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Boone Shell • 2912 Brownsboro Rd
Jeffersonville Public Library • 211 E Court Ave
Ntaba Coffee Haus • 2407 Brownsboro Rd
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Kremer’s Smoke Shoppe • 1839 Brownsboro Rd
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Mellwood Arts Center • 1860 Mellwood Ave
Logan Street Market • 1001 Logan St
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Metro Station Adult Store • 4948 Poplar Level Rd
Party Mart - Rudy Ln • 4808 Brownsboro Center
Liquor Barn - Okolona • 3420 W Fern Valley Rd
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Crossroads IGA • 13124 W Highway 42
Hi-View Discount Liquors & Wines • 7916 Fegenbush Ln
Party Center - Prospect • 9521 US-42
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Captains Quarter’s • 5700 Captains Quarters Rd
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Fitness 19 • 2400 Lime Kiln Ln
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Louisville Athletic Club - J-Town • 9565 Taylorsville Rd
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Feeders Supply - Hikes Point • 3079 Breckenridge Ln
Habitat ReStore - Taylorsville • 4044 Taylorsville Rd
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VIEWS
EDITOR’S NOTE
THE LMPD LACKS CONTROL: AN ONGOING CRISIS By Aaron Yarmuth | leo@leoweekly.com I’M SURE many in the community are exhausted hearing about all the problems with Louisville Metro Police. Unfortunately, LMPD keeps making the same mistakes, and the public keeps getting the same ambiguous excuses. Two episodes over the weekend make clear that LMPD has not made any progress in reforming itself. Both instances reveal that the corrupted culture in the department is pervaded by individuals incapable of learning from past mistakes and who lack the self awareness to understand how their failings reflect on other officers and the department. Last Friday, LMPD apologized after officers cleared a downtown homeless camp, displacing seven individuals and trashing their belongings — just before nightfall in below-freezing temperatures. The police blamed the mistake on “miscommunication.” “LMPD takes full responsibility for the miscommunication leading to these circumstances and we apologize for this error, which was ours, not that of the city’s Office for Resilience and Community Services or others providing homeless services,” said LMPD spokesperson Beth Ruoff. How many times are Louisvillians expected to believe that trashing peoples’ belongings was just a miscommunication? Mayor Greg Fischer cited “miscommunication” when city officials trashed the
personal property of protesters just a few months ago. The Metro Council even passed an ordinance in 2018 requiring residents of homeless encampments be given 21-days notice before camps are cleared out, specifically to prevent situations like this one. How long does it take police to communicate local laws? More importantly, why does any police officer think it’s better to trash first and ask questions later? LMPD’s bad weekend didn’t stop there. On Saturday morning, an LMPD officer parked his police car in front of the EMW Women’s Surgical Center and marched alongside anti-abortion protestors — reportedly carrying a “40 days for life” sign, supporting an anti-abortion organization — while wearing his gun on his hip. (I’ll bet he illegally parked his car, too, but that’s less important right now.) “It was brought to our attention that an employee may have participated in a protest or demonstration while in uniform and using an LMPD vehicle,” Ruoff said in a statement. And, “if it is determined that an employee engaged in such activities, they will immediately be placed on administrative reassignment while the investigation proceeds. It is essential that we maintain a posture of neutrality while representing the department and behavior contrary to this will not be tolerated.”
“Posture of neutrality”…? This isn’t international affairs. Normal-thinking people don’t need the LMPD to explain why it’s important for police officers to not march with abortion protesters outside of a health clinic. What we need to hear is what the department is going to do to make sure it never happens again; What do you mean by “… will not be tolerated”? More than anything, we deserve to know how the police are going to ensure patients of the EMW clinic, and patients’ escorts, feel safe. Any officer who lacks the self awareness to realize that his cop car, uniform and gun are tools of intimidation, lacks the basic capacity to be a police officer. It’s also likely that he knew exactly what he was doing — that his presence would be more noticeable and intimidating as a police officer. So, he selfishly abused his power, behind the protection of the badge, as so many other
police officers have done. This was not a training issue. It wasn’t a policy that needs to be reexamined. And, it wasn’t miscommunication. This was either a failure of common sense or a brazen abuse of power — or both. After killing Breonna Taylor, covering up the Explorer Scout sex scandal and all the other mistakes and miscommunications, each LMPD slip-up and abuse of power amplifies the negative impression of all police officers — even those who are doing a good job serving and protecting their community. Each story compounds the damage to the entire department’s reputation. No longer can this be tolerated. The routine, slap-on-the-wrist reprimands and half-assed public relations efforts won’t fix the broken culture at LMPD. If Chief Erika Shields wants to establish a new culture at LMPD, she needs to send a message, and replace these officers with people who give a damn. •
LEOWEEKLY.COM // FEBRUARY 24, 2021
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VIEWS
THE MIDWESTERNIST
INDIANA IN THE AMAZING YEAR 2025 By Dan Canon | leo@leoweekly.com IN THE OLD TIMES, before the Great Freeze, when there was still such a thing as “Indiana,” the tax man would come around, and we’d have to give him money. Then the state sold the utilities, schools and hospitals to private corporations, and we’d have to give them money, too. Then the state sold everything else. Though we didn’t know it at the time, that put us on the road to true freedom. Now my family does things our own way, without the albatross of dependence dangling from our necks. My wife and I grow our own food, cut our own toilet paper and make our own TV shows. When our can opener busted, I began using my teeth to crack into my dinner rations. I also do my own dental work. In the before times, you needed a license for that. A laminated piece of cardboard that lets you do a thing just because some pointy-headed twit says you’re “qualified.” It seems so ridiculous now. Tim Boyd, the former mayor of Colorado City, Texas, showed us how to live. He said: “Sink or swim, it’s your choice! The City and County, along with power providers or any other service owes you NOTHING! I’m sick and tired of people looking for a damn hand out! If you don’t have electricity you step up and come up with a game plan to keep your family warm and safe. If you have no water you deal with out and think outside of the box to survive and supply water to your family. . . . Bottom line, quit crying and looking for a handout! Get off your ass and take care of your own family!” Mayor Boyd’s orthographically violent rant is more than just an homage to the Libertopia of feudalism. It’s a manifesto for our times. The Great Freeze taught us to depend on nothing, least of all the government, for things like, say, the basic infrastructure needed to stay alive in an industrialized society. Boyd is saying: Take your lives back. Embrace true freedom. Stop depending on the state for stuff like water and electricity, you socialist losers.
He was right. Electricity is the biggest handout of all. Any simpleton can grow potatoes, and one spud will charge a cell phone for 30 to 45 seconds. That should be all you need to send a text that says “arm badly infected, grow penicillium mold ASAP.” Of course, I’m not using some multinational corporation’s charity towers to send a text; I’m building my own cell tower out of old TV antennae and copper I harvested from an abandoned meth house. Until that’s up and running, I can toss a phone about half a block with my remaining arm. Someone usually finds it. And water? Last I checked, all of us make our own H2O several times a day. A little charcoal filter, and you’re ready to stop sucking your liquids from the great teat of the welfare state. Mayor Boyd himself betrayed the cause by going right back to Facebook to whine when his wife got fired over his post. Our wussified, codependent culture made us think we needed someone else to give us a job. If you want money, why not get off your ass and make your own? We did just that for a few weeks until Big Brother tried to shut down our printing operation. That was back when there was still an Indiana, with Indiana laws and Indiana cops. Then we former Hoosiers realized what had been staring us in the face this whole time: A state’s laws are just another handout. This wasn’t a tough sell to the Indiana legislature, who had been trying to figure out a way to give up governance altogether for years. Thus, the state was summarily dissolved, and we all went our separate ways. And I mean come on, anyone who isn’t an indolent leech can write their own criminal code. Don’t have a pen? Pluck a rooster for a quill and mash up some ants for ink. Better yet, chisel those bad boys into stone tablets so they’ll last 5,000 years or more. Now our laws are in plain English, easily understood by all. Don’t steal, don’t murder too much, don’t cheat at euchre. I do all the enforcing, too, unlike all those freeloaders
who rely on professional police, though we mostly operate on an honor system for now. When more folks finally begin accepting CanonBucks, I’ll hire enforcers from neighboring sovereign states, which currently number around 10,000 here in New Albany. A truly independent, Emersonian life takes some getting used to, but it’s worth it. We learned to tolerate, and then to love, the taste of raw squirrel brains, for example. Under the religion we invented, we believe that by consuming an animal’s thinking organ, we inherit its memories. There’s no objective evidence that this happens, but that’s only if you accept the definitions of “objective” and “evidence” that the government rammed down your throat. A truly free man makes his own reality, writes his own truths, discovers his own laws of physics. And sure, squirrel memories don’t amount to much. Eating, leaping and fucking, that’s about it. But that’s enough for us, for we are terminally self-reliant. The alternative to this kind of living is base servitude. Look at the guy in Texas who relied on a corporation for his
Dan Canon is a civil rights lawyer and law professor. “Midwesticism”is his short-documentary series about Midwesterners who are making the world a better place. Watch it at: patreon.com/dancanon.
