December2012
12
Kintaro Yonekura
A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step
December 2012 Volume 4 Issue 5
4 Politics
President
Jade Le
Advertising & Marketing
William Fernandez | 808.281.4084
Marriage equality was a positive factor in 2012 voters’ choices
6 lifestyle
Production
Kamele Eskaran Linda Giang
The Real L Word: Whitney Mixter and Sara Bettencourt in Hawai’i
Technical & Web Development Brandon Valdez
8 HEALTH
video & multi-media
Ana Medina Brittney Nitta-Lee Kaoru Kohashigawa Tina Ludewig
12
Celia Dominguez, M.D. Chris Azzopardi Flavia Francesquini, CWC Mickey Weems Paul Guequierre Sean Larkin
Rapper Macklemore and Ryan Lewis in Honolulu
Mickey Weems
fashion stylist
19 Spotlight
Tyson Joines
Public relations
06
Ana Medina Jaden Scott Kamele Eskaran Kimo Orlando Laurainne Martinez Lisa Baxter PJ Delanoza Tiffany Sabado
Letters and unsolicited content may be sent to: E-mail: info@expression808.com Mail: Letters to the Editor eXpression! Magazine P.O. Box 22487 Honolulu, HI 96823
eXpression808.com //
Falling in love is easy; Staying in love is a challenge
18 Event
Copy Editor
Legal & Research
Is your physician proficient in caring for Lesbian couples?
17 Military
Contributing Writers
Glenn Honda, Esq.
The Liquor Collection
21 Astrology
December 2012: The great change of 2012 is within each of us.
22 Entertainment
21 facebook.com //
Kylie Minogue
Community
24 National Organization for Marriage 26 An evening of HI Fashion
twitter.com/expression808
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novemBer2012
// December 2012 | 3
politics
LGBT and Allied Voters Critical to 2012 Electoral Success Marriage equality was a positive factor in voters’ choices
By: Paul Guequierre In 2004, LGBT issues – and marriage in particular – were used as wedge issues to drive conservative turnout. 2012 is remarkable in that the opposite has happened. In only eight years, marriage has gone from a wedge for the right to a motivator for progressives, youth and even independents. “The President proved that support for marriage equality is not just the right thing to do, but also a path toward electoral success,” said HRC President Chad Griffin.
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// December 2012
politics Total Americans voting Total LGBT voters (5% of electorate) President Obama’s national popular vote (51% of all voters) President Obama’s national popular vote margin over Mitt Romney LGBT votes for President Obama (76% of total LGBT votes) Percent of President Obama’s national popular vote margin due to LGBT voters
MARRIAGE EQUALITY SUPPORT MAINTAINS A NATIONAL MAJORITY EVEN AMONG DIVERSE DEMOGRAPHICS
GREENBERG QUINLAN ROSNER RESEARCH FOR HRC
Consistent with pre-election surveys, half of 2012 voters favor marriage equality
Obama voters were twice as likely to say that the marriage issue was important to their vote (42%) than Romney voters (23%)
Democrats
Open-ended question where voters were asked the most important reason to vote against the President’s re-election: only 2% cited “Gay marriage”
Independents African Americans
Latinos
MARRIAGE EQUALITY SUPPORTERS MORE COMMITTED TO THE ISSUE THAN OPPONENTS
NO EVIDENCE THAT THIS ISSUE MOBILIZED BASE REPUBLICAN VOTERS
Supporters of marriage equality: 40% said the issue was important, compared to 33% among opponents of marriage equality
There are more Romney voters that support marriage equality (27%) than Obama voters that oppose marriage equality (18%)
120,871,984 6,043,599 62,088,847 3,305,710 4,593,136 45.7%
FAIR-MINDED MAJORITY RESULTED IN LANDSLIDE VICTORIES FOR LGBT AMERICANS Marriage equality supporter President Obama re-elected Voters sent Tammy Baldwin, first openly Lesbian U.S. Senator to Washington Increased number of openly Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual members of Congress Marriage equality affirmed at the ballot in Maine, Maryland and Washington
Defeated a discriminatory marriage amendment in Minnesota Retained an Iowa Supreme Court Justice who decided for marriage equality Built up state legislative majorities for relationship recognition in states like Colorado and Minnesota
both parties should be vying for votes from the LGBT community and its allies. With the growing breadth and depth of the LGBT electoral power, no one should take the Gay vote for granted.
// December 2012 | 5
lifest y le
By Flavia francesquini images Mishelle Ramos
The real l word’s Whitney Mixter and Sara Bettencourt are coming to Hawai’i!
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// December 2012
Lifesty le
Remember when the only Lesbians on TV were single women who happened to be roommates or detectives? Then, like an answer to some Lesbianic prayer, there was The L Word. The problem was... not all of them were real Lesbians. This is why The Real L Word has become such an icon for our generation. The show just finished its third season and is waiting to be picked up for its fourth. While cast and crew move forward with their lives, we anxiously wait, dying to know what’s happening, especially with one particular cast member. If sex appeal and spunk could be bottled up, the label would most certainly read Whitney Mixter. Her irreverent take on life, love and friendship made her an instant favorite on the show. Originally from Connecticut, Whitney moved to LA in search of new adventures. “It was time for a change,” she said, “and I had decided that California would be a good place to have a fresh start.” She went to the audition with a friend and ended up being selected. Producers must’ve seen what so many fans have confirmed: Whitney commands the screen. While being followed by cameras can be extremely intimidating to some, Whitney shrugs. “The first week was weird,” she said. “But then I just started going about my business and stopped paying attention [to the cameras]. I had to forget about it or they would drive me crazy.” She has done a great job at forgetting that she’s being taped. Whitney chooses to keep it real. The doors never really shut, and as a result the fans have gotten some pretty steamy glimpses of her love life. “When I decided to be on the show, I wanted to be me 100 percent of the time. It’s how I do things. I go in all the way.” Anyone who follows the show has a favorite Whitney scene, and a lot of these scenes include Sara Bettencourt, Whitney’s Achilles’ heel. Despite distance, fights, and other women, these two never seem able to let go of each other. The two were married in June. How has married life affected their relationship? “The main difference is that there is the knowledge that I’m in this relationship for the long haul. This has to last, so you work at it a little harder. When you are dating and you fight, the door is always an option, but not now. If we get into a fight, we face it, we work it out.” Marriages don’t come without a fair amount of challenges. “We both have very strong personalities,” said Whitney, “and we are hardly ever apart. We live together, work together... sometimes communication is difficult, but never impossible.” The best part of being married? “Looking into the future, planning our next steps, knowing that we’ll be there for each other and coming up with what our next adventure will be.” Continued on p10 // December 2012 | 7
HEA LT H
By: Celia Dominguez, M.D.
