January 2021 Savoirflair Magazine by KP Media

savoirflair NEW ENGLANDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LGBTQ MAGAZINE

VOL. 15

NO. 1

OUR

TALENTED

PEEPS

JEWELRY DESIGNER ALEXIS BITTAR PHOTOGRAPHER CHRISTINE HOCHKEPPEL

tiny HOMES

BOOKS

TOM Of FINLAND

CARS

LGBTQ MARKETING BLUEPRINT

VIDEOS

LGBTQ TV ADS

PL IM

VIDEO | WEDDING | BOOKS | HOME | MARKETPLACE savoirflairmagazine 1

FOR US

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CONTENTS 24 TINY HOUSES FOR US | LGBTQ HOMES BY CHLOE BELLE

GLASS ARTIST | JIM ANDERSON 32 STAINED BY JEFF PARSON DESIGNER | ALEX BRITTAH 36 JEWELRY BY NICHOLAS MCCARTY BY CHRISTINE HOCHKEPPEL | WEDDINGS 42 BYPHOTOS SHARON LEVINE

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EVERY ISSUE 12 FILM /TV OF INTEREST LGBTQ COMMERCIALS

16 BOOK REVIEWS TOM OF FINLAND SINGULAR SENSATION THE BIG TOW HEARTSTOPPER VOLUME 1 WENDY CARLOS: A BIOGRAPHY 24 HOME TINY HOUSES 61 MARKETPLACE SERVICE DIRECTORY COMMUNITY OWNED AND FRIENDLY SERVICES

PUBLISHER Mary Kennedy EDITOR Sharon Levine EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Nicholas McCarty WRITERS Wendy Mimran | Mark Adams | Jeff Parson | Chloe Belle John Axelrod | Terri Schlichenmeyer SALES Rena Berman, Sales Director Wendy Mimran, Sales Development Manager Sharon Levine | Nicholas McCarty | Mark Davis PRODUCTION Louis Chavez | Shorty Kennedy | Bodhi Berman | Orella DeVille | Cleo Marie Kwame Byrd | Pixie Chavez; Proof Reader | Nicholas Beach (volunteer) PHOTOGRAPHY COVER: Luis Molinero | Christine Hochkeppel | Andrew Potter, Pride Media Elodie Reed, VPN DISTRIBUTION Crevier Distribution | CTM Distribution | Breakaway ADVERTISING INFORMATION All inquires may be addressed to KP Media, 333 Washington St. #714 Boston, MA 02108 (617) 423-1515 e-mail: kpmedia@aol.com Â©2021 All Rights Reserved. M. Kennedy Publishing, Inc. SavoirFlair Magazine may not be reproduced in part or whole without the written permission of the publisher. Advertising content is the sole responsibility of individual advertisers.

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MODERN HARDWARE & PAINT CO. EST. 1961

by Mark Adams

look just a little different four years into the current century.

Let’s talk about commercials. Huh? You remember...those

That was the year that our precious state of Massachusetts

things we used to watch before they invented things like

was the first to allow same-sex marriage. It only took seven

the TiVO, the DVR, and all those streaming services we don’t

years thereafter for a majority of Americans to support this,

know how we lived without. A recent article in Variety,

and some changes began to take place.

which, for many gays is required reading, tells us (like we

A new study by GLAAD and by Proctor & Gamble, the com-

didn’t know) that movies, TV shows, and advertising can help

pany that brings us Tide Detergent and is one of the world’s

change attitudes about and erase prejudices toward the LG-

largest (and cleanest) advertisers, found that 48% of non-

BTQ community. Consider this, if you will: Provincetown was

LGBTQ people became more tolerant (or “accepting,” if you

recently given, by the Human Right Campaign Foundation, a

so choose) of LGBTQ people because of their representation

perfect score of 100 in their 9th Annual Municipal Equality

in media.

Index Report. The entire state of Massachusetts received an

It seems so long ago that the Hallmark Channel pulled an

average score of 90 out of 100. See what you can learn from

ad featured two brides kissing at the altar. Actually, it was

reading this fine publication? However, and this is shocking,

2019, when the ad, which was promoting a wedding plan-

the national average score is 64. This probably is not shocking to our readers in South Dakota. If you grew up in the 60s and 70s, you would be barraged with commercials and programs featuring the perfect American family. Think 1960’s “Leave It To Be Beaver” (with a shout-out to June Cleaver’s pearls) and 1970’s “The Brady Bunch”. This continued through the 90s, but things started to

12 savoirflairmagazine

ning site called Zola (the only “Zola” I’d ever heard of was

ways a dreaded day. Instead of hanging out with my friends,

a fondly-remembered Boston drag queen entertainer in the

I’d have to monitor ads with homophobic tropes.”

’80s...), was removed after pressure from a “family” group

Super Bowl homophobic ads reached a new low in the 2007

called “One Million Moms.” After a backlash from viewers

Snickers ad in which two men, both trying to eat a candy bar

who threatened never again to watch Hallmark (or even

and accidentally kiss — and then rip their own chest hair out

send a greeting card), the channel reinstated the ad. In 2020,

in an attempt to “do something manly.” The commercial was

Hallmark released its first-ever gay-themed Christmas mov-

accompanied by videos on the Snickers’ website featuring

ie amongst the hundreds of others they show. The equally

NFL players expressing disgust at the kiss, prompting objec-

schlocky Lifetime channel also showed its first movie aimed

tions from GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, and others.

at the LGBTQ community, so we could all watch, laugh, and

Thirteen years later in 2020 Super Bowl ads featuring posi-

maybe, finally, be able to identify with some of the characters

tive LGBTQ personalities are surprisingly long: Lil Nas X ap-

and absurd situations that these movies are famous for.

peared in an ad for Doritos; Jonathan Van Ness, the nonbinary

Now in contrast to Hallmark and Lifetime channels’ pro-

star of Netflix’s Queer Eye, spoke about the love of Pop-Tarts;

gramming let’s turn to the butchest event in the USA, the Su-

Drag Race stars Kim Chi and Miz Cracker filmed a commer-

per Bowl. In the mid-2000s, when GLAAD’s Rich Ferraro first

cial for hummus, and Lilly Singh extolled the virtues of skin

started working at GLAAD he says, “the Super Bowl was al-

cream. Trace Lysette and Isis King appeared on behalf of the tax preparation company TurboTax; while Ellen DeGeneres appeared with Portia de Rossi for Amazon. Google it, you’ll find a plethora of LGBTQ themed commercials from companies around the world, many of them more entertaining than the programs they appear on. Enjoy.

