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Contents The Men With The Pink Triangles
8
KYLE HAKE
10
In the DJ Booth with The WANTED
13
Life According to Joan
16
Words are powerful. They are
the vocalization of thought. There is nothing more dominant, more potent, more visceral than an idea. Ideas created our nation and ideas continue to make it grow. Some words, however, are dangerous and must be opposed with every ounce of strength we collectively possess. Today, homosexuals are accused of destroying the traditional fabric of America, corruption of the family, and vice. These same accusations have been made before and, as history has shown, cannot and should not be allowed to continue. Nazi Germany was just not a nice place to be if you were not a pictureperfect German (even though Hitler was Austrian). During his time in prison, Hitler wrote his outline for the future called “Mein Kampf.” He writes about the November Criminals, the politicians who signed the November Armistice in 1918, who destroyed his Germany and poisoned the blood of the people, the volk. These November Criminals handed Germany over to the Allied powers and were leading her down a path of corruption, vice, and everything “un-German”. Naturally, of course, the November
Criminals were composed of Jews and their Bolshevik allies. When he came to power in 1932, Hitler, through various “democratic” decrees of the Reichstag, began a process of protecting and expanding the volk from unsavory elements of German and European society. He declared that Germany must be purified of disease and made strong again, like it once was during the First and Second Reichs. The most famous and horrific example, of course, is the Holocaust. Jews bore the brunt of Hitler’s obsessions. However, gays were the second most persecuted group of the Holocaust with an over 60 percent mortality rate. Though gays were openly persecuted, lesbians were less targeted because they “could be cured by the right man.” Gays went against the German social standard. They were, in Herman Goebbels words, a social perversion that must be stamped before it spreads too far. Over 50,000 gays from across Germany were sent to the concentration camps of Sachsenhausen and Buchenwald, where they were put in so-called “queer blocks.” At the camps they were tortured by the guards who viewed them as half-human, or Untermenschen. They were forced to
have sex with prostitutes at gun point. If they could not perform, they were castrated. Guards would mutilate their genitalia for sport and fun, as well as give them backbreaking jobs to perform – all in the name of protecting the German volk from their insidiousness. After liberation in 1945, gays in Germany still faced discrimination as many of the old, pre-Nazi laws against homosexuality still existed – particularly Paragraph 175 of the German Criminal Code, which made illegal anything that would lead to sexual arousal between two men. In most instances, released gay victims of the Holocaust were re-arrested. It was not until the 1960s when gay activity was decriminalized in West Germany. (It was not until 2003 that the same could be said for the United States.) More than 70 countries today list homosexuality as a crime, and in some you can be tried and executed. Looking back at Nazism and the Holocaust, we often vow “never again.” But for the people in those countries and here in the United States who face constant discrimination, fear, and threats, a more apt slogan might be “still.”
Everyone should have a chance
to meet new people from different areas and even different states. I guess that’s why it’s kind of cool that I get to take the hour and a half drive to Toledo and visit with some good friends of mine who live there. This article is about my good friend Kyle Hake, from our neighboring community of Toledo, OH.
