Giving Women a Voice
D ECEMBER 2013
d e r d Kin s r e t s Si
Kindred Sisters Volunteers: Lynn, Jennifer, Judy, Shewolf, Rainbow
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Kindred Sisters “Giving Women a Voice” December 2013
Pride Community Center of North Central Florida Announces our 11th Annual Holiday Party!
December 13th 7:00 - 9:00 pm Join us for the 2013 Pride & Punch Holiday and Volunteer Recognition Party at the Community Center at 3131 NW 13th St.
Snacks, wine, good company and great conversation. And an opportunity to tell the PCCNCF Volunteers how much we appreciate them!
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 2013
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In the Spotlight Patricia Highsmith Acclaimed mystery writer Patricia Highsmith (1921-1995) was the author of one lesbian novel, as well as the popular series featuring the amoral bisexual Tom Ripley. Carol, first published in 1952 as The Price of Salt, under the pseudonym Claire Morgan, is Highsmith's only explicitly lesbian novel. It’s an erotic love story that retains the Highsmith taste for a tightly fought psychodrama. It sold nearly one million copies in the United States in 1953 alone. Lesbian readers' response was one of gratitude--finally they were offered a novel that did not end in death, despair, or debasement. (excerpt from www.glbtq.com) Page 2
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HOME VAN PET CARE PROJECT NEWS by Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator The primary mission of Home Van Pet Care Project is to provide pet food for pets of the homeless and very low income people in our community. We do a great deal of other supportive work, including helping with access to spay/neuter at clinics and we provide education about pet care and give many supplies to help people provide a better life for their pets. We’re presently working on campsites to make these areas as comfortable as possible for the dogs and cats who live in these areas. We gave out large water bowls and also some tarps where needed. We installed several running lines and continued our project to supply County license tags. We’re taking out some hay this week to supply more comfort. This is ongoing work for which we always need volunteers, supplies and donations. CHRISTMAS FOR THE ANIMALS: We’ll have a small celebration with some cookies for people, cats and dogs and we’ll give extra food supplies. Christmas Wishes: The dogs always want more treats and the kitties like them also. Both dogs and cats like those warm fuzzy blankets, the kitties love catnip mice, and the dogs like those strongly woven chew toys. Canvas folding water bowls are great and we can always use collars and leashes of all sizes. We will give as much extra dry food as possible at this time and also canned foods, the fishy types for the kitties and all the dogs seem to like the chicken flavors. CHRISTMAS FOR TIFFANY: Tiffany’s family was evicted on very short notice due to code violations of the property owner. Tiffany was left behind and we are helping them to visit and feed her. Tiffany is a sweet and pretty 2-3 year old kitty who is spayed and up to date on vaccinations. She is very afraid of dogs, and would make a good inside kitty. We really need to get her out of her present situation as quickly as possible. Please call as soon as possible: 352-473-9423. PET FOOD DRIVES: If you are part of a school, social or religious group who can put together a Christmas pet food drive for us, we would appreciate that. Please call for information if you can help in this way: 352-473-9423. We have an ongoing need for bags of dog food and cat food. Please contact us for current needs. Volunteer helpers are also needed and appreciated. If you can contribute financially, please send checks made to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604 or PayPal at our blog, . To volunteer, to donate food or for more information contact Elizabeth at 352-473-9423 or holisticliz@hotmail.com.
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Be An Angel…. Sponsor A Child For The Holidays The Guardian Foundation, Inc., on behalf of the Guardian ad Litem Program, is looking for angels to sponsor a child for the holidays. There are over 550 children in the court system in this circuit who have been abused, neglected or abandoned. There are countless others in our community who are at risk. Many of these children will not receive gifts without help from community businesses, churches, organizations and individuals who are willing to sponsor them. To sponsor a child for the holidays, please call Laura at 352-374-3656 (extension 2641) and you will be given information on how to help make the children’s Christmas a wonderful and happy time through your generosity. Note: Gifts must be submitted to the Program by December 9th.
