FUSE 12 Big Birthday and Mardi Gras Issue ( Boy Cover)

WE’RE ONE! MARDI GRAS

POLITICAL HISTORY TO GLAMOUR AND GLITZ

THE BATMAN

SUMPTUOUS QUARTERS AND TIGHT OUTFITS

EQUALITY

ARE WE A STRONGER FAIRER AUSTRALIA?

THE NIGHT OF NIGHTS

HUGE MARDI GRAS PHOTO SPECIAL

THE BUZZ

GEORGE MICHAEL SYDNEY QUEEN!

WE’RE HERE . WE’RE QUEER . GET USED TO US!

SEASON 2010 EXPERIENCE DANCE THAT WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY

and Canberra Theatre Centre presents

Rafael Bonachela’s

“Absolutely beautiful…

Bonachela has made a mark with his debut piece as director of the Company.”

Sun Herald

5-8 May The Playhouse Five performances only, tickets from $25-$50

Photography: Tim Richardson

BOOKINGS

6275 2700 principal sponsor

platinum partner

Canberra Theatre Centre is part of the Cultural Facilities Corporation

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36

10

We explore the political history of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. From the first march in 1978 to the biggest parade in the festival’s history in 2010.

36

It’s our big 2010 Mardi Gras photo spread — see all the glamour and glitz, plus read how Camp-berra won the ribbon for best float design.

FUSE OP.ED 16 The Rev. Dr. Chris Ayers muses,

if I were transgendered I could

hit from the front tees!

44

26

20

After so many years of neo conservative governments fostering fear and “otherness” do we really have a stronger, fairer Australia?

FUSE12 APRIL 2010

44 They live in sumptuous quarters

and wear tight fitting outfits. How

gay are Batman and Robin really?

CONTENTS

FUSE FEATURES

42 A cranky middle aged queer writes

about those damn young people!

12

FUSE REGULARS

10

02 Editor’s Rant 04 FUSE Birthday Wishes

PUBLISHER & DESIGN Lithium Innovation Pty Ltd {www.lithium.net.au}

06 What’s On in Canberra 08 The Trap : Local & Gritty

EDITOR Alexander Thatcher {editor@fusemagazine.com.au}

{

12 The Buzz : News, Gossip & Stuff 18 Grooming : Madonna’s Secret

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Yasmin Element

PRODUCTION & EDITORIAL Christopher Powell

CONTRIBUTORS Tony Hamlyn Scott Malcolm Robert Henderson Keiran Rossteuscher Rev. Dr. Chris Ayers

Damien Pratt Brown Dog Stuart Poole Chad Wijayatilake Jonathon Zapasnik

Rose Pappalardo Simon Copland Brooklyn Hulands Helen Stevens Lucy Jane

PHOTOGRAPHERS Jimmy Walsh

Snez Saravovska

Douglas Robinson

22 Fab Things : Birthday Shopping 24 Money Shot : Nest Eggs

CONTACT Advertising, editorial enquiries or letters Telephone: +61 2 6232 7662 • Email: editor@fusemagazine.com.au Mail: PO Box 3577 Manuka ACT 2603 • ISSN 1836-8387

26 Ear Candy : Music Reviews 28 Footlights : We Unfold 30 Out & About : Canberra’s Night Life 35 Grooming : Hair & Wardrobe 46 Sports Profile : Broomball 47 FUSE Business Directory 48 Dear Rose

www.fusemagazine.com.au All rights reserved. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. The appearance, mention or likeness of any person or organisation in editorial or advertising in no way suggests sexual or political orientation. Photographs used to illustrate editorial do not depict the real lives, behaviour or sexuality of the models. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor of FUSE staff.

Any health, fitness or dietry advice contained in this magazine is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician and a fitness/health professional before changing your diet, doing any exercise program, or taking any supplements or remedies of any kind. Submissions of text, photographs or any other material will be taken as consent to publish said material.

FUSE 1

EDITOR’S RANT

We’d like to thank all our contributors, photographers, advertisers and of course our readers who have helped us make FUSE magazine possible.

The FUSE CREW! Christopher Powell Alexander Thatcher Yasmin Element

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FUSE Have you ever noticed that some things seem to have a timeless pattern about them, not just in nature and the universe but also in human concepts and ideas? Take the birthday for instance. Some people like to forget them.

Others prefer smaller celebrations. But for some, the day must be a flag-waving, band-playing, joyous merry-making occasion.

We are so used to celebrating birthdays that it seems like it’s been a tradition almost forever! But there is a place and time where it all began.

Before people tracked time, little attention was paid to the anniversary of a person’s birth. Only when people started to take notice of the moon’s cycles and the changing seasons — as they repeated themselves over and over — did mankind start marking dates when things occurred.

Birthday celebrations began as a form of protection. It was a common belief that evil spirits were more dangerous when a person experienced a change in their daily life — such as turning a year older. To protect them from harm, friends and family would gather around and bring good cheer, thoughts and wishes. Giving gifts brought even more good luck to ward off the evil spirits, and noisemakers were used at parties as a way of scaring away any lingering nasties. The custom of birthday candles originated with people believing that the gods lived in the sky. By lighting and blowing out candles they were sending a signal or prayer up to the gods so the universe could fulfil their wishes.

Our feelings about birthdays often change as we get older. As young children we are carefree and honest about our birthdays, proudly telling people (even complete strangers), “I’m five”. Most teenagers all want to be older and that’s when the birthday lying often starts,“I’m over 18, honestly”. In our 20s and 30s I think most of us are comfortable with our age and enjoy the fun that birthdays can bring. Then the 40s and 50s hit and some of us want to be younger again, “oh no I’m only 30...5...ish”.

Before you can blink an eye you’re in your 70s and 80s (if you’re lucky), and you’re back to where you started — care free and honest (and possibly wearing a nappy), “I’m 87...I think”. Birthdays are just another of the many patterns and cycles that unfold around us as we walk through life.

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So FUSE is one-year-old and we’ve taken the road of a flagwaving, band-playing joyous merry-making occasion. We hope you have a fabulous time at our big birthday party. Thank you to Tilley’s and all our fantastic performers and volunteers.

I’d also like to give special thanks to everyone that makes FUSE possible, as it takes the efforts of many people — our advertisers for their support of both FUSE and Canberra’s GLBTQ community; all our wonderful and dedicated contributors, who every month send in their articles and photos; the beautiful Yasmin who spends many hours making sure you’ve all spelt the word hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia* correctly; and of course my wonderful partner, Christopher — without him I seriously doubt there would even be a FUSE — thanks babe xx.

So with that in mind I give you FUSE12.

Enjoy, Alex

* The fear of long words.

Send all letters to the editor to editor@fusemagazine.com.au

}

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FUSE 3

Happy Birthday! FUSE has been a major contributor on important social, cultural and political issues for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (GLBTI) community in the ACT over the past 12 months.

Alex Thatcher’s pivotal role in the establishment of FUSE and his role as editor through its life are testament to his commitment to journalism, Canberra and its GLBTI people.

Anyone who has been involved in the GLBTI community knows that FUSE is relevant to its audience and provides something people value, whether it’s community information, useful commentary, a well managed debate on an issue, celebrity gossip or a cute cover model!

All these things require considerable work and technological infrastructure which the organisation’s business model must support. The popularity of FUSE reflects the soundness of the social enterprise model Alex and his partner Christopher have put in place.

Congratulations on FUSE Magazine’s first year and all the best for the future.

Andrew Barr MLA : Member for Molonglo ACT Legislative Assembly

ANDREW BURRY Well they said it couldn’t be done. Even someone as famously optimistic as me harboured a few doubts. :-) But 12 issues later, the FUSE team have proven us wrong and magnificently so! I can only imagine the blood sweat and (??) tears that this enterprise has required, but the Canberra queer community has a lot to be grateful for.

Here at Westlund House we have particular reasons to toast not only the success of the last year, but also to toast your ongoing place in our community. FUSE has provided us with the best opportunity to communicate than we have had for many years. Each issue comes out with reliable timing and quality and ever more reason to spend some time in its pages.

So congratulations!! We are proud to have been able to support you and even more proud to continue to do so.

Andrew Burry : General Manager AIDS Action Council of the ACT

CANBERRA THEATRE I would like to extend a special congratulations to FUSE Magazine on a fabulous first year. Hot dance acts, great music, comedy, cabaret and not to forget Ave Q! We hope we’ve done our bit to keep things interesting! Here’s hoping for many more hot new shows and many more birthdays for FUSE!

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Ricky Bryan : Canberra Theatre Centre

SHANE RATTENBURY Gee FUSE, I thought you were older! Just 12 editions and one year in, and it seems like you’ve been around for so much longer. Thank you for the great coverage of the tumultuous debate over changes to the ACT’s Civil Unions laws last year. And thanks for helping keep issues of same-sex equality and safety prominent, as we have all seen with Tony Abbott’s emergence this year that there is still a long way to go for a lot of progressive struggles. So from all the Greens here in Canberra, happy birthday and have a second year as exciting as your first.

Shane Rattenbury MLA : Member for Molonglo Speaker of the ACT Legislative Assembly

SCOTT MALCOLM Congratulations and happy first birthday to all the community members involved with FUSE Magazine!

Alex, Chris and the whole FUSE team have started the process to further fuse our community together and provide a voice and place of expression to those in the Canberra region. It has been exciting to be associated with FUSE Magazine and their many events throughout the last year. I have enjoyed meeting the variety of people that I may not have had the opportunity to meet!

FUSE has truly brightened the Canberra community and I wish FUSE Magazine all the best for the future!

Scott Malcolm : Director, Money Mechanics President, AIDS Action Council of the ACT

THE STREET THEATRE Dear FUSE crew, Everyone at The Street Theatre wishes you a gorgeous fabulous first birthday. We love how you feel! We love how you look! We love how you sound! But most of all we love how you do what you do! Congratulations to you for all your hard slog and putting it out there.

FUSE IS HOT and it’s only going to get better...

Caroline Stacey : CEO and Artistic Director The Street Theatre

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FUSE

BIRTHDAY WISHES

ANDREW BARR

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FUSE 5

WHAT’S ON

at the movies

KICK-ASS : OPENS 1 APRIL

KICK ASS tells the story of average teenager Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), who decides to take his obsession with comic books as inspiration to become a real-life superhero.

