n Make your day trip an historic experience, Page 3 n Erie dancer graces national magazine cover, Page 7
January, 2009
Volume 1, Issue 3
Penn State course offers students an historical view of love and sex By John Champagne Special to The Community Voice
Two years ago, I began teaching at Penn State Erie, the Behrend College a course called “The Philosophy of Love and Sex.” At Behrend, the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, I had previously taught courses that dealt with pornography and HIV, but such classes were focused exclusively on contemporary concerns. Having recently read an interesting book on sodomy in Renaissance Florence— Michael Rocke’s Forbidden Friendships-- I was anxious to challenge both myself and my students to try to situate our current thinking about love and sex in the broader context of Western philosophy. Plus, the course would allow me to make use of some of my training in Gay and Lesbian Studies—a subject I write on but do not have much occasion to teach, given that Penn State does not yet have a program in Sexuality Studies. The course has since become one of my favorites. The students are genuinely interested in the topic, and they have proved generous in their
Contributed photo The art of ancient Greece often carries homoerotic images. The nude male figure is prominent on urns, plates and in statuary. These themes are part of the discussion that takes place in ‘The Philosophy of Love and Sex’ course being taught at Penn State Erie. willingness to read challenging ideas and to refrain from shaming those whose sexual desires may be different from their own. Because it is a philosophy course, we concentrate primarily on reading closely a series of works in the Western tradition. Of course, sometimes the discussion bleeds over into other disciplines such
as history and sociology, but what we share as a class is the work we have read together, so our project is really to interpret that work as closely as we can, and then respond to it in some way, ultimately using it to think about our own fantasies, fears, values and ethics concerning love and sex. We tackle our topic chrono-
logically, beginning with the Jewish and Christian scriptures. While most students have some familiarity with the Bible, the majority have never read it closely, and so they are shocked when they read of Lot offering the virginity of his daughters to the men of Sodom, or when his daughters in turn seduce him! Given that this is not a Religious Studies class, I do not spend a lot of time providing historical explanations of the Scriptures, but even without a knowledge of the theological debates, you can sense—if you read the Bible closely-- that the sin of Sodom may have actually been that of inhospitality, and that the scriptural injunctions against homosexual behavior in Leviticus and Deuteronomy seem to be more about the Jews differentiating themselves from pagan peoples—and their temple prostitutes of both sexes—than same sex love as we think of it today. Of course, it also depends upon the translation of the Bible you are reading. I ask the students to choose a transSee Course
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January, 2009
The Community Voice
‘Allow me to introduce...’ Two distinguished gentlemen – then and now by Kathy Czarnecki The Community Voice
Then Throughout history there are countless LGBT people who have contributed to enhancing our lives through many different media. And we are ever grateful to them, both historically and today, for their contributions. There are also T h e
C o m m u n i t y
The Community Voice is a monthly newsletter published by Erie Gay Pride, Inc. and four29media. The newsletter is designed to present news, features and other content of interest to the Erie regional GLBT community, its supporters and friends. If you have items to submit for publication consideration, please email them to content@ eriecv.org or mail them to The Community Voice, Erie Gay Pride, Inc., P.O. Box 8027, Erie, PA 16505. CoEditors: Kim Young and Bob Howden.
