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PrideFest
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June 3 – 5, 2016
Kansas City is Closer than you think! For more information or tickets: gaypridekc.org or facebook.com/KCPride
PrideFest 2016
Friday – Sunday: $5 each day / 3 day pass: $10 (online only) • Children 12 and under are free Free entrance Sunday noon - 1pm
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5:30 - 8:00 pm The Boathouse: 515 S. Wichita Topic: Diversity & Immigration
This program is partially supported by the Knight Foundation Fund at the Wichita Community Foundation.
--Kristi Parker
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
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Volume 22, No. 9 • Editor: Kristi Parker • Contributors: Beacon Youth Group, Nolin Christensen, Greg Fox, John Kichi, Charlene Lichtenstein, Mama, Dr. Robert N. Minor, Stephanie Mott • Staff Reporters: Grayson Barnes, Emily Beckman, Annette Billings, Elle Boatman, Blake Hampton, Isabella Parker, Trevor Reichle, Ciara Reid, Jeromiah Taylor, Brenda Way • Contributing Photographers: Troy Dilport, Matthew Jones-Arnone, Isabella Parker • Cover Design: Troy Dilport • Graphic Designer: Troy Dilport • Webmaster: Ren Autrey • Publisher: Liberty Press, LLC • Printer: Valley Offset Printing
OP/ED......................................6 KANSAS NEWS......................10 BRIDGES................................10 MINOR DETAILS....................18 THE BEACON BIT..................19 WHAT'S NEW AT THE CENTER?...............................19 MAMA KNOWS BEST............22 OUT IN THE STARS...............22 OUT ON THE TOWN.............23 TRANS-FORMATIVE..............24 LEATHER LIFE.......................25 KYLE'S BED & BREAKFAST...25
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ON THE COVER: A conversation with author Augusten Burroughs..........12 Resource book on same-sex parenting...............................16 LGBT Health Coalition..............17
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OP/ED
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
A Monthly Collection of Opinions and Editorials.
The Price on Our Heads
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. Send your letters and feedback to editor@libertypress.net.
Letters Liberty Press' discussions on Trump Dear editor: The April issue of Liberty Press has much to think about, and do. The Op/Ed discussion of atheism is good. But the two discussions/views on Trump are important and I hope other LGBT publications are doing as good a job of covering him from our interests. The serious discussion of Dr. Gary S. Smith (Grove City College prof.) makes the necessary points about his supporters, more than Trump, as does Dr. Minor in his column. He says most are not college graduates - I am not sure this is relevant, time will tell. They complain that their views are not being heard - and I think this cannot be said about Obama by GLBT voters/citizens. They want security, even at the expense of liberty - an eternal problem and citizens have a duty to learn what is real and how to hit the best compromise. I have
thought about the fourth point they live in areas where racial resentment is high - obvious since they hate Obama even if Jesus said He liked him. Sadly, most religions are our worst enemy. I have read one of the books mentioned- to understand the people/issues - True Believers by Eric Hoffer. I am not sure the Trump supporters fit this thinking. The other writer - Erich Fromm’s - thinking on Germany and Hitler does not apply - we are not in bad shape - despite the attempts by Republicans to say we are. Watching C-SPAN years from now, and reruns of Saturday Night Live, will be interesting and informative. Minor’s take is less academic and more practical. But I think we are wasting energy worrying about the silliness it’s as fun - look at past election campaigns and it seems more fun to talk about penis size and sweating than attacking religion, patriotism, etc. Although I think Trump even questioned Cruz’s religiousness. Minor says it is a question of gender and masculinity. I want to shout out an “amen” to Mama Knows B e s t ’s t h i n k i n g about Trump (and other faults leading silly people to threaten to leave the country): “Sure move to Canada and run away when things get tough. (Otherwise) Act like a person with a backbone and stay and fight for what is right!” Billy Glover
By Isabella Parker
R
e c e n t l y, t h e K a n s a s legislature has come out with a bill that would enforce extreme acts of discrimination and prosecution for transgender students. This bill states that if a student comes in contact with a transgender student using their preferred bathroom, that student can go to their administrator and sue the school for $2,500.
MAY 2016
The supposed goal of this bill is to protect cisgender students from emotional harm, as if having someone use their preferred bathroom would cause some kind of trauma for that person. But legislative representatives in favor of this bill seem to be forgetting how much emotional damage this bill will cause for transgender students across Kansas. The “Student Physical Privacy Act” is what the Kansas legislature ironically titled this bill. If this bill were to be passed, hundreds if not thousands of students can and will be affected. While the government of Kansas focuses all of its attention on the physical privacy of a cisgender student, the embarrassment and trauma that would befall a transgender student in the event of being discriminated against by their own school is completely overlooked. To better understand the situation: imagine you walk into the bathroom, class just ended and you simply need to
MAY 2016
pee before hurrying to your next hour. Suddenly, a person walks in and makes a point of telling those around you that you are different, you are not ‘supposed’ to be in there. Before you can protest you are being examined by the school, discriminated against by your peers, and put into an unforgiving spotlight, all while the person who made you feel insignificant is handed
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
a check, a reward . . . a bounty. To put transgender students in this embarrassing position of being pointed out and mocked for their identities pales in comparison to the price that is now being placed on their heads. Discrimination and unfairness is something that people in the LGBT+ community deal with every
Day of Silence provided a moving experience for attendees By Isabella Parker, staff reporter WICHITA - Wichita’s Day of Silence celebration, organized by GLSEN and celebrated on April 14 in A. Price Woodard Park, was an extremely moving and powerful event for all who participated. Along with several supportive groups from around Wichita, over 100 people showed up to the rally. GLSEN board member Liz Hamor explained how important it is for the National Day of Silence to be appreciated in Wichita, “We needed something like this in the community to change the climate for schools.”
Bullying, especially in the LGBT+ community, is common, and having rallies and events to support students is important. Emma Laraclek, another GLSEN board member, shared that she heard comments from students and teachers alike, so she feels like, as a gay person, she can connect with these students. Several clubs and groups made appearances during the rally. All of these groups are essential because they provide services and support that would not be available without their existence. Organizations
day, but where should we draw the line? What has our society, which should be moving forward and progressing to a more inclusive future, become if we begin to put prices on the heads of innocent children, teenagers, and young adults? If this is the path that Kansas, and the United States, is going down, the safety and security of transgender-, gay-, lesbian-, such as WiTCoN, a recent group dedicated to helping the transgender community, WASAC, a confidential and free organization that provides care for those dealing with sexual assault, and Trust Women, a program that helps support women’s rights, and many others showed their support. The sense of belonging and warmth that many experienced during the event was unique and empowering. l
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bisexual-, etc.-identifying people will plummet. This is more than just an article, it is a call to action. This bill will become a major negative impact on transgender students if it passes, and in order to make the future seem like a bright and supportive place, a legislature that focuses on discrimination must never become a part of our government. l
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Kansas News Trans-Formation Celebration in Lawrence LAWRENCE - On May 7, Interpersonal Psychiatry is hosting a Trans-Formation Celebration, an event to celebrate the transitioning process for transpeople. This positive and affirming event will spotlight medical, social, and legal aspects of transitioning gender for both transwomen and transmen. Stephanie Mott from K-Step and Jay Pryor of Lawrence, will be sharing their experiences as well. The celebration is open to the public and starts at 1pm, concludes at 4pm, and will be in the office of Interpersonal Psychiatry, 901 Kentucky, Suite 303, Lawrence.
