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10
Jack Law And The (Re)Birth Of Gay Waikiki
juLy 2014
Volume 5 Issue 12
4 insight
Hawai‘i’s LGBT Community
6 Profile
President
Jade Le
Frank Lee
Advertising & Marketing
William Fernandez: (ph) 808-281-4084
8 Arts + Culture
Production
Linda Giang
Moana Nepia: A Place to Stand
Graphic design Kamele Eskaran
video & multi-media Lisa Baxter PJ Delanoza
Contributing Writers Flavia Francesquini Lisa Baxter Mickey Weems
Copy Editor Mickey Weems
Legal & Research
Glenn Honda, Esq.
16 religion
Gaytheist: Amina Peterson, Mathew Bellhouse-King
Public relations
Kamele Eskaran Lisa Baxter PJ Delanoza
20 entertainment
Bar Exam
22 sports
www.eXpression808.com to Entire contents copyrighted 2008–2014 eXpression! Magazine is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. eXpression! Magazine is published monthly in Hawai‘i and welcomes manuscripts, original works and various forms of expression for publication. eXpression! Magazine reserves publication rights to submitted materials. eXpression! Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials unless otherwise pre-agreed in writing. eXpression! Magazine does not take any financial or libel obligation to the content of its columnists. All materials submitted are consent to be original. All views and opinions are those of the writer and bear no implications on the opinions of eXpression! Magazine. Registered trademarks used within are hereby acknowledged, images and contents released and permitted. No implication regarding sexual orientation or preference is made in connection with any person, contributor, and or advertiser appearing in this publication.
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// july 2014 |
INSIGHT
Source: U.S. Census 2010, ACS 2008-2011, Gallup
Now same-sex couples are allowed to marry in Hawai‘i, businesses will experience increased spending from
$
3,239 16%
Same-Sex Couples
Are raising children
wedding ceremonies and tourism. State and local governments will gain from this additional spending.
The estimates include the economic impact of both in-state and out-ofstate same-sex couples.
53,900
LGBT Individuals (18yrs+)
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Other/ Multi-Racial White
Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander
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Gates, G.J. (2013). Same-sex Couples in Hawai‘i: A demographic summary. Los Angeles, CA: The Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law. EVWbS Sumner La Croix and Lauren Gabriel, “The Impact of Same-Sex Marriage on Hawai‘i’s Economy and Government.� University of Hawai‘i =bVS` [cZbW QcZbc`OZ Dept. of Economics Working Paper, July 2013
#
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// july 2014
EVWbS =bVS` [cZbW QcZbc`OZ /aWO\
Hawai‘i: 2010 U.S. Census Bureau
Translations for gay, gay male, transperson, LGBT or homosexual by major race, population and percentage.
White 336,699 (24.7%)
Filipino 197,497 (14.5%)
Japanese 185,502 (13.6%)
Native Hawaiian 80,337 (5.9%)
Chinese 54,955 (4.0%)
Puerto Rican 44,116 (3.2%)
Mexican 35,415 (2.6%)
Korean 24,203 (1.8%)
Black 21,424 (1.6%)
Samoan 18,287 (1.3%)
Vietnamese 9,779 (0.7%)
Guam/Chamorro 2,700 (0.2%)
Cuban 1,544 (0.1%)
Gay or Homosexual Bakla Gei do ¯ seiai Mahu Tóngxìng Homosexual Gay or Homosexual Dongseong-aeui Gay or Homosexual Fa’afafine dông tính Mamflorita Gay or Homosexual
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Lifest y le
by Flavia Francesquini photo jtl
I knew I was in for a good time when I asked his name and he told me “Frank Lee,” as in, “Frank-Lee, my dear, I don’t give a damn!” (If you don’t get the Gone with the Wind reference, you are subject to losing your gay card.) Originally from Waipahu, Lee grew up believing that bullying was a terrible thing. He went on to dedicate many years of his adult life helping others stand for their rights in the face of adversity. A UH Manoa graduate, Lee used his degrees in Sociology and Psychology to empower those who needed a little extra push. “In the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, my professors were my mentors,” he said. “They sent me out on the streets to help, first unwed mothers, and later to work with drop-outs who wanted to finish school. These were not traditional students, and we couldn’t reach them with traditional methods. So to learn fractions we would build a cabinet, to improve reading we would read comic books, whatever it took to get them going in the right direction.”