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many who have graced us with their presence in the arts. Their work is entertaining to watch, their passion for what they do, and for some, who they are, is unmistakable. This month I would like to introduce to you, if only by way of an article, two people; men whose passion for dance shaped the course of their lives, one from history and one from present day. Merce Cunningham was born April 16, 1919. He received his first formal dance and theatre training at the Cornish School in Seattle. For seven years he was a featured soloist in the dance company of Martha Graham. In April 1944, he presented his first New York solo concert with fellow dancer, John Cage, who later became his romantic partner until Cage’s death in 1992. The Merce Cunningham Dance Company began in the summer of 1953. Since that time it is estimated that he has choreographed nearly 200 works for his company. In 2003, the Merce Cunninghan Dance Company celebrated its 50th anniversary. It began with a performance at the Lincoln Center in New York, and ended in the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He has received several awards and honors throughout
his dancing career, including the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, the Handel Medallion, National Medal of Arts (with John Cage posthumously in 1993), Nellie Cornish Arts Achievement Award from his alma mater, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 1985. Though nearing 90 and no longer able to dance, Merce Cunningham is still busy as he continues to choreograph with the aid of computer software. “Our ec-
stasy in dance comes from the possible gift of freedom, the exhilarating moment that this exposing of the bare energy can give us. What is meant is not license, but freedom…” Merce Cunningham Now Born in Butler County Pennsylvania on November 17 “a long time ago,” John Daly King also has a long and distinguished career in dance. He was born in his great, great grandmother’s house, and due to being a little early, was whisked away to the hospital with his mother in a horse drawn sleigh (She thought he would arrive at Christmas). His father was a trouble shooter for the Walgreens chain, so moving every nine months or so was not uncommon for John, something that would serve him later in life traveling for live performances. Early in life he was diagnosed with a heart murmur so he took up dance to help keep his heart healthy. He was also able to see his first live performance of ballet at a young age and “that was it for me.” Educated at the Boston Conservancy of Music, he holds a degree in dance. John said he knew at See King
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The Community Voice
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Bob Howden/The Community Voice The Mechanicsville Road covered bridge in Ashtabula County was built in 1867 and is believed to be the oldest covered bridge in the county. It was completely renovated in 2003.
Exploring covered bridges turns day trip into an historic experience By Bob Howden The Community Voice
Call me old fashioned or maybe just sentimental, but I’ve always had a fascination and deep appreciation for covered bridges. I find their architecture, picturesque locations and true Americana spirit captivating. Like so many area residents, I was heart-sick when the historic Gudgeonville covered bridge near Girard was destroyed by arsonists. The covered bridge is an endangered species in this country, and the structures that remain today, most dating back to the 1800s, deserve special care and recognition. With the loss of the Gudgeonville bridge, only two covered bridges remain in Erie County. Fortunately, our neighbors to the west in Ashtabula County, Ohio, have come to recognize the important role these structures can play in the local economy. Ashtabula
County is home to 17 covered bridges – so many in fact that the county has an annual Covered Bridge Festival the second weekend in October to celebrate these true majestic structures (and the tourists that they attract). The approach Ashtabula County takes toward its covered bridges is quite different from most locales, where government entities struggle to preserve and restore the existing structures. Not only does Ashtabula County protect its historic covered bridges, it builds new ones. In fact, in the past 10 years, two new covered bridges have been added to the county’s landscape. Instead of ugly concrete slabs carrying vehicles over country streams, these two new bridges (built to accommodate modern traffic) add charm to the rural landscape. The newest structure, the SmolenGulf Covered Bridge, was completed
and opened to traffic in October. It crosses the Ashtabula River near Interstate 90 and Route 11, and at 613 feet in length, it is the longest covered bridge in the United States. Traveling through the Ashtabula County countryside and viewing some of these bridges makes a great day trip. You can even obtain maps of the bridge locations with driving routes marked so you can easily locate the structures. Visit www.coveredbridgefestival.org to obtain information about all of the bridges and to order driving maps online. As you tour this website, it’s easy to see that Ashtabula County views its covered bridges as an economic asset worth preserving and marketing. So, why are covered bridges, covered? Didn’t this add considerable expense and time to the construction? See Day trip
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The Community Voice
New Music
And the beat goes on... By DJ Sparkplug The beat really does go on with all the great new music out there! Hey everybody, I hope you are heading for a great holiday enjoying some great music! This month has some really hot releases and new songs. First off, I gotta say, Donna Summer is still HOT! After all these years, she’s still cranking out the hits. First it was “I’m A Fire,” then she released another big hit, “Stamp Your Feet” and now, her third release off her new hit album Crayons is “Fame (The Game). And of course, you know there are some really awesome remixes out there. Ralphi Rosario’s remix is of course a very popular one. There’s also some other great remixes by Dave Aude and newcomer Dan Chase who turns this track into a funky Electro big room stormer! Be sure and check them out.
Of course by now, everyone knows Britney has once again cranked out another super hit with the popular playing “Womanizer” song in clubs everywhere! But now it seems she’s really in the spotlight with the “Circus.” No clowning around, this song is going to be playing in all the Big Tops everywhere! She can sure belt out a carnival of new hits!
