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Liberty Press
Volume 24, No. 6 • Editor: Kristi Parker • Contributors: Nolin Christensen, Greg Dalton-White, John DaltonWhite, Charlene Lichtenstein, Mama, Dr. Robert N. Minor • Staff Reporters: Grayson Barnes, Annette Billings, Ciara Reid, Jamie Rhodes, Beth Wasson • Cover Design: Troy Dilport • Graphic Designer: Troy Dilport • Webmaster: Ren Autrey • Publisher: Liberty Press, LLC • Printer: Valley Offset Printing • Opportunities: The Liberty Press welcomes volunteer writers and photographers throughout the year. If you're interested in contributing to our publication, send an e-mail to editor@libertypress. net.
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KANSAS NEWS........................5 OP/ED......................................6 NATIONAL NEWS..................9 BRIDGES..................................9 MINOR DETAILS....................12 TRANS-FORMATIVE...............13 LEATHER LIFE.......................16 MAMA KNOWS BEST............17 OUT IN THE STARS...............17 ON THE COVER: Dr. Minor at Darwin Day..............8 Brown Sugar..............................10
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Kansas News Auditions for Silent Sky at WCT WICHITA - Auditions for Wichita Community Theatre’s Silent Sky, directed by Mary Lou Phipps-Winfrey, will be held Saturday, Feb. 17 from 11am-1pm and Sunday, Feb 18 from 2-5pm at the theatre, 258 N. Fountain. Rehearsals begin in early March for the show that runs April 19-29. Needed are one man in his 30’s and four women, two in their 30’s, one in their 40-50’s, and one in their 50-60’s with Scottish accent. Silent Sky tells the true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, exploring a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women’s ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Leavitt and her female peers changed the way people understand both the heavens and Earth.
WSU performs States of Happiness at Regional Festival WICHITA - The Wichita State University School of Performing Arts’ production of States of Happiness was selected to perform at the Regional Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival on Jan. 25-26 in Des Moines, Iowa. Students and faculty represented Shocker Nation as one of seven productions out of a seven-state region to perform at the Festival. States
19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt of Happiness was designed and directed by University of Central Florida student Josh Whedon and was the winner of the 2017 WSU National Playwriting Competition.
Canceled art show welcomed at Harvester Arts By Kristi Parker WICHITA - Disco balls of all sizes, pretzels in the colors of the rainbow, sound pretty evil? That's what the Newman University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Kimberly McDowall Long decided when making the decision to cancel the school's Final Friday show on Jan. 26. Denver artist Genevieve Waller's exhibition Rainbow in Reverse: Queer Kansas History was to appear in Newman's Steckline Gallery. That was until an e-mail circulated continued on page 6
A large, diverse number of people flowed through Harvester Arts for Genevieve Waller's LGBTQ-themed exhibition on Jan. 26. Parents, children, fellow artists, members of the LGBTQ community and others made up the crowd. Photos by Kristi Parker
PAGE 6 | LIBERTY PRESS |FEBRUARY 2018
OP/ED
A Monthly Collection of Opinions and Editorials.
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. Send your letters and feedback to editor@libertypress.net.
My son, a musical theatre major, is making a difference through acting By Beth Wasson
G
rowing up, my son, Jacob Wasson, always looked out for the underserved and oppressed. Even at age three, he wanted to walk a picket line in front of Chuck E. Cheese because the restaurant did not have a dog in their lineup. Through the years, he took notice of other injustices and tried to stand up for what he believed in. Jacob, now a junior at Point
Park University in Pittsburgh, PA, still stands up for what he believes in. As a member of the LGBT community himself, the news on the situation in Chechnya hit a nerve. When he heard about the genocide taking place, he knew he needed to do
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something. That something became a fundraising campaign that reached across social media and culminated on Dec. 10, 2017 with a cabaret-style show Jacob directed featuring his fellow students. Last spring, when news of the Chechen purge hit, Jacob began formulating his ideas. As school began in the fall, he began organizing those ideas and talking to friends. He wanted to raise funds that would go to the Russian LGBT network. And so, Jacob started a GoFundMe campaign calling it “Choose Your Family,” emphasizing that all LGBT persons and those that support them are family, no matter where in the world they come from. With permission to use the Pinnacle Theatre, part of Point Park’s Conservatory for Performing Arts, the cabaret began to develop. In addition, the GoFundMe campaign began receiving donations and a t-shirt, designed by a friend, began selling online. All proceeds went to the fundraiser with Jacob bearing the brunt of the costs for putting it all together. Soon, 18 students found themselves cast in the show and several more signed up to help backstage. Along the way, support came from large social media groups throwing their influence and wide followings behind the efforts. The Instagram LGBT History founder, Matthew Riemer, called on his 100,000 followers to promote the campaign as did