LGBT Foster/ Adoption Training Can you commit to providing a loving caring home for a child in need? Partnership for Strong Families will host classes at the Pride Community Center on foster and adoptive care beginning Saturday, January 25 at 10am to 4pm, and occurring every other Saturday through March 22nd. 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! Page 4
PCCNCF Plans Chili CookCook-Off Saturday, February 1st 6:00 - 8:00pm Join us at the Center to 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 info or to register, send an e-mail to pridectr@bellsouth.net. Kindred Sisters — December 2013
2013 AdoptAdopt-A-Family Program The Peaceful Paths 2013 Adopt-A-Family program has officially kicked off. This year there are over 75 families who have signed up to participate in this program. To help, you can donate items from the general holiday wish list or adopt a family and purchase their holiday gifts. To participate or for more information please contact Lori Anglon at 352-377-5690 ext. 500.
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The Story on Sulfur by Woody Blue
What do sliced onions, burnt hair, smelly farts and the road from Putnam Hall to Palatka have in common? Answer: The odor and fumes emitted are all different forms of sulfur gas being released. (No offense to Florida residents but the rotten egg smell outside Palatka is quite distinctive.) I've turned my attention towards sulfur this month and gone down a rabbit hole. I had thought that since sulfur is the third most abundant element in the body, present in every living cell and all, that I would find volumes of information on the subject. Apparently, I hit a blind spot in the nutritional world. There isn't a recommended daily allowance assigned and it's barely mentioned in nutrition textbooks. WHY?
air, water and land. It exists as part of an amino acid, the building block of protein, plant and animal. In the past we were all able to get sufficient sulfur in the correct ratios through our food. In the 1950's, pesticides were introduced into the agricultural protocol. These pesticides destroyed the microbial activity of the topsoil that aided sulfur uptake into plants. Livestock feeding on poor soils or grains grown with pesticides can't maintain healthy levels of sulfur. When we eat meat products from Tyson, ConAg, Cargill and other feed lot companies, or eat vegetables grown in a monoculture with pesticides we are eating our way into poor health.
Sulfur has many roles in the body. Sulfur and selenium are the only oxygen transporters are bodies have and our soils are deficient in both. Every cell needs oxygen and sulfur is able to escort the oxygen molecule through the cell membrane. Inside the cell, the mitochondria use There are many answers to that question but the oxygen to make ATP, creating energy for the cell to do its work. Some of the work of the cell is to sum it up, the nutrition world doesn't to self-replicate, building new cells to replenish recognize any visible problems with sulfur deficiency and it's almost impossible to overdose those that are damaged from trauma or chemical on it, so why bother to study it? Last week before processes. Without sulfur we can't studying it, I may have agreed with this idea. replenish old tissue. Last week I attended a nutrition conference Sulfur is extremely and spent 5 lecture hours on sulfur alone. Dr. important to vascular Stephanie Seneff, PhD, a Senior Research Scientist at MIT presented her work on sulfur as health. Without sulfur it relates to the body and the breakdown of body the blood vessels become rigid and systems when there is a long term deficiency. circulation is Without sulfur, our joints get achy, our blood decreased. Think of a garden hose, a flexible tube cells clump together, our arteries lose their that carries water everywhere in a garden. If the integrity. Our brains lose function when sulfur hose becomes rigid, it's almost impossible to gets low. Our livers can't keep up with water the garden. So it is with veins and arteries. glutathione production which is necessary for Telltale signs of rigidity in the blood vessels are clearing toxins from our bodies. varicose veins and arteriosclerosis. Sulfur, naturally, is an abundant mineral in the Page 6
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Sunlight on skin is key to supplying the body with Vitamin D3 sulfate. The sunlight also stimulates the production of cholesterol sulfate in our skin. The sulfate makes the cholesterol water soluble and so it can be transported more easily in the blood. Sulfate also supplies a negative charge to the blood cells, and, similar to negative poles on a magnet, blood cells repel each other and inhibit clumping and clotting. Cholesterol, in turn, supplies necessary ingredients to every cell. To simplify, sulfate is the carriage that cholesterol and Vitamin D3 uses to travel through the body. Sunscreen blocks these interactions, effectively blocking the useful properties of Vitamin D3 and cholesterol. It is often noted that sulfur is the beauty element. It is found in all our collagen and makes for youthful skin, thick hair and strong nails. Brittle hair and nails, and some types of dermatitis point to a lack of sulfur. Sulfur baths used to be a popular way of adjusting sulfur in the body.
cauliflower), the onion and garlic family, flaxseed and sunflower seeds. "Organic" assures us that pesticides haven't been used. Egg yolks from pastured chickens are high in sulfur. The term "pastured" means that chickens have been raised primarily on land, as opposed to barns or cages, and have eaten a natural diet consisting of grasses, seeds, bugs and small animals like frogs. The yolks from these eggs are deep yellow and contain bioflavinoids, choline, cholesterol and sulfur, all of which are necessary to create bile and other detoxification tools. For supplementation, natural organic sulfur is the way to go. MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) can be okay but most, not all, of the MSM on the market is processed with anti-caking ingredients which inhibit the sulfur from getting into our systems. About 5X more of impure MSM are needed than the organic sulfur. MSM is a bitter powder. If you don't taste the bitterness, you are highly deficient in sulfur.
