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Sunday Worship, 10 AM MCC of Topeka Annual Garage Sale Thursday & Friday, May 2 & 3, 8am - 4pm Saturday, May 4, 8am - 2pm Biscuit & Gravy Breakfast, Saturday, 8 - 11am - $3! FREE Community Meal Saturday, May 11, 5-6:30pm
Save the Date! “Down-Home Kansas Pride” Saturday, June 22 Metropolitan Community Church of Topeka 4425 SW 19th Street, Topeka, KS 66604 Phone: 785.272.1442 office@mcctopeka.org www.mcctopeka.org
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
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Methodist Church, Crazy J’s Furniture & Sleep Shop, The Donut Whole, Fetish Lingerie, Fisch Haus, First Metropolitan Community Church, First Unitarian Universalist Church, Harris & Co. Frame Shop, Hunter Health Clinic, J’s Lounge, Jim Starkey Music Center, A Journey in the Light, Junk in the Trunk, Kirby’s, KU Internal Medicine - Midtown, Light & Sound Spa, Mead’s Corner, Moe’s Sub Shop, The Monarch, Monica’s Bundt Cake Co., Mystic Planet, Our Fantasy Complex, Patricia’s, Peace & Social Justice Center, Pine Valley Christian Church, Planet Hair, Planned Parenthood, Positive Directions, Rain Café & Lounge, Side Street RetroLounge, Spice Merchant, The Store, Twist Yarn Shop, Vagabond Coffeeshop, Vegas Video, Watermark Books, Wichita Public Library downtown branch, WSU Rhatigan Student Center (info desk), WSU - That Gay Group meetings, WSU - Women’s Studies office, Xcitement Video
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MAY 2013
Liberty Press
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
On the Cover:
Volume 19, No. 9 • Editor: Kristi Parker • Contributors: Paul Berge, Dave Brousseau, Nolin Christensen, Greg Fox, Charlene Lichtenstein, Mama, Audrey McQueen, Dr. Robert N. Minor, Stephanie Mott, Ben Rivers • Staff Reporters: Helen Barnes, Paul Fernkopf, Brian Hansen, Angi Jaindl, Ciara Reid • Contributing Photographers: Paul Fernkopf, Kelsy Gossett • Cover Design: Troy Dilport • Cover Photo: Scott Hollander as Mama, Pat Conner as Eunice. Images by Kelsy (Gossett), www.imagesbykelsy.com • Graphic Designer: Troy Dilport • Webmaster: Ren Autrey • Publisher: The Liberty Press, LLC For Advertising Information in Wichita: Teri Mott, (614) 506-9307 or terimott@gmail.com For Advertising Information in Lawrence, Manhattan, Topeka: Paul Fernkopf, (785) 260-0706 or paul.m.fernkopf@gmail.com National Advertising Representatives: Rivendell Media (212) 242-96863 Subscriptions are $18/year
The “Liberty Press” and its contents may not be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or in part, without the express written consent of the publisher. All rights reserved. Unsolicited material may not necessarily be acknowledged or returned, is assumed intended for publication unless otherwise stated, and becomes the sole property of the Liberty Press. Letters to the editor and bylined columns reflect the views and opinions of the authors only and are not necessarily those of the Liberty Press, LLC or its staff. The Liberty Press reserves the right to refuse or restrict advertisements at the editor’s discretion. Advertisers and agencies assume liability for claims arising from the content of their ads. Publication of the name, photograph or likeness of any persons, organization or business in articles or advertisements in the Liberty Press in no way indicates or reflects their sexual orientation. First copy free, additional copies may be obtained for a nominal fee from the publisher.
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Happy Mother’s Day!
CONTENTS A CHICKEN DINNER BY ANY OTHER NAME . . . could be embarrassing.... 7 THE FULL MONTY SHOWING THROUGH MAY 19 at The Forum..................8 WILL-GALLEGOS FAMILY SETS GREAT EXAMPLE for community................12 MOTT HONORED WITH prestigious Pioneer Woman award...................17 REVIEW Crown Uptown’s Annie Get Your Gun.........................................17 BIKE YOUR WAY TO GOOD HEALTH as part of Bike Month........................20 FOUNDATION FORMING TO RAISE MONEY for surgery for transgender Kansans....................................................................................................23
Regulars OP/ED letters, poll results, editorial cartoonm.........................................6 BOOKENDS Grandma’s Old Cockbook and Mondo Cruel........................7 MINOR DETAILS Mother’s Day, and A Lot Else, Ain’t What it Used to Be................................................................................................16 AUDREY ASKS Mama.............................................................................18 LEATHER LIFE Living a Leather Life.......................................................19 TRANS-FORMATIVE Trans-A-Rama-DOMA............................................22 PICTURE PAGE Tuaca Drinks & Ink........................................................28 The Liberty Press distributes 4,000 copies a month in cities throughout Kansas, including Dodge City, Lawrence, Topeka, Wichita, Manhattan, Junction City, Hutchinson, El Dorado, Hays, Kansas City, Pittsburg and Salina.
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Around Kansas listings are free to non-profit/volunteer-based groups. Send your additions or corrections to editor@ libertypress.net.
IN EVERY ISSUE DISTRIBUTION LIST..................... 4 POINTS OF INTEREST................ 10 MAMA KNOWS BEST.................. 13 POLL QUESTION........................ 20 COMICS....................................... 23 AROUND KANSAS...................... 24 CLASSIFIEDS.............................. 25 BRIDGES..................................... 25 OUT IN THE STARS.................... 25
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MAY Join Us in Worship... ALL are Welcome!
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OP/ED
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The opinions represented here do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Liberty Press. We reserve the right to edit and cut submissions for space and grammatical content. We want to hear from you! Visit www.libertypress.net to answer our Readers Poll or the question of the month. Send your letters and feedback to editor@libertypress.net.
WITH FELLOWSHIP FOLLOWING THE SERVICE Experience the Revolution with Us on Sundays ™
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Pride thanks you Dear editor: Wichita Pride would like to thank Side Street, performers and everyone else who helped with the successful Mama’s Comedy Night for Pride on
PDI Bingo Hall • 1010 W. 41st Street S. 3rd Thursday of the month is BO/GO $20 Packets Thursday Night Profits Benefit FMCC Monday & Saturday Nights Benefit PDI
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April 5. Pride would also like to acknowledge Fantasy/ South 40, the Wichita Bears and W.O.O.L.F in bringing the fagbug to Wichita on April 6. It was a great event meeting Erin [Davies] and hearing her amazing story. Please check out Wichita Pride on Facebook and wichitapride.com for more upcoming events. Richard Lange Communications Director Wichita Pride
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
By Ben Rivers
ur first book this month is from native Kansan, Steve Scearcy. Grandma’s Old Cockbook (SS Publishing, $12) – yes, you read that correctly – is chocked full of chicken recipes. Did you see what he did there? Chicken. Cock. He’s a “punny” guy. Scearcy does not take credit for this joke, but in stories interspersed throughout the book we learn of his grandmother’s tendency to use “chicken” and “cock” interchangeably. Scearcy has a conversational tone in his writing that is very inviting. I felt like I was in his kitchen listening to him recount the stories of his time spent on his grandparents’ Kansas farm. The humor and sincerity in his prose conveys the simple
atmosphere of that farm. But let me get to the recipes. I picked three to try. First, “Killer Fried Rooster Liver.” Like Scearcy I grew up with grandparents who had a love of offal. However, this was my first time cooking liver. The simplicity of the iron rich liver and soft, almost caramelized onions exploded on my taste buds. Equally simple was “Ginned Up Hens,” chicken wings coated in brown sugar, lemon, and gin. That’s right. Gin. Gin and I are besties, so I had to try this recipe. Not only was it simple, but the wings came out of the oven caramelized, with delicate hints of juniper. The tang of the lemon cut through the fat of the chicken, and balanced out the green flavor of the juniper and the deep sweetness of the brown sugar. The final recipe I tried was “Rooster’n Nut Butter,” which was much like chicken in a satay sauce. As much as I love gin, our relationship is not nearly as special as what peanut butter and I have. This was a great recipe, but I did feel coconut milk and curry would nudge the flavors further east where it so desperately wanted to migrate.
