K i n d r e d Giving Women a Voice
D ECEMBER 2012
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Kindred Sisters “Giving Women a Voice” December 2012
Out Candidates Win! Florida has elected two gay state legislators. Equality Florida Field Director Joe Saunders garnered 56% of the vote in the most hotly contested House race in the state. Joe’s opponent spent over $1 million dollars in the race and attacked Joe for working to end discrimination against Florida’s LGBT community. He ran a true grassroots campaign knocking on over 60,000 doors and making 130,000 phone calls. When the legislature convenes in 2013, Joe will join David Richardson, who won a winner-take-all primary contest in August for Florida House in District 113 in Miami Beach. Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner handily won re-election crushing an opponent who resorted to homophobic attacks and a smear campaign. Nationally, Tammy Baldwin made history as the first gay U.S. Senator with her election in Wisconsin and six openly LGBT members joined the US House of Representatives. excerpt from www.eqfl.org
Cover: This month's cover art is provided by J.S. Bucholtz. She says, “I began oil painting a very long time ago when I was in my teens and took a few courses in art. I studied for a short time in upstate New York with Roy Lichtenstein and later on in the ‘60s at New York University. I was lucky enough to be accepted into the Greenwich Village Art Show during the ‘60s when I lived in Washington Square in New York. I exhibited in the Washington Square Village Art Show for several years. My passion is for oil painting although I am involved in some sculpting and photography which I did for a while on a professional level. After a very long hiatus, I began painting again and my recent works can be seen at the Greenfield Gallery in Kissimme, Florida.”
Kindred Sisters — December 2012
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Pride Community Center of North Central Florida Announces our 10th Annual Holiday Party!
December 8th 8:00 - 10:00 pm Join us for the PRIDE & PUNCH Holiday Party at the Community Center at 3131 NW 13th St.
There will be snacks, wine, and nonnon-alcoholic drinks. More importantly, there will be good company and great conversation! We are collecting Toys For Tots. Please bring a new unwrapped toy to donate to this great cause.
ENTER THE GAINESVILLE 2013 PRIDE THEME CONTEST! $150 Cash Prize for the theme selected by PCCNCF for use as our official 2013 Pride Theme! This theme will be used on our 2013 Pride Logo, t-shirts, website, Pride Program, and promotional literature. All submissions become the property of Pride Community Center of North Central Florida.
Themes must be submitted to Pride Community Center at pridectr@bellsouth.net by noon on February 8th. Page 2
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Wild Iris Books The day has arrived – we now have a new lease for 2013 next door to the Civic Media Center and the Citizens Co-op! We can’t thank you all enough for the support and good vibes – you are part of what we’re creating and we couldn’t have gotten this far without you! Don’t forget – we’ll be on University Ave until December 22nd. We anticipate being closed for a period of time until our Grand Re-Opening at the new location in early February 2012. We will be open online during this time. In order to facilitate this transition all web orders over $25 will receive free shipping. Our new address: 22 SE 5th Ave, Gainesville
Last Feminist Open Mic at University Ave – 12/4 Join us for a special Feminist Open Mic Edition to celebrate the tradition of poetry at Wild Iris Books! Show starts at 7:30pm. This will be the last time we gather here for Poetry – but don’t worry – Courtyard Poetry Sessions are being planned in the new space already. Any creative talent is welcome – poetry, music, prose, etc…
WGOT Live Radio Show – 12/6 Thursday, December 6th, we’ll welcome WGOT for a live taping of “Good Company”. We’ll also be joined by Mary Rockwood Lane, cofounder of the Arts in Medicine program at Shands for our themed show, “Love is in the Air”. We’ll have drinks, discussion, and a live discussion with host Lynne Loewenthal. Check out our great Holiday and Moving Sale – the entire store is on sale! Shopping from 6-7pm and interview at 7pm. Stick around and get your books autographed by Mary Rockwood Lane starting at 8pm.
Amy Andrews Concert – 12/8 Singer-songwriter, tree-hugging troubadour, and funky feminist, Amy Andrews, has been touring North American feminist bookstores. She visits Gainesville & Wild Iris on Saturday, December 8th! Doors open at 7pm and show starts at 8pm. There will be a $5-$10 sliding scale donation at the door. In the spirit of her feminist tour, Andrews will generously be donating all proceeds from ticket sales and donations to Wild Iris. Wild Iris Books, 802 W University Ave, Gainesville * www.wildirisbooks.com Kindred Sisters — December 2012
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CORRECT THE BUMPER STICKERS! by Nancy Breeze If I took a felt pen on my downtown walk, I'd be tempted to 'deface private property.' Like today -"Hang up the phone and drive, Stupid!" Are there phones in moving vehicles which can be 'hung up' any more? Another seems to promote Christianity, while ignoring its essence. "If Mary were pro-choice, we wouldn't have Christmas!" Who knows what Mary would have decided? I guess the bumper's owner was sure Mary would not have gone full term! But even more troubling is what's missing. No mention of the inspiring words and stories of Jesus; could the focus be merely on -- Santa Claus? After all this, I went to the library, where clerks were discussing the need to pronounce the first 'r' in library! Of course I had to throw in 'February' and 'temperature.' But what difference does all this really make? Only writing nerds like me even care! And we have enough to worry about, with texting's demise of the complete sentence!
PCCNCF Plans Chili CookCook-Off Saturday, February 2nd 6:00 - 8:00pm Taste the best Chili that Gainesville has to offer. Try them all and then vote for your favorite! Admission and Cash Bar proceeds support the programs of the Center. Admission, which is $5-10 (sliding scale), includes a bowl of the “house” chili, chili samples, corn bread, a dessert bar, and all the water you can drink. We are looking for Chefs to participate in our friendly challenge, so sign up today. Prizes will be awarded to the top three. For more information, please call the center at 352-377-8915. To register, send an e-mail to pridectr@bellsouth.net. Page 4
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LGBT Intimate Partner Violence Support Group
“Inner Healing for Invisible Wounds” Come join us in reclaiming your voice and revitalizing your spirit with other survivors in a safe and supportive environment.
Group meets weekly for 10 weeks and begins February 2013
If you plan on attending or for more information, please call Jennifer Heard or Barbie Hechavarria at (352) 264264-6760 Alachua County Victim Services and Rape Crisis Center All services are free and confidential 218 SE 24th Street Gainesville, FL 32641 (352) 264-6760 or Toll-free (866) 252-5439
Please note that this group is for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered community that are survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
Kindred Sisters — December 2012
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Poetry Corner Jo. You speak like a virgin. Delicately, politically, with minimal gesticulations with ‘North American precision’, with taste, tact, and no sign of any forthcoming teasing. You are not a storm. You are not a radar for a storm. Your accent is barely accented, your teeth Flirtatiously unsteady, and please I hope you don’t like me. You are hands sliding into your own fingers. You have never been hands wrecking into wind-broken underwear under a table at a quaint Vietnamese restaurant where the waitress’s name is Denise and she brings you and your non-date Thai tea—no. You are not any of that. You are not women’s bookstores or Toni Morrison’s Love, you are no earth quaked body calmed down with a mouth made of chamomile tea. You are all physics, no chemistry, no Baby please fuck me in the ass Love me only after the cum is finished coming. You are butch-soft and appropriate. You remind me of my sister’s sexually-unsure Biology teacher in her sixth grade year. You remind me of water-fountain water, you are easily impressed, you sweat the small stuff when it comes to romance, you are worried you will be too awkward, not interesting enough; completely uninteresting. You are afraid I will ask you what your “real” name is, “Real” meaning Asian, ‘Doesn’t Jo stand for something longer?” Well—no. I will not ask any of these things. You will text me saying you dream of me, me and my books, me and my small body, me and my oversized passion. I am always breaking news. So I will have to tell you, with so much fake sugar in my mouth, ‘I have a girlfriend. She makes me scream in bed, How loud are your dreams when I’m being given head?’ by Jazmine Davis
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Kindred Sisters — December 2012
Home Van Pet Care Project Update by Elizabeth Howard, Project Coordinator
Please donate extra food for both dogs and cats. If you have an extra unused dog house sitting in your yard, let us know and we will see if we have a call Breakfast on the Plaza: The Homeless Coalition for one of those. We also need to replenish our plans all year for this event. Breakfast is served for supply of collars, leashes and harnesses, sizes all, and service groups have tables to let homeless and low income people know what help each group medium and large. We will need tarps also to cover can offer. This year three animal service groups had campsites and dog areas. All the animals like those tables: Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., St. Francis soft little blankets, and hay makes a good padding in a dog house or cat area so let us know if you have Veterinary Clinic and Newberry Veterinarians. A Home Van Pet Care spokesperson is allowed to say a some you can donate. If you can donate any of these items or funds for the buckets ($6.00 each) please let word to the crowd and we devoted much of our us know. We will also need volunteers to help with allotted time to urging spay/neuter. Just by being pickup of donations and possible storage for food there with other groups, we show respect for the animals and make our services more available. This and supplies. breakfast is a friendly and helpful event and we thank the Coalition and all who help make the event Christmas for the Animals: We usually have our own small Christmas celebration at a success. our pet distribution time on Wednesdays. We provide cat and WUFT interview: The reporter was great. This was dog toys, treats, canned foods, flea an opportunity for us to talk about Home Van Pet combs and so on, please let us Care Project to a substantial audience. The special know if you have ideas or items for moment was when the reporter held the a Dog and Cat Christmas. microphone close to dogs who were eating treats. They will be featured, stating “crunch, crunch, Tent City Tribe of Cats: They will need a new crunch.” name, for now they are all in their new home, Our Winterization Project: This is a project to help resting and becoming acclimated. The last two to be transported, Mercedes and Margaret (Mama Cat) homeless prepare their campsites for winter. Our “dog person” discovered some handy plastic painter walked right in to their carriers and joined their clan in peace and joy. buckets that hold 15# of pet food. They are sturdy and reusable and we will provide 10 of these buckets We thank you all for helping us, all during the year. for dogs and 10 for cats. This gives pet owners a break if weather is bad and they can’t make it for pet Right now, we want to give more and be sure no one is worried about their pets over the holidays if food distribution. We will also check out running we can possibly help them. We know you will help lines to see that everyone has them to comply with us with this. As always, we need bags of dog food the tethering laws and give the dogs a bit more freedom. Most people bring their and cat food as well as financial donations and the special needs items we discussed above. Please be dogs into the tents at night in sure to call ahead to learn current needs where to winter but sometimes they are drop off and how to volunteer. tied out in daytime. Our primary mission is to provide food for the companion animals of homeless and very low income persons in our community.