Another very hot new song is by an all time great, Anastacia. This one is called “I Can Feel You” and just wait until you hear the Max Sanna & Steve Pitron Club Mix! Actually the whole album Heaven Rotation is really great! If you like really great vocals, don’t forget to listen to Viola Wills with her new song “Dare to Dream.” The mix by Jake Benson is really cool. Something a little different but totally club music is by Sam Taylor Wood, “I’m In Love With A German Film Star.” It’s a hard to find a single produced and remixed by the Pet Shop Boys. Don’t forget that as I mentioned last month, Kristine W has a great Christmas album out which is just perfect for this time of the year! I hope you all have a great Christmas and New Year and hope you are looking forward to a new year coming up with some great new club music!
Book Review
Take me home for the holidays By Twila Home for the Holidays by Mavis Applewater poses one big question: can young love survive? The two main characters here are Tessa and Lindsay. They started their relationship at the tender age of 16 and go through many trials and tribulations. Surprising enough though, their parents are not the cause of this turmoil. Through the young years together, they endure a lot of petty fights and arguments, the worst coming during their senior year of college. This was the cause of a break-up, and after not seeing
each other for 10 years, things start to change. Tessa’s mother calls and asks if Tessa can please pick Lindsay up and bring her for Thanksgiving, as she has no one else to spend it with. Tessa argues with her mother and tries to get out of doing this, but as we all know, Mother knows best. So, to please everyone, she picks up Lindsay, brings her home for the holiday, and ends up sharing her bed with her. Neither girl is overly thrilled with this situation, but decides to be mature about it. After deciding to get to
know each other again, they come to the conclusion that maybe they could give each other another chance at love. Between two sets of interfering parents, a crazy homicidal, ex-girlfriend, and the last 10
years, this new start is sure to be a struggle. But as we all know, everything worth having is worth fighting for. Root for the good guys [girls] is this fast read. And HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
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January, 2009
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Documentary receives funding from Sundance film program By Bob Howden The Community Voice
The Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program has announced that Out in the Silence is one of 20 film projects awarded financial and creative support from the Sundance Documentary Fund. Highlighted in last month’s issue of The Community Voice, the documentary produced by Joe Wilson and Dean Hamer, deals with the issues of homosexuality, diversity and tolerance in rural America. The aim of Out in the Silence is to expand public awareness about the difficulties that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people face in rural and small town America and to promote dialogue that will help people on all sides of the issues find common ground. In a doubling of the numbers of projects submitted, nearly 800 filmmakers working in more than 70 countries submitted projects to the Sundance Institute DocuKing, from
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an age as early as five that he was gay. Meeting his first partner Bill in New York, they moved to Europe and lived there for six years. Both felt it was easier to live there as gay men then it would have been in America, especially at that time. They lived together until Bill passed away a short time later. He met his next partner, Chuck, as they were discussing where they were from, and 38 years later, they were still together. It was amusing to each that they were actually both from Erie. They lived in Erie, raised two children, and celebrated their relationship in a commitment ceremony
mentary Film Program. The awardees include six first-time feature documentary filmmakers, complemented by national and international award winners. The Sundance Documentary Film Program supports U.S. and international documentary filmmakers exploring the critical issues of our times in documentaries with cinematic potential. Out in the Silence received its award in the category “Production/Post Production” and according to Wilson, the funds will be used to help finish the final editing and production work on the film. “The films funded in this round tell stories of perseverance and dignity in the face of our world’s greatest contemporary challenges,” said Cara Mertes, Director of the Sundance Documentary Film Program. “From journalists and lawyers who take on international war criminals, to a small American town confronting its own homophobia, nonfiction storytellers are leading us down new paths as we search
in May of 1963. When asked what made their relationship so successful, John said they had their “moments” like any couple, but mainly they respected each other and just never entertained the thought of not sharing the rest of their lives together. He spoke of Chuck with great care, and shared that he passed away seven years ago in 2001. His career in dance moved John across the country from New York to San Francisco seven times in what he called the ‘bus and truck,’ which means going on tour. He also traveled from Chicago to New Orleans four times. His major career accomplishments were being named to the New York Public Library
for common ground.” The Sundance Institute Documentary Fund is a core activity of Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program, which provides year-round creative support to nonfiction filmmakers through creative Labs, work-in-progress screenings, Program staff and advisor consultations and artist-to-artist community. Proposals are accepted prior to deadlines twice a year, and submissions are judged on their approach to storytelling, artistic treatment and innovation, subject relevance and potential for social engagement. The Sundance Institute Documentary Program considers projects in the Development and Production/Post-Production phases. The film selection is juried by creative film professionals and human rights experts. Out in the Silence is scheduled to be aired on Public Broadcasting stations in Pennsylvania in 2009.