Adam Eli, founder of the group Voices for Chechnya. All this helped the original fundraising goal of $1,000 grow to $2,500 collected. Jacob noted that, “the majority of the donations were under $25,” with many coming from fellow college students who normally have nothing extra. This campaign took time as with planning and rehearsal squeezed in between full class loads and part-time jobs. But it proved the t-shirt’s saying as everyone came together like a family. What will this semester hold for Jacob? Only time will tell. He’s taking acting and dancing classes as he nears his senior year as a musical theatre major. Plus, he must fit in a full rehearsal schedule for an upcoming performance in 42nd Street at Point Park and hopefully still work a few hours at his job. But that’s just training for what’s ahead as his plans include heading to New York after graduation. For a young man still in college, his performance resume looks impressive. His first journey into writing and directing came in first grade with a show he called “Dad’s New Job.” Born and raised in Wichita, Jacob’s acting career includes several seasons with Music Theatre of Wichita both as a child performer and an adult member of the company. His dreams have always pointed toward New York and as his mom, I couldn’t be any prouder. Keep going strong, Jacob! l
Waller continued from page 5
six LGBTQ Kansans through sculptures, photography and installation art. The biographies of Gilbert Baker, Stephanie Mott, Ruby Dandridge, James Barr Fugate, William Inge, and Louise Brooks were displayed on one wall; their names on another. Waller told the Wichita Eagle that she thinks Gilbert Baker, the artist who created the rainbow flag, and other LGBTQ Kansans should be better-known and celebrated in their home state. "I would like the exhibit to spark curiosity about LGBTQ history in Kansas and help pave the way for LGBTQ Kansans' stories to become part of official state histories," she said. l
among religious circles and Jean Heimann, a local Catholic writer, wrote to Long saying, "...why is it necessary to expose students to evil? Why do students need to be encouraged to learn more about a sickness in our society?" After hearing of the cancellation, Harvester Arts stepped in to offer an alternative space. "We were just happy that we didn't have anything booked for that evening," Kate Van Steenhuyse, Founder and CEO, said. The artist, Waller, grew up in Wichita. She attended Northeast Magnet High School and Wichita State University. Her exhibit features a look at
WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL. FEBRUARY 2018 | LIBERTY PRESS | Page 7
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University of Kansas Professor Dr. Bob Minor to speak at Darwin Day 2018 By Ciara Reid, staff reporter W I C H I TA - D r. R o b e r t Minor, M.A., Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas and longtime contributor and columnist of the “Minor Details” column in Liberty Press, will be
and LGBTQ rights. “They can’t just be religious,” he says. “Instead, they want you to approve of their religion.” People simply get stuck, he continued. They use religion as the reason for their political decisions, and there is nothing anyone can say to change
"[Dr. Minor's] research promotes a better understanding of humanity in all its diversity." --Michael Alldaffer, AU ex-officio the featured speaker at Darwin Day 2018, an annual event hosted by the Great Plains Chapter of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State (the AU). Dr. Minor will present his topic, “Why Do So Many Religious People Want the Government on Their Side?” at the dinner on Feb. 10 at the Olive Tree Banquet Hall in Wichita. AU ex-officio Michael Alldaffer started the local chapter’s Darwin Day in 2011, after he visited Italy and saw a shirt that depicted the evolution of man, with the man holding a glass of wine. After his trip, he spoke with friends on the AU board and decided to throw a birthday party for Charles Darwin. Dr. Minor’s presentation at the Darwin Day Dinner will discuss the issue of people using religion as a reason for political maneuvers and decisions – the two biggest issues being women’s reproductive issues
their perspectives, even when confronted by science or other people’s experiences. Minor is the author of eight books, including When Religion is an Addiction, published in 2007, which focuses on his research on the study of addictions combined with his background in religious studies theory and method. “His research promotes a better understanding of humanity in all its diversity,” Alldaffer says of Dr. Minor. “He is a strong humanitarian and this organization promotes and is a strong advocate for such thinking. He is a perfect fit for the 21st Century American thinking.” Past speakers at Darwin Day have included biologists, lawyers, authors, professors, and psychologists. The speakers present for about 30 minutes. “They typically wow the audience,” Alldaffer says. The event is culminated by giving
More information: When: Saturday, Feb. 10. Doors open at 6pm for a silent auction, cash bar and socializing; dinner at 6:30pm, followed by Dr. Minor’s presentation. Dessert will be served afterwards. Where: Olive Tree Banquet Hall, 2949 N. Rock Rd, Wichita Cost: $35 per person Extra: Make reservations by Feb. 6, by visiting www.