Grandma’s Old Cockbook is a wonderful contribution to Kansas culture. However, I must posit that a second edition is much needed. There are several recipes with either missing ingredients on the ingredient list, or steps missing or repeated in the instructions. The prose could use some tightening as well. A good stiff editing would work out the kinks in this hybrid cookbook/memoir. Migrating south - way south - we end up in Puerto Rico to round out our month. Luis Negròn’s short story collection Mondo Cruel (Seven Stories Press, $13.95) provides a
A chicken dinner by any other name…could be embarrassing!
KANSAS CITY - Steve Scearcy spent much of his youth on a Midwest chicken farm with a grandmother who was a great cook with an interesting vocabulary. A dinner invitation from grandma was often embarrassing, leading to misunderstanding and family trauma. The results were always funny stories and great food. Scearcy turned these ex-periences and his
Grandmother’s chicken recipes into a humorous cookbook that will appeal to cooks and noncooks alike. Grandma’s Old Cockbook puts the smile and the belly laugh back into the kitchen. The book features funny stories that explore why every good food should “taste like chicken” and why, giving someone the “bird,” is not so bad. There are unusual recipes and cartoons, as chickens of the world attempt to ban this book and stop its success. The idea for the book occurred in a hospital. As the author’s mother was convalescing in ICU, the two began reminiscing about Grandma and her unusual
way of describing a chicken dinner. “Before long we were laughing so hard that nurses were coming in to remind Mom she was sick!” Scearcy said. “We shared why we were laughing and soon every nurse that came on duty stopped by for a ‘cock tale.’ I actually began writing the book in that hospital room.” The book is available on the internet at www. grandmasoldcockbook. com or Amazon.com. There is also a new music video available at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=LLqeJgSE1nI. l
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fascinating insight into queer culture on the Caribbean island. This is not just run of the mill queer culture, if there is such a thing. Negròn thrives on digging into a culture that is seen from the outside as transgressive. The title story plays with class structure. The main character struggles with what he wants and what he needs. He seems to want to be a high society queen, but really hungers for a “come what may” lifestyle. What makes this story so sadly enjoyable is watching this character deny himself the opportunity at an authentic experience in the name of keeping up appearances. For Guayama is a hysterical collection of letters written to a friend that we never meet. The absurdity of this story reminded me of the over the top camp of my favorite director, Pedro Almodòvar. The star of this collection is The Garden. This story of a partner and sister sharing the last days of their loved one is sheer beauty. AIDS is never written, but through interactions and descriptions the terminal disease is clear. It’s when Negròn throws a curve ball that the simple and beautiful story of end of life passage suddenly takes on new life. I would love to share the curve ball, but it makes the story so rich, like caramelized brown sugar. By the end I was left how I love ending a great work of prose, wanting more. l
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The Full Monty showing through May 19 at The Forum By Brian Hansen WICHITA – Opening the evening of April 25, The Forum Theatre will be rolling out its newest production: The Full Monty. Once a ‘90s British film, this show has been brought to the stage as a musical. It displays a tale of family, friendship, teamwork and selfdiscovery. The story circles around six recently unemployed steelworkers struggling to find work. Their leader, Jerry, resolves to form a Chippendales-style dance group with his
fellow non-workers. They claim their group, named “Hot Steel,” will be better than the original; they will perform completely nude – showing “the Full Monty.” Within the men of “Hot Steel,” a romantic relationship between dancers Malcolm and Ethan forms. Malcolm, played by Ted Dvorak, is a gay man who, after a failed suicide attempt, falls for dancer Ethan, played by Jordon Snow. Snow, who is performing in his fifth show for The Forum Theatre, says the musical “shows the building of the relationship and
Jordon Snow stars as Ethan, a gay dancer, in The Full Monty.
the two characters sing a number together.” Snow says his character exemplifies selfdiscovery and “just wants to dance.” When asked if, as an openly gay man himself, he enjoys playing a gay role, Snow responded, “I find it more difficult because I have to put more of myself into the character, making me more vulnerable onstage. “The show is about discovery. Each character has different reasons and circumstances why they are stripping, and each overcomes struggles,” Snow says. The question on everyone’s mind will surely be, “So, will the ‘full monty’ be shown in the musical?” To answer this, all will have to attend the performance and see for themselves. The Full Monty shows April 25-May 19 every Thursday-Saturday at 8pm with a Sunday matinee at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at 316-618-0444 or by going online to www. forumwichita.com. l
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2013 SUMMER SEASON SPAMALOT
LES MISERABLES THE KING AND I BETTY BLUE EYES MARY POPPINS
BROADWAY-QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT HAPPENING IN DOWNTOWN WICHITA
Season Tickets & Gift Certificates ON SALE NOW!
Call 265-3107 or visit www.MTWichita.org Century II • 225 W. Douglas Photo from 2012 production of “9 to 5”
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In this special performance, experience Toscano (and his zany characters) as he does stand-up comedy, storytelling, and excerpts from his original plays, Queer 101-Now I Know my gAy,B,C’s, The Re-education of George W. Bush, and Doin’ time at the Homo No Mo Halfway House (his outrageous farce about trying to “de-gay” himself).
American Cancer Society turns 100 on May 22 The American Cancer Society is using its 100th birthday on May 22, to encourage people to join together, make noise, and take action to finish the fight against cancer. The Society’s goal is to recruit 100 new volunteers across the state of Kansas during the month of May to mark the organization’s birthday. A volunteer reception will be held in the Society’s Wichita office at 330 S. Main, Suite 100 on Wednesday, May 22 from 4:30-6:30pm. Prospective and current volunteers are invited to learn about the variety of volunteer positions available. Refreshments will be provided, and current volunteers will receive a special thank you gift. For more information, visit cancer.org. Volunteer opportunities include: • Relay For Life® volunteers – help raise funds to end cancer by participating on a local Relay For Life committee or by forming/joining a Relay For Life team • Road to Recovery® drivers – provide rides for cancer patients to and from treatment • R e a c h t o R e c o v e r y ® volunteers – mentor newlydiagnosed breast cancer patients (Volunteers must be breast cancer survivors.) • Advocacy volunteers – help fight cancer through our sister lobby organization, ACS CAN, by working with lawmakers to ensure cancer remains a top priority in the legislative arena • Look Good…Feel Better® volunteers – help women learn
MAY 2013
to deal with the appearancerelated side effects of cancer treatment (Volunteers must be licensed cosmetologists.)