Professional Dance Archives at the age of 29, a wonderful honor. He also danced before an audience of 28,000 people in Montreal in a production of Othello. In addition, he danced and choreographed for the Chautauqua Dance Company for a number of years. Today he works as a dance instructor teaching ballroom and ballet. John believes there is still a lot of work to be done in the LGBT community and dreams of one day having a house where gay and lesbian teens can come for shelter, food, medical care and emotional support. “Every day there are between 45 and 65 kids on the streets of Erie,” he said, “and they are there because of their
sexual orientation. Approximately 33% of teen suicide or attempted suicide is because they just feel they have nowhere to go and no one to talk to about being gay, or no way to deal with the thoughts and feelings that they even might be,” he said. John has been a member of the Erie Gay Pride, Inc. board of directors for two years. “I have been very blessed,” John said. “God gave me the gift of dance, and he gave me a profession where it was not uncommon or unacceptable to be gay. I was free to move around in a world that accepted me and could do what I had a passion for at the same time. I have loved every moment of it.”
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Erie dancer graces cover of national magazine When you glance at the cover of the current issue of Instinct magazine, you can’t help but be captivated by the photo of the handsome young man sitting in a row of theater seats. Then you notice the caption under the photo: Broadway’s Golden Boy Nick Adams Flexes His Musical Muscle. Yes, they are talking about Erie’s own Nick Adams. The cover article’s title, Singular Sensation, of course refers to Adams’ role in Day trip, from
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These are a lot of theories and stories offered on this topic. Some say the coverings kept horses from being “spooked” while crossing an open stream. Other theories are that the bridges provided shelter for people and animals caught in a storm when traveling. And of course, they were perfect for providing romantic opportunities to steal a kiss. No doubt these are all side benefits of a covered bridge. The real answer however, is to protect the bridge against the weather. Covered wooden bridges last about three times as long as bridges exposed to the elements, thus reducing bridge maintenance costs. When you consider that most of the nation’s covered bridges are located in the Northeast, the harsh winter climate warranted the covering of the bridges. And during the 19th and early 20th century, very few bridges built were not covered. Covered bridges are picturesque in any season. Whether covered in snow, surrounded by autumn foliage or spring wildflowers,
the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line. While much of the article deals with that dancing performance and his relationship with the show’s star, Mario Lopez, Adams also talks about his other ventures including his modeling work in the 2008 2(x)ist underwear campaign and his upcoming film debut in An Englishman in New York, an movie about gay icon Quentin Crisp. “Adams got his taste of the limelight in Erie, Pennsyl-
vania, which boasts a thriving artistic community,” the Instinct article reads. Adams speaks fondly of his life as a “skinny kid” in Erie who took advantage of any opportunity to perform. He also praises his family for encouraging him to follow his dreams that have taken him to such success at the age of 25. And he notes that coming out to his family was not a problem. “It was incredibly easy. It wasn’t a huge shock,” he says in the article.
What’s next for Nick Adams? He will return to the Broadway stage this spring, performing in the new revival of the hit musical Guys and Dolls. If you don’t subscribe to Instinct, run out, buy a copy and read all about Nick Adams (and did I mention the hot photos?). It’s not everyday that a gay man from Erie, Pennsylvania graces the cover of a national magazine!
Completed in October 2008, the Smolen-Gulf covered bridge is Ashtabula County’s newest covered bridge. It is also the longest covered bridge in the United States. The snowstorm conjures up visions of horsedrawn sleighs. they make great photo opportunities. So get you map, grab your camera and heard across the state line for an interesting day trip.
Bob Howden/The Community Voice
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National News Notes . . .
