Los Angeles Blade, Volume 07, Issue 42, October 20, 2023

(Photo courtesy of Kyle Rising)

OCTOBER 20, 2023 • VOLUME 07 • ISSUE 42 • AMERICA’S LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

LOCAL

Extraordinary Families celebrates foster parents at anniversary gala

LOS ANGELES – Extraordinary Families celebrated 30 years of helping provide loving families for children in foster care with a gala fundraiser in Hollywood Oct 12, where they honored key creatives and LGBT activists who’ve made a difference in the lives of children.

The star-studded gala was emceed by TV personality Carson Kressley (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, RuPaul’s Drag Race), who praised Extraordinary Families for its leadership in placing foster children with same-sex parents.

“All that matters is finding a home most qualified to care for, to nourish, and to love this young life,” he said. “More than 2 million children have a parent in our community, and more than 200,000 children have same-sex parents.

And cuter outfits, I might add.”

Actress and author Victoria Rowell (The Young and the Restless), who has worked with foster children for more than thirty years, presented the Sylvia Fogelman Founder’s Award to Robbie Pierce and Neal Broverman, who is Editorial Director with The Advocate and Out magazines. The couple have fostered two children, one of whom they adopted three years ago.

Last April, the family were victims of a homophobic attack while riding an Amtrak train from LA to the Bay Area.

A man accosted the family and told the children that they were stolen by Broverman and Pierce, repeating well-worn homophobic slurs and tropes about gay parents.

ROBBIE PIERCE, NEAL BROVEMAN, and VICTORIA ROWELL. (Photo by Rob Salerno)

“If any good came of it, it was that the story became national news, and people got to hear our story and stories of people like us – loving families, who just look a little different,” Broverman said, recounting the horror of that day.

“Being a resource and adoptive parent, there’s no shortage of hard days. But the staff at Extraordinary Families faces hard days every day, coming to the rescue of children who need it the most.”

Actress Katey Sagal (Married…With Children, Sons of Anarchy) was on hand to give Paris Barclay the Visionary Award, and she noted his contributions to the LGBTQIA community – which gave the room a giggle when she initially struggled to say the acronym.

Barclay has directed more than 200 episodes of television, including for shows as diverse as NYPD Blue, Glee, Station 19, and Dahmer-Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

He has also been recognized for his work with The Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, and the Aviva Family and Children Services Organization.

Barclay said that although the honor was in his name,

that it had to be shared with his husband Christopher, whom he called his “inspirer-in-chief.” He said they were driven to become foster parents when they learned of the disproportionate number of Black children in the system.

“We’ve been given so much… but they’re just there. And in some cases, if they’re as dark as I am, they would have been in that system forever, and that just made me enraged. But I took that rage, and because of Christopher, we said let’s do something and we did,” Barclay said.

HBO executive vice-president Francesca Orsi, who has helped develop such hits for HBO as Game of Thrones and My Brilliant Friend, was honored with the Champion Award.

Orsi spoke about her own childhood, in which she was separated from her parents and sent to live in Los Angeles with her grandparents at a young age, led her to devote herself to helping children as a board member of Extraordinary Families.

“During my eight years with this organization, I’ve witnessed newborns, children, and young adults on the receiving end of love from this organization’s staff, volunteers, men, women, and families who step in and step up to protect them,” she said.

Guests also heard stories from several young women who experienced the Los Angeles foster system and have been able to thrive with the support of Extraordinary Families. Mother of three Michelle Valdez described how Extraordinary Families helped her break a cycle of neglect and abuse and become the first person in her family to graduate from high school and college.

“Extraordinary Families has helped me obtain a job that I love, while also allowing me to bring hope to many others who have faced other life-changing circumstances,” Valdez said.

Their stories helped inspire guests at the gala to pledge nearly $80,000 in donations to the organization.

ROB SALERNO

SAG-AFTRA talks stall as studios walk away from bargaining table

HOLLYWOOD - In a tersely worded statement to SAG-AFTRA union rank and file members Thursday, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator said that negotiations had broken down after studio CEO’s walked out.

“It is with profound disappointment that we report the industry CEOs have walked away from the bargaining table after refusing to counter our latest offer. We have negotiated with them in good faith, despite the fact that last week they presented an offer that was, shockingly, worth less than they proposed before the strike began,” the statement read.

According to the union, sticking points included a refusal by the studios to protect performers from being replaced by high technological advances in Artificial Intelligence, the studios are also refusing consideration to increase wages matching with inflation, and finally declining to allow SAG-AFTRA members to share in profits generated.

Crabtree-Ireland appearing on KTLA with entertainment beat reporter Sam Rubin Thursday telling Rubin: “They had told us during this few days of the process, that they were just adamantly opposed to our streaming revenue share proposal to anything that was attached to revenue. So we came back yesterday with a huge change in that proposal, took it out of revenue, linked it to subscribers. I fully expected them to say,

SAG-AFTRA members walking the picket lines during the 2023 strike in a lengthy labor dispute with AMPTP. (Photo by Rob Salerno)

‘Wow,’ and instead, this is what we got back. It’s incredibly frustrating because our committee, our members, have worked so hard to help move this negotiation forward. We’ve made real moves, and they haven’t been reciprocated.”

That proposal by SAG-AFTRA is the major sticking point.

Deadline reported that terming the profit split demand, which

02 • OCTOBER 20, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

is estimated to make up around 2% of potential profits, an “untenable economic burden,” the studio CEO-led AMPTP negotiating team has valued the proposal costing them more than $2.4 billion over the course of a new three-year contract, or “more than $800 million per year.”

Crabtree-Ireland told Rubin the studio CEO’s description of the deal is a mischaracterization: “That proposal is less than the cost of one postage stamp per subscriber per year. So, tell me why in an industry that has 885 million global subscribers, that is receiving billions and billions of dollars, they don’t feel like they could share a postage stamp’s worth of their money with the actors who helped make that platform exist. It just it’s not right,” he explained.

In its statement, the union pointed out: “These companies refuse to protect performers from being replaced by AI, they refuse to increase your wages to keep up with inflation, and they refuse to share a tiny portion of the immense revenue YOUR work generates for them. We have made big, meaningful counters on our end, including completely transforming our revenue share proposal, which would cost the companies less than 57¢ per subscriber each year.

They have rejected our proposals and refused to counter.

CONTINUES AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

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FEATURES

Queer author Abdi Nazemian on anti-LGBTQ+ book bans & outing

“The whole reason I want to write these books that I believe in with all my heart is to give young people the gift of seeing themselves”

Los Angeles Blade Diversity Reporter Simhad Haddad recently sat down with author, screenwriter, producer, and queer activist Abdi Nazemian in an interview covering a variety of issues facing LGBTQ+ youth.

ABDI NAZEMIAN, a queer Iranian-American author, screenwriter, and producer shown here with his first novel. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Abdi Nazemian)

LOS ANGELES - As school districts nationwide seek to erase LGBTQ+ youth with dangerous outing policies and other anti-LGBTQ+ regulations, one author is taking a stand for young queer stories.

Abdi Nazemian is an Iranian-American author, screenwriter, and producer whose debut novel, The Walk-In Closet, won the Lambda Literary Award for Debut Fiction at the 27th Lambda Literary Awards in 2015.

He is also the author of Like a Love Story, a Stonewall Honor Book, and The Authentics.

His novel The Walk-In Closet won the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Debut Fiction. His screenwriting credits include the films The Artist’s Wife, The Quiet, and Menendez: Blood Brothers and the television series The Village and Almost Family.

He has been an executive producer and associate producer on numerous films, including Call Me by Your Name, Little Woods, and The House of Tomorrow. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband, their two children, and their dog, Disco.

“When they want to ban a book that is about our history and our activism, it is very clear that they are trying to ban who we are,” Nazemian told The Blade in a recent interview.

“They are trying to ban us from existing.”

Nazemian moved to Los Angeles from Iran when he was two years old. Growing up in a traditional Iranian family in the 1990s at the height of the AIDS crisis, Nazemian was subject to a deep feeling of unease about being gay.

“I really thought that if I had sex, I would die,” Nazemian said.

Nazemian found an outlet for his queerness through gay nightlife, enjoying an environ04 • OCTOBER 20, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

ment of acceptance and freedom with other LGBTQ+ youths. Eventually, Nazemian became educated in safe sex practices but still worried about the lack of LGBTQ+ education available to other youths.

“The whole reason I want to write these books that I believe in with all my heart is to give young people, hopefully, the gift of seeing themselves in history or on a page in media in a way I never had. To know that they are being subjected to the same kind of tactics of shaming and stigmatizing that I was subjected to back in those days, as in the early 90s, is upsetting, but it’s also in the playbook of the people who don’t want us to exist.”

Sadly, Nazemian’s goal of letting LGBTQ+ youth see themselves represented through his novels has caused his writing to come under fire from conservatives. His books have been banned by school districts across the nation. His historical fiction novel Like a Love Story is required reading at some high schools, causing conservative groups to be particularly active in banning the novel.