Queer performance artist coming to Manhattan for free show
Girls with Guitars features four lesbian performers
M A N H AT T A N - F i r s t Congregational Church UCC, 700 Poyntz Ave. in Manhattan, is presenting Doin’ Time with Peterson Toscano on Friday,
KANSAS CITY – Girls with Guitars–Acoustic Vibrations, brings four lesbian performers to center stage at the Uptown Theater on June 15. Doors open at 6pm, and show time is 7pm. The performers include both local and national artists who are iconic in the lesbian scene and in the independent music industry. On stage is Jen Foster, from Nashville, an award-winning singer/songwriter who regularly sells out shows across the country, Kansas City’s own Kristie Stremel, who sings from the heart of America, flying in from Long Beach with her guitar, her wit, and her irresistible charisma, Jennifer Corday, and finally, Summer Osborne, a lyric-driven singer/ songwriter from St. Louis. Also, all the way from Oz Dirty Dorothy will be bringing her colorful humor and antics to the show as emcee. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster. com.
Toscano
May 3 at 7pm. The event is free, but donations will be accepted during a peace offering. Queer performance artist, Peterson Toscano, tackles many topics in his one-person comedies--the ex-gay movement, Biblical homophobia, sexism, climate change, and transgender issues. He is also a Bible scholar who has unearthed the stories of many gender outlaws in the Bible.
Gershwin’s Crazy For You runs May 2-5 at WSU WICHITA - The Wichita State University School of Performing Arts will present Gershwin’s classic Crazy For You May 2‐5 in Wilner Auditorium on the WSU campus. Show times are 7:30pm Thursday-Saturday nights, and 2pm on Sunday. This delightful show, with such memorable tunes as I Got Rhythm, Embraceable You, Someone to Watch Over Me and Nice Work if You Can Get It, is toe‐tapping fun for the entire family. The show is rated G. Crazy for You is the story of Bobby Child, a well‐to‐do 1930’s playboy, whose dream in life is to dance. Despite the serious efforts of his domineering mother and soon‐ to‐be ex‐fiancée, Bobby achieves his dream in an unexpected place. This high energy comedy includes mistaken identity, plot twists, fabulous dance numbers and classic Gershwin music. For tickets, contact the WSU College of Fine Arts Box Office at 316‐978‐3233 or online at www.wichita.edu/ fineartsboxoffice. Tickets are $16 general public, $14 military/ sr. citizens/faculty/staff, and $6 students. l
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Will-Gallegos family sets great example for community By Helen Barnes HAYSVILLE - “Today is pretty typical – this morning Spencer and I had a soccer game, then Spencer went to the Y to swim, we came home, got ready for this interview, and we have a party to go to later,” laughed TJ Will when I asked her to describe an average day. Wi l l a n d h e r p a r t n e r, Deedee Gallegos are pretty typical parents. The family has something going on practically every night of the week. Their youngest, Spencer, swims and plays soccer. Michael and Helen, the middle child and the oldest child, respectively, participate in Special Olympics. If they all do find themselves with an evening free, they usually look at each other at some point in the evening and wonder what didn’t get put on the calendar. “Our life revolves around that thing,” said Gallegos, grinning. But no matter how busy they get, everyone sits down at the table together for dinner. Gallegos and Will wouldn’t have it any other way. The women met while playing softball. At first, they weren’t sure if they even liked each other. Obviously, they worked it out, because their relationship is now 23 years and three kids strong. Will and Gallegos were together for about six years before they decided to start a family. Helen and Michael were their “firsts.” The children had never even met each other, even though they were half-brother and sister. They were leaving foster care to go up for adoption. Gallegos and Will did what they had to do to give them a home. At first there were some
barriers thrown up because the women were a lesbian couple. Will and Gallegos persisted and made people realize that they were in this struggle for all the right reasons. The CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) worker for Helen and Michael became a strong supporter of the women’s efforts. After finding out that the children were even related to the couple, people started asking, “Why didn’t you do something sooner?” Gallegos and Will were ultimately awarded guardianship of the children and two years later, their adoption became final. Spencer is Will’s natural child. The couple had Helen and Michael for some time when Will shared with Gallegos that she wanted another one. “We had the other two, I thought we were done,” said Gallegos. Will opted for artificial insemination, which, she interjected, “took the first time,” in order to conceive their third child, Spencer. The couple has been pleased with how the schools have dealt with their unusual family. Gallegos said, “The schools have been wonderful. There was a problem initially with one teacher at an IEP [Individual Education Plan] meeting. When the teacher found out we were two women, she acted like she was going to make that an issue. I told her that we were there for Helen, so the relationship we [Will and Gallegos] had didn’t matter.” As a result, that teacher became one of their strongest supporters. The women feel their presence has been good for Haysville and their neighborhood, too: they are an example of same-sex parents. And both feel that they
TJ Will and Deedee Gallegos with their three children, from left, Spencer, Helen and Michael during a trip to Maine.
are a good example, especially since they get kudos from their children’s teachers and others for their parenting skills. A d d i t i o n a l l y, Wi l l commented, “We get along with all our neighbors. We haven’t ever felt that people want to give us trouble and we haven’t been overly judged for being lesbian parents.” Like many parents, Will and Gallegos are incredibly proud of their children and their achievements, especially those of Helen and Michael, who have special needs. They feel that their children’s success proves to others that anything can be accomplished with the proper attitude. Spencer, the youngest, is growing up to be tolerant and doesn’t see anyone as different. She will sometimes even sacrifice her activities to participate in those of her siblings. This past year, Helen went to
the 2013 World Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. Other than being a skilled athlete and chosen for Team USA, the participant had to be able to live away from his or her parents for an extended period, because training took place in Lake Placid, NY and the games in PyeongChang lasted two weeks. Helen said she had “a lot of fun and went sightseeing.” She also brought home two silver medals. Gallegos and Will got to go, too. Friends and members of their church helped them raise money for the trip. However, they stayed elsewhere while Helen hung out with the team. A “proud mama moment” for Gallegos was when Helen was starting the first event. She said she “would never forget them saying her [Helen’s] name and then that she was from the United States of America. I thought to myself, ‘That’s my kid out there,’ and I couldn’t have been more proud.” l
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M
ama, My grown child moved back in with me. How long should I let them live with me? Parent with no life If a child is there more than a week they do not plan on moving out. Don’t let them get comfortable and mooch off of you. I know my son, Vinton and his wife, moved in with me four years ago and I cannot get them out of the damn house. Make their life hell while there. Do everything you can to make them uncomfortable and annoyed. Otherwise they will be there until you die! Dear Mama, What is the secret to being a good mother? New parent Make sure your kids know you’re the mother and no one else! Good rules, responsibilities, and respect is the key. Also, a six pack of beer and hoping they move out when they’re 18 and don’t come back. Ms. Mama, What would be the perfect Mother’s Day gift? Looking Call your mother, send a card/ flowers, then leave her alone to drink her beer and watch her programs in peace. Do not bring the kids over and expect her to cook! If you have to visit her
then clean her house and bring her a beer! This is her time not yours! How do you deal with difficult kids? Stressed I yell at them and make sure they know the mistakes they have made. I give them advice rather or not they want to hear it. Then I pray no one has kids like Ellen, Eunice and Vinton. Good Lord, help please!! Mama, What the heck is going on? It seems winter will not leave and let spring bloom? Hating the weather How the hell should I know? Do I look like Willard Scott? This is Kansas, every time you turn around the weather changes. If it continues they are going to change the winter/spring season to sprinter! It is very annoying; one week it is in the 70’s and the next sleet and ice. It is like a politician who keeps changing his mind on policies! My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Thank you, Wichita, for your continued support. E-mail me at MamaTHarper@aol.com or on Facebook under Thelma Harper! l
Get ready for summer here! Disc golf, hacky sacks, hero sacks, and more for fun in the sun!