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Lifestyle
A self-proclaimed activist, Lee literally met his match when Chaz Hill came along. The North Carolina man who had lived in South Korea for 20 years proved to be more than just a great protesting buddy for Lee. When asked about their current status, Lee said with a smile, “We’ve only been married for about seven months, but we were engaged for 17 years.” As soon as they met, they became involved with the marriage equality project and stuck together until they were finally allowed to celebrate as one of the first couples to take advantage of the law on December 2, 2013. “By the time we got married, it was about two in the morning, but it was wonderful!” After years dedicated to activism, both Lee and Hill started new careers. Hill went on to become a flight attendant and Lee became a clinical massage therapist in acupressure and sports massage. Although they have busy lives, there is still time for fun and romance. There
is also enough time to get ready to rock the Gay Games. Before Hill, Lee had played volleyball and was invited to coach the women’s team at the 2002 Gay Games in Sydney, Australia. “It was such an amazing experience,” he recalled. “The whole thing was very fun of course, but my best memory of that year was being in the opening ceremonies. Back then, Israel and Palestine were already in such political turmoil that no one would think to put people from these two countries anywhere near each other. But the athletes walked in following each other, and eventually they took each other’s arms and walked as one team. The cheering and applause from the audience was so loud, and the energy in this huge stadium was so wonderful that I’m getting emotional just talking about it.” Sydney, Australia was Lee’s first time at the Gay Games. Lee went on to play at the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago, Illinois. “Chaz was interested in tennis when we started dating so I
Whether participating or cheering for Hawai‘i’s LGBT athletes, there is still time to get ready. And if you want to experience this incredible feeling of pride, contact Frank Lee’s Facebook page: Team Hawai‘i Gay Games 2014 or email LeeF026@hawaii.rr.com. The Gay Games – Cleveland, Ohio August 9 – 16, 2014 For more information visit GG9CLE.com
started getting into it. I’m still playing.” Lee has done quite well for himself. While he didn’t get a medal at the Games, he did win in singles and doubles at the Aloha Tennis Open. He is optimistic about his performance this year. “This is my year at the Games!” Nowadays, Lee is busy not only getting ready to play again, but helping to promote the 2014 Gay Games in Cleveland, Ohio. He explained the reason behind his enthusiasm: “There are so many athletes from the U.S. that we are divided into states, and for a while I was thinking that team Hawai‘i would be just
myself, Chaz, and a friend of ours.” Lee’s efforts have been fruitful. “We have reached folks through social media and now we have some great volleyball players onboard, so our team is definitely growing.” There are many reasons to join in this fun event, but perhaps even better than winning is the wonderful feeling of being part of something sensational. One of Lee’s favorite moments in the Games is the opening ceremony. “Oh, marching as a team - at that moment you feel the energy of the cheering crowd, and all the games I’ve attended were sold out events.”
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A rts + C ultu re
by Mickey Weems photo jtl
This is the second article for The Art of Manhood, a three-part series on three Polynesian artists: Carl Pao (Hawai‘i), Moana Nepia (Aotearoa/New Zealand), and Dan Taulapapa McMullin (Samoa).
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Moana Nepia is a dancer, choreographer, painter, curator, and scholar. He carries himself with beautiful butchness, fine-tuned and cosmopolitan. Currently, he is an assistant professor at the University of Hawai‘i Mānoa at the Center for Pacific Islands Studies. As butch as he is, Nepia loves playing with the feminine. In his apartment are two large paintings featuring vertical lines of feathers that move slightly in the breeze. More striking still are stiletto heels with feathers sprouting from them. Nepia agreed to speak about his work, his Māori heritage, and how a man expresses his manhood or, as the
case may be, womanhood.
Featherwork: On the Wall
Moana: I’ve used feathers in some of my paintings to make material reference to my Māori cultural background. We have a history of making feathered cloaks rather like the Hawaiians, although our feathers, the patterns, and weaving techniques we’ve used are different. I dye feathers to create a palette of color for my paintings and then apply them one by one. The surfaces of these paintings are quite deep; the feathers stick out from the canvas and move if you blow on them. The patterns are usually abstract, but one mural I did for the Singapore
airport took flight paths, topographic maps, and weather charts as its starting point.
Rugby Balls
I’ve also done a series of feathered rugby balls called Seven Aside and used them in a performance work in the Tempo Dance Festival in Auckland. The balls were all colors of the rainbow, with a striped one mounted on top of a remote-controlled toy car. For the performance I placed them in a big arc across center stage, one at a time, then sent the striped one out on its own to weave a course through the others. It finished with a little pirouette and exited before the lights came down.
My great-grandfather Fred Jackson played for the AngloWelsh rugby team. My grandfather Everard Jackson was an All Blacks (New Zealand’s national team) rugby player, and my dad played for Auckland and was selected for both the New Zealand Universities and the Māori All Blacks team. I became a ballet dancer... Seven Aside was a tongue in cheek poke at our family’s obsession with our national sport. I thought rugby was far too rough when I was at school, but now I have to admit I do love watching a good game. At its best it’s a beautiful, free-flowing game that grows spectacular athletes who don’t cover themselves up with lots of body armor.