“It’s about about queer teenagers who get involved in activism. I have spoken to high school classrooms where the kids have told me they didn’t even know what HIV/AIDS was before reading the book, which is really, really crazy when you think about it. Teenagers should know about these diseases so that they can protect themselves.”

Nazemian said that depriving young adults of LGBTQ+ education is depriving them of a right of passage.

“Young adults are almost adults,” Nazemian said. “They are ready to grapple with these subjects.”

In addition to school districts banning Nazemian’s novels, people on Twitter (now X) have taken it upon themselves to attack Nazemian for both his writing and his own queerness.

Two Twitter (now X) users, in particular with large platforms, one former Fox News reporter and a Texan politician, took it upon themselves to rally other Twitter (now X) users to attack Nazemian and Like a Love Story.

“They took passages out of context,” said Nazemian. “It is a book about HIV/AIDS, so it is obviously going to contain some discussion of sex and sexuality. But they would take passages out of context that were about sex to make it seem very graphic. They would call me a groomer and a pornographer and all the buzzwords that they have. Then, inevitably, a lot of people would respond. Some people would respond to me directly with threats.

There was a lot of Go back to Iran. The underlying message was that I should feel lucky to even exist in this country because I would be killed in Iran, which is a pretty gross thing to say.”

Nazemian has since somewhat cleansed himself of the social media platform. He deleted all of his tweets and now only posts the bare minimum to keep his readers informed about his projects.

Nazemian said that his desire to tell his own story has been made more difficult by his being a gay man of color.

“I spent about eight years working as a film writer, and I never succeeded in getting anything Iranian or queer made or even off the ground. Anytime I wrote something personal to my culture and my identity, it would get called a writing sample and be used to get me work on projects that were not personal in any way. I really felt this need to just tell a story that was about my own experience, and that ended up being the best thing I ever did.”

After the success of Like a Love Story, Nazemian began to feel a responsibility to LGBTQ+ youth to continue writing books.

“Once I wrote Like a Love Story, there was definitely a turning point for me. It became a much deeper thing. I don’t think I was quite prepared.”

Nazemian said he had no idea the book would resonate so deeply with such a broad international audience.

“I got to hear much more personal stories from readers about what that meant to them-readers who felt seen, readers who were kicked out by their families for being queer.

People told me they read the book and then asked their parents about HIV/AIDS for the

FEATURES “In every community I visit, the library has first time and found out they had an uncle become the haven for these kids because who died of it. Secrets came out. Books and the librarians are often the adults that make art can be portals to conversation. Knowing them feel seen and give them a place to feel this book allowed people to live more honest safe.” and fulfilled lives was huge for me. It gave me Nazemain said that he knows firsthand a different kind of perspective on my own what it is like to feel safe with an educator at work.” school. He said that he first came out to his Nazemian said that getting his stories out English teacher when he was 14, and did not through books was easier than through TV/ feel mentally or emotionally ready to come film. out to his family until ten years later.

“Hollywood is still a very difficult place “My English teacher was one of the first to tell these stories. Books have a different people to encourage me to write. These days, path to getting made. They don’t need milthere is this push for schools and teachers to lions of dollars. They don’t need stars. You out children to parents... Had I not had that can take bigger risks with books in a way that safe environment, I would never be who I am you can’t with movies. It is such a gift to be today.” able to tell these stories and have the experiNazemian said he and his husband make ence that every artist wants, which is to feel a conscious effort to create an inclusive and that you have genuinely expressed what is in liberating home environment for their twin your heart and soul.” children.

Nazemian said he also wants to educate “We tell our children that they will be acLGBTQ+ youth about history. cepted, no matter how they identify and “Part of the reason I write historical ficwhom they love. We have told them that tion and I’m so obsessed with history is so school is a safe space to build an identity much of my ancestry was hidden when I was outside of the family unit. They don’t need to growing up. I didn’t know anything about the tell us everything that they are doing. I think Iranian revolution and what happened to my the idea that everything must be reported to family. I didn’t know anything about queer parents is really not how we’re supposed to history or that there even was one. I thought be. So much of our job is to teach them how I was the only person who ever felt the way I ABDI NAZEMIAN on right with his husband. (Photo Credit Abdi Nazemian) to be independent people.” did. So, filling in the gaps is really important Nazemian also said he would like to see for me.” more focus turned to the unsung heroes like his high school English teacher and the liNazemian said that living through the AIDS crisis and having researched so much queer brarians who create a safe environment for kids. history has made him understand that the current volatile political climate surrounding “People can help by shining a light in more local ways, like helping the local libraries or LGBTQ+ rights is “nothing new.” educators. There are amazing librarians, educators, and teachers who are standing up to “What is going on now is a bit of a continuation of the 90s,” Nazemian said. “But it has parental complaints. They really stand up for the queer kids in the school. Instead of focusalso happened before then. In my latest novel, Only This Beautiful Moment, a whole secing on people doing the banning, let’s get in the habit of celebrating the everyday heroes.” tion takes place in Los Angeles in the 1930s. Drag was very popular in LA in the 1930s.

Finally, Nazemian said that despite all the negative press surrounding LGBTQ+ issues, This was when all the movie stars like Marlena Dietrich were going out to see those drag he remains optimistic about the state of the world. queens perform, and they were becoming quite famous. Because drag was so popular, “I really want to remind our community of how much love there is out there,” Nazemian they criminalized it. They passed these laws that said you could dress and drag on stage, said. “I think sometimes social media can really distort our understanding. I have seen in but if you got off stage, they would arrest you. It is similar to what is happening now. A lot my travels that there is a world out there of support and loving creativity. I just want to of kids are obsessed with RuPaul’s Drag Race, and now what do they do? They go and they remind our community to celebrate love as they fight against the negative things. I really criminalize drag.” do believe there is more love than hate, and the way for the love to win is to keep shining Nazemian, who has visited countless schools, igniting conversations with youths about the love out into the world.” the LGBTQ+ community, said that libraries are often safe havens for many queer kids with SIMHA HADDAD nowhere else to turn.

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FEATURES

New sound ‘Rising’ echoes past yet escapes predictable genres While Rising’s style resonates with various generations in diverse ways, his purpose is simple: “Preach love through music”

By NOAH CHRISTIANSEN it comes to musical influence,” he explains, “so to pick one PORT HUENEME, Calif. - In the late evening, Kyle Rising genre to be stuck with is difficult.” Yet, he admits to havtook to the stage at a sold-out concert on September 30th, ing some significant influences such as ‘rock and roll’ and his attire embodying the spirit of a bygone era: a striking ‘Americana,’ evident in one of his most recent singles “She red leather jacket, a black low buttoned dress shirt, and Freaks Me Out”. flared black pants adorned with a captivating floral design.

Much of this versatility in Rising’s musical preference Rising’s not-so-subtle display of a late 60s- early 70s motif stems from both familial influences and his nomadic lifeis not merely a predilection of personal taste; it embodies style. Currently residing in San Diego, Rising told the Blade this 27 year-old’s way of life. of how his travels influenced his music. “I picked up influFor this very reason, Rising’s performance at Port Huenences from all over the place,” Kyle elucidates, “I lived in eme’s Oceanview Pavilion, a Ventura County venue adjaWest Virginia and got into bluegrass music…I started playcent to the southern California coastal shore, held special ing banjo and got really into the Appalachian style.” significance as he opened for American guitarist Robby As a result of his penchant for diversification, Rising’s Krieger, a surviving founding member of legendary rock musical performances evoke a range of reactions from band The Doors. audiences, with some saying: “That sounds like classic psyRising stands out -- he’s not your typical person with a chedelic rock! Is that Caribbean music? I hear a reggae inpredictable routine. In fact, he’s quite the opposite – an ecfluence. Wait, is that country? Does that mean I like country centric nomad. His entire essence exudes a carefree eclecmusic now?” tic persona that can be likened to one’s driving along the The musical versatility, resulting in a mix of emotions, Pacific Coast Highway, windows down, music blaring. Comworks perfectly as Rising seems to intend. He explains: “Debining the mystique of Jim Morrison, the kinetic dynamism pending on which [genre] you listen to, it’s going to affect of Elvis, the raw energy of Mick Jagger, and the versatility how you feel.” of Gram Parsons, Rising is a mesmerizing force inspired by With each new sound and emotion, Rising pulsated in those music legends of the past while presenting somerhythm with his every move during his Port Hueneme perthing entirely new. The 60s and 70s free-spirited paradigm, formance. Throughout his set, he held the microphone with emblematic of authenticity, love, and psychedelia, defines an almost spiritual connection, swaying with each verse, as his allure. if channeling the spirit of The Doors frontman himself.

Seemingly, before anyone has the time to shout, “That’s Jim Morrison!” Rising almost imperceptibly transitions into another style. One memorable moment was when Rising – in the middle of a song – set his guitar on the stage floor and seductively took off his red leather jacket. With a provocative twist, Rising made slight thrusts at the crowd during a particularly raucous moment, a move that made concert goers feel as though they were immersed in something taboo.

He left the audience spell-bound, evoking a sense of nostalgia in those who witnessed it – a rebellious gesture through the music, a siren call for the audience to shed their inhibitions and join him on this sonic adventure.