(785) 776-2252
1128 Moro Manhattan, KS 66502 11am-6:30pm M-F • 11am-6pm Sat.
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Minor
Details By Bob Minor
Mother’s Day, and A Lot Else, Ain’t What it Used to Be
N
ations have a habit of sanctifying people and events that might otherwise disturb the system by cleaning them up so that their memories actually celebrate and promote the status quo, especially its business. When President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed May 9, 1914, the first Mother ’s Day, asking Americans on that day to give a public “thank you” to their and all mothers, the holiday was sanitized so it wouldn’t challenge our socio-economic system but actually further its consumerism. Activist, writer, and poet Julia Ward Howe first proposed the idea of an official celebration of Mother’s Day in the United States in 1872. She was best known for her famous Civil War song, Battle Hymn of the Republic. In response to the American Civil War and the FrancoPrussian War, Howe proposed that June 2 be celebrated annually as Mother’s Day so that on that day mothers could rally to end all war. In Boston in 1870, in a “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” -- which would never make it onto a Mother’s Day card -- she set the stage for the holiday by appealing to women to leave their housework
for a day in order to stand up against the forces that send men off to kill each other. “Arise, then, Christian women of this day!” her proclamation read. “Arise all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be of water or of tears! Say firmly: ‘We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We, women of one country, will be too tender to those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs….’ “As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace… each bearing after his time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God….” Howe initiated a Mothers’ Peace Day observance on the second Sunday in June in Boston and held that meeting for a
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number of years. She worked tirelessly championing the cause of an official celebration of Mother’s Day. The holiday caught on years later when a West Virginia women’s group led by community activist Anna Reeves Jarvis began promoting it as a way to reunite families after the Civil War. After Jarvis’ death, her daughter devoted much of her life to a campaign for the creation of an official Mother’s Day in honor of peace. Jarvis’ idea spread, replaced by the Mothers’ Day holiday celebrated each May. That culminated in President Wilson’s less radical proclamation that put mothers back in their homemaking place. Jarvis remained strongly opposed to every aspect of the holiday’s commercialization, was actually arrested for protesting the sale of flowers, and petitioned to stop the creation of a Mother’s Day postage stamp. But the holiday flourished, along with flower sales. The business journal, the Florists Review, actually admitted: “This was a holiday that could be exploited.” And when Jarvis was removed by the police after protesting the sale of white carnations at a 1930s meeting of the American War Mothers, the Florists’ Review crowed: “Miss Jarvis was completely squelched.” Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has similarly tamed memories of King’s message so as not to threaten the socio-economic system. Today it focuses on individuals accepting and tolerating one other. “I have a Dream” is used to take the pressure off of institutional and economic exploitation. Seldom, if ever will the words King spoke before the Memphis garbage workers strike be heard, or his famous condemnations of the Viet Nam War and America’s whole warprofiting machine. How often have we heard the untamed King on the day he is honored? Certainly not when corporate sponsorships are involved. Missing, for example would be: “We must honestly admit that capitalism has often left a gulf between superfluous wealth and abject poverty, has
MAY 2013
created conditions permitting necessities to be taken from the many to give luxuries to the few, and has encouraged small-hearted men to become cold and conscienceless so that, like Dives before Lazarus, they are unmoved by suffering, poverty-stricken humanity…. The profit motive, when it is the sole basis of an economic system, encourages a cut-throat competition and selfish ambition that inspires men to be more I-centered than thou-centered.” No group knew the devastation Ronald Reagan was bringing down upon gay people better than ACT-UP (the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power). Today they’re even being fondly remembered while back then it was the extremely radical actions they did that drew attention to the deaths around them, offended the mainstream establishment, and scared the medical and political community into doing something People are dying and nothing is being done, they screamed. Drug companies are only interested in profiting from the plague and politicians want gay people to go away, they shouted. “Silence” they knew “equals death.” Even the mainstream LGBT community looked down on their tactics. But it became clear that their radical actions could only be tamed if people started listening. The establishment got scared then. Today they act as if they were always on board, but that’s the tamed version. And as society continues to tame groups that threaten the system, including some LGBT movements, the historical reality is that the most radical groups and people are responsible for forcing causes upon us. Their radicalism has often been the reason why the system has listened to more moderate voices in an attempt to tame those who could otherwise force more basic changes that could really transform our system into one that’s, at its heart, peopleoriented, not profit-oriented. l Robert N. Minor, Ph.D., is author of When Religion Is an Addiction; Scared Straight: Why It’s So Hard to Accept Gay People and Why It’s So Hard to Be Human and Gay & Healthy in a Sick Society. Contact him at www. FairnessProject.org.
MAY 2013
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
Mott honored with prestigious Pioneer Woman award
on the achievement of that equality.” Kathy RoseMockry, director of t h e E m i l y Ta y l o r Center for Women & Gender Equity, said, “[Mott] was selected by a committee of KU students, staff, faculty and alumnae for this honor due to her significant contributions to the state as an activist and advocate for LGBT rights. She is a role model and an Stephanie Mott accepts the Pioneer Woman award at inspiration.” the Women’s Recognition Banquet at KU. Photo by Paul Mott is Fernkopf the founder and executive director of the By Paul Fernkopf Kansas Statewide Transgender Kristi Parker, contributing Education Project (K-STEP) TOPEKA - Stephanie Mott of and the state chairwoman of Topeka, a nationally known the Kansas Equality Coalition. speaker on transgender issues, She has provided more than was celebrated as this year’s 200 educational presentations University of Kansas Pioneer throughout the state and spoken at seven national conferences Woman on April 9. Mott is the 27th woman to in the past two and a half years ever receive the award, which regarding LGBT issues. is presented by the Emily Taylor She also is a founding Center for Women and Gender member of the Topeka chapter Equity at its annual Women’s of the National Organization Recognition Banquet, and the for Women and has served as a member of the Topeka/ first transgender woman. First presented in 1984, the Shawnee County Homeless winners of the Pioneer Woman Task Force and board member award are described as exemplary of the Metropolitan Community Kansas women who have made Church of Topeka. historical contributions of local She currently volunteers with the Safe Streets Coalition, and statewide significance. Previous honoraries include: YWCA Center for Safety and St. Rose Phillipine Duschesne, Empowerment, Topeka AIDS 1984, the first female Saint Project, and the Shawnee County east of the Mississippi River; Jail. aviator Amelia Earhart, 1985; Mott works as an office and former Kansas Governor assistant and grant writer for the Shawnee County Commission. Kathleen Sebelius, 2005. “It is an incredible honor The day before receiving the to be recognized as the 2013 award, Mott posted on Facebook: Pioneer Woman,” Mott said. “Why do I do what I do? Every “I don’t know if I belong on a time I identify myself publicly as list with those women, but I do a transgender woman, I increase see the work we do as vitally the likelihood I will meet with important to securing equality violence. Every time I identify for LGBT citizens in Kansas. myself publicly as a transgender This recognition is a wonderful woman, I decrease the likelihood statement about the importance another transgender person will the University of Kansas places meet with violence.” l
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Crown Uptown’s Annie Get Your Gun partly loaded