Cats are also allowed into the tents in cold weather and seem to fare pretty well as long as their owners feed and water and provide safe spots at the campsite. Cat owners also can use the extra food in cold weather. Kindred Sisters — December 2012
Checks can be mailed to Home Van Pet Care Project, c/o Elizabeth Howard, P. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604, 352-473-9423, holisticliz@hotmail.com. You can also donate by PayPal at www.homevanpetcareproject.com. Photos and archives are also there on our blog. Page 7
Planetary Nutrition by Woody Blue
"SOMETIMES WE EAT THE BEAR, AND SOMETIMES THE BEAR EATS US." For a few years now, we have been hearing about the end of the Mayan Calendar, which will terminate on Dec 21, 2012. At this time the planet is transitioning, the solar system is transitioning AND the galaxy is transitioning. I don't pretend to understand it, but astrophysicists, NASA scientists, astrologers, numerologists, astronomers, spiritual advisers, my brother-in-law, and the guy next door all have strong opinions about the importance of this particular time. Either we will all be enlightened and go to another vibrational level or the world will end. Or not. We really won't know until we get there and, in any case, it's hard to figure out how to prepare oneself for the occasion.
will eat wisely and be diplomatic about eating at family gatherings. If the apocalyptic forecasts prove correct, this might be the last article on nutrition I ever write. To that end, I'm concentrating on planetary nutrition. If we are to be 'gulped' by the universe, how do we provide a nutritious aperitif? What would be a fitting 'last meal' for the planet? Bear with me as I work you through my logic. When I attended nutrition school in NY, I was astounded to hear that our primary nutrition doesn't come from the food we put into our bodies. What we feed our spirit, what kind of attitude we exhibit, what our belief system is, how our daily life influences us, how we carry on our relationships, if our work is meaningful, etc., is far more important than whether we juice our carrots, eat them raw or cooked, or refuse to eat them at all. The food that we put in our mouths is only secondary to the surrounding energy that we allow to influence us.
For most people who are paying attention, we are living through a lot of global unrest. Besides economic ambiguities, which is enough to throw anyone off kilter, there are several brutal wars being waged, irreversible climate change is looming, the food, air and water supplies are contaminated, corporate greed is draining Trying to figure out how to advise anyone to everyone's resources, and the distress of health eat during the year-end holidays is difficult when issues rests forever on the horizon. an event of this enormity is hanging over my Given these catastrophes, it's not surprising head. I could advise you to go light on the sugar or give you some super-nutritious recipe to bring that many are looking forward to a big change on to a family gathering but what's the point? If the Dec 21. And because of the direness of the above situations, and because most people believe the world ends, or we're in a higher level of future will be better than the present, most consciousness my words will be meaningless. If people look to the possibility of this change in a everyday life goes on as usual, I trust that you Page 8
Kindred Sisters — December 2012
positive light, even if it's the end of the world. As the month of December progresses there will be more publicity and conversation about the significance of the Mayan calendar and planetary shifts. According to quantum mechanics, the large segment of the population that believes world consciousness will change CAN influence energy on a planetary level. I hear many people re-evaluating their life choices, making plans to participate in gatherings at traditional sacred spaces, and looking forward to circles and potlucks around bonfires close to home.
spirits are reaching out, urging us to let go of a terminal materialistic world. Believe that love can transform the world. Believe that peace is possible. Believe that you have power to affect change. Participate in community building. Taste the sweetness of life. Be the change you want to see. On the night of Decenmber 21, 2012, I suspect many of us will spend some time gazing upward towards a carpet of stars. There will be meditation circles, rituals, quiet conversations, backyard bonfires and many forms of contemplative activities. It will be happening all over the planet. I assume the night will come and go and hope that in the days that follow we hear a satisfying 'big burp' from the universe. We are powerful enlightened beings. In nurturing the planet, we nurture ourselves. The universe is friendlier than you think.
On this day we'll be focusing our attitudes, assumptions, belief systems, mental and Blessings and love to all my emotional energy on the planet, the solar kindred sisters…till next system and the galaxy. It is primary nutrition for time….maybe…Woody Blue the planet. Woody Blue is a holistic health If we look at ourselves as bottom feeders of counselor specializing in massage the energy food chain, we can be nibbling and nutrition. You can contact her throughout the month of December on positive at 352-375-0539 for more info. energy tidbits. We can choose to let go of past resentments, stop fretting, move on from our disappointments, deconstruct our biases, and generally clean up the negative debris that floats along with us every hour of every day. We can exchange our negative habits for positive ones. An optimistic outlook and appreciative attitude is delicious food for the planet. I suggest that we take time out to be thoughtful and open-minded and listen to the voices that present themselves. During this month believe that there are fairies, angels, spiritual entities or other mystical beings that inhabit a parallel universe. Believe that these Kindred Sisters — December 2012
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NOW Cheers History-Making Wins for Women and Marriage Equality in 2012 Elections by NOW President Terry O'Neill
The National Organization for Women offers heartfelt congratulations to all the feminist candidates who won last night and a sincere thanks to all the women's rights supporters who showed up at the polls and made their voices heard. Not only did we re-elect President Obama to a second term, but we increased the number of women in the U.S. Senate from 17 to a record 20 out of 100 senators. Voters propelled women candidates to a number of exciting firsts this year. Elizabeth Warren is the first woman elected to represent Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate and takes the seat formerly held by the late Ted Kennedy. Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin is now the first openly lesbian or gay person elected to the Senate. Both Baldwin and Rep. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii are also the first women elected from their states to serve in the Senate. Hirono will serve as the first Asian-American woman in the U.S. Senate. NOW's Political Action Committee proudly endorsed all three of these candidates, and NOW members traveled to Massachusetts and Wisconsin to work tirelessly for both Warren and Baldwin.
Bustos in Illinois. Both Duckworth and Bustos defeated Republican incumbents to win their House seats. Additionally, longtime NOW member and former mayor of West Palm Beach, Lois Frankel, won her House seat in Florida with lots of support from our members. In California, NOW activists worked tirelessly to re-elect our friend Lois Capps to the House as she faced a brutal onslaught of right-wing attacks. NOW/PAC also was proud to support feminist men, such as newly elected Senators Tim Kaine and Chris Murphy and re-elected Senators Jon Tester and Sherrod Brown. NOW activists in Virginia, Connecticut, Ohio and Montana were instrumental in those victories. Voters also made history this year by approving ballot measures in Maine, Maryland, and Washington that advanced marriage equality, while rejecting a Minnesota referendum that would have limited the freedom to marry to one man and one woman. This is the first time same-sex marriage has been upheld in statewide votes and the first time an anti-LGBT marriage amendment has been defeated in a statewide vote.
