THE FIGHT MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2011

Page 1

ISSUE 007 AUGUST 2011

LA PRIDE ISSUE

PRIVATE PARTS EXPOSED MARK ARIEL ON THE REDEMPTION OF AARON SAVVY

BRADLEY MANNING AND WHAT ARMY? BRODIE FOSTER HUBBARD ON THE ACCUSED WIKILEAKER

DOLLY PARTON’S APOLOGY DOLLYWOOD’S LESBIAN MISHAP

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The Fight 1

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2 The Fight

AUGUST/ CONTENTS

14

30

Hidden Toxins

ROSTOW REPORT

COVER STORIES AND FEATURES 10 THE UPLIFT PROJECT Jeremy Manning’s Mission

12 THAT’S SO GAY! Dangerous Word Games

16 PRIVATE PARTS EXPOSED Aaron Savvy’s Redemption

18 DOLLY’S APOLOGY Lesbian Mishap at Dollywood

18

20

BRADLEY MANNING & WHAT ARMY? WikiLeaks Whistle-Blower’s Sad Saga

<GDDQ K 9HGDG?Q

letter from the editor

16 HJAN9L= H9JLK EXPOSED

24 HOME SWEET HOME Expert Design Tips

36 UNCOVERED: THE DIARY PROJECT Sean Dorsey’s Dance Project

IN EVERY ISSUE 8 14 30 32 34 38

Headlines Gov Signs Education Act HIV/AIDS Natural Killer Defense Breakthrough Rostow Report Don’t Ask Checks Into Hospice Pet Care Aesthetics Erasing Under Eye Bags Community Groups, Workshops, Resources

12 L@9L K KG ?9Q MASTHEAD

Editor-in-Chief Stanford Altamirano Managing Editor Mark Ariel Art Director Brett Ramey

4 The Fight

Marketing Consultants Lisa Radamaker Sash Carl Larry Wood Lora Mae Jaslow

FOR DISPLAY ADVERTISING PLEASE CALL 323-297-4001

Contributing Writers Ann Rostow Rick Wilkinson Nathan Neuman, M.D. Brodie Hubbard Foster

Photos by: JAMES FRANKLIN

ON OUR COVER

THE FIGHT

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

A GAY REVOLUTION THE POWER OF DETERMINATION

If you would like to offer The Fight at your location, please call 323-297-4001 PUBLISHER Third Step, Inc. DISTRIBUTION Pride in Media The Fight Magazine is published monthly by Third Step, Inc. 611 South Catalina Street, Suite 307 Los Angeles CA 90005 Telephone 323-297-4001 Fax: 213-281-9648 E-mail info@thefightmag.com The Fight Magazine LEGAL CAVEATS By listing in The Fight Magazine, advertisers acknowledge that they do business in a spirit of cooperation, fairness and service, maintaining a high level of integrity and responsibility. Providers of products or services are fully and solely responsible for providing same as advertised. The Fight Magazine assumes no liability for improper or negligent business practices by advertisers. Advertisers and their agencies assume responsibility and liability for the content of their advertisements in The Fight Magazine. Publisher assumes no liability for safekeeping or return of unsolicited art, manuscripts or other materials. The Fight Magazine reserves the right to edit all material for clarity, length and content. All contents © 2011 Third Step, Inc., all rights reserved. Content may be reproduced with permission. The Fight Magazine assumes no liability for any claims or representations contained anywhere in this magazine, and reserves the right to cancel or refuse advertising at publishers’ discretion. WWW.THEFIGHTMAG.COM