REVIEW By Helen Barnes WICHITA - The musical Annie Get Your Gun (AGYG) was the second show of the 2013 season for the Crown Uptown Professional Dinner Theatre, running through April 27. The story is loosely based on the life of sharpshooter Annie Oakley and her romance with Frank Butler. Dorothy Fields and her brother Herbert wrote the book for the show and had Irving Berlin create the music and lyrics after the duo’s first choice of composer passed away. Even with this rut in the trail, the musical successfully opened on Broadway in 1946. Ethel Merman starred as Annie and did “what comes natur’lly” for over 1,100 performances. AGYG went through a number of revivals, became a movie, toured Europe, and then got resoled in 1999. Postfeminist branding gave us an independent, intelligent Annie Oakley and reduced Frank Butler’s strutting. Annie evolved from a woman who intentionally lost a shooting match to Frank in order to “get her man” to one who machinated a tie. The Native American characters also got a dusting off, becoming more active participants. Sitting Bull bankrolls part of the “Wild West Show” with oil money and a secondary romance is added
between a young lady and a young man who is part Native American. This updated version was the one presented at the Crown Uptown. While some may not be familiar with the musical as a whole, many of the songs cantered their way into popular culture, such as There’s No Business Like Show Business, Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly (risqué for ’46 when it premiered!), and Anything You Can Do. Another number that was sensitively done, albeit rather tongue-in-cheek, by Annie, the
kids, and the ensemble was Moonshine Lullaby. Although it sounds like a lullaby, the lyrics say something else: “Behind the hill, there’s a busy little still…” In the Crown’s rendering of AGYG, Erin Sherry played an Annie Oakley who progresses from “country-bumpkin” into a smart young lady. Sherry worked this trajectory smoothly, against a short timeframe and a simple storyline. It was difficult to graft in Annie’s widening continued on page 24
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H
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
ello once again Kansas! I really hope you enjoyed April’s edition of Audrey Asks. April 29 I will officially be 21! Woohoo! Enough about me, for May, I wanted to do a special “Mother’s Day Audrey Asks.” So who better to interview than everyone’s Mama . . . Mama! She is one of the craziest ladies I know, and I have been honored to share a stage with her once! So everyone, here’s Mama!
Mama would wear and I bought it. It was my Halloween costume in 1992. I always loved the show Mama’s Family and it just kind of started that way.
Audrey McQueen: Happy Mother’s Day, Mama. My first question for you is how did you get your drag name? Mama: Thank you!! I was shopping for a Halloween costume when I saw this dress. I thought that looks like a dress
AM: Congratulations! Do you have any inspirations in drag? M: Fritz Capone, Big Mama Simone, and Cypress.
AM: Awesome! Do you have any awards you would like to share? M: No other awards besides the one I won this year [for Best Drag Queen in the Liberty Press’ Best of Gay Wichita awards].
AM: How does the real you differ from Mama? M: Well Mama is a bit more
MAY 2013
MamaAM: Where can we see you
upfront about her thoughts and feelings than I am to a certain point.
AM: Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to start drag? M: I say go for it and just enjoy it! Have fun most of all.
perform? M: I do not have a regular show. I usually do benefits throughout the year. I annually host a Wichita Pride benefit at Side Street Retro-Lounge and for the Wichita Bears La Cage show in October. continued on page 25
MAY 2013
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
Leather Life By Nolin Christensen aka Master C
This column is dedicated to explaining to others what the Leather lifestyle is about and what we do.
Living a Leather Life
T
here are two distinct parts to the Leather lifestyle. One is leather play (sexual play) and the other is living a leather lifestyle. Leather play is what most people who get into the leather scene do. It is what draws them into this community. Some of us carry that further than others. Some of us live it, others do leather play on the weekend and live a “normal” life the rest of the time. Living a Leather lifestyle is something totally different. There are very few people who actually live 24/7 in what we call “in leather.” The tribal elders were talking about this the other day. “Living in leather” means that everything you do and say revolves and involves living out leather standards and protocols. Just as a person lives a Christian lifestyle where everything they do and say involves or revolves around Christian principles. For those of us who live in leather it’s sometimes hard to wrap our head around and understand those who are weekend warriors. And sometimes we become quite impatient with them. But over the years, I have found that many who come into our tribe as weekend players, end up learning and embracing leather more and more within their lives. Some become 24/7, others do not and that’s just fine. Most indigenous tribes live
and work as one whole unit. Everything they do affects the lives of everyone in the tribe. Living in leather is pretty much the same. Living in leather means that every aspect of our lives is affected by leather and everything we do affects the leather tribe as a whole. For anyone, leather or not, if you think that what you do personally doesn’t affect others, you are greatly mistaken. Even in the “normal” real world, what you do has an effect on someone. You may not know it, but there is always a cause and effect for every action. This is just how life works. Whether or not what you do affects others in your respective community depends on that community. So what does living in leather involve? It means learning the various rules and protocols and then applying it to every aspect of your life. It means taking the leather “Honor and Respect” and making them part of your everyday life. (Which everyone should do anyway!) It means taking the Safe, Sane and Consensual and applying it every time you play. For submissives, it means respecting your Dominant, such as calling them sir everywhere you go, even in public. It means Dominants treating their submissives with respect and keeping them safe at all times. It means holding yourself to a higher level of standards than others around you may. It means following the tribe’s rules. It means being the absolute best leather person you can be. It means taking all of this and applying it to the privacy of your own home. Remember, what you do in private eventually will make itself known in public. So are you a person who applies one set of rules at work and a different set of rules at home? Are you one thing to your colleagues and another to your family? Are you one thing at work and another when partying? Or are you the same person, honest and respectful 24/7? This is what it is like for those of us living in leather. We are Leathermen, living a leather life, 24/7. l
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
MAY 2013
Bike your way to good health as part of Bike Month
By Brian Hansen WICHITA – The Health and Wellness Coalition (HWC) of Wichita is encouraging all to get active and have fun to celebrate Bike Month in May. Many cycle-friendly events will be held throughout town all month long. According to the HWC’s “Bike Wichita,” cycling is fun, healthy, and smart. Bicycling provides a fun time with family and friends, is beneficial to your health through increased fitness
and saves money while reducing your carbon footprint. One of the goals of Bike Month is to promote bicycle commuting as a viable mode of transportation. A Wichita local, David Follis, says he has been bicycling for over 25 years. Follis partakes in recreational bicycling frequently, and in the summer months often uses his bike as a mode of transportation. Follis has also participated in charity cycling events such as the “Tour de Cure.” “I worked my way through
college in a bicycle shop,” is how Follis says he began bicycling regularly. When asked how bicycling helps him physically, Follis replied, “[cycling] keeps me in shape and my blood pressure down.” Follis also said after being away from bicycling for a couple years, he noticed a difference in his health which improved after returning to the sport. When Rozz Petrozz, located in Lawrence, was asked how bicycling affects her health, she replied, “[Bicycling] is very beneficial, it keeps me from being lazy. I find myself taking care of my body so I can bike.” Like Follis, Petrozz rides her bike as a recreational hobby as well as a form of transportation. She often rides from place to place in the downtown area of Lawrence. “My father would bike with me when I was younger and I have loved it as long as I can remember,” says Petrozz. During the month of May,