These bold statements were conveyed through his music, KYLE RISING interacts with his enthusiastic fans and audihis movements, and his display choice of colorful, psyence members at a recent show. (Photo Credit: Kyle Rising) chedelic visuals in the background, serving as reminders that Rising was not merely on stage to perform; he was on stage to evoke, provoke, and challenge any authority that During previous tours Rising performed with Sensi Trails, dictates restraints on the body. a band he described as a “reggae rock project” stemming In a reflection, he does this while expecting his perforfrom a ‘high school phase’. Nevertheless, it came as no surmance to be flawed or imperfect in some way. “I think that prise that, under his first-ever solo name appearance, he the human element has been lost in music,” Rising acopened for Krieger, thanks to his outstanding cover of The knowledges, “When I go to a live show, I want to see the huDoors’ classic “People are Strange.” man error. I want to witness some flaws, and I don’t want While this cover opened a lot of doors for Rising (his pun), to listen to a bunch of backing tracks; because if that’s what he refuses to be confined to a specific genre. “My taste in I want to hear, I’ll go home and put the album on.” music is constantly evolving because I am a sponge when 06 • OCTOBER 20, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

(Photo Credit: Kyle Rising)

All of this culminates in a set of questions: What are the risks taken in today’s music landscape by the contemporary counterculture? Where is the authenticity of those claiming to believe in the spirit of the 60s and 70s revolutionary moment while refusing to bend the rules or test the limits of power? And finally, why did Rising’s performance stand out as one of those rare moments where audience members sensed they were at the heart of something about to erupt, a plateau about to be reached, or a never-ending intensity composed of artistic expression and uncharted musical territory?

Evidently, Rising understands the necessity for something new – or at least something that bridges the gap between the previous generations and the current one.

“For the older generation, the performance is nostalgic; and for the younger generation, it’s something new and exciting,” he said. However, this “new and exciting” prospect is not predicated off a short-lived career fueled by immaturity. “I’ve gone through phases where I’ve wanted to do the whole rock and roll party thing,” Rising explains, “but it’s not sustainable – that will make a career very short.” Rising noted that tour life does come with surprises, but “the main thing is providing music to the people.”

While Rising’s style resonates with various generations in diverse ways, his purpose is simple: “Preach love through music.”

An elegantly simple, yet profoundly effective means by which Rising imparts this message of love through music is through his dedications to his family, a practice he upheld during this particular concert where his family was present in the audience.

FEATURES In a poignant gesture, he chose to dedicate “Hickory Wind,” a country song originally recorded by The Byrds in the late 60s, to his younger brother. This dedication was imbued with a nostalgia of growing up in the southeastern United States exemplifying “that feeling of being back home again,” and reminiscing about that time in their lives.

Rising not only preaches a message of love through his music but also refrains from prescribing a rigid definition of what love should entail. He avoids confining himself to any particular religious doctrine, as he elaborated in his interview with the Blade: “I do believe in spirituality,” he says, clarifying that his spirituality is “centered on love and compassion for one another.”

When discussing his diverse fan base which spans various ages, genders, sexualities, and other characteristics, Rising states, “I love all people. As long as we can get together, enjoy the music, and love each other then that’s amazing.”

Whether on tour or off, Rising endeavors to convey a message of love. His open-minded, bohemian embracement of love may also be attributed to his deep affection for surfing where he finds the ocean to be a profound source of inspiration. As he explains, “There is so much to learn from the ocean; it offers a lot of metaphors about life.” Additionally, his passion for fashion plays a part, as he ardently believes in people expressing and loving themselves through style.

In fact, Rising offered that touring has afforded him the opportunity to explore thrift stores for clothing gems: “The best thrifting I’ve found is in the middle of nowhere.” Furthermore, his love for humanity is exemplified by his belief

(Photo Credit: Kyle Rising)

in the importance of passing things onto others. Particularly when it comes to clothing, he criticizes fast-fashion by

asserting, “There is already an abundance of clothes in the world; there’s no need to keep making more. We can pass what we have on to others.”

Kyle Rising is a breath of fresh air, a welcome change in the music scene, which would make any manager lucky to have him as a client. Surprisingly, Rising has been doing his musicianship without management, and believes that “someone who knows the industry and relates to his message” could drastically benefit his musical journey.

The current music landscape seems to lack the audacious spirit of pushing boundaries, the fearless experimentation with the body expressed through wild movements and daring fashion choices infused with innovations. It’s missing the genre-defying music and inclusive acceptance of all individuals. Perhaps it’s even missing sneaking a concert-goer into a venue every once in a while. Kyle Rising is a provocateur who bends the rules, reminding us of the essence of real music: rock ‘n’ roll is alive and well in the 21st century.

While he insisted on an in-person interview in the Hollywood Hills, his gratitude for an interview with the Blade nearly matched his feelings of opening for Robbie Krieger: “It was a real honor,” Rising told the Blade, “I never could have expected this.”

As a music journalist eager to write about an artist with fresh style, I had the privilege of witnessing such a performance, complete with its daring risks and imperfections.

It was an experience that embodied the Rising spirit by the fact that I had been discretely admitted to the concert, armed only with a flimsy, maybe not-so-official wristband provided by his friends accompanying him.

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • OCTOBER 20, 2023 • 07

NATIONAL

The President & First Lady deliver remarks at HRC National Dinner

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden addressed attendees at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner on Saturday with prepared remarks about the struggle for equality for LGBTQ people in the U.S. and around the world.

“Extreme MAGA Republicans in Congress are trying to undo virtually every bit of progress we’ve made -- trying to wipe out federal funding to end the HIV epidemic, strip funding for community venters for seniors, reinstate the ban on transgender troops, ban the Department of Justice from enforcing civil rights laws, ban Pride flags from flying on public land,” the president said.

These lawmakers are trying to interfere with “the right to make your own healthcare decisions, the right to raise your own children,” he said, adding, “I’m never going to stand by and watch families terrorized, doctors and nurses criminalized, or any child targeted for who they are.”

The president relayed that a 13-year-old trans teen wrote to him, sharing how painful it was to see anti-trans legislative activity on the news. A parent wrote to him too, he said, explaining, “I despair for families like mine who have already become refugees inside our own nation” amid the spate of anti-LGBTQ laws.

The president’s remarks also touched on the 25th anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard, which came on Thursday, in an anti-gay hate crime, as well as the terrorist attacks against Israel last weekend.

“Silence is complicity,” the president said, echoing comments he made during a roundtable on anti-semitism on Thursday. Anti-semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, and transphobia “are all related,” he said, and hate never goes away -- it only hides.

The president highlighted his record advancing LGBTQ rights, from the historic number of LGBTQ appointees serving in the Biden-Harris administration to signage of the Respect for Marriage Act last year to rescinding “the outdated policy of banning gay and bisexual men from donating blood -- leading with science, not stigma.”

“Thank you for your courage, thank you for your hope, and thank you for your pride,” the president said. “You’re loved and you’re heard and you’re understood and you belong.”

Taking the stage before the president was First Lady Jill Biden, who told the crowd “I’m so proud that this community has made D.C. such a welcoming home to LGBTQ+ people -- from where we came, when outing was used as a

President JOE BIDEN speaks at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner on Oct. 14, 2023.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

political weapon” to now, when “we can celebrate without fear or shame.”

However, the first lady said, “In too many other parts of our country, these rights and freedoms are under attack across the country in places like Texas and Florida and Alabama. LGBTQ individuals don’t have the freedom to be honest with their family, or race, or gender identity at work,” she said.

“So while we celebrate this beautiful community tonight, let’s also remember how lucky we are and harden our resolve to advocate for those who are not.”

CHRISTOPHER KANE

National LGBTQ Task Force executive director mourns Israeli, Palestinian war victims

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — The executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force on Saturday paid tribute to the civilians killed during the war between Israel and Hamas.

“Witnessing reports of Israel and Palestine are weighing on my soul,” said Kierra Johnson during her speech at the Task Force’s 50th anniversary gala that took place at the Miami Beach Convention Center. “My heart is with communities in the region who have suffered the pain of terrorism and violence and may continue to do so.”

Johnson added that while she does “not have many answers about the conflict, I do know many people I love, many members of the Task Force family and many in this room are deeply impacted.”

“The Task Force condemns terrorism, violence and harm against civilians,” she said.

Johnson also led a moment of silence for the “lives shattered and lost in the terror attack by Hamas in Israel and for all those impacted who continue to suffer.”

Hamas, which the U.S. and Israel have designated a terrorist organization, on Oct. 6 launched a surprise attack against communities in southern Israel from the Gaza Strip.

More than 1,300 Israelis have been killed since the war began. This figure includes at least 260 people who Hamas militants murdered at an all-night music festival in Re’im, a kibbutz that is near the border between Israel and Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces on its website also says more

National LGBTQ Task Force Executive Director KIERRA JOHNSON speaks at her organization’s 50th anniversary gala in Miami Beach, Fla., on Oct. 14, 2023.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

than 3,200 Israelis have been injured and Hamas militants kidnapped at least 150 others.