Wichita Pride announces 2016 Parade Marshal WICHITA - The 2016 Pridefest Parade Marshal has been selected. The Wichita Pride Inc. board would like to announce that Liz Hamor has been chosen. Hamor says she is a stay-at-
Pryor
Hamor
home mom, but she’s often been seen around Wichita standing up for LGBT rights. Her work as Co-Founder and Co-Chair of GLSEN Greater Wichita, an Equality Kansas South Central Chapter member, and with the local schools’ GSA’s makes her an honorable pick. Hamor has built a reputation for being very humble. For her birthday she posted on Facebook, “In lieu of a gift I’d be honored if you’d sponsor a senior or two for our Rainbow Graduation program!“ Hamor breaks the silence against LGBT bullying every day. “I’m going to continue to write and share and speak on the topics and in the manner and with the frequency I feel called to, because for me being an ally isn’t a fad or a trend or some cozy, little niche I’m temporarily filling until something else comes along. It isn’t even voluntary. It’s the authentic response of my heart in real-time to what God has placed there.” Wichita Pride Inc. is proud of Hamor and the work she does and is honored to have her lead the 2016 Pridefest Parade. l
bridges Arrested: Jason Stever, 37, on one felony count of arson in connection with the Dec. 28, 2005 fire that burned down Twigs, the flower shop owned by Iven and Jim Kelley-Dobson, on April 12, 2016 in San Diego. He is being held on $50,000 bond. If convicted, Stever faces up to 34 months in prison. 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.
MAY 2016
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
Bullied for her sexuality, Kansas teen speaks out
By Ciara Reid, staff reporter BASEHOR - Hannah Reno, a 17-year-old junior at BasehorLinwood High School, says she received a threatening and bullying Facebook message from two male students on Friday, April 1. The message appeared to be song lyrics that addressed her sexuality, and also included threats to kill Reno. In an interview with Fox 4 Kansas City, Reno’s father said that the message also included specific details about “cutting her throat, shooting her” and “slitting her own wrists and cutting her own throat.” Reno has shared her story with news outlets that include Fox 4 Kansas City. Her story has also been picked up by various news sources worldwide, including the United Kingdom.
“It was just extremely nasty,” Reno told Fox 4 of the Facebook message. “It addressed things like my sexuality, and it addressed him wanting to kill me, him wanting me to kill myself.” Reno says that it was definitely inappropriate to target someone because of their sexuality. According to a message by the communications coordinator at Basehor-Linwood USD #458, two students were suspended for violating the handbook policy: severe disrespect and intimidation of another student. The father of Reno told Fox 4 that he does not believe the punishment was severe enough. Reno says that by sharing her story, she hopes to encourage others who are being bullied to stand up for themselves. l
Gov. Brownback suggests new policy to make it harder to change birth certificates By Jeromiah Taylor, staff reporter TOPEKA - Republican Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has advocated legislation which could make it harder for transgender Kansans to change their birth certificate. The proposed legislation removes previous rules which allowed major changes to birth certificates under certain circumstances. Previously transgender Kansans could change the sex on their birth certificates to match their gender if they signed an affidavit and provided medical proof that they had undergone an anatomical change. Currently Governor Brownback is advocating for a change in policy which only allows individuals to change their birth certificate if they can prove that their sex was incorrectly recorded at birth. This effectively negates the ability of transgender Kansans to change their birth certificates even after transitioning.
The new measures were created by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and do not require any new legislation to be put into effect. The new proposed laws came a month after Kansas’ widely publicized legislation which prevents transgender students from using the bathroom which aligns with their gender. In addition, the “bathroom” bill would allow students to sue their schools for letting transgender students use the correct bathroom. Since the bathroom legislation Kansas has been under national fire and the state is under more pressure currently as Stephanie Mott, a transgender woman and activist in Topeka, has sued the state for denying her request to change her birth certificate. A public hearing on the birth certificate proposal is scheduled for 9am May 12 in the Curtis State Office Building in Topeka. l
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LGBTQ Victims Services Center recently opened in Kansas City
By Emily Beckman, staff reporter KANSAS CITY - The Kansas City Anti-Violence Project ( K C AV P ) i s a n o n p r o f i t organization that has been providing services to the LGBTQ community since October 2002. On Jan. 29 the organization, which works to help both youth and adults, opened an LGBTQ domestic violence and sexual assault center. This is especially important because it is the only center in the Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa area specifically geared toward providing services for LGBTQ victims, according to the KCAVP website. The center itself is located at 4050 Pennsylvania Ave., Ste 135 in Kansas City, MO. However, services are also offered throughout both Kansas and Missouri. Melissa Brown, the programs director at KCAVP, works within each of the programs to provide services to survivors as well as trainings and technical
assistance. “It is important that the LGBTQ community have a space that they can be assured is safe, inclusive and supportive, Brown said. “A space where they can and will be heard. A space where we work in collaboration with the survivor to meet their needs and plan for their future safety.” One special aspect of the center is that it allows both adults and youth access to services they need. Brown also explains that the new facility allows KCAVP to better help “more vulnerable communities within the LGBTQ community. “The visibility has allowed us to raise more awareness to the violence that happens against our community in a hope that more people will take the steps to address that violence in their lives,” Brown said. “This will create a healthier and happier community, which already faces systemic and societal oppression.” In addition to its Victims Services Center, the facility has a food pantry and clothing closet. The Center is open from 10am-6pm Monday-Friday. The hotline is open 24 hours and is run by trained advocates - 816561-0550. For more information, visit kcavp.org, find KCAVP on social media or call the business line at 816-561-2755. l
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A conversation with author Augusten Burroughs By Grayson Barnes AUGUSTEN BURROUGHS’ AGENT MANAGED TO squeeze me in so I could interview him just before his book reading and talk on April 4, at the Abode Venue on Douglas in Wichita. Watermark Books sponsored the event there because there was an expectation (rightly so) that the store would be too small. Burroughs was featuring his newest book, Lust and Wonder, the third in a series based on his memoirs. The first, Running with Scissors, appeared in 2002 and was about his early life. It focuses on the period after Burroughs’ mother and father signed his guardianship over to their psychiatrist. As a tangential member of the doctor’s family, Burroughs’ life was anything but clinical. Running with Scissors sprinted Burroughs to the top of the New York Times Bestseller List. Dry is next in the trio. In it, Burroughs details his recovery from alcoholism. Lust and Wonder picks up after that and recounts some of Burroughs’ relationships up to his marriage to Christopher. When he arrived, Burroughs’ fringe jacket received many compliments. The first came from Sarah Bagby, the owner of Watermark Books. His gracious “I wear this everywhere” charmed us. I added he was dressed perfectly for the Midwest, since the air was filled with smoke from range burnings in the area. He responded, “I don’t think it’s bad enough that I need to have it dry-cleaned!” After a few more compliments, we retired to a side room, parked on opposite ends of a gray just-this-side-ofMid-Century-Modern couch, and started talking. Grayson Barnes: When it comes to the “memoir” genre, there is a danger that the result can be vapid, a list of personal events, or downright vain. You managed to create something personal, reflective, funny,
and moving all at the same time. How did you do that? Augusten Burroughs: Writing for me is very subconscious. I am not approaching it objectively nor am I thinking about what I write. In terms of avoiding vapidity, I can certainly be shallow, but I feel very deeply about who I am and about not being narcissistic. I don’t feel like a narcissist. There had to be an element of selfawareness, but I am not writing to be narcissistic. The writing exists so I can figure myself out. It’s difficult for me to think fully, well, without something to do. That’s the door – [writing is] something to do with my hands. I can process and fix things. I am grateful that as a result, pages are created that people are interested in reading. That’s the difference between someone who is writing for personal gain. The people I write about are real people. I don’t write for an audience. G B : L u s t a n d Wo n d e r explains the trajectory of your relationships with Mitch, Dennis, and then Christopher. I appreciate how you write about sex, because you keep it naturalistic, with hints of drive, a little sauciness, and liberal doses of the awkwardness that so many of us are just not willing to admit. How did you balance these scenes without flopping over into gratuitousness? AB: I am really conscious of being gratuitous or sentimental. I am not installing sex to manipulate the reader. I don’t want to craft the experience for the reader. I am resentful when an author tries to manipulate me. The things that are sexy and funny are those selfconsciousness moments when we are most natural. GB: At one point, you relate that the cleft in Mitch’s chin, formerly one of his most appealing assets, becomes an “asshole on his face.” It’s one of a number of realizations that shift from good to bad, or vice versa in the book. Would you talk about your paradigm shifts a bit?