greatplainsau.org/events/darwine/darwin-day-2018, or call Raye McAdam at 316-650-6641.
the presenter a brick etched with the phrase “building a wall of separation, brick by brick,” as a thank you to the presenter for their participation. “What I love even more is the fact that our audience is exceptionally educated and asks some driving and articulate questions, challenging thoughts and supporting
science,” Alldaffer said. He says that although the AU is the sponsoring organization, they remain apolitical and motivated solely by thought and science. “All are welcome to attend, all are welcome to participate, and all are welcome to share thoughts and ideas,” he says. l
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National News Historic first as Habitat for Humanity and Pride build homes SAN DIEGO – San Diego Pride and Habitat for Humanity announced a new partnership around shared values that will bring together LGBTQ community members from across the San Diego region to build homes. On Jan. 27, 70 Pride volunteers set out to four different locations throughout San Diego County to assist with a variety of jobs including home improvement, yard work, and staffing donation centers at the Restore locations and build sites. “Our collaboration has already afforded us the opportunity to see two children’s playhouses donated to lowincome LGBTQ families during Pride weekend in 2017,” San Diego Pride Executive Director Eric Heinritz said. “Expanding our partnership beyond our main event will bring together LGBTQ folks from all across our county for a day of service that strengthens community bonds.” “Safe, stable, affordable housing is the foundation of thriving individuals, families, and communities,” Lori Holt Pfeiler, President/CEO of San Diego Habitat for Humanity, said. “We are honored to walk sideby-side with San Diego Pride and the LGBTQ community to provide opportunities for homeownership for every San Diegan who needs a hand up to build a better future.” Undetectable = Untransmittable NEW YORK - Hunter College’s Center for HIV Educational Studies & Training (CHEST) has published a new paper on gay and bisexual men’s perceptions of the HIV treatment-as-prevention message, Undetectable = Untransmittable (#UequalsU). “Some studies have examined beliefs about treatment-asprevention generally, though they have largely been done outside of the U.S. and weren’t focused on any specific message,” said Dr. Rendina, lead author of the paper. Overall, the message was
+ perceived to be accurate by 70% of men who were HIV-positive and 36% of men who were HIVnegative or unsure of their HIV status—though there is some room for improvement, these rates suggest there have been increases since earlier studies. “We found that HIV-negative and unknown guys were more likely to believe the message was accurate if they got tested for HIV more regularly and if they were taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), suggesting these prevention services may be a great way to gain a captive audience to provide more information about treatmentas-prevention.”
in the belief that being LGBT is abnormal. A number of prominent national professional health associations —including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, among others — have issued public statements opposing the use of conversion therapy and several have called on Congress and state legislatures to pass laws
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More than 20,000 LGBT teens in the U.S. will be subjected to conversion therapy LOS ANGELES — An estimated 20,000 LGBT youth ages 13-17 will undergo conversion therapy from a licensed healthcare professional before the age of 18, according to a new study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. Also, approximately 57,000 youth will receive the treatment from a religious or spiritual advisor. These are the first estimates of U.S. youth at risk of undergoing conversion therapy before they reach adulthood. The researchers also found that approximately 698,000 LGBT adults in the U.S have received conversion therapy at some point in their lives, including about 350,000 who received it as adolescents. Conversion therapy is treatment intended to change the sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression of LGBT people. It is grounded
that ban the practice. To date, nine states, the District of Columbia and 32 localities have laws protecting youth under age 18 from receiving conversion therapy from licensed healthcare providers. Some state bans also apply to anyone who performs the practice in exchange for money. None of them prevent religious or spiritual advisors from providing conversion therapy as long as they are acting solely in a spiritual capacity. For more than a century, healthcare professionals and religious figures have used a range of techniques to attempt to change people’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Currently, talk therapy is the most commonly used therapy technique. However, some practitioners have also used “aversion treatments,” such as inducing nausea, vomiting, paralysis or applying electric shocks. l
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bridges Named: Rick Muma as the interim chief academic officer at Wichita State University effective Jan. 8, 2018.
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.