Hamas rockets have reached Beersheba, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Ben Gurion Airport and other locations throughout central and southern Israel.

Palestinian officials say Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 2,000 people in Gaza and injured thousands of others in the enclave.

08 • OCTOBER 20, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

The Israeli government’s decision to cut electricity, water and food and fuel shipments to Gaza has made the humanitarian crisis in the territory even worse. (National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Sunday said Israeli officials have told him they have restored water to southern Gaza.) The IDF has also told the 1.1 million people who live in northern Gaza to evacuate to the southern part of the enclave ahead of an expected ground incursion.

A Wider Bridge — a U.S.-based organization that seeks to build “a movement of LGBTQ people and allies with a strong interest in and commitment to supporting Israel and its LGBTQ communities” — in 2016 organized a reception at the Task Force’s annual Creating Change conference with two Israeli activists who worked for Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance. Hundreds of protesters with signs that expressed opposition to “pinkwashing,” which they described as the promotion of Israel’s LGBTQ rights record in an attempt to deflect attention away from its policies toward the Palestinians, and “no pride in apartheid” disrupted the event and forced its cancellation.

“I want to make this crystal clear: The National LGBTQ Task Force wholeheartedly condemns anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic statements made at any Task Force event, including our Creating Change Conference,” said then-Executive Director Rea Carey in a statement after the protest. “It is unacceptable.”

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

NATIONAL

11th Circuit Court upholds ruling blocking Florida’s drag ban

Dobbs case that overturned abortion ATLANTA, Ga. - In a significant rulrights. Thus, the recent ruling might ing released Wednesday by the 11th have been unexpected for those who Circuit Court of Appeals, the Florida anticipated the court maintaining its drag ban will not be allowed to take pattern of upholding laws that target effect. This decision upholds an injuncthe LGBTQ+ community. tion issued by a district court judge in That was not the case on WednesJune that did likewise. day, however. When deliberating on Florida had been the site of severthe anti-drag law, the court was not al enforcement threats against drag tasked with evaluating the inherent events, prompting some Pride celebramerits of the law. Instead, they ruled tions to cancel their parades out of conMain courtroom of the U.S. 11th Circuit on whether the law should be wholly cern over the drag laws being weaponCourt of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo Credit: U.S. Courts/Photographic collection, Library of Congress) blocked or just limited to Hamburger ized against them. Now, however, drag Marys, a renowned drag brunch spot in will continue to be legal in the state.

Florida that has been heavily targeted by the state.

This ruling marks the latest in a series of victories against these In the end, the court determined that the law posed a threat types of laws nation-wide. to constitutionally-protected free speech and expression and The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, covering Alabama, Georaffirmed that the block of the law would stand for the entire gia, and Florida, has been a difficult circuit for challenging state of Florida. anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Earlier this year, the court, for inIn doing so, they cited major precedent over blocking overstance, upheld a school bathroom ban for trans youth, deemly-broad laws targeting freedom of speech, such as this section ing it likely constitutional. of Ashcroft v. ACLU, a first amendment lawsuit challenging porSimilarly, the ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth tions of the Child Online Protection Act: was also upheld by the court, drawing on reasoning from the

“There are also important practical reasons to let the injunction stand pending a full trial on the merits. First, the potential harms from reversing the injunction outweigh those of leaving it in place by mistake. Where a prosecution is a likely possibility, yet only an affirmative defense is available, speakers may self-censor rather than risk the perils of trial. There is a potential for extraordinary harm and a serious chill upon protected speech. The harm done from letting the injunction stand pending a trial on the merits, in contrast, will not be extensive.

No prosecutions have yet been undertaken under the law, so none will be disrupted if the injunction stands. Further, if the injunction is upheld, the Government in the interim can enforce obscenity laws already on the books.”

Prior to the ruling, the Florida drag ban had done significant harm in the state. Treasure Coast Pride Fest cancelled their pride parade, citing the new law, and also made it so that in person pride events would be 21-and-up. Tampa Pride likewise cancelled a large celebration. Several drag organizers expressed concern over how the law could be weaponized against them. Now, some of those questions are resolved, at least for the time being.

CONTINUED AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

Uni student pled guilty, threatened Rep. Gaetz over LGBTQ rights CONCORD, N.H. – A Keene, New Hampshire man pleaded guilty in federal court to threatening to kill a member of Congress, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, Jane E. Young announced Thursday.

Allan Poller, 24, a student athlete at Keene State College, a member of the track and field team, pled guilty to transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure the person of another. U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for January 18, 2024. He was arrested on April 3, 2023.

A spokesman for Keene State College confirmed to the Blade that Poller remains as an enrolled student, but he had been suspended following his arrest and has been on a leave of absence.

On March 29, 2023, Poller called the Washington, D.C. office

of Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz and left a voicemail message stating the following: Hi, my name is Allan Poller, A-L-L-A-N P-O-L-L-E-R, phone number [...]. And I just want to let you know, Representative [Gaetz], if you keep on coming for the gays, we’re gonna strike back and I guarantee you, you do not want to fuck with us. We will kill you if that’s what it takes. I will take a bullet to your fucking head if you fuck with my rights anymore. And then if you want to keep going down that path, you know who’s next.

A source familiar with the investigation confirmed that Mr Gaetz was the member of Congress targeted. Gaetz’s office also confirmed that the congressman was the target of the call.

Pollert later admitted to placing the call and leaving the message. He stated that he had been drinking and left the message after becoming angry while watching videos on the social

media application TikTok. In a statement to CNN, Poller’s attorney Jesse Friedman said his client “recognises that hate in any form is wrong and hurtful”.

“He accepts responsibility for his actions and did not intend for his acts to cause harm or a threat to anybody,” added Mr Friedman.

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Capitol Police led the investigation.

BRODY LEVESQUE

Philly LGBTQ center cancels tribute to murdered reporter

JOSH KRUGE (Photo via Instagram)

PHILADELPHIA, Penn. - The William Way Community Center announced that it has cancelled an Oct. 29 tribute event for murdered gay journalist Josh Kruger citing allegations of sexual abuse and providing drugs to a minor raised in a Philadelphia Inquirer story ear-

lier this week.

The LGBTQ center in a Facebook post issued a statement on Friday that said: “The William Way Community Center has decided to cancel the Celebration of Life for Josh Kruger scheduled for October 29th, 2023 at the Center. With the allegations that have recently surfaced about Josh’s murder and the complexities involved, we don’t believe that we can create a safe space, either for Josh’s friends and family, or for those who have rightful anger and con-

cerns over allegations of child sexual abuse. As more is revealed about the facts of the case, we hope that together we can figure out the right next steps to acknowledge and remember the many victims in this case-- individuals, families and communities.“ As Philadelphia homicide detectives continue the search for 19-year-old Robert Davis, a South Philadelphia resident, Davis’ mother and older brother in a series of interviews with the Philadelphia Inquirer are alleging Kruger, 39, commenced a sexual and drug relationship with the teenager four years ago when Davis was 15.

The Inquirer reported that sources said detectives were investigating explicit photos and messages in Kruger’s phone.

The sources did not say whether the content was connected to Davis, but said the images and messages were being analyzed by the Special Victims Unit.

Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore told reporters that the contents of Kruger’s phone are part of the investigation as detectives seek to learn more about why he

10 • OCTOBER 20, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

may have been killed. But critical details of what happened, he said, lie with Davis, who remains at-large.

“I think he could answer a lot of questions if he comes into custody and surrenders,” Vanore said. “It might help us put all this together.”

Police sources say that although Kruger was open about parts of his life, publishing stories about his struggles with being HIV positive, homeless, and his own addition struggles, he was still concealing parts of his life, and that also meth was found in his bedroom as police searched his home for clues to his murder.

Homicide detectives working the case even as they continue to search for Davis, are working to figure out how it all fits together in what has turned out to a very convoluted and complicated story.

“We’re looking at everything as part of the case,” Deputy Commissioner Vanore said.

BRODY LEVESQUE

INTERNATIONAL

Out in the World: LGBTQ+ news from Europe & Asia

By BRODY LEVESQUE IRELAND

journalist, who had a bright career ahead”.

POLAND

ple like me, LGBT+ people, the creation of LGBT free zones, attacks on women and minorities, Poland is BACK on the path of democracy and the rule of law. This is also end of political trails of human rights activists. This is just the beginning of reclaiming of our country. The fight is ahead but we are breathing fresh air today. After eight years of government hatred, authoritarianism is over in Poland. I still can’t believe it... The nightmare ends...”

Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and a PhD from the University of Amsterdam.

TURKEY

SWITZERLAND JOE DRENNAN (Photo via Instagram)

LIMERICK, Ireland - The An Garda Síochána - Ireland’s National Police Service are seeking information leading to the arrest of the unknown hit and run driver who struck and killed an openly queer 21-year-old University of Limerick journalism student Friday night, Oct 13.