Masculine Identity
For Māori, having a tūrangawaewae, a place to stand or a position from where you speak with authority, is important. This is usually understood as a tribal area, where you are at home among your extended family and surrounded by the spirits of your ancestors. Without a place to stand, and without knowledge of your whakapapa or genealogy, you are at a disadvantage. It is important for all of us to have places to stand where we can express ourselves and be who we want to be. If those places are not already provided, we sometimes have to establish them for ourselves. Being a man in this context is an assumption of social respon-
sibility... We gather strength through standing with others.
Miss Business and Feathered Stiletto Heels
There was a lady of the night back in the ‘80s whose “place to stand” was a shop doorway in Cuba Street, in the heart of Wellington’s red light district. She was about six foot four in high heels, and wore a disheveled, off-white, fake-fur coat, a shabby wig, and enough pancake to coat a rugby team. To suss out passing trade, she’d lean out and whisper in a deep baritone: “Business?” Many years later, I held an exhibition titled Turangawaewae, around the corner from her old patch. The show featured feathered stilettos and photographs of legs suspended in the air. While preparing for the show, I’d been thinking about Miss Business and how precarious or temporary some of the platforms we might rely upon actually are. Cuba Street had become gentrified, and I didn’t find her there while setting up the show. But I did notice a gaggle of drag queens enjoying my spotlighted stilettos through the window one night.
Inscribing Movement, Performing Gender
Choreography is an artform of the body, a sensual form of writing or drawing with the body in space. It can also involve objects, like the rugby balls in Seven Aside. Choreography draws ideas together and makes connections that are inscribed
as patterns of movement within bodies, between performers, objects and their audiences within the performance space. The way we perform, dance, move, or act helps to determine who we are. As a choreographer, I prefer to think of gender and sex as performance rather than being. This aligns with our thinking in Māori, Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages where there is no verb “to be.” Existence is perceived more in terms of action - doing, making, or creating.
Ma-ori Society and LGBT Tolerance
Some of our Māori and other Pacific Island Christian brothers and sisters in New Zealand are vehemently antigay and came out in force to protest against the 2013 Marriage Amendment Act, which legalized same-sex marriage for the first time in New Zealand. The bigotry and hatred many of them displayed was at odds with the broader level of acceptance that is offered to gay and lesbian members of Māori society today - including the world’s first transsexual mayor and member of Parliament, Georgina Beyer, and gay Māori politicians such as Louisa Wall who sponsored the Marriage Amendment Act.
Being a Gay Ma-ori Man in the Company of Ma-ori Men
Sometimes my orientation is irrelevant. At times it can be distracting - there are lots of beautiful, talented Māori men.
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Cover S tory
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Cover S tory
J a c k
L a w
and the
by Mickey Weems
photos by JTL
2014 Pride events were discordant, split between two venues that were nowhere near each other, just like the factions that threw them. Neither event was as stellar as a single, unified site would have been - beyond tragic, since this was the first Pride after achieving marriage equality last November. Jack Law was disappointed by the lack of unity, but pleased with the energy of the people who packed his place - a motley mix of different ages, orientations, and genders. The crowd was jazzed with that Pride buzz that hits us every year when we celebrate a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;69 riot. If our leaders cannot get their act together, we can always go to our bars. After all, that is where it all started.
He stood at the entrance of his establishment, Hulaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar and Lei Stand, on Gay Pride afternoon. Jack Law was the gracious host, welcoming the shirtless, the thirsty, and the fabulous to dance, drink, and dish.
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Co ver S tory
If You Don’t Know Music, You Don’t Know Jack
For Law, it all started three years before the Stonewall Uprising when he moved to Honolulu from Detroit.
The Kuhio District and The Wave
He had some experience in the music industry back in Michigan. “Right out of high school, I had a lowly job as a warehouse boy for Music Merchants on Woodward Avenue. This was when Detroit was in its high times musically. I got to meet artists from Motown and other labels. I got the bug.” With the help of local entrepreneur Bob Magoon, a man who became his mentor and business partner, Law was introduced to Hawaiian culture and local musicians. “Bob Magoon wrote a song called ‘House of Grass.’ He wanted to have it recorded so we put together a band, which I named ‘The Potted Palm.’ After all, it was the ‘60s! I managed The Potted Palm along with many other bands and performers: Al Lopaka, Ed Kenney, Alex McAngus, Jeff Apaka, and others before I got into real estate.” Law opened Malia’s Cantina, a Mexican restaurant that promoted local musical talent. Law also worked with Willie K. “In my opinion, he is the most talented performer since Bette Midler.” Singing at Malia’s marked a turning point in Willie K’s career. “He was already a star on Maui, but he was performing at Malia’s when he boomed. That was the year he won the Hoku Hanohano Award. He asked me to go with him to the awards ceremony. He tells people I was his date that night.”