PAGE 10 | LIBERTY PRESS |FEBRUARY 2018
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This Valentine's Day take in a little
Brown Sugar
By Ciara Reid, staff reporter WICHITA - Many know him as his electric stage personality Brown Sugar, but before this personality came into existence, he was Damian LaMarr Brown, born in the 1970s. If you ask him, however, he will tell you that he was born, specifically, on a hot summer afternoon in June during the Ford Administration. “I’m pretty sure I came out of the womb ready for the stage,” Brown says. “In the 5th grade I was cast in a play about dental hygiene in the role of Fearless Frank as the superhero of bad brushing habits and flossing.” That role of Fearless Frank not only helped Brown and countless others learn the valuable life skills of brushing and flossing, but it also planted the theatre seed in Brown. He went on to nurture that seed into numerous other lauded roles in
the Wichita community and one that would eventually lead him to crafting Brown Sugar. He was involved in theatre in high school and was offered a scholarship at Wichita State University (WSU). In 1996, he auditioned for the role of Darius in Jeffery and won the Mary Jane Teall award for best supporting actor in a play. The award honors the memory of Mary Jane Teall, a pioneer in theatre in Wichita. According to www.maryjaneteall.org, the goal of the awards is to promote a mutual respect and camaraderie among the theatrical community and recognize individuals and theatre groups. Brown would go on to graduate from WSU with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Adding to that milestone, Brown became aware of his sexuality and started going out to gay bars. “I saw my first drag show
in the spring of 1996 and I was . . . intrigued - to say the least,” Brown says. He was asked to help out with a fundraiser called Kansas Can to raise funds for the Kansas Gay Rodeo Association. “I was terrible. But, interested!” Brown recalls. As his involvement in theatre slowed, he started performing in drag. “I was beginning to get better, but I still had a long way to go,” he says. In 2001, he started hosting his own show. The Thursday Night Show with Brown Sugar was born. Brown says the location of the show as well as the name changed over the years, and has ranged from The Brown Suga’ Experience, The Sugar Shack, to finally The Brown Sugar Show. “I missed only seven shows from October 2001 to 2016,” Brown says. “I WAS DEFINITELY DEDICATED.” Brown does impeccable
impressions of celebrities like Janet Jackson, Grace Jones, Erykah Badu, Alicia Keys, and the late, great Whitney Houston, but it is his impression of RuPaul that is legendary. Brown reminisces back to 1992, when he saw RuPaul’s “Supermodel of the World” video. He was a junior in high school, watching television one Saturday afternoon, and the video came on MTV – back when they still played music videos. Brown was still in the closet, and wasn’t particularly interested. But by the time he began performing in drag, people started calling him RuPaul. “It was inevitable that I would work her into my routine,” he says. Currently, you can catch Brown Sugar hosting the Diva Drag Show every third Sunday of the month at Club XY, 235 N. Mosley in Wichita. l
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PAGE 12 | LIBERTY PRESS |FEBRUARY 2018
Minor
Details By Bob Minor
Why Do Those White Evangelicals Really Love Trump? (Part Two of a Series)
T
here are six assumptions that make up the key to understanding what those White Evangelicals who voted for and are staying with Donald Trump see when they look at life and the Bible when they claim that they’re righteously following God and that Bible. Part One of this series included the first two. Here are the third and fourth elements: (3) White supremacy. The white race is blessed and chosen to dominate any other. Slavery was built into the socio-economic structure of the United States from the beginning, but reactions to Abolition, movements for racial equality, and desegregation were crucial to the mindset of those White Evangelicals supporting Trump, a mindset that was usually stoked by leaders from the South. In 1847, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the one that dominates Evangelicalism today, the Southern Baptist Convention, split from the Northern Baptists to protect slavery. Well after the civil rights movement of the 1960s, in 1997, they apologized. But maintaining White privilege was already built into the Evangelicals who would eventually support Trump. These White Evangelicals reacted especially negatively to the Supreme Court’s 1954 call for desegregation in Brown v. Board of Education. They responded with the creation of their own separate schools and an emphasis on home-schooling. Then came Loving v. Virginia in 1967 that ended prohibitions on interracial marriage. A new kind of segregation was needed in response, this time in the
area of marriage. Even today, “sexual purity” movements are not just a reaction to changes in the culture’s sexual mores but also are means by which parents can work to arrange the “right marriages” for their children. In 1967 Evangelical political leader Jerry Falwell founded a segregation academy in Virginia that was advertised as a “private school for white students.” Bob Jones University excluded
(4) Anti-intellectualism. An open liberal education is a threat to belief. Religious institutions in the United States were responsible for the beginnings of numerous great American universities and colleges, many of which are now seen as threats to those Evangelicals who support Trump. In 1995, Evangelical historian Mark Noll chronicled the history of Evangelical antiintellectualism in The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, saying, “the scandal of the evangelical mind is that there is not much of an evangelical mind.” Of course, there’s a long history of “anti-intellectualism” in American society alongside liberal educational advances. In 1642, Puritan John Cotton warned: “the more learned and witty you be, the more fit to act for Satan you will be.” There’s also a long history
“Code words, urban legends, and bigoted insinuations were useful to appeal to the White Evangelical voter and have been used by Republican candidates since.” black applicants until 1971, but prohibited interracial dating, which led to a Supreme Court decision and ended only in 2000. After federal civil rights legislative victories during the Johnson administration, Republicans chose a “Southern Strategy” to appeal to White voters against African Americans by playing on White racial resentment of gains of people of color. Code words, urban legends, and bigoted insinuations were useful to appeal to these White Evangelical voters and have been used by Republican candidates since. Sunday mornings remain “the most segregated hours in this nation.” Yet the White Evangelicals who support Trump fear the loss of their status as the better race. They were a major bloc that voted for Trump because of their racism. And for them, the Bible thus must still be seen as supporting their Whiteness even if one of their great fears is being accused of racism.