There's more to this story but time and space Drinking sulfur water is a healthy tonic and has run out on me. Eat well. good for the liver. Sulfur, a non-metallic element, is able to bind to almost every metal, Woody Blue is a holistic health even heavy metals like mercury and lead. Once counselor specializing in massage bound to a toxic substance, it works its way into and nutrition. You can contact her the bile and gall bladder and from there exits at 352-375-0539 for more info. the body through the urine and feces. Sulfur can also relieve Tylenol toxicity. Be warned, the sulfur needs the help of Vitamins B12, B6 and folic acid to detoxify. The sulfur we seek is found in the protein foods we eat. For meat eaters, the best sources of sulfur are grass-fed animals, wild seafood, eggs and raw (not pasteurized) dairy products. Vegetarians have a harder time getting sulfur and B12. For them, the best sources are legumes. High sulfur vegetables include the cruciferous family (cabbage, broccoli, and Kindred Sisters — December 2013
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The Old Lady and the Purple Dragon by Julie Ford
“TXTG” TXTG S GTG A BD RAP. PPL THK TXTG S KILLG CMNCTN. WTF? IDK. U? I ♥ TXTG. I’ve always loved typing anyway; touch typing is the only thing I learned in high school that has been of any real use to me in my life. Plus, my handwriting is atrociously illegible even though I resorted to printing decades ago. I had to give up cursive when I realized that even I couldn’t read mine. I ♥ TXTG. The impersonality of communicating through a keyboard releases me from the social shyness that hinders my face to face interactions. I ♥ TXTG. Reading texts is easier for me, as I don’t understand people well on the telephone. Sometimes even in person I just don’t hear and understand well. My slight hearing impairment also makes it difficult for me to understand the words to songs. This disability has a name: Chronic Lyricosis. Like so many who suffer this disease I also suffer from the compulsion to sing karaoke. I could have earned my black belt in karaoke by now if it weren’t for my Chronic Lyricosis. The disorder leads to such public disasters as singing “I see a brand new horizon, I see a bathroom on the right…” (mangled from “Bad Moon Rising”, Creedence Clearwater Revival, 1969). I ♥ TXTG. I can compose a text when I have time to fully express myself, and the receiver can read the text when she has time to focus on it. I can complete my thought without interruption. There is no pressure on the receiver to respond immediately; she has time to consider how to fully express her response and then make that response also without interruption. It’s an extension of the custom of passing around a “talking stick” during discussions. I ♥ TXTG. It forces us all to be more succinct. It dispenses with small talk, goes to the heart of the matter, cuts the crap. I ♥ TXTG. It’s FUN! It’s like being back in junior high school, passing secret notes back and forth under the desk. It’s especially delicious when you are texting your sweetie, sending hot little messages back and forth, but maintaining a serious demeanor so that the people around you think you are taking care of business with the office or your agent. Try flirting by text today! - C U L8R -
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Kindred Sisters — December 2013
Wild Iris Update New Store Hours Wild Iris announces a change in our business hours: Tuesday - Friday: 12:00 - 7:00pm Saturday: 10:00am - 6:00pm Sunday - Monday: Closed As most of you know, we are totally volunteer run and we do our best to accommodate your shopping needs while juggling our own obligations. The good news is, our volunteer team is blossoming and we're proud to have them around to help us keep the Iris staffed and moving. We can't explain how grateful for all of them we have been.... We hope to expand further in the future - but in the meantime don't forget you can check real time stock online and choosing in-store pick up gets you free shipping on any order. For those who love them, we have your e-books too! We hope to see you soon, come by and say hello.