AB: That’s something that happens organically with myself and my own behavior. [Mitch and I had an argument over a] Brita water filter that made me see him in a completely different light. T h a t ’s p r o b a b l y because I leapt into the situation with him. I was really looking for a deep connection with someone and my body was rebelling and wouldn’t work – I couldn’t get aroused. I was always told there was a connection between love and sex, but I never really understood THAT’S what it meant. That if that wasn’t there, things wouldn’t work. It was different with Chris. I never knew anything could be so profound and significant. It is all about getting close to someone. REALLY close. GB: Writing 14 words -- “You exposed your penis on national television, Max. What am I supposed to do about it?” -saved your life after George’s d e a t h . Yo u h a d r e t u r n e d to drinking and were bingewatching QVC. Starting to write was a watershed moment. AB: Yes! It was a profound experience to have. It felt so completely surreal. It felt so “other.” [I started creating] these fully formed characters that maybe I had been thinking out for months and months. The experience was incredibly profound. Before that, I really didn’t see myself as doing anything else in my life other than drinking and I was okay with that. Then all of a sudden the writing was there. Another profound experience was the Jeep dreams. I never remember my dreams and they disappear. Yet with the “Jeep guy” dreams I would still have pieces of them. The same dream with the same guy and the same Jeep. Only when I saw him [Christopher] in that physical role – actually driving a Jeep – did I understand it was always
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Chris. It was my heart talking all along. It was almost a sacred thing to not have Chris be by boyfriend because he was my agent. I was not going to let my attraction for him destroy the business relationship. As a result, I spent ten years not feeling. GB: You did advertising copy and wrote journals. However, in Running with Scissors, you share your less-than-stellar experience as a student in English. How did you work through your background in order to come out on this side? AB: Writing is important because it is thinking. It’s not THE one good reason for it. I transfer what’s inside and get it out. Artists do this. I had two very well-educated parents which certainly helped. That’s a real advantage. You need a really durable reason to write. Getting published is not enough of a reason. In terms of being a writer, it’s really practice. As I write, I dig deeper and deeper, I get closer to the truth. The hardest part, technically, is learning to avoid cliché. Next is glossing over the truth. Specificity and clarity are important. Make sure you have all the details. Writing helps you pay close attention to your life and everything around you so all of those things are available to you. Other parts of being a writer are developed through travel and reading. You should read. Reading exploded my world. It’s almost like telekinesis. What’s possible? Reading what’s important to you is powerful.
MAY 2016
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GB: So what would you say to other aspiring writers? AB: Make sure you’re very clear about your own foibles and inconsistencies -- your process of realization -- sometimes it’s coming from experiment, sometimes decisiveness, sometimes from other people. GB: What part of the book speaks most clearly about you in light of this? AB: At the end where I sort of realize that Dennis is merely tolerating me. I think the greatest betrayal is lying to myself and not trusting my own instincts and when so many things converged and I discovered I was with someone who did not want to be with me, it was jarring. With Chris, there was the profundity of listening to my deepest, most elemental self – he was something that I wanted for no other convoluted reason other than that he belonged to me and I to him. It was as if I could feel it in the bones of my chest: THIS IS IT! GB: Why should people r e a d L u s t a n d Wo n d e r ? AB: One of the things I love about the book is that I hated being told that relationships are about compromise and I heard it everywhere and I hoped I could find someone with whom
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it didn’t feel like that at all. I wanted to feel like I had become emotionally filthy rich and I had won the lotto. Then I did! I finally found someone that I can be my ordinary self with. I believe this can happen for anyone. The book is also funny, it’s entertaining. It’s fun to see someone else make a mess of their life instead of you. I made so many mistakes and I had to live with those mistakes. It’s also about what your life can be like after substance abuse. It CAN get better. I left Burroughs on the gray couch so he could prepare for his reading. I thought about what he said along with my own experience of his writing over the years. I remember Running with Scissors as transcendent. I think the captivating quality of his work is that Burroughs unearths those quirky, uncomfortable moments in life and scrutinizes them with a mixture of observation as well as acceptance. His humor draws us in, and, although we are sometimes horrified by what’s happening, there is a poignant deliciousness left by his revelations because he is SO WILLING TO FEEL. Thus, we feel it too. And even if it’s horrible, it gets better. l
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THURSDAY, JUNE 9 - SATURDAY, JUNE 11
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DONATE BUTTONS SO CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN NEED CAN JOIN THE PARTY! Visit WichitaRiverfest.com or WichitaFestivals.com to give. Purchase Buttons at INTRUST Bank Arena Box Office, Wichita Festivals - 444 E. William, Dillons, QT, and other retail locations. Online at SelectASeat.com
$10
$3
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
Art and Book Fair returns to Mother’s Day weekend
WICHITA — The Friends of the Wichita Art Museum are excited to bring the 57th Annual Art and Book Fair to the Wichita Art Museum. The art portion of the fair will feature national and regional artists outside the museum and inside hundreds of books will be on sale. Entertainment will be staged throughout the day, encouraging patrons to stroll through the newly landscaped Art Garden. Food from the Muse as well as from area food trucks will be available. Admission is free. Once a part of the Wichita River Festival, but always on Mother’s Day weekend, when the River Festival moved to June, the Art and Book Fair became a stand-alone event. This year’s dates are Saturday, May 7, 10am-5pm and Sunday, May 8, 11am-5pm. The Art Fair This year more than 50 artists will be participating in the Art Fair. Artist tents will be scattered around the paved areas of the museum’s grounds displaying a wide variety of works from a group of artists from as far away as Santa Barbara, CA to local favorites. This year, for the first time, the event will be held outside with the art show and sale portion of the event on the museum grounds itself. Works of art include painting, ceramics, photography, jewelry, 3-D and 2-D multimedia, fiber, wood, glass, and printmaking. The Book Fair Book collectors from all over the region flock to this annual event to look for great “finds” in new, used and rare books. Hundreds of books in every
conceivable genre will be available in the S. Jim and Darla Farha Great Hall. Expect to see some hard to find books on artists and art movements, but fans of fiction, non-fiction, mystery, biographies, political, history, Kansas/Regional, literature, and short stories will not be disappointed. There is also a collection coffee table books as well as hundreds of cookbooks, gardening books, home decorating books and children’s’ books.