of the “self-made man,” often a manual laborer, farmer, or cowboy who valued “practical” education, as opposed to booklearning from the liberal arts and sciences. That prejudice is reflected today when educators tell graduates that they are now about to enter “the real world.” Using the teaching of evolution as the major excuse, these White Evangelicals sought protection in separate parochial schools and home-schooling. They founded their own safe colleges usually in places far from what they considered the temptations of cities or major universities. One, for example, advertised that it was “fifty miles from any known form of sin.” As part of the rise of 20 th century Fundamentalism and again in recent decades reacting to the rise of feminism and other social equality movements, Evangelical denominations even purged their own seminaries to return them to the teaching of doctrines and practices that basically affirmed the six principles outlined here. Of course, the official claim was
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that their professors were not teaching the Bible correctly or in an acceptable “orthodox” understanding. As large industries such as the fossil fuel industry began to see that they could use Evangelicals, they created their own “science,” promoted criticism of mainstream research and tied it to various doctrines and social issues they identified as crucial to those who would support Trump. Popularly, Paul’s claim to the Corinthians could be a proud rallying cry: “We are fools for Christ’s sake.” In 2012 Justice Antonin Scalia, these White Evangelicals’ hero, appealed to this antiintellectualism at a religious conference to demean those whom he felt challenged his faith: “ G o d a s s u m e d f ro m t h e beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools…and He has not been disappointed. Devout Christians are destined to be regarded as fools in modern society. We are fools for Christ’s sake. We must pray for courage to endure the scorn of the sophisticated world. If I have brought any message today, it is this: Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.” These and the other six elements explain why the charge of hypocrisy not only doesn’t affect these White Evangelicals but actually affirms their beliefs to them. In fact, they explain why it’s a waste of time to expect that religious doctrines are the key. They’re subordinate to the worldview represented by all six. Next month: Part Three with the final two of the six key elements of the lens that explains their support for religious and political leaders even if they’re hypocrites. l Robert N. Minor, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus at the University of Kansas, 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 writes a regular column on relationships for 50PlusPrime.com Contact him at www. FairnessProject.org.
WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL. FEBRUARY 2018 | LIBERTY PRESS | Page 13
Pink Pussy Hats, Drag Shows, and Confederate Flags
I
am offended by pink pussy hats. There, I said it. They can be seen as exclusionary of trans people and women of color. This is a fact. It is also a fact that they mean different things to different people. I am not going to tell someone else whether they should or they shouldn’t wear one. And quite frankly, I am saddened this is causing division, because we have so much to do. I am also offended by drag. I believe it perpetuates the myth that transgender women are just men in dresses, and it sexualizes women in a world where we need much less sexualization of women. But this doesn’t mean I think we should eliminate drag shows. Why? Because I also understand drag is an outlet for some people, a lot of money has been raised to support LGB and T causes through drag shows, and just because something offends me does not give me permission to ignore how other people see it or demand they stop. So you won’t find me complaining about drag or protesting drag shows. But if you watch closely, you will sense I am not at ease at drag shows and will likely leave if my uneasiness reaches a point where I feel like I need to. I am offended by confederate flags. To me, they represent fear and intimidation, slavery and hatred for people of color and people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. A couple years ago, I was driving from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Oklahoma City and a white
pickup truck passed me with an image of the confederate flag on the tailgate. In the truck, were three white guys, shoulder to shoulder to shoulder, easily filling the space of the cab. When you drive a car with a “Transgender and Christian” bumper sticker on it, and a “Black Lives Matter” bumper sticker, and a “Nevertheless, She Persisted” bumper sticker as well as a few more; you notice things like confederate flags on the tailgates of passing trucks. About 20 minutes later, the same truck passed me again. I will admit to being more-thana-little concerned. However, the truck went on down the highway just like it had before, and I surmised they must have stopped for gas or something - nothing to do my me or my bumper stickers. Back to pink pussy hats. I will not wear one. I have my reasons. I will also not complain when someone chooses to wear one. I suppose they have their reasons, too. This is what concerns me about pink pussy hats: The Trump administration just created a new division in the Department of Health and Human Services dedicated to making it easier for health professionals to discriminate against reproductive healthcare, people who are LGBTQ+, and other groups of people based on some definition of a deeply-held “religious” belief. Kansas has yet to expand Medicaid and continues its assault on some of the most marginalized people in the state. This is just one of many Kansas policies doing the same thing. There is an identifiable pathway, relentlessly pursued, in which Roe vs. Wade could be overturned.