Mark Adams has been a popular contributor to LGBTQ Media for many years, writing extensively on film and video of interest to the community. You can email him at vidioview@gmail.com with any of your favorites for a future scribbling. savoirflairmagazine 13

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Book Review x 5

Book Review x 5 BOOK REVIEWS by Terri Schlichenmeyer

“SINGULAR SENSATION: THE TRIUMPH OF BROADWAY” BY MICHAEL RIEDEL c.2020, Avid Reader Press, $28.00 / $37.00 Canada, 335 pages You know every single role in your favorite Broadway show. You can name all the actors who’ve ever filled those roles. You know the plot and every word to every song. How many times have you seen that show, bought the t-shirts, read a playbook, coveted the posters? And how much is there that you don’t know? In “Singular Sensation” by Michael Riedel, come see.

16 savoirflairmagazine

Hollywood’s supposed Golden Age lasted from the 1930s

It’s likely been a minute since you sat in a theater seat and

until just after World War II. The Golden Age of Live Televi-

you miss it very much, but that shouldn’t stop you from en-

sion, says Riedel, roughly spanned the Eisenhower years.

joying Broadway on paper. So grab “Singular Sensation”

The Golden Age of Broadway, then, was from 1943 to

and roll with it.

1959. At about that time, a “British invasion” arrived, lasting for decades. And then, in the later 1990s, everything changed. Suddenly, low-budget musicals were profitable. Musical comedies became popular again, and plays “made a comeback.” Corporations began eyeing Broadway as a way to further their brand and make more money. Perhaps most importantly, “[a] new breed of producers” stood up to theater owners who’d previously had serious power, and new theaters were established. Literally, the landscape of theater-going changed. It wasn’t all singing and dancing, though. Says Riedel, “Broadway has a knack for survival,” and it needed that knack: the AIDS crisis was in full-swing then, terrorism left its mark on theater audiences abroad, Times Square was seedy, and New York City itself was struggling, financially. The industry was ripe for change, and Riedel tells about it. He writes of egos, ideas, and role replacements, all of

“THE BIG TOW: AN UNLIKELY ROMANCE” BY ANN MCMAN c.2020, Bywater Books, $17.95 US, 340 pages Two wheels hooked. That was your vehicle: two wheels on the ground, the other two in the air, safely attached to a bar hooked on both ends to a big truck. Oh, how you hate shredded tires, check-engine lights, busted radiators, dead batteries, and the guy with the rig, but in the new book “The Big Tow” by Ann McMan, a wired starter isn’t the only thing that’s hot. Vera “Nick” Nicholson had put in her time. After six years at Turner, Witherspoon, Anders and Tyler, Attorneys at Law, Nick thought she might’ve achieved partner, but no. Instead, because she was the firm’s only “brown” employee and because senior partners figured “floor-scraping assignments” would be “second nature” to her, that’s what she got – like, for instance, the latest case,

which often clashed. He explains how money and power makes or breaks a show, especially in behind-the-scenes deal-making with theater owners who decide which shows run and which don’t. He writes of writers, actors, directors, costumers, and criminals. Riedel explains how a daytime talk show host made Broadway a must-see destination for New York City’s tourists. He explains how Disney made its mark on Broadway, with the help of Rudy Giuliani. He writes of a genius who never saw his masterpiece and never knew its popularity. And he tells of a show rescued from near-obscurity by a husband-andwife team who couldn’t let it go... House lights down, stage lights up and, within minutes, you’re transported to another place and time. Reading “Singular Sensation” is something like that: author and theater columnist Michael Riedel takes readers backstage, overseas, onstage, and in rehearsals and meetings with people you’ll recognize if you’re perpetually Broadwaybound. The nice surprise is that this serious-but-lighthearted, semi-scandalous collection of related stories will, because of the size of the names involved, make a non-fan happy, too. Indeed, Riedel gives readers a fly-on-the-wall feel through bit of non-catty, relatively kind celebrity gossiping, done with an absolutely correct amount of drama. This keeps “Singular Sensation” under control while maintaining a sense of insider, somewhat like reading Variety with a delightfully droll PhD.

savoirflairmagazine 17

Book Reviews continued from previous page

a stolen car. Nick didn’t know jack about stolen cars. She had no contacts there in North Carolina to ask for help. And that’s how she ended up at National Recovery Bureau, a back-lot repo business run by a chain-smoking, no-nonsense older woman with zero patience, and a guy named Fast Eddie. For $500, they helped Nick find the car. When Fast Eddie enticed her with 10 G’s in cash for “profit sharing,” that was a big surprise. So was the offer of a parttime job from NRB. And so was the co-worker NRB assigned to Nick, a gorgeous blonde named Frankie. She had a killer body and enough imagination to figure out how to complete the toughest cases. Meanwhile, Nick used her imagination to think about Frankie’s killer body. Despite the danger and the hassle, working for NRB did have its benefits: the money was great and the company was even better, and Nick cautiously allowed herself to fall in love. She and Frankie were becoming more than just partners at work; they were a couple that happened to work together, and they did a good job. But there was something off about Fast Eddie... Despite that it leans a bit toward wordiness and could have used maybe one less caper, “The Big Tow” is a true delight – but not for the reasons you might think.

maybe even some heat. And in “Heartstopper Volume 1”

Author Ann McMan’s two main characters are certainly

by Alice Oseman, that’s what you get.

likable: Nick is one of those people you want in your cor-

Fourteen-year-old Charlie Spring hadn’t meant to come

ner, and Frankie seems like someone you’d have drinks

out as gay. It happened and he never really had control

with. The real appeal of this book, though, lies in the world

of it: one day, nobody knew and then everybody did. He

surrounding these two. The dispatcher at NRB and Nick’s

was bullied, of course, and though there were a few guys

gay roommate are spit-out-your-coffee funny, and you

in his class that he called friends, he never truly knew who

must read this book to learn who Carol Jenkins is. There are

he could trust.

dotty mothers, wise fathers, a goth girl at a funeral home,

Take, for example, Ben Hope.

and a Yoda-type butcher who speaks in hints. Though he’s

Ben was an older boy that Charlie hung around with some-

really basically a caricature, even Fast Eddie is someone

times, and when he really thought about it, Charlie knew

you’ll look for as you’re reading this book.

in his heart that Ben was just using him. He was all kissy and

This is the kind of story that, if it happened to you, you’d

stuff when nobody was looking but Charlie knew down-

get plenty of mileage out of it at your next party. It’s got

deep that Ben would never let anyone see them together.

romance, action, humor, and theft – how can you go

He knew for a fact that Ben even had a girlfriend.

wrong? Start “The Big Tow” and you’ll be hooked.

Ben was not forever; Charlie knew that much, and it was

“HEARTSTOPPER VOLUME 1” BY ALICE OSEMAN c.2020, Graphix Scholastic, $14.99, 288 pages

discouraging. And then he got paired up with Nick Nelson in First Period class. Just one grade ahead, Nick was tall and handsome and friendly. He had light hair, an easy smile, and he put Charlie

And sparks flew.

at ease the day they met. Soon, they were talking about

Forget the beginning of a new romance; the middle is

things outside of class. Nick got Charlie on the school rug-

where the best part is, the boy-meets-boy part where ev-

by team. They texted and emailed long after school hours

erything’s a first. First hand-hold, first hug, first kiss, that’s

and they became good friends. And Charlie started to fall

what you want to see. Sparks. Embers for a flame to come,

in love.