Women voters made the difference in all of these victories, from the top of the ticket on down -- and NOW leaders are already gearing up to hold Congress accountable for the policies women support: the Paycheck Fairness Act, strengthening of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and essential social services, fair taxation of the wealthiest, comprehensive immigration reform and civil rights In a hotly contested House race in Illinois, Iraq War for all, including same-sex couples. We are veteran Tammy Duckworth prevailed with help from determined to keep moving the country in the right NOW's grassroots activists. As a double-amputee, direction. Next up on our To Do list is ending the war Duckworth will gain much-needed visibility for on women, and once we do that, the sky's the limit! people with disabilities in leadership positions. excerpt from www.NOW.org NOW volunteers also ensured a victory for Cheri New Hampshire will go down in the record books as the first-ever state to have a woman governor and an all-female congressional delegation at the same time - thanks to NOW/PAC-endorsed candidates Carole Shea-Porter and Anne McLane Kuster both winning seats in the U.S. House.
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Hilton to Recycle Used Hotel Mattresses Hilton Worldwide recently announced a mattress recycling program that will recycle spent mattress materials into household products. In partnership with DH Hospitality, materials like steel springs will become tools, cars and construction materials, wood will become particle board shelving and tempered flooring, cotton fibers will become oil filters and stuffing while quilt scrap will become carpet padding. The global hoteliers have purchased a staggering 50,000 new mattresses over the last two years to replace old sets and furnish new hotels. Through the program, Hilton will now recycle 85 percent of the mattresses used in their hotels. Stained and otherwise heavily damaged mattresses not fit for recycling will be thrown away. The lifecycle of a hotel mattress differs greatly from your normal home sleeper. Factors like fluctuating weights of guests and overnight movement can stress the mattress, according to Hilton spokesperson Dasha Ross, which is why Hilton switches out hotel mattresses every five to seven years, rather than the at-home recommended ten. In addition to recycling mattresses, Hilton plans to donate used items to Good360, a program that seeks out local nonprofits in need of goods. It’s all a part of Hilton’s ongoing efforts to reduce their environmental impact. In 2008, the hotel chain announced a plan to reduce its waste by 20 percent in five years. It reached the goal in 2011, two years ahead of time. excerpt from www.earth911.com
Amanda Kyle Williams: Creating Kick-Ass Women Mystery writer Amanda Kyle Williams first made her mark on the publishing world in the early 90s with the Madison McGuire novels from Naiad Press. Madison was Williams' answer to The Avengers' Emma Peel - a redheaded, kickass, deep cover operative, who happened to be a lesbian. Twenty years later, Williams is now with Random House and her new kick-ass heroine is Keye Street, a former FBI analyst tracking serial killers across the south, who happens to be straight. Williams took some time to talk with Lambda about her inspirations, her writing process, and creating well-rounded characters. Read the full article at http://www.lambdaliterary.org/features/10/14/amanda-kylewilliams-creating-kick-ass-women/
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In the News Gay Marriage Takes Next Steps Gay activists are preparing to quickly use the momentum from this year’s election to try to legalize marriage in at least seven new states and force Congress and the president to make major changes in discrimination laws. Full Story: www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/84064.html#ixzz2DRsPpOlD UN Declares Birth Control a Human Right, and America Falls Short The U.N. has taken a bold and progressive step by declaring access to contraception a human right, proposing that everyone in the world should be able to determine when and if to have children and saying only when that’s the case can a society grow and flourish. Full Story: www.policymic.com/articles/19272/un-declares-birth-control-a-human-right-and-america-fallsshort Mission Diversify: CIA Begins LGBT Recruiting As part of the CIA's efforts to diversify its workforce, the spy agency is reaching out to a group that once was unable to get security clearance. Full Story: www.npr.org/2012/12/02/166238287/mission-diversify-cia-begins-lgbt-recruiting LGBT Films to Debut at Sundance When the 29th Annual Sundance Film Festival takes place Jan. 17-27 in Park City, Utah, a handful of films with interest to LGBT viewers will be in the competition. Full Story: www.advocate.com/artsentertainment/ film/2012/12/01/lgbt-filmsdebut-sundance Gay Marriage Upheld in Spain Spain's Constitutional Court sided with equality by upholding the country's longstanding gay marriage law. Full Story: www.gaylife.about.com/ b/2012/11/07/news-gaymarriage-upheld-inspain.htm?nl=1
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“Life Planning” How to Survive a Plague Tuesday, December 4 th
6:30 pm Adam D. Roark will present information focusing on the importance of estate planning (especially the idea that your partner has no rights/powers unless you give them), how you can plan to avoid probate and guardianships, and financial planning. Ryan Westerburg of Merrill Lynch will be speaking about the importance of planning for retirement, protecting yourself (and partner, children, family, etc.) in an uncertain economy, and sound investment strategies. For more info, contact Adam D. Roark, Attorney at Law, LL.M. in Taxation, at Roark Law Firm, P.A. at (352) 226-8005. Event to be held at the Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St, Gainesville. Attendance is free. Light snacks will be provided.
In support of World AIDS Day, The Hippodrome Cinema will show How to Survive a Plague as its Cinema Lounge Screening on Tuesday, December 4th at 7:15pm. The documentary follows the activism of ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group), as they catalyze the development of AIDS treatment by infiltrating pharmaceutical companies. The Co-President of Pride Community Center of North Central Florida, Terry Fleming, has agreed to participate in a post-film discussion about the issues presented by the documentary. Amazingly, he had participated in the protests and "kiss-ins" with ACT UP San Francisco and Queer Nation during the early 1990s, and his firsthand experiences will provide an invaluable perspective to the audience. Hippodrome Cinema, 25 SE 2nd Pl, Gainesville www.thehipp.org/cinema
In the Spotlight Harriet Hosmer Harriet Hosmer (1830-1908), an American sculptor, was among a handful of successful women artists in the nineteenth century. She established her reputation as a sculptor despite the commonly held notion that women were not artistically creative or physically capable of enduring the arduous process of carving marble. She frequently scandalized the polite society of her day by her mannish dress and adventurous behavior. Her most intense relationship was with Louisa Ashburton, a Scottish noblewoman. The two shared finances and wrote intimate letters in which Hosmer used the term "wedded wife" in reference to herself. excerpt from www.glbtq.com Kindred Sisters — December 2012
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WhatÊs Happening? Dec 1: World Aids Day World AIDS Day is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. It is common to hold memorials to honor persons who have died from HIV/AIDS on this day. Government and health officials also observe the event, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Dec 1, 9-4pm: Soap Making Workshop Part of the Florida Folk Life Series at Crones’ Cradle Conserve, 6411 NE 217th Pl, Citra. Cost: $35 for the day (lunch not included). Register by Nov 16. 352-595-3377, catcrone@aol.com. www.cronescradleconserve.com Dec 1, 12:30pm: Adoption Training Can you commit to providing a loving, caring home for a child in need? Partnership for Strong Families will host an information session on foster and adoptive care at the Pride Center. With 32 foster homes and over fifty children in foster care in Alachua County today, children are being placed an hour or more away from their homes. Join us as we discuss requirements and the dire need for quality foster homes. We will explore the truths and myths facing lesbian and gay foster parents from two of our same-sex foster and adoptive families. We hope to see you become a part of the movement! PCCNCF, 3131 NW 13th St, Gainesville. 352-377-8915 Dec 2, 5pm: Women’s Dinner & Movie Relax with the gals, enjoy a nice dinner, & catch a movie -- all for just $5! Can you think of a better way to spend a Sunday evening?! See full details on outside back cover. Dec 4, 6:30pm: “Life Planning” Adam D. Roark will present a talk focusing on the importance of estate planning (especially the idea that your partner has no rights/powers unless you give them), how you can plan to avoid probate and guardianships, and financial planning. Ryan Westerburg of Merrill Lynch will be speaking about the importance of planning for retirement, Page 14
protecting yourself (and partner, children, family, etc.) in an uncertain economy, and sound investment strategies. Free & open to the public. Held at the Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St, Gainesville. 352-226-8005 Dec 4, 7:15pm: How to Survive a Plague How to Survive a Plague is the story of two coalitions - ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group) - whose activism and innovation turned AIDS from a death sentence into a manageable condition. Despite having no scientific training, these self-made activists infiltrated the pharmaceutical industry and helped identify promising new drugs, moving them from experimental trials to patients in record time. With unfettered access to a treasure trove of neverbefore-seen archival footage from the 1980s and ‘90s, filmmaker David France puts the viewer smack in the middle of the controversial actions, the heated meetings, the heartbreaking failures, and the exultant breakthroughs of heroes in the making. Hippodrome State Theatre, 25 SE 2nd PL, Gainesville. www.thehipp.org Dec 4, 7:30pm: Feminist Open Mic Join us for a special Feminist Open Mic Edition to celebrate the tradition of poetry at Wild Iris Books! Show starts at 7:30pm. This will be the last time we gather here for Poetry – but don’t worry – Courtyard Poetry Sessions are being planned in the new space already. Any creative talent is welcome – poetry, music, prose, etc. Wild Iris, 802 W University Ave, Gainesville. Dec 5, 7-9pm: Celebrating the End of the World, Maya Style Is the sky really falling? Will the world really end? Join us as we go out in style celebrating the end of the world! Learn more about the Mayans and their predictions while exploring their culture and traditions at this free evening event at Dickinson Hall - 1659 Museum Rd. For more information, call 352-273-2061.