Iowa takes up gay marriage issue
Iowa could become the first Midwestern state to legalize same-sex marriage, as the state’s Supreme Court heard arguments about whether the state’s 10-year-old law defining a “valid” marriage as only “between a male and female” violates the Iowa Constitution’s guarantees of equal treatment and due process. In the case of Varnum v. Brien, a trial court judge ruled last year that the law was unconstitutional and that a dozen gay men and women had been wrongly denied marriage licenses in Polk County, which includes the state capital, Des Moines. The state appealed the ruling, leading to the current Supreme Court case. During arguments held earlier this month, the court’s justices grilled both sides, repeatedly interrupting the lawyers, demanding that they clearly define and defend their positions. In his lower-court ruling, which found for the gay plaintiffs, Judge Robert Hanson of the 5th Judicial District was sweeping in his dismissal of the state’s claims that heterosexual marriage was bolstered by an exclusionary definition. “The law is extremely over-inclusive in its attempt to strengthen heterosexual marriage and procreation by preventing an entire distinct group of individuals - homosexuals - from marrying,” Hanson wrote. Hanson said that Iowa law already allowed gay couples to adopt children, and that of the more than 5,800 same-sex couples in the state, 37 percent were rearing children under age 18. Laws barring same-sex marriage have been struck down by state courts in Massachusetts, in 2004, and in Connecticut and California this year. But public attitudes have not entirely kept pace with those legal shifts. Voters in
January, 2009
three states approved same-sex marriage bans in elections last month, including in California, where they essentially nullified the top state court’s ruling by passing an amendment to the state Constitution. The legality of that vote is currently being challenged in the state courts.
Businesses receive anti-gay hate mail
Businesses in the Elmwood Village section of Buffalo received anonymous anti-gay hate mail recently and city officials are investigating the matter. No one is sure who sent the letters, but city human rights officials believe it may be linked to a recent weekly newspaper’s guide listing local businesses that support homosexual rights. Many of those same businesses received the letter criticizing their support of gays and lesbians, and threatening to boycott their business. “I was hurt. I was angry. I was afraid,” said Michael Gillis, co-owner of Elmwood Framing and Interiors on Elmwood Avenue. “This is how I make my living.” Gillis said a number of businesses received the letter, which arrived the day before Thanksgiving, but most business owners are too afraid to speak out. For that reason and others, city officials are taking the letter’s threatening language seriously and have opened an investigation in hopes of finding out who wrote it. “It seems like someone is targeting the Elmwood Village area and the gay and lesbian community,” said Crystal J. Rodriquez, executive director of the Commission on Citizens’ Rights and Community Relations. Rodriquez said the letters may be linked to a holiday shopping guide in Artvoice, a local weekly newspaper. The guide listed businesses that support gay and
lesbian rights. “I want the person who wrote this letter to know that we don’t tolerate this type of thing in Buffalo,” Rodriquez said. For Gillis, there was one encouraging consequence to the whole affair. A large number of people — judges, lawyers, ministers and more than a few customers — made a point of calling him to offer their sympathy and support. “One nut case,” he said, “made me realize what a great place Buffalo is.”
Leader resigns after backing unions
An outspoken voice in conservative Christian politics has resigned from the National Association of Evangelicals following a radio interview in which he voiced support for same-sex civil unions and said he is “shifting” on gay marriage. The Rev. Richard Cizik made the comments on the program “Fresh Air,” broadcast on National Public Radio. The comments triggered an uproar that led to his stepping down as NAE vice president of governmental affairs. A fixture in Washington for nearly three decades, Cizik has played a key role in bringing evangelical Christian concerns to the political table. But in recent years, he earned enemies in the movement for pushing to broaden the evangelical agenda. His strongest focus was on “creation care,” arguing that evangelicals have a biblical responsibility to the environment that includes combating global warming. The Rev. Leith Anderson, who serves as NAE president, said the group is not backing away from its environmental stances. He said that Cizik’s resignation was necessary because some of his answers in the interview did not reflect NAE values and convictions.
The NAE is an umbrella group for tens of thousands of churches and organizations. Anderson said a “combination of things” Cizik said in the interview led to his downfall, including this comment on gay marriage: “I’m shifting, I have to admit. In other words, I would willingly say I believe in civil unions. I don’t officially support redefining marriage from its traditional definition, I don’t think.” Other evangelicals expressed disappointment with Cizik who said that he voted for Barack Obama in the Democratic primaries and hinted that he voted for Obama in November. Anderson said the problem wasn’t necessarily that Cizik backed Obama, but that he answered the question at all as a representative of a group that remains neutral on candidates. “He wishes he could do the interview again,” Anderson said. “I wish he could do the interview again. As we discussed it, he realized how difficult this would be and resignation was probably best for him and NAE.”