Pacific In Vitro Fertilization Institute 808.946.2226
The key to treatment of Lesbians seeking help with initiating a pregnancy is to make sure they are not being defined in heteronormal terms. One instance is the concept of infertility, which is defined as not achieving a pregnancy after one year of unprotected intercourse. This definition rarely applies to most Lesbians. Unprotected sperm exposure is more applicable. The difference between a female who needs sperm exposure to achieve a pregnancy (fertility assistance) and a female who has had prior heterosexual relationships with over a year of sperm exposure without a pregnancy (infertile female) is critical. Each woman would be counseled differently. For the latter, age carries more significance. The distinction between “unprotected sperm exposure” and “infertile female” is important. Many Lesbians who go to a fertility center for the first time get lumped into the category of infertility. Instead of being offered counseling to obtain sperm from a sperm bank and reviewing the successful steps for natural fertilization, they are automatically offered more aggressive and expensive treatments.
Dr. Celia Dominguez is recognized as an expert in the field of reproductive medicine, in-vitro fertilization and laparoendoscopic surgery. She obtained her Medical Degree from George Washington University, completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of California in San Diego. Dr. Dominguez has held faculty positions in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of California in San Diego, the University of New Mexico and at Emory University in Atlanta. She has published over 80 scientific articles, chapters, videos, abstracts, and has received several teaching awards throughout her career. Dr. Dominguez is double-board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and is a physician at Pacific In Vitro Fertilization Institute. 8 |
// December 2012
PHYSICIANS, LESBIANS, AND IGNORANCE
Not all physicians know how to offer the proper treatment for Lesbians. Their counseling is often based on information obtained from Straight women who come to that same infertility clinic, but have long-standing infertility despite constant exposure to sperm. Lesbian couples need to keep this in mind when surfing the net with respect to success of a given treatment.
WOMEN’S AGE
Highest fertility for women is between the ages of 14 and 27, with pregnancy rates decreasing after the age of 37. Age is the most important factor in setting expectations for success and making recommendations for treatment.
COUNSELING LESBIAN COUPLES
The physician and staff should present realistic success rates, whether the visit is for fertility assistance or full-fledged infertility treatments. Options for sperm exposure can be as simple as insemination (placement of sperm within the reproductive tract) or as complex as in-vitro fertilization (egg and sperm fertilized outside the body in a laboratory).
LESBIANS AGES 43 AND UP
Even though the number of eggs reduces with age, there are women over the age of 43 who, given sperm exposure, conceive without resorting to donor egg. If the female is in her late 40s or early 50s, donor egg plus sperm may be the answer to achieving a family. Donor egg is extremely successful and is an amazing option for some women to achieve pregnancy. Since the uterus actually does not have a biological clock, most state-of-the-art fertility centers have excellent donor egg pregnancy rates with in-vitro. This offers women in their late 40s and early 50s (given good medical health) the capability to experience pregnancy. The concept of assistance in fertility instead of being automatically assumed infertile is of critical importance. Clinic physicians and staff, and most importantly, the Lesbian couple, need to know to which category they may belong.
// December 2012 | 9
lifest y le
From p7 Whitney and Sara are starting a clothing line that will use textiles from impoverished countries. Watch out for Cloth & Justice, which initially will be sold online. With Whitney’s passion for footwear, it’s a sure bet the line will include some seriously unique shoes. Could the future hold more than professional projects for the happy couple? “We are absolutely thinking about kids. Yes!” And true to their style, their first option is to swap eggs and carry each other’s babies. “We are definitely talking about it and we have a donor in mind. We are trying to decide what his level of involvement with the child would be.” Whitney was not the only one to wed on the show. Another crowd favorite, Romi Klinger, made waves by marrying a man. There were some pretty intense scenes between Romi and Whitney, so what did Whitney think about this turn of events? “I would never 10 |
// December 2012
judge anyone based on who they love, and certainly not on who they choose to marry. That would be like the pot calling the kettle black, wouldn’t it?” Goes to show that a star can be hot and classy. For the fans in O’ahu, watch out for the happy couple on the beach! They are scheduled to spend four days enjoying paradise from December 6 – 10. Hawai’i is a place Whitney holds dear to her heart. It is, in fact, a place she called home for a year during 2001 when she took classes at UH Manoa. The Real L Word is real and Whitney Mixter is not a legend. She is actually a pretty nice girl looking to start a family. John Lennon once said that reality leaves a lot to the imagination. When it comes to Whitney, reality leaves a lot of fans imagining a lot of things.