18 savoirflairmagazine

Book Reviews But Nick Nelson was totally straight, everybody knew that,

gender identity left her feeling awkward and alone, Sewell

right?

says. This was a time when transgender people were large-

Everybody but Nick: once, he’d had a mad crush on a girl

ly held up as “freaks.”

but that was in 7th grade. Now he couldn’t stop thinking

So Carlos kept her gender identity private, only revealing

about Charlie. He wasn’t sure what that meant, exactly,

her truth to one friend with similar passions for music experi-

but it scared him a little. Was Charlie feeling the same

mentation. Enjoying a spirited mutual challenge, she and

way?

Rachel Elkind played with new sounds until the day Elkind

While you’re reading “Heartstopper Volume 1” there are

became intrigued by Carlos’ rendition of a Bach composi-

two basic sounds that will come from your lips: “Awww-

tion reproduced with a Moog synthesizer. As it happened,

www” and “Arrrrrrgh!”

Carlos needed money to continue her work and with El-

The first will escape repeatedly because this is one really

kind’s help, that composition became an entire album

sweet book about first love and first realization. It’s gentle

they called Switched-On Bach.

and not TMI, and even if you’re well past the new-love

It did the trick: Carlos indeed made money from the mil-

stage and in a committed relationship, it’ll remind you of

lion-selling album. But it also made her famous, which led

those first where-do-I-put-my-nose kisses. Author-illustrator

to requests for interviews and intrusions about her gender

Alice Oseman tells this boy-meets-boy story with drawings

identity, a subject that she felt unnecessarily superseded

that show the roller-coaster of teenage crushes and the

her musical career.

awkwardness of early romance. Through those drawings,

And that was something she absolutely did not want...

she also quietly lets readers know that some people strug-

Over the past 40 years, Wendy Carlos has denied most re-

gle to understand their sexuality and that’s okay. To further

quests to be interviewed, including an offer extended by

the realism, there are bullies in this story, and a boy who

author Amanda Sewell for this book. No problem; Sewell

almost seems dangerous.

used an abundance of other sources to craft this biogra-

Oh, and that other sound you’ll utter?

phy, indicating that Carlos’ refusals were likely due to her

It comes at the end with a cliffhanger. Yep, you’ll have to

ire at reporters who’ve continued to focus on her gender,

wait for the Happily Ever After. Arrrrrrrgh!

continues on next page

If graphic novels are your favorites, or if you’re ready to fall in love, do it with Nick and Charlie. Made for the romantic soul, “Heartstopper Volume 1” sparks.

“WENDY CARLOS: A BIOGRAPHY” BY AMANDA SEWELL c.2020, Oxford University Press, $34.95, 264 pages It ain’t none of your beeswax. None of your business, so just keep your nose out of things. You’re on a need-to-know basis, and you don’t need to know. It’s being taken care of, never you mind, it isn’t your concern. In “Wendy Carlos: A Biography” by Amanda Sewell, some things just aren’t discussed. No one who knew Wendy Carlos as a child should’ve been surprised that she became the musician she did: Carlos’ mother’s family loved to sing and dance, and Carlos’ parents wanted to make sure she continued the tradition. They gave her piano lessons but they couldn’t afford a piano, so Carlos’ father drew piano keys on a piece of paper so she could practice. Though she was “assigned the male sex at birth,” Carlos knew early in her life that she was a girl, and was baffled that others couldn’t see that. It grew to greatly affect her: somewhat of a prodigy in music and early computing, Carlos won awards and accolades for her studies but her

savoirflairmagazine 19

Book Reviews continued from previous page

rather than on her work. The irony is that a good portion of “Wendy Carlos: A Biography” deals with Carlos’ gender

identity and her transitioning. And yet – how could it not? Sewell shows how Carlos’ giftedness and her pioneering use of then-new technology changed music, as a whole; in a way, her respectful reporting on Carlos’ transition, relative to 1960s social perceptions and to LGBTQ history, both occurring at roughly the same time, also shows another aspect to Carlos’ personality and her dogged reach for what was then rather new. Still, one can sympathize with Carlos’ wishes, which makes reading “Wendy Carlos: A Biography” feel sometimes voyeuristic. Introducing new fans to her wax is important, but check it out: does the rest of the story need to be waxed ?

“TOM OF FINLAND: THE OFFICIAL LIFE AND WORK OF A GAY HERO” BY F. VALENTINE HOOVEN III, FOREWORD BY JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER c.2020, Cernunnos, $50.00, 295 pages Sometimes, you can’t worry about other people’s thought. You can listen to them but you don’t have to hear them because there are days when making yourself happy supersedes any outside opinion, when you need to pay closer attention to you. As in the new biography “Tom of Finland” by F. Valentine Hooven III, sometimes what makes you joyful today can become a callin. Born in the mid-spring of 1920 in Kaarina, Finland, young Touko Laaksonen was raised in a community of lumberjacks and farmers. He was fascinated by those “well-muscled laborers” but he didn’t quite know why until he was an adolescent. By the time Touko understood that he was homosexual, he’d become talented at sketching the men he saw although, purely for his own enjoyment and sexual relief, he depicted those men naked and for that, he had to hide his work. He hid who he was, too: as a young man, he had a girlfriend, worked in a male-dominated world of advertising, and even served in the Finnish army during World War II, where he sketched his uniformed “buddies” as gifts for their wives and girlfriends. Uniforms. Touko couldn’t resist a man wearing one, and they were highly featured in what he called “my dirty drawings.” Those drawings included uniformed Nazi officers, artwork which got Touko “into trouble,” but had he gotten caught in his habit of having illegal, exceedingly risky anonymous sex with random men during the war, it could have been far worse. Post-war, art was enough for Touko the sexual being. Though he had a lover (a word he claimed to dislike), art

20 savoirflairmagazine

was again his release, more than any other physical act. This desire for erotica grew his portfolio throughout the 1950s, and he carefully shared it with “anyone he thought would appreciate it” — including a publisher of a ‘new kind’ of international magazine, who immediately accepted it for publication. A year later, that magazine’s cover featured “a new, exciting, never-before-published artist” who now called himself Tom of Finland. Let’s acknowledge this, up-front: “Tom of Finland” is absolutely filled with reproductions of Tom’s artwork from the 1940s through 1991, when he died. Nearly every bit of it’s explicit in nature, drawn in typical over-the-top, over-endowed Tom of Finland style. That artwork is why readers should turn their eyes away, and toward the narrative. Author F. Valentine Hooven III explains quite often in this biography — which was finished just before Tom’s death but never before published — how dangerous the mere creation of his art was for Tom of Finland: literally, many times, the drawings could have gotten him jailed or killed. This changes the meaning of the artwork, and it gives modern readers a sense of the amount of secret-keeping a gay man had to abide, pre-Stonewall. Though Hooven’s voice can be annoyingly too sunny at times, the courageous turn this story takes is irresistibly appealing, so find it. Savor it once, first, for the artwork; then, for a story that’ll fascinate you. Indeed, “Tom of Finland” will make you happy.