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energy, and got a $17,000.00 bill for less than a month of heat during the Great Freeze. Look at the millions who relied on the state to educate them, and ended up sunk in debt forever. Look at the hundreds of thousands who depended on expensive medical professionals to heal their bodies, and died because they couldn’t pay the tab. It’s time to admit that this long experiment of depending on any institution, or any other person, or anything other than yourself, is an abject failure. So cowboy up, slothbait. Figure out how to use your exercise bike to power a space heater. Read up on which icicles make good drinking water, and which ones are chock-full of salmonella. Learn to do a self-appendectomy or die on your knees. Our constitutional freedoms, which transcend even the Constitution itself, dictate that we the people are truly, finally and forever alone in the world. As Mayor Boyd put it, “Only the strong will survive and the weak will parish.” •
NEWS & ANALYSIS
EQUITY IN VACCINES COMES DOWN TO BLACK CHURCHES, HOSPITALS By Danielle Grady | dgrady@leoweekly.com MUCH has been said about how vaccination rates are lower amongst Black Americans, because they’re rightfully distrustful of a medical system that has experimented on them and brushed off their legitimate medical complaints for generations. But the Rev. F. Bruce Williams of Bates Memorial Baptist Church in the Smoketown neighborhood thinks more needs to be discussed about how to make sure the vaccine is actually accessible for Black people in Louisville. “I think sometimes people kind of focus on African Americans’ apprehension, and that’s why they’re not getting the vaccine, but I think it’s access,” he said. “I think apprehension has something to do with it, but I think it’s access.” In Louisville, only 11% of vaccines that have been distributed have been injected into the arms of Black residents, even though Black Louisvillians make up around 22% of the city’s population. Some of this might be attributed to the racial makeup of eligible professions — teachers and health care workers — but transportation and internet access is also holding back Black Louisvillians from being vaccinated, according to T Gonzales, the city’s chief of health equity. Gov. Andy Beshear and Mayor Greg Fischer have preached and encouraged an equitable distribution of the vaccine. But, the state and local governments are ultimately leaving the logistics up to vaccine distributors. In Louisville, these distributors are tackling the issue with a series of pop-up vaccination sites at predominantly-Black churches like Bates Memorial in parts of the city hardest hit by COVID, which help residents who have transportation and internet access issues. Norton Healthcare and UofL Health are sending sign-up information for those sites to the churches first for them to distribute within their congregations and neighborhoods to ensure the sites are serving the communities in which they’re located. Those without internet access are not being left out, because sign-ups can often be done in person or over the phone.
THORNS & ROSES THE WORST, BEST & MOST ABSURD ABSURD: WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS? Listen up! Eyes toward the front! I’m only going to say this once… Stop claiming you know how easy and obvious it is for schools to reopen in-person classes. And don’t parrot media blowhards who make it sound so simple. It’s not. On Monday, JCPS demonstrated what schools could look like if they reopen this year. Basically, the classroom looks like there is a test going on, always, with desks spaced out by 3 feet from one another (or for those more familiar with detention…). Cafeteria tables that used to seat eight kids, could now only seat two. We get it; you’re frustrated. We’re all frustrated. And, we’re all concerned about the health and well-being of the kids, including the impact of being socially isolated for a year. But blaming teachers and teachers unions (as many conservative talking heads are wont to do) only politicizes a complicated situation — which only ratchets up the emotions without solving anything.
UofL Health vaccinated people at Kingdom Fellowship Life Center last Friday. | PHOTO BY KATHRYN HARRINGTON.
The vaccine distributors are not providing transportation to appointments, but churches and organizations including the Louisville Urban League and Black Lives Matter Louisville are arranging socially-distanced buses and rides for those who have asked for it. Norton has also opened a permanent vaccine distribution center at the YMCA at 18th Street and Broadway. More efforts are incoming or might be. Baptist Health Louisville plans to start its own vaccine pop-up sites in underserved communities when its supply increases. On Monday, Feb. 15, Beshear announced that the state would be working with nine community health centers around the state to disseminate the vaccine to “hard to reach” populations as part of a federal program. But, no details have been provided about where these health centers are located. At Bates Memorial on Friday, Feb. 12, Williams stopped in and watched as some of the 200 people who were vaccinated that day received their doses, provided by Norton Healthcare. “Everything was running smoothly,” said Williams, “and people were glad to be able to have the opportunity to come in — and that we were offering it.” Williams said he appreciates that Black ministers have been folded into the vaccine distribution plan, but he
wishes they would have been involved earlier.
HOSPITALS SAY THEY’RE ‘LEADING THE CHARGE’
In June in the midst of Louisville’s racial justice protests, Norton Healthcare said it would start to take action on closing health equity gaps in Louisville. The hospital system created an Institute for Health Equity to come up with solutions, committed $20 million over five years to open facilities in underserved areas, and promised to hire an executive director. Dr. Kelly McCants became that executive director. He told LEO last week that Norton had already started to address how to distribute the vaccine equitably by opening its YMCA vaccination site when the state and local governments began calling for equitable injections across the state. “It’s not that we were reactive to the call to the action. We were really leading the charge, and the call to action aligned very nicely with what we were already doing,” McCants said. After the push from the government, though, Norton contacted the Rev. Kevin Cosby with St. Stephen Church to involve Louisville’s Black churches in the vaccine distribution process. UofL Health adopted a similar strategy. Dr. Edward Miller, the hospital
THORN, ROSE: LMPD EXPLORER SICKNESS Newly-obtained documents by The Courier Journal of LMPD’s investigation into the Explorer Scout sex scandal reveals the gross, horrific nature of how cops sexually preyed on minors in the program. It included, “an array of threats, extortion, alcohol, cash and favors to lure teens from across Kentucky to engage in sex,” The CJ reported. Then, documents show the efforts of other officers to protect one another… not the kids. A rose to The CJ for their persistent pursuit of the police records, enduring years of city obstruction and lies, and coming out on top. THORN: “NO-KNOCK” = NO-SURPRISE Republican state Sen. President Robert Stivers finally introduced a bill reforming police use of “no-knock warrants” … a three-page bill he promised last summer. To nobody’s surprise, yet again, lawmakers will err on the side of police, not the victims of their misdeeds. In fact, Stivers’ bill looks like something that came from the kid who forgot he had a three-page assignment due. The bill would require a SWAT team — or “members of a special weapons and tactics team or special response team…” — to execute the warrant. It also specifies that subjects of no-knock warrants must be suspected of a violent crime. Rep. Attica Scott, who introduced “Breonna’s Law,” which would completely ban no-knock warrants (like the one that led to police killing Breonna Taylor), said, “Why not follow the need of Black people who’ve been on the front lines, of people who have been working with Breonna Taylor’s family?” The Courier Journal reported. “Why erase the work of a Black woman legislator who’s been working on Breonna’s Law? Why erase Breonna Taylor? You’re not even calling it Breonna’s Law. It’s just a clear slap in the face to our work across Kentucky that we’ve been building to support Breonna’s Law.” She did her homework. Stivers would be best to see if she’ll let him copy. ROSE: PERMANENT TO-GO ALCOHOL? Last spring, as the virus rattled the globe, Gov. Andy Beshear issued an executive order that was simple and effective — restaurants, who were hit hard financially, could sell alcohol to-go during the pandemic, adding to their potential revenue. This week, Kentucky lawmakers moved to make that permanent, as the Senate passed legislation to make alcohol sales, including sealed cocktails, part of delivery and take-out meals. It’s a long road for economic recovery, but small, yet important measures like this could help business survival. The bill is currently on its way to the House. LEOWEEKLY.COM // FEBRUARY 24, 2021
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NEWS & ANALYSIS
system’s chief diversity officer, said that “diversity leaders” in Louisville are “always” having conversations about what they can do better to serve the community. Leaders at both hospitals and Baptist Health are all also on Metro government’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force. Sadiqa Reynolds, the president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League, said that an intentional effort is necessary to target the Black community for vaccines, because it’s the most impacted. “I’m not saying that others aren’t being impacted. I know people are getting sick and dealing with long-haul effects and dying across our country and across our community,” said Reynolds. “But, the rates of death in the Black community — and I mean we’ve just got to be really intentional about talking about it.” Nationally, Black Americans are dying at a rate that is almost two times higher than the rate at which white Americans are, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Louisville, there are majority white and Black zip codes with high rates of COVID deaths, but many of the hard-hit zip codes with higher Black populations have lower vaccination rates compared to the whiter areas of town, according to Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness data. So far, the health department reports that 20% of all COVID deaths across the city have been Black residents, which is slightly lower than the percentage of Black people in Louisville’s population (21.7%). Churches were chosen as the entry into underserved communities, said McCants, because they’re well-respected in the communities and “have always” made sure their communities are aware and engaged with social issues. “So, as a medical provider, understanding that culture and the trust that faith and health ministries has already built in these communities, we just leveraged that,” he said. On Feb. 11, Norton held its first vaccine pop-up event at St. Stephen in the California neighborhood. The one at Bates occurred the next day. Around 200 people were vaccinated at both. There have also been two vaccine events since: one at Quinn Chapel AME and another at Burnett Avenue Baptist Church. Norton hopes to hold one to two a week going forward. The same day as the Bates/Norton pop-up, UofL Health hosted its first community vaccination event – vaccinating over 100 people at Community Missionary Baptist Church in the Newburg neighborhood. Last Friday, UofL planned to distribute 400 doses at Kingdom Fellowship Christian
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LEOWEEKLY.COM // FEBRUARY 24, 2021
Life Center in Smoketown. Dr. Edward Miller, UofL Health’s chief diversity officer, said that the frequency of these vaccination events will depend on how many doses the hospital system is allocated. But, UofL Health intends to continue setting aside a fluctuating number of doses for the pop-up sites. Nationally, sites meant for underserved communities have had issues with attracting people from wealthier neighborhoods, often white, who fill up appointments before low-income residents are able to sign up. Louisville’s vaccine distributors are trying to target that with the way it distributes sign-up information within underserved neighborhoods first.
