those

- Membership to a meditation/ mindfulness app. Sometimes, a guided meditation can provide the perfect reset during a stressful time. There are plenty of highly reviewed, highly effective meditation apps out there — this would be the perfect gift for your yogi-type athlete. Solid bets: - Membership to a new studio or membership package. Every instructor is different, and every style of yoga offers unique benefits … how about surprising your yogi with a new experience at a new location? - Décor around the house that matches the yogi style. Think: Bonsai plants, Buddha figures, wall decorations, tapestries, and more. Splurges: a destination retreat. This one speaks for itself. There are a myriad of these types of extended retreats, especially around Phoenix/Sedona. A thoughtful and useful gift can last for years and can also be a heartfelt reminder to the recipient of you, with each use. And remember, you have to give gifts without expecting anything in return. Happy Holidays and enjoy your shopping. Tia Norris is the president and head trainer at FitPro, LLC, a local fitness company. Find out more at fitprollc.com. HEALTH & FITNESS

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NOVEMBER 2019

NOT THAT YOU ASKED

few entities like Echo. Some of the nation’s largest cities have had terrific LGBT newspapers, featuring top-notch writing. A few still do. But there were only a few like Echo: slick, professional magazines with relevant news and features and terrific community support. That’s a testament to the vision of our founder, Bill Orovan, and the folks he trusted to see it through. Speaking of those folks, it has been an honor to be connected to this cadre of community members. For some, working at Echo was their entry into the community and the workforce; others brought a generation of experience to the office. Many served as volunteers and officers with various community organizations. We played in gays sports leagues and acted in local gay theater. Several of us worked part-time at bars. Both Celia Putty and Barbra Seville staffed the front desk at different times. All of us acted as resources for and unofficial ombudsmen to our readership. What are my fondest memories, you ask? (Just play along.) Honestly, the regular crises were some of my favorite: a business pulls a full-page ad at the last minute; a freelancer dropped the ball with his assignment, leaving an empty hole; a celebrity decides 48 hours before we go to the printer that she doesn’t want to appear on the cover after all.

Celebrating a Flirty Thirty By Buddy Early

appy 30th Anniversary to Echo Magazine!

I had to get that out of the way immediately; otherwise, I’d forget the same way I do on Facebook, which leads to an ambush months later by someone who was “seriously disappointed” that I didn’t extend a birthday greeting on their page. My first day at Echo was a Saturday. On January 15, 2001, I spent the day with Bruce Christian, the outgoing managing editor, and Liz Massey, who was taking over that job. Bruce showed us his process for creating the thumbnails — basically, a layout of where all the stories and ads will go in the upcoming issue. Bruce and Liz had journalism educations and backgrounds, but I was just a writer. I mean, I did earn my journalism stripes as editor of my high school paper (Go Buffaloes!), but I was green when it came to the real deal. I learned a great deal during my years

NOVEMBER 2019

ECHOMAG.COM

at Echo, and my time at the magazine included serving as managing editor from 2003 through 2007. I ended up having a 12-year career in gay media, in what was probably the best time to be working in that niche. There was never a lack of news to report; our nation was in that space where the fight for acceptance and equality had gained mainstream support, people were less afraid to come out and participate in the community, laws were changing … and yet there remained just enough people who still hated us and reliably would fight against our equality to keep things interesting. (I have to admit, my job would have been way less exciting without the haters.) The fraternity of LGBT publications has dwindled in the two decades since I started at Echo. If you had asked me along the way if I though Echo would be among those still producing today, I would’ve said “hell yes!” You see, there have been very

I also enjoyed the occasions when I wrote under pseudonyms — Andrew Toney, a shooting guard for the 1980s Philadelphia 76ers, and Tiffany Wells, the forgettable angel from the second-to-last season of Charlie’s Angels. Our annual Pride issues were always my favorite, as well as the accompanying themed floats we spent way too much time on. (The Desperate Drag Queens feature, photo shoot and parade entry stand out in my mind.) I even remember fondly the time some dude walked into the building, marched upstairs to my office, and doused me with a bottle of water. So many things have changed — for Echo, our community and Arizona. For better or for worse, mostly better. Together we’ve accomplished a lot. Together we’ll accomplish a lot more. Here’s to another 30 years! Buddy Early grew up in Tempe and has been involved in various communities across the Valley since. He is a former managing editor of both Echo Magazine and Compete Magazine. COMMUNITY

Dorian Electra

Sept. 27 at Stacy's @ Melrose, Phoenix. Photos by nightfuse.com.

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AD HERE! For details, call 602-266-0550. For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2019-photos OUT & ABOUT

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NOVEMBER 2019

HISTORY

ago to raise funds for a gravestone (an eBay auction to support the cause and the History Project can be found on Phoenix Pride’s website) and has signed a deal with the cemetery to allow its placement. “For me, reading that story, it was full of such intrigue and in some ways such betrayal,” Marshall told me, not 100 percent certain the lack of a marker is an accidental or intentional slight — but mostly sure it was the latter. “When you look at things now, and how (our country is) trying to erase people … that’s what this is.” It wasn’t easy. According to Marshall, you can’t just call a cemetery and tell them you want to put a grave marker at an unmarked grave. There are protocols to follow, and only after it was determined there is no family that might object, Greenwood Cemetery gave the thumbs up.