Also in attendance: Local girl, Francine Beppu (season 2) Taboo, Chemisstry and Edge Bar Presents
BOUND Friday, December 7, 2012 8p-2a Edge Bar 1661 Kapiolani Boulevard
A WEDDING CELEBRATION Saturday, December 8, 2012 9:30p-2a Honolulu Design Center Second Floor 1250 Kapiolani Boulevard
TIPS
By Flavia Francesquini Veteran Lesbians will have noticed that one of the ways Straight girls signal that they are not homophobic is by asking extremely personal - and ridiculous - questions. The theory behind it: if they can show just how at ease they are with the subject of Lesbianism, they will appear to be the coolest people ever. My own theory is that the reason we get asked the same old questions is that, behind most supportive allies, there is a girl dying to jump the fence and live on the dark side - even if for one night. Wishful thinking? Perhaps. But I’m old enough to know that where there’s smoke, there’s fire... and some girls are just hoping the right dyke will stoke the embers. Here’s my personal list of the most popular questions, and my reasons to believe that curiosity is the first step towards a happier life.
1. How did you know you were a Lesbian? This is actually a genuine question from those who have been asking themselves how the heck they ended up labeled “heterosexual” when they have been visualizing boobs during sex for as long as they can remember.
2. Who plays the guy during sex? In other words, if I were to sleep with you, would I need to learn new tricks or would I be able to continue to lay on my back and be the pillow princess I have been all my life?
3. How do you know you don’t like sex with men? Here’s a very personal answer. And not all Lesbians can use it, but I know for sure because I actually have slept with men. When I compare the two... well... there’s no comparison!
4. What do you do in bed? Be careful here. Be gentle. The answer can be like actual sex. It will either be everything she’s hoped for or a total disappointment. My standard response here is the gentle truth. We can do anything a boy can do, except longer, more often and (sometimes) better.
5. Do you think I’m hot? Here’s the catch: say no and they will be hurt. Say yes and they’ll think about each time they’ve changed in front of you in the gym – that can cause some weirdness. Proceed with caution because honesty can be tricky. It’s easier to act as if you’d just noticed them for the very first time. Run your eyes up and down their bodies for a long minute and smile. Whatever the reason behind this question, every girl likes to feel attractive. Next time you are approached by someone who just can’t get enough information about the Lesbian lifestyle, take the time to look past her initial curiosity. It may turn out to be a learning experience for both parties.
// December 2012 | 11
A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step Story by: Flavia Francesquini | Images by: Kaoru Kohashigawa
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// December 2012
his election year, we heard about “people in the system” and whether or not they deserve government assistance. One voice echoes in my heart: that of a four year old boy. Kintaro Yonekura is grown up now, but he was put in foster care at the age that kids start preschool. When most little boys are starting to grasp the use of scissors and crayons, Kintaro had just begun to figure out that life is not always fair. “It was scary, uncertain, lonely and filled with guilt,” he remembered. “I believed I had brought all of it upon myself because I hadn’t been able to hide.” What he meant to hide, in this case, was the abuse suffered in his own home. Kintaro is not the kind of man who looks at his life as a succession of tragedies. He has instead turned every moment into a valuable lesson, and shares his story with the world so that others realize that they are not alone, and that there is more to life than the rocks on the road. There are flowers too - if we know where to look. His journey started with a young mom who had her own share of troubles. At the age of four, he entered the foster care system where he stayed until he was placed in long-term care with Casey Family Programs. But he could not stop reliving the abuse that had set him on this path, so he kept running away. Every now and then, he was able to afford a cheap hotel room, but there were countless nights under bridges, on streets and on the beach. When desperate, he would stay with his mom, but she was still dealing with her own demons. Theirs was a strained and toxic relationship. His early struggle with drugs and alcohol made things infinitely more difficult for him. By the age of 15, he was in a residential treatment program in Colorado. This is where his life took a positive turn. He had no option but to work on his addictions. “We were in the middle of nowhere. I was still trying to run, but I had nowhere to go! I had to stay, and it changed my life.” Through individual and group therapy, Kintaro got through the next two years relatively well. He left the program wanting to go to school. It was a dream that never faded, one worth keeping for the next decade.
// December 2012 | 13
He would spend another two years working at an ad agency in San Francisco before returning to Hawai’i. Coming home was not a smooth transition. Kintaro was still struggling with old habits. In 2003, life threw him the ultimate curve ball: he found out that he was HIV positive. While others gave up when receiving such devastating news, he drew inspiration to help others. Once again, he decided to go through treatment for substance abuse and, with the assistance of a 12-step program, he has been clean and sober for the last five years. This was a life-changing decision that has affected Kintaro in extremely positive ways. “I was dead inside. I realized I was just going to end up dead at a very early age or in jail. I had to change in order to change things around me, and so I did. I quit everything that wasn’t good for me and I started a new chapter.” Next May, Kintaro will receive his Masters in Social Work from UH Manoa. Few of his peers will have walked such a long road to reach this goal. Kintaro will continue to assist others who need the help he could’ve used all those years ago, when he was still a lonely child lost in the system. In fact, this may be the job he was born to do. Being empathetic to others is something he’s learned early on: “When I was younger, my own social worker was very anti-Gay and it made things even more difficult for me,” he said. “I want case managers, therapists, clerks, anyone working with people who are already in distress, to be aware that they too can add to these people’s discomfort.” To bring life to a full circle, Kintaro presents workshops with the same social worker he banged heads with in his youth. The two talk about their personal journeys, how the social worker overcame the homophobia that separated them, and how they now join forces to prevent such a thing from happening again.
