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CONTENTS
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 18
62
Las Vegas Bar & Nightclub Schedule
64
Queen of Sin City Inagural Pageant Crowns Winner
73
World AIDS Day
75
Number 1 Escape Room - L.A.’s Hottest Trend Hits Vegas!
EVENTS
ARTICLES
19
PRIDE Family Holiday Onesie Bingo
8
Welcome
41
Las Vegas PRIDE 2018
10
Community Wrap-Up
44
Pride Fort Lauderdale
20
Vegas Strong
TRANSPRIDE
69
PRIDE Family Emoji Bingo
24
Trans Pride Nevada
83
Guide to Las Vegas TransPride
29
Aspen Gay Ski Week
85
Welcome
Community Events
32
Human Nature
86
Trans Day of Visibility
28
Aspen Gay Ski Week
38
93
TransPride Schedule of Events
60
Coronation XX
‘Twas the Knight Returning for Third Season
History of the Transgender Flag
Guide to TransPride 2017
Parade Award Recipients
96
81
42 45
Love Wins Again at Pride Fort Lauderdale
98
Understanding the Roles of Las Vegas PRIDE & Las Vegas TransPride
47
Coco Montrese
100 PRIDE 101
50
LGBT Community Directory
104 Comfortable in Their Own Skin
54
Las Vegas Guide Map
56
Giving Back
111 Supporting the Transgender People in Your lIfe
Holiday Events & Shows 31
Human Nature
36
The Nutcracker
40
‘Twas the Knight
116 Trans Deaths White Privilege
PUBLISHER Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc. EDITOR Ernie Yuen LAYOUT & DESIGN Jake Naylor ADVERTISING Ernie Yuen, Lyndon R. Marquez & Clair Koetitz PHOTOGRAPHY Justin O’Keith, Barbara Maeker, Yev Z Photography ON THE COVER Toby Allen, Phil Burton, Andrew & Mike Tierney of Human Nature / Photo Courtesy of SPI Entertainment CONTRIBUTORS Briana Lake, Selena Nagaoka Finnell, Pamela Herr, Clair Koetitz, Rachel Korfman, Calvin Marques, Jr., Dennis McBride, Coco Montrese, Justin O’Keith, Lyndon Marquez, Yev Z Photography, Randy Slovacek THANK YOU Excalibur Hotel & Casino, Tournament of Kings, The Neon Museum Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc. (SNAPI). No part of this publication, including stories, artwork, advertising or photos, may be reproduced without written permission from SNAPI. For information regarding the Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine or to advertise in future issues, contact SNAPI at 4001 S. Decatur Blvd. #37-540, Las Vegas, NV 89103-5800, (866) 930-3336 or email ernie@lasvegaspride.org. For information regarding Las Vegas PRIDE events, visit www.lasvegaspride.org. The appearance of any person, business or organization in this publication, by name, advertisement or photograph, is not an indication of sexual orientation. SNAPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin, disability or sexual orientation.
6 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
Welcome
By Ernie “Pineapple” Yuen, Executive Director, Las Vegas PRIDE
Aloha!
Here we are in production of the last issue in our 2017 Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine run. I can’t believe it’s been 3 years. 2017 has been a whirlwind of emotions, a lot has taken place here in Las Vegas, so many amazing events have happened, always moving our Las Vegas LGBT community forward.
PRIDE 2017 was a success! We celebrated our 2nd year back at Sunset Park; Changes? We got rid of 1 of our stages and decreased the footprint of the festival, we made some great accomplishments, but we also know there could be some improvements. Right after our Festival, the Board of Directors met and came up with a lot of great ideas for improvements. Our Parade went well, there was a great turnout and all of our after parties and PRIDE events did great, all of our sponsors and venue hosts were extremely happy. We promise to bring back the PRIDE Pets and Kid’s Zone for 2018. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we were not able to produce either of these activations this year, but plans are already being made for a presence in 2018. “Thank you!” to all of our amazing volunteers that helped with over 20 planned events during our
On the night of October 1, 2017, a gunman opened fire on a crowd of 22,000 concert goers at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on the Las Vegas Strip, leaving 58 people dead and 546 injured. Although this was a horrible tragedy, it helped strengthen the Las Vegas Community and brought us all together as one. We must all come together to support and help each other heal. We’ll take each day one step at a time, Vegas Strong! Mid November brings TransPride 2017- Las Vegas PRIDE is honored to be able to help Las Vegas TransPride, Jamie, and her team with over 7 days of events. Please join us, it’s going to be a great series of events.
week of PRIDE. Without our strong volunteer support team, we could not have accomplished what we did. Speaking of volunteers, The Board of Directors of Las Vegas PRIDE is looking for community members to join our Associate Board. We are always looking for new talent, with a different outlook and fresh ideas to join our Associate Board. Joining the Associate Board is a great introduction to our organization. Once involved, you’ll see the ins-and-outs of what we do and the process of producing our PRIDE Festival, Parade and many events. The PRIDE Board meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the LGBT Center at 6:00pm
On December 1st, Worlds Aids Day, join Afan as they turn the town RED. Las Vegas PRIDE Family Bingo is doing better than ever! December is Onesie Holiday Bingo and our first Bingo for 2018 will be our Las Vegas PRIDE Wheel of Fortune Emoji Bingo. We are happy to have Ginger Grant and La Cherry as co-hosts for Bingo. Please join us! Las Vegas PRIDE Family Bingo is held the first Wednesday of each month, with a different theme, please dress up for our costume contest, we also celebrate monthly birthdays which are always fun and full of surprises. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc. we want to wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays and a joyous and safe New Year. Eat lots, enjoy each other’s company, be safe, and if you’re drinking, please don’t drive. Please be nice to one another. Season’s Greetings! In PRIDE, Ernie “Pineapple” Yuen Executive Director Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc.
8 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
the weather cooperated with a bright sunny day. Wednesday was dedicated to the ladies with a great evening at Flair Nightclub. The evening started with a round of speed dating followed by Comedy Night highlighting the talents of Shawn Pelofsky, comedian, actress. She has a quick wit and it is such fun watching her interact with the audience, everyone had a wonderful entertaining time. The evening continued with a Titillating Ladies Night Dance Party. A great evening of fun, entertainment and dancing was had by all attending.
COMMUNITY
WRAP-UP
By Clair Koetitz & Lyndon Marquez
Las Vegas PRIDE month has come to an end. It was quite a month, along with the PRIDE events taking place, the Center held their annual fundraiser the Honorarium and this year’s event was a huge success while trying a different format at Moon at The Palms. This year had a more laid-back appeal which was nice. The event was named Honorarium “Unplugged” emphasizing the semi casual atmosphere.
space in Commercial Center and are having an open house and art walk on November 11th at their new location. Put the date on your calendar and plan on joining them for the event.
PRIDE week was a busy busy week, starting with the annual Turnabout event at Charlies on Saturday October 14th, this is always a fun event with some of our boys doing drag for the first and possibly last time. They always look great and have a The Holy Order of the Sin Sity Sisters wonderful time trying something new of Preputial Indulgence held their for them. 2nd annual Project Nunway at The Space, this too was a great success Sunday found us at Alexis Park All and we want to mention that they Suite Resort for the kick-off pool party. are moving to a new permanent The event is always a great time and 10 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
Thursday was a highlight with a new event to Las Vegas, “Queen of Sin City’s” inaugural pageant. The event has been planned for a year and it showed. It was a full evening with guest performers filling in the evening between the competition events which included an evening gown category, talent category and question and answer category. We would like to congratulate Chevelle Brooks – Queen of Sin City 2017 for being crowned as the winner of the first annual pageant. Thanks to the committee for all their hard work in putting on this fabulous event. Everyone appeared to have a fantastic time. Thanks also to the host hotel Texas Station, it was a perfect venue for this event. The evening ended with a Queen of Sin City Pageant After Party at Flair Nightclub with many fantastic guest performers entertaining during the evening. Friday brought everyone out for the 19th annual PRIDE Night Parade sponsored by MGM Resorts. The evening started with a fun preparade party held at The Urban Lounge Las Vegas with a live DJ and drink specials. A fantastic pre-parade show continued at the main stage at 4th and Bridger hosted by Brandon
Michael. A variety of entertainment was presented to kick off the fabulous parade. This year’s parade was a fun event, we had more floats than in the past and everyone excelled in their decorating skills this year. MGM & Caesar’s had a fantastic presence in the parade along with most of the major financial institutions being represented. The bars were present with fantastic entries along with units from the non-profit arena including HIV/AIDS organizations, LGBT friendly churches showing a united front, and political representation. Many of the entries represented businesses here in the valley. A somber moment led off the parade with the remembrance of the 58 lost October 1 at the Route 91 Harvest festival, #VegasStrong!
special food and beverage areas. The entertainment was varied and excellent. It included but was not limited to yoga, drag, the men’s chorus, Zombie Burlesque, a church service, Cheer San Diego Extreme Folkloric Ballet and highlighted by Comedian Shawn Pelofsky, Ru Paul’s Drag Race Contestants Coco Montrese, Kimora Blac, Morgan McMichaels, Coco Vancartier, Sasha Colby and Ashley Iman and of course fantastic DJ’s. This is not the entire list of excellent entertainment we had at this year’s event. Saturday night ended with after parties at Flair
Nightclub and the Back Door. After the Sunday events at Sunset Park, the week of PRIDE events ended with The Phoenix holding the PRIDE Final Party. We hope everyone had a wonderful PRIDE week and enjoyed all the fun events planned for this year. We would like to thank all the Parade participants and attendees and a very special thank you to all our Sponsors for the 2017 events. We look forward to working with everyone again next year for another fabulous PRIDE week.
Among the highlights of the evening was the first-time appearance of the Wells Fargo stage coach, this has always been a dream to have them in our parade and it came to fruition this year. Thanks to everyone that joined us to view this year’s event and many thanks to all the participants in the parade. Everyone is saying this was the best parade ever. The evening continued with a Drag Kings Unite 3rd Anniversary event at Artifice and an Official Night Parade After Party at Flair Nightclub. Don’t forget to catch the rebroadcast of the parade on COX at 8:30pm on October 28, 30, 31 and November 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13 and exclusively on YURVIEW Las Vegas on COX 96 and 1096. Saturday and Sunday found everyone at Sunset Park for our 2nd annual twoday festival. The grounds were filled with fun, interesting exhibitors from all walks of life, they included clothing, underwear, non-profit, educational and of course wonderful food booths and trucks. A dance pavilion rounded out the area. For the first year, we had a VIP area which included seating for watching the entertainment, with Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 11
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Holidays IN LAS VEGAS
The holiday season in Las Vegas is always over the top. With decorations and celebrations on a huge scale and with all the bling that anyone could ever imagine. Having a reputation as a city that loves twinkly bright lights on a grand scale, the holidays are no exception.
parties, and attractions filled with never seen before décor. The season ends with fireworks-lots of fireworks. There are also plenty of local attractions that are fun for the entire family.
There is always something to see and do during the holidays here in Las Vegas, the city of December in Las Vegas brings a little chill to seemingly endless entertainment and lights, lots the air. The city is busy with many festivals, of holiday lights!
GLITTERING LIGHTS AT THE LAS VEGAS SPEEDWAY It’s time to grab family and friends, and jingle that sleigh to Las Vegas Motor Speedway – only 10 minutes from the Spaghetti Bowl – for the holiday drive-through spectacular, Glittering Lights. The dazzling array of festive lights and sounds feature more than 3 million lights that intertwine through the speedway. Glittering Lights has entertained more than 2.2 million people the past 15 years. Completely LED, the 2.5 course of Glittering Lights is environmentally sound with colors that shine more vibrant than before. 14 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
THE ICE RINK AT THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS The temperature might be well above freezing in Las Vegas but there’s still a 100 percent chance of snow at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas’ Ice Rink this winter. The resort transforms its Boulevard Pool area into a winter wonderland for the holiday season, complete with an ice rink and gently falling snow throughout the evenings. You can glide around the rink to the sounds of Christmas music while enjoying the views of the Strip from the rooftop location.
ETHEL M CHOCOLATES CACTUS GARDEN Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden will be decorated with over over 600,000 holiday lights across 300 species of plants. Spanning more than three acres, the seasonal attraction is a free holiday tradition for Southern Nevada. In addition to twinkling lights, the holiday hot spot will offer choirs on Friday and Saturday and photos with Santa from Friday to Sunday. The attraction will be open 5 to 10pm at Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Botanical Garden, 2 Cactus Garden Drive, Henderson. On the weekend evenings, Santa visits and local choirs perform. This year, a new skating rink was added which is open daily from 10:00am to 10:00pm. There are fresh gourmet collections, seasonal favorites, stocking stuffers and gift baskets available including The Festive Collection, which includes Peppermint Bark, Milk Chocolate Creamy Caramels, Almond Butter Krisps and Pecan Caramel Raptures, the latter two are Kosher.
THE MAGICAL FOREST AT OPPORTUNITY VILLAGE Experience the Magic! Celebrate the holidays with a cherished southern Nevada tradition – the Magical Forest at Opportunity Village! The Magical Forest is a winter wonderland with millions of sparkling lights, nightly entertainment, great food and endless holiday cheer. You’ll enjoy all this glimmering splendor and much, much more. A forest filled with hundreds of dazzling trees, Forest Express passenger train, Cheyenne’s enchanted carousel, Boris the Elf’s Experience. Added this year is The Blizzard, an all-new mini coaster. Also fun, visit Ron’s mini golf, photos with Santa and nightly entertainment and enjoy lots of free parking. Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 15
PALAZZO WATERFALL ATRIUM AND HOLIDAY GARDENS Featuring trees and golden snowflakes, there’s much a-twinkling at the Palazzo Waterfall Atrium and Gardens. Not to be outdone by the twinkle-ness of the golden snowflakes are the gardens bright flowers consisting of poinsettia’s and other seasonal blooms. The Palazzo’s display is definitely worth a visit and is open 24/7 continuing through the first week of January. Be sure to get a photo of you and yours in front of the waterfall, though there may be a wait as it seems to be a prime spot for Las Vegas selfies.
THE BELLAGIO CONSERVATORY HOLIDAY DISPLAY Each season, the enormously talented horticulturalists and designers who make up the Bellagio Conservatory team transform this 14,000-square-foot floral playground into a showcase of the distinctive sights and colors of spring, summer, fall and winter— each year the theme changes. The Christmas tree is always a show-stopper, and the yearly variations in the displays offer something new each season. Christmas explodes with holiday cheer and makes a wonderful place for pictures. Nothing is spared during the holidays. 34,000 Flowers adorn the display including varieties of Poinsettias, Azalea’s, Cyclamen, and Ottowa Mums. Also included are Silver Tip Trees from Mt. Lassen, California. It’s worth fighting the crowds, for aa glimpse of this “must see” display during the holidays. 16 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
HOLIDAY AT THE PARK The holidays are here at The Park with its ornament filled archways, frosted crystal blooms, branches lit with icicle lights, and an 80-foot-tall holiday tree. Everyone is welcome at this festive winter wonderland. Lace up your skates and show us your best moves at the ice rink. Join the fun at the Toshiba Plaza outside the T-Mobile arena.
NEW YEAR’S EVE AT FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE “America’s Party Downtown” will boast 12 bands on three stages, the debut of a new Viva Vision light show from one of the most popular bands in the world, onstage pyrotechnics, an EDM stage and more. New Year’s Eve promises to be the biggest blow-out in all of Las Vegas. Fremont Street Experience has a ton of surprises in store for New Year’s Eve, so don’t miss out! On New Year’s Eve, they are taking the celebration to a new level. In addition to the non-stop live entertainment on three stages, the premiere of a new Viva Vision light show featuring an A-list band, exciting roaming, Broadway-quality entertainment all night long, cool entertainment zones with interactive activities and surprises.
RING IN THE NEW YEAR ON THE LAS VEGAS STRIP
Start off right and usher in the New Year with the Mayor of Las Vegas, Carolyn Goodman’s Party with 25,000 of your new best friends at Fremont Street Experience on New Year’s Eve.
It’s safe to say that New Year’s Eve is the busiest time of the year in Las Vegas -- at least when it comes to partying. There’s a lot going on and you need to plan in advance. Las Vegas Blvd will be shut down to traffic from Russell to Sahara -- which means the Strip will be overloaded with pedestrians watching the fireworks shoot from the rooftops of seven casinos.
Get tickets now and cross a major item off your bucket list as you ring in 2018 in downtown Sin City, the original Las Vegas.
