SOUTHERN WITH A GAY TWIST
11.06.15 V6-24
Breaking the ICE +Lauren Foster is just ‘Another Girl’
5
THINGS WE CAN DO ABOUT
EATING DISORDERS
WHY I HOLD MY PARTNER’S HAND
PHOTO BY JOSH HOBGOOD
OUR PAST OUR PRESENT THE FUTURE SAVE THE DATE
ATLANTA PRIDE 2016 OCTOBER 10-11, 2016 PIEDMONT PARK
Contents
FENUXE 11.06.2015
Breaking the ICE
PG 28 PHOTOS BY JOSH HOBGOOD
08
CALENDAR: 8 GREAT THINGS TO DO
10
OUT & ABOUT PHOTOS
20
A MODEL GIRL
22
OUR NEXT FIERCE ADVOCATE
24
5 THINGS WE CAN DO ABOUT EATING DISORDERS
28
BREAKING THE ICE WILL BRANDON
34 36
HEY GIRL HEY GAY NEWS AT A GLANCE
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Now thru 11/15 - The Thrush & the Woodpecker is a whiteknuckled thriller about a mother and son facing betrayal and revenge with plot twists, gasps and the gripping theatricality you’ve come to expect from Steve Yockey. The AJC wrote “...Experience at least one Yockey show in your lifetime.” For more info and tickets visit www.actors-express.com
NOV 14
FUN
STUDIO 54 @ GRANT PARK. November 14th 8PM-Midnight Enjoy all the disco you can handle upstairs at Studio 54 with go-go dancers, contests, dancing & plunging necklines, downstairs in the Velvet Underground bar (flash back to “The Factory”) where you’ll hear music of the late 70’s and early 80s. Special appearance by Trinity K. Bonet of RuPaul’s Drag Race. For more info visit www.gpna.org 08: November 6, 2015
ROMEO & JULIET Now through 11/22 - The Fern Theatre presents Shakespeare’s most famous love story, Romeo and Juliet, starring an All Female Cast. Romeo & Juliet is the third installment of The Fern’s Classically Female Series, which explores classical plays as produced with an all female cast and crew. For info and tickets visit www.theferntheater.org
EXPO
ATLANTA PET EXPO November 14th 10AM-6PM The 5th annual Atlanta Pet Expo, which offers vendors, vaccinations, entertainment, and adoptions at Georgia International Convention Center. Admission is Free and you can bring your pet. For more information please visit www.atlantapetexpo.com
FILM NOV 12
NOV 7
CHASTAIN PARK ARTS FESTIVAL November 7th & 8th The Chastain Park Arts Festival will host its sixth annual event at Chastain Park featuring approximately 185 artists and artisans, fine art and crafts, local food and beverage concessions including the gourmet food trucks and Local acoustic musicians. This event is FREE to attend. Visit www,chastainparkartsfestival. com for more info.
NOV 19 05.03.15
NOW
THE THRUSH & THE WOODPECKER
FESTIVAL
THEATER
NOV 14
NOW
THEATRE
FILM CHARITY
DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL @ THE DOOGALLERY November 19th – 21st The 10th Annual Atlanta International Documentary Film Festival (Atlanta DocuFest) brings you the best in independent documentary film and video from across the globe, and showcases meaningful life stories which educate and entertain. For tickets, list of films and more info visit www.docufest.com
SHORT COMEDY FILM FEST @ THE PLAZA THEATER November 12th 20 short films that were produced in less than 3 days by filmmakers throughout the Southeast will be screened and judged at the third annual 69 Hour Film Fest at the Plaza Theater. For more info visit www.69hourfilmfest.com
THEATRE NOV 20
CALENDAR
HOLIDAY THEATER Tickets Now On Sale The Santaland Diaries-The outrageous holiday comedy, written by David Sedaris, stars Crumpet, a rebel without a Clause who recounts the true-life tale of an out-of-work writer’s stint as a Macy’s Department Store elf. Opening at the Horizon Theater November 20th and runs through December 31st. For tickets and info visit www.horizontheatre.com
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OUT & ABOUT
10: November 6, 2015
PHOTOS
AIDS WALK ATLANTA 2015 PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
OUT & ABOUT
PHOTOS
HRC BRUNCH PRIDE 2015 @ TEN ATLANTA PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
11: November 6, 2015
OUT & ABOUT
12: November 6, 2015
PHOTOS
GLAAD ATLANTA 2015 PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
OUT & ABOUT
14: November 6, 2015
PHOTOS
HOCUS POCUS PARTY BENEFITTING JERUSALEM HOUSE PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
FENUXE.COM : 15
OUT & ABOUT
16: November 6, 2015
PHOTOS
FLIGHT OF EAGLES PARTY @ EAGLE ATLANTA PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
OUR PAST OUR PRESENT THE FUTURE SAVE THE DATE
ATLANTA PRIDE 2016 OCTOBER 10-11, 2016 PIEDMONT PARK
OUT & ABOUT
18: November 6, 2015
PHOTOS
PRIDE PARTY @ FELIX ATLANTA PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
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FENUXE.COM : 19