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TINY HOM S U ES FOR by Chloe Belle

Lisa Carton and her dog, Merlin, stand for a portrait at Carton’s tiny house in Bennington. Carton is the president of the organization Queer Connect, the town’s new and only group for LGBTQ Vermonters. Photo courtesy of Elodie Reed / VPR

During the pandemic, sales of tiny homes began skyrock-

Even if you are comfortable with the idea of the tight,

eting as homeowners looked to ditch their expensive

minimalist living spaces, you might still have a challenge

mortgages in the economic crisis for a smaller and sim-

in finding a place to put down your tiny roots, though.

pler way of life. Although when we think of gay men and

In New England, you cannot purchase tiny plots just any-

their homes, we think of stylish grand residences that are

where, for many areas have prohibited them. In Maine and

perfectly decorated with modern or antique decor. You

Vermont, tiny plots can be approved on a town-by-town

don’t think of tiny homes, although you might think that

basis. The city of Portland, Maine explicitly banned tiny

lesbians would prefer tiny homes, since it could be seen

homes as of August 2020, whereas the town of Chelsea,

as an extension of camping.

Maine now explicitly allows them.

Stereotypes aside, we find that equal numbers of gay men

TINY RAINBOW HOUSE

and lesbians have joined the “Tiny House Movement.” Just

Vermont’s Lisa Carton, the president of the community

do a YouTube search and you’ll find many videos chroni-

nonprofit Queer Connect, lives in her tiny house with

cling both gay men and lesbians’ tiny homes. Tiny homes

her dog Merlin, nestled in the hills of Bennington. The

mostly appeal to youngish LGBTQ people who, like their

300 square foot home is festooned with rainbows, from

straight counterparts, relish the affordable home owner-

the rainbow-striped panels of her front door to the rug

ship, the low ecological impact, and the ability to pick up

on her main room to her shed out back, which flew a

and change locations.

Pride flag (until very recently, a storm blew it down).

24 savoirflairmagazine

Her house is built on skids, not wheels, and it was designed to be used as an office or to be lived in full time. It does not feel “tiny,” which is a rarity in tiny homes. “The design of windows and the placement on this land,” Lisa says, “means that I see trees and nature everywhere, so it feels very spacious. It was also built with environmentally friendly materials, including reclaimed wood, with, minimal chemicals, which is important to me, as I’m chronically sensitive to chemicals. Esthetically, it’s so wonderful – like living in a work of art. People are amazed at what I have, given such a small space: I have a sauna, a drum set and several drums, and a majorly awesome espresso machine.”

Interior of Lisa’s kitchen, constructed of environmentally friendly materials

Lisa started her tiny house journey by attending a tiny house fair at Yestermorrow Design Build School in Waitsfield, VT. She took a tour and spoke with the director about becoming a “client” for their semester program. “Luckily for me,” she said, “their scheduled client backed out at the last minute and I was ready so…they custom designed and built it for me from the ground up. It was an amazing experience, in a wonderful program!” Lisa says that moving from a normal house to a tiny house was, “a wonderful journey” that required her to go through a sometimes surprising process of “refining what is important and what we can let go of.”

Interior of Lisa’s comfortable livingroom

Lisa wholeheartedly recommends tiny house living for the LGBTQ community or anyone who wants to minimally impact the environment without the large monthly mortgage payment. TINY HOUSE COMMUNITY Michigan native Alexander Weyer is a single gay man who built his tiny home himself. If Alexander had to flag the moment when he decided to build a tiny home, he says Exterior of Lisa’s home nestled on a peaceful site

continues on next page

savoirflairmagazine 25

Alexander Weyer outside of his partially built tiny home. Photos by Andrew Potter courtesy of Pride Media

that it started three years ago, and the idea occurred to him in the same place most of his thoughts arrive: under the stars. Alexander is a practicing astrologer and herbalist, and he was visiting a friend, sitting outside on a clear night, talking about life’s grand design and talking about how freeing it would be to downsize. “My friend was playing with the idea of having a tinyhouse community, and how idealistic and free-feeling it

choosing tiny homes for their sense of commitment and for changing themselves and their lifestyles, so dramatically, for a lot of incredibly noble and whimsical reasons. That commitment to drastic change seemed frightening yet enlivening to my senses and I knew I wanted to explore the idea further, even just to satisfy my imagination.” “Today,” Alexander says,“it’s so much a part of my life that I can barely remember when it started.”

would be,” he says. “I was really attracted to the idea that

He says that living tiny “is also about having to spend

I could be so much closer to my friends and my com-

less time on keeping track and care of my ‘things’ and my

munity if we all lived small together.” In just over a year,

‘spaces.’ I can focus more of my vital energy into my work

Alexander began building a tiny home.

and the impact I seek to have with the people I can reach in my communities.”

A tiny home was a departure from his upbringing in a a moderately-sized home in Novi, Michigan, where Alexander grew up as the youngest of three children. He says that he saw a tiny home as an opportunity to reduce his carbon footprint and live off the grid. He says that he will move his astrology business to his tiny home, and it will become the hub for all his herbal medicines. He said that he could even see himself taking his tiny home on the road in the future, to ethically source his herbal remedies. Alexander says that the commitment to a tiny home was not easy to make, wasn’t quite sure it was for me right away,” he says, “but I admired the people who were

26 savoirflairmagazine

Interior of Alexander’s partially built tiny home

TINY HOMES FOR US

He says that he thinks back to his non-tiny life with relief.

you can’t?” he said. “Begin now, because the time will pass

“I was always subconsciously aware that my basement

anyway, and I bet you’d rather wake up in three years liv-

needed to be thoroughly cleaned out – for the past 12

ing your dream life rather than wishing you had started

years! That kind of thing can be an incredible sap of en-

three years ago.”

ergy on your life,” Alexander said, “without even realizing the full extent of it.”

Alexander reminds those who want to live in a tiny home that they can always sell it or rent it out at any point, if it

In the tiny house, he says, “I can rid myself of all the extra-

doesn’t work out.

neous energy saps that hold me back from giving my all to the present and our future.”