Joe Drennan, a popular and respected student, was the Editor-in-Chief of Limerick Voice, the award-winning news platform and paper produced by journalism students at the University of Limerick. Drennan was also a contributing writer to Ireland’s LGBTQ+ media website and magazine GCN. Dublin-based The Journal news reported that Drennan was standing waiting for a bus around 9.50pm, after he had finished a shift at a local restaurant at Dublin Road, Castletroy, Limerick, when a car that had, immediately beforehand, been involved in a collision with another car, as well as an alleged interaction with Gardaí earlier on the night, struck and killed him.

Gardai said the driver of one of the cars “failed to remain at the scene” and that the driver of the second car, a male in his 40s and a female adult passenger, were taken to University hospital Limerick for non life threatening injuries.

Drennan’s death has left his family, friends, and fellow students and tutors at UL, shocked and distraught.

Paying tribute to Drennan, Sunday, Dr Kathryn Hayes, Course Director, BA Journalism and Digital Communication, University of Limerick said: “We are absolutely devastated in the journalism department and in the wider UL community to learn of the tragic death of our student Joe Drennan. Our heartfelt sympathies are with Joe’s family at this terrible time and all of his classmates and many dear friends.”

Hayes said Drennan had been “an inspirational student and a hugely talented young

BART STASZEWSKI (X-Twitter)

WARSAW, Poland - The country’s rightwing populist Law and Justice party known as PiS, appear to have lost their parliamentary majority in the critical elections held Sunday. The final tally has yet to be announced.

This would end eight years of rule that has seen the Polish government repeatedly clash with the European Union over the rule of law, media freedom, migration and LGBTQ rights since Law and Justice (PiS) came to power in 2015.

Opposition parties led by 66-year-old Donald Tusk’s Civic Coalition have vowed to mend ties with Brussels and undo reforms critics say undermine democratic standards.

Tusk, a former European Council president, is aiming to the PiS rule under Deputy Prime Minister of Poland Jaroslaw Kaczynski.

“Poland won, democracy has won,” Tusk told a large crowd of jubilant supporters in what felt like a victory rally in Warsaw. “This is the end of the bad times, this is the end of the PiS government.”

Ipsos polling reported a larger proportion of 18-29 year-olds had turned out to vote than over-60s and election officials said that turnout was probably 72.9%, the highest since the fall of communism in 1989.

The BBC reported that Polish President Andrzej Duda, an ally of the socially conservative Law and Justice (PiS), would normally ask the biggest party to form a government.

However with vote as close as it, if PiS fails to win a vote of confidence, then the Sejm (Parliament) would appoint a new prime minister who would then choose a government and also have to win a confidence vote in Parliament as well.

Leading Polish LGBTQ+ rights activist Bart Staszewski posted a statement on social media: “I am gay, I am Polish and I am proud today. After eight years of hate against peo-

12 • OCTOBER 20, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

Recep TAYYIP ERDOĞAN, President of the Republic of Türkiye speaking to a gathering of his Islamist-rooted AK Party Congress on Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo Credit: Office of the President of the Republic of Türkiye/Government)

JUSTUS EISFELD, MICHAEL K. LAVERS, GRAEME REID, UROOJ ARSHAD, and CYNTHIA ROTHSCHILD at Columbia University’s School of International Public Affairs, Global LGBT Affairs panel, on April 27, 2016.

(Photo Credit: Columbia University)

GENEVA, Switzerland - The United Nations Human Rights Council has named Graeme Reid, Director, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights for Human Rights Watch, as the next Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity for the UN organization.

Originally from South Africa, Reid is the third person ever to be appointed to hold the #UnitedNations mandate dedicated to addressing specific human rights violations against #LGBT and gender diverse persons, following Vitit Muntarbhorn from Thailand (2016-2017) and Victor Madrigal-Borloz from Costa Rica (2017-2023).

Reid is an expert on LGBTQ rights. He has conducted research, taught and published extensively on gender, sexuality, LGBT issues, and HIV/AIDS. Before joining Human Rights Watch in 2011, Reid was the founding director of the Gay and Lesbian Archives of South Africa, a researcher at the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research and a lecturer in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies at Yale University, where he continues to teach as a visiting lecturer.

An anthropologist by training, Reid received a master’s from the University of the

ANKARA, Türkiye - Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of the Republic of Türkiye speaking before the Congress gathering of his Islamist-rooted AK Party, which currently runs the nation’s government, said earlier this month that “he did not recognize LGBT and vowed to combat perverse trends he stated are aimed to destroy the institution of family.”

Erdoğan, who has held office since 2014, has a lengthy record of anti-LGBTQ statements who has frequently labeled members of the LGBTQ community as “deviants.” At the direction of his government, police agencies across the country have cracked down on Pride events and marches.

Last April, Erdoğan, who was campaigning for reelection, told a rally of supporters in the Aegean city of Izmir, “In this nation, the foundations of the family are stable. LGBT will not emerge in this country. Stand up straight, like a man: that is how our families are,” he added.

While being LGBTQ+ is not a crime in Türkiye, hostility to it is widespread. Same-sex marriage, adoption, surrogacy and IVF are all illegal in the country, as is being openly gay or lesbian person serving in the military .

LGBTQ people are not protected against discrimination in employment, education, housing, healthcare, public accommodations or credit, and police crackdowns often at the direction of the government have become tougher over the years.

FRANCE PARIS, France - Eric Zemmour, the farright political leader and former presidential

INTERNATIONAL candidate was convicted and fined for for homophobic statements he uttered while being interview on the French national news network CNews program Face à l’info hosted by Christine Kelly four years ago in October 2019.

British Prime Minister RISHI SUNAK (Photo Credit: UK government)

ERIC ZEMMOUR, right, greeting supporters at a campaign event this past summer.

(Photo Credit: Eric Zemmour/Facebook)

French online news magazine Têtu.com reported that The Stop Homophobia association had filed a complaint against comments made by Zemmour on the October 15, 2019 show. Speaking about LGBTQ+ rights during a long debate with Nicolas Bouzou, Zemmour declared: “We have the whims of a small minority which has control over the State and which enslaves it for its own benefit and which will first disintegrate the society, because we are going to have children without a father and I have just told you that it is a catastrophe and, secondly, who is going to make all the other French people pay for his whims.”

The judge of the Cour de Cassation, the highest court of criminal and civil appeal in France, with the power to quash the decisions of lower courts, ruled that Zemmour had acted with“ Behavior contrary to the general interest.” In his decision the judge noted: “The comments are contemptuous of the people they target, who see their desire for a child reduced to a selfish ‘whim’ and even take on an outrageous dimension when it is attributed to them, to satisfy it, to have recourse to the subjugation of the state apparatus.”

“In this, homosexual people find themselves disqualified in the eyes of the public for who they are, their sexual orientation necessarily inducing, according to the defendant, behavior contrary to the general interest,” he added.

Zemmour was sentenced to a fine of 4,000 euros.

UNITED KINGDOM LONDON, UK - The government of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is receiving copious amounts of criticism and outrage among the nation’s LGBTQ+ community and its allies for the anti-LGBTQ+ refugee asylum seekers and transphobic stance that has been taken by various government ministers including

Sunak himself.

In a recent speech delivered last month on September 26 at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington D.C., UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman addressing the government’s policies towards immigration told the audience: “I think most members of the public would recognize those fleeing a real risk of death, torture, oppression or violence as being in need of protection. However, as case law has developed, what we have seen in practice is an interpretive shift away from persecution in favor of something more akin to a definition of discrimination. And there has been a similar shift away from a well-founded fear towards a credible or plausible fear, the practical consequence of which has been to expand the number of those who may qualify for asylum, and to lower the threshold for doing so.”

“Let me be clear, there are vast swaths of the world where it is extremely difficult to be gay, or to be a woman, where individuals are being persecuted, it is right that we offer sanctuary, but we will not be able to sustain an asylum system, if in effect, simply being gay, or a woman, or fearful of discrimination in your country of origin is sufficient to qualify for protection.”

“Article 31 of the refugee convention makes clear that it is intended to apply to individuals coming directly, directly from a territory where their life was threatened. It also states where people are crossing borders without permission, they should present themselves without delay to the authorities, and must show good cause for any illegal entry. The U.K., along with many others, including America, interpret this to mean that people should seek refuge and claim asylum in the first safe country that they reach. But NGOs and others, including the U.N. Refugee Agency, contest this. The status quo where people are able to travel through multiple safe countries and even reside in safe countries for years, while they pick and choose their preferred destination to claim asylum is absurd and unsustainable.

Nobody entering the U.K. by boat from France is fleeing imminent peril. None of them has good cause for illegal entry. The vast majority have passed through multiple other safe

countries, and in some instances have resided in safe countries for several years. There was a strong argument that they should cease to be treated as refugees during their onward movement. There are also many whose journeys originate from countries that the public would consider to be manifestly safe like Turkey, or Albania or India. In these instances, most are simply economic migrants gaming the asylum system to their advantage.”

Braverman’s specific remarks portraying Türkiye as “manifestly” safe drew harsh critique from LGBTQ+ groups in Britain pointing out that the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has publicly labeled LGBTQ+ people “deviants.”

PinkNewsUK reported that 246 human rights groups banded together to demand that the UK government respect the lives of women and LGBTQ+ people after the Home Secretary’s Washington speech.