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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, 4pm: Wimmin's Movie Night See back cover for details. Dec 6, 6-10pm: Local Holiday Gift Fair Looking for the perfect local gifts? This is the place to be! Amazing local vendors including Woody Blue will be here with their art work, 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. 352373-0010 Dec 6, 6-10pm: The Green Gift Fair A holiday market with holiday decorations, local artisans, green gifts, silent auction, green gift wrapping & hot apple cider. Games! Prizes! Pictures with Sustainable Santa & complementary gifts! Bring the kids! Live music! The Green Gift Fair is brought to you by The Repurpose Project and Vibrant Community Development. Carbon Offsets provided by We Are Neutral Cities. The Repurpose Project, 519 S Main St, Gainesville. Dec 7, 12-4pm: Akashic Record Readings with Andrea Elenar $40/half hour, $75/hour. Call to sign up. High Springs Emporium, 660 NW Santa Fe Blvd, High Springs. 386-454-8657, www.highspringsemporium.net Dec 7: Rockystar back at UC! Don’t miss Rockystar, drag king extraordinaire, back at University Club, 18 E University Ave, Gainesville.
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Dec 8, 11-4pm: GLAM Craft Show 2013 Get ready for GLAM Craft Show 2013 -- where you can eat, drink, and shop for unique gifts made right here in your local community. Admission: $3 per person; kids 10 and under are free. Celebrations Catering will also be on hand selling beer, wine, and tasty treats to keep your shopping stamina high. Location: Historic Mustang Hangar, 4701 NE 40th Terrace, Gainesville. www.glamcraftshow.com Dec 8, 7:30pm: Feminist Book Club Reads: Ursula K. Le Guin We'll be discussing the first half of Ursula K. Le Guin's book of short stories, "The Birthday of the World". Wild Iris has ordered ten used copies so stop by and pick yours up (for $6.50). Our book club will be meeting at Wild Iris Books, 22 SE 5th Ave, Ste D, Gainesville. This particular book discussion will be for woman-identified feminists only and we will be focused on talking about the first four short stories in the book. Our book club meets in cycles, 1st month: women only, 2nd month: all feminists, 3rd month: men only. So in January we will discuss the rest of the book at a discussion open to all feminists. Bring snacks and drinks to share if you'd like. Dec 10, 6-8pm: FREE IQuit Smoking Cessation Seminar “Tools to Quit” at the Pride Community Center of North Central Florida is a two-hour LGBT-friendly seminar where you’ll get information on how to select and get ready for your quit date! You’ll learn about what triggers you to smoke, dip, or chew, and how to handle withdrawal symptoms. The program from IQuit with AHEC offers free nicotine patches, lozenges, and/or gum (while supplies last), as well as follow-up support. We are here to help you break free from your tobacco addiction. Call to register: 866-341-2730 or visit our website for more information: www.ahectobacco.com
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WhatÊs Happening? Dec 13, 7-9pm: Pride & Punch Party Pride Community Center of North Central Florida Announces the 11th Annual Holiday Party! Join us for the 2013 Pride & Punch Holiday and Volunteer Recognition Party at the Community Center at 3131 NW 13th St. Snacks, wine, good company and great conversation. And an opportunity to tell the PCCNCF Volunteers how much we appreciate them! www.gainesvillepride.org Dec 13, 9pm: Black & Blue Ball It's that time again! Gainesville Roller Rebels present the Black & Blue Ball! Get ready to break out your fanciest tuxedos and prom dresses. Doors open at 9:00pm and the annual awards ceremony starts at 10:30pm. Non-league members get in for: $2 (21+), $4 (under 21). Don't forget to wear your dancing shoes because DJ Cameron Gregory will be hosting an awesome dance party. The Atlantic, 15 N Main St. Dec 14, 10am: Furry Friends: Merry Melrose Christmas Parade Parade of local floats honoring our pets and animals. This long standing tradition is one of the area's favorite events. Don't miss it. Contact Steve Thrift for details 352-473-7966. Dec 14, 10-2pm: Melrose Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival Arts and crafts festival immediately following the parade in Melrose. Vendors with holiday fare, arts, crafts, and more. Contact Bob Bird at bobbird12@yahoo.com for details. Dec 14, 12-6pm: "Peace on Earth" Holiday Celebration De-stress your holidays with BioMat crystal sessions, Isotonic foot baths, live music, free crystal gifts for everyone, champagne and chocolate. Free. High Springs Emporium, 660 NW Santa Fe Blvd, High Springs. 386-454-8657, www.highspringsemporium.net
Kindred Sisters — December 2013
Dec 14, 6-10pm: Wild Iris & GNV NOW ~ Holiday Celebration Wild Iris Books & Gainesville Area NOW Cordially Invite You to Our Holiday Gathering! Please join us for an evening filled with food, friends, music and celebration. The Iris and NOW will provide light appetizers and plenty of beverages to start off the party. The whole family is welcome, so mark your calendar and grab a couple of friends. Our very own local band ~ Q The Sound Collective ~ has graciously offered to fill the space with live jazz and their unmistakable style. The food will be plenty, the wine will be flowing and the music will fill all the empty spaces in between. If you can, bring a dish to share, something that makes you smile with anticipation over the holidays. Take a break from the hustle of the holiday season and relax with friends and fellow activists surrounded by mellow jazz filling the air with gratitude and love. We'd love to celebrate a little piece of the Holidays with YOU! Civic Media Center, 433 S Main St, Gainesville. Dec 15, 1-5pm: Melrose Holiday House Tour Historic Melrose, Inc. will sponsor the popular Holiday House Tour in the Melrose National Historic District. The tour includes 11 sites, music, refreshments, antiques, craft demonstrations, and memorabilia of the Pearsall family, prominent early residents. Tickets are $8 and will be available at the historic Baldwin store on State Road 26 the day of the tour. 352-475-3992 Dec 21: Midwinter, Yule, Winter Solstice
Don’t forget to inform us of your up-coming events!! Just email KindredSisters@gmail.com.