bicycling events such as a Bike Safety Clinic, a Learn-to-BMX Clinic, and “Open Bike Night” will be held throughout Wichita. Kids are encouraged to get involved with events offered such as “Bike to School Day” on May 8 and “’Oz’some Family Bike Fest” on May 18. This year will also include the 1st Annual Mayor’s Ride, allowing a leisurely bicycle ride with Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer leading the way. A full list of events and information can be found on the Health and Wellness Coalition of Wichita’s website, www. hwcwichita.org/Bike_Wichita. html. l
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MAY 2013
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
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A BENEFIT CONCERT SUPPORTING BRAIN CANCER RESEARCH
Concert for the Cure
With Opening Act Tom Page Trio
T I C K E T S A T S E L E C T- A - S E A T S TA R T I N G AT $ 2 5 - R E S E RV E S E AT I N G D O O R S O P E N AT 5 P M F O R S I L E N T A U C T I O N
T H E O R P H E U M T H E AT E R | 5 . 2 2 . 1 3 | 7 P M
C4TC.Liberty.Press.3.625x7.25.indd 1
4/6/13 2:12:42 PM
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Trans-A-Rama-DOMA
W
ait, they say, change is coming. Like I am waiting for a television show to come on. Not like that at all. Not at all. I am waiting to breathe the air of equality. I am waiting to be seen as a full and equal human being, worthy of the dignity that is owed to me by the fact that I am alive. I am not waiting. My job is not to change the whole world. My job is to be part of the process by which the world changes more quickly. It is my job to change the world for those who cross my path. To offer hope. To show strength in the face of darkness that comes from discrimination. VAWA. ENDA. HRC. NCLR. NCAA. EEOC. Don’t Ask/ Don’t Tell. HHS. ObamaCare. Medicare determinations. Prop 8. DOMA. There is a lot going on in the transgender world in the last couple years. How quickly things are
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
The National Center for Lesbian Rights working together with the NCAA to allow collegiate athletes to compete according to their gender identity. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission bringing gender identity under the umbrella of sex under Title 7 via a sex stereotyping definition. The fall of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell a celebration of the end of discrimination in serving our country - and again - we must remember that transgender people are included when we are talking about people. Just not this time. The Department of Health and Human Services ruling that the anti-discrimination clause in the Patient Protection a n d A ff o r d a b l e C a r e A c t (ObamaCare) applies to transgender people for nontransgender related healthcare. But now there is talk about
MAY 2013
of another race the same sex resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State. ~ Chief Justice Earl Warren - June 12, 1967 (edited by Stephanie Mott - April 2, 2013).
I took the liberty of substituting a few words in the statement made by Chief Justice Earl Warren in 1967 when the SCOTUS knocked down laws banning inter-racial marriage. The lives of many people, including transgender people, changing in the world for will be altered depending on transgender people. I remember which way the gods move these - before the Barbara Walters things about. They don’t actually special on transgender children, say transgender when they are Unconditional Love, that aired talking about marriage equality. on 20/20 nearly six years ago It does affect us. Do you think - when the only imagery most they would move things about people were able to see about differently if they knew that people who are transgender transgender people are a subset came from TV shows like Jerry of people? Springer and Cops. Wait, they say, change is It is an interesting coming. Like I am waiting for phenomenon a television show to that when one come on. Not like that uses the word “They don’t actually say transgender at all. Not at all. I am people, it is waiting to breathe the when they are talking about marriage inclusive of air of equality. I am people who are equality. [But] it does affect us.” waiting to be seen as a transgender. As full and equal human in, transgender being, worthy of the people also see the imagery that r e c o n s i d e r i n g t h a t l o n g - dignity that is owed to me by all people see. Sometimes, it’s held Medicare policy about the fact that I am alive. I am not like watching the original Clash medically necessary surgery waiting. of the Titans when the gods are being disallowed if you happen I am not asking anyone to reaching down into the world to be transgender. give me special rights. I am and moving things about in a Which brings us to Prop 8 and saying that they need to stop way that affects certain people, DOMA, the two marriage cases taking my civil rights away. only as you watch everything that were recently heard before Whether it is by persecution unfold, you become aware the Supreme Court of the United or by apathy. I am worthy of that the world that is being States. Consider the following: equality. My LGBT brothers and affected is your world, the sisters are worthy of equality. transgender world. M a r r i a g e i s o n e o f t h e Wait? Wait? I will not wait. I Watching the Violence “basic civil rights of man,” would rather die living than to A g a i n s t Wo m e n A c t f u n d a m e n t a l t o o u r v e r y live dead. 50 years, I lived dead. unfold was an interesting existence and survival. ... To Not one more second, not one experience. The gods deny this fundamental freedom more breath, will I live dead. all circled up around a on so unsupportable a basis It is not my job to change the campfire discussing the as the racial sexual orientation whole world. It is my job to be meaning of life, and classifications embodied in part of the process by which the whether or not LGBT these statutes, classifications world changes more quickly. It people have an equal right so directly subversive of the is my job to change the world to a life free of violence. principle of equality at the heart for those who cross my path. To The Employment Non- of the Fourteenth Amendment, is offer hope. To show strength in Discrimination Act sits surely to deprive all the State’s the face of darkness that comes endlessly in committee citizens of liberty without due from discrimination. in Congress while the process of law. The Fourteenth Wait, you say. Not an effing Human Rights Campaign Amendment requires that the chance in hell. l ponders whether or not freedom of choice to marry transgender people are not be restricted by invidious Stephanie Mott is a transsexual woman actually a subset of r a c i a l s e x u a l o r i e n t a t i o n from Topeka. She is the executive director people. Although, the discrimination. Under our of the Kansas Statewide Transgender HRC did just offer an Constitution, the freedom to Education Project and state chair of the Equality Coalition. Reach her at apology about that kind marry, or not marry, a person Kansas stephanieequality@yahoo.com. of stuff.
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
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Foundation forming to raise money for surgery for transgender Kansans By Stephanie Mott SALINA - Jordyn Hinkle was talking to his friend Kurt Alyxandir about how so many transgender people cannot afford medically necessary surgery. They thought there must be a way to raise money to help. Out of that conversation came the idea to start a foundation in Kansas to do just that. Soon, the idea began to grow and the conversation reached out to several more people, leading to the recognition that there was a lot of support for their idea. Now it looks like the idea might become a reality. On Saturday, May 11 from 1-3pm there will be an organizing meeting in Salina to see if there is enough support to make it happen. “Far too many transgender Kansans endure severe pain, both physically and mentally, every single day all because insurance companies don’t agree
with doctors that say surgery and hormones are a necessary medical treatment,” Hinkle said. “I strongly believe that if we pull our resources together and gain enough support we CAN make this happen.”
The meeting will take place in the Prescott Room in the basement of the Salina Public Library (301 W. Elm St.). Anyone interested in supporting or learning more is
welcome to attend. For more information, contact Jordyn Hinkle at: jordyn2308@hotmail. com or (316) 409-9706. Text or call (please leave a message with name, number and question). l
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL. of Wichita, 7202 E. 21st St., (316) 684celebration held in September. 3481, officemanager@firstuu.net, www. firstuu.net, A Welcoming Congregation. Student groups Free State High School GSA, Lawrence, (785) 832-6050, phatcher@usd497.org, welcomes all queer, questioning and straight ally youth to talk about issues. Meets Wednesdays.