Kindred Sisters — December 2012
WhatÊs Happening? Dec 6: WGOT Live Radio Show Wild Iris welcomes WGOT for a live taping of “Good Company”. We’ll also be joined by Mary Rockwood Lane, co-founder of the Arts in Medicine program at Shands for our themed show, “Love is in the Air”. We’ll have drinks, discussion, and a live discussion with host Lynne Loewenthal. Check out our great Holiday and Moving Sale – the entire store is on sale! Shopping from 6-7pm and interview at 7pm. Stick around and get your books autographed by Mary Rockwood Lane starting at 8pm. Wild Iris, 802 W University Ave, Gainesville. Dec 7, 7-10pm: Buy Local Holiday Gift Fair Looking for the perfect local gifts? This is the place to be! Amazing local vendors will be here with their paintings, photography, handmade clothing (adult and children), crafts and more! There will be a wide variety of prices so you can find something for anyone. Let's make this gift buying season a local only affair! Civic Media Center, 433 S Main St, Gainesville. Dec 8-9, 11-5pm: Holy-Daze Flash Silvermoon’s Annual Holy-Daze Open House & Special Sale! Free stone healing demos each day at 3pm. Support your local priestess! Moonhaven magical stones, essential oil gift packs, chakra healing tools, stone jewelry, & more. Signed copies of the Wise Woman’s Tarot - only $35. Spend $100 or more & get The Wise Woman's Tarot Book FREE! Mini-Readings for $20 - reserve in advance. Moonhaven is on NE 221st St in Melrose. Call for directions: 352-475-2432. Dec 8, 10-2pm: Merry Melrose Parade & Craft Festival Festive parade of colorful community participants this year's theme is "A Green Christmas" - followed by an arts & crafts festival. Free family event in Downtown Melrose. Dec 8, 12-4pm: Holiday Cruz-in & Food Drive Car show featuring Gainesville Street Rods! With food, Santa Claus, Bounce house, music, and Food Kindred Sisters — December 2012
Drive to benefit the Bread of the Mighty Food Bank. Please bring non-perishable food items to donate. At Gainesville Open MRI - Millenium Center, 4340 Newberry Rd, Gainesville. Dec 8, 1-9pm: Gathering of the Artists Local artists present work for sale just in time for the holidays for 1 day only at The Doris Bardon Community Cultural Center, 716 N Main St, Gainesville. Dec 8, 2-5pm: Blue Oven Kitchens' Winter Gift Fair Think outside the big-box gift box - shop local at our third annual Winter Gift Fair! We'll be outside under the trees! The Jones B-Side, 203 SW 2nd Ave, Gainesville. Dec 8, 8pm: Amy Andrews Concert Singer-songwriter, tree-hugging troubadour, and funky feminist, Amy Andrews, has been touring North American feminist bookstores. She visits Gainesville & Wild Iris! Doors open at 7pm. $5-$10 sliding scale donation at the door. In the spirit of her feminist tour, Andrews will generously be donating all proceeds from ticket sales and donations to Wild Iris, 802 W University Ave, Gainesville. Dec 8, 8-10pm: Pride & Punch Pride Community Center of North Central Florida Announces the 10th Annual Holiday Party! Don’t miss PRIDE & PUNCH at the Community Center at 3131 NW 13th St. There will be snacks, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. More importantly, there will be good company and great conversation! We are collecting Toys For Tots. Please bring a new unwrapped toy to donate to this great cause. www.gainesvillepride.org Dec 8, 8pm: Winter Solstice Concert Join Gainesville's Veterans for Peace for the 26th Winter Solstice Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Gainesville (4225 NW 34th St). Music from the area's best peace musicians, including: Cherokee Peace Chant, Drums of Peace, A Choir of Page 15
WhatÊs Happening? Heavenly Semi-Angels, John Chambers, Lauren Robinson, Kevin O’Sullivan, Quartermoon, Talking Stick and The Relics. Tickets: $10-$30 (sliding scale) - available at Hyde and Zeke's (402 NW 10th Ave). People who purchase tickets in advance must arrive by 7:30pm. Unclaimed seats will be opened up for those in line after 7:30pm. Dec 9 & 11: Vagina Monologue Auditions Auditions for The Vagina Monologues will be held at the offices of Rush & Glassman at 11 SE 2nd Ave in Gainesville on Dec 9th from 5pm-8pm and again on Dec 11th from 6pm-9pm. The production will benefit Peaceful Paths and also bring awareness to ending violence against women and girls globally. www.peacefulpaths.org Dec 10-11, 6-9pm: "Gender Equality Now!" Art Exhibit 4Tomorrow is a non-profit organization in Paris that encourages people to make posters to stimulate debate on issues that affect everyone. This year's exhibition theme is "Gender Equality Now!" and is comprised of 100 prints from artists around the world. The exhibition will be held at Wild Iris Books, Florida's ONLY feminist bookstore, at 802 W University Ave, Gainesville. Free & open to the public. Dec 11, 6pm: Holiday Tasting Marjorie Speer is hosting a wonderful night of wines & spirits! Come taste some delights that would be great for your upcoming holiday parties, dinners, and gifts! $25 per person for wine, spirits, and light tapas at Half Cork’d, 116 SE 1st St, Gainesville. Reserve your spot: 352.519.5221, kelley@halfcorkd.com Dec 13, 6-9pm: Museum Nights: Kwanzaa To mark the Kwanzaa holiday season, the Harn Museum of Art will present a program that introduces the evening with an invocation by elders of the Gainesville community. Enjoy musical performances and tours of African American and African works in the Harn’s collection. Harn, 315 Hull Rd, Gainesville. www.harn.ufl.edu Page 16
Dec 14, 10pm: Queerotic Dance Party Come dance until the world ends! Featuring all your fave apocalyptic jams at 1982 Bar, 919 W University Ave, Gainesville. Cover: $3. Dec 15, 8pm: GRR Pub Crawl - Night of 1000 Santas Nothing makes the holiday warmer then a good pub crawl. Time to pull out your best white beards and red suits! Come in your best Santa outfits (encouraged) or if that can’t be done get that tacky sweater you have in the back of your mom’s closet. Crawl starts at The Midnight, 223 S Main St, Gainesville. There will be a Dance Party at Mars Pub with awards presented!! Tickets: $15 adv; $20 day of event. Prepay through a Roller Rebel or send payment with names via PayPal to sponsorships@gainesvillerollerrebels.com. Dec 16, 2-4pm: Book Signing by Maggie Taylor Purchase Maggie Taylor's newly released 168-page book "No Ordinary Days." Included is an essay by noted photography critic A. D. Coleman and 120 color reproductions of Taylor's imagery. Harn Museum of Art, 315 Hull Rd, Gainesville. www.harn.ufl.edu Dec 17, 6pm: CMC Holiday Reception The Civic Media Center is hosting a Holiday Reception at 6pm, followed by a screening the “Life of Brian” at 7pm. The Holiday Reception will feature coffee, spiced cider, baked goods and other refreshments. This satirical film from the Monty Python crew follows the life of Brian Cohen. Brian is born just a few stables down from Jesus. “The Life of Brian” lampoons religious and political fanaticism and hypocrisy with a hilarious mix of pratfalls, historical anachronisms, surreal plot twists and other comic elements. The total package provides an off-kilter spoof of both contemporary and ancient culture and political life. $3-5 donation requested. Civic Media Center, 433 S Main St, Gainesville. 352-373-0010
Kindred Sisters — December 2012
WhatÊs Happening? Dec 18, 7-8pm: Womanspirit Rising Monthly radio show hosted by Flash Silvermoon & other Priestesses to offer live on-air rituals for healing the planet. This month’s ceremony is for transformation. Find the link at www.flashsilvermoon.com Dec 21: Midwinter, Yule, Winter Solstice Dec 22, 3pm: Women’s Winter Solstice Grand Celebration From Dec 21 till Dec 23 we will go through a powerful shift of consciousness and it is wise to set aside as much sacred time as possible during those 3 days. Kindly bring a wrapped gift to share (it needn't be new). We really need a few women to come help make the fire and other things for the Ceremony coming ideally around 2:30 or earlier. Food, Thoughts, Music, Poetry, etc at Moonhaven in Melrose. Potluck at 5pm; all foods welcome. RSVP 352-475-2432 Dec 23, 12-9pm: Loco Bizarre Local holiday festival at Dragonfly Graphics. There will be plenty of crafty gifts to pick up, plus live music and live screen printing. Vendors will bring food and we'll be printing to order our Gainesville Nostalgia T-shirts! NEW Designs will be available. FAMILY FRIENDLY event, but FREE wine will be served from 5 to 6. Dragonfly Graphics, 319 SW 3rd Ave, Gainesville. Dec 31, 10pm: "Downtown Countdown" The City of Gainesville will host Downtown Countdown, a New Year’s Eve celebration concert at the Bo Diddley Community Plaza. The free concert will begin at 10pm and run until 12:30am. At the stroke of midnight the sounds of noisemakers passed out to the audience earlier in the evening will chorus in the New Year. For more info contact David Ballard at 352-393-8746 or ballarddg@cityofgainesville.org.