Overland Park author pens resource book for same-sex parents By Ciara Reid, staff reporter OVERLAND PARK - Author and LGBT activist Eric Rosswood, from Overland Park, Kan., has written a resource book for same-sex parents. Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood, released Mar. 15, includes information on numerous options for having children, and includes insight and advice from 20 same-sex couples with children. Liberty Press asked Rosswood about his book, and how it has helped shape his own experience with parenting: Liberty Press: Your book Journey to Same–Sex Parenthood was released Mar. 15. What kind of response have you received? Eric Rosswood: So far the response has been amazing. I’m hearing from a lot of people that they wished they had this book when they started their own journey. And I think that’s probably the best feedback I can get.
Entertainment Fair-goers will be entertained throughout the event. Some of the performances include Nikki Moddelmog, the Wichita Ukulele Society, the Augusta Jazz Band and its a capella group, the Wichita Children’s Theatre Adult Glee Club, and the Wichita Children’s Community Choir along with many high school choirs and orchestras. Food The Muse Café will have a special menu on Saturday and will serve Mother’s Day specials on Sunday. Outside food trucks Kona Ice, Brown Box Bakery, Funky Monkey, Flying Stove, and Brickhouse BBQ will be on hand to serve lunch and snacks. Call 2684973 to make reservations for the Muse. l
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LP: What inspired you to write this book, and what was your own journey like? ER: When my husband and I decided that we wanted to have children, we started to do research of what other people did in the past. I tried to compare and contrast the different possibilities, including adoption, surrogacy, and foster care. We found that perspectives from other couples that had been through the journey were significantly lacking. There wasn’t a resource to easily compare the different paths from the perspectives of people who went through it. Someone once told me if you can’t find what you’re looking for, create it yourself, so I did. And I hope that it makes it easier for other people who are also contemplating starting their own families. In regards to our own journey, in the beginning, we did a lot of research. Even though it may not be for everyone else, we ultimately decided that open adoption was right for us. We eventually matched with a birthmother who was 13 weeks pregnant and it was great because we were lucky
enough to be present during the pregnancy. We got to see our son’s sonogram, hear his first heartbeat, and even got to be there for his birth. LP: The book includes stories from almost 20 same-sex couples with kids. Are there any particular pieces of advice or anecdotes that surprised you or changed your opinion about a particular option? ER: There are so many things I heard back from people that surprised me. For example, some of the feedback that I’ve received from couples that chose foster care was that even though you may be working with an LGBT-friendly agency, there’s a possibility that you’ll have interactions with the child’s birthparents and/or family members and they may not be so accepting. They may even be openly antagonistic toward their child growing up with LGBT parents. One of the things people may need to think about is how they would respond to that while also minimizing the negativity in front of the child they are caring for. There’s a big section in this book that includes tips and advice from other same-sex couples that have gone through the various journeys and it’s such a valuable thing to get this kind of feedback from real families who have been successful starting families of their own. LP: How has your own book helped you in your parenting? ER: Parenting takes a lot of patience. During the open adoption journey, couples can be held up in an unknown waiting period. They can match with a birthmother immediately or can take two--three years or longer. That unknown period is stressful continued on page 23
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
Civic hacking comes to Riverfest means permissionless, it means open, it means generative.” Pahlka talks about the dissatisfaction many citizens feel with elected officials and how Civic Hacking can play a role.
“People seem to think politics is sexy. If we’re going to make this system work we’re going to have to make bureaucracy sexy,” Pahlka said. “Because that’s where the real work of government is. We have to engage with the machinery of government.” The idea of Code for America is to strengthen American civic society in order to increase the effectiveness of government by engaging the hands of citizens, not just their voices. “These apps are like little digital reminders that we’re not just consumers, of government,
and impactful [is welcome]. It doesn’t matter what your background or skill set is. All skills are needed,” Seth Etter event organizer said. “If you want to be a part of creating something interesting to benefit the community, this is the place for you.” Developers, marketers, designers, business-savvy people and a variety of other skill sets will be needed to make the project a success. Information regarding the event and how to RSVP and get involved can be found at hackathonict.com/. l
24-hour event open to all skill sets By Jeromiah Taylor, staff reporter WICHITA - On June 4 at Wichita Riverfest a city-wide, 24-hour civil Hackathon will be hosted by Open Wichita a civic hacking organization. Wi c h i t a c i t i z e n s w i l l participate in a project to develop technological solutions to local civic problems. A hackathon is an event where people get together to see what kind of apps and things they can create in a 24-hour-long brainstorming session. The event is part of a national rise in “Civic Hacking,” a concept invented by an organization called Coding for America. “[Coding for America] is a little bit like a Peace Corps for geeks. We select a few fellows every year and we have them work with city governments. Instead of sending them off into the Third World, we send them into the wilds of City Hall. And there they make great apps [and] work with city staffers,” Jennifer Pahlka, Code for America founder said, in her Ted talk “Coding for a Better Government.”