BY DUSTIN FITZHARRIS
INTERVIEW
A Model Girl Lauren Foster is ‘Just Another Gir l ’
When Lauren Foster appeared in a five-page spread in a 1984 issue of Vogue, people assumed she was just another girl. Little did they or even the editors know, she wasn’t. She was born in Durban, South Africa, 23 years earlier - as a boy. While she’s one of the world’s most recognized transgender women and one of the first to appear in Vogue, she really does prefer to think of herself as just another girl. “I used to say that to my mom when I was kid,” Foster says from her Miami home. “I don’t reside in my transgenderism.” With individuals like Caitlin Jenner and Laverne Cox in the public eye, the trans movement is stronger than ever. Although Foster has been called the “it girl for the transgender community,” she doesn’t consider herself a pioneer. She acknowledges those who came before her, but does feel the time has come to tell her story and continue to provide inspiration to others. This month she will launch her new website and next year she will release her longawaited memoir. It’s only apropos both are titled Just Another Girl. She describes herself as fun, exciting, reckless, adventurous, and a risk taker. Anyone who saw her on Real 20: November 6, 2015
Housewives of Miami, the first transgender woman to appear on the franchise regularly, would agree. She’s also proven herself as an actress in Circuit and Joseph Lally’s provocative and artistic films, Faces, International Star and Miss America Commits Suicide. Additionally, for over a decade she worked with Jeffrey Sanker, the most powerful promoter in the underground party circuit, and went on to manage DJ Paolo, Tracy Young and worked with Grace Jones. No matter what path she takes, there never seems to be a challenge too big. Her journey to greatness started when she was just six and her father, the captain of his cricket team, took her into the men’s locker room after a match. “The smell of the musk of all the men around me made me very anxious and made me realize I shouldn’t be there in that spot. I ran out of the locker room, tripped and fell and ran, screaming to my mother, ‘I want to go home!’ That’s the first recollection of when I realized I wasn’t wired correctly,” Foster recalls. Unlike countless individuals who don’t have the support from their
families, Foster never had that struggle. She calls her childhood “idyllic and filled with love.” “I never looked masculine,” she says. “I never looked like a boy. Even in my early teens I’d go out and people would think I was a girl. “ At 18, Foster fully transitioned and never looked back. She hopes her website, JustAnotherGirl.org, which she equates to an online version of Allure or New Beauty magazine for trans women, will offer the same care and guidance she had. While an overwhelming amount of information already exists on the Internet, most of it is inaccurate and outdated. Her site is easy to navigate and will contain all of the best resources for those thinking of transitioning or in the process of doing so. It will offer encouragement every step along the way. Spiritual author Marianne Williamson, a close friend of Foster’s, will inspire the Spirituality/Mental Health content of the site. Williamson says it’s a gift to know Foster and describes her “like an exotic bird that’s also your get-down- with-it girlfriend.” The two first met in the late ‘80s when one of Foster’s friends, dying from AIDS, was looking for spiritual guidance. Having founded Project Angel Food, a meals-on-wheels program that serves homebound people with
AIDS, Williamson was at the forefront of outreach to AIDS patients. When it comes to the transgender community, Williamson’s words continue to resonate with Foster: “Spirit has no gender” “She had the courage to take on this challenge when it was exceedingly rare; if anybody knows the ropes, she does,” Williamson says. “There are a lot of life issues that will be easier for people because her site exists.” It’s no small wonder Foster and Williamson would connect. Foster has always chosen to walk in the light and rise above negativity. Shortly after appearing in Vogue, another model outed her as transgender. The 2-page story ran in countless tabloid magazines. Foster forged ahead. “It was in print, not the Internet, so it wasn’t so jarring,” Foster says about the experience. “A week later the story was probably lining the bottom of bird
“ Spirit Has No Gender. ” cages. If it happened now, it would be a whole different story because the story would continue to live on. I knew I could embrace it or let it hurt me.”