A joint letter produced by LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall, and signed by organisations like Amnesty, Oxfam, Refugee Council, Rainbow Migration, and End Violence Against Women Coalition, calls on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to protecting LGBTQ+ people and women worldwide.

The letter also rejects Suella Braverman’s suggestion that LGBTQ+ people and women are misusing their identities to claim asylum in the UK. On Oct 6, the UK government released its annual report that revealed there were 145,214 hate crimes recorded by police in England and Wales in 2022-2023, a slight 5 per cent decrease compared to the previous year.

PinkNewsUK noted: In a briefing outlining new hate crime figures for the UK, the Home Office said that transgender issues had been “heavily discussed by politicians, the media and on social media” over the last year, which it said “may have led to an increase in these offences.”

It added that the government’s focus on transgender issues could also have led to “more awareness in the police in the identification and recording of these crimes.”

Stonewall, the UK’s largest LGBTQ+ charity organization, noted that this recent report’s data comes in a continuing surge in reports of anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-trans hate in recent months across Britain, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The blame LGBTQ+ advocates in the UK say also lies with the Prime Minister’s transphobic public comments. At the Conservative Party conference on October 4, the prime minister claimed that Britons are being “bullied” into believing that “people can be any sex they want to be”. He then said it

was “common sense” that a “man is a man and a woman is a woman”.

Robbie de Santos, director of external affairs at Stonewall, told PinkNewsUK he is concerned that political figures are dehumanising LGBTQ+ people, which “legitimises violence” instead of acting “seriously or quickly enough” to tackle the rising tide of hate.

PHILIPPINES

PAGENTE (Vega Instagram)

MANILA, Luzon, Philippines - A 33-yearold drag queen is facing up to 12 years in jail under the Catholic-majority country’s obscenity laws for his performance dressed as Jesus Christ, performing a rock version of the Lord’s Prayer in Tagalog.

Amadeus Fernando Pagente, who performs under the stage/drag name Pura Luka Vega, was arrested by Manila police earlier this month after The Philippines for Jesus Movement, comprising Protestant church leaders, registered the first criminal complaint with the Manila Prosecutor’s Office in July of this year followed in August by a second complaint was then filed in August

by Nazarene Brotherhood, a Catholic group the BBC reported.

A video of the performance by Pagente had sparked criminal complaints by the Christian groups.

In interviews with AFP, supporters of Pagente are calling for his release with the #FreePuraLukaVega hash tag, arguing that “drag is not a crime”. Some compared the performer’s predicament with alleged murderers and sex crime offenders, whom they claimed remain free and have not been justly dealt with.

Pagente himself told AFP: “The arrest shows the degree of homophobia” in the Philippines. “I understand that people call my performance blasphemous, offensive, or regrettable. However, they shouldn’t tell me how I practice my faith or how I do my drag.”

Ryan Thoreson, a specialist at the Human Rights Watch’s LGBT+ rights program, also called for the charges against Pagente to be dropped. “Freedom of expression includes artistic expression that offends, satirizes, or challenges religious beliefs,” Thoreson told the BBC. Additional reporting from GCN, The Journal, BBC, PinkNewsUK, and Têtu.com

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • OCTOBER 20, 2023 • 13

V O L U M E 07 I S S U E 42

JODY BOULAY

is a mother of two with a passion for helping others. She works as a Community Outreach Coordinator for Addicted.org to help spread awareness of the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

Drug education can prevent some opioid overdoses

October is National Substance Use Prevention Month October marks National Substance Use Prevention Month, making it an ideal time to ramp up overdose prevention messaging. Amid the ongoing opioid epidemic, prevention messaging has become critical to saving lives.

Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States. Local drug education and prevention campaigns and organizations play a vital role. However, some critical prevention messaging should be on repeat and reach LGBTQ communities and every community across the nation.

Most people would agree that the opioid epidemic began with overprescribing legal pain medication like OxyContin. Pharmaceutical companies used deceptive marketing and advertising of their products being safe and effective. As a result, countless people became addicted and died of an overdose.

Since the 1990s, the opioid epidemic has gone in waves, beginning with prescription opioids, followed by a strong resurgence in heroin and now illicitly manufactured synthetic opioids. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation.

The border closures and supply chain disruptions meant more drug users were turning to local unknown supplies of drugs. The lockdowns and social isolation resulted in countless people dying alone of an overdose and many others hav-

ing no access to treatment or support.

The LGBTQ population is disproportionately affected by substance use disorders and has higher rates of misusing prescription pain medication. Data has shown a three times greater risk of developing an opioid use disorder.

Some critical overdose prevention messaging should be on repeat and reach every community.

For instance, fentanyl is found in drugs like counterfeit pain medications made to look like the real thing.

These illegal pills are sold on social media platforms, and drug dealers use code words and emojis to advertise products.

Fentanyl is also found in cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and other illicit substances.

Other messaging should speak about the increased risk of overdose when mixing drugs. Mixing opioids with other depressants significantly slows breathing.

Fortunately, Naloxone is a life-saving medication that should be made known to everyone. Naloxone is available in all 50 states without a prescription.

Finally, people in treatment and recovery need support to break down the barriers attached to addiction. Showing compassion for people who use drugs and offering support during their treatment and recovery journey are the best ways to remove stigma from the equation.

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14 • OCTOBER 20, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

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PETER ROSENSTEIN is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist.

He writes regularly for the Blade.

One week until I fly to Rome and feeling some guilt Conflicted emotions as Israel and Ukraine fight on

A week from now I will fly to Rome. I will spend two days there, and then join friends to board the Celebrity BEYOND, for a two-week transatlantic cruise back to Ft. Lauderdale.

I admit there are some guilty feelings about living my best life while there is so much turmoil and suffering in the world while people are dying in wars in Israel to defend a nation I stand with, and another in Ukraine.

I have connected with friends in Israel who are mourning the loss of some of their friends, killed

by Hamas terrorists. I continue to write about Ukraine and the heroes fighting for their country, and in essence for the rest of the western world, against Putin. They are fighting a proxy war for us, along with fighting for their own country. Now if only the Republican Party, and even some left-wing Democrats, would get their heads out of their asses and understand that.

The guilt comes from continuing to live my best life while all this is going on. I know there is not much I can do about it even if I stayed home. I will continue to write my columns, and donate to charities in support of the people in Ukraine and Israel. I continue to look for, and hope you do as well, a charity to help the innocent Palestinian children suffering because of Hamas.

One charity I have contributed to at the recommendation of friends in Israel is Magen David Adom. Another is a charity set up by my friends, the Bilak brothers, who I first met on a Celebrity APEX cruise. During the first eight months of the war they were living in Kharkiv with their family when the bombing began. Together with friends they began a charity to help seniors, those with disabilities, children, and even helping to import medicines and food for animals who were suffering. The easiest way to donate is through PayPal. I know it works as I have donated using this email zadelo.kh.ua@ gmail.com.

Despite my qualms I will leave for Rome as scheduled, if other world events don’t prevent that. I will then board the ship with nearly 100 friends, and hope to enjoy it. Con-

trary to some others onboard, I will stay connected throughout the trip. Celebrity ships are now connected by Starlink to the Internet. My only regret is that Starlink is owned by Elon Musk, but not much I can do about that.

I intend to do what I always do when I am on a cruise, and share my experiences in a blog. You will be able to read it at the Washington Blade’s website. I will be interviewing the captain of the ship, and other members of the crew, many like the Bilak brothers, are from Ukraine with family still there. So, I won’t totally leave the world behind and I am sure neither will many others. Another important event I will be following from the ship is the election for the legislature in Virginia. The results could be an indication of how Democrats will do in the 2024 election for president and Congress. So some of the conversation over meals will definitely be about world events.

In advance of my trip, I have emailed with the new ambassador to Italy, Jack Markell, and am hoping he may be in Rome the weekend I am. I first met Ambassador Markell when he was governor of Delaware. He is one of the great choices made by the Biden administration to be ambassadors. It would be interesting to get his views on what is happening in the world.

Clearly, we live in difficult times. But we are not the first generation to do so, and we will survive this. At least we have the chance to, if the Republicans in Congress will stop acting like schoolchildren, instead of lawmakers responsible for the country. Their actions confirm for me why I vote for Democrats. I hope by the time you read this they will have gotten their act together enough to agree on a Speaker, or at least to vote for a temporary Speaker, so bills on funding assistance to Israel and Ukraine can be voted on.

They also need to vote on a budget to keep the government open.

Republicans must know the world is watching their outrageousness to see if the most powerful country in the world can actually function.

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • OCTOBER 20, 2023 • 15

Sophie B. Hawkins’ new anthems are exactly what LGBTQ youth need

The woman who stunned audiences in the 90’s with her fresh music and fresh take on sexuality, has released her first new music in a decade

By ROB WATSON HOLLYWOOD - Sophie B. Hawkins is back. Renowned as a singer-songwriter, musician, painter and a unique voice of social consciousness, she achieved critical and commercial success with her first two albums, Tongues and Tails (1992) and Whaler (1994), producing a string of single hits including “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover”, “Right Beside You”, and “As I Lay Me Down“.