Kyle,  22,  currently  a  full-Âtime  student  is  in  his  fourth  year  of  college  at  the  University  of  Toledo,  is  working  toward  becoming  a  pharmacist.  Kyle  currently  works  as  an  intern  for  a  local  pharmacy  and  has  become Â
Toledo  Recreation  Center,  teaching  a  Turbo  Kick  and  other  workout  classes. Throughout  the  summer  he  visits  the  Metro  Detroit  Area  at  least  two  to  three  times,  when  he  isn’t  as  busy  with  school  or  work.  Here  in  Detroit,  he  often  visits  (and  has  performed  at)  Gigi’s  Gay  Bar  in  Detroit,  Five15  in  Royal  Oak,  and  occasionally  visits  Pronto!.  Venues  and  stores  like  these  in  Michigan  are  an  escape  from  the  hectic  work  and  school  life  back  home  he  has  back  in  Toledo.  His  face  has  become  a  familiar  one  to  a  lot  of  the  gay  community  in  the  Detroit  area  and  he  has  become  good  friends  with  a  lot  of  people  in  it.  Kyle  always  talks  about  the  times  he  has  had  while  visiting  and  is  always  planning  trips  for  the  future. where  you  go,  there  is  always  going  to  be  the  same  types  of  cliques,  the  same  groupings  of  people,  just  with  different  faces  and  names.“  he  says  comparing  our  communities. “I  would  like  to  see  the  gay  community  in  the  Detroit  Area  come  together  with  Toledo’s  gay  community  and  all  push  for  the  same  causes,  rights,  and  other  issues  that  both  our  communities  deal  with.â€? Kyle  not  only  wants  the  two  to  work  together  but  would  even  like  to  see  both  communities  celebrate,  collaborate  and  plan  events  together,  bringing  our  two  communities  together. I  think  I  can  speak  for  everyone  here  who  knows  him  when  I  say  that  Kyle  is  a  great  guy  and  we  enjoy  having  him  visit. Â
With  both  the  Winter  Music  Conference  and  the  Ultra  Music  Festival  going Â
out  what's  coming  up  for  this  year,  I  got  to  catch  up  with  some  of  my  favorite  artists:  Madonna,  Avicii,  Neon  Hitch,  Afrojack,  and  yes,  Paris  Hilton. with  Max  George,  Nathan  Sykes,  Siva  Kaneswaran,  Jay  McGuiness,  and  Tom  Parker  of  The  Wanted  and  ask  them  some  questions! The  interview  is  a  short  one.  (We  had  beers  to  throw  back,  and  shirtless  boys  at  the  pool  are  WAY  cooler  than  doing  an  interview!)
It's  pretty  cool  that  you  guys  are  blowing  up  here  in  the  U.S.   How  did  you  guys  meet?  Were  you  friends  before  The  Wanted? Max:  Well,  a  few  of  us  were  working  with  Universal  Records  and  they  got  a  neat  idea.  They  put  all  of  us  in  a  house  and  said,  "Live  together,  write  music  together,  see  how  you  get  along,  and  let’s  see  what  happens."  Six  months  later,  they  decided  things  were  going  great.  We  hopped  into  the  studio  and  started  working  on  new  tracks! I've  been  reading  up  on  you  guys  lately.  Boy  band.  Boy  band?  Boy  band!  What  do  you  think  of  the  label  you've  been  given?  Is  it  good  or  bad?
a  boy  band!  People  say  we  bring  a  new  twist  to  the  boy  band  since  we  don't  dance  and  actually  play  instruments.  It's  cool! Who's  the  chick  magnet? Max:  Ha!  All  of  us! How  long  have  you  been  here  in  the  U.S.? Max:  We  came  over  a  month  and  a  half  ago  and  we've  been  to  all  different  cities,  seeing  fans,  doing  gigs,  television  shows.  It's  great;  we're  lovin'  it! The  U.S.  edition  of  your  self-Âtitled  debut  album  comes  out  April  24.  How  exciting  is  that?! Max:  “Glad  You  Cameâ€?  has  been  a  huge  hit.  We're  excited  to  get  more  stuff  out  so  people  can  get  to  know  us.  There's  more  than  “Glad  You  Came.â€? I  read  that  Billboard  placed  you  as  the  only  boy  band  that  has  charted  in  the  Top  10  since  the  Backstreet  Boys.  Talk  to  me  about  that!
Max:  Yes,  it's  really  cool.  We  came  over  and  had  no  clue  how  this  would  go.  We  thought  we'd  try  our  luck.   We're  currently  at  #3  and  we  wouldn't  have  believed  anyone  if  they  told  us  we  would  be  #3!   But  we  are  and  we  just  want  to  keep  going.  We  have  another  single  coming  out  next  month  and  hopefully  people  will  like  that  as  much  as  “Glad  You  Came.�
Max:  We'll  be  there!  We're  doing  a  fair  and  arena  tour  in  August  so  we'll  hit  Detroit  for  sure!