Community Centers The Center, 1602 E. Waterman, Wichita Kansas State University LGBT Resource Center, 207 A/B Holton Hall, Manhattan, (785) 532-5299, www.kstate-edu/lgbt Open Roads LGBT Community Center, Hays, (785) 259-6526, openroadslgbt@gmail.com, www. openroadslgbt.org
Health Douglas County AIDS Project, 346 Maine, Suite 160, Lawrence, (785) 8430040, www.douglascountyaidsproject. org Hunter Health Clinic, 2318 E. Central, Wichita, (316) 262-3611, FREE HIV confidential or anonymous testing with Spanish and Vietnamese interpreters. KU Internal Medicine-Midtown, KU School of Medicine, 1001 N. Minneapolis, Wichita, (316) 293-1840, (877) 472-8227 toll-free, (316) 293-2652 HIV Program LGBT Health Coalition of Sedgwick County, Wichita, (316) 285-0007, www. sedgwickcountylgbt.org Positive Connections, 1001 SW Garfield Ave, third floor, Topeka, (785) 232-3100, www.pcneks.org Positive Directions, 414 S. Commerce, Wichita, (316) 263-2214, (316) 2635214, www.pdiks.com Regional AIDS Project, Manhattan, (785) 587-1999 or (785) 238-5338 Junction City, rap@flinthills.com Sedgwick County Health Dept., 2716 W. Central, Wichita, (316) 660-7300, www.sedgwickcounty.org The Sweet Emergency Fund, KUSM-W MPA, 1010 N. Kansas, Wichita, (316) 293-3405
Politics/Activism Kansas Equality Coalition, www. kansasequalitycoalition.org, chapters across the state. Kansas Statewide Transgender Education Project, (785) 215-7436, stephanie.mott@k-step.org, www.kstep.org, provides transgender education and resources. Peace and Social Justice Center of South Central Kansas, 1407 N. Topeka, Wichita, (316) 263-5886, director@ wichitapeace.org, www.wichitapeace. org Wichita Pride, info@wichitapride. org, www.wichitapride.org, annual
Haskell Shout OUT, Haskell Indian Nations University, Bobby. crowfeather@haskell.edu, dedicated to actively seeking to bridge the Native LGBTQ community and their straight allies by promoting Openness, Understanding, and Tolerance. Meets Thursdays at 6pm in Stidham Union. KU Queers & Allies, University of Kansas, Lawrence, (785) 864-3091, qanda@ku.edu, www.ku.edu/~qanda Lawrence High School GSA, (785) 330-2391, ArlaKan@usd497.org, welcomes all LGBT, questioning and straight youth to talk about issues. Meets almost every Friday at 3:05pm in the LHS library. Manhattan High School GSA, mhs_ gsa@hotmail.com Pitt State GSA, Pittsburg State University, pittstategaystraightalliance@ gmail.com That Gay Group!, Wichita State U n i v e r s i t y, ( 3 1 6 ) 9 7 8 - 7 0 1 0 , thatgaygroup@gmail.com, www. wichita.edu/tgg
Social Heart of America Men’s Chorus, Wichita, (316) 708-4837, www.hoamc. org Junction City Teddy Bears, www. jctbears.com/index.htm NetworQ, Lawrence, KansasNetworQ@ yahoo.com, www.KansasNetworQ.org, meets at Maceli’s, 1031 New Hampshire Wichita Bears, presidentwichitabears@ yahoo.com, www.wichitabears.org Wichita Organization of Leather Fetishes, (316) 201-6242, www. woolfks.com Wichita Prime Timers, ICTPrimeTimers@aol.com, www. primetimersww.org/Wichita, social group for mature gay men.
Spiritual A Journey In The Light Ministries, 2231 S. Bluff (St. Christopher ’s Episcopal Chapel), Wichita, Sunday Praise and Worship services at 11am. College Hill United Methodist Church, 2930 E. 1st, Wichita, (316) 683-4643, www.collegehillumc.org, Sunday Celebrations at 8:30, 9:40 and 11:00am. First Congregational United Church of Christ, 700 Poyntz Ave., Manhattan, (785) 537-7006, www.uccmanhattan. org, Sunday services at 10:45am; Taize services Thursday at 7pm, An Open and Affirming Congregation. First Metropolitan Community Church of Kansas, 156 S. Kansas, Wichita, (316) 267-1852, www.mccwichita.com, www.godlovesyouperiod.com, Sunday services at 10:15am. First Unitarian Universalist Church
Kalpa Bhadra Kadampa Buddhist Center, 721 W. 13th St., Wichita, (316) 263-1533, info@meditateinkansas.org, www.meditateinkansas.org
MAY 2013 Get Connected, Wichita, (316) 4913778, LGBTQIA youth group for ages 12-21. Meets at The Center, 1602 E. Waterman, every Friday from 7-9pm. Headquarters Counseling Center, Lawrence, (785) 841-2345 free 24/7, www.hqcc.lawrence.ks.us
Lutheran Campus Ministry, 1421 W. 19th, Lawrence, lutheran@ku.edu
HIV+ Men’s Support Group, Wichita, (316) 293-3405, mmadecky@kumc.edu
Metropolitan Community Church of Topeka, 4425 SW 19th, (785) 2721442, office@mcctopeka.org, www. MCCTopeka.org, services Sundays at 10am.
O n e D a y A t A Ti m e , Wi c h it a , Alcoholics Anonymous meetings held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8pm at First MCC, 156 S. Kansas.