Her musical sound is unique with a blend of rock, pop, jazz and soul delivered with her distinctive vocal growl and heartfelt lyrics – ones that often herald a fluid sexuality.

Aside from GRAMMY award nominations, New York Music awards, the ASCAP award for longest running single, for starring on stage as Janis Joplin, paintings appearing in galleries around the world and her songs being featured on shows such as Stranger Things, Euphoria and Ozark, she is often thought of for her candid and outspoken take on sexuality and gender expression.

Long before Ron DeSantis was whining about “wokeness” and mental health experts saw the importance to embrace the concepts of fluid identities, Sophie self-identified as an “omni-sexual” in the 90s. While others scratched their heads at the term, she embraced concepts that are just now being understood and lived. Her new album, Free Myself, underscores the theme of authenticity and taking the freedom to be yourself as you are, and want to be seen.

We talked about her coming out moment, the one she defines as “the most important one of her career.” “It always makes me laugh when you talk about it, and smile,” she commented to me on my Rated LGBT Radio podcast: “It was a moment of enlightenment for me to be faced with John Pareles of the New York Times in this diner in downtown Manhattan … prefaced by Columbia (Sony) that this was the most important interview and you had to get everything right.

They did trust me to give an intelligent interview and did not give me any media training whatsoever. So I showed up and he asked me a bunch of questions about my upbringing and my musical influences, and then he just said ‘Are you a lesbian?’ At that moment, I thought, well, I have to tell the truth.”

She continued, “For me, telling the truth is telling the accurate truth. I knew my history was sort of diverse. I had never had a moment where I said ‘I am a lesbian’ or ‘I am a heterosexual’, in fact, there were moments of growing awareness at 9 years old when I thought ‘I love Paul Anacomb’ who was on the beach in Long Island one summer, he was older than me, I love him so much and had a crush on him, and then I literally looked at his mother and went ‘but I love her too.’ Then I said to myself ‘I have the LIBERTY and the great pleasure to love anyone I want. I can love both of them, and I do not have to choose. It was a great feeling—I was so young.

“Years later, I had an amazing affair with a man who was my teacher, my mentor, that lasted ten years. Then at some point, a woman seduced me, and I thought that was the most amazing thing too. It opened me up a lot emotionally… it opened up my song writing intuition… took me deeper. But when I was looking at John Pareles, I could not tell him all of that. So I took the word “omni” which means all, also ‘one’ and sexual, and said ‘I’m omnisexual’. He said, ‘What does THAT mean??’, I said, well John, it means my sexuality is not limited by my gender, or your gender…my sexuality is my creativity, my spirituality, my consciousness –it’s tied to me, my soul.”

Pareles had written a review of Sophie’s debut album,

“When I perform that song, I tell Tongues and Tails, in 1992, and the the audience that there is nothing interview was a follow up in 1993. better than ‘breaking up’—it can be He said of her, “Sophie B. Hawkins is so freeing, that you can weather and a pop singer with a rock-and-roll atendure, and that it makes you feel titude, a jazz singer’s improvisational more alive. If you can relate to the skills and a blues singer’s soul. She’s story in this song, then you are going also a songwriter with a knack for to have the triumph when I sing it, melodies that are both catchy and and if you can’t relate to it, you hacomplex.” Sophie was the first muven’t lived enough yet. It is release sician to come out as omnisexual in from the fear that you cannot surthe mainstream media, and Parevive without this relationship, or this les’ interview with her was groundperson superstructure. Whether we breaking for its time.

(Courtesy of Sophie B Hawkins) are gas-lighted or whether we are in Thirty years later, her son’s a position of unknowingly controlling someone, whatever your friends are freely identifying as “omnisexual” without an inkling story is, when you are released from it … you can go, ‘wow, I that she was the one who first coined the term. have my whole life to begin again.’ The story behind the song “Don’t care what people think, You know you are on the brink, was really painful, and I was trying to survive the lies and the Of breaking the chain…baby love yourself, ain’t nobody else gonway that it happened. However, if it had not happened that way, na carry your soul.” Lyrics from Love Yourself, from the album I don’t think I would have left it behind. It had to be that painful Free Myself for me to really take a look.”

Since the start of her musical journey, Sophie has shown an She adds, “Betrayal is common and human. This is actually uncompromising devotion to her singular truth, endlessly tranthe story of redemption.” Whether the listener is a person endscending boundaries and offering up new ways of experiencing ing a toxic relationship, or whether it is a young LGBTQ person the world around us. Her truth is the roots of Free Myself and getting away from a toxic web of a hostile community or family Sophie’s raw yet poetic lyrics as well as her captivatingly distincrelationships, the song speaks to self-actualizing introspection tive vocals. and hope.

Free Myself features some of her most emotionally powerful Besides her fans, Sophie inspired and gave permission to a material to date and contains anthems that LGBTQ youth need whole new generation of artists. On my last Rated LGBT Radio especially now. Tapping into the same passion-filled storytelling podcast, Andrea Walker from Glitterfox, the singer/song writer and colorful eclecticism that inspired her previous work, Sophie band from Portland that was recently named one of the Best embarks on a new creative chapter of independence and posiNew Bands of Oregon, commented about my conversation tivity in Free Myself. with Sophie, “You said Sophie B. Hawkins was your guest last Certainly, LGBTQ youth working to express their uniqueness week? I wish you could have seen my face when you said that. and self-definition will hear themselves in the lyrics of the alMy jaw dropped to the floor. I was remembering being in the bum’s title track and its nascent omnisexuality: 90s listening to Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover. That song specif“I want to free myself with you. Let my soul fly. I can’t lift these ically was the one that helped me to come out as gay. Honestly, feelings, too big for me to carry. Why does it matter what we’re born.

I owe such a huge debt to Sophie B. Hawkins. I really mean it.”

Aren’t we supposed to become mind, soul and body, who we love The Sophie B. Hawkins album Free Myself concludes with and who we want to marry?” a song called You are My Balloon. It speaks to a spirit that is As Sophie talks to television personalities, she gets reductive a “shoulder on a cloud, between the sun and moon, climbing very questions such as “how has your music evolved?” The truth is, high, acting very proud.” her music has not been on a path of development, but rather, It turns quickly into a plea, “Above a sea of dreams, my lantern has entered a new era. It is an era where society has caught up in the night, making up a tune, on your own jet stream, in and out with her. It is an era where she has lived life. It is an era where of sight. And I love looking at you more than anything, I hope you’ll she folds in decades of life experience that includes motheralways stay my dancer on a string. I will hold your hand and carry hood, oppressive relationships, codependency, deconstruction you as far as I can. You won’t need me long but I’ll hold on ‘Cause of dreams to their experienced reality and the ability to be guidyou are my balloon.” ed by and appreciate, a hero.

The song makes me think of Sophie B. Hawkins herself. The “I wanted this to be a new beginning for me, for my family Lantern in the night who made up her tunes and created her and my fans,” she says. The song Love Yourself is a confession. own “omnisexual” jest stream definition. It was a definition that Sophie had been to a party and drank red wine and ate cake. today’s LGBTQ youth have embraced, lived and given us all inLater as she lay in bed, she wanted to berate herself for such sight about, even as a conservative establishment attacks them. indulgences. She wanted to lament, “I hate myself for that.” But Sophie B. Hawkins has delivered to them a package of anshe didn’t. Instead the words to her incubating song filled her thems, one to remind them that they carry their own definimind, “Baby, love yourself.” That had never happened, the altions, and they need no one else’s permission or approval. Just lowance to love herself, before. Her unconscious mental health as a lone singer once carried the message to the biggest newswork had suddenly taken hold and was now carrying her. paper in the country as she sat in a New York diner, it has now For the Miley Cyrus Flowers generation, there is the Sophie grown to be the understanding of a generation.

B. Hawkins Better Off Without You. “You got what you planned So, with that message in hand, we carry Sophie as far as we for, but I got so much more,” she sings. can, and hope she always stays our personal dancer on a string.

Of the song, she shared with me:

16 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • OCTOBER 20, 2023

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FILM

A wild, sexy ride on the ‘Down Low’ Anti-heroes played with obvious relish by Quinto and Gage

By JOHN PAUL KING to imagine even the most gifted straight actors capturing the necessary dynamic these two With a title like “Down Low,” a movie could be almost anything, from a psychological thriller obviously understand instinctively. to a comedic crime caper to a documentary about the blues. When it stars Zachary Quinto and Still, a story about a closeted middle-aged white man and a young societal outcast who gives Lukas Gage, however, and describes them in its tagline as “a deeply repressed man” and “a hand-jobs for a living – stereotypical representatives of two different queer generations drawn, twink” respectively, millions of queer audiences will immediately know what the title means. we might add, with a not-too-subtle satirical eye – may not sit so well in an era when the manThat phrase is universal code for online cruisers who are “looking” for fun but only if their date seems to be toward presenting the community as living its best life. It’s not that either of wife/husband/straight bro/church pastor/etc. never finds out about it. Based on the most likethem is unlikable, it’s just that they’re both a mess. ly assumptions about how a “DL” encounter between a repressed man and a twink might take place, it’s easily possible to guess the set-up – and maybe the entire scenario of the movie – before the first scene begins.