If you plan to drive (and you probably shouldn’t), you’ll have to take the side streets and arrive early to score a parking space at one of the casinos. Uber and Lyft are good alternatives although the flexible pricing rates may be through the roof. Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 17
VEGAS STRONG By Briana Lake
In a city known for excess, the outside world often fails to view Las Vegas for what it really is – a surprisingly closeknit community full of diverse, caring individuals. In the wake of the immense tragedy on 1 October, Vegas has rallied with an outpouring of love and support. Almost every Vegas resident has been touched in some way by the incident, and the tales of heroism continue to grow. The stories of human kindness range from the crowds that had to be turned away from local blood banks, 20 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
to those brave men and women that support systems that have been saved countless lives by risking their established for those affected are no own. less inspiring. Millions of dollars in donations from all over the world have The unity that has followed poured in to assist those affected - a this tragedy has been fueled by committee has even been established stories that continue to emerge of to disperse the overwhelming concertgoers and first responders influx of funds, and round-the-clock alike putting themselves in the line counseling is being offered to those of fire, sometimes repeatedly, to save affected. While Las Vegas will never countless lives. forget the events, the community has shown the world what the locals have The story of these brave men always known to be true – that they and women truly embodies the truly are “Vegas Strong”. spirit of selflessness that has been overwhelmingly reported, and the
Victims of the October 2017 Las Vegas Shooting Hannah Ahlers, 34 Beaumont, California
Charleston Hartfield, 34 Las Vegas, Nevada
John Phippen, 56 Santa Clarita, California
Heather Alvarado, 35 Cedar City, Utah
Chris Hazencomb, 44 Camarillo, California
Melissa Ramirez, 26 Los Angeles, California
Dorene Anderson, 49 Anchorage, Alaska
Jennifer Topaz Irvine, 42 San Diego, California
Jordyn Rivera, 21 La Verne, California
Carrie Barnette, 34 Riverside, California
Teresa Nicol Kimura, 38 Placentia, California
Quinton Robbins, 20 Henderson, Nevada
Jack Beaton, 54 Bakersfield, California
Jessica Klymchuk, 34 Valleyview, Alberta, Canada
Cameron Robinson, 28 St. George, Utah
Steve Berger, 44 Minnesota
Carly Kreibaum, 33 Sutherland, Iowa
Tara Roe, 34 Alberta, Canada
Candice Bowers, 40 Garden Grove, California
Rhonda LeRocque, 42 Tewksbury, Massachusetts
Lisa Romero-Muniz, 48 Gallup, New Mexico
Denise Burditus, 50 Martinsburg, West Virginia
Victor Link, 55 Orange County, California
Chris Roybal, 28 Aurora, Colorado
Sandy Casey, 34 Redondo Beach, California
Jordan McIldoon, 23 Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada
Brett Schwanbeck, 61 Bullhead City, Arizona
Andrea Castilla, 28 Huntington Beach, California Denise Cohen, 58 Carpinteria, California Austin Davis, 29 Riverside, California Thomas Day, Jr., 54 Corona, California Christiana Duarte, 22 Torrance, California Stacee Etcheber, 50 Novato, California Brian Fraser, 39 La Palma, California Keri Galvan, 31 Thousand Oaks, California Dana Gardner, 52 Grand Terrace, California Angela Gomez, 20 Riverside, California Rocio Guillen Rocha, 40 Eastvale, California
Kelsey Meadows, 28 Taft, California Calla-Marie Medig, 28 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada James “Sonny” Melton, 29 Big Sandy, Tennessee Patricia Mestas, 67 Menifee, California Austin Meyer, 24 Reno, Nevada Adrian Murfitt, 35 Anchorage, Alaska Rachael Parker, 33 Manhattan Beach, California Jenny Parks, 36 Lancaster, California Carrie Parsons, 31 Bainbridge Island, Washington Lisa Patterson, 46 Lomita, California
Bailey Schweitzer, 20 Bakersfield, California Laura Shipp, 50 Las Vegas, Nevada Erick Silva, 21 Las Vegas, Nevada Susan Smith, 53 Simi Valley, California Brennan Stewart, 30 Las Vegas, Nevada Derrick “Bo” Taylor, 56 Oxnard, California Neysa Tonks, 46 Las Vegas, Nevada Michelle Vo, 32 Los Angeles, California Kurt von Tillow, 55 Cameron Park, California Bill Wolfe, 42 Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 21
RISE UP By Andra Day
And I’ll rise up I’ll rise like the day I’ll rise up I’ll rise unafraid I’ll rise up And I’ll do it a thousand times again And I’ll rise up High like the waves I’ll rise up In spite of the ache I’ll rise up And I’ll do it a thousands times again For you For you For you For you When the silence isn’t quiet And it feels like it’s getting hard to breathe And I know you feel like dying But I promise we’ll take the world to its feet And move mountains We’ll take it to its feet And move mountains
22 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
And I’ll rise up I’ll rise like the day I’ll rise up I’ll rise unafraid I’ll rise up And I’ll do it a thousand times again For you For you For you For you All we need, all we need is hope And for that we have each other And for that we have each other We will rise We will rise We’ll rise, oh oh We’ll rise I’ll rise up Rise like the day I’ll rise up In spite of the ache I will rise a thousands times again And we’ll rise up Rise like the waves We’ll rise up In spite of the ache We’ll rise up And we’ll do it a thousands times again For you oh oh oh oh oh For you oh oh oh oh oh For you oh oh oh oh oh For you
Songwriters: Cassandra Monique Batie / Jennifer Decilveo Rise Up lyrics © BMG Rights Management US, LLC
You’re broken down and tired Of living life on a merry go round And you can’t find the fighter But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out And move mountains We gonna walk it out And move mountains
Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 23
TRANS PRIDE
NEVADA By Dennis McBride
While Nevada’s gay and lesbian community has been successful fighting for equal rights over the past 25 years, the state’s transgender community has only recently found its place at the table. Long before there was a transgender community in Nevada, transgender people were part of Las Vegas’ entertainment industry. Christine Jorgensen, Jennifer Fox, Hedy Jo Star, and Jahna Reis Steele all made significant contributions to Las Vegas entertainment. Other notable transgender people in Las Vegas have included Andrea Hackett who founded the Las Vegas Dancers Alliance and was noted for her union activities and liberal politics, and Tammi Pickett whose battles with the Veterans Administration in behalf of transgender issues eventually changed VA policy from transphobic to trans-supportive. In 1983 Celeste Tate founded Gleaners, Inc. which collected food ordinarily thrown away by Las Vegas grocery stores and hotels to feed the local hungry. Nevada was also home to a notorious legal
Activist Andrea Hackett [Las Vegas City Life, April 17, 2003]
24 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
Employee Benefits Program began covering gender surgery, while the Department of Motor Vehicles allowed changing gender markers on driver’s licenses. Finally, in May 2016 Jamie Sprague-Ballou and her husband, David, founded Transcending the Gender Box, a dropin Center where, Sprague-Ballou says, the transgender community can have “a safe haven where we’re respected and understood.”
decision in 1983 when transgender woman Suzanne Lindley Daly had her parental rights terminated because she was transgender. A transgender community began coalescing in Las Vegas in the 1980s-90s through new organizations and trans-friendly businesses. There was the Transition Club; Tris-Ess [Society for the Second Self]; Turnabouts; the Nevada Gender League; and, the most important of these organizations, nurtured by activist Jane Heenan, Transgender Support and Advocacy, Nevada. The Las Vegas transgender community celebrates Transgender Day of Remembrance, Trans Pride Week, and the Center has hosted the Transgender Health Fair. The transgender community by the late 2000s had established a powerful political coalition active in the state legislature. Between 2011 and 2017, ten pieces of trans-supportive legislation were introduced, nine of which were passed into law. In addition, the state’s Public
Today, despite Donald Trump’s egregious and untested ban of transgender troops from the military, Nevada has proven to be among the most progressive states in supporting its transgender citizens. “We in Nevada have matured a great deal,” advocate Jane Heenan says, “and are coming together in ways which seemed unimaginable just a few short years ago.”
TOP: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Saturday, March 26, 2011, 6B [Assembly Bill 211] CENTER: Suzanne Lindley Daly, ca. 1980s BOTTOM RIGHT: Jane Heenan and Nevada State Senator David Parks, October 1, 2011 [Dennis McBride photo]
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ASPEN GAY SKI WEEK RETURNS FOR ITS 41ST YEAR
Returning for its 41st year in 2018, Aspen Gay Ski Week (AGSW) will welcome thousands from around the world January 14 to 21. Visitors for the week enjoy four mountains of varied skiing and snowboarding terrain, as well as cross-country skiing, snowshoe and winter hiking trails in the scenic Elk Mountains of Colorado.
“There is something for everyone in Aspen, even the non-skier,” said Pamela Herr, organizer of the event. “From nightly parties to the Downhill Costume Contest, Aspen Gay Ski Week is legendary for a reason.” Each day, the host hotel, Limelight Hotel is the site for après-ski parties. With cocktails from Marble Distillery, Suerte and Woody Creek, these events attract hundreds for DJ entertainment, hot-tubbing and more. On Wednesday, the après-ski party theme will be “Wig Wednesday,” and Thursday’s theme will be “cowboy chic” presented by Visit Dallas. At the Comedy Cabaret and Dance Party on Thursday night, the famous live music venue, Belly Up, will again host a comedy show with top talent, followed by DJ entertainment. We will feature the hilarious Justin Sayre and Julie Goldman followed by DJ Guy Scheiman from Tel Aviv. The “Top of the Mountain Party” is a party that’s not to be missed on Friday. Taking a moonlit gondola ride up to the summit of Aspen Mountain at 11,000 feet, guests dance on top of the world until 2 a.m.
On Saturday at Aspen Recreation Center, AGSW presents the infamous pool party with a “Blue Lagoon” theme, featuring DJs, dancing, hot tubs, water slides, a lazy river and open bars. The riotous Downhill Costume Contest on Friday afternoon is one of the highlights of the week. Costumed contestants ski down the mountain in wild outfits to music and are judged by a panel at the base. In past years, participants have skied down, dressed as “Madonnas through the decades,” St. Pauli Girls and GI Joes. For beginner, intermediate and expert skiers and snowboarders, AGSW names a “Mountain Du Jour.” Guests meet at a specific spot at the mountain’s base, and a “Ski Concierge” guides you on the slopes, showing you the best terrain and the less-traveled trails. This is a free service and alternates between the four mountains. Planning a trip to AGSW is simple with Stay Aspen Snowmass; agents assist in matching you with lodging at all price levels. From the ritzy The Little Nell to cozy ski chalets, the quaint city of Aspen rolls out the red carpet for winter travelers. Next is to secure a lift ticket, rentals, and event passes, which can all be purchased at www.gayskiweek.com. Aspen’s official equipment rental company, Four Mountain Sports, keeps it posh by transferring your ski equipment between mountains, so why lift a finger?
“The best thing about Aspen Gay Ski Week is that it’s a fundraiser for LGBT charities around the nation,” remarked Herr. “Since 1996, we have given many scholarships to LGBT youth, supported anti-bullying programs and more. In 2017, AspenOUT gifted grants for four scholarships and to 15 organizations, including Point Foundation, Lesbian Health Fund and Tyler Clementi Foundation – to name a few.” Aspen Gay Ski Week is the oldest annual, week-long gay ski event in the nation. It started as a group of four local men and their friends meeting up annually, as well as various ski clubs (from places like San Diego, Chicago and Los Angeles). Every year each ski club volunteered to host parties on different nights to which all were invited. Today, the event is a model for other gay ski weeks and looks to attract more than 4,000 in 2018. Join Aspen Gay Ski Week for some high elevation fun this winter—eight thousand feet above sea level to be exact. For more information, visit www.gayskiweek.com. Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 29
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HUMAN NATURE By Randy Slovacek - www.TheRandyReport.com
Australia’s HUMAN NATURE has earned their place as one of the world’s finest pop vocal groups of the modern era, and as award-winning Las Vegas resident headliners with their distinctive harmonies and stellar live shows. The fantastic foursome’s hit show “JUKEBOX” has just been extended at their home in the Sands Showroom at The Venetian Las Vegas with performances now through March 2019. Since their debut in Australia 28 years ago, HUMAN NATURE has become well-known around the globe for their distinctive harmonies and stellar live shows, riding waves to the top of the charts, and winning over fans all over the planet.
32 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
HUMAN NATURE’S fab foursome Toby Allen, Phil Burton and brothers, Andrew and Mike Tierney - are joined on stage by a dynamic seven-piece band, The JUKEBOX All-Stars, and world-class dancers, as they celebrate a mix of musical genres that cover classic hits as well as chart topping hits of today.
to thank them, we are updating our current ‘JUKEBOX’ show with new songs that we know will have everyone dancing in their seats.”
“JUKEBOX,” has been praised by critics and fans for it’s broad musical offering and high energy production being declared “an incredibly addictive evening of entertainment.” The show In December, “JUKEBOX” will include effortlessly mixes pop classics from several holiday favorites to celebrate their back catalogue with Doo-wop, the spirit of the season. Motown, Soul standards and more offering the ultimate playlist - live! “We are so thrilled that we will be calling The Venetian home through “JUKEBOX” is not only a playlist of the March 2019!” said Andrew Tierney. group’s influences, but some of the “The response to ‘JUKEBOX’ and to us most-loved hit songs from the best as a group of Aussies calling America vocal artists and groups of all time, home has been humbling. We are including “Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” so thankful to have the support “Stand By Me,” “Unchained Melody,” of incredible fans and partners so, “Higher and Higher,” “Dance To The
Music” and “Under The Boardwalk.” This “JUKEBOX” plays everything from The Temptations to Timberlake, from The Beatles to Bruno Mars.
Human Nature’s career statistics are impressive. Since signing to Sony Music Australia over two decades ago, Human Nature have sold more than 2.5 million albums, earned 27 Additionally, Legacy Recordings, a platinum awards, scored 17 Top 40 division of Sony Music Entertainment, hits and have had five Top Ten tracks recently released their new CD, worldwide. “JUKEBOX: The Ultimate Playlist.” Career highlights include performing “This year we celebrated our 28th year to a global audience at the Sydney together and the release of ‘Jukebox’ Olympics in 2000, opening for Michael in the USA is a huge moment for us Jackson and Celine Dion at concerts and our career,” explains Andrew. around the world and appearing on “It’s amazing to think the four of television in the USA on shows as us have been doing this and loving varied as The Talk, Oprah, and Dancing this for nearly three decades. We With The Stars. are so honored to be joining such a prestigious label, Legacy Recordings, and unifying our releases with the best record label in the world Sony Music Entertainment.”
Check out HUMAN NATURE “JUKEBOX” at The Sands Showroom in the Venetian Tuesday to Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at any Venetian or Palazzo box office or by calling 702-414-9000. Tickets also available at HumanNatureLive.com or Venetian.com. Randy Slovacek is the author of The Randy Report - a Las Vegas-based LGBT blog covering entertainment, pop culture and politics. Follow Randy at: www.therandyreport.com
And if extending their celebrated run in Las Vegas for two more years and the release of their first album in the U.S. weren’t enough, this all coincides with the premiere of their new, national PBS special “HUMAN NATURE: ‘JUKEBOX’ IN CONCERT FROM THE VENETIAN” in November/ December 2017 and a subsequent U.S. tour in Spring 2018. The PBS special features songs either penned or performed by the likes of The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Righteous Brothers, Fontella Bass and more. In addition, the group have also included two new ‘modern classics’ on the album, original tunes, ‘End of Days’ and ‘Forgive Me Now’. Human Nature took Las Vegas by storm in 2009 with an unprecedented residency - a coup for an Australian act. Word spread quickly regarding the boys’ vocal artistry in their “Motown Show”, earning wide-spread praise from not only fans but from Motown icon, Smokey Robinson, who was proud to their debut Las Vegas residency show. Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 33
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‘Twas The Knight RETURNING FOR THIRD SEASON
Interview by Briana Lake // Photos by Merrell Virgen
I think that that’s what makes the show so successful. I’ve been in the entertainment business for about 40 years, and to have a show that has lasted for such a solid amount of time is really something special. There have been quite a few changes in the industry, and to remain consistently popular is rare in a city with about 175,000 competing seats. Of course, the show has been refreshed and updated throughout the years. We’re having a terrific year with ticket sales, and the popularity of shows like “Game of Thrones” has certainly helped! Q: Are there any exciting new developments for the show that you particularly enjoy?
Given the myriad of entertainment options available in a city known for the birth and death of so many live entertainment options, a show that runs more than a few years is hailed as an extraordinary success. Las Vegas favorite, “Tournament of Kings”, has run for 27 years, and maintains it’s steady stream of fans by delicately balancing family entertainment with pulse-pounding action. Joel Siedman, Director of Entertainment for Excalibur Hotel and Casino, has agreed to share a little about what 38 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
makes the show so successful as a Las Vegas staple, year after year. Q: Tell us a little about Tournament of Kings, and what sets it apart as a hit for so many years? A: Tournament of Kings is just a perfect fit for the hotel. We started 27 years ago, in the days when so much of the strip was themed, and it was such a great opportunity to make the entertainment a huge part of the overall hotel experience.
A: Starting November 22nd, this will be our third season of “Twas the Night”, which is the holiday themed show. It’s a lot of fun, it’s a blast. I wasn’t here for the first season of it but I was here last year. It’s magical; it really is. There’s a whole special portion of the show where we have a female rider on a very special horse for the holiday show only. She’s gorgeous and the horse is very stately, and it’s snowing with very effective stage lighting; It’s breath-taking. We also change the menu up a little bit and feature creamy Dragon’s Blood (tomato) Soup, juicy Cornish Game Hen, delicious stuffing cake, flavorful baked jeweled yams, fresh broccoli trees and a mouthwatering Holiday Apple Strudel.
It’s a very large production, anytime you have 28 people on the stage at one time it’s really impressive, and we add some pretty incredible special effects, like snow in the arena. We open to the public for November 22nd to December 28th. We have some different show times this year too, we’re doing something totally different where we’re trying a 3:00pm show and a 5:30pm show. We’re trying to accommodate everybody’s home life a little bit better, and we’re really looking forward to offering some flexibility for our attendees, particularly those with families and tight schedules.
A: Tickets start at $73.12, but we have a VIP package that’s really cool, for $106.73. It includes early entrance via a private entrance, and you get a photo, welcome announcement by Merlin, and we do a meet and greet with the cast. I believe that what makes our show so unique, especially Q: Do you have any recommendations with the VIP package, is that once a for people looking to elevate their show closes people don’t just leave. The performers come out immediately show experience? and they take photos and answer
questions. We really personalize the entertainment business in that way, and it makes this such a unique experience. General admission tickets for Tournament of Kings are available at the Excalibur Box Office, online at mgmresorts.com/excalibur, or by phone at (702) 597-7600.
Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 39
PARADE AWARDS CONGRATULATIONS AWARD RECIPIENTS! By Las Vegas PRIDE Parade Committee // Photos by Barbara Maeker
PARADE AWARDS
TARGET
Best Commercial Walking/Marching Unit
LAS VEGAS PRIDE SPINNERS Best Non-Commercial Walking/Marching Unit
SPECIAL MEDIA UNICORN
Best Commercial Decorated Vehicle
LAS VEGAS GAY SOFTBALL LEAGUE Best Non-Commercial Decorated Vehicle
IMPERIAL ROYAL SOVEREIGN COURT OF THE DESERT EMPIRE, INC. Best Commercial Float
NORTHWEST COMMUNITY CHURCH OF LAS VEGAS Best Non-Commercial Float
SPECIALTY AWARDS
WELLS FARGO
Rainbow Award Best Use of the Rainbow
BACK DOOR
Painted for the Gods Award Best Drag
COX COMMUNICATIONS Diversity Award
MGM
You Light up My Life Award Best Use of Lighting 42 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
AFAN
Community Ally Award
SMITH’S FOOD AND DRUG Hot Wheels Award Best Decorated Vehicle
QUEEN OF SIN CITY
Grand Marshal Award Best Overall Decorated Vehicle
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL Parade Director Award Best Overall Parade Float
CAESAR’S ENTERTAINMENT Grand Diva Award Best Over All Parade Entry
Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 43
LOVE WINS AGAIN AT
PRIDE FORT LAUDERDALE By J.W. Arnold
Love will shine on Fort Lauderdale Beach this Valentine’s Day weekend. Pride Fort Lauderdale, Sunday, Feb. 11, is expected to draw more than 60,000 people to the sandy shores of the Atlantic Ocean to celebrate the nation’s only “Love Pride” on the holiday devoted to romance. “Love wins again,” said Pride Fort Lauderdale president Miik Martorell, “and what better place to celebrate both our past and our future than on Valentine’s Day weekend on Fort Lauderdale Beach?” Pride Fort Lauderdale celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2017. The first Pride festival in the state of Florida, Pride South Florida (now Pride Fort Lauderdale) was originally organized as a political protest after voters in Miami-Dade County overwhelmingly supported a referendum to rescind a historic gay rights ordinance in 1977. “Today, Pride Fort Lauderdale is not only a reminder of how far we have come, but also a celebration of the vibrant and diverse community we have become,” said Martorell.
offers a community stage featuring local talent and special areas for LGBGTQ families, seniors, women, people in recovery and sports enthusiasts. This year, South Florida’s Trans Pride event will also be held during Pride Fort Lauderdale and will feature vendors, entertainment and activities for the trans community. The evening will conclude with dazzling fireworks over the beach.
In addition to internationallyacclaimed mainstage DJs and Guests from across the country and entertainers, Pride Fort Lauderdale several different countries visited Fort Lauderdale last year for the celebration. A number of dance and pool parties are planned both on the beach and in nearby Wilton Manors so visitors can make a weekend of their trips.
sunshine on Fort Lauderdale Beach. Love is definitely going to be in the air.” More than 1.5 million LGBTQ visitors come to the greater Fort Lauderdale area each year. The area boasts hundreds of LGBTQ-owned restaurants, shops and businesses and the area’s long-running gay bars and night club are among the most famous in the country. More information about the festival and local accommodations and events can be found at: PrideFortLauderdale.org Facebook.com/PrideFortLauderdale
“Did we mention how gorgeous the weather in Fort Lauderdale is in February?” asked Natalie Tyler, Pride executive director. “Celebrate Pride with your special someone in the Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 45
COCO MONTRESE Interview By Briana Lake
career has stretched over a few elite group of entertainers. My 10-plus decades? years as an Entertainer for Walt Disney Entertainment in Orlando Florida is A: LOL, YES. also among my most memorable, and accredited accomplishments. There Q: What have been some of the is also the time that I spent as a cast highlights of your entertainment member on Reality TV, as a part of the career? Emmy Award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race season 5 and All Stars Season 2. A: Countless pageant titles, one of Half a decade as a cast Member Q: Was there a particular person, which that I hold dear is Miss Gay of Frank Marino’s DIVAS Las Vegas or moment, that motivated you to America 2010; the pageant has been was also a career highlight, and pursue your career in entertainment? around since the 1970’s, so it’s an contributed to making Las Vegas honor to be named among such an my home, and I am now able to A: I spent my early college years studying law at Alabama State University, but I decided that that just wasn’t exciting enough for me. I quickly changed my field of study to Theatre Arts, but I found that that outlet still wasn’t challenging enough either. Shortly after I was introduced to the art of female impersonation in a local Montgomery bar called Ho Jon’s, where I saw the talented and mesmerizing Mokha Montrese. She was the Ultimate in captivating a crowd of men, and women, of all sexual orientations. She inadvertently impressed me to the point of knowing that I wanted to pursue becoming this type of entertainer. Drag queen, entertainer, and reality television personality; the fabulous Coco Montrese holds all of these titles, and her resume continues to grow. She’s agreed to sit down with us and discuss some of the highlights of her illustrious career, and what it takes to build a lifetime of fame in the entertainment industry.
Q: Was it difficult balancing your college studies with launching a career in entertainment? A: ABSOLUTELY, but my passion has always been performing; I knew that if I wanted to remain in hot pursuit of this hobby, I had to find a way to be equally dedicated to my college studies, and the development of Coco Montrese (I was named by Mokha.). Q: You started entertaining in the early 90’s, which means that your Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 47
continue showcasing my talent with the Voss Events Drag brunch at Senor Frog’s Treasure Island Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip every weekend, when I’m not traveling domestically and internationally, performing for crowds worldwide. Q: How does it feel to be Internationally known, and followed by people from all walks of life? A: It’s humbling, and it’s all still so surreal. I sometimes Google my name, just to get a laugh at all the different memes that have been created with me in mind. Q: You have become incredibly wellknown for your iconic celebrity impersonations, do you have any favorite performances? A: Well of course the Icon herself Janet Jackson. She holds a dear place in my heart, and I owe my career to her existence. Most recently, of course, there is the legendary Tina Turner. I’ve had some amazing iconic impersonators and mentors to look up to, like Lawanda Jackson and Larry Edwards. Both were a huge influence on my pageant career, and my development as a tribute artist. Of course, my Drag Mother Mokha is the one who taught me how to transform what most would call a hobby, into a lifelong career. My advice To anyone trying to start entertainment career? Don’t take the shortcut. Educate yourself in every aspect of the business – financially and legally. Know your rights. Develop your craft through trial and error. With the world of technology and YouTube tutorials, we’ve become a society of instant gratification, but if you want true longevity and lasting power you have to put in the work. One million Instagram followers doesn’t mean that you are successful, it only means that you are popular. Popularity fades, what makes you legendary is your work ethic and your ability to reinvent yourself time and time again. 48 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
LGBT COMMUNITY DIRECTORY NIGHTLIFE | BUSINESSES | COMMUNITY RESOURCES | SPIRITUALITY
GAY BARS The Back Door
1415 E. Charleston Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 831-0621 www.thebackdoor.vegas
Badlands Saloon
953 E. Sahara Ave. #22 Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 792-9262 facebook.com/ BadlandsSaloonLasVegas Open 24/7, Gaming, No Cover
Bastille on 3rd
1402 S. 3rd St. Las Vegas, NV (702) 385-9298 bastillelv.com Open 10am-2am, Gaming, No Cover
Fun Hog Ranch
495 E. Twain Las Vegas, NV 79169 (702) 791-7001 funhogranchlv.com Open 24/7, Gaming, No Cover
The Garage
1487 E. Flamingo Rd., Suite C Las Vegas, NV 89119 (702) 440-6333 thegaragelv.com Open 24/7, Gaming, No Cover
The Las Vegas Eagle
3430 E. Tropicana Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89121 (702) 458-8662 facebook.com/thelasvegaseagle Open 24/7, Gaming, No Cover 50 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
The Phoenix
4213 W. Sahara Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89102 (702) 826-2422 facebook.com/thephoenixlv Open Noon – 4am, Gaming, No Cover
Quadz Video Bar
4640 Paradise Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89169 (702) 733-0383 quadzbar.com Open 24/7, Gaming, No Cover
Spotlight Lounge
975 E. Sahara Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 431-9775 spotlightlounge.com Open 24/7, Gaming, No Cover
GAY NIGHTCLUBS Charlie’s Las Vegas
5012 S. Arville Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89118 (702) 876-1844 charlieslasvegas.com Open 24/7, Gaming, No Cover
Flair Nightclub
1700 E Flamingo Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89119 (702) 733-8787 flairvegas.com Open 10pm-4am Thurs-Sun, No Cover
Flex Nightclub
4347 W. Charleston Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89102 (702) 878-3355 flexlasvegas.com Open 24/7, Gaming, No Cover
Piranha Nightclub & 8 1/2 Ultralounge
4633 Paradise Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89169 (702) 791-0100 piranhavegas.com Open Nightly 10pm, No Cover
BUSINESSES LAMBDA Business Association 4015 Maryland Pkwy Las Vegas, NV 89101 (702) 893-2088 lambdalv.com LGBT Business Directory & Guide
The Black Room
1000 E. Sahara, Ave, Ste 108 Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 685-8688 theblackroomvegas.com Las Vegas Fetish Shop
Entourage Vegas
953 E. Sahara Ave., #19 Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 650-9191 entouragevegas.com Men’s Gym & Spa
Get Booked
4640 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89169 (702) 737-7780 getbooked.com Underwear/Swimwear, Accessories, Novelties, PRIDE Merchandise
Hamburger Mary’s
1700 E Flamingo Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89119 (702) 733-8787 *Restaurant & Bar Opening Soon
Hawks Gym
953 E. Sahara Ave., #35B Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 731-4287 hawksgym.com Club for Men
Lion’s Den
2923 Sammy Davis Jr. Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 892-9315 lionsden.com Adult Novelty Merchandise
The Gay & Lesbian Center 401 S. Maryland Pkwy. Las Vegas, NV 89101 (702) 733-9800 thecenterlv.org
Gender Justice Nevada
7465 W Lake Mead Blvd #107 Las Vegas, NV 89128 (702) 425-7288 GenderJusticeNV.org
Golden Rainbow
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
714 E. Sahara Ave. #101 Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 384-2899 goldenrainbow.org
Aid for Aids of Nevada (AFAN)
HRC Las Vegas
1120 Almond Tree Ln. Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 382-2326 afanlv.org
Aids Healthcare Foundation North: (702) 639-8100 South: (702) 862-8075 aidshealth.org
American Civil Liberties Union 401 S. Maryland Pkwy. Las Vegas, NV 89101 (702) 366-1226 aclunv.org
Bears Las Vegas
Bearslv.org | board@bearslv.org
Betty’s Outrageous Adventures BettysOUT.com Bettys@bettysout.com
hrc.org/lasvegas info@hrclv.org
Imperial Royal Sovereign Court of the Desert Empire P.O. Box 46481 Las Vegas, NV 89114 desertempire.org
Leather Uniform Club (LUC) of Las Vegas lucoflv.com
Las Vegas boys of Leather lasvegasboysofleather.org
Las Vegas Men’s Chorus PO Box 95021 Las Vegas, NV 89193 (702) 594-3393 lvmenschorus.org
Las Vegas Prime Timers Community Counseling Center of lasvegasprimetimers.com Southern Nevada 714 E. Sahara Ave. National Suicide Prevention Las Vegas, NV 89104 Lifeline (702) 369-8700 cccofsn.wix.com/ccc-new
1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) suicidepreventionlifeline.org
CRUSH
Nevada Gay Rodeo Association (NGRA)
socrush.com
Nevada Tobacco Quitline 1 (800) QUIT-NOW nevadatobaccoquitline.com
New Horizons Nevada
newhorizons-nv.com Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders
PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends, of Lesbians and Gays) P.O. Box 20145 Las Vegas, NV 89112 (702) 738-7838 pflag.org
Prime Timers
PO Box 42424 Las Vegas, NV 89166 (702) 527-2360
Safety Specialized Alternatives for Family & Youth 4285 N. Rancho Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 385-5331 safy.org
Saint Therese Center HIV Outreach Center 100 E. Lake Mead Pkwy. Henderson NV 89015 (702)564-4224 sainttheresecenter.org
Sin Sity Sisters SADAP P.O. Box 60005 Las Vegas, NV 89160 (702) 592-6969 sinsitysisters.org
Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc. (Las Vegas PRIDE) 4001 S. Decatur Blvd. #37-540 Las Vegas, NV 89103-5800 (866) 930-3336 lasvegaspride.org
Trevor Project Suicide Hotline for LGBT Youth 1-866-488-7386 thetrevorproject.org
ngra.com
Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 51
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Bars and Clubs 1- The Back door
8- The Garage
2- Badland Saloon
9- flair nightclub
3- Bastille on 3rd
10- Las Vegas Eagle
1415 E. Charleston Ave. 702-831-0621 953 E. Sahara Ave. 702-792-9262 1402 S. Third St. 702-385 9298
15- hamburger mary’s *Opening Soon 1700 E. Flamingo Blvd. 702-733-8787
1487 E. Flamingo Rd. 702-440-6333 1700 E. Flamingo Blvd. 702-733-8787
Businesses
3430 E. Tropicana Ave. 702 458-8662
4- Charlie’s Las Vegas
11- Piranha Night Club
16- The gay & Lesbian Center
5- The Phoenix
12- Quadz Video Bar
17- Get Booked
6- 8½ Ultra Lounge
13- Spotlight Lounge
18- Entourage Spa
7- Flex Cocktail Lounge
14- funhog ranch
19- Hawks Gym
5012 Arville St. 702-876-1844
4213 W Sahara Ave. 702-826-2422 4633 Paradise Rd. 702-379-9500
4371 W. Charleston Blvd. 702-431-9775
4633 Paradise Rd. 702-379-9500
4640 Paradise Rd. 702-737-7780
4640 Paradise Rd. 702-733-0383
975 E. Sahara Ave. 702-431-9775
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@VegasPride Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 55
GIVING BACK DURING THE HOLIDAYS, GIVING BACK CAN BE THE BEST GIFT EVER! By Cristina Di Gioia
The holidays are a magical time. The food, festivities, and shopping have become such hallmarks of the season, and it is tempting to get caught up in buying trinkets for friends and family to put under their trees. It can be easy to forget that there are many members of our community who do not have presents under their trees. In fact, they may not have a tree or even a home in which to put a tree, menorah, or kinara. They may not even have a hot meal, nor have loved ones to share one with. Our community is especially at risk. An estimated 40% (or even higher) of homeless youth are LGBTQ-identified. The time for us to step up and make change in our own community is now. It is during the holidays that we have a tremendous opportunity to give of our time and make the change that we want to see. We can create the
generous, compassionate, and supportive community we all deserve. The Human Rights Campaign Las Vegas volunteer committee, which I chair, has a robust group of volunteers who care deeply about making change. I am constantly humbled by their endless dedication to helping others. Some great ways that we help are through supporting some of the
incredible nonprofit organizations we have in our community. We are fortunate to get to help in the food line at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission or at The Center’s Youth Thanksgiving, helping ensure that every child has the chance to have a warm dinner. We are also honored to be able to help AFAN (Aid for AIDS Nevada) provide holiday gifts for families affected by HIV/AIDS by sponsoring a family. While we may look a little goofy doing it, we enjoy nothing more than dressing like Santa’s little helpers at the Magical Forest, which supports the amazing work of Opportunity Village. Though it feels wonderful to give of our time and energy, we are receiving far more than we could ever give. I have personally grown immensely from the work I do in the community. I have gained perspective, empathy, leadership skills, and confidence in my ability to rise to any challenge I encounter. By investing our time and love into our community, we make it a better place for all of us to live and work. And, what’s more, we have so much fun doing it! I have met so many people I never would have met any other way, and have built so many friendships that I treasure. I have had so many new experiences, from lobbying for equality in Washington D.C. to helping to orchestrate black tie fundraisers to making funnel cakes in a carnival wagon. No matter where your passion and skills lie, there are opportunities to utilize them for the empowerment of others. All you need is a desire to give back! Now is the time to get involved in creating the kind of community you want to live in!
56 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 61
LAS VEGAS BAR & NIGHTCLUB SCHEDULE
HOURS | SPECIALS | NIGHTLY EVENTS | AMENITIES | LOCALS SPECIALS - BAR & NIGHTCLUB SCHEDULE CORRECT AT TIME OF PRINTING. EVENTS, PRICING AND OTHER INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. -
The Back Door (702) 831-0621 / TheBackdoor.vegas Open Friday & Saturday
Friday: Noches Norteñas Live Music / Drink Specials Saturday: Drag with Paloma Macary / GoGos
Badlands Saloon (702) 792-9262 / Badlands-Saloon.com
Open 24 Hours / Gaming Daily Special: 2-4-1 Drinks (Mon-Sat: 12pm-7pm & 1am4am / Sun: 2am-4am) Monday: $10 Well / $20 Call Liquor Bust & 1/2 Price Martinis (9pm-Midnight or 1am-4am Tues. Morning) Tuesday: Charity Bingo with Jimmy Emerson (8:30pm), $4 Absolut or $6 Domestic/$12 Import Draft Beer Pitchers (9pm-Midnight) Wednesday: Karaoke with DJ Eric (9pm-1am) $6 Domestic/$12 Import Draft Beer Pitchers, $3 Fireball Shots or $4 Jagerbombs (8pm-Midnight) Thursday: $1 Draft Beer Pints, $3 Cuervo Gold, $4 Absolut (8pm-Midnight or 1am-4am Fri. Morning) Friday: Drag with Jimmy Emerson (11:30pm) $4 Fireball Shots, $3 Blowjobs, $5 Absolut (9pm-1am) Saturday: Dance Music & GoGo Boys (9pm-2am) Sunday: Free Brunch Buffet (1pm - Until the food’s gone!) $2 Bloody Marys, $2 Margaritas, $2 Pint Micheladas, $3 Mimosas (2pm-10pm)
Bastille on 3rd (702) 385-9298 / BastilleLV.com
Open 10am-2am / Gaming Jukebox / Free Trivia Daily Special: 2-4-1 Drinks (11am-2pm & 4pm-8pm) Monday: 1/2 Price Martinis (8pm-11pm) Tuesday: Top Shelf Tuesdays - $3 Off (8pm-11pm) Wednesday: $3.50 Patron Silver Shots (8pm-11pm) Thursday: $3 Fireball or Jager Shots (8pm-11pm) Friday: $4 Absolut (8pm-11pm) Saturday: $4 Any Jack Daniel’s or Bacardi (8pm11pm) Sunday: $2.50 Well & $2 Off Signature Cocktails (8pm-11pm) 62 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
Charlie’s Las Vegas (702) 876-1844 / CharliesLasVegas.com
Open 2pm-5am / Gaming / Billiards / Darts Daily Special: 2-4-1 House Cocktails & Bottled Domestic Beers, $3 Domestic / $4 Imported Draft Pitchers (MonSat: 2pm-8pm) 2-For-1 EVERYTHING (Tues/Thurs: 2pm5am) Monday: Drag Queen Karaoke (9:30pm) $2 Domestic/$4 Imported Draft Pitchers Tuesday: Drag Queen BINGO (9:30pm) Wednesday: Wet Wednesdays - Hot Body Shower Contest. Guys in Men’s Underwear Drink FREE House Cocktails. (10pm-2am) Thursday: 10s Across the Board: Male & Female Drag Competition (11pm) Friday: ICONS: Celebrating Icons in Music with Elektra Del Rio & DJ Mohawk (10:30pm) $15 House/$25 Premium Liquor Bust (9pm-Midnight) Saturday: Guys Night w/ DJ MOHAWK (9pm) $10 Beer Bust (9pm-Midnight) Sunday: Sickening Sundays Drag Show (9:30pm) 3-FOR-1 House Cocktails & Bottled Beers (7pm10pm) $3 Long Islands & AMFs, $3 Domestic/$4 Imported Draft Pitchers
Flair Nightclub (702) 733-8787
Open 10pm-4am Thursday - Sunday Thursday: Industry Night $5 Well Specials Friday: Flair Fridays $5 Well Specials
Flex Cocktail Lounge (702) 431-9775
Open 24 Hours / Gaming / Billiards / Darts Monday: Movie Mondays - Movies & Fresh Popcorn (7pm-1am) Tuesday: $2 Drafts, $2 Wells (7pm-Late) Wednesday: Dragaokie! (9pm-1am) Thursday: FlamBOYance Drag Show (11pm) Friday: Dance Party - GoGo Boys, Live DJ Saturday: What a Drag (11pm)
Flex Cocktail Lounge (cont.)