Pine Valley Christian Church, 5620 E. 21st St., Wichita, (316) 685-2421, churchoffice@pvcconline.org, www. pvcconline.org
Support Central Plains Area Agency on Aging, 2622 W. Central Suite 500, Wichita, (316) 660-5120, www.cpaaa.org, CPAAA is available to assist seniors, caregivers, and adults with disabilities through life’s transitions and with various levels of support. COMCARE Crisis Intervention Services, 934 N. Water, Wichita, (316) 660-7500 free 24/7, www. sedgwickcounty.org Flint Hills PFLAG, Manhattan, (785) 410-3130, fhpflag@sbcglobal.net, www. fhpflag.org, meets 3rd Tuesdays, 7pm, First Congregational Church, 700 Poyntz Ave. Annie continued from page 17
horizons without making the entire musical all_about_that. (Oh, and she DID NOT attempt to reprise Ethel Merman, thank you!) Vincent Teschel offered a suitable amount of rangy swagger as Frank Butler. He strutted like a man used to winning. As he sang, he posed with his thumbs looped into his belt at either side, seemingly to bracket his big . . . buckle. However, Teschel managed to keep his Butler just this side of too full-of-himselfness so we could still enjoy his oft-boyish charm. Overall, the players did a good job, although there was one actor that seemed to be either miscast, or was encouraged to depict his character a little too subtly, and that was Curtis Proctor-Artz as Chief Sitting Bull. In the modern version of AGYG, Sitting Bull is a pivotal character helping move the show along. It seemed like Proctor-Artz was bursting to do more with the character. His Sitting Bull was reduced to a staid presence who occasionally uttered a few halting lines. Having seen
PFLAG Hutchinson, PO Box 2488, Hutchinson, (620) 899-2345, pflaghutch@gmail.com PFLAG Lawrence/Topeka, (785) 235-3831, sffeist@msn.com, www. pflagnekansas.org, meets 1st Sundays, 2-4pm at MCC of Topeka, 4425 SW 19th. TransYouth of Kansas, Topeka, Paula@ tyks.org, www.tyks.org, providing support for transgender youth and their families. Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center, 355 N. Waco, Suite 100, (316) 2630185 office, (316) 263-3002 crisis line 24/7, wasac@wichitasac.com, www. wichitasac.com, free, confidential sexual assault services to all genders and sexual orientations. Medical & legal advocacy, support groups, adult & child crisis counseling, educational programs. Wichita Transgender Coalition, wichitatranscoalition@gmail.com, wichitatrans.webs.com/. l
Proctor-Artz in a number of other shows, I suspect this had more to do with direction than his skill. The simplicity of Gregory Crane’s set for AGYG struck a balance between creating the appropriate atmosphere and enabling quick, smooth scene changes with the drop of a scrim or the clip of a banner to a rope. As the players moved through the set, they seemed to look comfortable with the space. It was easy to see why this man has won awards for set design. However, even after some praises, the Crown Uptown performance of AGYG was still missing something. The performances were solid and the songs were good, there were only a few missed cues and a few other glitches that could have been because the show still needed to “settle in,” (I saw it opening week), but there was no spark: everything was primed but nothing detonated. Next up for the Crown is Little Women running May 10June 8. For tickets, call 316-6127696. For more information on the rest of the Crown Uptown’s 2 0 1 3 s e a s o n , v i s i t w w w. crownuptown.com. l
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here is a personal planetary pile up in Taurus this May as Sun, Venus, Mercury and Mars all wander through. This means that we may see things in more practical terms and take our sweet time getting there. But like in true Taurean fashion, we will eventually arrive and eventually rule.
ARIES (MAR. 21 - APRIL 20) May brings a renewed interest in your money situation. Are you considering some major purchases, a wild splurge or planning for a future cushy retirement? Whatever your ultimate goal may be, don’t fritter your nest egg on any cracked plan just yet. Sit on it for a while and let it grow. Proud Rams can enjoy fluffy omelets in the future, which is not as far off as you think. TAURUS (APRIL 21 - MAY 21) Do you have a great idea that you want to share with the world? This is the time to do it. Queer Bulls have ample reserves of charisma that are waiting to be tapped. And you find yourself in the epicenter of activity where the bold and beautiful can take notice. But don’t just crash on the scene without a cogent plan. Make your moves and move some scenery around. GEMINI (MAY 22 - JUNE 21) There is so much happening behind the scenes that it may be difficult for you to concentrate. Pink Twins are fairly flexible though so anything that gets by you this May will not be that important. Listen to the scuttlebutt and scuttle any butt that gets in your way. Secret admirers may make themselves known to you. Ah, but do you really want to know? CANCER (JUNE 22 - JULY 23) Get out of your comfort zone this May and expand your social circle with forays into new clubs and groups. Rub some elbows, gay Crab. It is time for new experiences with a fresh group of faces. But don’t ignore your current crop of compadres. Bring them into the fold, mix up your groups and one thing can lead to another. Let the excitement begin. Rubadub.
bridges
Anniversary: Pat Habkirk and Brad Gordon are celebrating their 34th anniversary on May 4, 2013. If you or someone you know is having an anniversary, received a promotion or award, or a loved one has passed away, we will publish it free in Bridges. E-mail editor@ libertypress.net. Audrey continued from page 18
AM: Tell me about your first time doing drag. M: The first time I ever performed was six years ago at a benefit at Side Street. I was so nervous! I had a few cocktails and went on. I had a blast and I think the audience did too! AM: Do you have a motto or favorite quote that you would like to share? M: Wake up and smell the damn coffee!
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AM: Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers? M: I am so grateful that the community has welcomed Mama into their hearts. I am so blessed that I have got to see and perform with and get to know all the talented performers in this town! Each one inspires me to entertain when I perform. Thank you so much Audrey McQueen! I enjoyed meeting you and performing with you awhile back at Jamie Ray’s show! You are so welcome, Mama! Make sure you all find out when Mama is doing a show and go see her, you won’t regret it! Well everyone, I hope you all enjoyed this month’s Audrey Asks. Please send me a message on Facebook and let me know how you are enjoying my article, or any ways to improve it! And Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there! A big shout out to my Mom Debbie! See you next month! This is what Audrey Asked! l
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 23 - DEC. 22) LEO (JULY 24 - AUG. 23) Gay Archers may be in need of a complete Put your efforts into your career as your health regime reappraisal. Have you been steady climb to the top needs a push. exercising enough? Do you eat properly? Proud Lions who have been putting The summer is upon us. Prepare for out the effort begin to see a payoff. swimsuit (or even naked beach) season Those who have been less than diligent can make up for lost time. The most important thing with an energized outlook on firming, toning and buffing. is to ply your talents with the powerful movers and Yes, it is possible to improve on perfection . . . if what I shakers in your organization. When plying doesn’t see before me is your definition of “perfection.” work, try bribes. CAPRICORN (DEC. 23 - JAN. 20) Are you tempted to break from tradition VIRGO (AUG. 24 - SEPT. 23) and go crazy on the party circuit? If so, Adventure awaits you this May, if you take the bait this May and see how many decide to get off your couch and explore. parties you can attend before you poop That means that whether you travel far or out. Pink Caps can also test the limits of stay close to home, the best results occur when you make the effort to experience their creativity now. Try your hand at something artistic something or someone brand new. Consider taking a from painting to cuisine to drama. But be careful of too class, or take a long-awaited trip or even try a new much drama. Ahem! restaurant. Your world view is ready for vision check. AQUARIUS (JAN. 21 - FEB. 19) Concentrate on your domestic agenda LIBRA (SEPT. 24 - OCT. 23) this May by tackling more DYI projects, Proud Libras have the sizzle and are redecorating your surroundings or even ready to jump into the sexy flames. But the word is caution. Be choosy in your consider moving to a new swanky pad. Anything you paramours and find one who can connect with you on do, no matter how trivial will seem like an improvement more than just a physical level. Try for a meeting of and will enable you to expand your home entertaining the hearts and minds too. There is more to life than capabilities. Sultry summer soirees are in the cards, if an occasional oomph; although it is hard to believe you know what game you are playing. that this month. PISCES (FEB. 20 - MAR. 20) If you have an opinion about something SCORPIO (OCT. 24 - NOV. 22) important, say it this May. Not only can Spend more time cultivating meaningful you move public opinion, you will also get relationships this May. The yearning recognition for your great ideas. Before you for true connection can lead to reduced know it, you could be in a position to make stress and more long-term happiness. For those proud Scorps who are policy and sway the crowds. Well, maybe one day. For currently involved, see what you can now, get your thoughts together and prepare to take them do to spoil your partner. For those seeking their on the road. If not you, then who? dreamboat, put your dinghy in the water and set sail. You never know who will hoist your sail.
(c) 2013 THE STARRY EYE, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Lichtenstein’s blog www.thestarryeye.typepad.com covers everything new age. Her astrology book HerScopes: A Guide to Astrology For Lesbians is the best in tongue-in-cheek astrology. Order now at tinyurl.com/Herscopes.
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