AMANDA LEPORE
In her upcoming memoir that will read as a love story, she will reflect on the beauty in her life, which includes wonderful and intense relationships. “Not many men can openly love trans women. I have fortunate enjoyed that kind of love. I want to give people hope. You don’t need to be embarrassed to have a transgender woman as a girlfriend or wife. I’ve never been with a man who has been embarrassed to be with me. I want to help dispel all the myths,” says Foster. Over the years Foster has learned many lessons, the greatest being honesty and humility. Whether it’s in front of the camera or in her private life, she’s redefined what it means to be a woman. “My life has had so many great moments,” she says. “It’s certainly not tragedy; it’s rejoicing.” Not bad for being “just another girl.” Visit justanothergirl.org
COMMUNITY LGBT community--a beautiful reflection of family in all of its diversity and discovery. When Cesar and I share dinner or do a movie with members of our LGBT family there is a joyful acknowledgement and ease that comes with how we understand our identity as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, and those who are questioning their sexuality. We hold one another’s hand, and normally across the table, because our affection is instinctive--as well as instructive. No, we don’t want to teach another person (it is not our place), but we do want to inspire or inform others about how these two gay men express their love; and at times, publicly.
Why I Hold My Partner’s Hand BY: BILL DICKINSON
Put simply, I love and am in love. When one’s heart is full. When one’s day is preoccupied with another. When I am in touch with the truth that I can’t live without him; and, I go through my day missing him, I can’t help but hold my partner’s hand. It is an empowering truth for me, for us! I also know that there are still those people among us who don’t want to see two men holding hands, or two women arm in arm. There are still those among us who rue the Supreme Court decision to legalize marriage for all people--even between same-sex persons. I know that there are still those among us who don’t believe my love for Cesar is natural or of God. And, I know there are still some courageous battlescarred same sex couples that are weary or afraid to hold one another’s hand after years of fighting for this more inclusive place in today’s society? 22: November 6, 2015
And, for all those reasons, too, I hold my partner’s hand. But, we also hold hands because we are a family, it evokes security, and it bespeaks dignity. Cesar and I are in our mid-50s. We esteem families--of all varieties. We value children and their parents-in all ways. But, after three years of being together, and having lived into a new maturity, we will not have children, nor define our family by children. Nonetheless, we are a family; two men deeply in love and who celebrate, with joy, the extended families we come from and share life with. Thus, I hold my partner’s hand because it signifies, for us, the love we see in our larger family as well as it symbolizes the enduring love we have as a family. Our family, too, is blessed because we share a unique identity with the
For us right now, it is important to model something bigger than ourselves. Of course, we celebrate the law of the land in support of Marriage Equality. And, there is no question we are grateful for the countless people who both accept or respect love between same-sex persons. But, as most of us know, there is still progress to be made as human kind comes to appreciate that, although we are all created in God’s image and likeness, it doesn’t mean we have to be the same and believe in the same, or express love as the same. How can I not help but hold my partner’s hand? It is a form of love that invites a reconsideration of how people might have typically experienced or known love. I also hold my partner’s hand because it elicits security. This family needs each other. Cesar and I hold on to one another figuratively and literally. For us, there is a swagger, if you will, that comes from holding one another’s hand. I promise, it is not arrogance. It is not an “in your face” demonstration of any kind. It is a warm, secure feeling and proof of love that enables both of us to walk with confidence and to be secure in the company of one another. Let me be clear, Cesar is not a security blanket for me; he is a source of strength for me, and for us, as we simply do what comes natural for us. And, that is to show affection and to reach for one another’s hand as we run our errands, walk through the mall, or watch our favorite TV. We are safe; we are secure enough in ourselves to be true to ourselves. Which is also why I hold my partner’s hand; it reflects our dignity.