Since its inception Code for America has benefited various communities across the nation. Apps designed to catalyze citizen engagement have resulted in accessible fire hydrants, operative tsunami sirens and clear winter-time sidewalks. The idea is that these services if provided by the government would have been expensive and a committed citizenry is better able to efficiently care for its community than an overburdened civic entity. “There is one project in the California court system right now that so far cost taxpayers two billion dollars, and it doesn’t work,” Pahlka said. “And there are projects like this at every level of government. “So an app that takes a couple of days to write and then spreads virally, that’s sort of a shot across the bow to the institution of government,” Pahlka said. “It suggests how government could work better -- not more like a private company, as many people think it should. And not even like a tech company, but more like the Internet itself. And that
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putting in our taxes and getting back services. We’re more than that, we’re citizens,” Pahlka said. “And we’re not going to fix government until we fix citizenship.” Now the Civic Hacking craze has come to Wichita and presents the opportunity to make local change with people of all skill sets. “Anyone who wants to work on something interesting
LGBT Health Coalition sets goals for the year ahead By Trevor Reichle, staff reporter WICHITA - In 2010, a group of Kansans in the Wichita area came together to form the LGBT Health Coalition in order to promote awareness of health issues to the LGBT community and to provide those in the LGBT community with a resource to get the healthcare they need from local providers who are friendly and knowledgeable on LGBT-related health issues. Now, six years later, the coalition continues in these efforts, recently setting their goals for 2016. Kim Neufeld, one of the founding members, has remained highly active in the effort of ensuring the coalition stays visible and up-to-date on the organization’s mission. Neufeld, who has worked in healthcare promotion in Sedgwick County for a decade,
said the primary reason for the genesis of the coalition was the lack of addressing of LGBT health issues in the area. The coalition’s biggest p r o j e c t h a s b e e n w w w. wichitalgbthealth.org, an online directory of healthcare providers who, according to the website, “deliver competent services and understand the unique health concerns of the LGBT community.” The directory consists of not only providers who state they are LGBT-friendly, but those who have also been referred by actual patients in the community as being such as well. The directory, while mostly consisting of providers in the Wichita area, is expanding to include communities all over the state. This has been one main focus of the coalition this year. Another of the goals the coalition has for 2016 is to offer
providers who are interested with training on how to address LGBT-related health issues and how to connect with patients in this category. “[Many] are very interested in learning what the needs are and what the issues are,” Neufeld said. The starkest issue, according to Neufeld, is the lack of transgender services provided in Kansas, particularly related to the transitioning process. “I would say three out of four calls I get are either about hormone replacement therapies or they’re about the surgeries,” Neufeld said. “And unfortunately, the surgeries are done by very few places in Kansas or in the U.S.” Beyond the provider directory, the coalition has also played an integral role in ensuring that health services are provided at Wichita Pride each year, such as STD testing,
flu shots, and other services. In addition, the coalition has recently begun to promote general health messaging to the LGBT community, such as encouraging regular exercise like biking, walking or simply spending time outdoors. For long-term goals, Neufeld expressed the desire for the coalition to be able to gather more data on LGBT individuals and their health concerns locally and at a state-level in order to provide organizations, providers and other institutions with the information they need to do further research, grow their provision of services and know where to provide grants. Beyond that, Neufeld hopes that in the future, all health issues are addressed as they are needed. “I hope we’re not needed. I hope it’s a non-issue and that the health outlooks are good,” Neufeld said. l
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
Minor
Details By Bob Minor
The Strategy: Legalizing Anti-Gay without Acting Like You Are
T
here are now over 100 anti-LGBT bills under consideration around the country, according to a recent Huffington Post compilation. They represent a national radical right-wing industry creating laws that give conservative politicians symbolic causes to convince their bases that they’re still leading the fight against the evil of LGBT equality. Many of these bills are unnecessary, even repeating what’s already in the law. Mississippi’s recent notorious contribution adds nothing to its already existing law. But their purpose isn’t legal or rational; it’s political. Constantly championing new “God, Guns, and Gays” measures is the way to maintain elected office by demonstrating to politicians’ right-wing and Evangelical bases that they’re Davids fighting heroically against the big bad Supreme Court Goliath. While younger generations find little interest in this fight, older right-wingers are most likely to vote and engage in political activities. And portraying right-wing Christians as victims of secularist culture still works to rally church-going masses, scaring them to vote even against their economic selfinterests. Not only Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) that guaranteed marriage equality, but Romer v. Evans (1996) that threw out Colorado’s anti gay bill, and Lawrence v. Texas (2003) that decriminalized homosexual sexual acts, made it clear that the Supreme Court would not allow LGBT people as a category to be singled out for discrimination. So, the religious right-wing legal think-tanks devised laws that would chip away at LGBT rights without designating any specific group for discrimination. As observed for months now,
right-wing leaders are modeling their new approach on their antiRoe v. Wade strategy. Strategist Frank Shubert recommended to the Values Voters Summit in January, that to seek incremental wins the right-wing should develop a “gay” version of “partial birth abortion.” These new-style laws, they hoped, would wind their way to a Supreme Court that would uphold them based upon the new positive intentions they claimed to be defending while not singling out LGBT people as a class even though the clearest collateral damage would be LGBT discrimination. And the Supreme Court looked as if it could uphold these laws - until the death of Justice Scalia in February. Broadly, then, watch for three dominant legislative strategies to replace the outright admission of discrimination against a class of people. The first is state government nullification of local protections for LGBT people by requiring local jurisdictions to conform to state statutes that lack LGBT inclusion in their nondiscrimination protections. The major thrust of North Carolina’s notorious HB2, which was passed quickly in a special session, does this very thing. It doesn’t literally single out LGBT people as a class by name but does not include them in a statewide nondiscrimination ordinance while banning local governments from passing any protections that go beyond the state’s. Other states, such as Missouri, have passed local preemption laws that favor business interests’ goals. And, in North Carolina, for good measure, HB2 also preempts local employment ordinances that supersede state law governing wages and other employee benefits, and protections. And Oklahoma has
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had a similar approach in its SB 1289. North Carolina’s bill also includes a second national push, which is being dubbed “bathroom bills.” These play on particularly American fears because Americans (unlike Europeans) have a history of being terrified about who’ll be sharing bathrooms with them. Those who remember the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment designed to guarantee equal rights for women that was introduced in Congress in 1923 and finally passed in 1972, remember that the argument against its ratification in the states included the fear that both men and women would have to share the same public bathrooms. Those who also remember the arguments against gay men and lesbians openly serving in the military remember that the fear included so-called brave men and women having to share bathrooms and showers with someone who might look at them. Freud would have had a field day with all of this. But now the right-wing is using bathroom anxiety to gin up the fear of the transgender person. Knowing that fear of gay men and lesbians isn’t as effective anymore, transgender people are the prescribed strategic targets. They are to be portrayed as potential molesters of – and here’s the trope the right-wing always uses to add further fear – our innocent children. Whereas transgender people are more likely to be the victims of violence, in true oppressordynamics fashion the popular lie always turns victims into perpetrators and vice versa. In fact, as one article contradicts it: “More GOP Lawmakers Arrested for Sexual Misconduct in Bathrooms than Trans People.”