As any good superhero would, he chooses a new name — Kick Ass — assembles a suit and mask to wear, and gets to work fighting crime. There’s only one problem – Kick Ass has absolutely no superpowers.

CLASH OF THE TITANS : OPENS 1 APRIL The ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.

His life is forever changed as he inspires a sub-culture of copy cats, meets up with a pair of crazed vigilantes and forges a friendship with another fledging superhero, Red Mist (Chris Mintz-Plasse). But thanks to the scheming of a local mob boss Frank D’Amico (Mark Strong), that new alliance will be put to the test.

BOOK OF ELI : OPENS 15 APRIL In The Book of Eli Denzel Washington stars as a lone warrior named Eli, who fights his way across the desolate wasteland of near-future America to realize his destiny and deliver the knowledge that can bring civilization back from the brink of destruction and save the future of humanity.

COCO CHANEL AND IGOR STRAVINSKY : OPENS 15 APRIL Paris 1913, Coco Chanel is devoted to her work and madly in love with the handsome and very wealthy Arthur ‘Boy’ Capel. Chanel attends Igor Stravinsky’s scandalous first performance of The Rite of Spring. The revolutionary dissonances of Igor’s work parallel Coco’s radical ideas.

Coco is introduced to Igor and the attraction between them is instant and electric.

FREE MOVIE TICKETS FUSE has double passes to give away to Dendy Theatre in Canberra.

Write in and tell us what you think of FUSE, comment on an article or sign up for FUSE EXTRA! and you could win these great Dendy movie tickets • email: hello@fusemagazine.com.au • www.fusemagazine.com.au

Free movie passes were kindly supplied by Dendy Cinemas Canberra Level 2, North Quarter Canberra Centre, Bunda Street, Canberra City

www.dendy.com.au

FUSE 6

MASTERPIECES FROM PARIS DON’T MISS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO SEE THIS AWESOME EXHIBITION

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA • SEASON EXTENDED TO 18 APRIL

WHAT’S ON APRIL BENT LENSES : QUEER FILM Donald Strachey Mystery Series at CSIRO Discovery Centre theatre Over April and May, Bent Lenes will be showing a series of four exciting movies about the sexy gay private detective Donald Strachey, staring Chad Allen. The first double feature will include a Third Man Out and Shock to the System on Friday 16 April at 7pm. More info p41 and at: bentlenses.org

NUDE YOGA FOR MEN FREE Intro Night 20 April

REGULAR QUEER EVENTS!

Meet like-minded men and enjoy the social side of Yoga.

Have fun learning Yoga postures, breathing and philosophy.

Become more resilient to life’s ups and downs.

More info p23 or call Gregory on 02 6260 7088.

SATURDAYS Q RADIO 7pm – 9pm 2XX, 98.3FM Canberra’s own GLBTQ radio show.

RAW FM 87.6 : GIRL THING Wednesdays & Sundays from 7pm For girls who like girls. Presented

by Tori Mac, an hour of sexy house and electro served up girly style.

HANG OUT WITH CANBERRA BEARS Sunday arvos at O’Neill’s Irish Pub, Woolley St, Dickson on the first Sunday of the month 3pm. Bears Dinners: third Friday of the month.

TUESDAYS DYKE DINNER & MOVIE More info on FUSE website or see Canberra Lesbians on Facebook.

{

WHAT’S ON

A FUSE MAG RECOMMENDATION

Check out fusemagazine.com.au for a full list of what’s happening in Canberra including local and national gay and lesbian events.

KING LEAR Thursday 15 April to Wednesday 5 May at The Playhouse

In an unprecedented union of Bell Shakespeare’s artistic leaders, Marion Potts directs John Bell as Lear in a poetic and powerful production of one of the greatest works in western literature. When the ageing King prepares to divide his kingdom, he asks his three daughters how much they love him. Two tell him what he wants to hear and the third is disinherited and banished to France. From there it’s just a short trip to total chaos. Tickets : canberratheatrecentre.com.au

FUSE BIG BIRTHDAY BASH!

SAT 10 APRIL : 7pm til late at Tilley’s We are turning one and you’re all invited to our BIG 1st BIRTHDAY BASH! It’s going to be a huge night of fun! Entertainers include: Portia Turbo, Johnno Davis, Beth Monzo, Big Brad Wolf, The Aussie Bum Fashion Show, Canberra Kings, and Tori Mac from Funken Disco!

MONDAYS GAY & LESBIAN TENNIS 6pm – 9pm. Turner Tennis Club, Cnr McCaughey and Condamine Streets.

Bring a tennis racquet, shoes and $5.

GAY & LESBIAN SQUASH Wednesdays 6.30pm – 7.30pm. National Sports Club, Mouat St Lyneham. Info at: groups.google.com/group/gayactsquas BENT LENSES Canberra’s very own Queer screen culture group. www.bentlenses.org ACTOUT ACTOUT is an informal outdoorsie activities group for Canberra’s gay and lesbian community.

More details on the FUSE website.

BIT BENT : CANBERRA YOUTH GROUP Meet other young people, get support or just hang out. Mondays at Belconnen Youth Centre 6pm - 8pm & Thursdays at the Woden Youth Centre 5pm - 6.30pm.

Email : bit_bent@hotmail.com

HANGOUTS CUBE NIGHTCLUB Canberra’s gay night club. p30.

THE HUSH LOUNGE A chilled out GLBTQ bar. p32.

TILLEY’S DEVINE CAFE Legendary and sumptuous! p37.

BAR32 : WWW.BAR32.COM Alternative gay friendly bar.

FUSE 7

THE TRAP

THE CHECK THIS PROFILE OUT

GET THE BLOODY HELL OUT

You’ve got to give the ACT Government’s spin doctors credit for trying.

It wastes our time at work, lets us stalk hotties, and means we don’t have to remember birthdays. But Facebook does have a down side.

She’s the face of Australia’s most infamous tourism campaign, and caused the future Aussie cricket captain to walk away from a tour.

In the national interest, Lara Bingle should be deported.

The opposition had asked the question in the ACT Assembly four months earlier. In that time, more than $2,000,000 had been spent fuelling buses that weren’t in service. In the most blatant attempt at spin since Tiger Woods tried to defend his wife (um, who was blaming her?), Jon Stanhope told us he was fixing the problem before he’d let anyone know what it was.

According to his press release, he’s now “exploring” ways to stop so much money being wasted. His announcement contained just one possible idea — no firm answer, no solution, and no apology.

At the end of today, another $30,000 of taxpayer money will have been wasted sending buses around Canberra. If you’re an ACT public servant, think of that when the razor gang starts slashing.

8

{By Brooklyn Hulands — Journalist

STANHOPE SPINNING OUT

On the morning they were forced to admit ACTION buses waste $30,000 every weekday driving to and from depots with no passengers, the Chief Minister sent out a press release saying he had big plans to ‘boost the efficiency’ of the service.

FUSE

TRAP A dark few months in Australia has shown the site’s creators just how horribly it can be used. Facebook’s global policy director Debbie Frost said she has ‘worked here two years and never seen anything like this’. It’s our best look overseas since the ‘Hey Hey Michael Jackson tribute’. Almost as quickly as tribute pages were set up for two murdered Queensland kids, they were defaced with offensive comments and porn.

A year twelve student was suspended for setting up a group that would ‘hand back’ missing schoolboy Daniel Morcombe if it attracted a million members, and here in Canberra a stabbing outside a school saw hundreds become fans of ‘not getting stabbed at Erindale College’.

It could be funny, if the crimes weren’t so serious. Abuse of Facebook offends and confuses many. Take the fake site created for our Chief Minister Jon Stanhope. Two of his own ministers were fooled into signing on as friends, including Attorney General Simon Corbell.

But in defending himself last month, Simon managed to pull out some asskissing political gold. ‘It’s a face you can trust, and that’s certainly what I did.’

Right now, Barack Obama has a better shot at Australian of the Year. Like the President’s predecessor, Bingle has become the face of a country its residents can’t stand.

The 22-year-old almost struck a chord with Aussie women last month.

Almost. She was humiliated by the release of a nude photo allegedly snapped by footballer Brendan Fevola — though it was taken during her brief affair with him three years ago.

The victim women felt for? Fev’s wife, of course.

It was a similar story for the blokes, who saw Michael Clarke fly home from New Zealand to deal with the mess surrounding the model.The victim for Aussie males? Clarke, who supposedly had his $200,000 engagement ring flushed down a toilet.

The whole Bingle saga has left her separated, embarrassed and exposed.

But if you do get that niggling ‘I feel sorry for her’ feeling, just think of all the hard work she went through to get as rich and famous as she is today.

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{

By Simon Copland

THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF

MARDI GRAS THE 2010 SYDNEY GAY & LESBIAN MARDI GRAS WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN THE FESTIVAL’S HISTORY. After 32 years, the festival still is extremely important for queer people around the country. Yet, even with this continued success, Mardi Gras has lost some of the roots that make it so important. Whilst the celebration, the diversity and the party remains, the desire to fight back against oppression has for many been lost. In this article I’m going to examine the rich political history of Mardi Gras and argue that in order to keep the festival’s tradition alive we need to return to some of the political roots that make it so important.

THE ORIGINS OF MARDI GRAS On the 24th of June, 1978, approximately 2000 people took to the streets of Sydney to commemorate the Stonewall riots of 1969. (Photo top right) This march, or Mardi Gras, was the final event in a day of political action in the city.

Its aim was to bring people onto the streets in a peaceful way, not only to commemorate Stonewall, but also to show that queers in Australia were starting to fight back against discrimination in the country.

Trouble began to brew as the march entered its final stages.

It began with police harassing a truck driver operating a PA system and chanting messages onto the street. When the driver refused to stay silent, he was pulled out of his truck and it was confiscated. This was followed by a full scale assault on the march, with police pushing the crowd, closing off streets and blocking the way of marchers. Once the crowd had reached the end, the situation got worse. When some marchers tried to leave the route, being unsure as to what was about to happen, police began laying into them. What followed was a full scale physical assault. Soon paddy wagons appeared and 53 protestors were arrested for no apparent reason.

The attack on Mardi Gras lead to a rebellion by queer people around Australia. Fed up with being beaten and marginalised, people took to the streets. In Sydney more protests were organised, with over a hundred more people being arrested in the coming months. Marches were also held in other big cities, not only to protest what happened at Mardi Gras but to signal that the Australian queer community was starting to rebel against the oppression in society.