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WhatÊs Happening? Dec 21, 2-4pm: "Darkness into Light - Stones for the Crown Chakra" Workshop with Sharron Britton and the Stones of High Ascension. $20. Call to sign up. High Springs Emporium, 660 NW Santa Fe Blvd, High Springs. 386-454-8657, www.highspringsemporium.net Dec 27, 7-9pm: Artwalk Craft + Cottage Food Fair Join us in The Courtyard for art, food, music and drinks. Peruse art, crafts and food offerings from local vendors, brick oven fired pizzas from Humble Pie, BBQ by Go Go Stuff Yourself, and more! Citizens Co-op, 435 S Main, Gainesville. Dec 28, 12-5pm: New Insights for the New Year Readings with Rev. Steve Henry. $35/half hour, $65/hour. Call to sign up. High Springs Emporium, 660 NW Santa Fe Blvd, High Springs. 386-454-8657, www.highspringsemporium.net Dec 31, 8pm: Butchlesque There's never been a New Year's Eve in Florida as HOT as this one will be! The Gulfport Casino will once again welcome the bois of Butchlesque! This will be a very special Red Carpet Event that includes not only the music- and fashion-driven butch fashion show, but also a New Year's dance to immediately follow the show until 1am. A
portion of the evening's proceeds will benefit the St. Pete Pride Community Grants Program. General admission tickets are $25. VIP tickets, which include seating along the catwalk, two drinks per ticket, and VIP swag bag, are also available for $75. Gulfport Casino, 5500 Shore Blvd S. www.butchlesque.com
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.citizenscoop.com Confidential HIV & STD Testing - FREE 1st & 3rd Thursdays of each month at 5-7pm at the Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St, Gainesville. Drag Bingo Mondays at 9pm at The Jones B-Side Veranda, 203 SW 2nd Avenue, 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 Gainesville Area NOW Gainesville Area National Organization for Women (NOW) hosts
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WhatÊs Happening? Feminist Friday Happy Hours, regular planning meetings, and occasional protests, rallies, programs and tabling events. Please see their website, GainesvilleNOW.org, for more details. Find their flyers at Wild Iris Books & on Campus. 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 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 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. "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 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.
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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 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. “Sister Song” - 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. 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. Transgender Gainesville Discussion Group Meets on 2nd & 4th Wednesdays at 7pm at the Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St. Trans* Movie Night Join Spectrum and PCCNCF on the 2nd Friday of each month at 7pm at the Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St. spectrumgainesville@yahoo.com 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 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
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Kylie Devi: Survivor, Healer, Author An interview with Kylie Devi, survivor, healer and author of Recovering the Spirit from Sexual Trauma: From the Traumatic to the Ecstatic. Devi's new book is a wonderful guide for those who have experienced traumas associated with sexual abuse. Ms. Devi has graciously answered some questions about her new book and her personal experience.
my disclosure and questions solidified what I knew on an even deeper level, and gave me the confidence to finish my book. It is common for those who have experienced abuse as children to mistake the maltreatment for real love. The journey one must take to obliterate that false belief is both painful and profound. How did you begin this journey?