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“I was dead inside... I had to change in order to change things around me.�
// December 2012 | 15
“I want case managers, therapists, clerks, anyone working with people who are already in distress, to be aware that they too can add to these people’s discomfort.” 16 |
The last year of a Masters’ program can be taxing on anyone. Many demands must be met before one can proudly hang the diploma on the wall. Kintaro is currently doing his practicum with Family Drug Court, where he helps to reunite children involved with Child Welfare Services with their parents. It doesn’t end there. Kintaro is currently on the Board of Directors for the Life Foundation and C.R.E.A.T.E One Ohana program. He is also a volunteer at Family Programs Hawai’i. Kintaro’s speeches help youth in foster care to cope and feel inspired. He assists those working with these children in providing better care and to better understand their needs. He has also co-facilitated workshops on trauma regarding LGBT issues at IVAT (Institute on Violence and Trauma) and presented on HIV and AIDS. There is little Kintaro won’t do to help the community. He continues to use the obstacles he’s confronted as stepping stones towards a better future for himself and others. As he looks back on his life, he summarized what is believed to be everyone’s goal: “I hope to have had the strength, the courage and the empathy to help those who needed my help.”
// December 2012
Military
asy ove is e enge. l in g ll Fallin is a cha e v o l in Staying
s ey Weem k c Mi : y B
Navotni Minter and Elli found each other in the Army. After much stress and heartbreak, they keep each other in Hawai’i.
change in their relationship: “PFC Minter and I were nothing short of best friends by the end of that first week. We both laughed and admitted to not liking each other in basic training and were amazed that we ever disliked each other in the first place. She was incredibly smart and athletic. After we were done with classes for the day, she was nothing short of a chill goofball in our barracks room.”
Eventually, our entire platoon knew that her and I were a thing, including our platoon sergeant, and they didn’t give two shits.
Elli described how they arrived in boot camp: “It was July 20, 2010. out to her family. “It took a ton of She wanted Navotni by her side. We were being rushed off the courage for me to come out to “Immediately I felt the pain of empcharter buses and herded onto my parents. But man, I felt better tiness without her. I spent the first the blacktop in front of a row of after I did! Both my parents were weekend curled up on my bed warehouse-looking buildings. For extremely supportive and after wondering when I would get to most of us, it was our first time they met Navotni they were ec- see her again.” Navotni felt the away from home,” she rememstatic that I had found someone same: “We were apart my spring bered clear as day, as boot camp This happened before Don’t Ask, so great for me.” quarter at Seattle University and it memories tend to be. “That’s Don’t Tell (DADT) was overthrown. was by far the toughest time I’ve “Eventually, our entire platoon knew “Meeting her parents was awe- had in my short 21 years of life. It when I met her.” that her and I were a thing, includ- some! I was nervous as hell but wasn’t school that was making it Navotni remembers Elli: “When ing our platoon sergeant, and excited at the same time,” said hard. It was not having her there I first met her, I thought she was they didn’t give two shits,” said Navotni. “I wanted them to be ac- with me.” Navotni made plans to cute... she didn’t say much, kinda Elli. “The females in our platoon cepting of us, and approve of me visit Elli in April. made her come off as stuck up. thought we were adorable and being with their daughter, espeFor the rest of training that was the guys in our platoon thought it cially because Elli and I both knew During that visit, Elli popped pretty much the image that I had was hot.” that our feelings for each other The Question: “We wound up of her.” were moving faster than we were at Bellows Air Force beach and After graduation from boot camp, letting people on to believe.” planted ourselves on a part of the It did not take long for them to go Elli went back to her folks’ home beach where not a person was from mild dislike to a full-blown in Michigan. Nevotni came to Elli flew to Hawai’i in February 2011, in sight. The sun was beaming friendship. Elli marveled at the visit, and that was when Elli came but paradise was not enough. and kayakers were steadily padContinued on p20
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 // December 2012 | 17
Event By: Mickey Weems
Rapper Macklemore and his partner in crime Ryan Lewis are coming to Honolulu on New Year’s Eve – here’s why it’s a big deal.
Macklemore
Many LGBT people love hip hop, but hate the homophobia – so does this rapper and his crew. True word crafters take everyday things and magnify them, bringing forth their glaring faults and their shining goodness. Such is the case of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, men who bring hip hop together with live music in their shows. They also speak out against the tired old staples of the genre, such as gratuitous homophobia and pointless label worship, in two of their hits: “Same Love” and “Thrift Shop.” All too often, Straight people who show support for The Gays will add the disclaimer, “but I’m not Gay, not that there’s anything wrong with it.” This sentiment is right up there with “some of my best friends are Black” on the Insufferable Triteness Scale. Macklemore is different. He chants satin-smooth “I love Gays even though I’m not one” wordplay in the song, “Same Love”: When I was in the third grade, I thought that I was Gay ‘Cause I could draw, and my uncle was, and I kept my room straight I told my mom, tears rushing down my face She’s like, “Ben, you’ve loved girls since before pre-k, shrimp” Trippin’, yeah, I guess she had a point, didn’t she? Bunch of stereotypes all in my head I remember doing the math like, “yea I’m good at little league” A preconceived idea of what it all meant Then goes on to lambast others in hip hop: If I was Gay, I would think hip-hop hates me Have you read the YouTube comments lately? “Man, that’s Gay” gets dropped on the daily We become so numb to what we’re saying A culture founded from oppression Yet we don’t have acceptance for ‘em Call each other faggots behind the keys of a message board A word rooted in hate, yet our genre still ignores it What makes “Same Love” so wonderful is that Macklemore describes the anguish he felt as a kid when he thought he was Gay while openly discussing his Gay uncle, something that few people in hip hop have 18 |
// December 2012
Ryan Lewis