FUSE 10

In the end, the 53 arrested at the original Mardi Gras were released with all the charges dropped. The following year, Mardi Gras was held again, continuing a tradition that has lasted until this day.

POLITICS IN MARDI GRAS TODAY With the 2010 theme being ‘A History of the World’, this year’s parade was a great opportunity to remember the strong political history of Mardi Gras. Yet, even thought the politics still exists in the Mardi Gras parades (in fact, even having a parade is political), in many ways the essence of what made the original march in 1978 so important has left the festival.

This doesn’t mean that the politics have disappeared. In fact, politics has been an ever present theme in the march.

For example, marches in the 1980s were dominated by campaigns to end the stigmatisation around HIV/AIDS; the 1990s saw marchers move their focus onto the new right in Australia, with attacks on the Howard Government and Pauline Hanson; whilst the early 2000s saw campaigns over the Afghanistan and Iraq War enter the march. On top of this there has always been a continued equity theme, with marchers focusing on different institutional and social inequalities at different times.

Politics has therefore always been a part of Mardi Gras.

Yet, looking at the march today there is a sense that the importance of the political history has been lost on many. It is not that the politics is not there, but rather that the fighting spirit, which is what made the first Mardi Gras so influential, has been lost.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING THE FIGHT 1978 was not just important for beginning the yearly parade; it was also a key year in the mobilisation of Australia’s queer community.

After the stonewall riots in 1969, queer people around the world began to mobilise more heavily and more militantly. Instead of taking the assault, people were now fighting back on a large scale. 1978 was the year this started in Australia. Over the years this fight continued with the Mardi Gras participants taking stronger political stances at different times. Recently however, the feeling of the Mardi Gras has been more of party and celebration, rather than of a need to fight against the heteronormative society.

Many would say that this is because the need for a fight has lessened or almost disappeared. When the Mardi Gras first started in 1978, homosexuality was still illegal and institutionalised homophobia was not simply common, but it was the norm. Today however, legal equality has almost been achieved and major gains have been made in ending discrimination. Many now believe that the fight seems to be at its end or if not at least coming towards an end.

Take for example, the role of the police in the march. In 1978 the police were the enemy and it is the rebellion against them that made Mardi Gras so important. Today however, the march includes an organised float from the police. This contradiction is explained through stating that having the police march is a sign of a harmonisation between the two groups. This would be great if it was true; in reality however, although there are good police officers (who I encourage to march if they wish), the police as an institution is still designed to enforce the social and institutional norms as they are. If ever faced with a similar rebellion such as that which occurred in 1978, the police would quickly be back on the other side. It is their job.

The simple fact is that the fight to end queer oppression still exists.

The heteronormative society is still dominant and as long as that is the case there will be a continued need to fight against the institutions and societal practices that is a part of it. As a symbol of that rebellion, Mardi Gras is an important tool for continuing this fight.

Fed up with being beaten and marginalised, people took to the streets...

}

WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY SINCE THE 1978 RALLY, WHICH WAS A PRE-CURSER TO SYDNEY’S MARDI GRAS.

This doesn’t mean that Mardi can’t be fun.

In Sweden for example, Pride Week involves a great mix of fun events and continued political fights (which are often the same thing). In 2009, the theme of Sweden’s pride was ‘End the Heteronormative Society’ and the feeling of a continued need to fight against oppression was still there in everyone’s mind. This is true even though Sweden has gained almost full legal equality.

FOR NEXT YEAR’S MARDI GRAS When reflecting on this year’s Mardi Gras and planning on next year’s march, it’s important to remember the history of the festival. Mardi Gras was built upon fighting back against society’s oppression. Whilst victories have been made, the need for this fight continues today. Mardi Gras should continue to be both a celebration and also a representation that we are still fighting (and will continue to do so until we have won our battle) against the heteronormative society.

FUSE 11

THE

NEWS GOSSIP & STUFF

BUZZ

By Tony Hamlyn

LINDSAYWATCH : ‘THE BOOK’

SMART ALEC

I often wonder about the legitimacy of the claim that Britney has been the number one search topic on Google for the past few years, ‘cos whenever I go and check up on Lindsay Lohan (and, as more regular readers of this column know, I do so quite often) there are a million different news articles on what’s going on with her.

Don’t you love a good war of words, particularly when it’s coming from the rich and infamous? The most delicious story has just come out of Hollywood involving one of its cleverest and most fabulous celebrities, Alec Baldwin. Alec is currently riding high on the success of the amazing sitcom 30 Rock, as well as just coming off a very funny co-hosting gig at this year’s Academy Awards with Steve Martin. The story goes that *cough cough* respectable tabloid magazine, The National Enquirer, wrote a story claiming that Alec’s relationship with Tina Fey, 30 Rock’s writer, co-star and creator, has become problematic and that he screamed at her on set, publicly humiliating her in front of the entire cast.

Baldwin refuted the story and in an interview with a UK newspaper called the writer responsible for the story, Mike Walker, a ‘whore’ and ‘a queen’. Have you ever?

Well if you’re anything like me then the answer to that is probably, ‘Yes, I have.’ But anyway…

The latest in Lindsaywatch of course is the failed Ungaro collection at Paris Fashion Week at the beginning of March, where she managed to make it to every show except the one that she supposedly helped design. This oversight led to the company’s owner publicly denouncing her involvement in the line altogether. Sour grapes or good riddance? It’s so hard to tell when it comes to those who collaborate creatively with our Lindsay.

This was closely followed by the interview she did in the UK version of OK Magazine in which she candidly discussed her three separate stints in rehab. ‘It was like a vacation!’ she cheerily told interviewers without a hint of irony, and then promptly went on to reveal what could be the single greatest piece of news I’ve heard since I first came across wine in a two-litre cask: Lindsay is writing a book! Her memoirs, no less. Oh my, I just cannot wait! And I’ve spent hours trying to think of a worthy pun-driven title: The ‘Highs and Lohans’; Life on the Down-Lohan; or ‘Simply Lindsay’. The OK Mag quote from Linds, going round all the online blogs at the moment is, ‘I write a lot and it’s very therapeutic for me because then I can see what’s happening on paper’. Most disappointingly there is no rush release, as according to Lindsay, ‘It’s going to take a while, all my life experiences’. Ain’t that the truth! OK Magazine seems optimistic, claiming that ‘Lindsay says time in rehab helped her to gain control on her life’. A good vacation will do that for anyone, yes?

12

{

LOHAN ~ 30 ROCK ~ JUSTIN BIEBER ~ COREY HAIM ~ GLEE ~ SYDNEY QUEEN

And surely her life is much more fascinating than Britney’s? Yes?

FUSE

*

Walker fought back, claiming in his publication that Baldwin is ‘a raging closet homophobe’ and warning he was leading a Hollywood ‘pitchforks and torches’ charge in homophobia. Not to be outdone, Baldwin then counteracted in yet another interview, this time with the New York Post, that Mike Walker ‘is a goat-footed, wheezy, old queen, and all my male lovers agree with me’.

I’ve gotten into some tawdry foul-mouthed battles in my time, but I have NEVER had the pleasure of hearing someone referred to as goat-footed, wheezy and old all in the one sentence. It’s offensive GENIUS! Thanks Alec.

Hopefully we haven’t heard the last of this particular public cat fight.

GEORGE MICHAEL

IS SUCH A SYDNEY QUEEN!

JUSTIN WHO? It’s not often I need help working out who’s who in the celebrity world. But here I am, BUZZ readers, asking you a question. So, we all saw the big old mess that was We Are The World 2, the remake of the iconic hit from 1985 that initially raised money for starving people in Ethiopia, now released in an attempt to raise money for Haiti: Great cause, fabulous concept, but arguably a real disaster of a song. One of the biggest surprises to come from that whole recording session happens at the very beginning, in fact with the very first line, when a tiny, young, blonde poppet gets up and autotunes his way through the opening lyric. I didn’t know him. A lot of my gay celeb-obsessed friends didn’t know him. In fact it had us all asking — WHO THE HELL IS JUSTIN BIEBER? It’s a valid question, and one that a pop culture aficionado like myself has an awful lot of trouble with. I mean, maybe it’s generational. But then consider that whilst some of us might not necessarily be downloading Party In The USA (I did) and we may not necessarily be watching Hannah Montanna (I do) we all sure as hell know who Miley Cyrus is. Right?

In fact, it would be fair to say that whilst Miley might not be necessarily aimed at our particular demographic, most of the gay buying public know who she is and what she’s about. And it’s often noted that gay audiences will spring upon something months, sometimes years, before the rest of the world gets hip to how fabulous it truly is. Just look at Kylie Minogue, reality TV, Backstreet Boys and skinny-leg jeans. But this Justin Bieber seems to have sidestepped the whole gay market and just… happened. Without our permission!

With all these Disney and Nickolodean worlds we might sometimes get a glimpse into, who among us really has the time to keep up with all the kids’ stuff that’s out there? I mean, I don’t have kids, so I personally have a great deal of trouble keeping up with all your Demi Lavatos and your Ashley Tinsdales, your Jonas Brothers and your Zac and Codys. But I do it, because I believe it’s culturally important.

But when Justin Bieber hit the scene, and singing the opening line on the new ‘We Are The World’ for god’s sake, I thought what everyone else thought — WHAT MEMO DID I MISS???

It’s true. The world’s most famous public bathrooms loiterer has fallen in love with Sydney and all that it *ahem* has to offer. Even at his final Australian show in Melbourne, George called out to the audience, ‘How you doing Sydney?’ not once, not twice, BUT THREE TIMES! We’ve all read the story about how he was supposed to go to the Mardi Gras parade VIP tent, but ended up spending the whole night drinking at the Oxford, and then attended the party that night in the bar’s downstairs area. He returned to Sydney after Melbourne and performed Outside at the Mardi Gras party, and hung out at the party for the rest of the night disco-ing with the punters. He’s stayed in Sydney now for two more weeks and shows no sign of leaving any time soon.