One’s dignity is important to name and to celebrate. Our unique DNA and personality--as well as history and possibility--reflects a personhood that is powerfully and wonderfully ours. I am a gay man. I am in love with another man. We share our lives with a variety of friends--from many walks of life--and we are so very grateful for all of them. But, as gay men, we tend to hang out with other gay men whether they are single, dating, partnered, or married. Our dignity as gay men, in part, is highly tied to other men who are like us and, of course, the larger LGBT family for which we are privileged to belong. Yes, I hold Cesar’s hand because our love reflects our innate dignity. I’d like to believe it is a sign that enables everyone-each with their own dignity and beauty--to see that both affection and love have a place in our larger society as well as when we watch a football game among friends or enjoy a family graduation with a brother’s daughter. Love always wins. And, I love even those who don’t support or understand or respect my love for another man; my partner, Cesar, in whose hand I come to know family, security, and dignity.
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WRITTEN BY: JOHN PAUL BRAMMER
HEALTH
5 things we can do
about eating disorders Eating Disorders Are Rampant in Gay Men, But Together We Can Help When I came out of the closet at the age of 20, my body had already been through a lot. In middle school, I was teased for having a “girl’s body.” Not only was I overweight, but also, I was biracial. The result was a body type that was easy fodder for my classmates: My ass was huge. My chest was swollen into “man boobs.” My face was round and full. I learned to be ashamed of every step I took, to apologize for taking up space, to flinch whenever someone
looked at me for too long. Eventually, I got sick of being made fun of. I made the radical decision to starve myself. If I ate too much, I threw it up. If I skipped a day of exercise, I punished myself twice as much the next day. If my body ached, if it was in pain, if it was begging for nourishment, I didn’t care -- I wanted to look “normal.”
In all, I shed over 100 pounds But it didn’t matter. I was still trapped in my body.
We celebrate “coming out” as an act of personal liberation. And when I finally did, it’s true, a lot of things got better for me. My eating disorder was not one of them. When I came out, my mental health was fragile. I was dysmorphic, bulimic and eager to seek out validation for a body I had been conditioned to hate. But validation wasn’t what I found. Instead, I found an
environment where my body was even more inadequate than I had previously imagined. I found a community full of damaged people like myself, people who, like me, were torturing themselves to conform to a very rigid definition of beauty. I found a community where only a select few body types were considered to be ideal. I found a community that was sick like me.
Gay and bisexual men are 7 times more likely to binge and 12 times more likely to purge than heterosexual men. Despite making up 5 percent of the male population, some 42 percent of men with eating disorders are gay. It’s clear we have a problem. Here are five ways we can help. 1. Diversify the representation of bodies in gay media. When we open up the gay male standard of beauty, we take a positive step for our community’s mental health. How often do we need to see the same white, chiseled body upheld as the paragon of attractiveness? Why, when our community has so much
profile of the Adonis that is typically featured in our media, affirming different kinds of beauty will take some pressure off all gay men trying to change themselves to look “sexy.” It’s such a simple step, but we’re doing a terrible job at taking it. 2. Make mental health a priority in the gay community. I’m proud of how the gay community is championing issues like HIV/AIDS awareness and challenging the stigmas associated with it. But we need more campaigns tackling mental health in the gay community.