The third national right-wing think-tank tactic is to claim that their bills are intended to protect “religious liberty.” Though they’ll continue to attempt passage of such laws at the federal level, the strongest push is planned in the states. Model bills have been distributed, with legislators invited to contact their national think-tanks for sponsorship advice. Some of these add nothing to current law. This would include the “pastor protection” acts now in 14 statehouses. But the acts with the greatest potential are those that allow business people who have “sincerely held religious beliefs” to discriminate against LGBT people. Because they’re meant to impress the base by making it look as if politicians are fighting back against the Supreme Court’s extension of marriage equality, these laws often center upon providing business for LGBT marriages. Of course, “religious liberty” has a long history of use to justify racism. And, of course, legal scholars have pointed out the problems with these laws, often called religious freedom restoration acts. Their plan, however, is that these laws will appeal broadly to conservatives and libertarians. Politicians, they believe, will have difficulty coming out against “religious freedom,” and young people will agree that businesses should have the right to choose to “refuse service.” So, this is where present battles are. The effective antidote is the response of businesses (who also support the election of these right-wingers) coupled with progressive religious folk standing up forcefully against fear-based, anti-LGBT use of religion. l
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MAY 2016
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
The Beacon Bit: A Youth Perspective
W
e’re approaching the end of the school year, which is a stressful time for any student. But this stress can be much worse for LGBTQ students, particularly those in high school. May brings the season of graduations and proms and finalizing college plans, all of which can be incredibly difficult when you do not identify as heterosexual or cisgender. So, consider this a survival guide of sorts: How to get through the rest of the school year, graduation, prom, and whatever else you have to deal with in the next month. Prom poses difficulty for a lot of LGBTQ high school students. Will your school let you wear the clothing you feel comfortable in? Turns out, they’re legally obligated to. The Department of Education has decided that Title IX, a federal law protecting students from discrimination on the basis of sex, can and does extend to cover reports of discrimination based on gender identity. So wear what you want, and if they tell you not to, tell them that you can file a report based on Title IX guidelines. As for the issue of prom dates, schools can make their own policies, but you have every right to challenge those policies. Many students have been successful after bringing up an unfair policy regarding same-sex dates to dances with the school board. Also, some communities hold proms outside of school settings specifically to accommodate LGBTQ students who are not able to attend prom as they would like; Topeka Pride will be hosting one on June 17 of this year. As for graduation, similar rules to those of prom wear can be
What’s New at
G End of school year Survival Guide
applied with regards to clothing. For trans students who do not use their legal name, try talking to your school administration about what name is read during the ceremony and see what they are willing to do. Getting community supports such as a school GSA or family supports like a parent or guardian can also be helpful in this situation. Choosing a college can be a very stressful experience. Especially if you’ve already been accepted to multiple schools, narrowing down options is difficult. There are many guides out there that list LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities; this can be a great starting point. Campus visits are crucial and should be a large factor in your decision. Now is the perfect time to start scheduling visits. Contact an admissions representative to arrange a day and time, and also try to get in contact with LGBTQ students currently attending the school. You may want to ask about housing policies for trans students, with focus on things like bathroom and roommate policies. An in-person visit will help you see what attending a certain college will actually be like and how the administration treats its students. In the midst of all this change, be sure to take care of yourself. Do things you enjoy, with people you enjoy, at places you enjoy. Buy yourself something nice or go to a restaurant that you like. Treating yourself is a great way to keep your spirits high and combat stress. So, hopefully now you have a better outlook on your end-ofschool worries. We wish you all the best. The future is extremely bright, so don’t stop reaching for it, and you can accomplish great things. l
IVE OUT DAY This month on May 19, is National Give OUT Day. Give OUT Day is the only national day of giving for the LGBTQ community. It’s a 24-hour online fundraising competition that unities the LGBTQ community nationally to raise needed funds to support the diverse array of LGBTQ nonprofit organizations including local community centers, arts groups, clinics, student clubs, sports leagues and more. Show your support and give to your favorite LGBTQ group and help them win prizes based on performance. More information can be found at www.giveoutday.org. The Center of Wichita’s direct donation page is co.ClickandPledge.
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com/?ID=34552. Please support your local LGBTQ center, The Center of Wichita on May 19! Check out the Center’s new updated webpage! There is additional information about our various programs, including our newest group, Kid’s Connect. Check out our LGBTQ and Allied Business listing, find gay-friendly and gay-owned businesses across Wichita. And for your health, visit the Wichita LGBT Health Coalition at www. wichitalgbthealth.org. Coming soon!! We are working with and looking for volunteers who will be willing to be at The Center specific days and times so that the Center can be open to everyone. If you are interested in helping, please e-mail us at thecenterofwichita@ gmail.com. l
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
Opening Soon---mid May Featuring: The Brown Sugar Show on Thursdays The Inferno Cabaret on Saturdays The Sunday Night Sizzle on Sundays The Miss Gay Wichita Pageant on Friday, May 27th 1544 S Ida---Wichita, Ks---Harry and K15
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
tell the difference unless you peek? Then you’re a pervert! Times are changing if I can change so can everyone else. Do not be left behind. You do not want to be bringing up the rear especially when Eunice has gas. Now let’s flush this controversy!
Mama, What do you think about this controversy over the transgender restrooms? Waiting in line to go
Dear Mama, Can you please tell me where to find love? Not signed
I do not know what the big deal is. It is a restroom. You go in, do your business, wash your hands, and leave. You do not have to interact with anyone. Besides transgender people look like you and me who the hell is going to
First look in the mirror, do you love that person? If you do then love will find you. If not then you need to love yourself first or no one else will. I am not Dr. Phil; if I was, I would be richer and nicer! Bring me a beer! Mama, What big things are happening with you on Mother’s Day?
A
rally of retrograde planets pummel our world this May. Pluto, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury all conspire to put our best laid plans into a blender. Have your to-do list ready to go, but be prepared to forget all about it.
ARIES (MAR. 21 - APRIL 20) Proud Rams are awash with concerns about money, long-term career plans and day-to-day job tasks. Can you set down some strategic next steps to help put you on a firmer fiscal footing? Possibly, but these steps may veer and change as you go forward. So go in whatever direction you decide, but be flexible for anything that life tosses you. Or is it at you? TAURUS (APRIL 21 - MAY 21) Life looks jolly and fun, but beware of the tacks on your dance floor. Ouch! Queer Bulls have hearts as big as the ocean, but are apt to sink in any romantic endeavor as their best moves fall short. Don’t despair or drop out of the meeting and greeting game. Just give your style a chance to conform to the ever-changing landscape. Then plant your bouquets. GEMINI (MAY 22 - JUNE 21) Secrets won’t get you anywhere, pink Twin. And this is why it is better to be honest and upfront now when family and partners both seem to be pulling you in different directions. Not everybody will be happy, but that is the way it will have to be for now. In the meantime, there is a lot to be said for seeking some alone time. Solitude, at this time, is bliss. CANCER (JUNE 22 - JULY 23) Gay Crabs may not mean what they say or say what they really mean this week. This muddle messaging can get you into a bit of a pickle among friends or co-workers who scratch their heads in confusion. So maybe it is time to listen more than you speak. Save your best speeches for later in the month. You may still not make much sense, but others will think you are genius.
MAY 2016
Iola Boyen nosey neighbor Good Lord, I will be waiting all day because none of my three ungrateful children will think of me at all. I will be drinking a beer and wishing I was Carol Brady. Since it is Mother’s Day this month, I would like to tell a funny story about my mother. I was a teenager and it was Thanksgiving time. My mama would thaw the turkey out a week in advance. Then on Turkey Day she would get up at
tinyurl.com/herscopes Charlene Lichtenstein’s groundbreaking astrology book HerScopes: A Guide To Astrology For Lesbians is the best in sun sign astrology! The secrets that are revealed about each sign continue to amaze. Makes a great gift.
LEO (JULY 24 - AUG. 23) Big risks might lead to big rewards, or, more likely this month, unexpected losses. Hold tight to your dough, proud Lion, and only risk what you can comfortably afford to lose. You will have to work hard to get what you deserve now at work. If there was ever a time to escape and take a long-needed vacation, this is it. But can you do it on the cheap? VIRGO (AUG. 24 - SEPT. 23) First impressions are lasting impressions and queer Virgos are apt to make very memorable and lasting first impressions now. Perhaps that is not what you intend to do, though. My advice is to try to stay in the background and observe events from afar before you act, at least for the next two weeks. After that you shine. Or is that a strobe light type of shine? LIBRA (SEPT. 24 - OCT. 23) Are you ready to be quoted? Anything you say could be held against you. Proud Libras with strong opinions may tick off the wrong person - someone who they do not realize that they have insulted. Let others flap the air. It is wise for you to stay silent, composed and ever wise. At least that is what others will think of you. And that will be to your advantage later. SCORPIO (OCT. 24 - NOV. 22) Relationships may become a bit more stressful for the next few weeks, partially because of money issues and partly because of how you are balancing your time between work and fun. Needless to say, queer Scorpios have a lot on their plates now, but you will have to prioritize. When in doubt, surrender to the forces and see where the fates lead you. Let’s just see.