Have  you  met  the  Backstreet  Boys  yet?
life.  Love  life,  friends  life,  family  life  ...  How  often  do  you  get  to  go  home  and  hang  out  with  people?
Jay:  Never! How  many  cities  will  you  hit  in  the  U.S.? Max:  We  think  10  for  now.  Last  month,  we  did  a  small  tour  with  25  different  cities.  This  one  is  a  heavy  promo  tour.  ...  Then,  off  to  Canada. When  are  you  going  to  come  see  us  in  Detroit? Jay:  We'll  be  there!  Max  actually  has  family  in  Detroit! Max,  do  you? Max:  Yes!  It's  pretty  cool  to  be  in  the  U.S.  I  hope  I  get  to  see  them! I'm  going  to  have  to  come  check  you  out  in  Detroit!
Well,  you  better  remember  me  when  it's  time!  I  want  to  come  and  bring  all  of  my  FLAME  readers  backstage! Max:  Of  course!
Max:  Um  ...  not  a  lot,  if  I'm  honest.  We're  either  here  or  somewhere  else  in  the  world  ...  and  it's  just,  you  know,  non-Âstop.   At  the  end  of  the  day,  we  know  what  our  job  is.  We  can't  complain  because  we  love  every  minute  of  it.  You  do  miss  your  friends  and  family.  We  have  moments,  but  they  are  always  on  the  phone  and  stuff  and  they  understand  that  it's  what  we  want  to  do. FLAME  is  a  gay  magazine.  Let’s  talk  about  gayness  for  a  bit.  You  obviously  come  from  a  different  part  of  the  world.  Here  in  America,  we  are  just  now  starting  to  get  the  opportunity  with  mainstream  America  and  gay  rights.  What  do  you  think  of  that?  How  do  you  think  it  shapes  a  culture?  What  differences  do  you  see  in  the  U.S.  versus  the  U.K.? Max:  Well,  to  be  honest,  I  don't  really  know.  I  don't  really  know.  It's  just  part  of  life.  I  wouldn't  really  know  why  there  is  segregation.  I  think  that  if  you  like  music,  it  doesn't  matter  if  you're  gay,  straight,  young,  old  ...  It  doesn't  matter  who  you  are.   If  you  like  music,  we'll  bring  it  to  you.
PHONING IT IN....
I
t's small. Usually about the size of a pack of cigarettes. Sometimes smaller. You're never on average more that two feet from it at any given time. You use it for perhaps everything, planning every little detail of your life. What is it? Your cell phone, of course! Technology is a wonderful thing. It enables us to live our lives in convenience and comfort. But just how attached to it are you? We are glued to our phones. They rule our lives. I see it every day. We worship these bundles of circuits that are our portable portal to the world. I think back a few short years ago when cell phones were über expensive, so only those who could afford them could get one. There was no such things as texting, Facebook ,or apps so time was spent just making phone calls and that was it. You made your call and got on with your life. But now with a smart phone you can email, text, Tweet, Facebook, video chat, watch movies, transfer files, download music, shop, make reservations, etc. The possibilities are endless. I worry that the more attached we are, the less we'll think for ourselves. I saw a recent commercial for the iPhone where a young man uses the Siri function to buy a guitar, continues to use Siri to teach him how to play it, and eventually he asks Siri to call him a "rock god" after landing a gig. My thought was what would he have done if he didn't have that phone? Just sat at home and not done anything? The poor kid would have had to go to the music store and pick out a guitar by himself. Oh no! God forbid he would have had to actually go to a real person and take guitar lessons to become a "rock god." Yeah, a "god" that needs microchips to do his thinking for him. Another commercial features a couple traveling cross country. Good thing they had their iPhone, or else they wouldn't know where they were going, seeing as how the guy asked for directions just as they were climbing into the car. The commercial made it seem as if they relied on their iPhone
for everything and had done NO prior planning or investigation for themselves.