Sunday: $4 Bloody Mary & Mimosa Specials (10am4pm) / Sing-Along Sundays (3pm-7pm)
Fun Hog Ranch (702) 791-7001 / FunHogRanchLV.com
Open 24 Hours / Gaming Daily Special: $2 Well & Domestic Beer (8am-Noon) / 2-4-1 Happy Hour (Monday-Friday 3pm-7pm) Monday: $4 Jager Shots, $3 Smirnoff Flavored Drinks (8pm-Midnight) / $1.50 Long Island Teas (9pm-2am) Tuesday: $5 Fun Hog Brew, $7 Bud Lite/Miller Lite or $10 Well Liquor Bust (9pm-2am) Thursday: $5 Fun Hog Brew, $7 Bud Lite/Miller Lite or $10 Well Liquor Bust (9pm-2am) Saturday: $5 Fun Hog Brew, $7 Bud Lite/Miller Lite Beer Bust (Noon-4pm) Sunday: $2 Well or $4 ABSOLUT Bloody Marys (8am4pm) / $5 Fun Hog Brew, $7 Bud Lite/Miller Lite Beer Bust (6pm-9pm)
The Garage (702) 440-6333 / TheGarageLV.com
Open 24 Hours / Billiards / Darts / Shuffleboard Daily Special: 2-4-1 Drinks (11am-7pm) Monday: $4 Absolut Cocktails / Beer Bust ($5 Domestic, $8 Import, 9pm-Midnight) Tuesday: $3 Fireball Shots / Liquor Bust ($10 Wells or $20 Premiums, 9pm-Midnight) Wednesday: $4 Jack Daniels / Beer Bust ($5 Domestic, $8 Import, 9pm-Midnight) Thursday: $3 Off Top Shelf Liquor Friday: $3 Cherry/Jager Bombs Saturday: Half Price Long Islands Sunday: $3.50 Patron Silver Shots / Liquor Bust ($10 Wells or $20 Premiums, 9pm-Midnight) / Beer Bust ($5 Domestic, $8 Import, 5pm-9pm)
The Phoenix Bar & Lounge (702) 826-2422
Open 24 Hours / Gaming / Billiards / Food Daily Special: 2-4-1 Drinks (11am-7pm) Tuesday: Funderwear Night (9pm-1am) / Underwear Night / Go Go Boys / $5 Liquor Bust Wednesday: Hump Day Happy Hour (9pm-1am) Thursday: Karaoke with Sheila (9pm-1am) Friday: Phired Up Fridays (9pm-1am) / Go Go Boys / Drag Show / Beer Bust Saturday: Brunch (11am-1pm) Sunday: Brunch (11am-1pm) / Karaoke with Sheila (9pm-1am)
Piranha & 8 1/2 Ultra Lounge (702) 379-9500 / PiranhaVegas.com
Open 24 Hours / Gaming / Free Billiards Daily Special: 2-4-1 Liquor & Draft Beer (12pm-9pm) Monday: 50% Off Drinks (4-9pm, with Industry Card) Tuesday: Piranha Idol Karaoke / La Noche at the Tropics (Drag Show at 2am) Wednesday: Boylesque Drag Show Thursday: Drag Queen Bingo (7pm-11pm) / $20 Unlimited Wells / Hot Body Contest Friday: Theme Party Nights - 2 Rooms / Hot GoGos Saturday: Theme Party Nights - 2 Rooms / After Hours (4am) Sunday: El Deseo / Sinful Sundays Goddess Show (1:30am)
Quadz Video Bar (702) 733-0383 / QuadzBar.com
Open 24 Hours / Gaming / Billiards / Darts Daily Special: 2-4-1 Drinks (Noon-8pm) Monday: Martini Monday - 2‐4‐1 Martinis and Drinks (12pm–8pm) Tuesdays: 2-4-1 Drinks (12pm-8pm) / Tasty Tuesday Liquor & Beer Bust (8pm–11pm) Wednesday: Game Night (8pm–10pm) / Free Pool All Night / Way Back Wednesday: Retro Music Videos with DJ Ricoché (10pm‐3am) Thursday: Poker Night – No Buy‐in (6pm) / Liquor & Beer Bust (8pm–11) / Free Pool All Night Friday: Fresh Fridayz – New Music Video Premieres & Your Requests! / DJ Ricoché (11pm‐4am) / Specialty Drinks and Shot Specials All Night! Saturday: All Request Saturdays - DJ Ricoché (11pm‐4am) / Specialty Drinks and Shot Specials Sunday: Boys & Brewz Beer Bust (4pm–8pm)
Spotlight Lounge (702) 431-9775 / SpotlightLounge.com
Open 24 Hours / Gaming / Billiards / Darts / Shuffleboard Daily Special: 2-4-1 Well & Domestic Beer (2pm-7pm) Monday: $10 Well, $20 Call Liquor Bust (9pmMidnight) Tuesday: $3 Jose Cuervo Gold Shots & $2 Dos Equis Draft (8pm-11pm) Wednesday: $3 Jagermeister Shot (8pm-11pm) Thursday: $3 Jagermeister Shot (8pm-11pm) Friday: $6 Long Island Ice Tea (9pm-Midnight) Saturday: $4 Jack Daniel’s Shot (9pm-Midnight) Sunday: $5 Well Martinis (8pm-11pm)
Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 63
After a year of planning, the Queen of Sin City Pageant has crowned its very first winner. Chevelle Brooks from Orlando, Florida was awarded the title on October 19th in the Dallas Ballroom at Texas Station Hotel. The twoday competition was designed to find the best person to represent the spirit of Sin City and the most glamorous drag showgirl in the United States. This pageant had its contestants compete in 5 different categories; Judge’s Personal Interview, Showgirl Costume, Evening Gown, Talent, and onstage Question and Answer.
QUEEN OF SIN CITY INAGURAL PAGEANT CROWNS WINNER By Calvin Marquez Jr.
For its first year there were 7 contestants that represented 5 different cities; Des’ree D St. James, Elektra Del Rio, and Dulcey Tabatha Ferrah all competing on behalf of Las Vegas, Lupita Amparo from Hollywood, Bionka Simone Gemini representing the San Francisco bay area, Vanity St. James coming from Tucson, and Chevelle Brooks flying in from Orlando, FL. In addition to our contestants the audience also represented other parts of
the country; from the Hawaiian Islands, Texas, Montana, Indiana, New York, and Oregon. With about 400+ in attendance the scene was set for a night of unforgettable competition highlighting the many forms of drag artistry! One of the highlights from the night would have to be the Showgirl Costume category. Being that Las Vegas is known for its showgirls this category did not disappoint. Costumes were huge and over the top, every possible feather was used from ostrich to pheasant feathers, ranged from old school showgirl glamour to whimsical carnival, and covered every color on the spectrum. Another exciting part of the night is when each contestant had to showcase a talent of their choice. Most contestants decided to lip sync, some incorporated back up dancers, choreography, and of course every possible lift, kick, and split to get the audience on their feet. Vanity St. James walked away with the talent award that night when she played the cello while lip syncing to Adele’s “Love In The Dark”. The Queen of Sin City Pageant helped kick off an amazing PRIDE weekend in Las Vegas and the buzz is definitely in the air with people asking about next year already. Until then, Congratulations again to Chevelle Brooks, the very first Queen of Sin City!
Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 65
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WORLD AIDS DAY UNITING IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV
WHAT IS WORLD AIDS DAY? World AIDS Day is held on the 1st of December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day, held for the first time in 1988.
Today, scientific advances have been made in HIV treatment, there are laws to protect people living with HIV and we understand so much more about the condition. Despite this, each year 1,000’s of people are diagnosed with HIV, people do not know the facts about how to protect themselves and others, and stigma and discrimination remain a reality for many people living with the condition.
WHY IS WORLD AIDS DAY IMPORTANT?
World AIDS Day is important because it reminds the public and Government that HIV has not gone away – there Globally there are an estimated 34 is still a vital need to raise money, million people who have the virus. increase awareness, fight prejudice Despite the virus only being identified and improve education. in 1984, more than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history. Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 73
NUMBER 1 ESCAPE ROOM LA’S HOTTEST TREND HITS VEGAS!
By Josh Magness
Secret passages, trap doors, elaborate puzzles, hidden clues: an Escape Room is an absolutely thrilling game experience! Your group of 2-7 players begin by choosing an elaborately themed game room such as The Cabin for your adventure. The Cabin is one of the most popular escape games as you and your group are on a hike and you are lost! While frantically searching for your way back to camp you stumble upon a small cabin buried deep in the woods. As the sun fades and darkness approaches you realize you are not alone. With few options and a storm imminent, you and your team decide to ride out the night in the cabin. Once you and your team enter the escape room you will need to think outside of the box using your collective knowledge to figure out the clues, puzzles and codes until you successfully accomplish your mission. Another popular scenario is Red Riding Hood; Red is a suspect in a series of murders that you and your team of private investigators have been hired to investigate. In this very grim tale your team mission is to go to Grandmother’s house to find out if Red went Hood in the Woods and partnered up with the Big Bad Wolf! Time is of the essence. As you enter your adventure the clock starts ticking, you and your group then have 60 minutes to escape using your wits. Find all of the clues and solve all of the puzzles and let the bragging rights begin.
Our escape rooms are extravagant and unique. They are exciting and created by stage designers and are designed to create excitement and success. Escape rooms began in Europe and hit the US hard in 2015 spreading all across the country. Today they are a popular entertainment venue for people in LA, NYC, San Francisco and now Las Vegas!. Even former President Barack Obama played an Escape Room in Hawaii while on vacation with his two daughters! Conan O’Brian featured a detective escape room on his show. Escape Rooms are safe and exciting and hilariously fun! (you may be locked up in prison or on a real life runaway subway! One thing for sure…you won’t be bored)!
Number One Escape Room in Las Vegas is over the top compared to any escape room in the country. Many large groups of 20 or more book the venue for three to six hours depending on the size as it is a great way to host a party or corporate event or just to have a unique night out. You can find the Number 1 Escape Room at: www.NumberOneEscapeRoom.com 1775 East Tropicana, Suite 100 Las Vegas NV 89119 (Located at the former Liberace Museum) Phone: 702-528-1459 Facebook: numberoneescaperoom Twitter: @no1escaperoom Instagram: number1escaperoom Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 75
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Welcome
Las Vegas TransPRIDE 2017 - November 15th - 20th Welcome!
Aloha!
Welcome to Las Vegas TransPride week, which will run from November 15, 2017 thru November 20, 2017. This is a week to help bring Awareness, Pride, Celebration, Empowerment, Remembrance and support to the Trans* expansive community and our allies. It is a week which we would love for our allies to come and be in community with us. It is week where we try to bring the Trans* expansive community together and stand in unity as we keep pushing forward in our fight for justice and equality. It is week that centers around the courageous lives that were lost in hate crimes, because they stood boldly in living their authentic lives.
Happy TransPride everyone! Las Vegas PRIDE is once again happy to be in partnership with Las Vegas TransPride.
As hectic as each of our lives are, we hope you will take some time out of your week and come join us throughout the week, as we strive to celebrate the diversity that exists in the Las Vegas community. Without you this event would not be possible. All of the events throughout the week are free to attend, making it affordable to the whole community. All you need to do, is come out and be in community with us. We invite you to use this experience to educate yourself about some of the Trans issues that we face on a daily basis. Together with your support we can make a difference. We hope to see you during our TransPride week. From the Las Vegas TransPride Committee, Jamie Lee Sprague-Ballou Bobbie Miller Kaneda Yoshida Annamarie Walsh Lorenzo Score Donna Weiss
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc. we would like to Congratulate Jamie and her team for planning an amazing 7 days of remembrance, fellowship, pride, empowerment, education and celebrations. Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine was happy to help co-produce the Las Vegas TransPride inaugural “Guide to TransPride” program. This was truly a group effort. Thank you to Jamie, and the Las Vegas TransPride Committee for all that you do for our entire LGBT Community. A special thank you to the many sponsors for your commitment and generous support. Thank you to all the volunteers, without you none of this would be possible. Happy TransPride everyone- have fun, be safe and please be nice to one another. Peace, Love, Pride! Ernie “Pineapple” Yuen Executive Director Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc.
TRANS DAY OF visibility 2,343 TRANS PEOPLE WERE REPORTED AS HAVING BEEN MURDERED IN THE LAST 9 YEARS
On occasion of the International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDoV) held on the 31st of March every year, Transgender Europe (TGEU) published the Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) project update to join the voices raising awareness on this day about the multiple forms of discrimination faced by trans and gender-diverse people worldwide. This update (TMM TDoV 2017) reveals 2,343 reported killings of trans and gender-diverse people in 69 countries worldwide between the 1st of January 2008 and the 31st of December 2016, 1,834 of which were reported in Central and South America. Further analysis of this data shows that 64% of all murdered trans and gender-diverse people whose profession was known were sex workers.
movements and civil society organizations that carry out forms of professional monitoring: Brazil (938), Mexico (290), Colombia (115), Venezuela (111), and Honduras (89) in Central and South America; the United States (160) in North America; Turkey (44) and Italy (32) in Europe; and India (62), the Philippines (43) and Pakistan (39) in Asia.
reporting of violence against their communities. This connection results in the fact that the figures show only the tip of the iceberg of homicides of trans and gender diverse people on a worldwide scale.” While Brazil, Mexico, and the United States have the highest absolute numbers, the relative numbers show even more alarming results for some countries with smaller population sizes. Honduras, for instance, has a rate of 10.77 reported trans and gender-diverse people killings per million inhabitants.
The close connection between the existence of strong trans movements and professional monitoring on the one hand, and the highest absolute numbers of reports, on the other hand, point to the worrisome question of unreported cases. It is important to note that these cases are those that could be found through TGEU’s Senior Researcher, Carla Internet search and cooperation with LaGata, explains, “Beside the need trans organizations and activists. In for mechanisms to protect trans and most countries, data on murdered gender diverse people, this connec- trans and gender diverse people are Throughout all six world regions, the tion also shows the need for trans not systematically produced, and it is highest absolute numbers have been and gender diverse organizations ca- impossible to estimate the numbers found in countries with strong trans pable of professional monitoring and of unreported cases. 86 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
TRANS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
REMEMBERING THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES BETWEEN OCTOBER 2016 & SEPTMEBER 2017 By Transgender Europe
There were 325 reported murders of trans and gender-diverse people between October 1, 2016 and September 2017. The following list of victims chronicles the 134 victims with known information surrounding the cause of their death. For a complete list of all 325 victims, please visit: www.transrespect.org. Kitkat Mae Fermin, 18 02/10/2016 - Davao City (Philippines) The victim was shot in the head.
Alessa Flores Mendez, 23 13/10/2016- Distrito Federal (Mexico) Alessa’s body was found in a Hotel Caleta’s room. Her death was due to suffocation but she also had beating marks and a wound. Zizi Shekiladze, 32 4/10/2016 - Tbilisi (Georgia) She was hit in the head with concrete bar and her throat was cut. She died after several weeks in a coma. The victim and the perpetrator had known each other and had served a prison term together.
Julia Sofia Marques Evangelista, 20 21/10/2016 - Natal (Brazil) Brandi Bledsoe, 32 Julia’s partner used a kitchen knife to 08/10/2016 - Cleveland (USA) kill her. He’s a drug user and, accordBrandi was found dead with a plastic ing to Julia Sofía’s family, the couple’s bag around her head and reports of fights were because of money issued head trauma. She died of a gunshot to feed his addiction. wound to the chest. Sierra/Simon Bush, 18 Itzel Durás Castellanos, 19 22/10/2016 - Idaho City (USA) 08/10/2016 Ciudad de Mexico (Mex- The victim, who usually preferred ico) gender-neutral pronouns, was found Someone Itzel knew went to her dead in a creek after a month of being house, they argued and he killed her missing. The mother and stepfather by stabbing her 8 times. The accused stated they felt from the very beginwas arrested by the police. ning that this is an abduction case. Yasmin Montoy, 20 10/10/2016 - Sao Paulo (Brazil) Yasmin’s body had marks of the violence she suffered and an injury in her head, “probably done with a stick.” However, despite friends’ stories, in the police report it says that she died because of an overdose.