The Past I Heard …

Nicolai de Raylan: Arizona’s first trans pioneer? By Buddy Early

o celebrate Echo’s 30th birthday, this year I will be catching up with some of Arizona’s LGBT personalities from past and present to revisit the people, places and events that helped shape our community. There is a common misconception that the existence of trans individuals is a new phenomenon, a product of the 21st century. The truth is people have been living their true genders since the beginning of time — but keeping a, well, incredibly low profile, to put it mildly. In Arizona, we know that trans individuals have lived among us for at least a century. Marshall Shore, The Hip Historian and coordinator of Arizona’s LGBTQ+ History Project, was blindsided by the story of Nikolai de Raylan when a friend doing research for the site Find a Grave tipped him off. As Marshall is wont to do, he quickly became preoccupied with learning more about Nicolai, and adding him to his agenda for the History Project. Chicago resident and Ukrainian-born Nicolai Constantinovich De Raylan had been living in Chicago, serving as secretary to the Russian consul. Born

NOVEMBER 2019

ECHOMAG.COM

in 1873 and assigned the name Anna Terletsky, Nicolai was likely a descendant of Russian nobility. In order to stake a claim to his father’s fortune, legend has it, Anna set off to authorities that he was actually a boy who had been raised, illegally, as a girl by her mother. Cut to 1906 Chicago, where Nicolai resided with his second wife and stepson. Nicolai headed west for a monthlong stay in Arizona, a doctor-prescribed excursion to help cure him of tuberculosis. It was no cure; Nicolai died December 18 in a Phoenix hotel room. With his wife still in Chicago, Nicolai’s body was being prepared for burial when a surprising discovery was made: Nicolai had a vagina. There is so much more to this story, and the details make it ripe for a Hollywood screenplay. This is where Marshall Shore comes in. Presently, Nicolai’s body lies in an unmarked grave inside Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery on west Van Buren Street. Marshall thought this man deserved better and deserved to be known. He set out just under two years

A ceremony will be held at the cemetery on November 16, at which time a grave marker that is simple and appropriate for the time period will be placed. It will have a solid base and an above-ground piece with Nicolai’s name, birth and death years, and the following quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” Marshall said it will be small affair, with a handful of people and a few speakers. But the significance of this small affair cannot be measured. The recognition of a man’s life lived, like any of ours, is not too much to ask. To mark Nicolai’s existence in this way, even a century later, is to honor him in a way The Arizona Republic would not. The newspaper’s headline read “A Man in Lifetime, a Woman in Death.” (While that headline was not out of line for a time when gender identification and pronouns were not a big deal, it’s still nice to be able to correct things the best we can.) By the way, if you’re wondering what happened to Nicolai’s modest fortune, it wasn’t awarded to his second or even his first wife. Those marriages were both left null and void by the courts after the revelation of Nicolai’s “down theres.” It was Nicolai’s mother, Seraphina Terletsky, back in Russia, who inherited Nicolai’s estate of $3,124 — the equivalent of about $81,000 today. But it’s Arizona’s LGBTQ+ History Project that inherits the legacy of the man. Buddy Early grew up in Tempe and has been involved in various communities across the Valley since. He is a former managing editor of both Echo Magazine and Compete Magazine. COMMUNITY COMMUNITY

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FEBRUARY 2018

Find out where at echomag.com/ pick-us-up.

ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

PHOENIX BARS 18

21 4 24

15 9

14 25

5th

32nd St.