He recommends the build-it-yourself process, “Seriously, be prepared to give yourself at least three or four times

For now, Alexander is living in the home alone, but he is

as much time as you think you’ll need to get this done, yet

open to visitors who want to experience living small for

know that it has the capacity to feel at least 10 to 1,000

a few nights. For anyone who is considering building a tiny

times more worth it than you can imagine at the begin-

home, he offers this advice: “Don’t be afraid to play with

ning,” he says.

your life.” “Like life, it will be best if you can think of the journey and “If you can make it work and you feel called to make a

process of building it as the destination rather than rush-

drastic change for the better, why waste time pretending

ing to reach the finish line. Also like life, don’t be afraid to ask for help.You’ll need it.” Alexander says that his favorite part of tiny house living is that “standing inside the framed structure of my future feels all-encompassing and accurately reflective of who I am as a whole person. Every decision about this project – from the dream of it to laying the first piece of plywood down as my subfloor – has been mine.” “This isn’t someone else’s leftover shell that I’m moving into. It was something that I was personally bringing into reality, straight out of the ether, and it was an incredible privilege to get to feel this way. It feels a bit like being a pioneer I suppose. Exploring a new territory in lifestyle choices.” THE TINY HOME MOVEMENT If you want to learn more about life in a tiny home, YouTube is full of LGBTQ couples and individuals whose

Exterior with loft in progress of Alexander’s partially built tiny home

vlogs chronicle their experiences buying, building, and renovating tiny homes. One of the most prolific tiny home gay couples is Tyler + Todd, a Canadian couple with about 65 thousand subscribers, who moved into their continues on next page

savoirflairmagazine 27

TINY HOMES FOR US

Tyler and Todd on their Vlog channel on Youtube

tiny home on wheels in fall 2019. They started traveling full-time as ‘digital nomads,’ living in a converted RV with their two dogs, Charlie and Eddie. At first, they toured the United States, but due to travel restriction, they returned to Nova Scotia, where they purchased land for their off-grid home. Each week, they publish a video that chronicles their progress. A recent vlog describes the challenges of preparing the site. “We’re trying to get control over the mosquitos

that got stirred up when the driveway went in for the tiny house. We’re so excited to see the vision coming together and can’t wait to move to the land and into our off-grid tiny home!” When they installed a wood stove in their tiny home, one loyal YouTube fan wrote, “You may not be professionals in many of the projects you undertake, but the results are always top-notch! Wish I was half as handy as you both. Your banter always brings a smile to my face! Thanks for sharing!” Many followers are struck by how well Tyler and Todd get along. While many people might imagine that living in a tiny house with their partner would be challenging, they make it seem effortless. There’s no wonder they have almost 65,000 follows on YouTube! Whether you’re single or partnered, or living with or without children, a tiny home can be a rewarding lifestyle, offering a minimal impact on the environment, financial freedom, and possible travel adventures, with very little downside. As Alexander Weger says, “you can always rent it out,” and get another regular-sized place, where you can start filling up the basement with boxes of old books and papers, abandoned projects, and cobwebs that will weigh on your conscience again.

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Jim Anderson Stained Glass

ARTIST The premier stained glass artist on the East Coast, Jim Anderson has been a proud LGBTQ artist and business owner since 1975. For more than 30 years, he has continued the tradition of rare art with craftsmanship that has been passed down since the Middle Ages. From his studio in Boston’s South End, Jim produces customized stained glass window accents and entrance doors for Brownstones throughout historic Boston in addition to larger works for public sites such as the GoverBelow: A decorative skylight in a Boston home

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nor’s office and hotels like the Omni Parker House and the Back Bay Hilton. As Boston Herald writer Janet Pasquale wrote, “Thousands of people walk past Jim Anderson’s artwork every day on Boston streets and probably don’t even realize it.” As one national publication aptly put it, “A door isn’t just a door and a window

isn’t just a window once Jim Anderson has added his masterly touch to it. He describes his work as illuminated paintings.” Jim’s work has incorporated diverse subject matter ranging from ancient Greek mythology to popular children stories to scenes from nature and scripture, a further attestation to his exceptional artistic ability.

original designs. His studio produces custom-designed windows for intimate settings like nurseries and breweries, as well as larger public spaces where he says his work is “not just a painting on a wall. It’s a building and everyone sees it. It changes the whole neighborhood.” In addition to the numerous local works that can be seen all over Boston, Jim has been commissioned to create one-of-a-kind projects all over the world, as far away as South Africa.

His studio was awarded Best of Boston, 2020, and he has been a regular contributor to the television series This Old House, Restore America, and History Channel. His work has been featured in a wide range of leading national and local publications.

Jim is certainly an accomplished, talented, member of our community, setting an exceptional example of dedicated creativity for all to admire.

Jim started out as a painter where he studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, but he says, “As soon as I took a glass course, the light and the density of color totally blew me away. My favorite things are art and architecture, and stained glass is both.” Jim is one of the few stained glass artists whose glasswork includes painted, etched, and engraved glass from savoirflairmagazine 33

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JEWELRY DESIGNER

ALEXIS BITTAR Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

By Nicholas McCarty Today there are many openly LGBTQ jewelry designers who use their notoriety to support our community. New York born, Alexis Bittar is one of them. Alexis Bittar is largely a fashion jeweler, working in lucite and other non-fine materials. Michelle Obama wore his work frequently during the Obama Administration’s tenure. In 2013, he wrote a blog post on his website detailing the importance of LGBTQ Pride, in conjunction with the celebration of Marriage Equality. Alexis Bittar Designer was the CEO of his eponymous jewelry company which was credited for reviving the art of costume jewelry movement in the1990s. Bittar sold his entire company to Brooks Brothers in 2015 and parted ways with the business.

Alexis Bittar, in 2004, in one of his 9 jewelry boutiques, opened in the USA

His designs and rise to fame started in 2004 when Bittar was named “Rising Star of the Year” by the Prestigious Accessories Council of Excellence (ACE), in 2010 he won the CFDA Accessory Designer of the Year award, in November 2014 he received the Brand of the year from ACE

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36 savoirflairmagazine

cite and steel furniture for The Cooper Hewitt Museum. In 1998, Bittar launched the first of what would become many designer collaborations, working with Burberry, the British luxury fashion house. Bittar designed Burberryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Ready-to-wear jewelry collection, interpreting their trademark plaid onto Lucite. Subsequent collaborations include legendary stylist and costume designer Patricia Field for Sex and the City, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, Estee Lauder, Michael Kors, Jason Wu Jeremy Scott, Michael Angel, and Phillip Lim. In 1988 Alexis Bittar began to design his own line of jewelry. He bought his first block of Lucite in 1990 and holed up in his apartment figuring out how to hand carve it into the jewelry vision he had. Now, over 30 years later, that original vision of handcrafted jewelry is a core pillar of the brand, reinforced by the factory in Industry City, Brooklyn.

continues on next page

Liquid Gold Armor Ring

Using Lucite and semi-precious stones and metals, Bittar began selling handmade pieces on the streets of Soho. Dawn Mello, the fashion director of Bergdorf Goodman, discovered his work in 1992 and agreed to carry his designs, followed by Saks Fifth Avenue, the Museum of Modern Art, Harrods, and Isetan in Japan. In 1996 he designed a limited edition set of homewares for Barneys New York and Takashimaya and a collection of Lu-

Large Druzy Medallion Bib Necklace

savoirflairmagazine 37

JEWELRY DESIGNER ALEXIS BITTAR continued from previous page

In 1999 he designed the first Burberry´s first Ready-to-Wear jewelry collection. Michelle Obama regularly chose to wear Alexis Bittar pieces. Other iconic celebrities who have been seen wearing the brand are: Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Solange Knowles, Nina Dobrev, Shailene Woodley, Cameron Diaz, Alicia Keys, and Christina Aguilera. In 2004, Alexis opened his first boutique on Broome St. and went on to open a total of 9 stores in the US. Alexis Bittar is known for celebrating women who are independent thinkers and nonconformists. He’s used a variety of women throughout his advertising ads and has worked hard in terms of fighting ageism.