2am just to prepare the turkey and put it in the oven. I was woken up by my mama making a commotion in the kitchen. Back then the turkey came frozen with all the gizzards in a bag in the cavity and around the legs were actually metal wires to keep them together. She was fighting trying to get the wire off the legs to remove the bags in the cavity. The wires were not budging. I stood in the doorway of the kitchen in shock. My mama had thrown the turkey in the sink and said you f***ing bird I am going to kill you. I had never heard her use the F-word in my life. I then pointed out to her that it was already dead. Please call or go see your mom on Mother’s Day! Happy Mother’s Day to all mamas. l Have a question for Mama? E-mail MamaTHarper@aol.com.
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SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 23 - DEC. 22) You are bold and beautiful. At least you think so, gay Archer. But pause to consider before you burst on the scene and take charge. You may upset the careful balance of power and get some noses out of joint. Some folks will be angry and contemplate revenge. Maybe this is exactly what you want to happen . . . but I don’t think so. Keep cool, collected and secretive for now. CAPRICORN (DEC. 23 - JAN. 20) Going with your gut could lead you astray now, pink Cap. So continue to explore your creativity, but keep an eye on any possible repercussions from some of your more risky antics. It could become a global sensation or take you into new directions. Life will continue to be interesting through the month. Just exactly how interesting is up to you! AQUARIUS (JAN. 21 - FEB. 19) Aqueerians will not be content to plop in front of the TV and chill out this month. In fact they have so much pent up energy that they can’t plop anywhere. You are full of zest and pop and seek connection in any form or with anyone. Whew! Follow your yearnings and see where and to whom they lead. Love might be in the air, but it will smell like hearts on fire. PISCES (FEB. 20 - MAR. 20) Guppies want to hit the highest height quickly. Anything is possible, but build your ascent on a solid foundation so it doesn’t sink later on. Don’t dissipate your energies on nonsense and don’t waste your time on people who are not worth the effort. Be discerning and keep your high energy focused. The sky is the limit. Just beware of low ceilings.
(c) 2016 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 is the best in sun sign astrology. Order now at tinyurl.com/herscopes.
MAY 2016
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
With spring comes arrests in the parks
WICHITA - It’s that time of year where everyone heads to the local parks to enjoy the spring and summer months. And with the coming of warmer days, reports of intimate activities in the parks will also increase. About a year ago the Wichita Police Department (WPD) contacted Wichita’s LGBT Center in an effort to help educate the community in regard to the various inappropriate activities that occur in the parks. Working together with the Wichita Police Community Outreach officer, representatives from the Center are hoping to educate and get the word out that some activities should be shared in the privacy of one’s own home and not in the park. The WPD along with various other community groups are working together for the community’s safety so that everyone can enjoy the parks. Everyone shares Wichita’s parks and they are for families of all kinds. The groups are asking the community to please be respectful of everyone’s right to use the parks. Not only are intimate activities illegal, but with them comes increased risk of other crimes. There has been an increase of vehicle break-ins in the parks. While people are in the woods, criminals are breaking into their vehicles. While these break-ins are known to the community, they are not being reported to the police department. Officer Bruncheen from the Wichita North precinct says there are several legal
concerns that the police would like everyone to be aware of. 1) Intimate activities are illegal when done in a public area. 2) There have been vehicles broken into and there have been people robbed. If you are a victim, please report it. 3) There have been reports of people being beaten (gay-bashed) while cruising in the park. 4) Local citizens and nearby neighbors are always on the lookout for all sorts of illegal activities that might and can occur in the parks. A n d 5 ) Wi t h i n t i m a t e activities, people are not always playing it sexually safe. The police and the health department are concerned about the possible transmission of STD’s. Yes it’s okay to meet people in the park, yes it’s okay to socialize in the park, but if you want more, take it indoors and out of the park. The WPD says it would love to see voluntary compliance because they don't want to have to arrest people in the park when they could be using those resources to go after genuine criminals. The department also relayed that it would like nothing more than to not have to do a sting operation, but it will if it has to. Furthermore, people should know that this issue is not just a gay issue because the officers have seen many different folks both gay and straight who have hookups in the park. This message brought to you by The Center of Wichita, Equality Kansas, WOOLF, Wichita Bears, Table of Hope MCC and the Wichita Police Department. l
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OUT on the Town Photos by Matthew Jones-Arnone Adam Lambert photos courtesy of Troy Dilport
Parenting continued from page 16
because things are completely out of your control. It takes a lot of patience to get through that period of uncertainty. It prepared me for the patience I would need as a parent. Also, open communication with your spouse or partner is critical during that phase and it helped strengthen my relationship with my husband. LP: Is there anything else you would want Liberty Press
readers to know? ER: Somebody recently told me that the section in the book with questions to ask before moving forward was so helpful to her because they included things she never would have considered thinking about if she hadn’t read the book. It’s hard to know what you don’t know. And I think that’s one of the reasons why Journey to SameSex Parenthood is so valuable and probably the reason why so many people who already had kids wished they had this before they started. l
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
MAY 2016
Positive Directions changes focus, cuts services AIDS Walk to be held May 21 By Kristi Parker WICHITA - Positive Directions, Inc. (PDI) has announced a change in direction. PDI, an HIV/AIDS service organization, formed in 1991 to provide resources, education and support for those with HIV/AIDS and their loved ones. It also offers prevention outreach about behaviors that put people at risk for HIV. “As a Board, we’ve looked at the changes in the community we serve, and we’re committed to refocusing our organization
to reflect these changes,” Marc Durfee, current Positive Directions Board Chair, said. “With that in mind, we’re making three major changes.” Those changes include discontinuing case management services, and the grocery center, while enhancing prevention services. The organization’s board decided not to apply to renew the grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment that funds case management services. “We see other organizations in the community that provide the same high-level quality of case management services that we do, but do so more efficiently and effectively,” Durfee said. “Case management services are critical, but other organizations are better suited to provide them.” It will continue to provide case management to its clients through the end of the current grant, which is June 30.