We have an election coming up this fall where we have the possibility of preventing the furtherance of these, and many more, dictatorial policies and actions. Every single seat in the Kansas House of Representatives is up for election. Every single seat in the U.S. House of Representatives is up for election. And it is possible in this election, control of the U.S. Senate could be taken away from the Trump administration. I’m not really interested in talking about pink pussy hats; if we should or should not wear them. I think people who love
drag should continue to love drag. And I know there will always be people who have confederate flags on the tailgates of their pickup trucks. I support their right to do so. I don’t want to talk about any of those things. I want to talk about how to save our state, our country, and our world. If you want to talk about these things with me, I’m not that hard to find. 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.
PAGE 14 | LIBERTY PRESS |FEBRUARY 2018
WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
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1 in 5 people living with HIV don’t know they have it. KNOW YOUR STATUS. GET TESTED FOR FREE! No appointment necessary for those who qualify. 2318 E. Central, Wichita KS 316.262.2415 | hunterhealth.org This ad was prepared by Hunter Health with assistance from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). Any opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policies of the KDHE or the CDC.
PAGE 16 | LIBERTY PRESS |FEBRUARY 2018
Gala brings in funds for HIV prevention, education By Beth Wasson WICHITA - Positive Directions, Inc. (PDI) received some positive cash flow from their Winter Fire and Ice Gala held on Jan. 19. The event, including silent and live auctions, raised $8,000 for PDI’s community outreach. That program visits with students and local groups and provides much needed information about HIV and how to protect against it. Abode hosted the event that began with food and drinks and entertainment from Dangling Dames aerialists and Phlox fire dancers. Local celebrity and Wichita Eagle movie reviewer Rod Pocowatchit emceed the evening. Offerings from Two Olives/Olive Tree catering and the Bagatelle Bakery provided refreshments for the crowd of over 150. The festivities continued afterwards at Club XY in Old Town. Spirit AeroSystems, Club XY, Abode Venue, Douglas
Design District, B Young Salon, and private donations helped cover expenses. PDI hopes the Gala becomes an annual event. Positive Directions, Inc. began 26 years ago as the Care Coordination Team, an AIDSservice organization providing comfort and companionship for those dying from AIDS. It grew into the largest HIV/AIDS organization in Kansas, offering case management, education, prevention and food services. But today, the organization focuses on education and prevention only. PDI offers rapid HIV testing and gives out condoms both at its office and at clubs around the city. All PDI services are free to the public. Upcoming fundraisers include Bitchy Bingo at Club XY on Feb. 22 and this spring’s AIDS Walk scheduled for May 19. For more information, visit www.positivedirectionsks.org or stop by the office at 416 S. Commerce St., Suite 108. l
WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
Leather Life By Nolin Christensen aka Master C
Editor’s note: This column may contain content that is offensive to some people.
We Are Human
W
e are human beings. And as such we should expect to be treated as such. It doesn’t matter who we love, or what we do in the bedroom, or who we are sexually. We are just human. And as humans, we should treat those around us just as we would want them to treat us. One unique quality of humans is we tend to gravitate to those who we are like or who think like we do. We do this according to sex, sexuality, religion, and values. This is good because when we group together we feel like a part of something and we feel like we belong. While each of us are unique and are separate individuals, we become part of a community of like minds. While this can be a good thing, it also can be a bad thing. The bad is when some people try to make others believe or conform to their own personal expectations. People believing that others have to be just like them gets us into trouble. Some forget that we each are all individuals with individual likes, dislikes, needs and wants. When we try to force others to conform to our beliefs, hatred and resentment become a byproduct. However, the good we receive in a community is the
support from those we are with. The camaraderie and the human need to gather with those we are like. Society wanting (or requiring) that we have to accept everyone into our specific communities is driving a wedge between the various communities. What we should be doing is RESPECTING everyone. Respecting each person’s choices. Respecting each person’s beliefs. Respecting each person as a unique and separate individual. With that respect comes different communities. The communities should work together for the good of all, but let’s not force them to have to be one overall community. If the kink community was to be forced to be part of the vanilla community, neither would be comfortable. This will cause more problems than if we just each have our own community where we respect the other and work together. Along this line are gay men. More and more, across the country, we are experiencing a backlash of gay men who are no longer willing to be an allencompassing community. Gay men are wanting to have their own specific community which comprises of gay men. There is nothing wrong with this. The gay male community should continue to work with other communities, but these other communities need to realize that gay men need and want a separate gathering of like minds. As humans we should all work together for the common good of all. We are human. We CAN all get along. We just have to respect each other. If we don’t, chaos will ensue. But if we work together, respecting each other’s differences, we can build a stronger human race. l Master C is the current president of WOOLF, the local leather club. Contact him via www.woolfks.com or at MsterC69@gmail.com/
WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL. FEBRUARY 2018 | LIBERTY PRESS | Page 17
Dear Mama, What do you think of the President calling Haiti, El Salvador and African countries Sh*tholes? Waiting I think Darth Cheeto has Sh*t for brains, so it does not surprise me at all! He is the most uncouth, disrespectful, obnoxious, and embarrassing leader we have ever had! Even Eunice has more class than this bozo does!