Nina da Silva, 24 26/10/2016 - Paudalho (Brazil) Beside the body were found women’s clothes, condoms, a stick and a bloodsoaked stone. Evelyn Rojas, 26 27/10/2016 - Posadas (Argentina) Her friend found in a former service station Evelyn’s brutally beaten body, specially on the face and head, with a sharp object. Jenifer Pinto Toledo, 27 31/10/2016 - Camboriú (Brazil) At the scene, police officers entered the residence and found the victim lying on the ground with a belt wrapped around her neck. Mayla Gonzales, 25 01/11/2016 - Isabela (Philippines) Suspects thought victim was a cisgender female and got mad when they found out she was trans. Her skull was smashed with a 2x2 wooden beam Noony Norwood,30 05/11/2016 - Richmond (USA) The victium was shot and died in a hospital the next day. Alynda Leite, 29 07/11/2016 Manaus (Brazil) The victim was suffocated with a sheet and found by her sister. A neighbor said she was seen with a tall and white man.
Tara, 28 09/11/2016 - Chennai (India) The community strongly believes that the victim was burned by police after several assaults on the same night by police. The police confiscated the vicLorena Reyes Mantilla, 32 24/10/2016 - Santa Cruz de Tenerife tim’s car, making it difficult for her to have gotten fuel for self-immolation (Spain) After being threatened and beaten by at the time of her death. a client, she went to the balcony and tried to pass to a neighbors’. She was Juninho da Mangueira, 26 able to get in a safe place and then 21/11/2016 - Guarus (Brazil) she fell to an inner patio. She was tak- According to the police, the victim would have been hit by at least five en to the hospital where she died. Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 87
shots at dawn, but neighbors only G. Aquino de Godoy, 17 went to check in the morning. 14/12/2016 Curitiba (Brazil) The area where the crime happened Hannia Camacho Rodriguez, 30 is dimly lit and no one saw the killers. 23/11/2016 Victoria (Mexico) The victim was shot in the head and Hannia had an altercation with some died before receiving medical attenpeople at the inside of the bar, these tion. people shot her three times and ran. D. de Souza, 23 Madeleine Delbom, 62 17/12/2016 - Campos (Brazil) 24/11/2016 - Borlänge (Sweden) According to police, arriving at the 62-year-old trans woman Made- scene, the victim was lying on the leine Delbom was strangled and then ground that was already dead and stabbed to death by young people had gun marks on the neck and back. from a right wing extremist group. J. R. T. Gomes, 28 Paola Bracho, 25 18/12/2016 - Crato (Brazil) 24/11/2016 - Manaus (Brazil) The victim was found stoned to death Three men took Paola into a room, inside a graveyard. suffocated her with a tape, and fled with cell phones and money. India Monroe, 29 21/12/2016 - Newport News (USA) Alejandro Polanco Botero, 37 There was no sign of forced entry into 30/11/2016 - Risaralda (Colombia) the home. The cause of the victim’s The recognized lawyer got out of the death was multiple gunshot wounds. car and was willing to open the door to his assistant when a hitman went to Paula Raio Laser, 50 him and shot him in the head 4 times, 23/12/2016- Fortaleza (Brazil) which ended his life immediately. She was a drug user, the police claim to be the reason for the murder, but M. Dias Machado, 23 she had no criminal record 03/12/2016 - Pontal do Parana (Brazil) When the police arrived, they found Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow, 28 the victim already dead in a pool of 01/01/2017- Sioux Falls (USA) blood, at a bus stop, struck by at least The victim was a two-spirit trans 3 shots, which hit the head and arm- woman. pit. Anahí Tapia Llamas, 23 Will Rhillary Silva, 18 18/01/2017 - Guadalajara (Mexico) 07/12/2016 - Viamao (Brazil) Anahi was murdered with two shots The three victims were standing in at the inside of the bar Caudillos and front of a snack bar when at least her body was taken out and thrown in three men in a vehicle approached the street. and opened fire, killing all of them. Lady Dyana, 35 Ying, 28 19/01/2017- Manaus (Brazil) 13/12/2016 - Nakorn Pathom (Thai- Investigators at the Interactive Police land) Station (DIP) of Parintins said the vicThe body was found naked and face tim was a street person, an alcoholic, down to the floor. The perpetrators and made programs. had criminal records, and one of them may have been involved in an affair with the victim’s girlfriend 88 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
Vikichy, 25 20/01/2017 - Cali (Colombia) Vikichy was murdered of two stabs, one in her chin and another in her stomach. Imli, 19 21/01/2017- Lahore (Pakistan) Her boyfriend murdered her. He cut her wrist and killed her J. A. dos Santos. 42 26/01/2017 - Itabaianinha (Brazil) The Delegate Dr Francisco Gerlandio has already heard some people, and the Civil Police team is already doing surveys to start the investigations Muskan, 25 27/01/2017- Lahore (Pakistan) Three Unknown boys murdered her in her rented flat where she used to live alone. They slit her throat from left and right side and killed her brutally. Silvana Fabian Pineda, 34 28/01/2017 - La Dorada (Colombia) Silvana was executed by hitmen who shot her 4 times. Paola Oliveira, 30 30/01/2017- Russas (Brazil) The body was collected from the Russas Medical Institute (IML) Agatha Mont, 26 04/02/2017- Itapevi (Brazil) As authorities are investigating the case, according to the victim’s brother, she had already suffered prejudice in college. Alexandra Peña Vizcaya, 32 12/02/2017 - Chiquinquira (Venezuela) Alexandra died after being shot two times, however they say that the crime could be related to a recently killed gay man, and its told that both of them’s penises were cut off and their face skin was taken off. Her mother says that days before she heard a rumor that she lived with.
Dandara, 42 15/02/2017- Fortaleza (Brazil) The case won the national media Jaquarrius Holland, 18 19/02/2017- Monroe (USA) Officers arrived at the scene and found the victim lying unconscious with a single gunshot wound to the head. She was taken to St Francis medical center and was pronounced deceased. Tiara Lashaytheboss Richmond (aka Keke Collier), 24 21/02/2017- Chicago (USA) Tiara was shot in the chest, arm, and hand by a person she was riding with in a vehicle. The suspect fled in the vehicle, and police found the victim lying on the ground when they arrived. She was pronounced dead about 7 a.m. at a nearby hospital. Byanka Yañez, 45 24/02/2017 - Matamoros (Mexico) Byanka was murdered at the inside of her aesthetics center and stabbed. Chyna Gibson, 31 25/02/2017- New Orleans (USA) The victim was shot and killed outside of a shopping center while visiting her family in New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras Emanuelle Muniz, 21 26/02/2017 - Anapolis (Brazil) Although at first it is treated as a robbery, we do not rule out any other hypothesis. In fact, it was a homicide motivated by gender hatred Ciara McElveen 27 27/02/2017 - New Orleans (USA) Officers found Ciara lying facedown on the pavement and suffering from multiple stab wounds. She was taken to the hospital where she later died from her injuries.
P. J., 24 Paola, 40 02/03/2017 - Doi Saket, Chiang Mai 22/03/2017 - Street Joao Candido do (Thailand) Camara (Brazil) Was stabbed to death. Was stabbed to death in a dispute per point of work. Michelly Garcia, 25 03/03/2017- Pelotas (Brazil) Paulina, 22 Was shot. 23/03/2017 - Recife (Brazil) Two men approached a motorcycle Jennifer Celia Henrique (Jenni), 38 and received a treatment, 05 projec10/03/2017 - Florianopolis (Brazil) tiles that struck her chest, chest and Delegate Nivaldo Rodrigues, head of face. The victim tried to walk a few the 8th Civil Police Police Department meters, but could not resist the injuof the British, confirmed the crime ries. and says the fact is being investigated by the Homicide Police. R. Félix da Silva, 26 04/04/2017 - Guarariba (Brazil) Rapee, 39 Was shot to death. Neighbors said 14/03/2017 - Kantharalak, Srisaket they heard only one gunshot, but no (Thailand) one could tell who fired it. Beaten to death. Her sister found the body Sherlyn Montoya, 29 04/04/2017 - Tegucigalpa, Honduras Camila Albuquerque, 20 (Honduras) 15/03/2017- Salvador (Brazil) Sherlyn went missing in the night of According to witnesses the victim was April 2nd and her body was found used as bait and then shot and killed with torture signals in a bag. by the same people who hired her. Bianka Gonçalves, 22 Bruninha, 17 07/04/2017 - Primavera do Leste (Bra16/03/2017 - Ourinhos (Brazil) zil) Stabbed to death. The Civil Police is Was shot. According to police, the reinvestigating the case and soon the gion is dangerous and the other travkiller will be arrested. estis who work there do not usually walk with their bags. Other colleagues H. Ramirez Calderon, 40 of Bianka will be heard to try to solve 20/03/2017 - Guanajuato (Mexico) the case, which continues to be invesThe victim was murdered of several tigated by the Civil Judicial Police shots in the early morning. Kenne McFadden, 26 Alphonza Watson, 38 09/04/2017 - San Antonio (USA) 22/03/2017- Baltimore (USA) Drowned. The victim’s body was found Watson was shot in the stomach at floating in the San Antonio river. about 4:15 a.m. and taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she was Vitoria Castro, 36 pronounced dead shortly after arriv- 10/04/2017 - Araguaina (Brazil) al. Witnesses told police they heard Beaten. She was found with trauma someone yelling for help, followed and was referred to the hospital after by gunshots. Two men were seen being treated for 10 days. running away before getting into a “dark-colored vehicle.” Hérica Izidório 24 12/04/2017 - Fortaleza (Brazil) She died in a hospital two months after be beaten and thrown of a viaduct. Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 89
Gaby, 29 12/04/2017 - Feira de Santana (Brazil) Shot. Gaby’s colleagues suspect that a client who would have disagreed with the victim was the perpetrator of the crime. Yadira Lopez Marroquin, 17 16/04/2017 - Monterrey (Mexico) Yadira entered the Venecia Hotel with a male partner who left the hotel in 20 minutes, abandoning Yadira’s asphixiated body.
Layza Mello, 28 30/04/2017 - Vilha Velha (Brazil) Shot. The criminal who fired the shots fled after the crime and has not yet been identified. Images of video surveillance cameras will be used to find the killer.
Lalá, 22 25/05/2017 - Feira de Santana (Brazil) The transvestite known as Lalá, 22, Shama, 27 was shot dead on Thursday night 30/04/2017 - Tej Mohan Nagar (India) (25/5) on Avenida de Canal, in the Perpetrator and victim had relation- neighborhood of Rua Nova, in Feira ship and married. Upon learning vic- de Santana. tim was transgender, left her. Years later, he returned to the city she was Alejandra Diaz, 34 living and murdered her. The perpe- 25/05/2017 - Baruta (Venezuela) trator’s accomplice may have been his She was shot and killed by a member mother, she was arrested as well. The of the military for refusing to particivictim was stabbed to death. pate in extortion.
Monse Morga Javier, 45 17/04/2017 - Guerrero (Mexico) Monse and a youngster went to a funeral, when they got back they were missing and their bodies were found with headshot wounds. Kenneth Bostick, 59 04/05/2017 - New York (USA) Samilly Guimarães, 24 Kenneth lived in a homeless shelter 20/04/2017 - Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and was attacked in the head with She was shot when she passed the a metal pipe. He spent more than a Avenida Atlântica, on the banks of the week in Bellevue Hospital before he river Botas. The civil police reported died on May 4. that steps were taken to identify the circumstances and the perpetrator of C. A. Lima da Silva, 24 the crime. 06/05/2017 - Monhangape (Brazil) She was drinking with friends, when a Chayviss Reed, 28 stranger shot her. 21/04/2017 - Miami (USA) She was shot while running across the R. C. Silva Pereira, 22 street and her attacker fled. 07/05/2017 -Barretos (Brazil) According to the police she was crossMarooni, 51 ing the highway when a truck hit her, 22/04/2017 - Belem (Brazil) after other car hit her again Stabbed to death. Police are investigating the case. Thadeu Nascimento, 24 07/05/2017- Grande do Retiro (Brazil) Ribeiro Marcossone, 27 Shot and beaten. So far there is no 23/04/2017 - Curitiba (Brazil) information on the motivation or the Marcossone was approached by two crime. The case is being investigated men and executed with more than 25 by the Homicide and Personal Protecshots in the head and trunk region. tion Department (DHPP). Eloá Silva, 17 27/04/2017- Joao Pessoa (Brazil) According to the police, two men shot her because of threats that she made on a website. Police found during diligences held at the site that Eloa belonged to a faction. 90 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
Jennifer López, 20 20/05/2017 - Guerrero (Mexico) Jennifer was stabbed to death at her house. She was a stylist and activist.
Sherrell Faulkner, 46 16/05/2017 - Charlotte (USA) Sherrell died at Carolinas Medical Center as a result of an attack on November 30 2016, when she was beaten and left beside a trash bin. She died of her injuries.
Caricia, 32 26/05/2017 - Guerrero (Mexico) Two people entered the bar and shot her. Laryrssa Moura, 22 31/05/2017 - Governador Valadares (Brazil) The victim was shot in the back and died at the scene of the crime, the body was referred to the Medical Legal Institute. According to the police, the victim was a transvestite, and was doing a program in the region. Andrea Chaguendo Suárez, 51 31/05/2017- Cali (Colombia) Andrea was killed with several stab wounds, the culprits and motives unknown Rubi Guerrero, 32 04/06/2017 - La Altagracia (Dominican Republic) Rubi was seen in the vicinity of a park. Her body was found dismembered. Fernanda/Tavita Montes, 24 04/06/2017 - Colima (Mexico) Fernanda’s asphixiated body was found inside a car. The owner was arrested as responsible.
Natasha, 34 05/06/2017 - Castanhal (Brazil) They found her shot in the body on the highway. She died on the way to the hospital.
through the body. The motivation of on the face, but according to the Civthe crime is still unknown. il Police and the Military Brigade, she was shot by a firearm. Ava Le’Ray Barrin, 17 25/06/2017- Athens (USA) Sophia, 22 An acquaintance shot Ava in the chest 17/07/2017 - Campo Mourão (Brazil) A. Alves Nascimento, 22 during an argument. A couple stabbed her to death and left 05/06/2017 - Criciúma (Brazil) the place shouting: “You have to die.” The victim was a user of drugs, and Salomé Bracho, 25 had already been arrested before. 25/06/2017- São Luís do Curu (Brazil) Camila Guedes, 31 Salome, was at a party at a concert 20/07/2017 - Monte Mor (Brazil) Natasha, 29 house on Rua Manoel Ferreira de Cas- Camila’s mother called the PM (Mili06/06/2017- Varginha (Brazil) to. On the way out of the event, two tary Police) after arriving home and Three teenagers shot her. One was ar- men shot the transvestite and then finding her stabbed to death in the rested. fled. bathroom. Josie Berrios (aka Kendra Adams and Kimbella Rosé), 28 13/06/2017- Ithaca (USA) She died of “apparent burns” and her body was found at a construction site. Renata Vieira, 24 24/06/2017 - Uberlândia (Brazil) Witnesses reported that the victim was doing programs in the immediate vicinity and, before being beaten to death, argued with a client and came to be threatened with death. E. Shyne, 30 15/06/2017 Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) She was kidnapped and tortured, the police found the car, but she omitted, the police did not give news. Julhão Petruk, 20 15/06/2017- Fortaleza (Brazil) According to information the victim took 7 shots in the face when she left her girlfriend at home in the neighborhood Autran Nunes in Fortaleza, Ceará Denise, 53 24/06/2017- Aracaju (Brazil) Shot to death. Nicolly Santos, 21 24/06/2017- Vitória de Santo Antão (Brazil) According to police reports, the victim was found with several knife piercings
Juliana Orrego Monsalve, 37 02/07/2017 - Valle de Cauca (Colombia) Juliana had been attacked before while being the witness of a crime. She was again attacked by unknown people who shot her at the head and chest.
Gil Pereia da Costa, 33 20/07/2017 Rio Branco (Brazil) The victim was crossing a bridge on foot when he was approached by two bicycle men who arrived armed and fired twice at the victim. Gabriela Sousa, 19 21/07/2017- Maracanaú (Brazil) She was shot while walking on the highway, nobody knows why.
Ebony Morgan, 28 02/07/2017- Lynchburg (USA) The police found Morgan’s body riddled with bullet holes. Natalia Pimentel, 22 25/07/2017- Várzea Grande (Brazil) Rayane, 35 Natalia was run over by a car. The 02/07/2017- Fortaleza (Brazil) driver returned and passed over her According to reports, the victim had again with the car. just closed her establishment when the criminals approached and shot Kajal, 40 her. 29/07/2017 Patna (India) Ally was stabbed repeatedly, includYadira Lopez Marroquin, 50 ing in the genitals, and her eyes were 06/07/2017 - Puebla (Mexico) gouged out. Her body was burned in Yadira was stabbed to death by a an attempt to conceal evidence of the stranger. crime. Some of Ally’s bones were put into a garbage bag and the bag was Anna Sophia, 16 placed in a chicken coop near the res08/07/2017 - João Pessoa (Brazil) idence. The 16-year-old victim was reportedly accompanied by her twin brother TeeTee Dangerfield, 32 when occupants of an unidentified 01/08/2017- College Park (USA) vehicle fired shots that hit the teen- TeeTee was found inside her vehiager’s head. cle, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was transported to nearBruna dos Santos, 22 by Grady Memorial Hospital where 09/07/2017 -Pelotas (Brazil) she died of her injuries. The body of the victim showed signs of aggression and beatings, especially Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 91
Mary Monttila, 26 02/08/2017- Palmeira dos Índios (Brazil) She was followed by two individuals after leaving a bar and stabbed on the neck. The weapon used in the crime was found near the body.
Chanda, 25 30/08/2017 - Karachi (Pakistan) Chanda was shot dead in Defence’s Shahbaz Commercial area, when unknown men opened fire on a number of transgender people standing in the street.
Charliane, 25 02/08/2017- Itabuna (Brazil) She was shot behind her ear.