Gay band in inauguration; lesbian in administration
For the first time in history, an LGBT-identified group will march in the President’s inauguration parade Jan. 20. The Inaugural Committee said in a release that the Lesbian and Gay Band Association will have a contingent in the procession. “I am honored to invite these talented groups and individuals to participate in the Inaugural Parade,” President-elect Barack Obama said in a news release. Obama also made his first openly gay or lesbian appointment this week, naming Nancy Sutley as head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. A Hillary Clinton supporter in the primaries, she is a deputy mayor of Los Angeles.
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In your community Come enjoy a special ‘family’ Holiday Dinner
Good food, friendship and festivities will come together Sunday, Dec. 28, as PFLAG and Erie Gay Pride, Inc. sponsor a potluck Holiday Dinner. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie will be the site of the dinner which begins at 5 p.m. Turkey and ham will be prepared for all to enjoy, but since this a potluck dinner, those attending are asked to bring a dish to share with the group. Soft drinks will be provided as well. Alcohol is not permitted. This will be neutral, Holiday Dinner, not religious based, but instead a time for socialization and conversation with other “family” and friends. There is no charge to attend the dinner, but those attending are asked to make reservations so adequate preparations can be made. Reservations can be made online www. eriegaypride.org. We are also looking for volunteers to assist with this event. If you would like to assist at the dinner, email eriegaypride@ gmail.com. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie is located at 7180 Perry Highway, Erie.
G2H2 gathering set for Jan. 9 at Twelve O’ One
The monthly G2H2 (Gay Guy/Girl Happy Hour) event will be held Friday, Jan. 9, from 6-8 p.m. at the Twelve O’ One Restaurant and Wine Bar, located at 1201 State St., Erie.
G2H2 is modeled after similar “Happy Hour” groups in Pittsburgh and Cleveland that have been very successful. The event offers members of the GLBT community an opportunity to socialize, network and broaden its image in the Erie region. Some 30 people attended last month’s event at Matthews Trattoria and had an excellent time. Traditionally, G2H2 is held on the first Friday on each month, however, due to the New Years holiday, January’s event was moved to the second Friday.
Warm yourself at SafeNet’s annual Chill-E Cook-Off
Sampling chili dishes prepared by some of the best restaurants in Erie is a pretty good way to spend a cold, winter afternoon. And when that activity also benefits the SafeNet, domestic violence safety network, it makes it even better. The Brewerie at Union Station will be the site of SafeNet’s annual Chill-E Cook-Off on Sunday, Feb. 22, from 1-6 p.m. Tickets are $10. The event is being sponsored by Brewerie at Union Station and WJET-TV. As part of this year’s Chill-E Cook-Off, SafeNet is selling chances to win a limited edition lithograph of baseball great Roberto Clemente, drawn by well-known Erie sports artist Kevin-John Jobinski. This portrait was commissioned for the Major League Baseball Chuck Tanner Manager of the Year Award event in 2008. A total of 700 lithographs were
produced, of which 500 were used as premium gifts for those attending the Chuck Tanner Manager of the Year Award event in November. The remaining 200 are being used by the Clemente family to benefit the Roberto Clemente Foundation. Kevin-John worked closely with the Clemente family in producing the lithograph which carries the official seal of the Clemente Foundation. The lithograph donated to SafeNet is numbered 42/679 and carries a value of $1,500. Tickets for the lithograph are also $10 each and the winner will be selected during the Feb. 22 Chill-E CookOff. For more information about the cook-off or the lithograph drawing, call SafeNet at 455-1774.
Add your voice to The Community Voice
The Community Voice, the Erie region’s new GLBT monthly newsletter, is always looking for new volunteers and writers to help the publication serve the needs of the community. If you would be interested in helping with photography, writing articles or soliciting advertising for the publication, we are anxious to hear from you. You may email us at eriegaypride@gmail.com or call us toll free at (866) 399-3169. We welcome you input and assistance. The Community Voice is published by Erie Gay Pride, Inc. in cooperation with four29 media and all advertising proceeds go to support GLBT community efforts.