RumChata Pudding Shots
Mama, Why are kids participating in the “Tide pod challenge?” Concerned citizen
Get an educated person in there (Joe Biden). Please people, vote with your brains not with the popular trend at the time!
Where the hell are their parents? That’s what I want to know. Why are they letting this happen? It is evident that the kids are not using the brains god gave them. I hope they are not modeling themselves after Darth Cheeto. How moronic can someone be! IT IS LAUNDRY DETERGENT NOT ALCOHOL! Idiots!
Hey Mama, What’s with all this freaking cold weather? Chilled to the Bone
1 cup milk 1 (4oz.) package instant chocolate pudding mix 1 cup RumChata (I would add more, if you know what I mean) 1 (8oz.) container frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed
I think it is for the birds! I want to go back to Hawaii where I got my hula lamp. It is so cold out that Ellen’s heart is actually considered warm for once. Iola quit looking through the windows and bring me a damn beer!
Mix milk, RumChata, and pudding mix together in a bowl until thickened. Gently stir whipped topping into pudding mixture. Spoon into disposable shot cups and place on plate. Freeze until chilled and set, at least three hours. Then enjoy!
Have a question for Mama? E-mail MamaTHarper@aol.com.
This would be great for Valentine’s Day for your love, or if you’re single, for yourself! Enjoy! l
Thelma, Do you think Oprah should run for president? Not Signed Well, anyone is better than what we have now, but I say let’s get someone that knows what they are doing. No more celebrities.
L
et’s ride on a wave of good vibes as Sun, Mercury and Venus glide into mellow Pisces. Life takes on a hazy hue and we feel more romantic and maybe even a bit more intuitive. Fly high, but be careful of low ceilings.
ARIES (MAR. 21 - APRIL 20) You are more intuitive than usual Aries. Go more with your gut now. If you have a premonition, give it some latitude to explore the possibilities. It is also a good time to give back to the universe, contribute to a worthy cause or volunteer for something meaningful. Build up the karma points so you can spend it all through the spring. Or just give it all away! TAURUS (APRIL 21 - MAY 21) If you have been feeling a bit lonely or a little out of the social whirl, you will be given an opportunity to jump back in now and run with the rest of the bulls, Taurus. Your social calendar fills to overflowing and you may have a difficult, but delectable choice of fun things to do with friends. Pacing is everything. Try to save some ideas for the spring. GEMINI (MAY 22 - JUNE 21) Things start to percolate in your career, Gemini. Your efforts begin to get noticed and even possibly rewarded. So don’t put off until tomorrow what you can accomplish today. Focus your efforts on the big prize and see who you need to impress to get there. The success of your ultimate advancement is in your own hands. Be sure they are clean. CANCER (JUNE 22 - JULY 23) Cancers may yearn to travel and see the world now. You may have been feeling too confined and bored. Start planning your great adventure while your curiosity is high and your schedule is open and flexible. But if money is tight, you will find other happy ways to expand your horizons and satisfy your wanderlust. Maybe with an emphasis on the latter . . .?
Support your local gay mag! Own a business? Work for a business? Know a business? Refer them to us. Advertising pays.