Kindred Sisters — December 2012
Ongoing Events AA Meetings in Gainesville LGBT Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings on Sundays at 7:30pm at Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St. AA Meetings in St. Augustine LGBT AA Meetings held at 7pm on Saturdays at Flagler Hospital in the Alicia room. Buy Local at the Weekly Farm Market! Everything Fresh. Everything Local. Every Sunday, 2-5pm. Fresh baked bread, Farm fresh eggs & produce, Unique ethnic cuisines, Homemade soaps, candles, & more! Citizens Co-op Courtyard, 435 S Main St, Gainesville. www.citizensco-op.com Confidential HIV & STD Testing - FREE 1st & 3rd Thursdays of each month at 5-7pm at the Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St, Gainesville. Farm Stead Saturday Saturdays, 9am-3pm, at Crones’ Cradle Conserve, 6411 NE 217th Pl in Citra, FL. Farm Tours & Organic Produce! 352-595-3377 Feminist Open Mic Meets the last Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm. A safe space where individuals can celebrate, challenge and express their artistic personas! All poets, musicians, etc. invited to attend. Wild Iris, 802 W University Ave, Gainesville. Gainesville Area NOW Meetings Gainesville Area National Organization for Women meets on the 4th Thursday of each month at 6:30pm at the Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St. Public Welcome. www.gainesvillenow.org Gainesville Area Women’s Network GAWN is the friendliest networking in town. Supportive women gather for lunch, to network & learn from each other & guest speakers. Meetings are the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Sweetwater Branch Inn. 352-215-1621, www.gawn.org Page 17
WhatÊs Happening? Gaynesville Queer Reading Group Meets 2nd Wednesday every month at 7pm to discuss a book that relates to queerness, including history, theory, fiction, etc. Civic Media Center, 433 S Main St. 352-373-0010
“Sister Song” - Gainesville Women's Choir All are welcome; no experience needed. Rehearsals every Wednesday at 7pm at Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St Ste 62. For more info contact Ruth at 352-538-4927.
Interweave A group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, & transgender individuals & their allies. Meets at 6:30pm on the 2nd Sunday of each month at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville, 4225 NW 34th St. Potluck, presentation, & discussion.
Stonewall Democrats of Alachua County LGBT Democrats & supporters meet monthly on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 6pm at the Alachua County Democratic Hdqtrs, 901 NW 8th Ave #A-3.
"Just Us" Created for professional women 35+ to meet & mingle. Meets the last Saturday of the month at different restaurants, mostly in Volusia County. Join us for fun & food. "No mess, no men, no fuss, it's "Just Us". Contact Dee, dee1023@yahoo.com
Transgender Gainesville Discussion Group Meets on 1st Wednesday each month at 7pm at Wild Iris Books, 802 W University Ave, & focuses on education for the public. Meetings on 2nd & 4th Wednesdays at 7pm are closed support meetings held at the Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St.
Lesbian Readings & Potluck We have a good time together! Come and eat good food, bring something you have written and want to share, and/or come and listen to others read. Some womyn come just to the potluck, some just to the readings, and some to both. It's a lovely, connected evening with a small group of womyn as we share our stories and food. Time: 6:30 Potluck; 7:30 - Readings. Place: TBA. Contact: Madeline 352-335-3138.
Transgender Movie Night Meets 2nd Friday of each month at 7pm at the Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St. www.gainesvillepride.org
PFLAG Gainesville PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays) meets monthly (3rd Tuesday) at 7pm to realize our goal of moving equality forward. United Church of Gainesville, 1624 NW 5th Ave. 352-340-3770, www.pflaggainesville.org
Youth Discussion Group PCCNCF hosts a weekly “Youth Discussion Group” for GLBT youth between the ages of 14 & 18 years old on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30pm at the Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St, Gainesville. FMI call 352-377-8915
PFLAG Ocala Group meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6-8pm at the Ocala Public Library (Room B). FMI 352-857-1739.
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What the Animals Tell Me Every Wednesday at 8:30pm Flash Silvermoon hosts a live internet radio show for animal lovers. Listen to the live stream or check the archives later: www.internetvoicesradio.com
Don’t forget to inform us of your up-coming events!! Just email KindredSisters@gmail.com.
Kindred Sisters — December 2012
What’s Shakin’ at the Shake Rag? Dec 2, 3-8pm: Peter Rowan Benefit Concert Line-up includes The Gatorbone Band, Todd Sheaffer of Railroad Earth, a host of St Aug musicians, and of course Peter Rowan. We've got food, beer, a silent auction a guitar display and much more. Dec 7: “Small Works” As part of the Melrose artwalk Shake Rag Artists will have a “Small Works” member show featuring artists like Ann Hamilton and others. Dec 15: A Shake Rag Family Christmas Youth Group Interlachen Church of the Nazarene Puppet Show at 1pm. Then at 2-5pm children or dog pictures with Santa on a Photo Greeting Card with mailing envelope. Christmas ornament making and a possible surprise event as well.
882 State Rd 21 N Melrose, FL 32666 www.shakeragarts.org
Feb 9: The Gatorbone Band
We’Moon 2013 The Other Side We’Moon Datebooks feature art and writing by women, a multicultural exploration of women’s experiences from an earth-spirited, earth-activist perspective. We’Moon is a grounding tool, a daily handbook in Gaia rhythms, with full daily lunar and astrological information, a comprehensive introduction to astrology, Sun / Moon / Earth cycles, and seasonal Holy Days. We’Moon 2013: The Other Side, the 32nd edition, features guidance for each sun sign by Gretchen Lawlor, astrological overview articles by Sandra Pastorius, Heather Roan Robbins, Susan Levitt and Mooncat, and Holy Day writings by Marian Spadone. Art, prose and poetry by over 150 gifted contributors from around the world are organized into 13 themed moon-chapters, variously exploring multi-faceted dimensions of “The Other Side”: transformations, endings, mysteries. Mother Tongue Ink has published the unique feminist datebook We’Moon: Gaia Rhythms for Womyn since 1981. We’Moon distributes an annual Call for Contributions to women worldwide, and integrates the chosen submissions into a gorgeous and useful guide to lunar rhythms, astrological cycles, deep ecology, and goddessinspired, multicultural, earth-based spirituality.