SafeNet recommends tips to keep stress low
With New Year right around the corner, everyone expects the season to be full with joy and celebration with family and friends. However, it often can bring overwhelming stress. SafeNet, Domestic Violence Safety Network recommends the following to help reduce stress: v Keep things simple. Activities that do not require excessive planning are not complicated and allow people to relax. v Focus on spending time relaxing with family and friends. Avoid over-scheduling
holiday activities and allow time to be alone. v Keep costs low and find activities that are free. Financial pressure tends to escalate family tension. Sightseeing, making home-made decorations and
enjoying television specials are little or no cost activities. v Focus on the needs of others. Inviting friends or neighbors to spend an evening can reduce tension. v Make gift giving about sharing the moment. Avoid buying expensive gifts and waiting in line for hard to get presents that will be easily purchased in January. v Avoid alcohol abuse. It can escalate family tensions. (source YWCA Family Violence Prevention Program) The 24 hour hotline for
SafeNet is 814-454-8161. SafeNet is not a homeless shelter, but a safe and confidential place specifically for men, women and children who are victims of domestic violence. From every city and township in the area, victims come to SafeNet seeking support, safety and shelter from physical abuse and threats of violence occurring at home. After more that 30 years of providing shelter and many other supportive services, SafeNet knows first-hand that there is hope and there is help.
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lation of their own, so that we can compare. It is particularly interesting when we get to the Song of Songs, a chapter that disrupts students’ ideas that the Bible is misogynist and antisex. Some of the translations and editorial commentaries, however, bend over backwards trying to prove that the chapter is not really about erotic love but rather an extended allegory about God and the church. From the Bible, we move to the Greeks, the early Christians, and then the Renaissance before tackling Freud and modern accounts. A work like Plato’s Symposium is a lot of fun to teach, as it complicates easy argument like “the Greeks accepted homosexuality” or “the Greeks frowned upon homosexuality.” First, we don’t really know how representative Plato’s ideas may have been for his time period or society. Second, Plato embraces a hierarchy of loves, some of which make room for erotic love between people of the same or opposite sex, but ultimately he is concerned that the highest kind of love not be too distracted by the delights of the physical world. One of the most difficult yet important ideas that we tackle is that homosexuality—and heterosexuality as well—are considered by many philosophers to be inventions of the 19th century. Of course, people have always had sex of a variety of kinds, but until the birth of psychology and sexology in the late 1800s, people were not categorized by their choice of sexual partners. Rather, there was sex that was
accepted by the moral authorities, and sex that was not. Everyone was thought potentially capable, however, of sinning, and so that is why, for example, it was not rare in Renaissance Florence for men—who did not marry until their late 20s—to engage in erotic play with other men. But even this erotic play was subject to informal rules and mores—for example, the “pursuer” tended to be an older man looking for someone younger with whom to satisfy his desires. Concerning lesbians, there is to my knowledge only a single reference in the ancient Western literature to women loving women sexually. We can attribute this general (though certainly not absolute) silence to the tendency in Western culture to underplay if not downright ignore the concerns and achievements of women. We end the course focusing on two contemporary issues: gay marriage and pornography. I try to expose my students to positions that they are not likely to have encountered elsewhere, and so, in the case of gay marriage, we concentrate on the argument made by author Michel Warner: that marriage is discriminatory in that it gives state approval— and benefits—to some sexual relationships while implicitly frowning upon all others. The legalization of gay marriage certainly won’t change that fact; if anything, it will reinforce the idea that marriage and only marriage can redeem sex from sin. As for pornography, we concentrate on those feminist writers who reject both censorship and the argument that