Friends were SMSing me from Arq on a Saturday night a few weeks back to tell me he was dancing up a storm ‘til 3am, then headed off to Nevermind on Oxford Street and danced ‘til the wee small hours of the morning in front of the goddamn DJ box! I’ve heard stories about certain sex clubs that have apparently seen him through the doors on more than one occasion, and restaurants all along the eastern seaboard that he’s frequented, including Catalina’s on Rose Bay and Icebergs in Bondi. Word is that he’s loving Sydney because of the lack of paparazzi presence and even when the fans are approaching him at venues, he’s nice as pie with the autographs and photos, and so inevitably people are giving him his space, something his probably not used to in London.

Basically, he’s heading out to all the places you or I might go to whenever we head to the Golden Mile for a weekend away, and he’s loving it! So if you’re at the Shift or Stonewall and someone eyes you up at the urinal, don’t be too quick to say no — that could be a celebrity encounter you’re missing out on.

I asked my thirteen-year-old pop culture colleague who assures me Justin is a bona fide pop star who began as a YouTube sensation that got millions of hits in a considerably short time. Sort of like the Star Wars kid. Apparently this got the attention of some heavy-weight R&B artists, such as Usher, and a record deal soon followed. He apparently wears a wig and hangs out with kids like Rhianna and Miley, all of which points to gay icon if you ask me. I mean, who other than Carol Channing and the chick from I Love New York, wears a wig nowadays? But still he’s hitting below our radar. Is the musical genre something we gays can’t hear?

If you can answer these, or any of these topical questions PLEASE write into FUSE and let me know.

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MORE BUZZ FUSE 14

MISSING ‘GLEE’?

RIP COREY

It’s so unfair, isn’t it? Just as we lose ourselves to the magic that is Glee, we then lose it off the air! Well, fret no more fellow Gleeks, as our favourite all-singing-all-dancing-queer-fest is heading back in just a matter of weeks. The cast and crew have been busy with awards season in the US (did any of you SEE Lea Michele at the Golden Globes? A. Mazing!) and completing the last nine episodes of the season. It’s believed that the Ten Network will be airing them here shortly after April 13.

Another celebrity obituary.

Someone please tell Hollywood they need to get a new dealer! This one is quite upsetting for me because it’s an actor whose films and whose celebrity I grew up on. He may not have been the most important actor, but Corey Haim (top right) was a really cool dude once, and the guy you totally wanted to be during his heady 80s heyday. And it’s so sad to see him go the way he did.

Also coming up for the Glee cast is an appearance on Oprah, so look out for that ‘cos I imagine it will be all colours of fabulous, after which they begin their US concert tour, which I have to admit I am a little concerned about. I don’t want this talent pool of perfection suffering burnout and throat nodules at the beginning of their career!

But maybe I’m being a little pessimistic. And maybe they’ll bring the tour out here, the thought of which leaves me breathless with anticipation.

The exciting news for this new lot of upcoming episodes is the much-anticipated Madonna show, which will be the second episode in the back nine. Also, a new love interest for Rachel arrives in the shape and form of prominent gay actor and all-round hottie, Jonathan Groff. And the fabulous news from creator Ryan Murphy that gay character Kurt will get a boyfriend and that they will be a McKinley High School “power couple”. Add to that more drama, intrigue, pathos, and all of it set to music, and you’ve got a Sunday night schedule you won’t want to miss. Hurrah! Photo above left : Jonathan Groff.

One half of the infamous Coreys — the other one being Corey Feldman — he helped make up a duo who were synonymous with 80s cool, and who together found enormous success with a couple of really fun films, becoming a kind of teen version of Martin and Lewis for their generation. The most notable of these films was of course The Lost Boys, Joel Schumacher’s cult classic and a movie that it was pretty much obligatory to go see if you were a teenager in 1987. Haim’s cause of death at time of writing is still not completely clear. Obviously a drug overdose, but of what is not confirmed. Apparently it’s prescription stuff and rumours are beginning to circulate about his death being the start of a big crime bust in Hollywood involving crooked doctors and prescribed medication. Prepare yourself for some high drama, no doubt courtesy of entertainment news channel TMZ. But in the meantime, go out and rent The Lost Boys ‘cos it’s a really great film. Or at the very least you can go to YouTube and check out the scene with Haim hamming it up in the bathtub to Woody Guthrie’s ‘I Ain’t Got A Home’. It’s pure comic gold, even today.

FUSE 15

...Still, If I were transgendered I could hit from the front tees...

‘How about, “Good shot Pastor?”’ I retort.

OP.ED

We look at each other, and I see that look on her face, the look of, ‘I want to beat your butt in golf so bad’.

One day my showoff transgendered friend, to make a point, didn’t hit from the front tees or the senior tees or the men’s tees.

She hit from the pro tees. It’s none of your business who won.

And then there’s the awful, horrible day when Jessie (not her real name either) made a hole in one. Darn it.

Every year, except this year, the gay women have won the church golf retreat, longest drive competition, and closest to the whole contest. Darn it.

MY TRANSGENDERED FANTASY {

By Rev. Dr. Chris Ayers

I’VE NEVER FANTASISED ABOUT BEING GAY. I HAVE FANTASISED ABOUT BEING TRANSGENDERED. Don’t get me wrong, I’m 99.9 per cent happy with being a male heterosexual.

And it’s not like it’s a choice anyway. As one of my gay friends, imagining he’s talking to homophobes, says: ‘Now tell me, in what decade, in what year, in what month, in what week, on what day, in what hour, at what second did you choose your sexual orientation and gender identity?’

I can’t remember a day in my life when I chose anything about my sexual orientation or gender identity. Male heterosexual is the way I was born, but a fellah can still fantasise. And I fantasise about being transgendered. It’s really a matter of self-defense.

I’m the lucky pastor at Wedgewood Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC, a church whose membership is made up of fifty per cent sexual and gender identity minorities. We don’t ask people about their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Some individuals tell me, though. So the figure I quoted is just an estimate, but what is not uncertain is two of my golf buddies are gay women and one is transgendered (male to female). They like to trash talk their pastor. Imagine that.

One day Martha blurted out, ‘That’s a damn lucky shot.’ Martha is not her real name. Sadly, some of my GLBT friends have to live lives of various shades of invisibility. That makes me mad.

FUSE 16

Hey, I’m 51 and what competitive spirit I have is long gone, but I hate getting beat in golf by my GLBT friends. Hate it.

We have such a good time. I can’t imagine life without my friends. I said friends because I don’t like calling my friends GLBT friends. They are just friends. They are just people. They have blessed my life so much. Why can’t the world see them as just people? If I haven’t learned anything else I’ve learned people are just people.

So the truth is ours is a “friendly” game.

Still, if I were transgendered I could hit from the front tees. And if I could hit from the front tees, then maybe I would have a chance. And if I had a chance, then I wouldn’t have to put up with the lesbian and transgendered golfers winning at the annual church golf retreat and proceeding to buy silly looking “Golf Champ” shirts.

There’s got to be a verse in the Bible about showing off. If there isn’t, there should be.

When I turned fifty I started hitting from the senior tees. I’ve never heard such moaning and groaning and complaining in all my life from my golf buddies. ‘You shouldn’t be hitting from those tees,’ they protested vociferously.

I’m stuck forever on the senior tees.

I’ll never get to hit from the front tees, but I can fantasise about it.

}

Rev. Dr. Chris Ayers writes for FUSE all the way from Charlotte, NC, USA. He is the pastor at Wedgewood Baptist Church — a group of folks figuring out how to be a Jesuscentric, social-justice-oriented, GLBTI-inclusive church.

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Sunday 18 April 8pm Street 1 FOX IN THE SNOW BY ARRANGEMENT WITH LISA RICHARDS AGENCY PRESENTS

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Bob Brozman Des Bishop on tour 2010

“One of the finest performers at this year’s festival. Fast paced and clever.

A sure-fire winner” THE SUNDAY AGE, MELBOURNE

WHEN

Friday 30 April 8pm Street 1

Book now!

WHERE

WHEN WHERE

22 – 25 April Street 1

6247 1223 www.thestreet.org.au FUSE 17

Quantum Ideas G14042

An intimate view of one of the world’s great independent musical ambassadors, as he continues a life-long adventure in music.

GROOMING

OXYGEN THERAPY MADONNA’S AUSSIE SECRET NOW US REGULAR FOLK CAN STAY LOOKING YOUNG JUST LIKE THE CELEBRITIES! With glam celebrities such as Heather Locklear, Donatella Versace and Gwen Stefani endorsing it, and with Madonna even reported to have her own machine at home, there is certainly a lot of interest in Oxygen Therapy.

So what is Oxygen Therapy and how does it work?

We all need oxygen. We are surrounded by it.

We breathe it in. Oxygen is the ultimate life support ingredient, helping cells to survive, reproduce and regenerate. Oxygen is also a healing agent, a provider of energy and it guards against unfriendly bacteria and disease. Science has shown us that our skin cells are the last to receive the oxygen we breathe in.

Also as we age the delivery of oxygen to the skin cells slows down which in turn slows down the cell regeneration. This causes the skin to become thinner and wrinkles and brown spots can start to appear. The skin can also have a general ‘dulling’.

Oxygen Therapy combats these symptoms by delivering a concentrated stream of oxygen directly to the skin, followed by an oxygen rich skin cream or serum.

According to Intraceuticals, an Australian company who developed the treatment along with a skincare range to go with it, the Oxygen Facial is gentle, relaxing and soothing, and is suitable for all skin types. The facial promises to deliver skin that looks and feels years younger, is nourished and hydrated, and skin renewal is stimulated.

FUSE 18

The company also claims that your fine lines and blemishes virtually disappear in just one thirty minute treatment, and personal experience with the treatment certainly backs this up.

An increase in the levels of oxygen in the skin helps to enhance the skin cells’ metabolic health, enhances new cell growth and the functioning of the blood vessels in the skin.

The resulting increase in blood flow improves the body’s ability to metabolise, absorb and utilise vitamins, minerals, proteins and other nutrients.

Oxygen also stimulates collagen production and the production of elastin fibres, all in all contributing to healthier, younger looking skin!

If however you’re a Canberran that’s just too busy, Tali by Tali Shine have developed the first Oxygen Therapy in a bottle. This fantastic little product is great if you are flying or generally spend a lot of time in air-conditioning which is extremely dehydrating for the skin. This product was created by using technology developed by NASA scientists. It is a 100 per cent natural, non toxic, chemical free and pH balanced skin rejuvenating facial spray containing high levels of bio-available oxygen dissolved in highly filtered water.