“I found a community full of damaged people like myself, people who, like me, were torturing themselves to conform to a very rigid definition of beauty. I found a community where only a select few body types were considered to be ideal.” diversity to pull from? Not only is this lazy, but in a community with such staggeringly high rates of eating disorders, it’s also irresponsible. Gay media should be taking the lead on this. Instead of heaping praise on just one kind of body, why not put a spotlight on people of different body types and ethnicities? No matter your race, no matter what kind of body you have and even if you fit the
Beyond body image issues, gay men are also much more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. Many suffer from PTSD and substance abuse. We should be doing everything we can to tackle the mental health crisis that has plagued our community. Body dysmorphia, eating disorders and bulimia are all issues that therapy can assist in treating. In my experience, group therapy can be especially effective. We need to be pushing for mental healthFENUXE.COM : 25
“We should be doing everything we can to tackle the mental health crisis that has plagued our community.”
care access for LGBT people and pushing for more gay men to seek treatment. 3. Normalize getting treatment for mental illnesses. The above being said, there remains a stigma for people across all demographics in seeking mental healthcare. And yet, one of my favorite things about being a part of the gay community is how we, when we put our minds to it, reject societal stigma and find empowerment. This is the essence of Pride. So what we need to do, then, is be leaders on this issue. Normalize seeing a therapist. Normalize talking about mental illness. Normalize getting help.
What we can all do to tackle this problem is deconstruct the rigid concept of masculinity and the internalized homophobia that stigmatizes eating disorders as “effeminate” and that perceives femininity as a weakness. 5. Validate each other. This is probably the simplest thing we can do for each other. I love being gay. I love being in the gay community. It has given me some of the most amazing friends and experiences of my life. But we can do better in validating each other. It seems like we are quick to dismiss gay men we see as unattractive, quick to write people off if they don’t look a certain way, quick to judge someone on their appearances.
4. Tackle internalized homophobia. Toxic masculinity plays a huge role in keeping men, both gay and straight, from admitting they have an eating disorder. Many gay men are afraid of being associated with femininity for doing so, or they still believe mental illnesses aren’t real and that they should just suck it up. This creates a perfect storm for gay men suffering from eating disorders: the male gaze puts the pressure on them to look a certain way, but masculinity dictates that they not seek help.
What we should be doing is creating an environment where people can be attractive in different ways. We should be building each other up, celebrating our differences and taking a critical eye to some of the attributes we hold to be positive -- gaunt features, bulging muscles, etc. None of this is a critique on the men we do celebrate. More power to them. All I’m saying is, gay men, we have a challenge facing our community. Let’s start working on solutions.
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INTERVIEW
28: November 6, 2015
Breaking the ICE PHOTOS BY JOSH HOBGOOD
When you think about ice skating, you don’t normally think Dacula, Georgia, but with William Brandon, that’s exactly the case. He’s finally broken into the highly competitive world of professional figure skating, and took a break from his rigorous schedule to talk with us about what’s next in the life:
Will, you’re one of those rare Atlantans that was actually born & raised here. How was being gay and growing up in Atlanta? Growing up in the suburbs of Atlanta presented many unique experiences that are thankfully being recognized and addressed in today’s world. I faced bullying, name calling, organized hate, stereotyping, and discrimination. I went to George Walton Academy, a private school founded around Christian beliefs, in Monroe, Ga from 3rd grade to 11th. My peers were relentless in their verbal and physical attacks. I was thrown off the top of a slide. Food was thrown at me and the
boys would collectively chant “Will’s gay!” on class trip bus rides. Even my history teacher in 9th grade would make fun of me once for playing the flute competitively during his class period. But through it all I realized that being me is great. What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, and I graciously thank all of them for the strength I have today.
Were your parents supportive of you? I am without question the first prominent gay influence in either of my parents’ lives. My parents didn’t know what “gay” was anymore than I did; It was a path of discovery for all three of us. We had a lot of obstacles on both sides along the way and the more I grew into myself the less they knew how to support me. When I was young my parents wanted me to play baseball, so when I grew up and told them I wanted to pursue ice skating, I felt it was hard for them to
support me in such a “feminine” sport. It took finding a level of comfort in being gay around the age of 20 until I actually had the courage to begin skating. I first had to accept I am a gay male. It isn’t common that someone decides to enter the sport at the age of 20 with professional aspirations, so I certainly see why they had their reservations especially with THIS endeavor. However, my parents are fully supportive of me now that I’ve shown my dedication and passion for the sport. It’s great to come home after moving away for two years and finding pictures of my skating in every room of the house!