“Bob decided to turn this residential area into a gay commercial area, the Kuhio District. It had a gay hotel, a bathhouse, g ift shops, bars, and restaurants. Hula’s was the center of every thing. It was the place to go to have fun for everyone: gay, straight, or indifferent.” 12 |
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With no prior experience, Law and Magoon decided to build a gay bar. This was the birth of Hula’s, a wide-open space on Kuhio Street with a massive banyan tree and enclosed in a lattice fence. “When Hula’s Bar & Lei Stand opened in 1974, there was nothing on that end of Waikiki except the Kuhio movie theater,” said Law. Some nearby leases belonging to Magoon’s family expired. “Bob decided to turn this residential area into a gay commercial area, the Kuhio District. It had a gay hotel, a bathhouse, gift shops, bars, and restaurants. Hula’s was the center of everything. It was the place to go to have fun for everyone: gay, straight, or indifferent.” Stars and commoners alike partied at Hula’s. But Hula’s was not as welcoming to some people, not at first. Transpeople and drag queens could get in, but they had to provide three different forms of identification. “It was a form of discrimination. We tried to discourage drag queens from coming to Hula’s except during special times like Mardi Gras and Hulaween.” Eventually, Hula’s became all-inclusive. “As the world changed, we changed with it.” In 1979, Law opened The Wave, a punk/new wave hotspot that provided live as well as recorded music and videos. Local talent like Hat Makes the Man performed there. Like Hula’s, The Wave also saw its share of stars and shenanigans. Law remembered Grace Jones performing one night: “I saw her onstage taking swigs of wine from a bottle and spitting it into the mouths of guys below her.” When asked what the difference was between The Wave and Hula’s, Law said, “Twelve big Samoans to keep order. I called them my ‘atomic weapons.’” But Waikiki real estate prices increased. The property was sold out from under the Kuhio District and The Wave. “Tree Hula’s” (so named because of the banyan) closed in 1996, The Wave in 2006.
Cover S tory
GRID
“It is still so difficult to talk about the early years of the AIDS crisis. I lost so many close friends and employees. To this day I suffer from survivor’s guilt, AIDS PTSD.” When the first whispers of GRID (Gay-Related Immune Deficiency) came to Honolulu, the initial reaction was that it was a Mainland problem. Soon enough, people in the community realized something had to be done. “My friend and doctor, David McEwan, approached me and others to be on the board of the Life Foundation, to assist people with AIDS and to lobby the government to head off the onerous legislation which was
being passed on the Mainland. The first board meeting took place on my dining room table.” And that was not all. “I also started the Adam Baran Honolulu Gay Film Festival, which today is known as The Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival, in memory of Adam Baran. Adam was my first friend and employee who got sick from AIDS and died. Now the Festival is in memory of all people who died of AIDS long before their rightful time.” Hula’s was a gay bar, but until the AIDS crisis, it was also a place where anyone could go, so everybody did. When the
plague hit, Hula’s lost its straight crowd. But it gained importance as a safe place for a community under pressure. Even in the face of disaster, we could always go to our bars. One straight woman did not buy into the paranoia. In 1986, a year wracked with AIDS hysteria, Dolly Parton visited Hula’s. “She was 5 feet tall in heels, surrounded by all these admirers. She was so gentle, so kind, and such big tits! I tried to shoo people away, but Dolly said, ‘It’s fine! It’s fine!’ She stood there for an hour signing autographs.” Ten years later, Hula’s closed.
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Co ver S tory
View Hula’s
Hula’s was reborn in 1998, this time on Kalakaua Avenue near, appropriately, Queen’s Beach. But it was a difficult rebirth. Law almost gave up - then he found this impossibly beautiful space in horrible condition until he poured love and money into it. “The first thing that hit me was the smell of cat piss. The place was abandoned, and the woman next door had 40 cats running around.” Law was ecstatic. “I looked through the glass door and told the realtor, ‘This is it!’” Nothing
The Rebirth of Gay Waikiki
“The first thing that hit me was the smell of cat piss. The place was abandoned, and the woman next door had 40 cats running around. I looked through the glass door and told the realtor, ‘This is it!’” 14 |
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There was a gay community in Hawai‘i before Jack Law. But he and Bob Magoon were the midwives who facilitated the birth of not only Hula’s but also the Kuhio District, bold moves that established Waikiki as a major destination for gay nightlife. Law is certain that gay Waikiki could be reborn, but it will require the state of Hawai‘i to wake up and smell the rainbow dollar. “In the early days of Hula’s, Waikiki was a major gay tourist destination. Now we are not. We are competing with destinations that are doing a very good job of marketing themselves to LGBT travelers. Open an LGBT travel magazine or blog and there is very little advertising done by Hawai‘i.” Law does not think it is necessary to create another gay district - we just need to promote what we already have. He believes the new LGBT Center in Waikiki and Hula’s will have a synergistic effect due to their proximity to clubs like Bacchus, Fusion, In Between, Lo Jax, Tapas, Wang Chung, and gayfriendly accommodations such as Aqua Hotels and Resorts. “Absolutely! It will give the LGBT community a center, both literally and figuratively. Maybe it can overcome the factions that have been fighting over the Gay Pride festivities.” If not, we still have our bars.