At first this spray has a mild chlorine-like scent. But it is not unpleasant. The smell is actually due to the use of Atlantic sea salt in the manufacturing process. And if they put a fragrance in the product to mask the smell, this would have destabilised the oxygen! Regular use of the spray will result in a brightening of the skin, and it is an excellent product to keep with you at all times to re-hydrate your skin instantly.

If you’d like to know more about Anti-Aging or Oxygen Therapy, call Janye at Contours de Femme in Manuka .

She caters for both guys and girls. Telephone 6295 8848.

Online www.contoursdefemme.com.au

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playing at ‘the Q’ Queanbeyan performing Arts Centre, 8-12 June.

A four mAN testosteroNe-pumped romeo ANd JuLiet In the repressive atmosphere of a Catholic boys boarding school, four students secretly explore Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet for their own enjoyment. At first it’s just for laughs, but as the young men discover the themes of secret and forbidden love, they gradually immerse themselves in the roles.

tickets: Adults – $42 Conc. & groups – $37 under 26 – $32 Bookings: phone 6298 0290 or www.theq.net.au

FUSE 19

OP.ED

&

ALL FOR ONE ONE FOR ALL In January, the Australian Federal Government released their report (with stylish matching brochure),

A STRONGER, FAIRER AUSTRALIA. This is their version, I mean vision, of a ‘socially inclusive’ Australia. This long awaited report, which was launched with all the fanfare and excitement that comes from wearing a beige cardi to church, was going to herald Australia into a new, enlightened and inclusive era. After so many years of neo-conservative governments fostering fear and otherness, we were finally going to emerge, eyes blinking into the light.

Now I have worked in the community sector for over six years and I can tell you 92 pages of report, 24 pages of gloss and umpteen number of hours of the PM’s staff time does not social inclusion make. If you write a report and no one knows about it, does it make a sound?

So what is this magical panacea of all social ills we call social inclusion? Social inclusion is the idea that by ensuring that people are included and able to meaningfully contribute to the broader community, such as through work (paid and unpaid), education, group participation or something like that, they will be overall healthier people. By people being healthier mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually and so on, they reduce the burden poor health has on society (read, the budget).

At the risk of sounding cynical, with our ever fiscally aware politicians talking about increasing the productivity of the nation (ask not what your country can do for you, but how much you can do for your country), social inclusion is at the fluffy end of the spectrum for making people more productive and minimising the chances they will be exposed to various risks that lead to poor health, and therefore, are less productive.

FUSE 20

{

By Keiran Rossteuscher Social Marketing Officer at the AIDS Action Council

This is opposed to the more hard-line methods of increasing people’s productivity such as whip cracking and making people work longer hours.

Now social inclusion isn’t the problem, it is the approach being used by the government I have issues with. I have never felt very comfortable when large, cold mechanisms such as government and bureaucracy try to do the warm and fuzzy stuff. I find it particularly disconcerting when it is talked about as a new innovation. Anyone who has ever worked with people, especially those at risk or disadvantaged, respond to this ‘innovation’ as stating the bleeding obvious!

The LGBT community has been particularly good at social inclusion, even if it has not always been considered in these terms.

Everything from groups like BearsCanberra and the Qwire, which have been around forever and a day, to more recent developments such as the Canberra Kings and FUSE Magazine all help include people into a thriving community. These provide chances to meet and interact with like minded people, engage in discussion, take on responsibilities and feel connected to a larger network of people when people can often feel so isolated by their sexuality or gender identity from the broader community.

If that group you have always wanted doesn’t exist yet, why don’t you try starting it yourself? It could be the group or venture that we have always needed, tapping into that unmet need. If you need help, the AIDS Action Council and Westlund House are great resources.

So did we really need to wait on tenterhooks for our Fairy Rudd-Mother to deliver this report? Well it sure does look and sound good, but I think that the LGBT community in particular can carry on business as usual.

}

FUSE 21

FAB BIRTHDAY THINGS

{FAB}THINGS Since it’s our birthday, we thought we’d do fabulous birthday gifts this issue — something you can go back to when you need a gift idea for that friend that has everything or needs nothing. From the ultra cool to the ‘oh great, just what I always wanted mum — yes it’s a framed picture of your cousin’s new baby’.

CAMP CAMPING ~ HOT AIR ~ YUM FOOD ~ GAY DOG ~ THEATRE ~ BABY PHOTOS

BUY A TENT, GO CAMPING! Sometimes you just have to think outside the square, or your living room for that matter. Whether you’re buying a gift for a partner, lover, mate or even a family member — a tent is a great gift and it’s a gift that keeps on giving for years.

Tents are great value for money and there are just so many cool designs and sizes to choose from. Wrapped with a giant bow it looks pretty bloody impressive too — and we all know that size really does count. Oh ok that’s not entirely true, but all the same... your package will look impressive.

Then it’s off for a romantic weekend out under the stars or a fab opportunity to bond with friends in the great outdoors — you will be creating special moments (like the time that shirty wombat stole your favourite hat) that will stick with you forever.

WORST GIFTS EVER!

Tents start as low $40! Check out campingworld.com.au or drop into one of their Canberra stores.

FUSE 22

We spent this month asking some of our readers what was the worst gift they had ever received... and we got some really great stuff back. Enjoy!

Melitta told us that her brother brought her a vibrator for her 19th birthday. ‘My parents were there for the present opening ceremony and when I opened it, I slammed the box closed and sat on it all night until my enquiring parents went home. It was definitely one of my funniest gift moments’.

Steve said his granny used to be an Avon lady back in the 70s and every year (for both his Birthday and Christmas) he gets old Avon products from her stash in the gararge.

Katie said she once received a neatly wrapped chain letter printed on floral paper as a birthday gift — for good luck.

Amanda said, ‘For my 14th birthday I really wanted a guitar, instead I was given a Canberra Raiders jumper! Worst... birthday... present... ever...!’

FOOD — THE WAY TO A WOMAN’S HEART! And yes a man’s too... You can’t go wrong with buying exotic food as a gift — especially if it’s this delicious!

We know that at FUSE because we’ve had the absolute mouth watering pleasure of tasting Vicki Matchett’s culinary delights. Vicki is a proud community member and hails from South Australian. As well as being a star in the kitchen, she also writes a monthly column in her own unique style in Adelaide’s gay and lesbian newspaper Blaze.

So if you want to send somebody into absolute bliss, wrap up a few of these babies — YUM! Available at Gourmet City in the Canberra Centre and other locations in Canberra. Check out the full list of outlets at matchettproductions.com

Mitch said he received a re-gifted box of scented candles with the name of the original recipient still inside.

Tim facebooked us and said for his 16th birthday his uncle gave him a drinking board game called ‘Passed Out’.

Megan told us that when she was turning 23 she organised a party which not one single person came to — no present at all — that’s so sad.

And our winner : Sam emailed us and said the year he came out to his parents his mum gave him a framed photo of his cousin’s new baby for his 20th birthday — WORST GIFT EVER! Not the actual baby photo that Sam got for his birthday, but we thought it was pretty funny here in the FUSE office.

HOT-AIR BALLOONING A hot-air ballooning adventure is not something that a lot of people have ever done, but certainly an experience that’s a must. We think that a balloon ride on a beautiful clear Canberra morning is a gift that will never be forgotten.

Balloons Aloft offer flights that last between forty-five minutes and an hour and finish with a traditional champagne celebration at the Hyatt Hotel. Prices start at $270.00, and include a fantastic breakfast afterwards. We reckon this gift is best used as a great big early morning surprise!

Check out www.canberraballoons.com.au and www.adrenalin.com.au for more info!

SOMETHING PLUSH SPARKY THE GAY DOG! Now you could go with a cute, cuddly teddy bear, a fluffy bunny, of even a plush pink elephant — they’re all very sweet gifts and definitely winners.

But just to be a little different, why not buy Sparky the Gay Dog from South Park — He’s not only plush but he’s gay and needs your love! $30 online, just google ‘Sparky the Gay Dog Plush from South Park’.

Background: Stan from South Park got a new dog named Sparky. Stan proclaims his dog to be the toughest dog on the mountain. However Sparky proceeds to fall in doggie love with Sylvester. The other boys taunt Stan about his gay dog and Sparky runs away to find someone who will love him for who he is.

THEATRE TICKETS Have they got everything already?

Just can’t think of a they might like? Well theatre tickets are always a thoughtful and easy gift idea. All you need is to choose a show that suits and you’re on your way! They’re also a perfect way to spend time with the special person you’re giving the gift to. Canberra is lucky enought to have some really terrific theatres and you can check out all the up and coming events online. Details below!

Canberra Theatre Centre : canberratheatrecentre.com.au The Street Theatre : thestreet.org.au The Q Performing Arts Centre : theq.net.au

FUSE 23

MONEY SHOT

NEST EGGS

It is nearly two years since the Federal Government further changed Superannuation laws to end discrimination for our community. Let’s recap on what has changed in the superannuation space and look at some options to have more control over how you manage your own super.

PRIVATE SUPERANNUATION FUNDS The reforms expand the definition of ‘spouse’ to include all de facto partners, and the definition of ‘child’ to include most children in same-sex families.

Tax laws have been amended to allow any de facto partner or the child of a couple who receives a superannuation lump sum death benefit to receive death benefit tax concessions.

COMMONWEALTH SUPERANNUATION FUNDS — THE DEFINED BENEFITS! Partners and children of Commonwealth public servants now receive equal access to death benefits and reversionary pensions under Commonwealth superannuation schemes, as well as judicial and other pensions.

SUPERANNUATION CONTRIBUTIONS SPLITTING AND TAX OFFSETS All de facto couples are now eligible for superannuation contributions splitting. This allows a same-sex de facto partner to direct super contributions to the super fund of a partner with a lower superannuation benefit.

A member of a couple may also be eligible for a tax offset if they make an after-tax superannuation contribution on behalf of their low-income earning partner.

SO WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? Regardless of sexuality the same financial planning strategies apply to all couples and their families.

An area that has seen a great amount of growth is Self Managed Superannuation funds, which offer a great range of strategic opportunity including the ability to buy investment property even with borrowings, under certain non-recourse contracts.