23 19 2

e. Av

1 13 22

11 3

10 *MAP IS NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

NOVEMBER 2019

ECHOMAG.COM

ANVIL

2424 E. Thomas Road

602-334-1462

M, D, L

BAR 1

3702 N. Sixteenth St.

602-266-9001

M, E, N

BLISS/ReBAR

901 N. Fourth St.

602-795-1792

MF, N, R

BOYCOTT BAR

4301 N. Seventh Ave.

602-515-3667

MF, D, E

BS WEST

7125 E. Fifth Ave., Scottsdale

480-945-9028

MF, D, E

BUNKHOUSE

4428 N. Seventh Ave.

602-200-9154

M, L, N

CARAVAN TAP ROOM

4835 N. Fifteenth Ave.

602-592-9386

MF, E, N

CHARLIE’S

727 W. Camelback Road

602-265-0224

M, E, D

11 9

CRUISIN’ 7TH

3702 N. Seventh St.

602-212-9888

M, E, N

2 10

DICK’S CABARET

3432 E. Illini St.

602-274-3425

11 13

FEZ

105 W. Portland St.

602-287-8700

MF, R

12 14

FLEX SPAS PHOENIX

1517 S. Black Canyon Highway

602-271-9011

M, A

15 13

KARAMBA NIGHTCLUB

1724 E. McDowell Road

602-254-0231

D, E

14 16

KOBALT

3110 N. Central Ave., Ste. 175

602-264-5307

MF, E, N

17 15

LOS DIABLOS

1028 E. Indian School Road

602-795-7881

MF, N, R

16 18

NU TOWNE SALOON

5002 E. Van Buren St.

602-267-9959

M, L, N

17 19

OFF CHUTE TOO

4115 N. Seventh Ave.

602-274-1429

MF, A

20 18

OZ BAR

1804 W. Bethany Home Road

602-242-5114

MF, N

21 19

PLAZMA

1560 E. Osborn Road

602-266-0477

MF, E, N

22 20

ROYAL VILLA INN

4312 N. Twelfth St.

602-266-6883

M, A

23 21

STACY’S @ MELROSE

4343 N. Seventh Ave.

602-264-1700

MF, D, N

24 22

THE CASH NIGHTCLUB AND LOUNGE

1730 E. McDowell Road

(602) 244-9943

F, D, N

25 23

THE CHUTE

1440 E. Indian School Road

602-234-1654

M, A

27 24

THE ROCK

4129 N. Seventh Ave.

602-248-8559

MF, E, N

25 28

2601 ON CENTRAL

2601 N. Central Ave.

602-466-2074

MF, E, R

MAP CODES: M F MF

Mostly Males Mostly Females Mixed Male/Female

A Adult Retail & Accomodations D Dance Club E Entertainment (Karaoke, Drag)

L N R

Leather/Bears Neighborhood Bar Restaurant

ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

BAR SPECIALS

Pose: The Competition

Sept. 29 at The Rock, Phoenix. Photos by nightfuse.com.

BUNKHOUSE S HH and $1 Drafts all day. Indian Fry Bread M T W T F S

with Joe Jackson Thames 12 p.m. - 9 p.m., Live Jazz with Kenny Thames 7:30 - 10 2-4-1 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., HH 2 - 8 p.m., Pool tournament 9 p.m. 2-4-1 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., HH 2 - 8 p.m. 2-4-1 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., HH 2 - 8 p.m., Karaoke 9 p.m.-close 2-4-1 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., HH 2 - 8 p.m., Underwear/Gear night $1 off drinks if in gear or underwear 8-close, WMW dancers 10-12 2-4-1 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., HH 2 - 8 p.m. $2.50 Miller 8- close 2-4-1 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., HH 2 - 8 p.m., $2.50 Bud 8 - close

CHARLIE’S S Super HH 4 - 7 p.m., $3 pitchers; $3 Long

Islands open - close

M 2 - 8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles,

T W

T F

$3 pitchers; 8 p.m.-close, 1/2 off drinks for wearing underwear, $3 Jack Daniels 2 - 8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 2-4-1 cocktails & beer 8 p.m - close 2 -8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; $3 Three 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; HH 7 - 9 p.m.; $1 well & domestics, $1 drafts 10 p.m. - midnight Noon - 7 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestics; HH 7 - 9 p.m.; $1 well & domestics, $3 Absolut & Bacardi 10 p.m. - midnight

STACY’S @ MELROSE S $1.50 Rolling Rock & Wells, open - 7 p.m.;

M T W T F

Showtime 7 - 10 p.m.; $1 Rolling Rock & Wells; $2.50 Bud Light; $3 Fireball shots 7 p.m. - Close; Happy Hours 10 p.m. - close Happy Hours; $2.50 Rolling Rock all day Happy Hours; $5 Martinis & $2.50 Rolling Rock all day 2-4-1 all day*; *no shots Happy Hours 4 - 8 p.m.; $1.50 Rolling Rock & Wells 8 p.m. - midnight Happy Hours 4 - 8 p.m.; $2.50 Rolling Rock all day; $2.50 Bud Light, $4.50 Pinnacle vodka & Fireball 8 p.m. - close Happy Hours 4 - 8 p.m.; $2.50 Rolling Rock all day; $2.50 Bud Light, $4.50 Pinnacle vodka & Fireball 8 p.m. - close NOVEMBER 2019

ECHOMAG.COM

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2019-photos OUT & ABOUT

ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

Mr. Prime Beef

Sept. 21 at Bunkhouse, Phoenix. Photos by Gregg Edelman.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2019-photos.

NOVEMBER 2019

ECHOMAG.COM

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ECHOMAG.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY Please support our advertisers who help keep Echo free

ACCOUNTANTS/ TAX PREPARATION

Arizona Opera

Bobbi Ryals, HomeSmart

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Beneﬁts Arizona

Edward Vasquez, Allstate

Community Tire Pros & Auto Repair

MARKETING

BARS & CLUBS

GPGLCC

Bunkhouse

Charlie’s Phoenix

9, 83

Stacy’s @ Melrose

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MORTGAGES

Encanto Family Dental Care

PET SERVICES

My Dentist

Pet Pals

Open Wide Dental

PHARMACIES EDUCATION

CVS specialty Pharmacy

Maricopa County Community

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EVENTS

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Arizona Broadway Theatre

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ECHOMAG.COM

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To find out more about advertising in Echo, call 602-266-0550 82

SALONS

CAN Community Health

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Echo Magazine - Arizona LGBTQ Lifestyle - Nov 2019

Articles inside

Two Diving Lost Souls descent on Scottsdale