could deter him, even when his khaki pants turned black with fleas as he walked in for the first time. Although Law loved the original Hula’s, he is enthusiastic about its reincarnation. “Tree Hula’s was a unique idyllic place, the epitome of a tropical Hawaiian bar, under a spreading banyan tree. It was bigger than life. View Hula’s, our present location, I truly believe is the second best place Hula’s could be. View Hula’s is very well situated in Waikiki, with views of the Pacific
ocean, Diamond Head, beautiful half-dressed people, plenty of parking, and a roof that does not leak. When it rained at Tree Hula’s, we would be out of business for the night, and sometimes a week.” View Hula’s has reclaimed the friendly mix of orientations and genders that was the standard for Tree Hula’s before AIDS. In 2014, Law is still committed to promoting live music. View Hula’s regularly features local musicians such as Izik, Jesse and GJ, and Jason Laeha.
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religion
by Mickey Weems photos jtl
Imagine this scenario: Liz B. Ian’s parents were faithful followers of a homophobic preacher who told them that homosexuals were going to Hell. Eventually, the Ians came around, telling Liz that God loved her for who she was. Liz did not have the heart to tell her parents she was also atheist.
a problem with them following out the orders of those voices.
Some atheists like Liz are closeted because of family. Others are closeted because they do not want to give up membership in certain social circles (there are support groups for religious ministers who are atheists but do not want to lose their livelihood). Still others form their own atheist churches.
Mathew: I’m tempted to respond by saying “Which God?” but in America this question usually refers to the Judeo-Christian version. I feel the same way about this God as Christians feel about Zeus or Apollo. Christians are not persuaded by the faith claims of every other religion on earth. The atheist just takes it one God further.
Those who are atheist and gay may live in the atheist closet, the gay closet, or both. When eXpression! Magazine sought gaytheists for this article, it took a while to find any, but find them we did: two out-and-proud non-het non-believers, Amina Peterson and Mathew Bellhouse-King. Why do you hate God? Amina: I don’t hate god. That’s like hating the Easter Bunny and his egg-laying capabilities. I have no problem with the voices in the heads of God’s followers. I have
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What kinds of challenges do you face being gaytheist? Amina: The greatest challenge I face as an atheist is the look of disapproval when I don’t bow my head in the countless community prayers I am subjected to. Last year there was a big blowup at my house, where Thanksgiving dinner was hosted, purchased and prepared by me. I graciously informed my guests they could bow their heads and silently thank whoever
Amina Peterson
“I feel the same way about this God as Christians feel about Zeus or Apollo. Christians are not persuaded by the faith claims of every other religion on earth. The atheist just takes it one god further.”
Mathew Bellhouse-King
religion
Mathew Bellhouse-King
they wanted to, but there would be no “blessing” of the food. I had already blessed it when I cooked it. As a queer atheist, my biggest challenge was the fight for gay marriage. I am in many ways, anti-marriage. The institution is ridiculous to me. I fought for the right for my community because I believe civil institutions afforded to one should be afforded to all. But I struggled with that one. Mathew: I’d frame it that I’m a gay man that happens to be an atheist. I faced the same challenges as any teenager coming to accept my sexuality: feeling different and that I didn’t belong.
Define “atheism.” Amina: Atheism to me is simply the idea that we are here without any divine intervention of some magical, imaginary being in the sky playing puppet master. Mathew: There are varying definitions of atheism, but broadly it is the absence of belief that any deities exist. There is a common misconception to clarify, however. Even prolific atheists such as the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and the late author and journalist Christopher Hitchens do not say there is no God. They say that the evidence for the existence of God is not strong enough to be persuasive.