6 The Fight

After reading the interview with Aaron Savvy in this issue of THE FIGHT (“Private Parts Exposed,” page 16) I began thinking about the power of determination. LZoor l ]^m^kfbgZmbhg mh \aZg`^ \Zk^^kl mnkg^] abl eb_^ Zkhng]' B ln]]^ger [^\Zf^ Z fZg hg Z fbllbhg mh ikho^ mh frl^e_ Zg] mh ma^ phke] maZm gh fZmm^k paZm eb^l bg rhnk iZlm% rhn \Zg ]h Zgrmabg`% lZrl LZoor' B pZl Z[e^ mh ]h mabl% [^\Znl^ B phne] ghm e^m Zgrhg^ mkr mh Zem^k hk ]b\mZm^ paZm B \hne] Zg] \hne] ghm ]h' Many of us have been through rough times when we wanted give up and `h [Z\d mh ]hbg` lhf^mabg` ^el^' Bm l^^fl ma^ hg^ jnZebmr maZm `nZkZgm^^l ln\\^ll bl ma^ pbeebg`g^ll mh lmb\d pbma bm Zg] mh l^^ bm makhn`a mh ma^ ^g] & mh k^_nl^ mh l^mme^ _hk Zgrmabg` e^ll maZg rhnk ]k^Zf' :l \a^^lr Zl bm lhng]l% rhn aZo^ mh aZg` bg ma^k^ Zg] ghm `bo^ ni

The Fight 7

GOV SIGNS EDUCATION ACT INTO LAW

HEADLINES

Despite pressure from anti-LGBT extremists, Governor Jerry Brown stood up for truth and accuracy in education by signing into law Senator Mark Leno’s Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act. The passage of FAIR Act means that California schools must no longer exclude the historic contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. “It’s vital that all students learn about the great LGBT trailblazers who went before them-many of whom have been inexcusably closeted by our history books,â€? said L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center CEO Lorri L. Jean. “When all students learn about the work and lives of such notable ďŹ gures as Barbara Jordan, Bayard Rustin, Alexander the Great, Tennessee Williams, Walt Whitman, Billie Jean King and so many others, they should understand the historical context of their accomplishments, including how their sexual orientation or gender identity informed their work and shaped their character,â€? said Jean.

PROP. 8 ARGUMENTS ON TV Oral arguments on a legal standing question in the Proposition 8 case will be televised live in September, according to a California Supreme Court spokeswoman. Of the September 6 hearing, SF Appeal reports that “because of public interest in the case, the court has approved a live statewide television broadcast of the arguments on the California Channel, a public affairs network,� according to spokeswoman Lynn Holton.

CONSERVATIVES COMPETE: WHO’S MORE ANTI-GAY?

BAYARD RUSTIN

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum stumbled over one in another recently in an effort to prove who’s more anti-gay. Perry, who believes in state sovereignty, said last month that “Our friends in New York passed a statute that said marriage can be between two people of the same sex... that’s their business and that’s ďŹ ne with me.â€? In response to Perry’s comments GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum ďŹ red back: “I am not, as some in this race have said, OK with New York doing what they’re doing. What New York did was wrong. I will oppose it and I will go to New York, if necessary, and help overturn it.â€? Now, it seems, Perry has had second thoughts. In a radio interview the Texas governor amended his remarks. “I probably needed to add a few words after that ‘it’s ďŹ ne with me,’ “ Perry said, “... it’s ďŹ ne with me that a state is using their sovereign rights to decide an issue. Obviously, gay marriage is not ďŹ ne with me. My stance hasn’t changed.â€?

UNION BANK, KCET HONOR LGBT HEROES Union Bank, N.A., and KCET recently partnered to honor ďŹ ve individuals from the LGBT community as local heroes. This year’s honorees, who received their awards in recognition of their leadership and dedication to serving their communities, are: TENNESSEE WILLIAMS