Aww! That’s great to hear! So, if you started skating at 20, when did you first come to love ice skating? I’ve always found watching figure skating to be mesmerizing, but it wasn’t until the 2002 Winter Olympics that I actually remember having the
first desire to twirl around. I vividly remember those games setting into motion my love for the sport. I spent the next 6 years watching every YouTube video I could educating myself and secretly making routines on the carpet of our basement. But, it wasn’t until winter of 2006 that I finally got to feel ice beneath my feet at a seasonal rink in Conyers, Ga. That’s when it happened. I knew I could do it too. I did the seasonal rink for two more years, bought my first pair of skates, and began taking private lessons weekly.
How often do you have to practice? I like to practice on the ice at least an hour and a half, three to five days per week. If I’m learning new choreography or working on new show material I’m on the ice a minimum of three hours. In addition to on-ice practice, I also use yoga, ballet, gymnastics, and weight training to strengthen my game.
What kind of things do you work on in practice? I have to practice edge control, step sequences, choreography, interpretation, musicality, improvisation, jumps, and spins. Figure skating is an all inclusive sport and it requires absolute precision of your fine motor skills. As a show skater we are also required to be able to act and know show specific skills like the backflip among others.
Speaking of which, what’s hardest technical thing you can perform on the ice? Competitively? I can jump all my doubles. For shows? The backflip!
30: November 6, 2015
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While we were on the photoshoot for this story, the Duluth Ice Forum was extremely homophobic and very rude. Are they like this all the time to you?? Unfortunately, yes. When I was younger I used to want to work for the rink, but after my 6 employment applications were each misplaced, I directly spoke with the general manager, Al Blevins, about my employment and the “NOW HIRING” red and white vinyl banner flying proud in the lobby. He clearly answered “Maybe I just don’t want you to work here.”
That’s terrible. I hate that you had to go through that. But, it’s great to hear that in spite of all of the opposition, you’ve persevered. They say the best revenge is living well and you’re definitely following your dreams. Where do you think your skating will take you next? After years of professional coaching and dedication, I have finally broken into the world of professional figure skating. It took moving to Houston when I was 23 and working with Rebecca Dever for me to fully dedicate to the sport and challenge myself to actually achieve this dream. After many auditions I was also given a unique opportunity to receive professional choreography and record it. Once I submitted this to different companies, my name was finally known in the industry. I landed my first gig with Alex Wilfand and his company Ice Creative Entertainment this holiday and winter season in New Jersey on a 6 person cast! Come watch! That sounds awesome, Will! Congrats! Where do you hope your ice skating will take you in the next 5 to 10 years? First, I hope to continue growing as a skater and artist. Second, I hope I can continue my show career and venture into a company with a touring show so I can travel the world. You can follow Will on Instagram @wwbrandon
32: November 6, 2015
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Hey Girl Hey! Holler Poodles! I’ve been going to all these holiday parties and all these people insist on handing me drinks as soon as I get off my rascal scooter. As I’ve said before, I don’t drink [much] and I don’t appreciate when some of you inseminate otherwise. I crashed attended a holiday party last night at the home of a dear friend stranger in the exotic locale of Brookhaven Jonesboro. From what I remember of the party, it was a great time had by all. I made my famous chocolate dump cake with peanuts which surprisingly no one touched. Everyone must have been concerned about the peanut recall. I remember dancing grinding with some man until somebody had called me a white elephant and started passing me all these awful gifts. Clearly, I must have been slipped a roofie drank too much because when I woke up was asked to leave or they would call the cops, I was missing a few key articles of clothing in the bathroom. After grabbing a curtain panel and stapler, I vowed was issued a restraining order to never go there again. It just goes to show you never know who you can trust. Even Santa Claus! As a little girl of 21, every time I sat in Santa’s lap at the mall, it felt like he was trying to stick the North Pole up my chimney. Then he wanted to complain about the lump of coal I gave him! Well!? Of course my favorite part of the holiday season is the Christmas music. I just love that new little lesbian’s Christmas album “Under the Mistletoe by Justina Bieber”. She looks just like a boy. Her video of the “Little Drummer Boy” dressed up in leather bondage gear brought a tear to my eye and a fart to my butt. Hauntingly beautiful. Finally, what Christmas wouldn’t be complete without the joy drama of family. My great great grandmother Nana Split Pitts will be joining me, my ex-husband Barry Hinden Berg [yes I did take on his name while we were married for that one week--Mary Edith Pitts-Burgh] and my evil sister, Olive Pitts and her 14 adopted children from Africa or Octomom, I can’t keep it straight. Anyway, Nana will be celebrating her 117th birthday during this season so Olive bought her an urn and a match. I guess she’s on Santa’s naughty list. All joking aside--Have a wonderful holiday season and make every moment count!