Were you raised atheist? Amina: I was not raised atheist. I come from a diverse background that includes Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. Luckily, no Catholics - joking! Mathew: I was baptized Protestant and as a child my family attended church on Sundays, in part because my grandmother sung in the choir. Sometime around the age of seven or eight, attendance petered out. I’m not sure why. Even then, religion or God wasn’t really a topic of discussion at home. Were you ever in the closet for either your orientation or
your atheism? Amina: I have never really been in the closet much for anything. My family said we could bring a date to Thanksgiving one year, so I brought a girlfriend. Atheism was easy - I just changed my Facebook status. Mathew: I came out as gay to a friend in my 11th grade math class. I came out to my parents when I was 20. When I was in my early 20’s, a friend nonchalantly mentioned she was an atheist. I was shocked. I’d never heard someone say they were an atheist before. It somehow seemed like a taboo, or rude to say it out loud. I did some research and discovered a view that resonated with how I
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religion
felt: secular humanism, the view that human reason and ethics, rather than religious dogma or the supernatural, are the basis of morality. I also discovered the negative stereotypes of atheists as immoral, intolerant people who find life meaningless. I was again faced with an awareness of who I was, and negative messages telling me who I was. There certainly are parallels in coming out as an atheist that include prejudice and fear of rejection. Is it possible to be atheist and spiritual? Amina: No. What does that mean, spiritual? Does that mean that you don’t believe in a God per se, but you think something else is out there? That to me is agnostic. I am not hating on the agnos but there’s an app for that, so to speak. If you are speaking of an energy, maybe. I think that is science though, physics to be exact. Although people may identify that as spiritual, I think they are grasping at straws. Mathew: It really depends how someone defines spiritual. It is
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important to clarify the language we are using like “God” and “spiritual” as these terms can be ambiguous and can mean very different things to different people. A common expression is, “I don’t believe in religion, but I’m spiritual.” This indicates a rejection of religious dogma, but spirituality can mean many things in this context. Another definition of spirituality is the recognition of our connectedness to one another and the cosmos. It is an appreciation of the beauty, mystery and exquisite complexity of the universe. This view not only doesn’t require a belief in the supernatural, but is also supported by evidence gained
from our scientific disciplines. If that’s what spiritual is, then count me in. Concerning gaytheism: what are the worst things people have said to you? Amina: “I’m still going to pray for you” - I love that one. It’s cool, but I’d rather you’d buy me flowers. That would make me feel better. Isn’t that the goal? I also get, “You are not really atheist,” like I must believe in some sort of magic. No. Really. I am. My all time favorite is the constant argument about morality. You know, because religious texts are so full of moral guidance: What to do with your
raped daughter, how to beat your wife just enough to get the point across, and how not doing normal human functions; like eating and fucking, will bring you closer to God. Mathew: “Without a belief in a deity or the supernatural, life is meaningless.” A recent death in the family sharpened my mind to the reality of mortality. It is a curious subject to avoid, since dying is something we were all born to do. As much as the idea of an afterlife can provide comfort, this is the only life we are guaranteed. I am so grateful for the brief opportunity of consciousness, the aggregate of experience, and the love of family and fiends. For me that’s enough.
“As a queer atheist, my biggest challenge was the fight for gay marriage. I am in many ways, anti-marriage. The institution is ridiculous to me. I fought for the right for my community because I believe civil institutions afforded to one should be afforded to all. But I struggled with that one.” Amina Peterson
The best? Amina and mathew: “I’m atheist too!” What advice do you have for closeted gaytheists? Amina: Get the hell out of the closet. Why are you a closet atheist? What does that mean? Religious freedom is more protected in this nation than sexual expression. If you don’t believe in weird, made up, misogynistic, bat-shit crazy dogma - good on ya. Tell the world! I mean you don’t have to blog about it, but stop say-
ing “Amen” after every meal! It’s ok to yell out “Oh, God!” in a moment of passion. We have been conditioned. But pretending to believe is worst than believing. Mathew: I would encourage you to come out of the closet. A recent Gallup poll showed 15% of people claim no religious affiliation. It is an underrepresented and growing minority. Amina: There are just not enough of us. Soon enough, we will take over this planet and make it a better place.
Serving the LgBt community Since 1993
Tyronne Dang MD Board Certified (Internal Medicine) Provider of the Year (GayHealth.com 2004)
1441 Kapiolani Blvd Ste 1810 Honolulu HI 96814 Call 951-1511 for appointment
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E ntertainment
From the 1970s until the 1990s, Honolulu had its own gay ghetto: the Kuhio District. Three things happened to bring the district down. The first was the AIDS epidemic. Next, the property on which LGBT businesses stood was sold, scattering any surviving establishments. Third was the downturn of tourism after 9/11 and the Great Recession. LGBT bars are sprinkled throughout Waikiki, but not close enough to each other to constitute a gayborhood. Outside of Waikiki there are gay bars and the uber-friendly local hangout, Imua Lounge. But Ke Kai, a mainstay for decades, closed up last spring. There is not a single place dedicated to women. That’s the bad news. On the brighter side, there are plenty of gay bars in Honolulu: Bacchus, Bar 7, Chiko’s, Fusion, Hula’s, In Between, Lo Jax, Tapas, and Wang Chung. eXpression! Magazine checked with representatives of different venues and events to get their take on challenges they face. We were surprised to find, however, that women in the scene had a profoundly different perspective than men.
The Boys: Not Enough Business, Too Much Back-Biting Mark Danielson of Bacchus Waikiki was not happy with the lack of solidarity. “Some of the bar owners do not want to work together and just want to have all the business to themselves. They do
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everything they can to undermine the other bars. There are too many groups going against each other. For example, why are there two Pride organizations? If everyone worked together, the community would be more united.” Also among the challenges: “Getting people to come out during the weekdays, Monday and Tuesday specifically.” Reid Takara from Bar 7 agreed with Danielson on his second point: “The biggest challenge I have is keeping the bartenders and staff motivated when business is slow.” Dean Ossowski representing Lo Jax and Fusion echoed Danielson’s observation that too many people talk trash about the competition. “I have seen this first hand. Instead of letting tourists know where to go, some people tell them, but add a negative statement about other places. The scene is very small here, and many people think they need to badmouth other businesses to keep their clients. I make sure our employees always let everyone know where to go in a positive way. Many people come back thanking us for being nice.” John Ing, owner of Tapas, was critical of the economy. “People are just not spending money. They are not going out on a regular basis like they used to. This applies to all the bars, gay and straight. The economy is not picking up. As a neighborhood bar, we’re not hit as hard as some bars when tourism is down. But it still hurts us.”