In spring 2015, Alexis Bittar cast two of the industry’s most well-known names in his ads, 93-year-old fashion eccentric Iris Apfel, and Tavi Gevinson, the teen blogger turned rookie editor turn Broadway star. The ads were meant to highlight the essence of strong women. In Fall 2015, Zoe Kravitz fronts Bittar. The ad showcases Kravitz’s style. In 2010, Bittar entered into a partnership with Private Equity company TSG Consumer Partners and later sold to Carolee, the jewelry arm of Brooks Brothers. Bittar currently pursues philanthropy including LGBTQ charities. After he sold his business to Brooks Brothers in 2016, he exclusively works in philanthropy.

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In 2008 he opened his second store in New York. In 2010 he opened a boutique on Madison Avenue and later that year two in Los Angeles and one in San Francisco. One year later he opened his seventh boutique in Chicago. In 2010, Alexis Bittar featured Joan Collins as the face of his Spring campaign. Bittar wanted to mimic 80’s fashion and believed Joan was perfect for this role considering she was the 1980’s soap opera Queen. The muse behind Alexis Bittar’s Spring 2011 ad campaign was no other than 70’s icon Lauren Hutton. Like Collins, Lauren portrayed a 70’s vibe throughout the campaign. He later cast the leading ladies of AbFab, Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley in 2011. Two strong and sometimes unconventional women. In Spring 2014, Alexis Bittar was one of the first brands to feature a transgender model in an ad campaign with Ines Rao.

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LGBTQ WEDDING PHOTOGRAHER

Christine

HOCHKEPPEL SALTY BROAD STUDIOS

Interview questions by Sharon Levine

SF: Tell us about yourself, background, education, etc.

CH: I became interested in photography at a young age and enjoyed photographing my friends in run-down houses or next to dilapidated farm equipment. Growing up in the suburbs of Northern Virginia was relatively safe and dull so I found myself desperately rummaging for culture and adventure in the local thrift shop and used bookstore. I went to Boston University where I studied photojournalism and sociology. Other college-era highlights include expanding my culinary horizons beyond fast food and catching just about every live show at the

Below: Janie and Cristina during their portrait session outside the Church of the Holy Spirit in Orleans on their wedding day, August, 31, 2019.

Paradise Rock Club that I could afford. In an unlikely turn of events, I ended up landing a job related to my degree almost instantly after graduation and continued to work as a newspaper staff photographer for the first 12 years of my career. I started at a weekly publication and then moved on to mid-sized dailies like the Cape Cod Times and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. I often photographed 3-5 assignments each day and it was this volume of shooting and storytelling that prepared me for running my own business and covering weddings. The uncertainty of a news day is similar to a wedding day timeline. The resiliency I developed in responding to sudden changes in news has taught me to be nimble and be ready for the unexpected.

CH: I now live on Cape Cod with my wife, Steph, and our furbabies, Hunter, a black lab, LeRoi, an elder cat, and Raye, a young fluffball feline. We spend our free time on Sandy Neck beach soaking up the sun by day and building bonfires by night. I enjoy cooking, road cycling, hiking and collecting vintage vinyl. I volunteer as a mentor with the small business accelerator EforAll and I am an avid charity cyclist. I also am a strong supporter of the National MS Society and in the five years Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve raised over $17,000 for the nonprofit.

42 savoirflairmagazine

W SF: What's your photographic style? CH: My style is rooted in the traditions of photojournalism – candid pictures driven by emotion. I do pose couples during portrait sessions, but for the majority of the wedding day, I am observing and documenting moments rather than staging the scene. I don’t identify with any boutique editing trends like “light and airy” or “dark and moody” because I believe that wedding photography should stand the test of time. Genuine moments are always relevant and impactful.

continues on next page

SF: How did you get interested in photography as a career? CH: I was drawn to photography as a teenager simply because I enjoyed making art inspired by the beauty of my friendships. I photographed my friends with vigor and wallpapered my bedroom with black and white prints from the darkroom. As I grew up and found my niche studying photojournalism in college, I became enamored by the power of the decisive moment. I was fascinated with that challenge of capturing action while composing the frame aesthetically.

Top: Janie and Cristina during their portrait session at First Encounter Beach in Eastham on their wedding day, August, 31, 2019. Middle: Nate and Dave walk down the aisle together after their wedding ceremony at the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown on September 7, 2019. Bottom : Nate and Dave share a wedding day kiss standing on the granite wall of the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown on September 7, 2019.

savoirflairmagazine 43

SF: What are the advantages of being a member of our LGBTQ community, when photographing a same-sex wedding? CH: I actually just wrote a blog post about this! I spent a lot of time engaging with my LGBTQ clients on the topic so we could come up with a comprehensive and thoughtful list. We decided that the five benefits that resonated most were: 1. Comfort 2. Sensitivity 3. Camaraderie 4. Laughter and 5. Advocacy. Supporting a LGBTQ-owned business means that you are helping bring success to fellow members of the LGBTQ community and simultaneously you are working with a professional who has the personal perspective to understand the same-sex marriage journey.

SF: How do you approach photographing a LGBTQ wedding and is it a different approach than a heterosexual wedding? CH: I can’t say that there’s much of a difference between how I interact with a hetero couple verses a LGBTQ one. I don’t typically rely on gender norms or stereotypes for any portrait poses, in fact, I often omit those traditional continued from previous page

SF: Do you have a favorite(s) photographer who has inspired you? CH: I have always looked to the masters of documentary photography to inspire my own work, like Diane Arbus, Eugene Richards, Annie Liebovitz and Gary Winogrand. Some of my favorite contemporary photographers are Lynsey Addario, Barbara Davidson and Preston Gannaway. SF: Do you think female photographers shoot differently? CH: I think every photographer has a different way of seeing the world. Sometimes I think women have a slight advantage in capturing intimate moments because they are generally believed to be more empathetic, but regardless of the stereotypes, a photographer’s genuine interest in the subject and telling his, her or their story accurately and with compassion is what creates a great photo.

44 savoirflairmagazine

shots. With my LGBTQ couples, I try to get a thorough understanding of the family dynamics in case there are any sensitive relationships.