done up until now. While the song plays, a beautiful video featuring the life of a Gay man (presumably Macklemore’s uncle) unfolds, including the anguish he feels as a teen when he realizes he is not like everyone else. It is a must-see. Grandpa’s Clothes On what appears to be a different subject, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis put out “Thrift Shop,” a YouTube favorite with 20 million views as of mid-November. In “Thrift Shop,” the finely tuned sensitivity of “Same Love” is replaced with lyrics and video worthy of Comedy Central. Macklemore sports all kinds of finds, representatives of what may be found at Goodwill and Savers, with special emphasis on faux-fur coats (a rarity here in the islands) and an aloha shirt. Lyrics are just on the side of raunchy, but for comic effect rather than pornocentric. “Same Love” and “Thrift Shop” have the same basic premise: what people uncritically believe is uncool is not necessarily so, whether it be orientation or second-hand clothing. This is exactly what keeping it real should be, not the same stale “Gs Up/Hoes Down” and “No Homo” crap recycled endlessly for the last two decades. 1349 Kapiolani Blvd Honolulu, HI 96814 Tickets on sale at these locations: groovetickets.com // bampproject.com Local Motion Stores // Navy ITT Offices Hickam ITT Offices // U.S. Coast Guard MWR Marine Corps ITT Offices UH Campus Center The Safehouse (The Republik lounge)
For more information on Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, visit
SPOTLIGHT
Ward Warehouse Shopping Center has an establishment known as “Honolulu’s biggest little liquor store” that specializes in rare, hard to find spirits, wines and beers. It stands out from neighboring shops that sport contemporary furniture and fancy product displays. Liquor Collection owners George and Ming insisted that property management allow them to keep its signature look – a push that did not come easy while the center’s leased retail stores conformed to different standards. The Liquor Collection experience begins the moment thirsty customers walk in its door. Like the mélange of the LGBT community, the store revels in diversity - American, European, Asian, Hawaiian wines, beers, and liquors – name it. Chances are, the Liquor Collection has it. Bound to gratify taste buds, the beverages in this 900 square foot store compel adventure. How do customers interact with the Liquor Collection? “Each week, a new beer from another country! That’s how you do it,” says one regular. For the first-time consumer exploring the Liquor Collection, it’s common to feel intimidated as eyes glance on unconventional product names. Store employees eagerly stand by to answer questions as customers bravely choose something new. Recommended Mix and choose any beers to make a six-pack. The Liquor Collection Ward Warehouse at the Ward Centers 1050 Ala Moana Blvd. #1200 808.524.8808 Open Monday – Saturday from 10am to 9pm, and Sunday from 10am to 6pm LiquorCollection.com
// December 2012 | 19
From p17 dling through the surf on the horizon. We sat in silence for a few minutes and took in the beautiful scenery and each other’s company. In a minute of pure courage, I turned to Navotni and knelt before her where she sat in the sand.
responses were a bit shaky and normally included, ‘Haven’t you only been dating for 3 months?’ But we didn’t care.” Navotni got permission from her unit to move to Hawai’i and go
DADT repeal didn’t really accomplish anything for the Gay community. We don’t get money to live off post, we can’t make medical decisions on each others behalf, when we have kids they won’t be looked at as our kids, we wouldn’t even be the first to be notified if the other was killed in action. I pulled out a silver coated box and opened it to reveal a ring. She began to cry before I even got the words out and I let her take it in for a moment before I finally asked, ‘Will you marry me?’ She said ‘Yes, of course.’” But not everyone was overjoyed: “When we walked back to the car, we called our parents and our closest friends to tell them the great news. Most
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// December 2012
to school in Honolulu rather than Seattle. This is where the hard part set in. “Moving to Hawai‘i was simple,” said Navotni. “Making it work on the other hand was ridiculously difficult.” Elli recalled the hard times: “We spent the holidays in Hawai’i because we couldn’t afford to fly home... We really began to fall apart. It felt like everything was against us and we were help-
less to save ourselves because we were Gay.” Financial troubles and depression shared their small studio apartment with them. But Elli and Navotni managed to hang on through the rough patch. With DADT revoked, life became much easier than before. But so much still needs to be done for our LGBT service people. Navotni summed up the challenges: “Our hopes for the future is that we as honorable US soldiers get the same rights that any other couple does. What people don’t know is that DADT repeal didn’t really accomplish anything for the Gay community. We don’t get money to live off post, we can’t make medical decisions on each others behalf, when we have kids they won’t be looked at as our kids, we wouldn’t even be the first to be notified if the other was killed in action.” Elli sees the silver lining: “End of the day, we are married in spirit and know that one day, equality will be at our doorstep.”
AST ROLOGY
The separation of you and me is ending. You and I are becoming Us. We are now creating the Age of the Human Being, the Age of Aquarius.
ARIES
March 21 - April 19
Stress is creative energy, so use it! Advances are imminent in your career if you work with superiors and are not too pushy. You may discover love if you travel, study, write, publish or meditate. Find deep intimacy with your loved one and share the wealth. Note guidance in your dreams.
TAURUS
April 20 - May 20
A new relationship demands commitment. This love is deep - love it or leave it! Opportunities, changes in career may show up in communication, media, writing or study, with publishing or travel and an increase of income. Beware of impulsiveness. Go forward now and reach for the stars!
GEMINI
May 21 - June 20
You’re a burst of self-confidence this year, but you may have overextended your social life. Watch indulgences, it might be time to diet. You may find love at work, or you may travel and fall in love with a foreigner with an age difference. Make communications clear! Your investments may pay off if you are not too impulsive.
CANCER
LIBRA
September 23 - October 22
Prepare for sudden, unexpected changes at home as well as a major relationship or business alliance. Do not be impulsive and throw it all away! Think about it first, and then decide. Tighten your belt financially. Get a health checkup just to be sure. You may want to take a short trip to another country. Publish, write or expand your wisdom through study.