BARRICADING THE WHITE RUSH
When Norton opened up its YMCA vaccination site, the hospital started by circulating sign-up information through the networks of the Louisville Urban League and area churches. But, the minute that information emerges on social media, everyone across the city wants to book an appointment, said Reynolds. “We have all heard, you know, oh, people are scared to come to The West End. They don’t cross Ninth Street. Until there’s something they want. Then it doesn’t matter what they look like, how much money they make, they’ll come over,” she said. After “a few” weeks of holding slots, Norton started listing appointments on nortonhealthcare.com, said hospital spokesperson Kate Eller. Now, the health care system checks for unfilled appointments and calls patients without internet access who have called Norton’s phone line to get them scheduled. The hospital is now using its communitybased vaccine sign-up strategy for its pop-up locations, as is UofL Health. Both hospitals have handed over responsibility of registering community members to the area churches. With UofL for example, the churches are calling people to sign them up, then the hospital is calling the churches to collect the information. For Norton sites, community members can also sign up for slots in-person at participating churches. At Norton’s St. Stephen and Bates vaccine pop-ups, 86% of those vaccinated were African American, which was a success based on the demographics of the surrounding neighborhoods, said Dr. McCants. Norton could not provide demographics for those who received vaccinations at its YMCA site, and UofL Health did not have data for its pop-up vaccination
sites. People who receive vaccinations at Norton’s community sites are meant to get their second dose at the YMCA location. The hospital does not have its own system for The Rev. Timothy Findley Jr. talked to people at the Kingdom Fellowship Life Center on Feb. transport19 where hundreds were vaccinated. | PHOTO BY KATHRYN HARRINGTON. ing patients been invested in public health infrastructure, to The West said Connie Mendel, the health department’s End site, but residents can contact commuincident commander for the city’s COVID-19 nity organizations offering free rides. response. As vaccines become available to more “It’s almost embarrassing for us to say people, specifically in the 1C group, which that we don’t have an electronic health record includes essential workers and 75% of system as a public health department,” she Jefferson County’s population, Dr. Miller said. “Those systems that people have with said that UofL Health is planning to involve Baptist or UofL or Norton or others where even more Louisville areas that are hard hit you have MyChart or portals? We’re not by COVID and partner with different types there.” of community hubs like barber shops. Dr. But, the government’s coordination efforts McCants said that Norton will be “even more have felt lacking to Reynolds. She said she aggressive” with its equity efforts and will didn’t feel as if Black community leaders start expanding its pop-up sites to other areas were involved enough in the planning process of the city, including southwest and southeast for distributing vaccines equitably, although, Louisville and into Latinx communities. “But, from a disparity standout we wanted she did say that she was part of a focus group to make sure that we went to the most vulner- held by the state government. “Norton did a good job of getting us able communities first,” he said. involved on the front-end originally. But, Mayor Greg Fischer said last Friday that sometimes, I think with government, they Louisville should start vaccinating the 1C will wait and try to roll it out and come back group in late March or early April. and go, ‘OK, now we need to get the Black churches involved, now we need Black leadership involved,’” said Reynolds. THE GOVERNMENT’S ROLE This will become even more important With ensuring equitable access to the vacas vaccines open up to individuals in the 1C cine and other public health issues, the Louvaccination category. isville Metro health department is more of a “I don’t feel prepped,” said Reynolds. “I coordinating force, according to Gonzales — hope we’ve learned from what we’ve tried trying to get all of the different public health to do with 1A, that we need a better rollout networks in the area on a similar page. Metro for 1C. It would be wonderful if community government is also running the LouVax site organizations, the city and the state and those at the Kentucky Exposition Center, the largvaccine providers could coordinate so that we est vaccination site in Louisville at which have a message, so that we know how we’re over 1,000 people can be vaccinated at each sharing the link, where we’re sharing the link day. and when we’re sharing the link and what “But we know that we need these other the response has been, what zip codes are components, and that’s why we’re relying on responding, so we can really be targeted.” • our partners to be able to help us reach that,” said Gonzales. In recent decades, not much money has
LEOWEEKLY.COM // FEBRUARY 24, 2021
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THE TWISTED WEB OF REVENGE PORN DESPITE KENTUCKY’S LAW, PROBLEMS REMAIN By James Wilkerson | leo@leoweekly.com
“HEY, there are some naked pictures of you online!” That is not a text message most people would like to get, but it was a reality for Melissa. “About three of four years ago after I moved to Louisville, I met a guy online,” Melissa said. “We flirted for a couple of months and somewhere in there, I sent him some nude photos at his request.” To Melissa, who just wanted to go by her first name in this story, sending a few nude pictures wasn’t that big of a deal. She even forgot about them for a while. Then the text messages started. “All of the sudden, my phone was blowing up with messages left and right about me being online naked,” Melissa said. She quickly went to the sites her friends told her about, and sure enough, there they were: “I was shocked! I had sent something to someone I trusted in private. Now here it was for the whole world to see.” Melissa would directly ask the guy she had talked to online why he shared her images. Although he claimed he didn’t do it, there was no one else she shared those particular pictures with. “At first, I cried. Cried out of anger at myself for sending the pictures in the first place,” she recalled. Today, she takes a different approach to the situation. “OK. They are out there. It sucks. It is what it is.” But Melissa also said a continual shadow looms over her head due to the photos: “You never know when you’re having a conversation, a date or a job interview with someone who has seen you naked.” Whenever Melissa tells her story, one of the first questions she is asked is, “Why didn’t you press charges?” At the time that Melissa’s pictures were shared, Kentucky did not have a law that forbade the sharing of revenge porn. But, in 2018, after House Bill 110 went into law in Kentucky, it became a crime to post private, erotic images and videos online of another person without their written consent, if the intent
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is to harm, harass, intimidate, threaten or coerce that groups of the modern day, revenge porn has been used person. to make the private moments of many people public. Psychologists have pointed to the desire to “get back” Despite the law, revenge porn in Kentucky — and at someone who has hurt you as the reason that people everywhere else — remains a multi-layered problem. share revenge porn; it is the ultimate ability to hurt and Currently, there isn’t a federal law forbidding posting embarrass someone. While “revenge porn” is the most pornography without the consent of all people in the frequently used term, it does create a narrow view as to video or picture, which can cause jurisdiction issues. If why these images and videos are shared. someone from Kentucky is in a piece of revenge porn While some perpetrators do seek to that was posted from a state without legal ramifications embarrass ex-romantic partners, others or with different legal language, it can be difficult to are not motivated by vengeance or prosecute. Even though 46 states have some sort of law, personal feelings towards the victim. the constitutionality of those laws have been challenged When asked why she thought in several places, including successfully in Indiana, the man she met online shared her intensifying the importance of a federal law. nude photos, There are also other issues outMelissa said side of jurisdiction problems and that his actions, the First Amendment. El Hoffmann “Weren’t out of is the founder of Virago Nation, The use of nonspite but rather, an organization that provides resources for survivors of intimate consensual sexual out of opportunity.” Images partner violence. She has also had images have also have been used for explicit pictures of herself taken a variety of differwithout consent. been used for ent reasons other than “One of the things I realized was, while there are a ton revenge by scorned revenge, such as in trading for the nude photos of others and demandof defense attorneys out there, third parties as ing ransom money from the victim plaintiff attorneys that specialize in the picture or video. As such, the in this sort of thing are few and far well. During my term “nonconsensual pornography” between,” Hoffmann said. Even when legal representation tenure serving as a is a better description of the crime. Nonconsensual pornography is is procured, there are a host of other university hearing defined by the Cyber Civil Rights peripheral problems that stand in as the distribution of sexthe way on the path to justice. committee member, Initiative ually graphic images of individuals “For a victim of intimate partner violence, it can be very hard to we had a case come without their consent and is a term that is broad enough to capture the pursue the prosecution of someone before us where multiple motivations behind sharwho posts your images as the posing naked photos. And, according sibility of re-traumatization is very a male member to a study performed by the Data & high,” Hoffmann said. of the school’s Society Research Institute, around Potential professional ramifica10 million Americans have either tions may also cause someone to cross country been threatened with or have been think twice about taking the fight over explicit images public. team was accused victims of nonconsensual image sharing. “Depending on your career field, (and ultimately While preparing to compete if employers become aware of your in the 2017 Miss New York USA images, it could lead to workplace found responsible) Pageant, Nathaly Rodriguez began harassment or even losing your receiving phone calls and text job,” she said. for video taping messages from an ex-boyfriend Issues such as these create a himself having sex threatening to post nude pictures maze of challenges that complicate and videos of her online. Rodrithe pursuit of justice. with one of his guez initially thought that he was “It’s never as easy as it should be,” Hoffmann said. female teammates bluffing. She quickly realized this was no joke however, when she without her knowl- received a link to the porn website where he posted a video of the HISTORY, edge or consent. two having sex as well as details DEFINITION AND that would easily allow viewers to discover it was her. MOTIVE “He knew about me running in From its beginnings in the form the pageant, and he wanted to make sure I would never of stolen nude photos in the pages of a 1980 issue of Hustler Magazine to dedicated websites and social media have a chance at winning,” Rodriguez said on the steps
of New York City Hall in 2017. In the fallout of the posting, Rodriguez reported being unable to sleep, eat or work, as well as having thoughts of suicide. According to recent studies, while women under 30, minorities, and members of the LGBTQ community are more likely to be threatened with revenge porn than men, about 25% of revenge porn victims are men. Of that percentage, 9 out of 10 of them are also victims of “sextortion.” Sextortion is defined as a form of revenge porn that involves financially blackmailing the victim on top of the humiliation of being exposed online. Eighty-one percent of men do not report their cases. The reasons men don’t report revenge porn cases aren’t much different than the reasons they don’t report other sexual crimes as embarrassment and fear of ridicule from other men stand as barriers. The use of nonconsensual sexual images have also been used for revenge by scorned third parties as well. During my tenure serving as a university hearing committee member, we had a case come before us where a male member of the school’s cross country team was accused (and ultimately found responsible) for video taping himself having sex with one of his female teammates without her knowledge or consent. The video surfaced when the man’s girlfriend found the video and posted it on Twitter to get back at him. While the girlfriend acted out of the hurt of infidelity, posting the video was, in fact, illegal. When questioned, she had no idea she violated the law.
BETWEEN HERE AND D.C.
In 2016, Kentucky state Rep. Joni Jenkins and thenRep. Tom Riner sponsored a state bill that addressed revenge porn. Jeff Metzmeier, the division chief of the Domestic Violence Intake Center, the unit of the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office that handles these types of cases, testified in support of the bill in front of the House Judiciary Committee. “On average, we get about one victim a month, so a law was definitely needed,” Metzmeier told LEO. “I had to play the bad guy with so many victims, telling them there wasn’t a law against this type of thing.” The Commonwealth adopted House Bill 110 into law on July 14, 2018. Under this law, (KRS 531.120) it is a crime to post private erotic material online of another person without their written consent — significant because of the clear language that concrete permission is necessary. Depending on the specifics of the offense, the financial penalties range from $500 to $10,000 while imprisLEOWEEKLY.COM // FEBRUARY 24, 2021
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onment penalties range from no imprisonment at all to 10 years. Metzmeier also states that judges can require the defendant to erase or destroy the offending material, an action that his office regularly requests. Although there isn’t currently a federal law forbidding nonconsensual pornography, an effort to make nonconsensual pornography a federal offense was introduced in 2017. Sens. Kamala Harris (now vice president), Richard Burr and Amy Klobuchar introduced H.R.4472. Titled the ENOUGH Act (Ending Nonconsensual Online User Graphic Harassment), this bipartisan bill seeks to amend the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly distribute (or intentionally threaten to distribute) an intimate visual depiction of an individual with knowledge of or reckless disregard for the individual’s lack of consent, reasonable expectation of privacy and potential harm; and without a reasonable belief that such distribution touches a matter of public concern. As the internet allows people to connect despite distance, a federal law would give power to victims whose offenders are located in different states. “I’ve seen that sometimes happen and a federal law would help in that situation,” Metzmeier said. As of this writing, the bill sits in the House subcommittee on crime, terrorism, homeland security and investigations.