SF: Other than the obvious, how are LGBTQ weddings

ment and making sure the couple has budgeted enough

different? How are they unexpectedly the same?

of it to achieve their visual goals. Many couples experi-

CH: At the LGBTQ weddings I have photographed, there

ence “photo fatigue” even if they are 100% on board with

definitely seems to be more of a genuine appreciation for

taking lots of photos. So many factors can make photo

the “right to marry.” Most LGBTQ couples acknowledge

sessions unexpectedly challenging, like wind, rain or

this during their ceremony and it’s an excellent way to

extreme heat. I think the top priority should always be

express gratitude and to honor the struggle of the queer

the couple’s portrait session. You want to make sure you

brothers and sisters who made sacrifices and fought for

leave enough time for that. Be mindful of the number of

these rights. LGBTQ and straight weddings are actually

family photo combinations you request. An hours-long

quite similar in the sense that the day is simply the cel-

list may exhaust you and deplete your energy for your

ebration of a couples’ love and commitment to one an-

couple’s portrait. You need to stay fresh, so keep your

other — #samelove.

list manageable and focus on your priorities.

SF: What is the biggest challenge when photographing a

SF: Do you do engagement photography as well as

wedding for an LGBTQ couple?

weddings, and if so, how do you approach it?

CH: I don’t find that there is any major challenge directly

CH: Yes, I do engagement photography and I think it’s re-

related to photographing an LGBTQ couple. The biggest

ally helpful for both the couple and for the photographer

challenge, in general, for any wedding is time manage-

continues on next page

savoirflairmagazine 45

continued from previous page

to have that time to get to know each other before the

SF: Are there different wedding poses that you suggest

wedding day. First, I have the couple fill out an engage-

for an LGBTQ couple than for a heterosexual couple?

ment session questionnaire if they don’t already have a

CH: Not really. It more depends on the dynamic of the

specific vision in mind for the session. Then we sched-

couple than their genders. For instance, I wouldn’t typi-

ule a meeting or phone call to discuss location options and outfit ideas. I structure my sessions fairly casually; often, we are just walking along a beach or in a park. I think it’s a good idea to kick off the session with a little activity like a snack (French fries! Ice cream!) or a re-

cally suggest that two men do a lift on the beach and spin around, but if their personalities are more whimsical and flamboyant, why not? If the couple is more serious or introverted, we might just stick with holding

freshing beverage. This breaks the ice a little bit and gets

hands and forehead kisses. Regardless of sexual orien-

the couple more comfortable. Since I don’t really follow

tation, it can be a little uncomfortable for some folks

any gender-role designations, I tend to suggest a pose

to be photographed while being affectionate with their

and then reverse it, like I’ll have one partner kiss the

partner, so I always try to have a conversation about that

other on the cheek and then we’ll switch. Not every pose

before the shoot.

works for everyone, so this allows for a lot of variety.

46 savoirflairmagazine

continues on page 48

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SF: Can you describe in detail your favorite LGBTQ wedding and why? CH: I don’t think I could choose just one because I truly enjoy working with all of my LGBTQ couples. They tend to be my favorite clients because they are less fixated on perfection and societal norms. My LGBTQ couples are more comfortable living in the moment and being themselves rather than emulating the pages of a magazine. I will say that my favorite part of any wedding, but particularly with LGBTQ couples, is being the first person to congratulate the elated couple as they blissfully walk down the aisle for the first time as a married couple.

Below: Meghan and Dani during their portrait session on their wedding day at the Provincetown Inn on Friday, October 5, 2018.

continued from page 46

SF: Without naming names, do you have any interesting or amusing stories when working with same-sex wedding couple? I worked with a groom/groom couple who got married at the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown and they wrote their own ceremony. It was super intentional with lots of great contributions from their family and friends, but the most memorable part was at the end of the ceremony, they asked all of their guests to participate in a singa-long of Elton John’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” from The “Lion King”. They even had designated family members hold up signs with all of the lyrics so guests could follow along. It was so special and heartwarming. Everyone got into it. I’m pretty sure I was singing, too.

48 savoirflairmagazine

SF: What's the weirdest wedding pose or picture you've been asked to photograph? CH: Certainly one of the craziest wedding events I photographed was a “polar plunge” by the brides the morning after their wedding day in Provincetown. The brides put their gowns back on, did a champagne toast with their guests and then ran into the water with whoever was brave enough to join them. It was in early October so the water was frigid, but it was a fantastic way to cap the celebration. I even put my waders on and photographed their dive into Cape Cod Bay. continues on next page

Right: Brennan and Josue on their wedding day in Provincetown on May 7, 2018. Below: Meghan and Dani’s first dance at Provincetown Inn on Friday, October 5, 2018.

Above: Ashley and Dani during their wedding day portrait session at Red Jacket Resort in South Yarmouth on October 20, 2018.

continued from previous page

SF: What advice would you give a young member of our community wanting to become a photographer? CH: Start shadowing other photographers and assisting. Be open-minded about new opportunities. Learn everything you can about being a photographer. Look at other photographers’ work. Be humble. Remember to share your experience with other young photographers when the time comes. SF: Are there any questions that you would like to be asked and we haven’t? CH: I’d love to touch on why photographing LGBTQ wed-

PHOTOGRAPHER CONTACT INFORMATION

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THE LGBTQ CAR MARKETING

LGBTQ CAR MARKETING

BLUEPRINT By John Axelrod There’s no doubt that our

ous and the safety-conscious,

purchasing decisions project

to lawyers, teachers, and archi-

our identity to the world.

tects.

There are few products that

One Japanese car maker has

do so as powerfully as cars.

created a brand identity ca-

You are what you drive, as

tering to lesbians. Yes, you

they say. Now, it seems that

guessed it: Subaru was the

every brand of a motor ve-

first to market its vehicles to

hicle has a stereotype at-

the LGBTQ community, star-

tached. Marketers have long

ing in the 1990s. According to

relied on this to sell cars

Tim Bennett, Subaru’s former

with this identity-focused

marketing director, people still

campaigns.

want to talk about it. In a re-

Historically, we’ve seen vehi-

cent interview, he jokes that

cles targeted to families and

the company’s original

speed demons, to the young

LGBTQ campaign is “the gift

and the old, to the adventur-

continues on page 54

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LGBTQ CAR MARKETING BLUEPRINT continued from previous page that keeps on giving.” Back in the 1990s Subaru’s sales in the USA were floundering as they faced steep competition from other Japanese makers, including Toyota, Nissan, and Honda, who were all having some success breaking into the U.S. market. At the time, Subaru was a relative small player, with a smaller marketing budget. In addition, it only sold four-wheel-drive vehicles for outdoorsy types, and equipped its cars with horizontally-opposed “boxer” engines, which were great for towing and carrying heavy loads thanks to their increased torque, but the average Ameri-

can car buyer wasn’t necessarily looking for these attributes in a vehicle. After analyzing their automobile market, Subaru found that their cars attracted highly educated customers who appreciated and understood the technology—and were willing to pay for it. Subaru started to make advances in the U.S. market by appealing to five core consumer groups, including medical workers, education professionals, IT professionals, adventure sports enthusiasts, and single-woman households—who turned out to be lesbians. continues on page 56