WALT WHITMAN

ĂŠ UĂŠ >Ă›Âˆ`ĂŠ >“ˆ>Â˜ĂŠ ˆ}Ă•iĂ€Âœ>]ĂŠĂ›ÂˆViĂŠÂŤĂ€iĂƒÂˆ`iÂ˜ĂŒĂŠÂœvĂŠĂƒĂŒĂ€>ĂŒi}ˆVĂŠ`iĂ›iÂ?ÂœÂŤÂ“iÂ˜ĂŒĂŠ>˜`ĂŠVÂœÂ“Â“Ă•Â˜ÂˆV>ĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ĂƒĂŠvÂœĂ€ĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) ĂŠ UĂŠ Â?iĂ?ĂŠ °ĂŠ Ă•ÂŽĂ•Âˆ]ĂŠvÂœĂ•Â˜`ˆ˜}ĂŠĂƒĂŒiiĂ€ÂˆÂ˜}ĂŠVÂœÂ“Â“ÂˆĂŒĂŒiiʓi“LiĂ€ĂŠÂœvĂŠ * ĂŠ ¾Õ>Â?ÂˆĂŒĂžÂ‡ ĂŠ ĂŠ UĂŠ >“iĂƒĂŠ7°ĂŠ ˆÂ?Â?ˆ>“]ĂŠ`iÂŤĂ•ĂŒĂžĂŠiĂ?iVĂ•ĂŒÂˆĂ›iĂŠ`ÂˆĂ€iVĂŒÂœĂ€ĂŠÂœvĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ “iĂ€ÂˆV>Â˜ĂŠ ÂˆĂ›ÂˆÂ?ĂŠ ˆLiĂ€ĂŒÂˆiĂƒĂŠ1Â˜ÂˆÂœÂ˜ĂŠÂœvĂŠ-ÂœĂ•ĂŒÂ…iĂ€Â˜ĂŠ California and co-chair of the Sexual Orientation Bias Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association ĂŠ UĂŠ >Ă€ÂˆÂ˜>ĂŠ ->“>Â?>]ĂŠ VÂ…>ÂˆĂ€ÂŤiĂ€ĂƒÂœÂ˜ĂŠ vÂœĂ€ĂŠ ĂŒÂ…iĂŠ /Ă€>Â˜Ăƒ}i˜`iÀÊ `Ă›ÂˆĂƒÂœĂ€ĂžĂŠ Âœ>Ă€`ĂŠ vÂœĂ€ĂŠ ĂŒÂ…iĂŠ ÂˆĂŒĂžĂŠ ÂœvĂŠ 7iĂƒĂŒĂŠ Hollywood ĂŠ UĂŠ >Ă€ÂľĂ•ÂˆĂŒ>ĂŠ9°ĂŠ/…œ“>Ăƒ]ĂŠÂŤĂ€iĂƒÂˆ`iÂ˜ĂŒĂŠÂœvĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ ÂœĂƒĂŠ ˜}iÂ?iĂƒĂŠ >ÞÊEĂŠ iĂƒLˆ>Â˜ĂŠ Â…>“LiĂ€ĂŠÂœvĂŠ œ““iĂ€Vi° “These individuals change lives every day by making their community a better place to live,â€? said Union Bank Senior Executive Vice President Pierre Habis. “Their work truly inspires and impacts the lives of everyone around them. We honor their dedication and service.â€?

RESEARCHERS FOCUS ON LGBT MORMONS In what may be a ďŹ rst-of-its-kind study, researchers at Utah State University are reaching out to nearly 1,000 LGBT Mormons to learn more about their experience within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, reports The Advocate at www.advocate.com The 149-question survey is being distributed via gay-positive Mormon groups, as well as networks for those who believe that sexual orientation can be changed, the Associated Press reports. Among other questions, the study asks respondents whether they have suffered violence or teasing within the church community and how they “view God’s responseâ€? to their sexual orientation. 8 The Fight