THE CHALLENGES
The first nonconsensual pornography state laws were introduced in 2013. While Texas, Alaska and New Jersey already had broad privacy laws that included revenge porn, by the end of 2014, 13 states had passed laws that specifically banned nonconsensual pornography. And, as of 2020, 46 states as well as Washington D.C. have enacted laws. However, these laws do not come without challenge. Minnesota’s nonconsensual pornography statute was put into effect on Aug. 1, 2016. The state’s Nonconsensual Dissemination of Private Sexual Images statute was meant to punish those who intentionally shared sexual images intended to be private, without consent. Since its enactment, over 300 people have been charged and over 100 have been convicted under the statute. In 2018, Michael Anthony Casillas was convicted of felony nonconsensual dissemination of private images after he used his victim’s password to access her online accounts and retrieved sexual photos and videos of her after their relationship ended. The images were sent to 44 people and posted online as well. Initially, Casillas received a 23-month sentence. On appeal however, rather than defending Casillas’ actions, his attorney John Arechigo would attack the law itself. Arechigo argued that the law had been too broadly written, stating that the statue applied a “negligence mens rea” standard, which meant that prosecutors did not have to show that a defendant intended to cause harm. While making sure to highlight that he was not advocating for the right to distribute revenge pornography, Arechigo argued that the law was unconstitutional as it “sweeps up people who don’t have any criminal intent, including people who accidentally disseminate images.” This argu-
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ment worked. While the Court of Appeals called Casillas’ shared images online regardless of if they knew the image was nonconsensual pornography. In 2019 howconduct “abhorrent,” they vacated the conviction on the ever, the Texas Senate sought to fix the law, voting 31-0 grounds that the statute is unconstitutional, effectively to approve House Bill 98. The bill specifies that photos striking down the law. Arechigo later stated: and videos must be posted “The Court of Appeals with the intent to harm the thoroughly and thoughtfully person depicted, and the analyzed the issues and arguoffender must know that ments we raised. This case Similar to Minnesota is the victim had a reasonable wasn’t about whether people expectation that the mateshould be able to disseminate the overturn of Texas’ rial would remain private. ‘revenge porn.’ It was about nonconsensual pornogra- The bill was signed by Gov. the law that Minnesota legisAbbott and went into lators passed three years ago. phy law. On Sept. 1, 2015, Greg effect Sept. 1, 2019, providThe law was poorly written. The law didn’t punish an the state made it a Class ing other states a blueprint on how to rewrite their own invasion of privacy, as the A misdemeanor to publicly laws when faced with First state argued. The law didn’t Amendment challenges. even require an invasion of post intimate photos of When asked about the privacy as a basis to bring constitutionality of Kencriminal charges. The Court a partner that were sent tucky’s law, Metzmeier of Appeals properly ruled with the understanding believes it would hold up the law punished speech in against a First Amendment violation of the First Amendthey remain private. A challenge. ment. It’s up to state legisla“I think our law adetors to craft better legislation violation of the law could if they’re really trying to quately describes what we’re bring a $4,000 fine and protect victims of ‘revenge talking about,” he said. “It porn.’” isn’t vague and the fact that a sentence of one-year The Casillas’ case is we include a portion requirimportant because it sets a imprisonment. Texas’ law ing written consent to share precedent for other states. As any images, really helps was ruled unconstitunonconsensual pornography the law meet constitutional statutes are relatively new muster.” tional in 2018 for being laws, it is no surprise that other states would look at overly broad as it could Minnesota for guidance in be used to punish anyone CELEBRITIES, their own legal challenges. In MARINES 2020, Indiana’s revenge porn that shared images online law was also ruled unconAND THE stitutional. In March of that regardless of if they knew INTERNET year, Trine University stuNonconsensual pornogthe image was nonconsendent Conner Katz recorded raphy is not just limited to a video of himself in an sual pornography. small incidents. There have intimate act with another been several examples that student in a campus fratershow just how widespread nity house. He would later the practice of sharing sexual show the video to others. images of others is. On Aug. 31, 2014, a large collection Katz was charged with distribution of an intimate image, of private images and videos of various female celebria Class A misdemeanor, however the case was dismissed ties were posted on the 4chan imageboard site. Chrisin October by Magistrate Randy Coffey on the grounds tened The Fappening (a combination of the word “fap”, a that Indiana’s revenge porn law violated the right to slang term for masturbation, and the word “happening”), freedom of speech. Coffey stated that he used guidance celebrities including Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, from the Minnesota appeal case to rule Indiana’s law Kirsten Dunst, Rhianna and Hope Solo found their nude unconstitutional. images leaked to the site. After their initial posting, the Similar to Minnesota is the overturn of Texas’ nonphotos would be reposted to other internet message consensual pornography law. On Sept. 1, 2015, the state boards (such as Reddit) and a variety of websites created made it a Class A misdemeanor to publicly post intimate specifically for sharing the pictures, many of which are photos of a partner that were sent with the understanding still active today. they remain private. A violation of the law could bring While some celebrities such as singer Ariana Grande a $4,000 fine and a sentence of one-year imprisonment. and actresses Victoria Justice and Yvonne Strahovski Texas’ law was ruled unconstitutional in 2018 for being would claim that the pictures posted of them were fake, overly broad as it could be used to punish anyone who others would admit the authenticity of their photos.
Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead stated that her pictures were part of the same online network that non-consensuwere taken with her husband years ago in the privacy of ally traded these images and videos. their home. As the pictures had been previously deleted, Collins received 18 months in federal prison after Winstead stated that a large amount of effort must have pleading guilty to felony hacking. Majerczyk pled to the went into finding them. Model Kate Upton called the same charge, receiving 9 months imprisonment. Herposting of her pictures an “outrageous violation of her rera received 16 months imprisonment while Garofano privacy” and threatened legal action for those behind the received eight months. Lastly, Brannan received 34 leak. months in prison for his role in the breach. Another large-scale incident involved a branch of Louisville-born actress Jennifer Lawrence would the United States Military. In 2017, the United States highlight the seriousness, saying: Department of Defense investigated hundreds of Marines “It is not a scandal. It is a sex crime. It is a sexual for their part in a secret Facebook violation. It’s disgusting. The law group used to share nonconsensual needs to be changed, and we need pornography. The group “Marines to change. That’s why these web United” had over 30,000 followers sites are responsible. Just the fact Collins would and featured thousands of explicit that somebody can be sexually receive 18 months images of unknowing serviceexploited and violated, and the first women. The images came complete thought that crosses somebody’s in federal prison with dossiers of the women, which mind is to make a profit from it. It’s so beyond me. I just can’t imagine after pleading guilty included their names, military branches and rank. Former Marine being that detached from humanity. to felony hacking. Corps corporal (and current tattoo I can’t imagine being that thoughtmodel) Elle Audra told The Marine less and careless and so empty Majerczyk would Corps Times the aftermath she inside.” has faced since her pictures were While it still isn’t known who plea to the same shared. “The messages are usually was responsible for initially posting charge, receiving something around like: ‘when were the images online, the methods you in’ and ‘I would have fucked that five men used to obtain the 9 months imprisyou too,’” Audra said of the mesimages were discovered in an FBI sages she has received from stranginvestigation. The U.S. Attorney’s onment. Herrera ers on Facebook. She even received Office states that Pennsylvania would receive 16 a request for sex from a man who man, Ryan Collins sent the celebriknew the specifics of when and ties emails that appeared to be from months impriswhere she was deployed. Apple and Google, asking them onment while Civilians weren’t safe from to provide their usernames and Marines United either. Michigan passwords. Collins gained access to Garofano would bartender Kelsie Stone broke up the accounts and thus, the private with her Marine boyfriend in 2016. photos. Another hacker (working receive eight Shortly after, Stone received a text independently of Collins) Edward months. Lastly, message from a friend alerting her Majerczyk from Chicago, would that nude pictures of her had been use the same phishing scheme to Brannan would shared on Facebook. Stone recoghack into the accounts of 30 celebrities (and many other non-celebrireceive 34 months nized the pictures immediately as she had previously sent them to her ties) gaining access to their private in prison for his then boyfriend while he was away information as well. Through IP in California. She would address tracking, Emilio Herrera, role in the breach. training report not only receiving lewd also from Chicago, was found comments on social media, but also to have accessed 572 individual receiving in-person harassment iCloud accounts using a phishing from Marines who frequent her scheme. George Garofano, from bar. Cyberstalking and harassment are both common outConnecticut, was also named in the investigation. Unlike comes of the circulation of nonconsensual nude images. the other hackers, Garofano claimed he was pressured Ultimately, over 100 Marines were punished for their into the hacking by other, more sophisticated criminals. involvement with Marines United. Christopher Brannan, a former special education One of the largest distributors of nonconsensual teacher from Virginia, was the latest to be named in the pornography was the online image board called Anon-IB. hacking. In addition to using the phishing scheme, BranThe board was founded in 2006 and hosted thousands nan surveyed the social media accounts of his victims to of images of women, cataloged by the state and counhelp him answer security questions and gain access to try where they live. Anon-IB became notorious, being their accounts. In addition to celebrity accounts, Brannan named “ground zero” in the sharing of the photos from also targeted his then-underaged sister-in-law as well as the 2014 Celebrity Leak as well as also being a sharing other students and teachers at his former school. While point for the Marine United photos. In 2018, a Dutch the FBI stated that the hackers were unconnected, they
cybercrime team seized the Anon-IB forum as a part of an ongoing investigation. But in 2020 there were reports of someone trying to revive the board, stating a new site that took the name and appearance of the original board. While Anon-IB may be one of the biggest, it is hardly the first website with the sole purpose of sharing revenge porn. In 2013, a suburban mother who goes by the pseudonym Ariella Alexander was reported to be the brains behind shesahomewrecker.com, a website where scorned wives could send nude pictures of their husbands’ mistresses for posting and public ridicule. Websites such as thedirty.com and myex.com would follow suit, creating an avenue for and promoting revenge through the sharing of nude photos. In 2012, the FBI investigated the site, isanyoneup. com. In an interview, the site’s creator Hunter Moore would dub himself a “professional life ruin-er,” stating that he wanted to take full advantage of people’s mistakes. For the most part, sites will now remove pictures at the victim’s request. “My pictures will occasionally pop up on a site called Mewes,” Melissa said. “I can usually get them removed if I know about them though,” she continues. For Melissa and her husband, doing Google searches for her images has become a regular practice. For others though, the process of getting their pictures removed from sites has not been as easy as Melissa’s, with some reporting having to pay as much as $500 for removal. While many of these revenge sites still exist, the enactment of state laws have started to help wipe them of the nonconsensual images they once proudly posted.