heterosexual porn causes male violence against women. Influenced by psychoanalysis, these feminists argue that the appeal of porn can only be understood in relation to fantasy, a realm that, by definition, most of us don’t want to inhabit. For these feminists, heterosexual porn, with its never flagging, engorged, male members, multi-orgasmic, always willing and available females, and scenes of group action, reveals the insecurities of heterosexual men, who are most likely in their daily lives to be concerned with their fears around male potency, their inability to sexually satisfy their wives and girlfriends, and their “homosocial” attachments—in the office, the gym, the bowling alley, etc.-- to other men. One of the central concerns of the course is precisely the complicated relationship between social and sexual power. The anti-porn feminists make the mistake of assuming that porn maps onto the real in some simple, uncomplicated way—as if viewers of porn can’t distinguish between fantasy and reality and simply try to enact everything they see on screen or in a magazine. But that suggests that the average porn viewer is a psychotic! On the other hand, we know intuitively that there is a relationship between what goes on in our beds and larger social and political issues. Until women, gays and lesbians, people of color, the poor, and all socially oppressed groups are given greater access to social power, we cannot expect our sexual relationships to be free from power imbalances. But maybe they shouldn’t be—which is of course a very different
argument from one that suggests that social power and economic resources should not be more equitably distributed. But psychoanalysis suggests that perhaps the value of sexuality is precisely its availability to be used for “play”—a necessary, vital attempt to imagine a world where we forget our own boundaries, where we can live out safely our fantasies of mastery, domination and submission, where we are no longer obligated to be one gender rather than many. As the support of fantasy, sex may help us avoid doing damage to one another in real life. This suggests that what makes sex “sexy” is precisely the risk involved—which is why safer sex education has to do more than simply tell people to just say no. We have yet to see a safer sex campaign in this country that focused on making it possible for people to admit the pleasure of risk without then resorting to unsafe behavior. What I hope my course does is help my students to make informed choices, to recognized the element of fantasy in both sex and love and to distinguish as carefully as they can between which elements of fantasy are realizable in real life and which should remain imagined, and to avoid shaming other people for what they as consenting adults choose to do. Dr. John Champagne, Associate Professor of English, will be offering “The Philosophy of Love and Sex” at Penn State Erie in the May summer evening session of 2009.
Calendar of events
The Community Voice
28
4
5
11
12
18
19
6
sPFLAG
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
25 sHairspray
31
30
29
26
13
sRent
20
January, 2009
1
3
2
New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Day
7
8
14
15
21
28
9
sG2H2 sWatchFire Alliance
10
16
17
22
23
24
29
30
31
sRodney Carrington
11
Inauguration
27
Area events G2H2
Twelve O’ One Restaurant, 1201 State St Erie, PA 16501 Jan 9th, 6 to 8 p.m.
WatchFire Alliance
Jan 9, Friday, 7 p.m. WatchFire Alliance gathering, Assembly Hall, Lily Dale, in Chautauqua County (generally meets second Friday monthly, variable locations). Topic this month is legal protections for LGBT couples. Contact Bethany Robson (716) 499-4817 or brobson515@msn.com for further details.
PFLAG
Jan 12 (Mon) - PFLAG Erie/Crawford County meets at UnitarianUniversalist Congregation of Erie, 7180 New Perry Highway, Erie, Pa. 7 to 9 p.m.
Rent
Jan. 13-18 –– “Rent,” starring original cast members Anthony Rapp
and Adam Pascal, Shea’s Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, Ny., 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13, 14 and 15; 8 p.m. Jan. 16 and 17; and 2 p.m. Jan. 17 and 18. Tickets available through Ticketmaster.
Comedian Rodney Carrington
Jan. 15 –– Comedian Rodney Carrington Live at the Warner Theater in Erie, 7 p.m. Call (814) 452-4857 or (814) 456-7070 for ticket prices/reservations. This program is for mature audiences only.
‘Hairspray’
Jan. 25 –– “Hairspray,” at the Warner Theater in Erie, 7 p.m., part of the 2008-09 Erie Broadway Series. Call (814) 452-4857 or (814) 456-7070 for ticket prices/reservations.
Open Mic Night
Every Wednesday –– 6 to 8 p.m., Open Mic Night at Presque Isle Gallery Coffeehouse, 35 Peninsula Dr., Erie, www.picoffeehouse.com.
PFLAG Erie & Crawford Counties would like to wish you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season. May your holiday’s be bright and full of cheer.
DBC3 PUBLISHING
PFLAG Erie & Crawford Counties would like to remind you if your going to be celebrating this wonderful time of year please celebrate responsibly by not drinking and driving. We look forward to seeing each and everyone of you after the holiday’s . Just a reminder our meetings are held the second Monday of every month at 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the UUCE 7180 New Perry Highway Erie, PA
PFLAG.ERIE.CRAWFORD@GMAIL.COM