This means you can enhance your superannuation benefits to provide for your future.

You need to ensure a few things are met in order to manage your own superannuation: • Follow the super and tax laws and understand the risks and rewards; • Get a trust deed and investment strategy which suit the members of your fund; • Be sure you can meet your record keeping, reporting and annual auditing obligations; and • Keep informed of any changes to the superannuation environment!

No matter what your goals for life, as with all investment strategy and product, seek advice and empower yourself to create wealth through understanding.

Scott Malcolm (scott@money-mechanics.com.au) is Director of Money Mechanics (ph: 6257 5557) who are authorised to provide financial advice through PATRON Financial Advice AFSL 307379.

The information provided on this document is of a general nature only. It has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.

Before acting on this information you should consider its appropriateness having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs.

FUSE 24

}

Ecumenical Church Service The memorial will be marked by a special non-denominational service of prayer and remembrance.

Location: All Saints Church, Cowper St. Ainslie Time: 5.30 pm to 6:30 pm

Sunday 16th May, 2010 To honour the memories of those we have lost and those who have fought so hard for the rights and wellbeing of people affected by HIV, the AIDS Action Council is inviting you to participate in the 27th International Candlelight Memorial.

The AIDS Action Council is joined this year by Amnesty International.

Both organisations are working together to demand dignity and human rights for communities affected by HIV.

Candlelight Memorial Ceremony At this year’s ceremony the Canberra Gay and Lesbian Qwire will perform as candles are lit to remember lives affected by HIV. Location: National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent Acton.

Time: 7.00 pm to 8.30 pm

For further details go to

www.aidsaction.org.au

FUSE 25

EAR CANDY

{

ANGUS AND JULIA STONE DOWN THE WAY Angus and Julia Stone, a brother and sister duo from Sydney, have achieved a lot in their relatively short career as a band. As individuals they are exceptionally talented musicians and song writers and both started out as solo artists before coming together in 2006 to perform as a duo — but not in the entire sense of the word. They both still write music individually and really only seek help from one another to assist in song structure and to produce their signature harmonies. Therefore their albums, including this one, have tracks that are distinct to each of them — it’s kinda like a compilation album, and I reckon it works even better than they originally thought.

Down the Way is the siblings’ second long play and it is incredible. The Stones have these very distinct vocal abilities, especially Julia whose voice is described as a ‘smoke-on-the-beach drawl’… Don’t worry, I don’t get it either! All I know is that her voice sends me on some sort of relaxation journey and I have already almost smashed the car a few times because I stop concentrating on the road.

My favourite tracks are ‘And the boys’ and ‘Black Crow’ and this album has been getting a run in the car on the way to work and on the way home and I’m still not sick of it. If you are into folk music with a little hint of indie and country then I suggest you give these guys a go. As an added bonus, under Angus’ current beard (which I don’t like) is a totally cute guy. Happy perving! Oh and girls, Julia is pretty darn hot also! These siblings got hit with the pretty stick, that’s for sure!

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DAVID GUETTA ONE LOVE Epic Album! That is all... Kidding! David Guetta is a House legend with a career spanning some 25 years. He started out at the age of seventeen in the seedy underground venues of the Paris nightclub circuit in the 80s and 90s, and has worked up to starting his own production company and working with some of the biggest names in dance and pop.

One Love is David’s fourth full length album which features the likes of Kelly Rowland, Akon, and Kid Cudi and I am pretty sure that you don’t get to work with these guys unless you have proved yourself as something really special. Even if you live under a rock you would know that this album has gone nuts in the clubs the world over and you can’t even walk by a gay club these days without a David Guetta track blaring out for all to hear.

Anyway, this high-energy album totally has my vote! It’s amazing and I love a fair few of the tracks... mostly because they have been burnt into my brain over the last few months of clubbing, I didn’t even get a choice!

GENRES 101: HOUSE This week we look at a genre that is very dear to my heart…. House!

House first originated in the early 1980s as music for dancing — it was the start of the modern dance music era — although by modern dance music standards it is mid-tempo. The style originated in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It catered to the AfricanAmerican, Latino American, and gay communities in the discothèques; first in Chicago, then in Detroit, New York City, New Jersey and Miami.

It then reached Europe before becoming infused in mainstream pop and dance music worldwide in the early to mid-1990s.

House is strongly influenced by elements of soul and funk-infused varieties of disco. House generally mimics disco’s percussion, especially the use of a prominent bass drum on every beat (often known as four-on-the-floor beat), but may feature a prominent synthesizer bassline, electronic drums, electronic effects, funk and pop samples, and reverb or delay-enhanced vocals.

Photo : David Guetta

Well here we are at the 12th edition of FUSE Magazine and the 11th instalment of Ear Candy and what a journey we’ve had so far, everything from Lily Allen to Little Birdy and Phoenix to Delphic. I really hope that everyone is getting what you need from the reviews and it has helped you in your quest to find the sweetest tunes out there!

This month we are going to look at a new one from Angus and Julia Stone and also have a bit of a look at a club favourite by David Guetta.

By Damien Pratt

N…

YOU CA N E H W T U O O G WHY

>>

PLAN YOUR PERFECT PLAY DATE.

Tonight’s the night to play with Gaydar, with over 5 million men to get to know you’ll never need to leave your comfy couch.

YOU MIGHT BE SOMEBODY ELSE’S PERFECT NIGHT IN!

ONLINE

Log on at WWW.GAYDAR.COM.AU

ON MOBILE

Log on via your mobile at WWW.M.GAYDAR.COM.AU

ON AIR

Listen live online at WWW.GAYDARRADIO.COM

FUSE 27

FOOTLIGHTS

We Unfold is the first commissioned choreographic work from the gorgeous and incredibly talented new Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela since his appointment at the Sydney Dance Company last year.

The work looks at how we fold in on ourselves most of the time, protecting our vulnerable inner soul from the hostile world. But as we gain confidence and trust, we unfold some of that protection and open ourselves to those who are close to us.

{

By Robert Henderson

Moving from Europe to Sydney has been a major move by Spanish born Bonachela and his feelings about the change has been part of the inspiration for We Unfold. Another significant inspiration is the music of Ezio Bosso and his Symphony Number 1 which provides the music.

‘I wanted to create a piece about our needs and desires to slowly unfold, revealing ourselves to those around us,’ Bonachela said.

One of the great things about Bonachela’s method is that he works collaboratively with the dancers of any company he’s working with. He doesn’t just impose choreography on them and make them do what he’s designed.

‘I encouraged them to listen and respond to one another, challenging their willingness to unfold, or their reluctance to open up to each other.’

I strongly encourage you to go to the Sydney Dance Company’s web site and look at the YouTube video of excerpts from We Unfold — it’s quite eye opening.

The dancers perform mostly naked except for flesh coloured briefs. They move and change and interact with each other on a black floor while the largest video screen ever on stage shows the stunning video artistry of Daniel Askill. At the opening, two dancers, one male one female, move and interact with each other while the full length screen projects an image similar to that seen in science fiction movies of the moving stars, but in reverse. It looks like they are dancing and floating in space. It’s quite an amazing vision.

As the video continues, you realise there is so much more to this work. The dancers, video art, costumes and music change, excite and complement each other. At times surreal, or with a ten metre tall figure, it changes to flames and water and what appears to be a solar eclipse — but not everything is what it seems.

My reaction to modern dance is often a mixed one. I often feel I don’t really understand what is happening. I find myself creating stories based on what I see. If a man and a woman are dancing together, I tend to imagine they are some form of couple, even if brief. Now sometimes this can be true.

Often it’s too simplistic. But even if you are like me and somewhat confused by modern dance, you’ll still find We Unfold very arresting and stimulating, just through the sheer visual interest.

FUSE 28

we unfold

The music of Ezio Bosso should also interest and excite the audience. With many repeated beats and notes, akin to some of the minimalist work of Phillip Glass, it has a much more varied and rich texture and variety. The video excerpt ends with a stunning climax and I for one am looking forward to the music alone, his first symphony.

We Unfold is showing at: The Playhouse 5 to 8 May 2010 Bookings call 02 6275 2700 www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au

FUSE 29

OUT & ABOUT

33 Petrie Plaza Civic, Canberra City www.cubenightclub.com.au

CUBE CALENDARS

Get your calendars

Our calendars are back from the printers and ready & waiting for you now! They’re only $15 and just a little bit of a collector’s item. Get yours now from the door @ the club, but hurry as we’ve got limited stock!

FUSE 30

MASQUEERADE

MORE THAN A NIGHTCLUB

Friday 23rd April from 9pm till 5am DJ Peter Dorree plus local all male dance group The Backdoor Bandits.

FREE entry if in theme and FREE entry before 10pm.

Cube is a home away from home with a sense of family so unique it cannot be compared. Canberra’s premier gay venue along with ARIA accredited resident DJs provide a mix of music beyond the charts.

}

SE SE FU FU 3131

@HUSH

OUT & ABOUT

THIS MONTH

FRIDAY 9TH APRIL

ICON UNPLUGGED Icon Unplugged is made up by Bec Goddard and Adelaide Jones who can usually be found front and centre on the Canberra pub circuit with 4-piece covers band ICON. However you can see these two ladies on Sunday afternoon, playing laidback tunes for you to listen to as you chill out with a cold beer at the HUSH lounge. Both girls have played and sung in covers and originals bands for many years, and come together to perform a few numbers for you.

Friday 9 April. Doors open at 5pm. Door charge only $5.

SATURDAY 17 APRIL AMATUER COMEDY NIGHT The Funnest Show in town is at HUSH! Head-lining some of Canberra’s home-grown funniest talent.

Including our very own, Johnno Davis — who represented Canberra at the Raw Comedy NSW finals 2010. Doors Open a 5pm.

SATURDAY 24 APRIL HIGH HEELS, HOTPANTS &

KARAOKE WHO WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST HEELS? WHO WILL HAVE THE SHORTEST HOT PANTS? AND WHO WILL DO IT BETTER! BOYS or GIRLS? AND TO REALLY LIVEN THINGS UP WE’LL COMBINE IT WITH KARAOKE TOO. Hosted by the delightful, bootylicous & bodacious MISS BELLA. A fun night of games, crowd participation (or just watch!), competitions and prizes to be won. Come out for a night of naughty fun & laughter. Door charge only $5!