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
A common, tone-deaf response to victims of nonconsensual porn is telling them if they don’t want their nude photos shared, they shouldn’t take nude photos in the first place. But as writer and producer Lena Dunham has said, that response is the equivalent of telling a rape victim that they should not have been wearing a short skirt. The distribution of nonconsensual pornography, be it for clout or revenge, is a sex-based crime. For its victims, it carries the potential for emotional and mental damage and can threaten professional and financial standings as well. And while state laws are a great response, a sweeping federal law would potentially close legal loopholes, hold those who share private moments accountable and send a national message about the seriousness of this crime. Melissa agrees, saying she is in favor of a federal law like the ENOUGH Act passing. “If anything, it will legitimize revenge porn as the form of sexual assault it is.” •
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STAFF PICKS THURSDAY, FEB. 25
IDEAS: ‘Before It Hits Home’ Reading + Discussion Virtual | Zoom | Search Facebook | Donation-based To recognize National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, IDEAS at CommonREADING wealth Theatre Center is hosting a Zoom reading of “Before It Hits Home.” In the play, a jazz musician with a double life named Wendal is diagnosed with AIDS. The New York Times described it as “a wake-up call to the black community, sounded from within.” The show is free, but viewers are encouraged to donate to the Kentuckiana AIDS Alliance. —LEO
SUNDAY, FEB. 27
Winter Bird Watch Hike & Deck Observation
Falls Of The Ohio State Park | 201 W. Riverside Drive, Clarksville, Indiana | Search Facebook | Free | 10 a.m. It’s been hard to spend significant time outside lately with those winter storms smashing half the country. So, as we get a peak at above freezing levels, and HIKE & SEEK everyone’s looking for a little fresh air, here’s an opportunity. Tom and Colleen Becker are leading a hike and birding observation outing. Participants will get a look at an eagle’s nest and other birds. Bring your own binoculars. — LEO
SATURDAY, FEB. 27
Van’s Co�fee Tour Pop Up
Pocket Change | 1403 Story Ave. | Search Facebook | No cover | Noon-7 p.m.
THURSDAY, FEB. 25-26
Toast To The Tenth
Livestream | bourbonwomen.org/events | $10 | 6-9:30 p.m. Of course, bourbon events should be in-person… with lots of samples. But seven hours of sipping bourbon virtually (over two nights) with some of the foremost BOURBON industry experts is a pretty good alternative during a global pandemic. Celebrating 10 years of Bourbon Women, this livestream event features “exclusive behindthe-scenes tours and topics from more than 10 distilleries, streaming live with The Fred Minnick Show.” Thursday night is hosted by “The Cocktail Contessa” Heather Wibbles, and Friday night by Maggie Kimberl, content editor of American Whiskey Magazine. So get your bourbon bottles out and ready to toast. Visit the site above for a full-program lineup. —LEO
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We like our coffee without misogyny or white supremacy. Van’s Coffee Tour is bringing local Black- and women-owned coffee companies to Pocket Change GOOD MORNING this weekend. You can order coffee flights or buy whole beans, brewing equipment and accessories. West Lou Coffee and Red Hot Roasters Coffee will be there. Will you? —Danielle Grady
STAFF PICKS
SATURDAY, FEB. 27-28
THROUGH FEB. 28
LM Sugarbush | 321 N. Garrison Hollow Road, Salem, Indiana | lmsugarbush.com | Free | 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
700-800 blocks of East Main and Market Streets | nulu.org | Free
2021 Maple Syrup Festival
Not all maple syrup comes from the Northeast. It takes just over a half hour to get to SWEET Sugarbush, the Indiana maple syrup farm, which is hosting its 30th annual Maple Syrup Festival. Head up early for a fresh-made breakfast (we suggest the pancakes with syrup) and take a guided tour of the farm. Or, take a tour on your own time, when you’re done trying your hand at tomahawk throwing, crosscut sawing or when the kids are done in the game area and activity center. Shop from many craft vendors, and get all your maple goodies from the Sugarstore, including maple candy, maple cream, maple cotton candy, maple coated nuts and, obviously, maple syrup. (They even offer an Angel’s Envy Port Barrel Aged Maple Syrup.) Live country, bluegrass and other music will be playing all day. The festival also runs the weekend of March 6 and 7 if you can’t make it this weekend. Organizers suggest taking a four-wheel drive car if possible. —LEO
SUNDAY, FEB. 28
Yoga For People Of Color w/Jasmine Thompson Inner Spring Yoga | 802 E. Market St., New Albany, Indiana | isyoga.me Free | 4-5 p.m. Caring for others and the world around us is the core HEALTH inspiration behind Inner Spring Yoga. Key to this mission is ensuring that everyone feels welcome and safe in their yoga practice. This isn’t a passive objective, either… this class is free and reserved for only Black, Indigenous and people of color participants. “This class is a space of solidarity, community, and healing for those identifying as people of color to support their physical and emotional health and wellbeing,” organizers wrote on the Inner Spring website. Reservations are required. In-person space is limited, but a livestream link will be provided upon registration (and remain available for 48 hours). —LEO
NuLu Celebrates Black History Month In celebration of Black History Month, works by Black artists are being ART displayed in the windows of NuLu businesses: Red Biddix (Six Sisters), Arte Chambers (Mamali), Allison Cross (bar Vetti), Mickel Green (Pregame Coffee), Casey Page (Red Tree) and Samosa (Revelry). In addition, exhibitions at Quappi Projects feature Kiah Celeste with garner narrative contemporary fine art showing Derek Goodwin, Donté K. Hayes, Andre Seagraves and Norman Spencer. Presented by the NuLu Diversity Empowerment Committee. —Jo Anne Triplett
‘Liberty’ by Norman Spencer. Linocut.
THROUGH FEB. 28
New Members Exhibition: Aaron Lubrick and Suzanne Sidebottom PYRO Gallery | 1006 E. Washington St. | pyrogallery.com | Free
Now you see it, now… Wait a minute, did I really see that? With Suzanne Sidebottom’s art, be prepared to be deceived. Her trompe l’oeil ceramics are so finely tuned you will ART be reaching for that pencil or fruit before you know it. Aaron Lubrick’s art, on the other hand, is decidedly painterly. While realism isn’t his goal, he does prefer to observe his subject so he can paint from life. — Jo Anne Triplett
‘Boys Jumping During Covid’ by Aaron Lubrick. Oil on canvas.
LEOWEEKLY.COM // FEBRUARY 24, 2021
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Cash - Make way for the one and only Cash! This priceless pooch came to the Kentucky Humane Society when his previous owner could no longer care for him. He appears to be a five-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier mix and weighs 50 pounds. He is a very playful dog and enjoys all sorts of toys and treats! Hands down, the best thing about Cash are his expressions! He has the biggest, most expressive eyes and loves to make his people laugh with his hilarious antics. His previous family said Cash is a big spender in regards to his social life. You can always find him spending his time around strangers! His previous family mentions Cash knows where to make his “deposits” at home and will likely catch onto housetraining quickly! Cash does show resource guarding around things like food and treats with other animals; his new family will need to manage his environment due to this behavior. As a result, Cash is not able to be around cats, small animals, or children under 10 years of age. He would also need to meet any resident dogs before going home to make sure it’s a match. KHS will also give Cash’s new family a free virtual training session to help him adjust to his new home! All it would take to make him feel like a million bucks is to be given a chance to go home. Does he sound like the guy for you? He is neutered, micro-chipped and up-to-date on his shots. You don’t need to go to a bank or ATM to get this Cash; just go to kyhumane.org/dogs to schedule an adoption appointment at the Main Campus, 241 Steedly Drive, Louisville ky 40214. Skittles - Introducing the beautiful and magical Skittles! Skittles is
an eight-year-old Domestic Shorthair kitty who came to the Kentucky Humane Society from an overcrowded shelter. When she arrived, she was feeling quite under the weather. She spent time in foster care where she recovered and we learned more about her. Skittles is a friendly, but independent, kitty who likes time for herself as well as time with her people. She loves to play during the evenings and her favorite toys include felt “string on a stick” toys and she also likes kick toys with catnip’. When Skittles is tired of the attention, she will walk off to have her alone time. Skittles would be a great companion for a family who doesn’t want a “needy” best friend, she’s more like a quiet roommate. She tested positive for FIV or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus but with regular vet care, she can live a long and healthy life like any other cat. Skittles has shown she would like to be the only cat in the house and she would prefer a quiet home with kids 5 and up. If you’re looking for a best friend who will love you but also give you your space, consider Skittles! Skittles is spayed, micro-chipped and up-to-date on vaccinations. Schedule an appointment to meet Skittles at our East Campus, 1000 Lyndon Lane Louisville Ky 40222, by visiting kyhumane.org/cats today!