SCORPIO
October 23 - November 21
You are working out your deep needs with a meaningful partner. Speak up! Your energy is low, so balance rest and work. Opportunities abound for income in communications, media, writing and teaching. Your shared investments may pay off if you don’t take big risks!
SAGITTARIUS
Possible power plays and more responsibilities at work on the horizon, plus health difficulties with bones, teeth or knees. You may ally with an unusual love or humanitarian business partner. Avoid deception in investments or intimacy. You may have a sudden urge to travel. Expect a spiritually enlightening message in your dreams.
VIRGO
August 23 - September 22
Intense communication with your neighbors or your siblings this holiday and fun times at home with family are on tap. An intense love affair that may change your life. Creativity abounds! Your hard work will reap benefits from a career boost. Take time off and rest.
December 22 - January 19
You are transforming yourself and could be charismatic or bossy. You’d probably like a break! Make the changes and all will be easier. Assert yourself diplomatically to reap good fortune. Find balance for what you need with your partner. A humanitarian focus will increase your income. Your main squeeze wants changes and more freedom. Be flexible or end it.
AQUARIUS
July 23 - August 22
November 22 - December 21
Your personality, benevolence and wit shine with a wonderful love or business partner! Your income source reaps benefits from sudden changes, hard work and your original ideas. You will have a fun holiday, but watch excesses and plan schedules.
CAPRICORN
June 21 - July 22
Are you having a passionate affair with someone? Expect an emotional, trying holiday season with family, relationships and business associates. Your partner may be pushy and want more freedom. Stick to your guns! Learn to assert yourself diplomatically to get what you need. Meditate to calm your emotions for clarity.
LEO
Gini of Blue Sky Healing Arts 808.389.0579
January 20 - February 18
You are asserting yourself big time. Be careful of what you say in public! Act for the good of all to benefit in career and income, and you will leap forward. You may find a love or a business partner to benefit your career. Expect a sudden message from a relative.
PISCES
February 19 - March 20
You are more compassionate than ever! Be careful of too much self-sacrifice. Find guidance in your dreams. You may meet love or public favor while traveling or giving a speech. Your home or family could be involved with your career. You may meet a powerful person at a group gathering who challenges your values. Stand in your center and stick by your higher principles!
// December 2012 | 21
Ente rtainment
By: Chris Azzopardi Images: EMI Music Kylie Minogue was just 19 when she landed a record deal that would turn the soap star into a singing superstar. This year marks a quarter-century of Kylie, who’s celebrating the milestone with orchestral reinterpretations of her most popular songs on The Abbey Road Sessions, as well as a movie and an upcoming book chronicling her style over the last 25 years. We hooked up with the 44-year-old pop icon to talk about those projects, the outfit she calls an “abomination,” taking a sabbatical from music and why she doesn’t want to know how she became a Gay icon. The Abbey Road Sessions really shows a more sophisticated side to you – one that people who only know you from your dance music might not be familiar with. Why now are you venturing out into more stylistically ambitious territory and taking risks? Is it because you’re in your 25th year and you just don’t give a crap anymore?
[Laughs] That could be a tiny bit of it! I actually recorded The Abbey Road Sessions late last year, knowing it would be part of what we’ve called K25. But I can’t tell you exactly why. I’ve just felt like now is as good a time as any to do these things that I’ve been harboring – these desires to do the Anti Tour and to do an orchestra album – and I managed to make them happen. It’s not even just with music, though. You’re taking risks with film, too. You returned to acting this year in Jack and Diane – and you kissed a girl.
[Sings] And I liked it. What was it like shooting that scene?
Blink and you’ll miss me, but I am there! [Laughs] I play a part-time flame of Riley Keough’s character, and she’s having drama with the girl she’s just met and I’m, like, the older woman. 22 |
// December 2012
Did you study any Lesbian flicks, like Bound or The Hours, to prepare for your Lesbian role in Jack and Diane?
No, I just went with instinct. You’ve kissed a girl before anyway. Remember smooching Geri Halliwell in 2001?
Oh, that’s right! That’s true, I hadn’t thought about that. [Laughs] It was just very straightforward. It’s a film about a couple of girls who fall in love, and I was a momentary wakeup call for Riley’s character. We never discussed it – the kissing or anything. It just all happened. What does your hot Spanish boyfriend think of your lady lovin’?
I don’t think he minded at the time. He’s very open-minded, which is good. A lot of people who are working the same job for as long as you have might move on to something else. In these 25 years, was there ever a moment – maybe during your battle with cancer in 2005 – where you thought about going off and living in Taos, New Mexico? Somewhere easy, somewhere kind of mystical?
Maybe for a brief moment, but no, I was just eager to finish what I’d started. I wanted to get back on stage, and I wanted to be better and stronger and not as stressed-out as I always was. I wanted to make it work for me as well as working for it. So no, I’m really so fortunate that I have a lot of different types of opportunities – thank God, because otherwise I would be off! That’s why I’m doing so many different things, and fortunately my audience understands that about me and almost expects it of me these days. It’s harmonious. It’s not like I go off and do something and they just think, “She’s just disappearing for a while and then she’ll be back.” They come with me. Gay fans are super loyal. We’ll follow you anywhere.
Oh yeah. Nothing if not loyal.
Ente rtainment
For a lot of Gay fans, you’ve been a source of strength and perseverance. I have a Gay friend who was in the military who said he listened to you every day and it got him through.
Aww, really? I love stories like that. What kind of stories have you been told over the years from your Gay fans about how you’ve inspired them?