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LGBTQ CAR MARKETING BLUEPRINT continued from page 54 Subaru didn’t go out and target lesbians right away. They actually emerged as as vital customers in a series of focus groups and customer surveys that the company conducted across the U.S. in the early 90s. It took nine months after the initial research for Subaru to realize that it had the opportunity to do more than just sell cars to these consumers. With smart branding and strategy, it could become part of their community and support them. After all, lesbians were already supporting Subaru by buying their cars. Former Subaru Marketing Director Tim Bennett says in an interview, “while inclusion for LGBTQ groups is one thing, they are ultimately people who just want to be spoken to and respected like everyone else,” so Subaru’s marketing breakthrough consisted taking the revolutionary step of daring to speak to LGBTQ people as people, not just as consumers. Bennet says that they learned that if you wanted to “focus your message, whether it’s to

women, whether it’s to, in our case, the LGBTQ consumer, or other subsets,” you should “speak to them directly.” “One of the focuses that we always employed,” he says, “was speaking to people for who they are, not what they are.” The LGBTQ community was quick to notice that Subaru was aligning its marketing with their community’s needs and values, and soon Subaru’s research was showing that lesbian and gay consumers loved cars like the Forrester because it supported their lifestyle. Subaru enhanced this campaign by partnering with openly lesbian tennis player Martina Navratilova, who was launching their Rainbow credit card at the time, and then they took the additional step of supporting a number of LGBTQ-focused charities and health organizations. “It’s no surprise that “philanthropy was a big part of what they [lesbians] wanted to see. They said it’s very easy to just market to somebody, but how are you going to give continues on page 58

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LGBTQ CAR MARKETING BLUEPRINT continued from page 56 back to the community, if we don’t support it as they’ve supported us?” Tim Bennett said. During the Clinton era of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” Subaru was doing something no one else in the automotive industry had dared to do: take lesbians seriously not just

as a consumer base, but as a community with values and political positions. Naturally, some people on the far-right, and in right-wing religious groups took issue with the campaign and sent in mountains of hate mail. Bennett thinks he’s got thousands of letters, and muses about making a book out of them one day. The letters were usually poorly written and badly worded declarations, from individuals and groups, stating that they would never buy a Subaru and that the company would “burn in hell.” Wisely, Subaru never engaged with them. Whether the company understood it or not, it was now pushing the industry in a new direction. Its shift to a more diverse and more inclusive marketing strategy was also helping the company transform its internal understanding of LGBTQ rights. Subaru’s marketing team proposed internal company changes to translate this LGBTQ-inclusive campaign into labor policy in the factories and corporate offices. Surprisingly, they got the go-ahead in a matter of minutes. This was essential to Subaru’s popularity among the LGBTQ community. It’s easy to run some LGBTQ community focused ads, but for campaigns to really have credibility, the company must stand by its messaging. Tim Bennett said in an interview that “one of the most satisfying

58 savoirflairmagazine

outcomes were the numerous elevator conversations” where employees thanked him for championing the lesbian campaign and gay workers’ rights. Subaru’s success had other manufacturers paying attention. Naturally they wanted a piece of the action. Despite some jitters over the LGBTQ targeted campaign, car companies couldn’t continue to ignore it when Subaru’s declining sales were turned around by the LGBTQ campaign. In the years that followed this remarkable U-turn, there was no question about the fact that the highly targeted and human approach worked. Finally, by the late 90s, there were around a dozen carmakers marketing to the LGBTQ community, but most of their campaigns came across as nothing more than a grab for sales. Industry statistics have found that the LGBTQ consumer demographic is responsible for between a few billion dollars to $830 billion to even $1 trillion in sales. The industry discovered that “gay people buy cars!” Bennett exclaimed. It had become “in vogue,” but few approached it with the same conviction that Subaru did. “They all got in, they all got out,” Bennett said, he adds that it was more of a bandwagon thing than a genuine participation in the LGBTQ community.

Many never stuck with the LGBTQ marketing strategy or showed the same commitment as Subaru. According to Bennett, Lexus is the only car company doing anything of note for the LGBTQ market in the U.S., but even then, its efforts don’t appear to be that visible. Even when other automakers sought to compete for the LGBTQ market, Subaru was always able to stay one step ahead, though. When Ford started buying print ads and taking space away from the Japanese carmaker, Subaru

LGBTQ CAR MARKETING BLUEPRINT aired television ads on MTV’s gayfocused cable channel. By running gay and lesbian-focused TV spots to a dedicated audience, the plucky East Asian car company was able to hold ground against the American car makers. Subaru’s marketing to the LGBTQ community did convince companies like Ford to change their discriminatory internal policies. Why haven’t other car companies’ campaigns connected? Because they treat their audience as consumers and not as people, which was a harder lesson for automakers to internalize. But there are exceptions. Once Tesla started to support Pride events with branded vehicles, Elon Musk’s company has become one of the most popular car brands among the LGBTQ community. In 2015 and then again in 2019, Tesla scored highly when it came to working conditions for its LGBTQ employees, according to a study by YouGov. Nissan has attempted to court the LGBTQ car consumers, although the company has been hit with lawsuits alleging that factory workers have been harassed for being openly LB-

GTQ. Nissan made the mistake of not supporting their LGBTQ workers. As Subaru found, if you want to attract the LGBTQ car buyer, your pro-LGBTQ policies have to be implemented internally in addition to the commercials. French carmaker Renault, celebrated 30 years of its Clio hatchback with a television spot that featured the saga of two girls who fall in love. While some applauded Renault for running a same-sex campaign, and for exploring the progress the LGBTQ community has made alongside the Clio automobile, the approach has not gone without its criticism. Harron Walker on the website Vice said, “This gay car commercial is the straightest thing I’ve ever seen. All it means is that LGBTQ inclusion in commercial imagery is good for business!” In order to avoid the artificiality of reducing LGBTQ issues to marketing tinsel, companies are acknowledging that LGBTQ customers know when a company stands with the them in ways that extend beyond its ads. As a result of the discussions that emerged from its same-sex ad campaign, Renault signed the UN’s

Below: Renault television ad featuring the saga of two girls who fall in love

Free and Equal Charter and pledged to educate its managers on LGBTQ issues. Subaru continued its LGBTQ campaign into the mid-2000s. The brand is still popular to this day with the LGBTQ community, for the company’s efforts to recognize the community as people, to support LGBTQ charities, and to change its own internal policies haven’t been forgotten. Now as auto brands like Renault and Tesla are also getting involved, it’s clear that marketing to LGBTQ consumers has come a long way, and that supporting LGBTQ consumers has become a much more normal thing. But as companies are finding, it doesn’t matter whether they are selling automobiles or furniture, LGBTQ customers are paying attention to their policies and their effects on their LGBTQ workers. Marketing has to be accompanied by LGBTQ-friendly labor policies, or the astute, community-conscious LGBTQ community won’t buy.

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