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STAFF PICKS
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24
Jazz Rumors
The Limbo | 411 W. Chestnut St. | riot.cafe | 7 p.m. | $5-$20 It’s been a devastating year for live music, GROOVE but it’s (very) slowly starting to make it’s way back on a small-scale level. This weekly jazz showcase provides a safe atmosphere for a low-key concert. This week’s artists include Meghan Pund, Clay Moore and Stuart Wicke. Specials include $10 bottles of wine and $10 pickles and cheese plates. —LEO
THROUGH MARCH 13
Blarney On Baxter
Various locations | Search Facebook | Prices and times may vary Remember when St. Patrick’s Day was ruined last year? It was the first of many events squashed by the pandemic, and well, there’s still no St. Patrick’s Day Parade GREEN this year, but there is an alternative: A month-long bar crawl that you can finish on your own time instead of in one, drunken night. Good for avoiding corona and good for your liver! Fifteen local establishments are participating in the “crawl,” including St. Paddy’s favorites Molly Malone’s and Flanagan’s Ale House. You can visit them any time through March 13, collecting stickers on your passport along the way by purchasing food and drinks. After you collect five stickers, you can return your completed passport to the Ancient Order of Hibernians hall on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), and you’ll receive a parade glass and have an opportunity to enter to win “premium prize baskets.” To download the passport and for a full list of participating businesses and more details, visit the Ancient Order of Hibernians’ Facebook page. —LEO
MUSIC
POSTHUMOUS RELEASE OF STEVE FERGUSON’S FINAL RECORDINGS By Erica Rucker | erucker@leoweekly.com
IN SOME WAYS, Louisville is like an alleyway. It’s a smallish city, with big city dreams. We’re sort of between here or there and always on the way to somewhere else. We’re both a place to move through, and if you stop, a place that quickly becomes home. In places like these — unexpected though not unknown places — we find the blooms of somethings wonderful popping up in the cracks of the sidewalk, in the alley. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Steve Ferguson, known to many as “Fergie,” was one of these blooms. Ferguson was born in 1948 and lived in several parts of the city of Louisville, including Clarksdale Housing Project, Hazelwood, The South End, in Portland and around 34th Street in The West End. He was one of the city’s most popular guitar players, mixing blues, creole music and other sounds into his performances including spending a lot of time playing with other local musicians in his five to six nights a week at Air Devil’s Inn. Now, new recordings have been released and his voice and playing can be heard again. This final collection, a recording of dulcimer songs called “Blue Ice of Winsted” has just been released, 11 years after his passing from small cell lung cancer in 2009. “He was just so unique an artist,” said wife Sheri Ferguson, as she recalled his legacy. “He purchased his first dulcimer a number of ago. He never played it out for performances. He really liked it and was really good at it.” In the 1960s, when Terry Adams formed the first incarnation of NRBQ with his brother Donn, the local surf-rock band battle scene was raging. NRBQ was something different. They introduced themselves to the world as the New Rhythm and Blues Quartet. Steve Ferguson joined shortly after this early incarnation — first as a fill-in for someone else but quickly becoming a full member of the band. When the band moved to Florida, Ferguson followed but soon came back home to Louisville. The band recorded songs by Eddie Cochran (“Summertime Blues”), Sun Ra (known for experimental jazz and afrofuturism) and collaborated with legendary players like rockabilly legend, Carl Perkins. Ferguson left the band for good in 1974 but played with the band for fun throughout the years. He continued to build his legacy throughout Louisville and beyond, experimenting
with sounds from several genres including blues, bluegrass, and creole music, forming The Midwest Creole Ensemble and his Operation Blues Assault. He recognized the connections in sounds and wanted to explore the cultural intersections further. And, despite his passing, his legacy and name still bring fond memories to mind for fans of local music. This new collection of music should come as no surprise. It was just another facet of an artist who had many. “As time went on, he acquired several dulcimers. In the end, when he got really sick with cancer, he couldn’t hold the guitar up as well so he just decided to stick with the dulcimer and a friend said, ‘Hey let’s make a recording,’” said Sheri Ferguson. Figuring out what to do with the tapes took some time. Ferguson said that she got “good advice and bad advice” about what to do with the music, but, at the end, Steve Ferguson’s old friend Terry Adams took charge of the mastering and production of this collection. “It was wonderful that Steve came full circle in his final years of life with the dulcimer, back to his actual roots,” Sheri Ferguson said. “Confirmation of being a fourth cousin to Bill Monroe was great, and I’m sure inspired him in this final work he did.” Creating the final product was somewhat of a challenge due to effects of Steve Ferguson’s illness showing up in the recordings, but Adams manages to remove those. “He really put his heart and soul into it,” said Sheri Ferguson. “It was really special. The way it stood — and Steve knew you could hear him breathing— he wanted to leave that on there instead of dubbing it out. Terry took that out in the end.” The resulting record is an intimate look into the final days of Ferguson’s work and life. Much of it is instrumental though he can be heard singing in parts, and the audience will recognize that he was going through a lot, but the sound is still magical with the structure of traditional bluegrass
The late Steve Ferguson holding one of his dulcimers
with the hint of blues still peeking through. Though Ferguson left NRBQ in the 1970s, he was often still seen on their stages as the years went on. Until his final days, he remained a part of the fabric of the NRBQ legacy while also creating his own work locally. “I heard him play the intro to ‘Flat Foot Flewzy,’ which was life-changing for me because all the other guitar players at the time were trying to distort and be like Hen-
drix,” former NRBQ Guitarist Big Al Anderson told MassLive.com in June of 2009 as they prepared a tribute to the then ailing Ferguson. “But Steve was the real deal, the only guy playing like that — real.” The final recordings, “Blue Ice of Winsted” can be found and purchased on the NRBQ website. •
LEOWEEKLY.COM // FEBRUARY 24, 2021
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FOOD & DRINK
RECOMMENDED
CON HUEVOS MAKES TAKEOUT BRUNCH WORK By Robin Garr | LouisvilleHotBytes.com Here’s a look inside the burrito gordo at Con Huevos. There’s plenty of egg, potato, tasty veggies and Mexican spice in there. | PHOTOS BY ROBIN GARR.
BRUNCH is one of my favorite meals. It’s right up there with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and, of course, breakfast for dinner. Notice how breakfast keeps coming up? But I’ve had a problem with brunch since the pandemic has wiped out my enthusiasm for dining inside a local eatery, no matter how carefully socially distanced: I love brunch dishes that feature soft fried eggs or poached eggs, ready to deliver their custardy yolk as a flavor booster to whatever they’re served on. Like the huevos rancheros at Con Huevos, for example. But doggone it, soft eggs just don’t work in a takeout box. Just like those not-so-rare meatballs that I complained about the other day, your luscious soft egg is going to keep on cooking in the well insulated environment of a plastic-foam container. By the time you get them home, they’ll be hardcooked, and that just doesn’t do it. Does this rule out takeout brunch entirely? No, but you need to bring a different strategy to the menu, and that may involve dropping your old favorites, while opening your mind to new and different
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brunchy treats. I woke up Sunday morning and realized that Con Huevos brunch would be just the thing for a chilly day with snow in the forecast. No, it wouldn’t be wise to try to get anything involving soft eggs home, but that left plenty of options and opened the possibility of discovering new favorites that I hadn’t tried before. Con Huevos’ menu is an excellent brunch option because it offers a good selection of Mexican dishes that work as breakfast, lunch or a little of both. All the dishes are made from scratch, and you can taste the quality. I’ve been a fan since the first Con Huevos opened in Clifton in the spring of 2015. You’ll find about 30 tempting dishes to choose from, including breakfast and lunch dishes, egg sandwiches, tacos, even avocado toast. No matter what you choose, it’s probably going to cost between $8 (for a fourpancake stack or a quesadilla) and $13 (for a trifecta platter that would be equally at home in Mexico City or Minneapolis with its hearty load of three pancakes, three strips
Served in a separate container to keep its veggie purity free from meat juices, Con Huevos’ roasted cauliflower taco gets a flavor boost from black beans, pico de gallo, and fiery habanero salsa on the side.
FOOD & DRINK
FOOD & DRINK
VEG OUT… DINING OUT IN THE MEAT EATER’S WORLD
HAVANA RUMBA SERVES GREAT VEGGIES WITH A CUBAN FLARE By Joe DeSensi | leo@leoweekly.com
Two of a set of three street tacos on maiz (corn) tortillas at Con Huevos: Slow-roasted pork carnitas and sirloin steak carne asada.