That’s really hard for me to think of a specific story, but in general, I do hear that kind of thing. The biggest question is: How did I end up in this position? My Gay audience just decided. It was like, “You’re ours. We’re adopting you.” And I thought it was brilliant. But it wasn’t like I was marketed to the pink pound or anything like that – that didn’t even really exist back then, actually. So yeah, I do hear lots of stories about people feeling some kind of support and loving what I do. I don’t have the answer and I’m asked all the time, “Why do you have such a Gay following?” “Why are you a Gay icon?” I almost don’t want to know the answer, because it was so organic the way it happened. When you work on a project, be it including mermen in the Aphrodite World Tour last year or recording a dance song, how much do you keep the Gays in mind?
I try to keep everyone in mind because I don’t want to go too far and I don’t want to go not far enough. It’s just a case of balance. Like, I wouldn’t go on a tour that’s got a routine like we had for “Slow” on the Showgirl tour. You wouldn’t want that for two hours. I don’t even think my Gay audience would want that for two hours. I don’t think we’d care. It’s Kylie for two hours!
[Laughs] I nearly spat my water across the room right then! The Best of Kylie compilation, released earlier this year, made it easy to compare all the styles you’ve gone through since the ’80s. For you, which was the most ridiculous fashion era? What are some clothes you’d like to burn – or that you have already?
Oh my God. Gee, I probably have burned them. Hey, the late ’80s wasn’t that kind to anyone. There’s a poster in existence where I have bicycle pants or, like, leggings under cutoff shorts with polka-dot socks and ankle riding boots and a huge leather jacket – and I even think there are stripes involved. It’s just an abomination. If that could disappear into the black hole, that would be amazing. But there’s been some in the kind of “good period” when I’m supposed to know what I’m doing. [Laughs] Sometimes things just don’t come together, especially if they’re out of context. I’m thinking of one example of being on stage, where you’ve got extra stage makeup on, and then going to something afterward. You look a bit like a freak. You crushed my little Gay heart when you debunked rumors about you doing a song with Madonna for a TV special to commemorate your anniversary. You were kidding, right? Please tell me this is happening.
Aww. No, for real. There’s nothing. I’ve always dueted with guys, which is also good, but the question always comes up: “Would you duet with Madonna?” “Would you duet with Britney?” And the answer is always “Yes” because I think all of those girls are great for different reasons. Hey, it might never happen, but maybe – if the moment and the song and the desire came up from both parties. It is a bit like a Gay wet dream, but who knows. I’ve just always said, “Of course that’s something that’s interesting.” Is there a Gay friend who cuddles up with you on the couch with a bottle of wine to watch RuPaul’s Drag Race?
Is there one? No! Look, I might be a serial monogamist with my actual boyfriend, but with my Gay boyfriends I’m a floozy. There are a few. I’ve got one in every port! [Laughs] What would you like to tell your Gay fans who’ve been following you for these last 25 years?
It’s very simple: I just want to say thank you. That’s all. // December 2012 | 23
C ommunity
NOM and Overseas Terrorism Against LGBT Allies By: Mickey Weems We’ve seen this before.
rights and getting them thrown out of office, Starbucks’ owner and CEO Howard Schultz then telling those who still refused to comply, witnessed his father succumb to illness with American Fundamentalist Protestants pro- “You’re Next.” NOM also pit the Black commu- no health insurance coverage from his father’s moted Gay-hate in Africa after Obama took nity against the LGBT community at the ballot place of employment. The hardships his family office in 2008. Millions of LGBT people across box, consistently ignoring the fact there are suffered inspired him to form a company that the Mother Continent were put in danger as Black Gay people. places a premium on compassion. Starbucks a consequence of outside money and medhas outstanding benefits for its employees dling, especially in Uganda where American But that strategy failed this election cycle. – the antithesis of Papa John’s founder and preachers inspired the Anti-Homosexuality Bill Victory for LGBT ally Barack Obama and CEO, John Schnatter, whose callous attitude in 2009. Most of the haters backed off when openly Gay Tammy Baldwin, as well as the towards the lower echelons of workers made called out by our vigilant LGBT media, and failures for anti-marriage equality goons in him a media magnet. international outcry kept the bill from passing Minnesota, Maine, Maryland and Washington until now. But Gay-hate legislation is still being State, have driven NOM into what can best be Starbucks also has spousal benefits for its pushed across Africa, and the 2009 Ugandan described as a jihad-crusade, a thinly veiled LGBT staff. But in the eyes of NOM, Starbucks prison-and-death bill has been resurrected bid for Holy War, courtesy of Fundamentalist crossed the line in the sand when it openly enonce more. Muslim extremists. dorsed marriage equality. Christian preachers in Uganda asked that the bill be passed as “a Christmas gift” for the nation. Not to be outdone by its homophobic competitors, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) wants to spread the gift of hate from Christian Africa to the Muslim Middle East.
From Protestant to Catholic/Mormon
After the 2008 election, the major impetus for anti-Gay activism abroad came from Fundamentalist Protestants. But there has been a shift from Protestants in groups such as Exodus (an ex-Gay ministry) to Fundamentalist Roman Catholic and Mormon establishments funding NOM, a group formed to promote California’s Proposition 8 banning marriage equality. Before this November, NOM was successful in targeting politicians who supported LGBT 24 |
// December 2012
Those of us familiar with Islam know that there are two kinds of jihad. The Greater Jihad is the inner struggle to live in accordance with Allah’s will, and the Lesser Jihad is defense of the beloved community of believers. Like a homophobic version of Hunger Games, NOM (made up of devout Christians who are not at all fans of Islam) seeks to unleash a brutal form of the Lesser Jihad overseas against corporations that support marriage equality. NOM threatened to cause trouble for corporations, specifically Starbucks Coffee, that have businesses in the Middle East, a strategy that is but a hair-trigger’s breadth away from inviting terrorists to blow shit up.