LEO (JULY 24 - AUG. 23) Sexy Leos are ready and raring to go, go, go. They feel zesty, bold and beautiful. But try to conserve your passions and direct them to the best avenues of desire. You may be having too much oomph pushing you all at once. Will the fates deliver you a vast choice of delightful possibilities? Will amazing lovers seek you out? Dream a dream. VIRGO (AUG. 24 - SEPT. 23) Life is better sharing it with someone special. Virgos can best use their time concentrating more on relationships. You may want to strengthen an existing one or spend some time seeking a new one. For those with a soulmate, focus on making the connection even better. For those on the prowl, try some new hot spots and see who singes your best assets. LIBRA (SEPT. 24 - OCT. 23) A little elbow grease will get any onerous job done and you can even enlist the help of co-workers. So prioritize what needs to get done and get to it. There is time and energy to tackle and accomplish. Your overall health is also highlighted so if you ever had a hankering to tone and buff, this is a good time to try it. Get into ship-shape for cruise season, Libra. SCORPIO (OCT. 24 - NOV. 22) Scorpios just want to have fun. So don’t sit at home and wait for a knock on the door. You will find that there are numerous festive events that lead you to new ideas, new people and new opportunities. Venture forth and find ways to explore your artistic abilities and showcase your creative talents. Who knew that nude food painting was an art?
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 23 - DEC. 22) Sagittarians may want to spend more time at home relaxing and enjoying their surroundings. If so, prepare to entertain more guests. You may even use this time to plan your next big move or home improvement. Family also figures prominently because they either stop by for a visit or reach out to you for some reason. Be prepared to be busy. CAPRICORN (DEC. 23 - JAN. 20) Your mind is sharp and you are brimming with great ideas now, Capricorn. But it will be how you say it that is magical. Anything you have to say now will have added impact. Think carefully before you speak and then let it rip. You can move mountains and change the landscape. Envision your ideas globally and apply them locally. Wow! AQUARIUS (JAN. 21 - FEB. 19) Aquarians need to focus on their finances and set them in order. You have been wasting your resources on less-thanworthwhile things. Buckle down your expenses, do your fiscal homework, ask the right questions to knowledgeable advisors and invest in your future. Before you know it you will be part of the lofty 1%. Or something like that. PISCES (FEB. 20 - MAR. 20) You are popularity plus, Pisces. Everyone wants to get to know you. Find ways to expand your social circle into a globe and get to know influential and powerful people. You will be able to finally implement your ideas and longterm projects successfully. Spread your personal oil and glide into exclusive enclaves. Then start your revolution!
(c) 2018 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.
PAGE 18 | LIBERTY PRESS |FEBRUARY 2018
WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.
Plymouth Congregational Church presents Cello Fury in concert
W I C H I TA - P l y m o u t h Congregational Church presents Cello Fury, a four-piece cello rock ensemble, in concert on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 7pm, with a reception to follow. Featuring three cellists and a drummer, Cello Fury combines the symphonic sounds of the cello with driving rock beats. Its original music appeals to a diverse audience throughout the U.S. and abroad. Cellists Simon Cummings, Ben Muñoz and Nicole Myers along with drummer David Throckmorton make up the group. Hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, Cello Fury has performed on radio and television, in rock clubs, concert halls, and music festivals for audiences as large as 67,000 (Pittsburgh Steelers halftime show). As an independent band, Cello Fury has released two albums of original music. An Amazon
website reviewer says, “I had the opportunity to see this group live and they were spellbinding. The mix of cello and drums is superb.” Another says, “Cello Fury is not your grandmother’s quartet ... The music reaches deep into the souls of the audience and compels either movement or enraptured attention; demanding and pushing Simon Cummings, Nicole Myers, and Ben Munoz are the cellists that make up Cello Fury. The w i t h e a c h n o t e a n d ensemble also includes drummer David Throckmorton (not pictured). Photo by Jeff Swensen phrase.” Cello Fury’s performance is part of “Word & Note: The The concert ticket is $20 per More information on Word Divine Arts of Knowledge and person with a special rate of & Note and purchasing part or Exaltation,” an annual event at $5 for students, and includes a all of the weekend series can be Plymouth featuring nationally reception. It can be purchased at found at www.plymouth-church. known author-theologians the church office, 202 N. Clifton, net/word-and-note-2018.html. and musicians. The weekend or by calling 316-684-0221. Plymouth has been part of the program of Feb. 9-11 includes Cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Wichita community for over 130 lectures, discussion, and musical and Discover are accepted. years. Rev. Dr. Donald P. Olsen Tickets will also be sold at is Senior Minister, Rev. Karen presentations. the door. Seating is by general Robu is Associate Minister, and admission. Howard Webb is Director of Music. l
IN CONCERT
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 978-3233 OR VISIT WICHITA.EDU/FINEARTSBOXOFFICE
WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL. FEBRUARY 2018 | LIBERTY PRESS | Page 19
PAGE 20 | LIBERTY PRESS |FEBRUARY 2018
WE WERE GAY BEFORE IT WAS COOL.