Available at Wild Iris Books or order here: www.wildirisbooks.com Kindred Sisters — December 2012
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Female President In 2016? A historic number of women will take their seats in the U.S. Senate this January -- a full fifth of the upper chamber -- yet the country has still not seen fit to elect a female president or vice president. The two main parties have, time and time again, neglected to nominate women for either role. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton came close to nabbing the Democratic nomination in 2008 before falling to President Barack Obama, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) rose to national prominence on the ultimately unsuccessful presidential ticket of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). In 1984, Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale chose Rep. Geraldine Ferraro (D-N.Y.) as his running mate, but the pair lost in a landslide to incumbent President Ronald Reagan. For many, the election of a female president is long past due. Women make up half of the populace. They vote at a higher rate than their male counterparts. Twenty-two countries looked to female leaders to occupy their highest executive offices in 2011, and many more have chosen women to serve in the past. Although the 2012 election frenzy has finally died down, the media is already looking ahead to 2016 to see which of both parties' rising stars could make up the field. We at The Huffington Post figured we might as well join the fray and explore which women could be poised to launch a presidential bid. Sorry, and you're welcome. excerpt from www.huffingtonpost.com
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1. Hillary Rodham Clinton 2. Susana Martinez 3. Elizabeth Warren 4. Kelly Ayotte 5. Kirsten Gillibrand 6. Cathy McMorris Rodgers 7. Kamala Harris 8. Condoleezza Rice 9. Amy Klobuchar 10. Nikki Haley 11. Maggie Hassan 12. Mary Fallin 13. Jennifer Granholm 14. Sarah Palin 15. Michelle Obama 16. Lisa Murkowski 17. Christine Gregoire 18. Michele Bachmann 19. Kristi Noem 20. Pam Bondi Kindred Sisters — December 2012
LGBT Foster/ Adoption Training Can you commit to providing a loving caring home for a child in need? Partnership for Strong Families will host an information session on foster and adoptive care Saturday, December 1st at 12:30pm, located at the PRIDE center. With 32 foster homes and over fifty children in foster care in Alachua County today, children are being placed an hour or more away from their homes. Join us as we discuss requirements and the dire need for quality foster homes. We will explore the truths and myths facing lesbian and gay foster parents from two of our same-sex foster and adoptive families. We hope to see you become a part of the movement!
Kindred Sisters — December 2012
Book Review SHEWOLF’S DIRECTORY OF WIMMIN’S LANDS AND LESBIAN COMMUNITES Sixth edition, 2013-2016 VERY new and wonderful with articulate articles by Alix Dobkin, Jae Haggard, Batya Weinbaum, Jennifer Wester, and Rebecca Hinton, who offer 30 years perspective on the Land Dyke movement. I am familiar with many of the past editions, having contributed illustrations when pertinent. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL EDITION with so much information. 23 years ago Shewolf began visiting in person and collecting information the hard way. This is a not-for-profit resource that you can order for $16 from JRB, PO Box 1515, Melrose FL 32666. RAVE review by Rainbow Williams
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Flash and the Blues Sisters vs Pastor Terry Jones at Pride It was pretty interesting and intense at the Pride Celebration on Sept 29th in Gaynesville, Florida. We even have an out gay mayor! As an astrologer I knew that the Full Moon in Aries looming overhead and on top of it harsh aspects with Uranus and Pluto, that the likelihood of something volatile jumping off was very good. I even questioned myself and other psychics about my performing that day considering that these planets and moon are really challenging for my particular chart as well. Turns out I already had my personal run in with an accident a week before. I always have to be ahead, no pun intended, of the curve, by accidentally slamming my head into my partner’s car as I raced to get out of the pouring rain leaving me with a very pained and battered head and neck. I could feel the intensity of the energies and hence the pain in my head so strongly that I barely slept the night before the event. I was actually relieved when my dear friend and acupuncturist wanted to come with Pandora and me to Pride. I figured good, if anything happens to me with this head injury thing or anything else at least I am coming with someone who can help me. So I had good back up for this foray into the public and its potential for danger on this day. Pandora and I set up and waited for Omi to arrive and she did at just the right moment looking gorgeous in her blue and silver African dress. It seemed as though my band mate and co-Priestess had the same idea as I had about dressing in peaceful blue shades. We launched into my song Standing on the Edge of Time which seemed to quickly please the crowd assembling with its jazzy feel. I am playing keyboards and my percussion module and of course singing, Pandora is sending out soaring riffs on her flute and Omi and I played off of each other with her scatting while I threw in some electronic scat on my keys. All was lovely and the Sun hung perfectly in the sky. This was a gorgeous but hot day in Gaynesville. All around you could see brilliant colors and rainbows, flags and booths happy Lesbians, Gays. Bi’s, Transgendered folk and straight, but clearly not narrow supporters and loads
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of animal companions and kids! This was everybody’s day to be FREE TO BE! We launched into another tune that Omi and I had written called The Flow, which had a kind of jazz funk feel when the peace and perfection of the moment was broken by a band of Christian Haters led by the Bad Reverend Terry Jones, yup the Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center. Frankly I am surprised that the Dove doesn’t fly off of his banner in shame! Well of course the dude was there, he lives here in Gville and is a publicity whore if nothing else and he was not going to miss a chance to be hateful to a happy bunch of queers who were not hurting a soul nor going to be silenced by the likes of him. This so called Christian clearly is clueless about what a true Christian is and knows even less about the ideology and heart of Jesus himself. I actually have been wanting to confront this “man of the cloth” clergy to clergy for a long time because he is really endangering our town and the country by his inflammatory hanging of a Muslim in effigy when the recent killings took place in Libya at our Embassy. Pandora reminded me that this was a time he should have been praying to protect the very people who are in harm’s way protecting his freedom of speech instead of risking their lives and safety! He is nothing less than a traitor in my book. Isn’t there a law against that kind of thing? This pathetic excuse for a human being is getting his 15 minutes on the backs of the real heroes who are really serving this country! Every 9/11 the Good Pastor Terry Jones burns or tries to burn the Koran on church property. Obama, the Secretary of State, and others tried to call him out to stop him from burning the sacred book of another faith which in this political climate is nothing less than incendiary and even that was useless until the police stopped him due to a fire violation. I was not the least bit afraid of this little mouse that is trying to roar or in the always wonderfully provocative words of Mae West, “Just a mouse studying to be a rat!” How perfectly Spirit manifests things like having
Kindred Sisters — December 2012
two longtime Priestesses and activists on stage with mics while this is happening! Omi is a Priestess of Yemanja, a Yoruban [Nigerian Spiritual Path], and I am a longtime Priestess of the Rainbow Goddess Path. Pandora is no slouch as a spiritual warrior either. Omi also worked and walked with Martin Luther King and performed in Hair on Broadway. It became our task to use our music to calm all the people as there could have been some real trouble. I’m not at all sure how many of us were there at the time, maybe a few thousand in the area. His group had maybe 20 people shouting with their gay hating, gay baiting signs marching through the grounds in front of us. It was tempting to rage at him but we were not going to give him that satisfaction which would ultimately rob us of our peace and joyfulness as well as potentially leading to some violence. Anything could have unleashed at that point, hotheads in any group, the police, all were precariously stretched over the live wire of hate and some really heavy astrological aspects. We must have played that song for at least 13 minutes. It was Elevation time! We were prepared for Terry Jones and his band of Christian haters, the astrology of the day being what it was. When they started harassing our people, a whole group surrounded them so we started freestyling our jam to run a peaceful vibe over everyone and throwing in a little Goddess chant for good measure. I felt the depth and importance of the way we had to handle energy right then and there and we didn’t stop that music till the crowd got more peaceful! Omi and I began adding new lyrics. I sang out “No Fear – Our Goddess Loves us and does not need for us to be in Fear” which was a response to one of their signs. Omi, among other things sang out, “We are all going to Heaven, We are all going to Heaven” just preaching good gospel from the stage over this mess and we just kept weaving our words together over the funky groove I was playing. Our people as usual showed enormous restraint because these No Fundies always come but not with this King of Hate Mongers. There were plenty of cops around but who knew who they would arrest and potentially hurt. The local press tried to minimize the struggle possibly thinking they were protecting us. Finally the haters left and we continued with a
Kindred Sisters — December 2012