Devi: I began the journey when I was a teenager and I picked up a book by Ram Dass on meditation. The simple truths deeply resonated with me, and it was then that I began a dedicated In your book, you state that “the challenge spiritual practice. In getting in touch with my inner when abuse starts at such a young age is that it can world, I realized that there was something better be difficult to remember, to piece the puzzle together in a way that offers a sense of solidity, of then the outer world I was raised in. It gave me confidence about what happened." So many people hope and it sparked a deep desire to discover what who have been hurt as children struggle when, for is real. What is real, IS love. So for me truth and love are inextricably connected. My entire life is fueled whatever reason, those who knew them refuse to acknowledge the pain they've experienced. As you by the desire to know truth. That has never changed. And along the way, I have found love. For later express, the back and forth, the questioning those who have experienced abuse find themselves myself, for others, and for God. resorting to (did this really happen? What if those who tell me it was all in my head are right?) can be What was it like when you discovered that pure, intolerable. How were you able to overcome those sincere love is not tainted by the kind of pain you endured? Was there a single moment when you worries and trust your own memories? thought, this is it. This is how love should feel? Devi: I first remembered my abuse when I was 18. It was clear, there was no question. Then I spent a few Devi: Love beyond my personal history, that's deep! Yes, there was a single moment when I felt that. It years trying to find a therapist to guide me on my happened around 18, I felt loved by someone, and I healing journey, and all 3 of them denied any also felt respected by them. And I had never known possibility of childhood sexual abuse. My partner at both of those at once before, it really blew me away. the time, and the few others I shared it with, knew I want to make the distinction though, that while it was true. But having that professional invalidation sincere love may not be tainted by the pain I've was damaging to my already practically non-existent endured, at times it still informs it. It's still self-trust. I shoved the memories back down important for me to respect myself as a survivor, to because it was too confusing and painful to feel such a strong lack of support from those I felt were set appropriate boundaries for myself in my relationships, and to give myself the time and space capable of supporting me. Eventually, not dealing with my abuse issues began to eat away at all of my I need to continue to focus on my healing process. Love is really all there is, but we also live in relationships. It got to the point where if I didn't deal with what I knew was true, I was going to lose duality. We live in the ups and downs. I have made peace with that. everything I valued. At that point I became strong enough to confront my abusers. Not confronting them was keeping me in denial, keeping After your harrowing experience with sexual abuse it distant and unreal. Their unempathic response to as a child, you grew up to find solace in drugs. For Page 14
Kindred Sisters — December 2013
people who have been traumatized, the option of using a substance to numb the pain seems so natural. And, how could it not? How did you learn to step into your pain and work through it once you realized that the drugs were not helping you heal? How did you summon that courage? Devi: Yes, anything to help disassociate becomes natural to any trauma survivor, child or adult, rape, violence or war. I started using drugs to avoid pain and to disassociate, but then what ended up happening was it allowed me to explore my inner life. This saved me. It really did. But like with any medicine, it can turn to poison, and that happened within a very short period of time, I would say the first two years. After about two years of using I knew that there were no more lessons to learn, or wisdom to be gained from exploring drugs, but I couldn't stop. I tried, and tried. When I was 25 I was almost killed by drugs. Facing my death made me realize how much I wanted to live. When I was kept alive I felt a deep gratitude and became inspired to create something beautiful and meaningful with my life. It felt like surrender. I've spent the rest of my life refining what that means. The book was born of that. That's where the courage has come from, gratitude. To answer the other aspect of your question - stepping into pain is necessary in order to heal. I did it with a lot of community support. I am now in a space where I can face my pain alone, without much resistance, and work through it quickly. It took discipline and practice to get there, and I do reach out for support when I feel that will be beneficial. I see facing pain as an important aspect of being free, so the rewards for facing it are so much higher then the rewards for ignoring it. It's just a part of life.