, The Girls: Why Can t Women Be More Like Men?
who live in Hawai‘i,” said Hong. “Perhaps the market for women isn’t as big, so there is a lack of Ruby Hong of DowneTowne events,” said Kim. ”Maybe it’s Events has been throwing the lesbian nesting syndrome women’s parties for the last six that’s keeping the women from years. She admired what gay going out after that first date. men have been able to create However, as Ruby pointed out, in Honolulu. “I wish there were if the women in our community more events for women. I wish were more supportive of each there was a bar for women to other and worked together, this hang out. The women’s comcould change and could provide munity needs to work together. more outlets for the women of I see the men working together - the LGBT community.” or at least it looks like that from the outside. I don’t know what A Hawai i Tavern Guild? the men are doing, but they’re 2014 should see an uptick in doing something right.” LGBT business, especially in the bars. Marriage equality is Yooey Kim, Bar Supervisor reality, which promises to enfor The Republik, is one of three tice many more LGBT couples partners (along with Erin Bunda to tie the knot in Hawai‘i. The and Candace Ho) for Chitty Bang, islands may see a resurgence in a women’s party thrown every gay tourism as a consequence. first Thursday. “Ruby’s comBut there is no indication that ments about women’s events the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and women’s bars are on point. It (HTA) plans to let the world would be refreshing to see more know what locals already know women’s events. I believe the - this is a great place to be gay, women in the LGBT community a wonderful getaway for a gaykeep getting the short end of the cation, and a choice romantic stick when it comes to parties spot for a same-sex wedding. and events catered towards them. This isn’t just in Hawai‘i, Until LGBT businesses put though. I recently visited San aside their differences and push Francisco and they didn’t have hard for the HTA to court the a dedicated women’s bar, not LGBT vacation market, there any more at least. There were is little incentive for the HTA only two women-oriented parties to take them seriously. Seven in the whole month in the city. years before Stonewall, gay Meanwhile, the men dominated bars in San Francisco banded in places to go and things to do.” together to form the Tavern Guild, a united front against Unlike the men, Hong and Kim police raids. The Guild was sucdid not mention tourism as a faccessful - authorities eventually tor - they spoke only about the gave the bars equal rights under lack of local participation. “For the law. Perhaps LGBT venues women, it’s more about the locals. in Hawai‘i could form their own We always have people visiting, Tavern Guild, Hawai‘i style, and but I want to cater to people work for the common good.
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Sports
The Gay Games is the world’s most inclusive LGBT sporting event with more than 35 sports, cultural events and ceremonies. Built upon the principles of participation, inclusion and personal best, the Gay Games have empowered thousands of LGBT athletes, artists and their allies, through sport, culture, and fellowship since 1982. August 9-16, 2014 Cleveland, Ohio gg9cle.com
Herbie Rivera, Jerome Sajulan, Lance Johnson, Ryan Sales Amina Peterson, age 37
Powerlifting – Women’s (Sub-Masters Division), 35- 39 What is satisfying about your sport?
Feeling strong. I love how that feels, and love that I still look good as I get older. When I took the state record this year - that was pretty gratifying too.
I plan on killing it! I am stronger than I was last year, and my bench is way stronger than most women in any weight class. If I can drop enough weight and not lose my strength, I will be bringing medals back to Hawai‘i.
How often do you train? 5-6 days/week.
How do you mentally prepare for a game/ match? For every competition, the only way to
Why do you feel you are up for the challenge? I did well my first meet, I just
prepare is to trust your training. I have to follow my training, trust it and keep telling myself I’m ready.
can’t wait to powerlift again. I’m ready to raise my own bar. How do you think you will perform at the Gay Games?
Is there a difference between a straight athlete vs. LGBT athlete?
The only difference: queer athletes don’t care if you are straight. // july 2014 | 23
Sports Name
Tom Chun
Herbie Rivera
Jerome Sajulan
1994, 1998 (Bronze, Amsterdam), 2002
2002 (Bronze, Australia)
2002 (Bronze, Australia)
Swimming: 50 Meter Breaststroke
Team Bowling
Team Bowling
It was a great personal feeling of accomplishment, all the hard work it took to prepare for the games. I also felt proud to be a part of my team.
It was such an awesome feeling! I was on the planning committee and happy that everything came together. Winning a bronze medal was so unexpected, but I’m very glad we won.