Corner of Launceston & Irving Streets Phillip www.hushlounge.com.au ~ 02 6282 1944

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}

WWW.HUSHLOUNGE.COM.AU CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR THE FULL LINE UP OF LIVE MUSIC, KARAOKE NIGHTS, SPECIAL EVENTS, PARTIES & MORE!

Geoff Field & Jason Kerr

Some super funds now recognise same-sex partners. So if yours doesn’t, switch. 85 Federal laws that discriminated against same-sex couples have been reformed. To celebrate, 85 artists have created 85 T-shirts inspired by the changes. Find out which ones fit you.

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FUSE 34

By Chad Wijayatilake from Form Haircutters

DON’T LET YOUR

HAIR &WARDROBE

AGE YOU!

Just like FUSE, maybe your birthday is coming up or maybe you just celebrated a birthday. While this is an exciting event for some, to others, getting older isn’t always the most exciting thing to celebrate.

In a world where being young and youthful is worshiped and growing old is dreaded, here’s my guide to looking your best and looking younger than you really are, for years to come.

GROOMING

{

For some strange reason as we get older we start dressing and looking either older than we really are or we try and look younger to disguise our real age. This is where many people get it wrong. Choosing the right hair colour and make up can make a big difference.

As you get older you start loosing colour pigment in your skin, so choosing the right hair colour can really help. A colour that is too dark can make you look pale and going too light such as platinum blonde can also add to an aging look. If you want to blend in grey hair and want to be blonde, I recommend choosing warmer tones such as honey or caramel blondes. If you want to have complete grey coverage and if you are a chocolate brown, stick to light brown tones or medium browns. The darker you go, the more obvious your regrowth will look, depending on how much grey you have.

For guys who already have grey hair but would like to have a bit more of the ‘salt and pepper’ look about their hair, Redken has a great colour service called Colour Camo. A demi permanent colour service is a great option for anyone that would like to increase pepper in the ‘salt and pepper’ appearance. This colour service will last for five to six weeks and will gradually return to its original appearance.

Choosing the right makeup can also be crucial in having an overall younger looking appearance. Choosing a liquid foundation can be a great option for older skin types since it enables an even application. Choose the right colour for your foundation by matching it with either the neck or the back of your hand. When it comes to the colour of your eye shadow, stick to more natural warmer tones which will give you more of that J Lo glow.

Finally look the part with the right wardrobe. There’s nothing worse than dressing like your grandma when you are only thirty; or you are 45 but you look like you are about to go see Britney Spears with your kids’ friends (this can really draw attention to your age). Some people have a rule now that if they have already been through a trend first time around, such as the shoulder pads from the 80s, they probably shouldn’t be doing it the second time around. That’s rubbish, if you like a trend that’s come round again, go ahead and do it as long you do an updated version of it and you are not copying it straight off the runway. Plus if you have already done it once, you should be doing it better than anyone else.

For the guys, try to stay away from the baggy jeans and super fitted tee’s; leave that to The Backstreet Boys. Go for more of a fitted straight leg jean and tailored shirts or a tee that doesn’t show off your manly lumps. And please invest in some classic loafers for your Sunday morning brunches or a pair of everyday leather lace up’s.

FUSE 35

MARDI GRAS 2010

MARDI GRAS 2010 CAMP-BERRA WINS RIBBON FOR BEST FLOAT DESIGN

The Canberra community’s 2010 Mardi Gras entry, the “Camp-berra - Peter Allen, I go to Rio” float, continued a 22-yearold tradition of a Canberra community Mard Gras float.

Approximately eighty people participated in this year’s float. A great night was had by all as we danced a well-rehearsed routine along the Mardi Gras route and then partied the night away (or, for the older ones amongst the group, promptly collapsed!).

Canberra’s Mardi Gras float had for many years been organised through the significant and singular efforts of dynamo Richard Allen (better known to many of us as “Rachel”). Rachel’s mammoth effort in 2009 led a small group of participants to offer their support with the 2010 float. A “Camp-berra” committee was formed in March 2009 to organise fund-raising activities and to develop a float theme.

The committee consisted of Rachel, Sue Harwood, Gail Reid, David Morley, Leo Hardiman and Michael Murer.

Fund raising began in earnest in mid-2009, with sausage sizzles, chocolate drives and sales of badges and t-shirts. We were also very fortunate to receive a significant grant from the Pink Tennis Club, as well as significant donations made by community members at Cube nightclub (thank you to Maurice for providing a facility for donations). We also received a portion of door takings from a Karaoke fundraising night at the Hush Lounge.

FUSE 36

The moneys raised were used to pay for truck (ie, float) hire, generator hire, lights and numerous other things needed to get the float up and running.

When the Mardi Gras theme “History of the World” was announced, the committee (at Sue’s suggestion) decided to pay homage to a famous gay Australian, Peter Allen. The committee got to work on costume ideas and Peter Kensey came on board to choreograph a routine for us.

We sourced close to 100 Hawain shirts (thanks to the ladies at Lowes in Tuggeranong, who were very happy to help us out), 200 maraccas, 100 light sticks and 100 whistles (the whistles provided at cost by Camping World), all of which made up the ‘uniform’ for float participants. A core group of about twenty participants worked hard for several months, practising regularly on Sunday afternoons, to learn the routine which Pete expertly choreographed for us.

When it came to mardi gras day, Rachel and a group of workers constructed the float in the afternoon.

Everyone then gathered to practice the routine one or two more times, the excitement building before we launched ourselves off onto the Mardi Gras route.

Topping off the fantastic time had by all who participated, the Camp-berra float was awarded the prize (a ribbon) for ‘Best Float Design’. Quite an achievement! Planning for Canberra’s 2011 Mardi Gras float entry will start soon.

FUSE Magazine Mardi Gras Photographers were Snez Saravovska, Jimmy Walsh and Doug Robinson

Tilley’s

Devine Café Gallery

TILLEY’S IS NESTLED IN TREE LINED LYNEHAM JUST 4KM FROM THE CITY

For over 26 years Tilley’s has been famous for its breakfasts, lunches, and dinners... and of course its fabulous coffees. Tilley’s attracts not only ‘regulars’ but visitors from overseas and interstate who enjoy the all-day menu specials, and oh such lovely cake!

Internationally renowned for legendary blues, jazz and classical concerts, Tilley’s continues to attract artists of international calibre who prefer the intimacy of a warm theatre atmosphere clad in red velvet, brass and dark timber booths.

With a fully licensed bar, one can enjoy champagne with breakfast, or in the evening savour our broad range of wines, spirits or boutique beers on tap.

OPENING HOURS 9am – 10pm Monday to Saturday • 9am – 6pm Sunday To reserve your favourite table or booth phone us on 6247 7753

TILLEY’S

E PROUD HOST OF TH

BIG E FUBS IRTHDAY

BASH!

7PM SATURDAY 10 APRIL

WITH

PORTIA TURBO & JOHNNO DAVIS

DUB DUB GOOSE WITH BETH MONZO BIG BRAD WOLF AUSSIE BUM FASHION SHOW DRAG KINGS TORI MAC FROM FUNKEN DISCO

Corner of Wattle & Brigalow Streets, Lyneham • www.tilleys.com.au FUSE 37

MARDI GRAS 2010

THIS MARDI GRAS PHOTO PAGE KINDLY SPONSORED BY CIC AUSTRALIA — COMMUNITIES IN THE MAKING

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MARDI GRAS 2010 THIS MARDI GRAS PHOTO PAGE KINDLY SPONSORED BY SNEZ SARA PHOTOGRAPHY

FUSE 39

FUSE

40

MARDI GRAS 2010

MARDI GRAS 2010 THIS MARDI GRAS PHOTO PAGE KINDLY SPONSORED BY BENT LENSES

FUSE 41

DEAR ROSE OP.ED

CRANKY MIDDLE AGED QUEER

DAMN YOUNG PEOPLE {

By Brown Dog

In case you haven’t heard, the cute, young, blond, ‘Josh Thomas’ on ‘Talking about Your Generation’ is “dating” Tom Ballard, the morning radio presenter on TripleJ. Young, blond, and able to string a complete sentence together: the gay avant garde look like they’re going to take over.

Now normally I would have zero interest in the private lives of the talking heads, but I woke up the other day and realised I was well over forty, and not just in dog years either. A wave of the usual existential angst consumed me — ‘I gave my youth to the public service, and all I got was a job in Canberra for it’; ‘What am I doing with my life? What have I achieved?’ — all the usual trash that leads to people founding silly religions like Episcopalianism.

Stumbling out into the world, I was walking down the street, and saw another cute young thing walking towards me — they’re everywhere. I broke the seventh commandment (Exod 20:14 You shall not commit adultery) — at least according to the apostles (qv Matt 5:27), and I then realised what was going through his head: ‘...oh, that’s exactly what I need in my life: an unfit, overweight, middle aged man’.

Giving up on the young, I look around for some other fat old bloke, and run away screaming (I say I ran away screaming. I actually ducked into the bakery for a croissant). Popular mythology has it that the gay community is fixated on youth, but this is the same fixation that straight men have when they divorce to marry trophy wives. It’s the human condition mixed with the usual denial.

The issue really starts when I turn away from the young Adoni and look for someone my own age.

That’s when it moves from just a bit sad to plain annoying.

Baby Boomers and GenX must be the most disorganised and scatter-brained generations around. That combined with the fact that people who are single in middle age tend to be coming out of messy divorces, or emotionally crippled, or alcoholics.

FUSE 42

In my case, I ended up a misanthrope — harboring feelings of dislike and distrust of the human species — rather than, as was my childhood dream, a lycanthrope*, although, I’ve certainly got the hair for it.

So what to do now? I could get fit and become a rake, I suppose. That would involve healthy living and going to the gym. And a shave. The more I think about it, the worse it sounds.

I recognised the inevitable when that degenerate old communist said: ‘...to get rich is glorious’. With that we knew ‘…1968 is over, man…’ and it was time to move on (do the kids today still say “man”?). I spent my twenties having ideals, my thirties getting over them, and my forties making up for lost time realising that mortgages, real estate, share portfolios and superannuation aren’t ideologically unsound (‘a front door, a back door, a commodore and a Labrador’). I would never have believed it possible, but like one’s first kiss, your first car, and coming out, I’ve had my first heated argument about superannuation. With someone from Comsuper, no less.