Mary Edith Pitts Mary Edith Pitts
PS. If you have any questions, comments or feedback, please email me at maryedith99@gmail.com or on twitter @maryedithpitts
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Gay News At A Glance SEAN CODY PORN STAR JAILED FOR BLACKMAIL. Jarec Wentworth, a 26-year-old Sean Cody model, who’s real name is Teofil Brank, was found guilty of six felony counts for blackmailing a wealthy telecom executive out of $1.5 million in cash and property. It was found he had blackmailed millionaire Donald Burns, 51, out of $500,000 in cash and an Audi R8 valued at $180,000 in mid-February. Burns, founder of MagicJack internet phones and a Republican donor, went to the FBI after Brank demanded another $1 million and a condo in Los Angeles. He also admitted to paying Brank and several other porn stars for sex, and paying some of the men thousands of dollars in cash for introducing him to new sex partners. Brank was arrested in an FBI sting in March. At trial, the prosecutor said Brank had been ‘vengeful and intentional’ in his blackmail scheme and had ’caused great emotional harm’ to the victim’. Brank will be in prison for 70 months and then serve three years of supervised release.
FORMER NY METS PLAYER LENNY DYKSTRA ADMITS TO BLACKMAILING GAY UMPIRES. In an interview on Fox Sports Channel’s ”The Herd”, Dykstra admitted to having spent half a million dollars investigating the private lives of pro-league umpires in order to blackmail them into giving him preferential treatment during his baseball career. . Dykstra revealed that he used private investigators to build dossiers against the umpires which included finding out which of them were gay and which were having affairs. ‘Their blood’s just as red as ours,’ Dykstra went on to say, ‘Some of them like women, some of them 36: November 6, 2015
like men, some of them gamble … some of them do whatever.’ Dykstra said the dossier allowed him to put pressure on umpires to give him more leeway when batting at the height of his professional career. ‘It wasn’t a coincidence that I led the league in walks in 1993,’ Dykstra said, ‘Fear does a lot to a man.’ ‘I had to do what I had to win and to support my family.’ Dykstra played for the New York Mets from 1985 to 1989 and then the Philadelphia Phillies from 1989 to 1996. After he retired from baseball Dykstra went through a series of failed business attempts, which ultimately led to criminal convictions. It is unclear at this time if any legal consequences will result from his on the air confession.
REMAKE OF GYPSY WITH BARBARA STREISAND AS MAMA ROSE DROPPED Streisand’s dream of playing Mama Rose in a big screen remake of Gypsy has suffered a major setback, Universal Studios, which had been developing the project for several years has decided not move forward according to a report in Deadline Hollywood. So now its back to studio shopping for Streisand and producer Joel Silver, to find another studio willing to take on the project. Streisand, now 73, has had a long and award studded career complete with two academy awards and over forty other
TRANSGENDER WOMAN COMES OUT TO HER MOM WITH DEMENTIA ‘100 TIMES A YEAR’ Tina Healy gets to experience the personal milestone of coming out as transgender every few weeks. Healy, who hails from Australia, says that she tells her mother she identifies as trans “100 times a year.” Healy’s gender identity is always a surprise to her dementia-stricken mom, whose memory is fading. Family members were concerned about how Healy’s coming out would impact her mother, given her declining
awards for film, music and TV. The role of Mama Rose would be a great addition to Streisand’s long list of musical roles. Mama Rose is considered the cream of the crop of musical roles for an actress and singer. The big brash numbers like Rose’s Turn, Everything’s Coming Up Roses and Some People have been belted out by some of the best including Ethel Merman (the the original Mama Rose on Broadway) followed by Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone. In the first film version of Rosalind Russell won the role in the 1962 film version of Gypsy over Ethel Merman but the big songs in the film where actually dubbed over by Lisa Kirk. In 1993, Bette Midler portrayed Mama Rose in a TV version of Gypsy.