Maori Healers," but that is what they have affectionately began to be known as as they've traveled around the world. They are indigenous wisdom keepers of Aotearoa, "The Land of the Long White Cloud," New Zealand. There is a group of them that travel, at the request of their elders, to spread their healing work to people on pretty much every continent. Their work is deeply loving, and the unique aspect of it is that they are not afraid to move beyond the pain threshold. They encourage people through the body, to let go of all selfimposed limitation, and embrace healing on all levels. They're amazing. You can check their schedule out at www.maorihealers.com. How did poetry and other art forms help guide you through your recovery? Devi: Poetry was another lifesaver! Tori Amos and Ani DiFranco are two poets that gave me strength and hope to move forward. Hilda Doolittle, Carolyn Forché, Anna Akhmatova, Gertrude Stein, Audre Lorde, they all expressed the things I wanted to say, think and feel in order to free myself. They all pushed boundaries from the known into the unknown. It's almost like reading their work gave me permission to do so also. I began to write poetry when I was 9. It allowed me to develop a voice, even though I kept that voice hidden. When I was 25 I started a performance poetry organization called ThirdEyeSpoken. We organized spoken word events that were also fundraisers benefitting local nonprofits. It was the complete merging of art, service, and healing. I really thrived in that environment. Spoken word art performers are known for their vulnerable and powerful expression, and I learned from so many other incredible artists how to find that balance within myself. As there will surely be many readers who are eager to buy your book, could you give them some information on how and where Recovering the Spirit from Sexual Trauma can be purchased?
Devi: Yes! The book is currently available at www.healfromrape.com. On the website I describe In your book you speak about your experience with who the book will best serve, and who it may not be the best book for. I think that's important. a group called “The Maori Healers.” Could you explain a bit about who they are and what they do?
Devi: They don't necessarily call themselves "The Kindred Sisters — December 2013
excerpt from http://emmaedenramos.weebly.com/1/ post/2013/05/interview-with-kylie-devi.html
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Southern Lesbian Feminist Herstory The week before our FGI annual meeting, I spent all day with Rose Norman, who is doing interviews for the SOUTHERN LESBIAN FEMINIST ACTIVIST HERSTORY project. Publication begins Spring 2014 with five issues of SINISTER WISDOM. 131,000 words. The land dyke issue is Fall 2014, “culture” 2015. She is working with specific deadlines, and many have passed, to keep promises with our publishers. Early May 2013 she interviewed Pagoda women of ALPINE (9,053 words), sent copies to myself and Rena. We responded and I consented to be interviewed in person, November 2013. I have lots of archival material and am vitally interested in history especially of Southern lesbian feminist activists! So we are to be in the pages. Be sure to subscribe or pick up copies at WILD IRIS... Controversy is expected and welcomed with polite response, but we must make a start. by Rainbow
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Kindred Sisters — December 2013
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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 882 North State Road 21, Melrose FL 352-475-5551, 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 Office of LGBT Affairs 352-392-1217, www.lgbt.multicultural.ufl.edu Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 352-377-1669, 4225 NW 34th St, Gainesville Wild Iris Books 352-375-7477, 22 SE 5th Ave Suite D, Gainesville, www.wildirisbooks.com
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Classifieds FOR RENT: Cozy house in NE Gainesville bicycle ride to downtown. Enjoy two bedrooms, two bath, office space, shed with electricity. Quite neighborhood, AC/heat, dishwasher, lovely yard surrounding house with native FL shrubs and flowers. Contact gaylebluebird@aol.com Rent: $850 FOR RENT: House to Share in Melrose. 3 bedroom, two bath, furnished house on one acre of fenced in Azalea covered yardl a short walk to Lake Sante Fe with access to small beach, dock, and fishing deck. House is well kept, has one adult woman and one small, very quiet, Shitzu female dog, and yard is maintained. House is split floor plan with bedroom and bath at each side of house. 3 separate entrances, three patios, and large pole barn for storage of some items if needed. Rent could be $850, possibly all inclusive to right person. Extras might be, utilities, TV, Internet, furniture, cleaning services, lawn care, etc. Would need to negotiate with person first. No additional pets, no smoking, and no heavy scents, please. Call Shewolf (Jean) for details or more information 904 521 5975 cell 10 am to 10 pm. House is located 15 minutes from east Gainesville on west side of Melrose; easy commute to Gainesville, Palatka, Waldo or Starke.
FREE Confidential HIV & STD Testing! st
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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 2013
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Wimmin's Movie Night First Sunday of each month at 4:00pm! Dec 1: “Lost and Delirious� Lost and Delirious is the story of three adolescent girls' first love, their discovery of sexual passion, and their search for identities. Set in a posh, private boarding school surrounded by luxuriant, green forest, Lost and Delirious moves swiftly from academic routine, homesickness, and girlish silliness to the darker region of lover's intrigue.
Pride Center, 3131 NW 13th St, Gainesville. www.gainesvillepride.org