Starbucks’ Response: The Lens of Humanity
It is no surprise that Starbucks, a progressive company, is under attack from NOM, an organization with strong ties to the Extreme Right.
With Starbucks’ corporate ethic of compassion that resembles the finest ethics of Christianity and Islam (both religions emphasize mercy above all), it is beyond ironic that NOM would seek a Devil’s bargain with Muslim homophobes in order to further a Gay-hate agenda. Starbucks sent eXpression! this response when we asked about the haters: As a global company with locations in 60 countries, Starbucks recognizes that religious customs, social norms and laws vary within the many communities where we do business. A key value of our business model is to make decisions through the lens of humanity. This means promoting an inclusive environment of respect and dignity where we embrace individuals irrespective of political/religious beliefs, gender, race or sexual orientation and practices in all the communities that we serve. We take great pride in respecting a myriad of cultural and social differences
and believe that our stores, our partners (employees), our customers and our coffee can help bring people together regardless of their differing views or geographical location.
Why I Will Drink Starbucks Coffee, and Why NOM Can Eat Me
Starbucks has coffee shops in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates-Dubai. NOM’s
threats could have deadly consequences for employees and customers in those countries, just as other Christian homophobic organizations in America have endangered millions of lives in Africa. But unlike Uganda’s AntiHomosexuality Bill (which codifies hatred against its own people), the Starbucks Gay Menace is specifically American, thus becoming an excuse to attack all Americans. Perhaps it is time for the US State Department to haul in NOM leaders before Congress for fomenting anti-American hatred in the Middle East. // December 2012 | 25
C ommunity
“An Evening of HI Fashion” on November 17 was a night to remember, and a great opportunity to work the runway for the first time. By: Mickey Weems :: Images: Ana Medina
Nobody does Honolulu glam like the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. The Bishop’s latest exhibit, HI Fashion, celebrates the legacy of designer Alfred Shaheen, a man whose career spanned 5 decades from the 1940s to the 1980s. Shaheen was the first to manufacture clothing from fabric to finish on the islands, creating jobs here and putting Honolulu on the international fashion map. One week after the exhibit opened, the museum had “An Evening of HI Fashion” on the lawn in front of Hawaiian Hall. The event featured people wearing vintage dresses and aloha shirts by Shaheen, as well as menswear by Reyn Spooner and a new line of women’s wear by Andy South. Bishop Museum staff wore vintage Shaheen on the runway. I volunteered to walk with them. It was my first time on the carpet, but not the first time I have paraded myself before a crowd in a killer outfit. I’m a Marine. Public presentation of self is as much a part of training as shooting a rifle. The runway is not a parade ground, and working the carpet is different from marching in a platoon. The Bishop models got together a few days before the event to map out the route, timing and attitude we would bring to the show. It was like learning to walk all over again. My part in the show was different from the other men – I would be the only one with an escort. Malia Baron, a tall beauty with runway experience, would wear a dress made of the same purple and white fabric as my late ‘70s Shaheen aloha shirt. My job was, at the very least, to do nothing stupid. Our challenge was to walk smoothly together, and it took a few passes before Malia and I got in sync. As we grew comfortable with each other, we naturally fell in step. Cues between us grew imperceptible as we learned to move as a couple, a carefully choreographed dance hidden within a casual stroll.
Elegance in Motion
A line of fine men in Reyn Spooner casual wear was first up for the runway. Next was the Bishop crew, la-
26 |
// December 2012
C ommunity
dies first, then men, then Malia and me. Andy South’s collection would follow us. Thanks to Shaheen’s love of color and drama, Bishop models served fierceness as we walked in vintage splendor, a current of textiles, bright designs and personal swag. The crowd made it easy – cheers resounded as each of us brought it. By the time Malia and I were called to the carpet, the energy was reaching its peak. Malia and I were a hit. The crowd loved the matching outfits and the charisma of my escort. Without really trying (practice can make perfect), we moved together, stopping for the Money Shot in front of the paparazzi at the other end of the carpet. Like the models before us, we reveled as the adulation of spectators washed over us. Actually, “spectators” is not the right word. The show was by no means limited to the runway – guests wore vintage Shaheens of their own. A media wall for photo shoots (and open to the public) was at the entrance. People admired each other without reservation, creating a series of mini-runways as they transitioned smoothly from observer to model in a magical milieu of relaxed sophistication. They looked good and they knew it.
From Shaheen to South
The piece de resistance was Andy South’s Shaheeninspired collection. Tall, graceful women (including transwomen) flowed down the runway in gossamer outfits that moved with gusts of wind from Kalihi Valley, as if Mother Nature herself chose to add drama to the evening. It was a proud moment for the men of Reyn Spooner, the Bishop Museum staff, Andy’s models and the superb crowd. The event also marked a triumph for the LGBT community: recognition of one of our own as a major force in the Hawaiian fashion industry. South is a woman destined for international acclaim, yet she stays true to her home in O’ahu just as Alfred Shaheen had done before her. “There is a connective thread stemming from myself to Shaheen,” she said for eXpression! Magazine, “and it is really through his stubbornness to remain in Hawai’i that I realized we are so alike. Our culture tells us to learn from our past to guide us into our future, and it is knowing that it has been done before that I am sure it will happen again. Will it be the same? No. The greatness of our Hawaiian garment industry is not yet known. It is only felt by the pioneers that have it in their hearts to make this dream into a reality. “And that is powerful.” Be sure to see the exhibit, HI Fashion: The Legacy of Alfred Shaheen, at the Bishop Museum, November 10-February 4. // December 2012 | 27
Want your Gay-friendly business listed here? Call 808.281.4084 or email William@eXpression808.com
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