kickass blues Mother Earth Blues/Stormy Monday with Omi and I trading lead vocals and Pandora wailing on the harp. Nothing like the blues to let it all go. The tension was lifting at least for then. I left after a couple of hours or so and hopefully there was no more trouble. Our last song was one of mine called Blessings. We kind of used this last song to cleanse the area and people of this toxic nonsense. You can hear or purchase the whole CD if you like here: http://flashsilvermoon.com/music. After our performance, according to my friend and roadie Connie Amedei , openly Gay Mayor Craig Lowe gave a short speech. “We are a community that values every person and the contributions that they have to make to our city,” Lowe said. “And that is what we want to project to the rest of the world.” And so we did although I must say that “one person’s contribution could have been very well excluded. I believe in creating peace wherever possible but I am not some psuedo-liberal that feels like everyone deserves a voice when their voice preaches harm and death to another, nope and we did “Play the anti-gay away.” Several local choirs performed after we did and then my friend Q performed with her new band and really rocked. We had waited to hear her play and were kind of fried from the heat and left shortly after her set. When I first discussed the possibility of doing this gig under the volatile planetary aspects of September 29 with my friend Carolyn who is also an astrologer, she suggested that performing might just be a perfect outlet for all the intensity hitting my chart. Because these energies conjoined the North Node which denotes one’s higher purpose and in my chart is located in the tenth House of the Public. It was actually serendipitous for me to have an opportunity to elevate a potentially negative situation. Also interesting from an astrological perspective, that this Full Moon in Aries with even more volatile Uranus and Pluto aspects affected both Pandora’s Sun and Omi’s Moon so this trio at this time and place was meant to be and yet was another opportunity to Raise the Vibe for the Tribe. Music is the Voice of Spirit. Blessings Flash Silvermoon (much thanks to Marcia Burr who provided the photos)
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AstroFlash As December begins, we will have a tense opposition from the Moon to Mars and Pluto which should bring some extreme contentiousness for us all in our personal relationships as well as the global front. A very important thing to remember about harsh lunar aspects is that they do not last very long, only 2 1/2 hours. You need to look at the issue, whatever it is and see if you haven't blown things all out of proportion as this is often what a tense Moon aspect creates and why ruin life over a 2 1/2 hr mood with a snap decision made when you are feeling overwhelmed by a cranky moon. Enough said about that. On Dec 2 we will experience an interesting aspect called a Yod or Finger of God/Goddess with Jupiter as the focal planet connecting with Venus and the Sun in an in conjunct aspect. In plain English this should be a time of potentially greater balance between action and reflection and at some points an almost inability to find a collective and concerted effort to move forward as a team. Aren't we glad that Mercury finally got the hell out of Retrograde at the end of last month! The tail end of November brought Mercury out of Retrograde and an interesting amount of conjunctions between Venus and Saturn in Scorpio and Mars and Pluto in Capricorn and this has really been an awakening on the subject of sex and power in our relationships which will continue through the early parts of December. On the more personal level we must look at our relationships regarding these issues as Venus dances with Saturn and begs the question, "How much will I do for security?" With Mars shimmying around with Pluto in Capricorn, we need to know how to deal with our need for power and turn it into empowerment. Shared power and not power over will bring in a much higher vibration as we elevate past the old patriarchal power over paradigm. This is a time for cooperation not competition and it will truly serve us to embrace this ideal. A good way to use the intense power of Mars/ Pluto is to use it to dissolve or breakthrough the places in your self that remain stuck and congested that are no longer helping you. Because we are dealing with Pluto in Capricorn and that old Uranus/Pluto square, these issues of who holds the power will keep people resisting in the streets of the world as well as becoming whistle blowers in the corporations and the military. Releasing secrets is incredibly powerful and the release will offer profound results. With Uranus and Pluto duking it out as they are, Revolution and Revelation favor exposure over secrecy. The personal is the political and the Uranian energies in Aries tell us that daily. This crazy world is in part a mirror of our insides so as we do our personal work to elevate ourselves, that picture "out there" can and will transform. The New Moon in Sagittarius on December 13th should be a gateway to this Ascension Process or Planetary Shift which suggests a time when we become more aligned with our own divinity and a more communal relationship with the planet. Our boundaries have the potential to expand positively beyond the parameters that we heretofore called our reality. New Moons always offer new energy and after a few hours this one conjoins the asteroid Juno and the Galactic Center located in the heart of the Milky Way at 28 degrees of Sag. This conjunction will direct loads of focused electromagnetic energy our way which will aid in the consciousness shift that has been happening. The asteroid Juno reminds us of Her mythology as it pertains to marriage as well as Her insistence on Justice and fairness. Her importance this month puts us on notice to shore up our relationships and find our way to Page 24
make improvements that work for all concerned. Women, as predicted, will have a much greater impact in the world and finally are seen as a power base unto ourselves to be not only courted but empowered. More women in the public eye are mentoring others and showing the way to lift our gender up. We say goodbye to second class status forever. Our black sisters and brothers have been modeling this behavior for years and it seems to be catching on beyond their communities. Shortly after the New Moon, our old friend Uranus comes back out of the closet, ie out of retrograde, and begins stirring the proverbial pot more openly. Its not like all was peaceful and mellow till this point but this planetary agent for change will certainly bring a more intensified movement toward global transformation. I see this Uranian energy as one of Awakening so don't be surprised if you find yourself discovering many new things about yourself and your world. From Dec. 14 till New Year's Eve, Saturn in Scorpio will be in an interesting sextile with Pluto in Capricorn. This could actually be a time when our economical log jam might actually meet a pocket of compromise and good will. Between Dec. 20-22 Jupiter, the planet of expansion, creates a Yod with Saturn at 9 Scorpio and Pluto at 9 Capricorn and this energy is going to push the issue of exactly what are you willing to do to better the world and yourself. This is a time to clear up our own messes so that we can move forward towards a greater vision for ourselves. According to some well known and well thought of Mayan Elders, we are definitely not looking at an end of the world scenario but say it is possible that the world will darken during that time perhaps more like a sunset than a pitch blank sky. This is considered the birth of the New Sun. I found the words on this video from the Mayan Elder Ac Tah to feel right regarding the energy of Dec. 21, 2012. See for yourself and use it if it feels right to you. http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=U8y0MR8KiY8&feature=share During these days I suggest that we all take the time to go deeply into our spiritual journey and focus on peace and harmony and especially open your hearts as a great evolution is happening and we can choose to have a moment of 8 minutes long or we can submerge ourselves into those 8 minutes and find ways to elevate with the knowledge gleaned from this fertile energy. What we manifest for ourselves now is more of a You Done it rather than a Who Done it to quote Allen Watts on KARMA. Be sure to record the many thoughts and ideas that offer themselves to you. December 28 we will enjoy a Full Moon in Cancer with its nurturing energy and which will be quite the power house. Whenever there is a Full Moon, the Sun and Moon are opposite each other so the energies of both the Moon in Cancer and the Sun in Capricorn are in play. This is where the intense power of this configuration will manifest. The Sun is conjoined by Pluto and the asteroid Juno so both of these luminaries will oppose the Moon as well. I can see where we will be feeling lots of shifts in our relationships as well as relationships with other countries. Several months ago we experienced the conjunction of the Sun and Venus and we were gifted by the introduction of the Solar Feminine which totally revolutionized/evolutionized the role of women and likely laid the groundwork for the rise in female power globally. This Full Moon is likely to underscore this rising tide of the Divine and Solar Feminine. We have made an impact in the world in ways that will not stand to be ignored or undervalued ever again. This doesn't mean that women have it made but Kindred Sisters — December 2012