health. Turns out, they didn’t need to be worried. “When I told her I was a woman, she just looked at me and said, ‘Oh, what do you know? I’ve got a beautiful new daughter!” Healy, 54, told ABC News. “I started to cry, and she pulled me to her shoulder and said ‘Cry it out, dear. Cry it out.’ My partner at the time cried as well.” Fortunately for Healy, who has identified as a woman since she was 4 years old, her mother “gives me just the same beautiful reaction that she did exactly the same, almost word for word, every time.” “I’m kind of the luckiest one of all, because I get to come out to Mum 100 times a year, and every time, she’s beautiful,” she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. How beautiful!
ARTIST CREATES A PORN BOOK FOR BLIND PEOPLE. Swedish artist Nina Linde has created an X-rated book, which features straight, gay and lesbian people engaged in sex acts. The book named ‘Occasionally Blind’ features various illustrations in tactile picture form – raised from the page to allow blind people to experience them, the pictures are accompanied by descriptions in Braille. The book also features several sexual scenarios, including BDSM and group sex. Linde told the Swedish Metro: “I discovered that there is no porn or erotica at
all for the visually impaired. Everyone needs some sexual stimulation! Hakan Thomsson, president of Sweden’s National Federation of the Visually Impaired has praised the book. He said: “The visually impaired will be able to take part in the book, both through audio and Braille. “I think that some people imagine that we have no sexuality, which is not true. Visually impaired people are just as sexual as any other!”
POP CULTURE
For this edition of Pop Culture we’re highlighting 6 Film/TV Characters that we love & the gay actors that portray them:
Jim Parsons
Cynthia Nixon
Matt Bomer
Sheldon Cooper – The Big Bang Theory Even though Sheldon has been described as “asexual” and “aromantic”, he has still been in a relationship with Amy Farrah Fowler, who he found on a dating website.
Miranda Hobbes – Sex and the City Miranda Hobbes is amongst the famous four ladies that graced the streets of New York City. She was married to Steve Brady the last time we saw her.
Neal Caffrey – White Collar Neal Caffrey is an ex-white collar conman who has been arrested by the FBI, but released with one stipulation: that he assist the FBI in catching and arresting the nation’s most high-profile white-collar criminals.He’s had multiple relationships in the show with women, even breaking out of prison once to visit one of them.
Jim Parsons, however, is openly gay and has been with his partner, art director Todd Spiewak, for the past 11 years.
Cynthia Nixon began dating education activist Christine Marinoni in 2004 and the couple married in NYC in 2012. Together, the couple have one son, born to Marinoni in 2011. Nixon identifies herself as bisexual
Matt Bomer has three sons with his husband, publicist Simon Halls, whom he married in 2011.
Jonathan Groff
Raven-Symoné
Jonathan Bennett
Jesse St. James is the king of the rival glee club to McKinley High School’s New Direction. In an attempt to eliminate the competition, he seduces New Direction’s star performer Rachel Berry into a relationship.
Raven Baxter – That’s So Raven Raven Baxter is an energetic, sassy, psychic teenager who catches glimpses or “visions” of the future but hardly ever the moments leading up to the event. Her shenanigans with her friends to try to lead up to the event often concludes in humorous results.
Aaron Samuels – Mean Girls Aaron Samuels, the previous boyfriend of head Plastic Regina George was definitely the teen heartthrob of this crazy school.
Jonathan Groff, who is actually best friends with Lea Michele, has been a Broadway star ever since he was a child. In 2009, he officially came out as gay during the National Equality March. 42: August 28, 2015
Raven-Symoné announced in 2014 to Oprah Winfrey that she was happily in an “amazing” relationship with her female partner.
Jonathan Bennett was accidentally outed by Dancing With The Star’s Julianne Hough, who commented on the fact that he is, indeed, a proud gay man.