of bacon and three eggs as you like them). Some of the many favorites that appear to be good choices for holding up under takeout conditions include classic French toast ($9, or $10 with dulce de leche), tres leches pancakes ($10), plus lunch options Mexican sopes ($10.50 for three) or a drunk burrito ($12). There’s a short childrens’ menu and a fascinating collection of beverages including Mexican coffees, mimosas and margaritas. We eliminated all the fried and poached egg options, but that left plenty of good choices. The burrito gordo ($11) was a filling take on a breakfast burrito, and it held up just fine on the trip home. A large, tender, housemade wheat tortilla was neatly rolled around a portion of eggs that had been scrambled in a thin layer, then squeezed into its wrapper with small potato chunks and crisp, pink pickled onions. It was flavored with gentlyspicy chipotle cream and jalapeño aioli, finished with a molten lid of lightly-earthy Oaxaca cheese. The intriguing combination of textures and flavors played well together on my plate, alongside crisp-tender home fries cut in perfect squares. Street tacos are served on open-face, fresh-made corn tacos sturdy and thick enough that they don’t need to be doubled, and they’re filled with generous portions. They seemed as if they’d travel well, and the $12 toll for your choice of three from five options is fair. We chose pork carnitas, beef sirloin carne asada and a roasted cauliflower taco — one of a handful of vegetarian options on the menu. The carnitas consisted of slow-cooked pork, pulled into shreds, and there was a lot
of it. The carne asada had cubes of grilled beef in varying sizes, with a little tasty charring on the outside but still juicy within after a fairly quick trip home. Both meat tacos were topped with diced pickled onions and a little chopped cilantro, with lime wedges to squeeze on as well as hot green jalapeño salsa and hotter habanero salsa. The cauliflower taco was packaged in a separate container to protect it from random meat juices. Four or five good-size florets were beautifully roasted, showing goldenbrown edges. They were cooked but not overdone, just crisp-tender. It was topped with a dab of rich refried black beans, fresh diced tomato-and-onion pico de gallo and a few chopped cilantro leaves. A tub of fiery habanero salsa was packaged alongside. The menu’s two other street tacos — roast chicken tinga de pollo and spicy sausage and cheese chori-queso — looked tasty too. We’ll try them another time. A churro waffle ($9), which was four waffle quarters topped with cinnamon sugar and butter, strawberry and banana slices, and tubs of sweet dulce de leche and condensed milk, rounded out a delicious takeout brunch for two. It was $33.92, and we added a 20% tip. •
CON HUEVOS
4938 U.S. Hwy 42 Holiday Manor Shopping Center 384-3744 2339 Frankfort Ave. 384-3027 conhuevos.com
SINCE IMMIGRATING from Cuba in the early 2000s, owner Marcos Lorenzo has opened several traditional Cuban restaurants including a favorite of mine and my wife Hope, Havana Rumba! at Douglass Loop. We go to HR for a few different eating experiences: I love the vibrant veggies and variety of sauces and flavor profiles; they have inexpensive, largeportioned lunches; they are a great place to grab some made-fromscratch Cuban and Caribbean cocktails; and we can come hungry and order a medley of rounds of tapas and starters and explore the drink pairings along the way. This afternoon, we chose the latter. To begin the imbibing, I selected the Ultimate Mojito ($9.50) because I was feeling pretty ultimate that day: fresh sprigs of mint, a large wedge of lime, a large stick of fresh sugar cane and some top-shelf rum served in a traditional mojito glass. Hope went with an Argentinian Torrontés ($8), which was a little less minerally than similar French and Australian varietals, drinking like a fumé blanc with hints of apricot or tangerine in the nose. Hope gave it her highest rating: two finger air pistols fired in succession with a wink. High praise, indeed. Hope and I each have a favorite starter. For Hope, she loves the guacamole with homemade plantain chips ($7.50). The guac is made fresh with chunky red onion and tomatoes with lime juice and a touch of cilantro. I love the sweet potato fries ($4.50). Fun fact. . . you will always burn your mouth on the first one. . . even though the server will tell you it’s very hot. They laugh harder if you burn your mouth after saying, “Challenge accepted!” It is served with a ramekin of spicy, warm honey. If you get both starters, I recommend mixing and matching the flavors: plantains with honey or maybe fries with some guac. We were seven minutes into dinner, so we were late for our second drink. Hope decided to go another dance with the same wine, and I went for another Cuban classic, the Cuba libre ($4.50), a mid-shelf rum, fresh lime juice, an additional lime wedge,
and I went uber healthy by switching out for Diet Coke for the mixer. . . because it is almost thong season (Hope’s note: There will be no Joe thong season). For entrees, Hope was excited that since our last visit here, grilled shrimp tacos ($9.75) have been added to the menu: grilled shrimp on a bed of fresh vegetables. Definitely squeeze the lime wedge onto the smoky-spiced shrimp to add a citrusy pop. It came with a side of hot sauce that Hope forewent. I postured that it was because of the heat coming off the smoke-show she was eating with. She said, “Sure, that’s it,” so we will call that a win. I have several gluten-free veggie faves, but I was in a tapas kind of mood, so I ordered a few items for the table. Their frijoles negros (back bean soup, $5.50) is incredible. I think of it less as a thick soup and more of a sauce in which every other item on the table can be dipped. Additionally, I order the boiled yucca ($4.50) and the side of grilled veggies ($5). Yucca has the flavor of a potato with a little more of the consistency of a heartier veggie. It was topped with a mild mojo sauce and pickled onion. The grilled veggies included a variety of colorful peppers, onions, mushrooms, squash and zucchini. Each small plate was good on its own, but my favorite bite was a sliver of each color of pepper, a piece of the yucca, and then dunked in the black beans. With corn tortillas and vegetables for days, there are many gluten-free and/or vegetarian options, but if the table has meat or seafood eaters, they will not go hungry. One other nice thing about eating here is that I never feel rushed like they are trying to flip the table. If you are having a great conversation and want to hang out, they are very accommodating. •
HAVANA RUMBA
2210 Bardstown Road 749-4600 havanarumbaonline.com LEOWEEKLY.COM // FEBRUARY 24, 2021
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | MUSIC
YOUTH NEED MORE BIPOC AND GENDER EXPANSIVE REPRESENTATION IN MUSIC By Jerika Jones | leo@leoweekly.com I CONSIDER MYSELF fortunate to have who have contributed to rock history. In the spring of 2019, GRL launched our very many youth teach me how to call out the first representation and visual art centered truths hidden in plain sight. I am now the project. executive director of an organization that, Girls Rock Louisville’s Rock and Roll for the time being, is called Girls Rock Representation Project is an 8–12 week long Louisville (GRL). GRL empowers girls, program that started on Feb. 3 with Noe trans (regardless of identity) and gender Middle School that non-conforming provides youth the youth from all backAs we walked opportunity to learn grounds by exploring feminist archiving music creation in a away, I recalled techniques and curate supportive, inclusive visual projects. Their environment. a session when projects represent and But, I have not Guestroom Records celebrate the legacies always been in the of women, femmes, ED role. I have spent General Manager trans and gender nonmost of my years with Girls Rock Louand Media Director conforming people in music history. isville as a volunteer, Lisa Foster, DJ and During the music organizer and bass history portion of our teacher. One day, WFMU radio host program, students after a long recordlearn about music hising session at La Kim Sorise and I tory research methods La Land studios for crunched the data such as basic archival our Summer Camp techniques 2018 Album, I was on the demograph- research and identifying sigsitting in the main control room with ics of Hall of Fame’s nificant music history artifacts. Students Anne Gauthier, La La inductees and practice researching Land’s head engineer, on a curated list of and a few other folks archival composimusic-makers. The like Carrie Neumayer, GRL’s former tion. As of 2019, of youth take a field trip to the Rock and Executive Director. the 338 members Roll Hall of Fame As we decompressed in Cleveland, so together, a very inducted into the they can see a public meek Black youth music archive in approached us and sat Hall of Fame, only action. During the down. After a bit of approximately 15% second half of the nervous hand playprogram, students are ing and mumbling, of music-makers paired with an artist they told Carrie that mentor. The projects they wanted to do a found in the Rock serve as a tribute to project to honor their and Roll Hall of the music-makers favorite musician youth choose to and Godmama of Fame were women. that honor as their nomiRock and Roll, Sister nee for the Inductee Rosetta Tharpe. What Hall in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. she made clear to us is this: our youth need We host a public viewing of their work by more BIPOC and LGBTQ+ representation recreating a Hall of Fame of our own with in music. our own inductees. Without hesitation, Carrie told them that Our first round of the program was great. we would work to make a program that can We had 15 youth who were selected to comhelp young people explore the history of the plete the project. They learned about music women, femmes and gender expansive folks
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history, the foundations of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an archive and more. There was a personally significant moment that happened between a student and I, which made it even more clear that our youth deserve more public representation of BIPOC and gender expansive music makers in music. During our day trip at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I had a tagalong friend — a young Black scholar and fantastic drummer — who walked the halls with me. We wandered around the corridors of the museum, musing on whether or not Prince would consider himself queer and pointing out every wild drum kit we could find. We finally approached the small section dedicated to hip-hop which featured artifacts like Kelis’ baby blue on white Air Force 1s and assorted sport jackets of ‘80s and ‘90s emcees. After a bit of a pause, this youth turns to me and says “Ms. Jerika. Why are all the Black people in one corner?” I smiled and shook my head. We both knew why most of the Black people were in one corner dedicated to hip-hop. As we walked away, I recalled a session when Guestroom Records General Manager and Media Director Lisa Foster, DJ and WFMU radio host Kim Sorise and I crunched the data on the demographics of Hall of Fame’s inductees and archival composition. As of 2019, of the 338 members inducted into the Hall of Fame, only approximately 15% of music-makers found in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame were women. Of those 45 women, 12 are only featured because of their association with bands comprising of a majority male-identifying persons. Only seven of those women are recognized as musicians other than vocalists. The majority of the visual representation of BIPOC within
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is found in the section dedicated to hip-hop artists with some sizable representation within the “Early Roots Of Rock And Roll” section of the archive itself. These figures have slightly changed. During the current session of the Rock and Roll Representation Project — happening now with Noe Middle school students — resident music historians Stachelle Bussey and Alex Kandel found that only 7.7% of all individuals inducted into the Hall have been female. In addition, the percentage of POC in the Hall of Fame is steadily declining from 55.8% in 1989 to the current low of 32.7%. Even more strikingly, LGBTQ and gender expansive representation within the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum and Inductee Hall appears nonexistent despite the inductees. There have been only about 12 openly LGBTQ+ identified musicians inducted into the Hall of Fame since 1986. In May of 2019, the youth had their first exhibition at KMAC Museum which was met with overwhelming positive reception. After talking with the youth after their exhibition, we learned that this was the first time many had ever learned of music-makers in history that represented them. Their feedback is truly a humbling tragedy. I challenge all of us who are creatives or who are consumers of media to uplift and create real space for the legacies of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ artists. Our youth are seeking out representation in music. We, as music consumers, need to ensure that they are able to find it. •
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | THEATRE
ACTORS THEATRE LIGHTING SUPERVISOR PENS BOOK, LOOKS FORWARD TO THEATER’S RETURN By Erica Rucker | erucker@leoweekly.com JASON WEBER WAS, LIKE MOST OF US, going about his business as the lighting supervisor at Actors Theatre of Louisville when COVID happened. “We were in the beginning of the Humana Festival, and we had opened the first show and were just about to open the second show,” he said. “We had done our rehearsal for the day, and then we took our dinner break before having the audience. We got the notification that we weren’t going to have an audience, and we were sort of playing it by ear. Over the next one or two days we decided that we weren’t going to have any audience from then forward.” The theater was able to save a few jobs thanks to some early Paycheck Protection Program loans provided by the federal government, but by June, that money dried up, and so did Weber’s job. He’s since had a chance to do a bit of freelance work with the theater but nothing that tells him when or if his job as lighting supervisor will return. “I got to be in the venue for the first time in 10 months just a couple of weeks ago,” he said. “My table that I would sit at was still there with my papers and my pen, where I’d sat my pen. It’s just sort of frozen in time.” In 2019, before there was a COVID or a theater shutdown, Weber got to attend the U.S. Institute of Theater Technology’s conference. He’d been wanting to attend, but the conference was typically inconvenient for his busy work schedule, and this time, he got lucky. The conference happened at the Kentucky International Convention Center, just across the street from Actors Theatre. He could finally go. “I actually presented on a panel,” he said. “A publisher approached me and asked if I’d thought about writing a book. We started talking about different topics ,and we settled on this idea of me writing a sort of handbook on how to be a lighting supervisor.” Weber said that the market for technician handbooks is slim: “There are a lot of books out there about design but not about technical and managerial side of things.” After talking with the publisher, they established a timeline for Weber to begin writing the book in the Spring of 2020. “It was very fortuitous,” he said. “My actual work completely disappeared, and I was able to devote all my time to writing this book.” The book, which was published in
December, was able to help Weber sustain motivation through much of 2020 while writing. The book, titled “The Lighting Supervisor’s Toolkit: Collaboration, Interrogation, and Innovation toward Engineering Brilliant Lighting Designs” is now being picked up by several technical theater professors to use in their courses. Now that the book is finished and in print, motivation is a bit more of a struggle. “One of the things that’s been really challenging during the pandemic time is staying motivated and staying committed to something,” he said. “Once I finished the book I was doing some online training and got some online certifications that were related to my work.” “But, I’ve been struggling with more of that existentialism about it like I don’t know how long it’s going to last. Part of me is like I should take more classes or start the proposal on that second book.” Now, despite the lull caused by COVID and completed projects, Weber is looking forward to what happens next when theaters reopen. “One of the other good things about [the downtime in the industry] is that there’s been a lot of introspection,” said Weber. “A lot of things that have really been a problem have been put out to the forefront.” He mentions the We See You White American Theater movement (weeseeyouwat.com). We See You White American Theater began as a conversation between three BIPOC theatermakers. It quickly turned into 30 and then 300+, according to the website. The members — including well known actors such as Sanaa Lathan (“Love and Basketball”), Uzo Aduba (“Orange is the New Black”) and Sterling K. Brown (“This is Us”) — have issued a list of demands for theaters to address. “What’s been really exciting is that you’re actually seeing theaters releasing their own statements about what they are going to do when they come back and how they are going to — when they reopen — actively incorporate some of these things,” Weber said. There are other groups trying to make sure that the theater world rebuilds more equitably as well. Weber mentions one working on shortening or eliminating long
rehearsal times and another that’s focused on unpaid and low paid internships in theater. With all of the shifts in thought and hopefully practice, Weber intends not to miss out on the chance to grow with his industry. “I want to be part of the innovation of the theater,” he said. “I hope that wherever I am when theater comes back — at Actors Theatre or wherever — that I’m part of that movement that’s trying to build back better.” •
Proud Author and Lighting Supervisor Jason Weber holds up his new book.