Do you ever forget what you did while you were texting?
(On a side note about those commercials, there is an interesting lawsuit in motion. A man is suing Apple alleging that the company’s commercials convey a “misleading and deceptive message” about Siri’s capabilities. Read the HuffPo article HERE.)
Have you ever been in trouble because of your texting?
While I am in awe of the technology, a part of me is scared spitless. Maybe because I've seen way too many movies. Every time I see a Droid commercial with that red eye and robotic voice, all I can think is, “Okay, we're two steps away from Skynet and the phones will be the start of it.” Whenever I am out and about, I can't help sitting back and watching people with their technology. It never ceases to amaze me. Everyone hunched over texting, Facebooking, downloading apps, playing games, etc. Talking AT each other instead of TO each other. Sometimes actually missing out on the events they are there to witness. It is disconcerting to see people hunched over watching or playing with their phones instead of looking at each other and talking to each other. Their faces alight with a small eerie glow as they grunt to their companions. Next time you go out with your friends, just stop to note how quickly the phones come out. Or perhaps they already were out. I'm no exception, I guess. Even with my little clam shell flip phone I can text, email, change my Facebook and Twitter statuses, and do limited web surfing. But though I can do that, I am not enslaved. I do admit to pretending to text or make a call to get out of awkward social situations, but maybe I also have a little iPhone envy. When I was a kid I always wanted a Swiss Army knife. (Well, I still kind of do.) An iPhone is pretty much an electronic Swiss Army knife with all its bells and whistles. Or maybe it's because an iPhone hovers somewhere in that magical geeky, heavenly place between a Communicator and a Sonic Screwdriver. But I ask you, just how addicted are you to your phone really? Have you ever wondered? Can you get through the day without texting, Facebooking, Tweeting, or other data activity? Here's a few questions to see just how attached you are. (By the way, these questions are taken from Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous quiz to test for addiction. I just substituted phone or text in the appropriate places.) Do you text alone when you feel angry or sad? Does your texting ever make you late for school or work? Does your texting worry your family or friends? Do you ever text after telling yourself you won't?
Do you ever get headaches or have hangovers while texting? Have you ever tried to stop or control your phone usage? Does phone usage interfere with your sleeping or eating? Have you ever lost friends because of your texting/phone usage? If you answered yes to at least 5 of these questions, you might have a problem. Before someone drags you off to phone rehab kicking and screaming, I challenge YOU to take control! I bet you that you can't go, say, oh let's make it an easy 24 hours without using your phone for anything other than a phone call. No reading news on EDGE. No trolling for cute boys on Grindr. Can you do it? Is the very idea causing sweat to pop out on your brow? Yeah, you got it bad! But 24 hours isn't long. It's just one day. You can give it up for one day, can't you? Come on. You might actually enjoy your day and get more done without having your fingers furiously working on that tiny keyboard. Who knows, you might actually get out of the habit and enjoy more actual interaction with your friends and family. I challenge you to actually have REAL words with friends! Give it a shot. You'll be surprised at how good you will feel, and how much more you can do when you don't have a phone welded to your hands. I know it may be difficult; I went through a similar separation when I had to wean myself off of my computer. I take a few days during the month where I don't touch the Internet. No surfing, blogging, or email. I definitely feel better for it. It's like being able to breathe free. So go on, do it. Reconnect with the world around you. You won't regret it. Tell me how it goes; I'd love to hear some of your withdrawal stories!
Joan Stevenson is an entertainer in the metro Detroit area. Find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @ Lady_J_8 #theworldaccordingtojoan. Joan also has a podcast at http://vidgirl8. podbean.com/ and on Tumblr. http:// houseofwonderandchaos.tumblr.com/.