Daniele Jesus Lafon, 47 02/09/2017- Poços de Caldas (Brazil) The suspicion is that she was killed with scissors. According to the neighT. J. Gomes da Silva, 21 bors, the noise of fighting at Daniele’s 12/08/2017 - João Pessoa (Brazil) house was heard on several occaAccording to the Military Police, she sions. The family suspects that the was killed with three gunshots. crime may have been committed by a former partner. Gwynevere River Song, 26 12/08/2017 -Waxahachie (USA) Kashmire Redd, 28 The victim was a non-binary identi- 04/09/2017- Gates (USA) fying trans person allegedly shot and Kashmire was stabbed multiple times killed by their father while at home. by his partner and succumbed to those injuries. Kenicha, 16 15/08/2017 - Costa Rica (Costa Rica) Kenicha’s asphixiated body was found in a wasteland by neighbours. Eyelen, 31 18/08/2017 - Tucuman (Argentina) Eyelen went out of her house to visit a friend but she never got there. Her body was found with extreme signs of violence in the platforms of a sports club. Evelin Ferrarin, 23 22/08/2017 - Caruaru (Brazil) The victim was homeless and had been arrested before. She was shot to death. Kiwi Herring, 30 22/08/2017 - Saint Louis (USA) Friends and family disputed a report from police that claimed Kiwi pulled a knife on them when they arrived near her home to answer calls about a domestic dispute. She was shot dead by the police.
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Ana Carolina Nascimento, 28 05/09/2017 - Araraquara (Brazil) According to the police, the Fire Department and the Mobile Emergency Response Service received distress calls and sent teams to the scene, but Ana Carolina was found dead. Brenda Murillo Alba, 20 12/09/2017- Baja California Norte (Mexico) -stabbed Brenda was assaulted with a knife and remained a month in the hospital till she died.
Ana Coutti, 25 18/09/2017 - Cabo Frio (Brazil) One man fired several times at the victim. Kaleane, 20 20/09/2017 - Belo Horizonte (Brazil) The victim was killed with two head shots. Spencer, 25 23/09/2017 - Campinas (Brazil) The victim was found dead with a perforation in the back, a cut deep in the neck and with the face disfigured by beatings. Rayssa, 31 26/09/2017- Uberaba (Brazil) The victim came and the suspect asked her name. After Rayssa confirmed her name, the perpetrator took a gun and shot the victim twice. Lu Brasil, 23 26/09/2017 - Altamira (Brazil) She had cut marks in her mouth, had her feet tied and a net entwined on her neck. The bathroom had a broken mirror and blood marks next to the bed. She was strangled to death.
Bianca, 32 29/09/2017 - Arnhem (Netherlands) This was the first day in the house that she rented for the occasion of doing her work. She was stabbed over twenty times by her first customer (and potentially accomplices) and the Derricka Banner, 26 house is reported to be full of blood12/09/2017- Charlotte (USA) stains. Police have apprehended one Derricka was found shot and killed in a suspect. vehicle during the wind and rain associated with Tropical Storm Irma. Renatha Lemos, 29 30/09/2017 - Nova Mamoré (Brazil) Sisi Thibert, 26 Her body was found inside a totally 18/09/2017 - Montreal (Canada) burned pit. Sisi was found by a neighbor in the entrance of a building in Mullins Street, Natália, 34 Southwest of Montreal, stabbed, and 30/09/2017- Fortaleza (Brazil) covered with blood. She died a few A friend of the victim told the police hours later at the hospital. that the gunmen came from inside a car that stopped in front of the motel where she was offering her services.
LAS VEGAS TRANSPRIDE 2017 2017 Las Vegas TransPride Week Event schedule by day and time Please use this schedule to help plan out your week for Las Vegas TransPride. Also, please check again online for an updated copy, prior to the week of Las Vegas TransPride as we may add more info to anything that may be missing. Remember, except for T-shirts, Las Vegas TransPride is a free event to attend. It is opened to anyone one on or off the Gender Spectrum and to our awesome allies.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017 - Day of Awareness
Day of Remembrance Wall Display Location: TBD Time: 10:00am - 7:00pm The Transgender Day of Remembrance wall will be displayed, to help raise awareness to the acts of violence committed against Trans-identified and Gender-nonconforming people, especially Transwoman of color here in the US and abroad. Tables will be setup with resources available for handouts.
Interacting with
Transgender People Use the language a transgender person uses for themselves. No two transgender people are exactly the same, and different transgender people may use different words to describe themselves. You should follow the lead of each transgender person, as they will best know the language that is right for them. If you don’t know what pronouns to use, ask. A simple way to see what pronouns someone uses—he, she, they, or something else—is to wait and see if it comes up naturally in conversation. If you’re still unsure, ask politely and respectfully, without making a big deal about it. Sharing your own pronouns is a great way to bring up the topic—for example, “Hi, I’m Rebecca and I use she/her/hers as my pronouns. How about you?” If you accidentally use the wrong pronouns, apologize and move on. Making a big deal out of a pronoun mistake may be awkward and often draws unwanted attention to the transgender person. Be careful and considerate about what other questions you ask. There are many topics— medical transition, life pre-transition, sexual activity—that you may be curious about. That doesn’t mean it’s appropriate to ask a transgender person about them, or expect a transgender person to be comfortable sharing intimate details about themselves. There are two questions you can ask yourself that may help determine if a topic is appropriate to bring up: “Do I need to know this information to treat them respectfully?” Asking someone’s name and pronoun is almost always appropriate, as we use that information in talking to and about each other every day. Beyond that, though, you may be curious about questions that are not things you truly need to know. For example, a transgender coworker’s surgical history is rarely information that you need to know.
Someone’s transgender identity is their private information to share, or not. Just because someone has told you that they are transgender does not necessarily mean that they have told everyone in their life. A transgender person may not choose to tell others that they are transgender because it is unsafe to do so, because they’re worried they’ll be mistreated or fired, or simply because they don’t want to share that information with someone. It is not up to you to decide who should or shouldn’t know that a particular person is transgender. Similarly, transgender people should be the ones to decide how much information is being shared: a transgender person may be open about being trans, but only want to discuss medical issues with certain close friends. Simply because a transgender person has told you something about their experiences doesn’t mean they want everyone to know.
“Would I be comfortable if this question was turned around and asked of me?” Another good way to determine if a question is appropriate is to think about how it would feel if someone asked you something similar. For example, it would probably not feel appropriate for a coworker to ask you about your private areas of your body. Likewise, it’s probably not appropriate to ask similar questions about a transgender coworker’s body. Here are some specific topics that many transgender people are uncomfortable discussing with anyone but those closest to them:
• “You look like a real woman! I never would
• Their birth name (never call it their “real”
• “You would look less trans if you just got a
name!) or photographs from before they transitioned • What hormones they are (or aren’t) taking • What surgeries they have (or have not) had • Questions related to sexual relationships
Avoid compliments or advice based on stereotypes about transgender people, or about how men and women should look or act. People sometimes intend to be supportive but unintentionally hurt transgender people by focusing on their looks or whether they conform to gender stereotypes. Here are some examples of what to avoid, as they often feel like backhanded compliments: have known that you’re trans.”
wig/shaved better/wore more makeup/etc.”
• “No real man would wear clothing like that. You should change if you don’t want people to know you’re transgender.” • “I’d date him, even though he’s transgender.”
LAS VEGAS TRANSPRIDE 2017 Thursday, November 16, 2017 – Day of Celebration Community Gathering
Location: Transcending the Gender Box 1140 Almond Tree Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89104 Time: 10:00am - 6:00pm A potluck style gathering, in which you may come and go as you please. Stay as little as you want or as long as you want. Bring a dish to share with others. Come meet new people and connect with others. Join in an ongoing conversation, which can shift throughout the day. This event is all about connecting with others!
Opening Ceremony
Location: Transcending the Gender Box 1140 Almond Tree Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89104 Time: 7:00pm - ? The Opening Ceremony is one of the beginning events that kicks off the week, as we gather at Transcending the Gender Box, in the parking lot. It is an event that helps recognize our five days of events, that brings Pride, Awareness, Remembrance, Empowerment, Celebration, and Support to the Transgender Community and Allies. It incorporates ritual segments from the Native American culture as we celebrate the diversity that exist in our community. This will also include a drumming circle; there will be some drums available, but you are encouraged to bring your own drum, if you own one. The opening ceremony will also include the Smudging Ceremony, which is a way to create a cleansing smoke bath that is used to purify the body, aura, energy, ceremonial/ritual space or any other space and personal articles. Smudging is performed to remove negative energy as well as for centering and healing. Our bodies and environments are not only physical but vibrate with invisible, silent energy.
The History of the
TRANSGENDER FLAG
Do you know the story behind the transgender flag? Here are some fast facts about its history and creator, as well as some alternative trans flag designs. 1. The transgender flag was created by trans woman Monica Helmes in 1999 The trans pride flag was designed by Monica Helms, an openly transgender American woman, in August 1999. It was first shown at a Phoenix, Arizona LGBT pride celebration the following year. 2. Every aspect of the design is carefully chosen to reflect trans identities. Helms describes the meaning of the transgender flag as follows: “The stripes at the top and bottom are light blue, the traditional color for baby boys. The stripes next to them are pink, the traditional color for baby girls. The stripe in the middle is white, for those who are intersex, transitioning or consider themselves having a neutral or undefined gender. The pattern is such that no matter which way you fly it, it is always correct, signifying us finding correctness in our lives.” 3. The very first flag now lives at the Smithsonia. In August 2014, Helms donated the original transgender flag to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, as part of a special LGBT collection.
4. There are several alternative transgender flag designs. A design for an alternative transgender flag, created by Ottawa designer Michelle Lindsay, consists of two stripes: the top in magenta representing female and the bottom in blue representing male, overlapped by a transgender symbol in white. It was first used in the Ottawa area for the 2010 Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), and has since been flown for TDoR events in the Ottawa-Gatineau region as well as during the Peterborough Pride Parade. There’s also another design used primarily in Israel by the transgender and genderqueer community. Unlike the colors of the other designs, this flag is neon green and features the transgender symbol centered in black. 5. There is a flag design for genderqueer trans folks
Designed by genderqueer writer and advocate Marilyn Roxie, the genderqueer flag consists of a lavender stripe on the top, as it is a mixture of blue and pink – the traditional colors associated with men and women – in order to represent androgyny. The lavender also represents the queer identity, as it has long been a color associated with the LGBT community. In the center is a white stripe, meant to represent the gender or gender neutral identity. Finally, there is the dark chartreuse green, as the inverse of lavender, it is used to represent third gender identities and all those who identify off the traditional gender spectrum.
LAS VEGAS TRANSPRIDE 2017 Friday, November 17, 2017 – Day of Visibility Trans Film Festival
Location: Transcending the Gender Box 1140 Almond Tree Lane # 305, Las Vegas, NV 89104 Time: 10:00am - 5:00pm We will be hosting a free Trans Film Festival on Friday, November 17, 2017 from 10:00am until 5:00pm. There will be light snacks available. Come for one film or stay for all three films. The Films to be shown and the times are as follows: 1) 2) 3)
Transamerica Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric Boys Don’t Cry
10:00 am 12:30 pm 3:00 pm
Transamerica Right in the midst of important changes in her life, Bree Osborne (Felicity Huffman) learns that she fathered a son, Toby (Kevin Zegers), 17 years ago. Bailing him out of jail in New York, Bree poses as a Christian missionary. She plans to take Toby to his stepfather’s house, but when she learns that the stepfather sexually abused the boy, Bree brings her son back to Los Angeles with her. As Toby begins to fall for Bree, she must find a way to reveal who she really is.
GENDER REVOLUTION: A JOURNEY WITH KATIE COURIC Katie Couric sets out to explore the rapidly evolving complexities of gender identity.
Boys Don’t Cry Based on actual events. Brandon Teena is the popular new guy in a tiny Nebraska town. He hangs out with the guys, drinking, cussing, and bumper surfing, and he charms the young women, who’ve never met a more sensitive and considerate young man. Life is good for Brandon, now that he’s one of the guys and dating hometown beauty Lana; however, he’s forgotten to mention one important detail. It’s not that he’s wanted in another town for GTA and other assorted crimes, but that Brandon Teena was actually born a woman named Teena Brandon. When his best friends make this discovery, Brandon’s life is ripped apart.
UNDERSTANDING THE ROLES OF
Las Vegas PRIDE & Las Vegas TransPride By Brady McGill, Las Vegas PRIDE Secretary
The LGBT community is represented by the bright colors of the rainbow flag. Each color represents an important pillar of our community. Beyond the umbrella of the rainbow of colors, each community is represented by a flag – Leather, Lesbian, Bear, Bi-Sexual, Transgender and so on. These rough outlines do not exist to divide us – but rather to help us celebrate our differences! In the past, LGBT people hid who they were – now by celebrating who we are we have solidified our important place in society. With many LGBT issues of equality fading into the past, many young people do not understand the need for such displays of representation. We sat down with Ernie Yuen, Executive Director for Las Vegas PRIDE, and Jamie Lee Sprague-Ballou from TransPride Las Vegas to talk about our roles in keeping PRIDE alive in Las Vegas.
sees PRIDE organizations in 15 states, produces PRIDE 365 programs – offering year-round PRIDE events, and contributes actively to the local, national, and international PRIDE communities.
The roots of an organized PRIDE in the City can be traced back to 1982 – lead by the UNLV Gay Academic Union, The Metropolitan Community Church, and Nevadans for Human Rights. Las Vegas PRIDE (also legally known as Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc.) was founded in Las Vegas, June 4, 1992. Since then, Las Vegas PRIDE has fulfilled its sole mission – to produce the annual Las Vegas PRIDE Parade and Festival! Additionally, Las Vegas PRIDE is a member of CAPI – the Consolidated Association of PRIDE, Inc. (http:// www.capride.org/), a fellow Federal Non-Profit organization which over-
All of the behind the scenes operations really pale in comparison to the main event – the annual Las Vegas PRIDE Parade and Festival! Las Vegas PRIDE presents the biggest LGBT events in the State of Nevada! Ten days of festivities, parties, pools, community events, and parades. We do our very best to have something for everyone and to keep the idea alive that we are waving our flag in unison with the other flags in our community!
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Las Vegas PRIDE waves the rainbow flag, welcoming all to celebrate PRIDE for all LGBT communities! This rainbow flag often doubles as a rainbow umbrella – helping other LGBT groups to grow! The Board has partnered with several startup groups and organizations over the years, allowing others to pool resources and setup their non-profit operations. Groups of all types have gotten their feet wet with the help of Las Vegas PRIDE – Bi-Sexual groups, Leather, Las Vegas PRIDE Spinners Color Guard, and others. All groups are welcome to get involved and find out more about how they can get help starting up!
Trans Pride event is focused on Trans issues, causes, and expression. Their event exists to help bring the awareness, empowerment, remembrance, celebration and support to the Trans community.
One of those flags is held by Jamie Las Vegas TransPride started in 2013, at Las Vegas TransPride. Her mission it seems like long ago history that the during their week-long Las Vegas LGBT community had to hide who
they were – but for many members of of the other members of the LGB comthe Trans community, being out and munity to win their fights for equality! proud is still a struggle we are only just beginning to face. Always wanting to help other groups succeed, Las Vegas PRIDE has partThe fight for equality, representation, nered with the Las Vegas TransPride visibility, and in some places existence group. Starting in 2015, Las Veis still very much alive today. They gas PRIDE has committed to help need the strength, help, and support TransPride with logistic, sponsorship, marketing, and planning help to en-
hance and execute their events and activities. In additional partnership with Gender Justice Nevada, Las Vegas TransPride is setup for great success and Las Vegas PRIDE is committed to a strong partnership and fighting for equality for ALL of our rainbow colors and all of the flags of our community!
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PRIDE 101
FLAGS, COLORS & SYMBOLS EXPLAINED Pride festivals/parades are famous the world over for their exuberant and unique message-driven themes. A colorful, fabulous celebration, parades are often distinguished by lively participants with brandish colorful flags and symbols. But what does each color of the pride flag represent? What does that pink triangle stand for? Ever wonder what the meaning of each color is? Las Vegas PRIDE’s Mission is “to educate the community by invoking, promoting, and celebrating lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender pride.” In pursuance of this mission, we would like to share with you the meaning of the colors displayed in some of the LGBT community flags as well as basic facts about some of our symbols.
INTERLOCKING MALE SYMBOLS
INTERLOCKING FEMALE SYMBOLS
INTERLOCKING MALE & FEMALE SYMBOLS
These symbols signify men attracted to men and women (left) and a women attracted to men and women (right). Two interlocking female gender symbols, the singular of which is borrowed from LAMBDA the astrological sign of Venus, began representing The 11th letter of the the lesbian community in Greek alphabet. The the 1970’s. lowercase letter has symbolized the LGBT community since 1970, INVERTED PINK TRIANGLE when the Gay Activist Alliance selected it The pink triangle was originally used to represent the gay to denote homosexual men as a Nazi TRANSGENDER SYMBOL rights movement. Some concentration camp badge. The AIDS believe the “l” stands for Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT-UP) This symbol combines and modifies “liberation,” while others adopted the inverted pink triangle elements of the male and female argue it is taken from the to symbolize the “active fight back” symbol for “energy.” against HIV/AIDS “rather than a passive resignation to fate.” gender symbols. Two interlocking male gender symbols, the singular of which is borrowed from the astrological sign for Mars, have represented gay men since the 1970’s.