Incredible. I didn’t expect to place in the top 3. The best memorable moment was the opening ceremonies. To march into the stadium and have everyone cheer was exciting.
How competitive were the Gay Games?
Gay athletes are just as competitive as anyone. An athlete is an athlete no matter what persuasion. The competition level was good. At each new Game, the competition gets stronger and stronger.
It was very competitive! Our team “Rainbowlers” did very well and was so surprised that we walked away with the bronze medal. How awesome is that?
It was relaxed and informal. Everyone was there to have fun. There was a big range in age, from young men, women and senior folks.
What advice do you have for interested LGBT athletes?
Experience the Gay Games. The feeling of being a part of something huge and wonderful is indescribable. It’s a union of people brought together though athletics, fostering goodwill and camaraderie.
Just remember, you represent Hawai‘i and anything can happen. Think positive and do your best. Things will fall into place. The number one thing to remember is to have fun.
First, practice, practice, practice your sport! Second, just have fun and enjoy it all.
Year (Medaled in Bold) Sport (Medaled in Bold) What was it like to medal and represent Hawai‘i?
Frank Lee, age 63
Tennis – Men’s Singles (B Division), 60+ What is satisfying about your sport? Oh, it’s the
competition and playing at your personal best. How often do you train? I
practice twice a week. I have a mentor, Stephen Nii, who was a professional tennis player on the mainland and in Europe. He works on my technical game for about two hours. When I’m not training with Stephen, I practice an hour on serves before I do my cross-training for another hour at the pool: 15 laps freestyle swim, and 15 laps of sprints and core work. Why do you feel you are up for the challenge? I’ve been
playing this sport for 15 years. I won championships as well as a few runner-up trophies, but it was the training I got from playing volleyball that gave me the 24 |
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ability to transfer those skills to tennis. I’ve learned to calm my mind and focus. How do you think you will perform at the Gay Games?
I think I’ll do well. Physically and mentally, I’m more prepared. How do you mentally prepare for a game/match?
Keep calm, loose and positive. I understand you have no control of what’s across the net. You can only control what’s within you. You come to a match with the skills you already have. The game now becomes a mental test of its usage. Is there a difference between a straight athlete vs. LGBT athlete?
There is no difference. Once on the court, everything is equal. And that’s the way it should be.
Ryan Sales
Lance Johnson
1998, 2002 (Bronze, Australia), 2006, 2014
2002 (Bronze, Australia)
Team Bowling, Tennis, Badminton
Team Bowling
It’s always nice to represent Hawai‘i. People around the world feel that Hawai‘i is a special and intriguing place, so I noticed that we always received a lot of attention, especially from the media.
It felt awesome. We had just moved to Hawai‘i in ’99 from Portland, where my partner represented Team Oregon in the prior Gay Games. We really got to know Hawai‘i’s community here through the Games.
The Gay Games can get pretty competitive, but at the same time athletes are totally supported by all participants. It’s a great atmosphere because everyone is there to have fun and make new friends. To medal was a special bonus.
Just fun! Not really tense... everyone just wanted to do their best, and have fun!
People who plan on attending the Gay Games will find it to be a fascinating experience. It’s not all about the sports. The Gay Games is full of culture, parties, events, work shops, and support groups of every type. Fun fun fun!
GO! See the opening and closing ceremonies, and participate any way you can. Now more than ever, it’s a good time to enjoy the best of our community.
A Snorkeling
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Sports
Tom Chun
(left-right): Tito Loane, 27 (Middle Hitter), Natily Taguding, 27 (Setter), Tia Thompson, 29 (Middle Hitter), Noah Fonoti, 27 (Outside Hitter) and Tasiaeafe Simon Sua, 28 (Middle Hitter)
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Sports
Tia Thompson, age 29 Volleyball Advanced (BB Division) and Average (B Division) What is satisfying about your sport? Besides winning,
is promoting mutual respect through the universal bond of volleyball, not only here in Hawai‘i, but on a national level. How often do you train?
When we can. We rarely train because we know the sport mentally. Everyone on our team has been playing volleyball for 20+ years, we’ve also been friends for 15+ years. We’re physically fit to play it. Why do you feel you are up for the challenge? We’re
a family that eats, sleeps, and breathes volleyball. It’s in our blood. How do you think you will perform at the Gay Games?
We’re winning the gold medal!
We will accept nothing less. This has always been our mentality. Every “big” tournament we play in, our motto is, “Bring home the gold” for Hawai‘i. How do you mentally prepare for a game/match?
Each of us has our own way to prep for matches. For me personally, when it’s game time, I’m in game mode. If you’re my friend off the court, but playing against me on the court, we’re still friends after I beat you.
Is there a difference between a straight athlete vs. LGBT athlete? No, we’re
all humans and our common goal in any sport is to win. Any athlete can be masculine or flamboyant. LGBT athletes are just as dominant.
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