Just in case, though, we’ll fill in a few of the details. At the start of “Down Low” – which debuted on digital home video Oct. 10 – well-to-do Gary (Quinto), nearing 50 and recently separated from his wife and children, hires a young masseur named Cameron (Gage, who became instantly gay-famous thanks to that notorious rimming scene in the first season of “White Lotus”) to come to his house for a private session – and yes, it’s that kind of massage. After an awkward beginning, Gary reveals it’s his first time being intimate with a man, prompting Cameron to turn from sex worker to life coach as he quickly decides to give his Hot Daddy client a coming-out party to remember; before long, a stranger from “the apps” is on his way to join them, setting off an outrageous night full of questionable decisions, bad luck, and escalating consequences that is probably best described as a deviously twisted, wickedly macabre wild ride – or, alternatively, as a very dark screwball comedy. Either way, it’s also a romance.

We’re not being indecisive, and neither (presumably) is the film, in failing to pin it down into an easily-assessed and clearly-definable category. As directed by first-time feature filmmaker Rightor Doyle (best known for his short-form series “Bonding,” about a gay stand-up comic who moonlights as a BDSM sex worker), it’s a movie with little interest in conforming to any particular genre; it borrows from several of them, and shamelessly so, but only in order to turn them upside down – and our expectations along with them – in a sometimes-near-farcical LUKAS GAGE and ZACHARY QUINTO in ‘Down Low.’ mashup that prevents any of them from defining it. In the end, of course, the genre it comes most closely to matching is the kind of wacky, morbid comedy-of-errors represented by movThat, perhaps, is the whole point; “Down Low” comes on strong and sassy, pitting the deies like “Weekend at Bernie’s” or “The Hangover,” but with deeper stakes and a much darker fiantly flamboyant and sex-positive iconoclasm of modern queer youth culture against the edge to its humor. haunted survivor’s guilt of their Gen-X elders in a story that ultimately urges us to abandon It’s all very clever – at times, admittedly, a bit self-consciously so, leading to a kind of “predictthe restrictive mindsets of the past in favor of a more open and authentic life; it’s a movie that able unpredictability” that may or may not be intentional – and keeps us on our toes simply brims with the trappings of transgressive anarchy, that leans hard into an absurdist outlook by its willingness to turn on a dime as often as necessary. It also takes delight in the pretense in which all our ideas of “normal” behavior become meaningless when confronted with life as of “shocking” us with its candid discussions of queer sexuality and a sort of feigned amorality it really is. Yet, for all that, it somehow retains a sweetly sentimental tone, in the form of the that feels strongly indebted to a Gregg Araki-style sense of hedonistic nihilism. There’s a rebelunlikely and yet eminently cheer-able love story that coalesces in the middle of its madness; in liousness to its spirit, a “let’s have fun while the world burns down around us” vibe that gives the end, the relatable messiness of these two mismatched misfits is meant to give us hope on it a decidedly counter-cultural flavor. After all, its two leading characters are hardly the kind of which to cling as we plunge with them through the depraved-but-zany existential challenges “positive queer depictions” we push the industry so hard to achieve; indeed, they are (at face of their adventure together. value, at least) largely clichés, avatars for familiar “types” that – in the eyes of modern progresWhether or not it does, of course, is dependent on how willing we are to buy into its multiple sive attitudes toward queer expression and experience, might even be considered toxic by conceits, and that’s by no means a sure thing; viewers with a taste for over-the-top absurdism some. Who could better serve us in a vicarious revolt against conformity than a pair of guys — which bubbles up from the very core of the movie’s premise and seems drawn from a thewho could be seen as “problematic” under any traditional social norm we’ve lived under so far? atrical tradition that includes Genet, Pinter, and Christopher Durang, at times making the film That’s especially true with the anti-heroes of “Down Low,” who are played with obvious relish play more like, well, a play – are likely to respond better to it than those coming into it with an

by Quinto and Gage – the latter of whom, alongside Phoebe Fisher, also penned the movie’s expectation of more traditional, “realistic” storytelling. Sweetening the pot for any viewer are smart screenplay – and quickly overcome the hard-sell implausibility of the premise that brings the performances, which in addition to Quinto and Gage include glittering supporting turns by them together to become an irresistibly appealing screen couple with the kind of chemistry queer-allies-and-divas Judith Light and Audra MacDonald. that both heightens the film’s considerable sex appeal while evoking the snappy rapport of Despite all those benefits, however, “Down Low” might finally be a no-go for some audiences the classic madcap comedies it clearly wishes to emulate. More than that, the two stars fully because its title also tells us how far it (and its characters) are willing to go – and for many, that understand and inhabit their characters, reminding us (as if it were necessary) how much of a might just be a little bit too low for comfort. difference it makes when actual queer people play queer characters in queer stories. It’s hard

18 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • OCTOBER 20, 2023

AUTOS

Muscle-car maniac: Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

You can’t beat this one for a last hurrah in a true muscle car

By JOE PHILLIPS than the next. It all culminates It’s hard to forget your first with the SRT Hellcat, which— love. For me, it wasn’t exactly thanks to an iconic HEMI Danell Leyva or Michael Sam. V8—churns out a ridiculous Yet there was some serious 807 horsepower and can go muscle on my primo amore: faster than many a Ferrari, a Pontiac LeMans 455 sportLamborghini or McLaren. ster.

Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Unfortunately, Challenger Sparkly blue. White racing pricing adds up quickly, espestripes. Twin-scoop hood. cially if you opt for any of the dizzying array of Dual exhaust. Feisty engine. Talk about butch specialty packages, customized paint jobs, intepoints. rior colors and such. My test car, for example, I’ve waxed poetic before about this suwas an eye-popping $100,000 and included per coupe, which ferried me all through high the Redeye, Widebody and Black Ghost conschool. With tender loving care, I kept my befigurations. This meant wider wheels and tires, loved ride in great shape. a sportier suspension, larger Brembo brakes, Alas, the next owner did not. Soon enough, protruding fender flares and a glossy black exit was riddled with rust, scrapes and scores of terior with white racing stripes across the rear dents. Sigh. end. The high-test brake calipers, usually bright But just last month, bittersweet memories red, were painted black to highlight the 20-inch of my first car came back when I tested the silver wheels. For a real retro vibe, there was a 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. This topcircular chrome fuel door that said “FUEL” on of-the-line model boasts hyper horsepower the gas cap. The most love-it-or-hate-it feature: and, seemingly, supersonic speed. There’s the roof, with its funky black-and-gray graphics also an acres-long hood, low-slung seats and a designed to look like alligator skin. tricked-out, gauge-laden dashboard.

Production of the Black Ghost is limited to Driving this rad Challenger was a thundering 300 units and is part of Dodge’s “Last Call” sethrowback to muscle cars of yore. It certainly ries, the automaker’s celebratory nod to the got my motor running, and it likely will do the end of the Hemi combustion engine. These same for you. special editions include an under-hood plaque But not for long: This is the last year of prostamped with a Challenger silhouette, as well duction before Dodge begins churning out an as the factory location of where the car was electric-only version. built.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all in on EVs. They’re Driving such a menacing beast was exciting fun, fast, and eco-friendly. But if you’re look— and scary. At first, there seemed to be too ing for a last hurrah in a true muscle car, the much muscle under the hood, especially on Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat can’t be beat. wet roads when this coupe would easily fishDODGE CHALLENGER SRT HELLCAT tail. But I quickly learned to step on the accelerator ever so gently to still get plenty of thrills. $73,000 | MPG: 13 city/22 highway (As for the racetrack-ready “Launch” button 0 to 60 mph: 3.6 seconds on the dashboard, it went unused—though I Cargo room: 16.2 cu. ft. imagine pressing it just might have taken me airborne.)

PROS: wicked fast, kick-ass looks, wake-theThe cabin had a smart, old-school ambience dead rumble yet was full of modern amenities: dual-zone cliCONS: almost too fast to handle, oh-so-immate control, smartphone integration, flat-botpractical, final year tom steering wheel with paddle shifters, heated/ventilated seats and more. While there was IN A NUTSHELL: First, the good news. A an optional 18-speaker Harman Kardon stebase-model Dodge Challenger costs $33,000, reo, turning on the ignition and listening to the or $15,000 below the $48,000 average price of throaty rumble was music enough for my ears. a new vehicle today. With a 303-horsepower This is no SUV, of course, so don’t expect to V6, this two-door hardtop can scoot from 0 to haul lots of supplies from Home Dept. But the 60 mph in a respectable 5.3 seconds. Not too Challenger does have the most trunk space shabby. among sports cars. Split-folding rear seats But hey, why settle for “Glee” or “Modern open up the cargo area even more.

Family” reruns when you can stream more Overall, the Challenger SRT Hellcat was one trendy fare like “Dicks: The Musical,” right? helluva rush. It offered plenty of speed, sex apIn other words, there are more fabulous peal and ear-splitting screams—from the exChallenger trim levels, each offering more enhaust pipes, as well as a few of my passengers. ticing features, styling and power

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