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8 STRIPED HOT PINK: Sexuality RED: Life ORANGE: Healing YELLOW: Sunlight GREEN: Nature TURQUOISE: Magic/Arts INDIGO/BLUE: Serenity VIOLET: Spirit
TRANSGENDER LIGHT BLUE: Baby Boys LIGHT PINK: Baby Girls WHITE: Those who are transitioning
BI-SEXUAL ROSE: Same-gender attraction LAVENDAR: Attraction anywhere within the gender spectrum BLUE: Opposite gender attraction
RAINBOW PRIDE FLAGS 7 STRIPED RED: Life ORANGE: Healing YELLOW: Sunlight GREEN: Nature TURQUOISE: Magic/Arts INDIGO/BLUE: Serenity VIOLET: Spirit
LEATHER BLACK: Leather & Permanence BLUE: Devotion & Loyalty White: Purity & Innocence RED HEART: Love of Leather Men
BOI / BOY BLACK: Leather & Permanence White: Purity & Innocence GREEN: Denotes the inexperienced young man RED HEART: Signifies where the boy’s heart is
PANSEXUAL 6 STRIPED
RED: Life ORANGE: Healing YELLOW: Sunlight GREEN: Nature INDIGO/BLUE: Serenity VIOLET: Spirit
PINK: Those who identify within female spectrum YELLOW: Transgender BLUE: Those who identify within the male spectrum
BEAR BROTHERHOOD
LIPSTICK LESBIANS
All seven stripes represent the colors of fur throughout the world. BEAR PAW: Love of Bears & thier Admirers
The creator of the Lipstick Lesbian Flag did not indicate a meaning behind the stripes of the flag, only the group to which the flag belonged.
FURRY
LEATHER GIRL
PALE BLUE: Male Gender PINK: Female Gender LANVENDER: Transgender FELINE PAW: Represents feline anthropomorphism across all gender boundaries
BLACK: Leather & Permanence PINK: Female Leather White: Purity & Innocence RED HEART: Love of Leather Women
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LAS VEGAS TRANSPRIDE 2017 Friday, November 17, 2017 – Day of Visibility Trans and Allies Out & Proud Visibility March
Location: Start in Front of Fashion Show Mall by Nieman Marcus, across from Trump Towers Time: 7:00pm - ? This is a peaceful march, that helps bring Pride and Empowerment to Transgender individuals who may be afraid of walking down a public street. So today is a day we encourage everyone to empower yourselves and walk the streets of Las Vegas without fear and walk with the support of friends and allies who believe, everyone should have the right to walk without fear or judgment. It is a march to show resistance against the current administration who has been working to silence our voices. We encourage our sponsors or allies to walk with your Organization or Company banners, showing your support for the Transgender Community. All Participants may carry signs that offer Awareness, Encouragement etc... However, we will not allow profanity or derogatory statements to be displayed or shouted during the march!! Again, this is a peaceful march to help empower and bring awareness to the Transgender community.
Transgender is a very hot topic today. 10 years ago not too many people knew what the definition of transgender was, it was a very taboo subject. We all knew it existed but never talked about it. I grew up with transgender cousins, so it was second nature to me. The love was always unconditional, Jessie was now Jessica and Thomas was now Tami. No it wasn’t easy, but we all got through it. Now it’s 2017, we have major celebrities in the spotlight, TV shows focused on the reality of it all, newspaper and magazine articles with their point of view. The Transgender community is no longer in the closet. No matter how it is documented the Transgender community is still extremely complex and can be very mysterious to those not part of it.
Comfortable
In Their Own Skin By Ernie Yuen, Executive Director, Las Vegas PRIDE
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There is so much to learn, I can sit and talk about this subject for hours. I have many friends, family members, children (the great thing about being gay is we can also create our own families) that are transgender and they are just like you and me, pretty normal. They do have a colorful past that makes my childhood and early 20’s seem, well, pretty boring. I will say most of them are 10 times stronger then me. I wanted to do an article to highlight some of the amazing people from our transgender community here in Las Vegas. This is just the first of many articles to come. The one thing that I have admired about the people you’re about to meet is that no matter what they have been through, notwithstanding all of their struggles, they are still very proud of who there are. I wanted each one of them to share their “story.” Hopefully it will help our youth understand that “it gets better” and there is always someone you can reach out to for help. I’m proud to say these are my friends and they are confortable in their own skin.
Jeremy Wallace My earliest memories of not feeling comfortable in my own skin, or at least not feeling “right”, was around the age of four or five. Even at such a young age, I knew that I was a boy, but the world around me thought differently. I would copy anything my dad did, from pretending to shave to wanting to dress just like him in a shirt and tie, but was always reminded by others that that wasn’t what “little girls” are supposed to do. Fortunately for me, my parents were supportive in the fact that they allowed me to act and dress like a tomboy, but it was the 70’s and the term or even idea of being transgender wasn’t talked about. They did the best they could, but given the lack of information, they silently watched their child suffer. By the time I hit puberty, the feeling of disconnect between who I felt I was and who I saw looking back at me in the mirror was emotionally and psychologically painful. It was as if my body was betraying me, and it was then that I finally realized that I would not grow up to become a man like my dad, which deepened my depression. I struggled with my gender identity alone in silence up until I was thirtyseven years old. It was around then that I couldn’t take another day, week, let alone another year of unhappiness, so I decided to embark on a new journey and began my transition. The journey has not been easy, but it has been worth every moment. Now that I am seven years into living as my true, authentic self, I can honestly say that I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. Even though I am still learning to navigate the world as the man I always knew I was, I have a more optimistic outlook on my life and future because the person I am matches the person I see everyday in the mirror.
of struggle and appreciate that they were necessary to build a much stronger foundation for my future. Without the tough years, I wouldn’t be able to appreciate my successes as much, and wouldn’t have a powerful story to share with the world. I have compiled my journey into a published book titled, Taking The Scenic Route In the last couple of years, I have To Manhood and have the amazing been able to learn from my decades opportunity to speak to and educate
groups all over the nation about my experience as a transgender man. There were many times where I didn’t think I would make it through another year or I hoped I wouldn’t, but I can attest that it does in fact get better, once I started to live and walk in my truth. I am a firm believer that everyone has a unique story to tell and we all benefit when those stories are shared. Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 105
Selena D’Angelo
granted. I traveled the country doing what I love, making people beautiful and happy. Today, I’m a makeup artist and hair stylist, and also a leader. I love to inspire younger transgendered by helping them through life without feeling alone. I teach them through life experiences to love the skin you’re in, and to embrace everything.
I’m a 42 year old trans woman who has lived my life to the fullest. I discovered who I am at a young age. Playing with my mothers makeup and taking long bubble baths, putting all the foam all over my chest pretending I was a little girl. Wrapping my wet hair with a towel and tossing it across The thing I’m most proud of is that I’ve my back. survived the darkest times of my life. Being raised in a large family. I always When I started to love myself more wanted to stay in and do the girlie and forgave myself for the wrong I chores like cleaning and cooking. Not was doing. Life turned around and wanting to play football but wanting blessings came into my life. A former to be a cheerleader. I never fit in. I was Miss Las Vegas PRIDE, Miss Gay Las raised in a traditional Japanese home Vegas, and Miss Galaxy International, and we weren’t allowed to discuss today I’m a daughter, a mother, a wife. feelings or show emotions. I trained myself to do everything to please Kaina Jacobs my family and I suppressed my own (Pictured at right) thoughts. Once I graduated from high school, I raged. I wanted attention I knew I was a special spirit from a very and to be accepted. I went to the young age. Growing up in Honolulu, clubs and hit the streets to meet Hawaii surrounded by my parents and the creatures of the night. Where two sisters, I can remember always I’m from they call them “mahu’s” being attracted to the feminine things they where beautiful, feminine and around me. As a child, my favorite seductive. past time was braiding the hair of my sisters’ Barbie dolls. It wasn’t unusual I grew up in a time where there was to find myself running around the no Internet or social media. I was house wrapped in a floor length shocked but at the same time I felt couture creation I had made from a like I knew them. bed sheet. Through the growing pains of childhood, I always found great I began my transition, and it wasn’t love and support from my family. easy at first. I knew what I felt was different but didn’t understand. I At the age of 18 I expressed to my went though many weird stages of family my desire to transition from not looking like the gender I wanted male to female. I shared my feelings to be. I was somewhere, stuck in the and the initial reaction of my parents middle. I self-medicated my pain with was mixed. I was lucky; my parents had drugs. It made me not deal with the many gay and lesbian friends, but had pain of what I was going through. I little to no experience with anyone felt like I was hurting my family by who was trans. It was a teachable living my life like this. I distanced moment for myself and the people myself from them and made a new I loved. As I transitioned so did my family with my friends. I got heavier family. As I developed into a beautiful, and more involved in the scene and well-rounded and productive citizen became a sex worker to pay my way of the community my family’s fears of through schooling and to help pay for a lifestyle marred with difficulty and my surgeries. struggle fell away. I began a spiritual path and started To this day, I always look to my family; caring about myself more and they will always be my greatest source wanting to live. Not taking life for of support. Without their patience, 106 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
Sasha Rochelle (Pictured below)
I felt confortable in a dress at the age of 5. It started with me wearing my sister’s clothes. Deep inside I always felt more confortable being a girl. Everything about myself was focussed on the feminine. My siblings and I grew up in a very abusive household. My father, who was an alcoholic and drug user, abused me daily. Knowing that I was different, he could not love and accept me for who I was. Home life was very difficult, and it got to the point where my mother did not feel safe for herself and her 6 children, me being the youngest. In the middle of the night, mom packed herself and her 6 children and escaped to the other side of the island to find safety in our family church. The next morning we flew out of Hawaii and heading to San Diego, to live with family. Growing up in a safe place I started to discover myself, I experimented and dressed like a women, not drag, but like a women. In High School my primary group of friends were female and gay boys from drama class. At the age of 17 I wanted to reconnect with my father and decided to go visit him in Hawaii. Everything was wonderful for the first 2 weeks. Being in transition, he made me feel like everything was ok. My father got drunk one night and abused my step mom and when he was done with her, I love, and understanding my story could have had an entirely different outcome. I currently work, as a make-up artist here is Las Vegas. I share my life with my partner of two years, and I think wedding bells may be in my near future. For now I enjoy all that life has to offer me, and continue to share these amazing moments with my family and friends. I’m most proud of the relationship I was able to nurture with my family through my transition. It was as if they transitioned with me, educating family and their friends on how to refer to me and to trans people like me. Helping them to understand the trans culture they were definitely allies to the trans community and myself. Before my father retired he would counsel fellow father’s at work who had trans children who were coming out. He would share with them that “These are our children and we must always love our children no matter what. They are, and will always be, a part of us.” I want my fellow sisters or brothers to know that they are prefect and good enough. That they can be exactly what they envision themselves to be in the world. It is their selfvision of how they see themselves that matters most. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says, thinks, or feels. Only they need to know their own potential, for everyone’s journey through transition is uniquely their own.
was next. He told me “There is no way my son will become a woman”. He took a knife and proceeded to cut my hair (that was his way of thinking that I would be a man). That night, after he passed out, I packed my backpack and ran away from abuse. I found my way to Waikiki, on the other side of the island. Not knowing anyone I became homeless. I slept on the beach, under bridges and did what I needed to do to survive. Part of survival was entering into the sex industry. After living on the streets for about 8 months, I met a very nice man named Marco. We became friends, and he got me off the streets. Part of his charm was that he encouraged me to be who I wanted to be. He made me feel very confident about myself. Being together for about a year, I decided I needed a change and wanted to become a makeup artist. I flew back to San Diego to start beauty school.
throw you many obstacles, but if you stay strong and focus, believe in yourself, work hard and have faith in God, you can accomplish anything that you want to.
Keyska Diva I was asked to tell my story and struggle of becoming a transsexual. It all began in a small, red neck, country town called Uvalde, Texas, where there were not many openly gay people.
Growing up I tried to tell myself I was Bisexual to soften the blow, so to speak, because I was not 100% comfortable with my sexuality due to The very next day I threw away all my surroundings. I always had a flair of my male clothes and started my for dramatics, wearing costumes and transition. It was a crazy start for me even wanting to perform. I think that is part of the reason I enjoyed running cross country and participating in traditional Indian dancing. It was my only outlet back then to express myself. I don’t think the residents of Uvalde were ready to see a young man dressing up as a woman. In fact, I was not even sure I was ready for all of that yet! I never knew there was even such a thing as a transsexual growing up.
Graduating from beauty school I started doing makeup for photo shoots, while at a gig I was hired to do makeup, however the model scheduled for the shoot didn’t show up. The photographer asked me to fill in. I’m not stupid and jumped right in. This is how my modeling career During school things weren’t too started. bad for me, just the typical name calling and teasing. Once I graduated I was a bikini model (pre-op) for 2 I moved up to Austin with a group of years and no one knew. I was told friends with the hopes that I would be keep this a secret. At the age of 22 able to find out more of who I truly I had my surgery, and finally felt was. Austin was (and still is) the most complete. My success included liberal place in Texas and I noticed that 8 international magazine covers, I was more comfortable there which countless centerfolds, and being the allowed me to start to understand my winner of over 30-bikini contests. situation more clearly. I did what I wanted to accomplish and I was done. It was time for me to reveal my real self to the world. I decided to go to the Tyra Banks show to share my secret. The topic of the show was “how the gay community treats each other”. That was the start of many other TV appearances focusing in on me being a transgender super model.
On one of my visits to San Antonio I went to my first drag show, and for the first time I was able to witness the ever so flawless Erica Andrews! She was the first transsexual I had ever seen I wanted to share my story so that and knew right everyone would see that life can 108 | Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine
there and then that is what I wanted to be. I always felt like a female but like I said didn’t know it was possible to change. I was finally able to find my true calling as an entertainer and started performing at bars doing shows and pageants while in Texas. While I was there I meet a great person named Adam, he was the first person that I felt totally comfortable sharing everything with and vice versa. Adam helped me build the confidence to start my transition. He told me he could tell I was happier when I was in drag and dressing as a female, and asked why didn’t I just do it if that is what would make me happiest.
with hormones because I didn’t have many girls to talk to because in Texas it’s all about pumping your body to get where you want to be, not waiting to let the hormones do their job. As my transition progressed, it was harder and harder for me to get real jobs. Doing drag shows alone was not cutting it financially, so as many girls starting their transitions, I turned to the adult industry for more income. Shortly after that I moved out to Las Vegas to try and change things and better myself. With the move came more opportunities and more money in the film industry, I found myself getting deeper and deeper in the adult industry and with that came drugs.
designers, and am now breaking off they are going to always make me on my own as a stylist. grow personally and professionally. I never want to settle for mediocrity or It has been a long journey getting to become complacent because I know where I am today. I have had to fight that no matter how old I am there a lot as a transgendered woman and will always be something to learn. I I have been knocked down by others want other transgendered people and even by my own poor choices. to look at what I am currently doing and hopefully find some inspiration. I have become proud of myself I want them to see that they can because I have developed resilience do anything they want to, just like to naysayers and have become anyone else, and that we deserve to determined to succeed and be a better be treated the same as everyone else. person. Have I figured out everything I know that our place in society is just that there is to know about life? No, of as significant as anyone elses. course not, no one does... and I am just fine with that. I don’t mind failure and I don’t fear challenges because I know
I had come to Vegas to find myself, and while I became totally comfortable with my transition, I was becoming a person I just didn’t like due to my poor life choices. My biggest heartache came when my own past came to haunt me. I was the first transgendered woman crowned Miss Las Vegas PRIDE in 2012. It was an honor I had been working towards for almost 5 years. Once I finally got to share my title with my bestie, Freddie, I was asked to step down. Some people didn’t feel I was a good representation for our youth as an ex adult entertainer. Although this hurt me so much it made me even stronger and pushed me to want to make a change. With the encouragement of my friends I decided to go back to school after that event. I am now a full time student receiving my bachelors in Fashion Retail Management to start my own business. While I’ve been attending The Las Vegas Art Institute I started interning with Fashion Week Las Vegas. From this experience I meet Russel Frank, from whom I have learned so much. He pointed me in the direction I now want to go. With his help and guidance I have been part of conducting runway shows, worked one on one with Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine | 109
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LAS VEGAS TRANSPRIDE 2017 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2017 – Day of Empowerment Community Festival & Vendor Fair
Location: Transcending the Gender Box 1140 Almond Tree Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89104 Time: 11:00am - 5:00pm Come and visit our vendor and Merchant fair. We will have various vendors and merchants, ranging from Community Outreach Organizations, Local LGBTQ friendly Churches, Skin care products, Jewelry, Transition Accessories and much more… We will even have sexually explicit items for adult pleasure. There will also be live music from a variety of music genres, and food vendors selling their specialty items Raffle items will be raffled during the day.
Affirming Worship Service
Location: Transcending the Gender Box 1140 Almond Tree Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89104 Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm This is a worship service which will affirm who we are in all our diversity. Hearing the scripture in true loving form, instead of taken out of context and used to condemn people, for societal oppression, which has been happening for 2000years. Come and reaffirm yourself and take back your spirituality in a safe and inclusive environment. Everyone is welcomed, regardless who you are or where you are on life’s journey! You are a precious child of Creation!