there have been some major precedents set. Finally on December 30 the Sun and Pluto will be in exact conjunction and we will be asked to finally rid ourselves of all that shadowy gunk from the past and to really let go of outmoded relationships, memories and anything that disempowers you. Time to really TURN THE PAGE! ARIES - I can see where I will really need to rein in my emotions and particularly my anger this month what with Uranus always in my sign and now Mars and Pluto are buddying up to defy me and they do not play! I will need to find a way to use power and potentially contentious energy for more creative pursuits. Maybe I will take up drumming or take my machete to the weeds in my yard. I can choose to use the energy and finally not let it use me. I call that being proactive and that makes me feel so mature. TAURUS - With my ruling planet Venus, in my opposite sign Scorpio, it feels like what I want is harder to get, not impossible, just harder and the kick is I can see it right over there big as life and yet to touch and feel and hold seems close to impossible. Hey I am a lover not a fighter and this level of frustration bums me out. I have to look at what I do have and what comes easily to me now and adopt an attitude of gratitude for all that I do have. I must admit that I could be more gracious and that would offer me a modicum of peacefulness that is priceless. GEMINI - I am not going to gloat about having beneficent Jupiter in my pocket but I still do. Patience not being my greatest virtue, I am not thrilled with Jupiter being in retrograde because sometimes I feel like my brain is on fire while my tires are only spinning. I know I know this is a process and a cycle that will reap its own rewards in time but sometimes even yesterday seems too long to wait. CANCER - I never thought that I would be praising the groundedness of Saturn and the flow of Neptune all in the same breadth. Let's not forget though that I have been fielding Uranian lightning bolts in my butt everytime I think that I might get a little comfortable. I know that trickster just hates to see anyone too peaceful for long. We Cancerians on the other hand thrive on lolling around in our peaceful pool with nothing weightier then a droning dragonfly to break our reverie. Good luck with that sister crabs as that just ain't the flavor of the month or many months so we had best get used to more of an Oceanic Roll. LEO - Remember me? Somehow I have managed to keep my groove on despite some serious rebellious vibes bouncing around my world. The current astro climate has me feeling a bit restrained and sometimes it’s just fine not to have anything in your sign just to force the issue one way or another. Tell ya what. There is no such thing as a Leo that doesn't enjoy laying down by a blazing fire so if this is the time of rekindling or maintaining the sacred fire, count me in. VIRGO - Yes, grounding has its saving graces but not even a Virgo wants to be that rooted all the time, remember, I am mutable! Not only am I mutable but the deadly Piscean duo Neptune and Chiron are intent on loosening me up. The two of them sit there across from me on the wheel like Hekyl and Jekyl just waiting for me to trip myself up in a series of rules and regs so they can laugh their proverbial asses off. It isn't funny either. I silently know some of my trips are kind of funny but let that be our little secret. Kindred Sisters — December 2012
LIBRA - Wow this is a hell of time to try to balance everything but yet I do try. I will never understand how some people figure that this system we live in is fair. You know me, it’s got to be fair... Anyway my life could be peaceful if I could decide on who and how to love. Scheduling ain't easy and balancing the independence/intimacy paradigm always is a challenge but ya gotta have some love in your life, right? I need partnership of some kind and hopefully built on reciprocity. I love that word. Must use it more! SCORPIO - It's a line up I tell you, no matter how loose, and I feel every bit of it come Saturn and Venus and Mercury out of retrograde, come dancing in Scorpio and you can even touch the pyramids if you must but don't tell me this tango comes every 2000 years or so. I wasn't born yesterday or in some ancient sarcophagus. Actually I am feeling kind of hot in a kind of repressed way. Thank you Saturn! I want to frolic with Venus/Aphrodite or any other of her sexy guises, and I will. SAGITTARIUS - The Centaur in me is feeling kind of wild. I can smell the musk in the air and the aroma of many fires of pine and cedar. Somehow the feelings in me are wide open and quite animal in nature. Feeling connected from my core and so uninhibited. I like this a lot. Shamanic dreams sweep through my psyche and I could honestly be anywhere. I am up for an adventure and a good one. Let me gather my stones and elixirs and set my inner compass for Ecstasy. YES! CAPRICORN - This is when I must take a stand. I have played by all the rules and given all when asked and yet I do not see the result of my efforts. I do believe in working hard and so I do but yet I see cheaters and players slide by seemingly unscathed by their sloppiness. I don't get it! I won't be sloppy or shady but maybe its time for me to work for me and just relax a bit. I do not have to be the best employee for the firm, but I need to be the best person for me. Damn - so simple, why has it taken so long to be MY advocate? AQUARIUS - Yeah! A planet is coming into Aquarius and this will be my Xmas gift I hope. Mars will jump into Aquarius on Dec. 26 so I guess I am going to have all kinds of new energy. I am not sure how comfortable I will be with the God of War being such a Peace freak but Mars doesn't always have to go to war and I am going to see that Mars pus that energy towards saving the planet. That's it; this will be the perfect time to promote wind energy. This is the time. Hell they use it for whole countries. You know more "backward countries" use such things. Wake up sheeple all power to the people! PISCES - Why am I so exhausted or am I being drawn to other dimensions? Hard to know these details being a Pisces and boy am I ever a Pisces. With Neptune and Chiron in my sign, it’s like Pisces on steroids. I know some of you feel totally weirded out by this shift but I do not. I am increasingly more sensitive to everything and my empathy for those struggling is paramount. I am able to see much more in vision than ever before and I find this energy makes me much more in tune with my environment and this is very comfortable. If you are troubled by feeling too open, surround yourself with a ring of fire and relax, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Through my monthly Astroflash, I have endeavored to offer gender neutral astrology to speak to all sexual preferences and identities. If you know your Rising sign, your personal reading will be more accurate if you read the passage for that sign as well as your Sun sign. For deeper questions and readings of an Astrological or Psychic nature, feel free to call 352-475-2432 for an appt. or contact me through my website: www.Flashsilvermoon.com Page 25
COMMUNITY RESOURCES Civic Media Center (CMC) 433 S Main St, 352-373-0010 CodePink -- Women for Peace jacque@codepinkalert.org, 352-468-2101, www.codepinkalert.org Crone’s Cradle Conserve Retreat 352-595-3377, www.cronescradleconserve.com Flash Silvermoon - Wise Woman’s Fest www.flashsilvermoon.com, 352-475-2432 Gainesville Area AIDS Project (GAAP) 352-373-4227 or info@gaaponline.org Gainesville Community Alliance (GCA) www.gcaonline.org Gainesville Iguana http://www.afn.org/~iguana/ Gay & Lesbian National Hotline 1-888-843-4564, www.glnh.org Human Rights Council (HRCNCF) 352-372-5192 or hrcncf@gmail.com LGBT Youth Support Group gainesvillepridecenteryouth@gmail.com National Center for Lesbian Rights www.nclrights.org Peaceful Paths Domestic Violence Hotline 352-377-8255, 1-800-393-7233 www.peacefulpaths.org
Pride Community Center of North Central Florida (PCCNCF) 352-377-8915, 3131 NW 13th St, Gainesville www.gainesvillepride.org Pride Student Union 352-392-1665 #326 or pride@sg.ufl.edu Rainbow Families (Gay Parents Group) 352-284-4541, gayparentgroup@bellsouth.net Shake Rag Art & Culture Center 301 State Road 26, Melrose FL 352-475-2924, www.shakeragarts.org St. Augustine MCC Church 904-824-2802, www.FirstCoastMCC.org Stonewall Democrats of Alachua County 352-373-1730, PO Box 223, Gainesville Survivors of Anti-LGBT Victimization (SAV) 352-264-6760, 1-866-252-5439 Trinity Metropolitan Community Church 352-495-3378, www.mccgainesville.org UF LGBT Affairs www.dso.ufl.edu/multicultural/lbgt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 352-377-1669, 4225 NW 34th St, Gainesville Wild Iris Books 802 W University Ave, Gainesville www.wildirisbooks.com, 352-375-7477
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Classifieds SURVEY PARTICIPANTS NEEDED: for a study on the life experiences and wellbeing of sexual minority women. In order to participate, you must identify as a woman, a sexual minority person (e.g. lesbian, bisexual, queer, or other sexual minority orientation), currently reside in the U.S., and be 18 years of age or older. If you would like to participate in this study, please go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/ HRTJZ2B SURVEY PARTICIPANTS NEEDED: University of Florida conducting a study that examines the experiences of gays and lesbians in American society. If you are 18 or older, identify as gay/lesbian (not bisexual), and live in the US or Canada, please consider participating in this short (less than 15 minutes) questionnairebased study. You can access the survey through the following link: https:// ufpsychology.qualtrics.com/SE/? SID=SV_bJFjuDKAd9cozSQ. FOR SALE: BEACH COTTAGE AT PAGODA! The historic lesbian community rarely sees one of the original twelve fishing cottages, built by Shorty Rees, pilot for the Flagler Heiress in the thirties and forties, available for purchase. Rainbow Williams, artist and writer, lived there for over twenty years, and is offering it. Vintage & charming. 2 bedroom, 2 bath, carport, shed, deck with ocean view, & a large bonus room, for $350, 000. Call 904347-6448 for a private showing. A rare opportunity. Page 28
Cyber Connections Florida Gay Campers
A bunch of fun men and women who like to camp and party. www.groups.yahoo.com/ group/floridagaycampers
Lesbians of the South
For networking, communication, & mutual support among lesbians of the southern states. www.groups.yahoo.com/ group/LesbiansoftheSouth
LEZgo Events
Produces and promotes events for lesbians throughout Florida. www.groups.yahoo.com/ group/LEZgoEvents
LGBT Ocala
A social group bringing together the LGBT community in Ocala, FL, Marion county and surrounding areas. www.groups.yahoo.com/group/LGBTOcala
North Central Florida Lesbians
Community networking exclusively for lesbians with ties in North Central Florida. www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ NorthCentralFloridaLesbians
PCCNCF
This group is established to give Pride Community Center of North Central Florida a way to make announcements and notify the membership of upcoming events. www.groups.yahoo.com/group/pccncf
Kindred Sisters — December 2012
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WomenÊs Dinner & a Movie Relax with the gals, enjoy a nice dinner, & catch a great movie -- all for just $5! Can you think of a better way to spend a Sunday evening?!
December 2nd
at
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“The Perfect Family” Director: Anne Renton Cast: Kathleen Turner, Emily Deschanel, Jason Ritter, Richard Chamberlain, Sharon Lawrence
When tightly wound suburbanite Eileen Cleary wins her church's coveted Catholic Woman of the Year award, she pushes aside inconvenient truths -- including an alcoholic son, a gay daughter and a philandering son -- in favor of a "perfect" family. (84 min)
Co-Sponsored by Kindred Sisters & Pride Community Center 3131 NW 13th St, Gainesville (www.gainesvillepride.org) Come back in January for “Big Dreams in Little Hope”