Author and Lighting Supervisor Jason Weber checks stage lighting
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The New York Times Magazine Crossword TODDLER TALK
PHOTO BY RACHEL ROBINSON
ETC.
SAVAGE LOVE
By Dan Savage | mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage
DE-KINKED
Q: I know you and other sexperts say that kinks are ingrained and not something you can get rid of, but mine have all vanished! Ever since I started on antidepressants my relationship with my body and how it reacts to pain, both physical and mental, has completely changed. I used to love getting bit and spanked and beat black and blue, but now all that just hurts. I used to love getting humiliated and spit on, commanded to do dirty things, but none of that holds much appeal anywhere. So what gives? Were these even kinks in the first place if they could vanish so easily with one little pill? Or were these coping mechanisms for emotional problems I no longer have? I know my libido is suppressed due to the meds. Did my kinks just follow my libido out the door? The Missing Kink A: Antidepressants showed your kinks the door at the same time they showed your libido the door. Zooming out for a second: While some people find that consensual BDSM helps them cope with trauma and/or process their emotional problems—or work through the kind of traumas that create emotional problems—many people into BDSM have no significant history of sexual trauma, TMK, or whatever trauma(s) they may have suffered, sexual or otherwise, didn’t create or shape their kinks. And while consensual BDSM can provide therapeutic benefits to a person who 1. has a history of trauma and 2. has an interest in kink—by making them feel in control of their own bodies (even if they’re temporarily ceding that control)—not everyone who’s kinky can point to a traumatic event at the root of their kinks. And kinky people shouldn’t have to cite trauma to justify the pleasure they find in getting bit, spanked, beaten, bruised, bound, etc. “It’s become an oft-repeated narrative of many a wellness think piece that BDSM and freaky fetishes are actually okay because they help people deal with their traumatic past,” as the writer, comedian, and self-described
“Leatherdyke Muppet” Chingy Nea wrote in a recent essay about the creeping pathologizing of kink. “What gets you off is not inherently born of trauma or sign of dysfunction, nor does it require suffering to validate it. Being turned on by weird fucked up things you want to do with another consenting adult is acceptable simply because it’s hot and sexy and fun.” Okay, TMK, back to your question: Antidepressants—one little pill that can relieve mental anguish and disappear a libido at the same time—can’t cure kinks but they can suppress them. I mean, think about it… if you’re not horny right now because of the antidepressants… you’re not going to be horny for the things that get you off when you are horny… because you’re not horny… because the antidepressants. If you miss your libido—and if you miss all the hot and sexy and fun and fucked up things you used to enjoy with other consenting adults— work with your doctor to find a different med that relieves your depression without tanking your libido, TMK, or a different dosage of the med you’re currently on that provides you with emotional benefits without depriving you of your libido and the kinks that come bundled with it. Follow Chingy Nea on Twitter @ TheGayChingy. Q: I’m a longtime reader who appreciates the candor and insight you’ve offered since, what, the 1990s! Yeesh. With that in mind, I have a piece of advice I’d like to share with your readers. I’m a 56-year-old gay man. From my 20s though my 40s, I was as sexually active as often as it was possible for me to be. I loved sex and sought had it every chance I got. It made me feel alive! Then just as I was about to enter my 50s, I started to have erection problems. I could still come, but a spongy dick is egodeflating. Not wanting to accept what was going on, I talked to my doctor about it. I’ve tried Levitra, Cialis and now Viagra, as well as a host of cock rings. Not much of anything seems to help. I miss my sex life, and I miss the confidence that came with it. I
didn’t expect this, nor did I plan for it. It’s a lonely feeling. That’s why I think it’s important for your readers to understand the following: Have all the sex you want and that you can while you can so long as you’re not hurting anyone or putting anyone at risk! Do this as often as you want to. Don’t put those sexual fantasies on the back burner. Don’t stay in a relationship that stifles you sexually! You owe it to yourself to experience what you want to experience today. Don’t take tomorrow for granted as tomorrow might have something else in store for you. Guy’s Hard Off Seems Terminal A: Good advice—don’t screw tomorrow what you can screw today—and I’m glad you didn’t pass on any of the opportunities that came your way back when you could still “obtain and maintain” a fully erect cock. But I worry you may be passing on all the sexual opportunities that are still available to you. Even if the rock-hard erections of your youth and early-middle-age are gone forever, GHOST, you can still give and receive pleasure. You can suck a cock, you can get your ass fucked, you can fist and be fisted. And not every gay dude into daddies wants to be plowed by his hot daddy. Lots of gay guys wanna be orally serviced by hot daddies and lots of gay guys love having their holes eaten and stretched with big toys and fists. You can be a good, giving, and game partner and still have tons hot and fulfilling sex without ever taking your pulling your dick out. Which is not to say you shouldn’t pull your dick out—you should. But if you’re feeling self-conscious about your cock, GHOST, seek out guys who aren’t looking for sexual experiences that require a hard dick and you’ll feel less inhibited about pulling your dick out and getting yourself off as you get them off. You already took your own advice, GHOST, now you need to take mine: stop grieving what you’ve lost and get out there enjoy what you’ve still got.
of cancer, my father left my mother. Affair aside, he didn’t much like my mother, which was evident from the way he treated her and not just from the affair. Maybe he wanted to keep her in place until he could leave, maybe he had a monstrous sex drive, I don’t know. But he didn’t like her. My Asshole Dad Thank you for writing in, MAD, and you’re absolutely right: a lot of people—and not just married people— fuck people they don’t like. And some people are only nice to their spouses when they want sex and resume neglecting their spouses and/or treating them like shit immediately after they get sex. I obviously needed to qualify that statement, MAD, and if I had it to do over again I’d go with this: “If your parents are still fucking each other that’s a pretty good sign they might still like each other.” mail@savagelove.net Follow Dan on Twitter @FakeDanSavage. www.savagelovecast.com
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Q: I read this in a recent column of yours: “…if your parents are still fucking each other that means your parents still like each other.” Not always, Dan. My father fucked my mother daily while he was having an affair with another woman. As soon as the other woman’s husband died LEOWEEKLY.COM // FEBRUARY 24, 2021
21
SPRING SEASON 2021
ONLINE
With innovations in technology and the emphasis on safety, your Louisville Orchestra brings a series of exciting new concerts to your home.
HOW IT WORKS: 1. Get the $75 Spring LOVE package and see all live streaming concerts PLUS view on-demand video whenever you wish. Additional music is included in your video package featuring chamber music, solos, interviews, Teddy Talks and more.
2. Get any individual live concert or on-demand video for $20 Order online or call 502.587.8681
www.LouisvilleOrchestra.vhx.tv
HOMECOMINGS: Musical Journeys of Uncommon Folk
06 MAR at 7:30PM – Live online :: 19 MAR – 2 MAY – on-demand video Teddy Abrams, conductor :: Sarah Jarosz, guest artist A very special concert welcoming Teddy’s favorite singer-songwriter BROWN-FORMAN FOUNDATION ORCHESTRA SERIES
ABRAMS PLAYS RAVEL AND MORE 27 MAR at 7:30PM – Live online :: On-demand 9 APR – 23 MAY Teddy Abrams, conductor/piano :: Jecorey Arthur, guest artist
WAILING TRUMPETS: Ragtime + Jazz 10 APR at 7:30 pm – Live online :: On-demand 23 APR – 6 JUN Bob Bernhardt, conductor :: Byron Stripling, trumpet Bobby Floyd, piano :: Robert Breithaupt, drums
CLASSICAL PAIRING: WA Mozart + John Adams 26 FEB – 11 APR—on-demand video Teddy Abrams, conductor 22
LEOWEEKLY.COM // FEBRUARY 24, 2021