El-spook-o-rama! *Lycanthropy is the ability or power of a human being to undergo transformation into a wolf, or to gain wolf-like characteristics.

FUSE 43

FEATURE

QUEERING THE

BATMAN

Batman is one of the greatest pop culture icons of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

The fourth wave of “Bat-mania”, featuring Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins and Dark Knight, have revealed Batman to a new generation. How can these texts, as well as other Batman media, both past and present, be read from a gay perspective?

FUSE 44

{

By Jonathon Zapasnik

They live in sumptuous quarters, with beautiful flowers in large vases, have a butler called Alfred Pennyworth and wear tight fitting outfits.

How gay is that!

And finally, Batman represents a ‘successful’ construction of masculinity. This can be demonstrated in the later Batman film Batman and Robin (1997) directed by openly gay director, Joel Schumacher. The emphasis on Batman and Robin’s muscular male body armour becomes the object of homoerotic interest.

I believe there are some other reasons that gay audiences find Batman ‘interesting’; something easily related to. I have chosen three wider themes to put forward.

When Batman made his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 (1939), he was a lone crimefighter, watching his parents die in the hands of crime when he was young, he vowed to avenge their death. It was then again in the 1980’s with graphic novels like Miller’s Year One (1987) and Morrison’s Arkham Asylum (1989) went back to the idea of a solitary Batman, as is represented in Nolan’s films.

Similarly, the representation of the isolated individual is prominent in gay and lesbian texts, such as in film, in particular ‘coming-out narratives’.

In such films as Marco Kreuzpaintner’s Summer Storm (2004) or Jonah Markowitz’s Shelter (2007) the protagonist is seen emotionally cut off from his friends or family, struggling to come to terms with his difference.

Also, the absence of Bruce Wayne’s parents in Batman mythos reflects the fear of abandonment and isolation, sometimes very realistic in a gay person’s coming-out process.

In 1991, Andy Medhurst, who is currently a Senior Lecturer in Cultural Studies at Sussex University, identified three reasons why Batman would be interesting to gay audiences. First, in 1954, Fredric Wertham wrote Seduction of the Innocent which accused Bruce Wayne (Batman) and his ward Dick Grayson (Robin) of living in the ‘wish dream of two homosexuals living together’.

This was done in an attempt to prove that comic books were a corrupting influence on children.

Secondly, the 1960’s television series Batman staring Adam West and Burt Ward is identifiable for its ‘camp’ antics — a playful, ‘overthrow’ of the serious — where, for example, heterosexuality is represented as a threat to Batman and Robin, which can be seen in their encounters with ‘Kitka’ in the 1966 movie.

Like many superheroes, Batman has a secret identity. By day he is Bruce Wayne, a wealthy, ‘playboy’, philanthropist and by night he is Batman, a mysterious, crime fighting vigilantly. Just like Bruce Wayne, many people also have a secret identity — their gay identity. To their family, co-workers, and even closest friends, they seem ‘normal’ — they present themselves as ‘straight’.

They, like many before them, fear the consequences of coming out, of being themselves — it is this fear that has resulted in high levels of depression and suicide within the gay community. It is also one of the most disturbing realities of life.

In 1983, Batman left the Justice League, a team made up of well known DC comic superheros, including Superman and Wonder Woman, to start his own team, named the ‘Outsiders’. The Outsiders were a group of superheros who did not belong in the conventional superhero community, that is to say the Justice League. I think the parallel, is only too real for the gay community. We’re the outsiders of mainstream society.

Batman has lasted throughout the years because of his ability to adapt to different historical, political and cultural contexts. What meanings will he signify to gay audiences in twenty years time?

FUSE 45

46

WHAT ON EARTH IS BROOMBALL?

SPORTS PROFILE FUSE

MARY BISHOP TALKS TO HELEN STEVENS FROM FUSE ABOUT HOW IT’S NOTHING LIKE CURLING AND HOW PROUD SHE IS TO BE REPRESENTING AUSTRALIA AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN AUSTRIA LATER THIS YEAR. You can always find something quirky in Canberra.

In this case it wasn’t a girl, but a sport called broomball. And it’s not similar to curling. In fact, the only aspects the two sports have in common are they are played on ice and the players don’t wear skates.

Instead, players wear suction-cupped, foam-soled shoes which allow them to run on the ice.

The game originates in Canada and is played on an ice-rink.

For comparison, it’s a cross between field hockey and ice hockey. The brooms (sticks) used are about 1.2m in length with a rubber wedge shaped head. Each team has six players on the ice, one player in the goals — the goaltender, two players in defence, defenders and three players in the forwards — the attackers. Two teams compete to score goals by hitting a small ball in the opponents net. The team with the most goals at the end of the approximate forty-minute game is the winner.

With game times starting at 7am on a Sunday morning in winter, you’re also a winner if get out of bed at that time.

I asked Mary, other than to snowboard, which goes without saying, why get out of bed that early? Mary explained it’s part scientific and part passion.

‘The ice is fresh and hard-packed first thing in the morning, so it’s at its best quality early in the day. With Phillip being the only ice-rink in Canberra we also have to fight for ice time.’

Mary says she ‘can’t imagine not playing the game. If I don’t play for a couple of weeks, I get restless and can’t wait to get back on the ice’. I understand — it’s for the love of freshies and cold weather sport.

Mary started playing Broomball by accident in 2003 when she was dragged from the spectator stands to fill-in for a team. I hope she wasn’t wearing a skirt. Since then she’s been hooked. She plays defender position which is similar to full back in field hockey. Body contact is very much a part of the game.

Mary loves the game’s raw, continuous game — play and energy. She says ‘the adrenalin, competitive aggression and the possibility of being pushed and shoved around is what gets her back on the rink week after week’.

In 2009, the mixed team Mary plays for, The Thunderbirds, won the winter 2009 competition. Mary ranked second for highest number of female goals scored during the season.

Also in 2009, Mary competed for a position on the Australian All Stars team at the National selections in Adelaide. The team is an all women’s team that will represent Australia at the World Broomball Championships in Austria in November this year.

Mary is one of six women in the country selected and the only one from the Canberra region.

It took some time to register that it was my name that was called.

I was surprised and overwhelmed with excitement. From the first year I attended the Nationals in 2003, I thought it’d be great to be part of the All Stars team.’

The World Broomball Championships will bring together ten teams from across the globe, including Canada, Japan, the USA and various European countries.

Unfortunately because Broomball isn’t recognised with the Australian Sports Commission, Mary and the Australian team can’t apply for grants funding.

The cost for equipment, jerseys and travel will be expensive. Mary and the Australian team are organising events in 2010 to support their trip and are looking for sponsors. We wish Mary and the team all the best for Austria.

To offer sponsorship or support for Mary and the Australian Broomball team’s World Championships tour contact Mary Bishop at: back.to.front@hotmail.com...

For information about Broomball go to: www.act.broomball.org.au.

FUSE 47

DEAR ROSE

Dear Rose, Congratulations on the first birthday for FUSE and Dear Rose, I always read your column at HUSH with my girl friends — it’s great. We have a group question: There is a new girl that comes in and we all think she’s really nice. Any ideas on how we can decide who gets to ask her out first?

Drawing straws sounds so boring. He He! The three of us.

Dear The three of us, Here’s a suggestion girls, maybe you should invite her over for a drink and let her choose!

The combinations of what she might come up with might impress you no end! Seriously though, if she is coming in on her own I would say that she is a first timer on the scene. So give her a big gay welcome, be hospitable and introduce yourselves. Be nice to the new girl on the block... remember coming out on the scene by yourself is a brave thing!

Dear Rose, I have a new boyfriend, he’s hot — well I think so.

He wants me to move to Sydney where he lives.

Thing is I have such a great job here in Canberra, but I really like him and I don’t think a distance relationship will work for me.

Emiko

Dear Emiko, Long distance relationships are difficult at best and extremely tough to sustain, so I don’t envy your predicament. If you are in a job that you love, I would be hesitant to just give it up. Here are a few options that you may want to consider: 1. Alternate on weekends between Sydney and Canberra. He comes down one weekend you go up to Sydney the next.

2. Have you discussed him moving to Canberra.

3. You may want to move to Sydney, move in with him and come back on weekends.

All these options can be expensive and you really need to discuss with your new boyfriend whether these choices are going to work for both of you.

Either way you need to remember this is a short term solution for this problem. At some point one of you is going to have to make a decision to move to either city. Keep in mind that this is a new relationship and lots of things can happen, I would try these choices and see how it goes.

FUSE 48

Rose

Dear

If you would like to write to dear rose please email her at dearrose@fusemagazine.com.au ~ letters are placed either here or on the Fuse website fusemagazine.com.au

}

Dear Rose, I’m in my first relationship with a guy. The problem is he wants to have sex with me. I don’t think I am ready for that, but don’t want to lose him as I know most guys would probably just do it.

Just Out 18 Dear Just Out 18 Being in your first relationship is wonderful, exciting and is a beautiful time, and of course you want to please this person as much as possible. But keep in mind no one can tell you when to have sex or not, this is your body and you will know when you know you are ready. I can tell you this, you need to tell the new boyfriend that you are not ready to have sex and you need to explain that you would like to take your time. If he truly cares for you, he will appreciate your honesty and think of other interesting things to do in that personal time!

And there are lots of fun things to do before you go the whole hog!!! Just remember whatever you do, whenever you do it, always be safe and wear condoms!

Dear Rose, I have just broken up with my GF of fifteen years. Her parents are like mine after so many years but she has asked me to stay away... what should I do? I feel this is unfair.

LB Dear LB, Breaking up after such a long term relationship always has it casualties and in your case the relationship that you have had with your Ex’s parents are one of many I suspect. I hate to say it but she is right, you need to stay away, because after all they are her parents. It is unfair and I suspect that your Ex’s request may have been hasty and emotional due to the situation. Unless you are playing a vital role in their elderly care, pushing the point with your Ex could damage any future contact with her parents and really hurt you more than anything else.

What I can suggest though is to have a discussion with your Ex and let her know that if they need anything in the future that you would be only too happy to help if they need it. By laying the good foundations now with the Ex about this issue, it could mean that in the future your Ex may be ok with you maintaining contact with her parents. Until then you need to respect the Ex’s wishes and keep your distance.

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