Trans Ally Sponsor
We would like for you to become an annual sponsor of our event. So we have made it easy enough to become a sponsor, at the level you can afford. Even individuals can become a sponsor! (* when events are available) Trans 101 Sponsorship $100-$299 • Company logo with hyperlink to their website • Listing in Program Trans Youth Sponsorship $300-$499 • Company logo with hyperlink to their website • Listing in Program • Two tickets to our Saturday Evening Entertainment * Trans Ally Sponsor Level $500-$699 • Company logo with hyperlink to their website • Listing in Program • Two tickets to our Saturday Evening Entertainment * • Two T-shirts Trans Support Sponsorship $700-$999 • Company logo with hyperlink to their website • Listing in Program • Two tickets to our Saturday Evening Entertainment * • Two T-shirts • Table and two chairs at vendor fair Trans Advocacy Sponsorship $1000-$2999 • Company logo with hyperlink to their website • Listing in Program • A table of eight to our Saturday Evening Entertainment * • Two T-shirts • Table and two chairs at vendor fair • Privilege of having their banner visible at all events during TransPride (you are responsible for • Privilege of having Company information avail able at all events during TransPride week (you are responsible for any displaying of your company information) Trans Equality Sponsorship $3000-Sky is the limit • Company logo with hyperlink to their website • Listing in Program • A table of eight to our Saturday Evening Entertainment * • Two T-shirts • Table and two chairs at vendor fair • Privilege of having their banner visible at all events during TransPride (you are responsible for • Privilege of having Company information avail able at all events during TransPride week (you are responsible for any displaying of your company information) • Company logo is displayed on all of Las Vegas Trans Pride’s advertisement or information products • Mention in all press releases / fee standing banner on website • Voice on planning committee for event organizing
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Las Vegas TransPride FAQ Page What is the cost to attend Las Vegas TransPride? There is no cost to attend the majority of the TransPride Events. The only cost in volved with attending Las Vegas TransPride, is if you would like to purchase a T-shirt, which is $10.00 for the purple TransPride T-shirts and $5.00 for the white TransPrideT-shirts. Who is allowed to attend Las Vegas TransPride? Las Vegas TransPride is open to the whole spectrum of the Transgender, genderqueer and gender non-conforming community and our precious allies. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend and take part in as much or as little as you like. The freedom is yours to explore. We will not tolerate anyone intruding on someone else’s safe space or being intolerant to those who are gathered together. Anyone caught harassing or violating someone else’s rights will be asked to leave the premises. All ages are welcomed. What is Trans Youth Day? Trans Youth Day is a day in which Las Vegas TransPride will be celebrating our youth in the Trans* expansive community. Las Vegas TransPride will be picking up the tab for any youth who have pre-registered to attend an evening at Game Works! In order, to participate in this event, each youth must sign up at: http://lasvegastranspride.org/youth_day.html
Trans Ally Sponsor
Thank you to LAS VEGAS PRIDE for their continued support to the Transgender Community here in Las Vegas and to their generosity to Las Vegas TransPride.
Trans Deaths WHITE PRIVILEGE By Jennifer Finney Boylan
It was snowing in Maine on Jan. 9. I’d been to the dentist’s the day before. The staff there were pleasant enough when I changed genders 12 years ago. “We’ll just change your forms,” the receptionist had said, cheerfully. “It’s no problem.” That day, Papi Edwards, 20, a transgender woman of color, was shot to death outside a hotel in Louisville, Ky.
Lamia Beard, a 30-year-old black trans woman, was shot that day in Norfolk, Va. It was the weekend before the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday. Feminist scholars write of the concept of “intersectionality” — the way people who occupy multiple oppressed identities can be understood only in terms of their sum, rather than as a set of independent experiences. As two trans women, Ms. Beard and I had some common experiences. But the differences between us have to be understood not only in terms of race but also in the way the oppressions generated by race and gender are bound together.
If you’d told me in 2000, as a transgender woman just coming out, that I was a person of privilege, I’d have angrily lectured you about exactly how heavy the burden I’d been carrying was. It had nearly done me in: the shame, the secrecy, the loneliness. It had not yet occurred It snowed hard on Jan. 26. The to me that other burdens, carried by subways closed that night. The day other women, could be weightier. before I’d gone to services at Riverside Church. Sitting in the pews, staring at On Jan. 17, I moved into a new stained glass, I’d felt the power of God apartment on 106th and West End shining on me like a bright light. Later, in Manhattan, in anticipation of the I talked to a friend about the thing I’d spring semester at Barnard College, felt. My friend, an astrophysicist at where I teach English. My son Zach Columbia, is a trans woman, too. We came down with me, helping to carry are both white. my luggage. He was heading back to college the next day. We had lunch They found Ty Underwood’s body at an Ethiopian restaurant called in her car that day. She was a black Awash, on Amsterdam. I pointed out trans woman, a nursing assistant the window at the building across who lived in Tyler, Tex. the street, where I’d lived with the screenwriter Charlie Kaufman in Like a lot of white people, a lot of the the early 1980s. I wasn’t out as time I’m not aware of having “white transgender then; I couldn’t imagine privilege.” In a similar way, I can tell it. Yet here I was, 30 years later, a you that I wasn’t aware of having Barnard professor, having lunch with “male privilege,” either, in the years my son, who is a drama major at before transition. It’s something you Vassar. come to understand only when it’s gone, like the first time I walked down
Artwork by Shannon Freshwater
an empty street alone after midnight as a woman, and heard a man’s heavy footsteps behind me. On Jan. 31, my wife came down from Maine. We went to see the movie “Selma” at the AMC Theater on West 84th Street. There, we saw the actor playing Dr. King say, “It is unacceptable that they use their power to keep us voiceless.” Firefighters found Yazmin Vash Payne that day in an apartment in Los Angeles. She’d died of multiple stab wounds, reportedly the third trans woman killed in Los Angeles in four months. On Feb. 1, I spent the day grading papers. That morning I worshiped at Riverside again. Sitting there listening to the carillon, I remembered the words my mother used to say: Love will prevail. Around the time I was at Riverside, Taja Gabrielle DeJesus was found dead in a stairwell in San Francisco. She’d been stabbed. A trans woman of color in her 30s, she was a member
of Bayview Church. Her mother North Philadelphia that day of stab described her as “beautiful inside wounds. One of her friends told a and out.” local station, “She had a heart of gold.” The 2012 National Transgender Discrimination Survey reported that On May 30, I was in San Francisco for trans people faced pervasive bias a meeting of the board of Glaad, the in housing and employment and L.G.B.T. advocacy group. suffered from higher rates of suicide. In almost every area, black trans Mercedes Williamson, a 17-yearpeople reported that they were doing old trans woman, reportedly worse than white trans people. disappeared that same day in Rocky Creek, Ala. Her body was found a On Feb. 11, I appeared on MSNBC with few days later, in a field behind the the anchor Thomas Roberts and the house of the alleged murderer’s actress Judith Light, who stars in the father. Amazon series “Transparent,” about a family with a transgender parent. On July 21, my wife and I were We talked about the progress being in a Los Angeles restaurant with made on transgender issues. But the the transgender minister Allyson progress isn’t equal for everyone. Robinson. “God knows us,” she told me, “before we know ourselves.” Penny Proud, a 21-year-old trans woman of color, was shot to death India Clarke, a 25-year-old trans the day before, in New Orleans. woman of color, was found beaten to death in Tampa that day. A local On Feb. 16 Barnard — an all-women’s station referred to her as a “man college — had a community forum dressed as a woman.” Her father for students, alumni, faculty and said: “The Lord made us this way. It’s staff members to talk about the issue a shame that we could lose the life of admitting transgender women. I because of who we are.” spoke at the event, and told everyone to open their hearts. Two days later, I spent an evening on the set of the Amazon series Kristina Gomez Reinwald, also “Transparent” on the Paramount lot. known as Kristina Grant Infiniti, was My son, who knows all about having a found dead the day before in Miami. transgender parent, is working on the She was a transgender Latina in show as a production assistant. her mid-40s. A Miami TV station reported that, since there were no K. C. Haggard was killed that day, in signs of forced entry in her home, Fresno, stabbed by someone passing she may have known her killer — in a car. a person whose heart, one might guess, had not been opened. On Aug. 8, I went to dinner at the Village Inn in Belgrade Lakes, ME. The I talked to Caitlyn Jenner by phone for inn is across the lake from our house. the first time on May 18. She struck My wife and I traveled there by boat. me as a kind soul, from a very different world than my own, but determined Amber Monroe, 20, a trans woman to do good. “We don’t want people of color, was killed in Detroit that dying over this issue,” she told me. day. Someone shot her as she was getting out of a car near Palmer Londyn Chanel, a 21-year-old black Park. trans woman, was found dead in
In the last three weeks, news reports have come out about the deaths of at least five more trans or gender-nonconforming people including Shade Schuler, in Dallas; Kandis Capri, in Phoenix; Ashton O’Hara, in Detroit; Elisha Walker, near Smithfield, N.C.; and Tamara Dominguez, in Kansas City, Mo. My mother told me that love would prevail, and for me it has, as it often does for people of privilege in this country, people who can find themselves insulated from injustice by dint of race or class or education or accident of birth. For many trans women, though, especially those of color, something other than love prevails: loss. Did their lives matter any less than mine?
Photo of Jennifer by Jim Blodoin
Jennifer Finney Boylan became a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times in 2013, and has written for the Times opinion pages since 2007 about education, parenthood, gender and more. She is the author of 13 books, including “Stuck in the Middle With You: Parenthood in Three Genders.” A professor of English at Colby College, she is the national co-chairwoman of Glaad and serves on the board of trustees of the Kinsey Institute for Research on Sex, Gender and Reproduction.
LAS VEGAS TRANSPRIDE 2017 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2017 – Day of Remembrance Day of Remembrance Vigil
Location: 1140 Almond Tree Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89104 Time: 4:30pm - 6:30pm The Transgender Day of Remembrance is a day, which the Transgender Community stands with the support of our allies and raises awareness against the grotesque acts of violence brought upon Trans-identified individuals whose life has been cut short through such heinous acts of violence. The vigil is held on or around November 20th each year, depending upon individual location. Will you stand with us this year and say enough is enough? Together we can make a difference! This is the original day that TransPride week has been built around, as we remember those who boldly lived as their authentic selves. We carry their voices with us, as we continue to fight for justice and equality. This is the original Transgender Day of Remembrance which has been hosted by Las Vegas TransPride since 2006, and is a Trans* led organization.
LAS VEGAS TRANSPRIDE 2017 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2017 – Trans Youth Day Trans Youth Night
Location: Town Square Center 6587 Las Vegas Blvd. Suite 171 Las Vegas, NV 89119 Time: 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm Las Vegas TransPride is teaming up with Game Works to celebrate Trans Youth day. We want to celebrate our Trans youth by offering an inexpensive night out to all families who have Trans youth in their family. In celebrating our Trans youth, Las Vegas Transpride will be picking up the full cost of each of our Trans youth who come out and participate in the event at Game Works. Each Trans Youth will receive the Game Works Experience, which includes the following (normal cost is $35 per person) • 1 hour of eSports play on reserved consoles • Food service in eSports Room • Choice of: • 2 pieces of pizza, 5 chicken bites, French fries, 1 cookie, 1 refillable soft drink/guest OR • 2 pieces of pizza, 5 mini corndogs, tater tots, 1 cookie, 1 refillable soft drink/guest • 40 credits for the arcade- $10 value! • 1 hour arcade card • 1 hour of Bowling in reserved lanes with shoe rental All family members accompanying their Trans youth, will receive a 20% discount on all food and drinks and will receive a one-hour game card per family.
New drop-in center offers safe haven for
LAS VEGAS TRANSGENDER
COMMUNITY
This original article was posted by MELISSA GOMEZ LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL August 1, 2016 Nestled beside the Metropolitan Community Church Brown waits.“I think they need to know just south of downtown Las Vegas, there’s a refuge there are people out there who care,” the for people who struggle to feel comfortable in their 60-year-old said. skin. Some days are busier than others. He’s Thick, dark curtains shield visitors from the met members of the military who were harsh desert sun, offering a cool spot to rest and transgender, and even a man who wants feel safe. At Transcending the Gender Box, there is to start a “coed” Boy Scouts group, which no judgment, no hatred, no shame. “There’s a lot will meet at the drop-in center. of people who don’t understand us or how we live,” said Marty Brown, a volunteer at the drop-in center Sprague-Ballou and her husband, Dave who transitioned to a man 42 years ago. “We get so Ballou, 58, plan to make the drop-in cenmuch crap out in the world. There’s got to be a safe ter more than just a pit stop for help. On haven where we’re respected and understood.” the first and third Tuesday night of every month, Dave Ballou hosts a support group Transcending the Gender Box offers the transgen- for friends and family of the transgender der community “a place they can go to where they community. They can vent any frustration, feel safe and just be themselves,” said Jamie Sprague-Ballou, 53, who created the center with her husband in May. Open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the center aims to help people who are transitioning or just trying to cope with their identity. Sprague-Ballou said spaces for transgender communities are badly needed in Nevada, where about 12,700 people identify as transgender, according to 2014 data from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention phone survey. Brown, who opens the drop-in center at 1140 Almond Tree Lane four days a week, regularly sees a handful of people walk through the door. Even if no one shows up,
confusion or feelings about a loved one’s transitioning process. It’s the only time that transgender people aren’t invited, he joked. The drop-in center plans on hosting job fairs and more group meetings to encourage the community to come together. Sprague-Ballou said she wants to help line up safe housing for homeless transgender adults, who are often kicked out of their homes because of their gender identity. When Sprague-Ballou came to Las Vegas in 1995, she said the community was small. Now that the transgender community is growing, she hopes to bridge the
gaps among the communities in the LGBT acronym.Trans Las Vegans say there’s a disconnect with the gay community, but Sprague-Ballou said she wants to have a united transgender community when it comes to fighting for rights. A GROWING COMMUNITY Recent studies are showing that the transgender population across the country is larger than previously estimated. The Williams Institute, a think tank at the UCLA School of Law, found that about 0.6 percent of adults in the United States — or about 1.4 million — identified as transgender, double the estimation of a 2011 study.
in New Jersey, she liked wearing skirts and watching ballet. She would hide in the woods behind her house, playing dress-up in clothes she bought at yard sales. When people asked why she was buying skirts and dresses, she would lie and say they were for her younger sister. Her parents — devout, conservative churchgoers— were furious. “We try so hard to conform to society,” Sprague-Ballou said. “I couldn’t stay as a male and live life. I had to do this in order to survive.” Sprague-Ballou was married to a woman and had three children, but she felt trapped in a man’s body. She divorced her wife. When she met Dave Ballou, she was convinced the body she was born in wasn’t hers. And Dave understood. In June 2003, she began taking hormones. She stopped having thoughts of suicide. The urge to cleanse her body stopped, and she felt happy.
Jody Herman, a public policy scholar at the institute, has studied the demographics for about a decade. Herman and other researchers are conducting the first national probability sample to find an accurate number of the transgender population across the The couple created Transcending the Gender country. Box because she doesn’t want the transgender community to feel alone or helpless, not She said the increase in numbers could be when there are people who care. the result of more social acceptance, a more tolerant younger generation or advance- Sprague-Ballou is now studying to become a ment in public policy. “People are just be- priest, bonding with a Christian community coming a lot more aware of the issues that that once exiled her. At Metropolitan Comtrans people are facing in the U.S.,” Her- munity Church — considered a haven for man said. “I think over time we may see the LGBTQ Christians and their allies — she’s size of the transgender population continue found a place to combine her faith and idento increase.” tity. “This is really for us, exclusive for us,” she said. “We don’t check genitals.” The transgender community in Clark County also has a home at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada in downtown Las Vegas. But Sprague-Ballou’s haven aims to offer a more personal experience. When she and her husband spoke with the church about donating the space, interim pastor Wanda Floyd was eager to help offer a place for the transgender community to come together. “A lot of people wouldn’t come out otherwise,” said Floyd, 52. “They have a place they can go to where they feel safe and just be themselves.” ‘WE DON’T CHECK GENITALS’ Sprague-Ballou battled her own hardships when she transitioned from a male body 13 years ago. She did it alone, and she hopes the new drop-in center prevents others from doing it the same way. As a child growing up
A Special Thanks Thanks to a group of dedicated committee members and our major sponsors, we have been able to bring six days of activities and events to help empower the Las Vegas Transgender community and our allies. We are committed to making Las Vegas TransPride cost effective to our Transgender community, as we realize the struggle that many of us share, as we try to live on little or no income. Therefore, the planning committee of Las Vegas TransPride has strived to put on an event that would have little cost to individuals in our community. Please take time to acknowledge our major sponsors this year, as we say thanks to, Metropolitan Community Church of Las Vegas, who has helped Las Vegas TransPride in our outreach into the community, by opening space to our community by working with us in creating Transcending the Gender Box, which is a drop-in-center that caters to Trans* specific needs. I would also like to say thank you to Ernie Yuen and the Las Vegas Pride committee, who has graciously opened their arms to Las Vegas TransPride as, they try and work across the community and reaching out the Trans* expansive community. In doing so, they allowed Las Vegas TransPride to be visible at the Pride events, so we could outreach into our own community. Ernie and the Pride committee, realizes the importance of being an ally to the Trans* expansive community, as they allowed us to do out-reach and not set out to snag the Trans related events away from the Trans community, but to provide the space necessary so we can have events for our community, ran by Trans organizations. This is a valuable lesson that many non-trans led organizations can follow suit on. Ernie and the Pride committee are working diligently to empower and give us the tools necessary to make the Trans community a self-viable source. If you would like to become a sponsor of Las Vegas TransPride, please check out our sponsor page on the website. You can also donate anytime during the event, as there will be a donation drop box available throughout the event, every dollar goes back into the funding of Las Vegas TransPride and Transcending the Gender Box. Thank you to all our vendors and merchants, who have made a commitment, by supporting our event and bringing their resources or merchandise, under one roof, allowing us to see who supports our community. So please stop by on Saturday, November 18, 2017 from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm during our vendor fair and festival to help support businesses and organizations who are proud to be a part of the Transgender/ Genderqueer community. Thank you to the core committee members who have been faithful in making sure this year’s event would come together. Thank you, Kaneda Yoshida for pouring your heart and soul into your graphic arts work, by designing the flyers and advertisements for the various events. Thank you, Annamaria Walsh for stepping up and doing whatever needs to be done and giving 110%. Thank you, Bobbie Miller for volunteering to open Transcending the Gender Box on Monday’s and Fridays. Special thanks to Donna Weiss, who has been a committed member of our committee, but had to deal with her personal illness this year, and couldn’t be with us through much of the planning as normal. We look forward for your comeback. Lastly, thank you to a supportive husband who supports me through this journey! We like to thank all the entertainers who are freely giving and sharing of your talents, we cannot say thank you enough, for your commitment to make a change in our community. Thank you, Missy Parker, and Deena Kaye Rose for your unending commitment to Las Vegas TransPride, and helping us entertain the community and the world around us. Finally, to everyone, in the past and who will come out and join us each day during the events to participate in Las Vegas TransPride; without your support, this event, would not be possible. You are the celebrity, as you live out each day your authentic and true lives. Sincerely,
Jamie Lee Sprague-Ballou BECOMING A CHANGE IN THE COMMUNITY! 1140 Almond Tree Lane # 305 Las Vegas, NV 89104 702-420-1294
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