The grocery center, which provided eggs, milk, canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter and various meat products weekly, actually stopped serving clients April 1. “There was a time when side effects of HIV medications made it important that patients have specialized nutrition plans, and that made the grocery center at Positive Directions a unique service for HIV/AIDS patients,” Durfee explained. “But today – thankfully – advances made in these medication means that the drugs are much less harsh and do not require specialized diets.” Plans are to donate much of the equipment from the grocery center (refrigerators, freezers, shelving, surplus food, etc.) to Table of Hope MCC for its food pantry. So the main focus of PDI will be on its prevention services - free condom distribution, free HIV testing, etc. - and education about HIV/ AIDS. “ We l o o k e d a t t h e environment, and have tried to refocus Positive Directions to address unmet needs in our community,” Durfee said. “It was clear to us that the real unmet need was in prevention and awareness, as well as serving as an advocate for the population we’re committed to support.” The organization is still planning to host its annual AIDS Walk. The event, which usually happens in April in the parking lot in front of PDI offices, will take place May 21 in the parking lot beside The Workroom, 150 N. Cleveland. That location, which recently held a community market, is just south of Club Boomerang. Sign-up is at 10am with the walk at 11am. There will be a stage and food trucks. “I’m encouraging everyone to wear their t-shirts all day for discounts at sponsoring restaurants and bars if they have them on,” Jack Silvers, chair of the AIDS Walk committee, said. l
Trans Youth: Protecting the Persecuted from the Powerful and Privileged “Oh my God,” said the world, to the idea that children are in danger. “We must do something!” sounded the alarm to take up immediate action, making certain people are protected. Then someone said, “Nothing in this hand.” And people were suddenly unable to see the cruel and horrifying truth that was happening before their eyes. Conversations and concerns were struck up all over the country about how to protect ourselves from the dangers of people who have the audacity of authenticity. Young transgender human beings who dare to embrace themselves for who they truly are. Legislation and lawlessness walking hand-in-hand down a path to a place where people are protected from children being honest about their gender. Conversations condemning children to lives of misery and pain. Part of the conversation needs to be about the message this “everyone has a right to privacy and respect” message sends to transgender youth. The message says loudly and clearly that if you are transgender, you are not included in the group of people who are worthy of privacy and respect. The message says, without doubt, that people who are transgender do not have the right to live authentically. The message says that someone’s mongered and manufactured fear is more important to some of these people than whether or not an eight-year-old child believes their life is worth living. At some point, we might
want to ask the question, “Of whom shall I be afraid?” I am thinking we should be afraid of the legislators and governors who are attacking some of the most vulnerable people in the world. You know, these people who are intentionally sacrificing children to pain, and pressure, and persecution for the singular purpose of staying in positions of power. Of whom shall I be afraid, indeed. There are some very simple truths about suicide and transgender youth. Untold numbers of young people take their own lives; every day in every city, town, and state in America; because they are unable to withstand the pain of having to pretend to be someone other than who they truly are. Statistics clearly show that when a young trans person’s identity is validated, their risk of suicide goes down. And when a young trans person’s identity is invalidated, their risk of suicide goes up. The conversation we are not having, the conversation we must always have, is that when governments and individuals create barriers to authenticity for transgender youth, children die. Three questions: Who are the predators? Who is the prey? How much longer will we allow powerful and privileged politicians to persecute our children? “Oh my God,” said the world, to the idea that children are in danger . . . and people were suddenly unable to see the cruel and horrifying truth that was happening before their eyes. l Stephanie Mott is a transgender woman from Topeka. She is the executive director of the Kansas Statewide Transgender Education Project, and a commissioner on the City of Topeka Human Relations Commission. Reach her at stephanieequality@yahoo.com.
MAY 2016
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
Leather Life By Nolin Christensen aka Master C
Bush Bunnies and Tea-Rooms Editor’s note: This column may contain content that is offensive to some people.
S
o exactly what are Bush Bunnies and Tea-Rooms anyway? Well, for those older individuals you’ll know what I’m talking about. For those who don’t know, let me explain. Before gay and Leather communities became accepted and long before they became mainstream, we had code words and other signs to help us communicate amongst each other without others knowing
what was going on. The terms Bush Bunny and Tea-Room were some of those. A Bush Bunny was someone who liked to have sex in the bushes or woods. We would cruise the local parks looking to hook up with someone for sex. When we would find someone, we would head into the trees and bushes to get it on. Once you were done, you’d leave or look for the next trick. Totally anonymous with no strings attached. When I first came out hummmpmpm years ago, in the town where I lived, parks were the only place to find other gay men for hooking up and having sex (the nearest gay bar was over an hour away). Back then we weren’t looking for a lover or a partner, we were looking to find someone we could play with to get our rocks off. The early leather clubs used to have “club runs” where everyone would get on their cycles, head to a designated outdoors campsite where they would gather and would have a great time. Lots of fun and lots of sex. All in the great outdoors. The oldest continuous
leather run is Badger Flats Run sponsored by the Satyars MC. Tea-Rooms were a code word for a public bathroom. Typically, this would be any park or highway rest area restroom. Again, it was a place to find a sex partner for a one-time hookup. These were popular (and still are) with many truckers. They could stop at a Tea-Room, relieve some stress, sleep and then go on down the road. For both cruising a park or a rest area, the biggest part of the mystique was not only the anonymous sex, but the thrill of whether or not you would get caught. Because it is illegal to have sex in a public place, this was the allure, the possibility of getting caught. The adrenaline rush of “bad boy” sex was and still is a turn on for some folks. For me, it’s the anonymity. Sex with an anonymous person is and always will be a turn on for me. However, sex in public space regardless of your sexual orientation is illegal. Always has been, probably always will be. Unless you’re a voyeur, most people don’t care to see others having sex in a public space. So what can you do? Well, first of all, you can meet people in the park or at a Tea-Room, that’s not a problem. But when it comes to getting it on, take
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it home or take it out of the public venue/area. Find an offthe-beaten-path spot down an old dirt road. Go somewhere that is NOT on public property or someone’s property where they can have you arrested for trespassing. The old saying “get a room” has a whole new meaning here. Bottom line, take it out of sight and out of public places. (Yeah, I know, some of you are saying “Practice what you preach. Believe me, I’m trying and working at it!! Hard to break a park whore). But if you’re hell-bound on having sex in the woods, there are many avenues now for you to choose from. There are several men’s only campgrounds where you can go, camp out, and have lots of fun. There are several in Missouri and some in northwest Arkansas. Great places, great times, no issues. If you are interested in these places or have an interest in learning more about the history of the Leather community, please get in touch with any person in WOOLF. We meet each fourth Saturday at 5pm for our monthly munch at Club Boomerang and have our education class at 7pm at The Center. Please come join us and learn more about the leather life!! l
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
MAY 2016
Kathy Richstatter
KS Realtor ABR, e-PRO, GRI, SRES Kathy@KansasRainbow.com www.KS.PenFedRealty.com
316 316--641 641--3954
Myofascial Release and Massage Therapy
Gary Martens & Larry Bunker
120 N Santa Fe in Downtown Salina, KS
for more information and to book an appointment
www.peacefulbodywellnessretreat.com
MAY 2016
LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
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LIBERTY PRESS - WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
www.ClubBoomerang.com club 1400 E 1st Street Boomer a ng NEW BAR
7KH %DF 5RRP N DW
club Boomerang NEW SHOW
NEW HOURS OPEN EVERY DAY! Sun - Wed 5:00PM - 12:00AM Thur - Sat 5:00PM - 2:00AM
NEW EVENTS
Friday, May 27th 10:00PM - 2:00AM Thursdays @ 10:30PM Pre-Walk $8 Breakfast Buffet and Mimosas! 9:00AM - 11:00AM After-Walk $8 Pizza & Beer 12:00PM - 2:00PM
MAY 2016
ANNIVERSARY EVENTS AND SPECIALS ALL WEEK May 15 - 20
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