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The Fight 9

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This month UpLift Project will be hosting their 2nd fundraiser in association with Elevation Fitness, Liddy Health Works, Team2EndAIDS and Body360 Nutritionals. UpLift Project’s mission is to provide affordable fitness to survivors of abuse, serious illness and addiction. Their headquarters, Elevation Fitness and Liddy Health Works combine to make the first ever “Organic Wellness Center” with services such as massage, pilates certification, performance enhancement and chiropractic care are offered under one roof. Proceeds from UpLift’s “Twenty 11” will go towards a scholarship at Esquared Pilates certification program to be awarded to an underprivileged single parent. A portion will also be donated to AIDS Project LA and Lung Cancer Awareness and to support development of fitness programs throughout the Los Angeles area. Special performances by: pop singer Derek Jameson and acrobat extraordinaire Vincent Vanguard. The event will be Friday, August 19th from 8-10 PM at 11 Nightclub in West Hollywood. There is a suggested donation of $10 at the door and raffle prizes from high end salon services to personal training packages valued at over $500 will be up for grabs! 11 is located at 8811 Santa Monica Blvd., in West Hollywood. UpLift’s Founder, Jeremy B. Manning, believes that fitness is the answer to many of the challenges we face today. “Our bodies were designed to move and when you bring the fundamental nature of our existence back into our daily life we back stronger as a person and as a community,” says Manning. 10 The Fight

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THAT’S SO GAY!

:Q RAFFA9 BGF=K

WHEN THE IDENTITY OF A MINORITY GROUP IS CO-OPTED TO REFER TO ANYTHING THAT’S BAD, IT’S NOT THAT EASY TO ASSUME GOOD INTENTIONS .

I

t’s become pretty common nowadays for people to call something “gay” when they think it’s bad. And it shouldn’t come as a surprise that not everyone is okay with that. But it seems like calling things “gay” is so important, an entire assortment of defenses has sprung up to explain why this isn’t a problem. Well, unfortunately, it is. It’s often said that this is just the result of language evolving, and the meaning of it has changed, much like how it didn’t always refer to gay people. Well, now it does. And in this case, the meaning of it hasn’t changed. It’s not as if we’ve started calling gay people something else. This is how gay people are known. And using it as an insult hasn’t displaced this meaning at all - it’s concurrent with it. At the same time that people are calling bad things “gay,” people actually are gay, and yet that’s supposedly not something bad at all. Some have pointed out that words can mean more than one thing, and people who call things “gay” don’t intend for it to have anything to do with gay people. But if it’s meant to have no relation whatsoever, why is that word the one that’s being used when it already refers to gay people? If people started saying “That’s so atheist” or “That’s so Asian people” as an insult, would you really think it had nothing to do with atheists or Asian people? You might say that’s not what those words mean - but the meanings of words can change, right? When the identity of a minority group that’s pervasively discriminated against is co-opted to refer to anything that’s bad, it’s not that easy to assume good intentions given how widespread this prejudice is. People who hear you using it like that won’t know what you intend. People who actually are gay don’t have the luxury of assuming you

12 The Fight

don’t mean anything by it. And what are people going to think, when they hear this all the time? Every day, the message goes out: gay equals bad. If someone grows up with the word “gay” being used to mean anything that’s wrong, what happens when they find out there are gay people? Are they immediately going to understand that this is the one exception? Are they not going to make any kind of association here, when “gay” has always meant something bad? Some have said that it’s pointless to try and get people to stop using it like that, because, once again, languages change and we can’t do anything about it. But we are the ones who use language - all of us. And the notion that people are incapable of even thinking about the words they use and deciding not to risk being needlessly offensive is not very well supported. People aren’t that helpless. Of course, some of them say they have gay friends, and they don’t mind using it as an insult. But if that’s why you think it’s okay, would you stop using it because some gay people don’t think it’s okay? If that wouldn’t change your mind, then you probably don’t really care if it bothers people. You’re just looking for a reason to keep saying it. Naturally, some people will insist they’re free to say whatever they want. And they certainly are. But in the same sense, the rest of us are free to call them out and think less of them for their irresponsible use of language. Perhaps they’ll even say they don’t care what anyone thinks about it. Well, they don’t have to! But if you don’t care about that, then you shouldn’t care if we think you’re a borderline homophobe and an ignorant child. Hey, they’re just words, right? Read more commentary by Zinnia Jones at:www.zinniajones.com/blog

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A new study shows for the first time that natural killer (NK) cells, which are part of the body’s first-line defence against infection, can contribute to the immune response against HIV, reports ScienceDaily at www.sciencedaily. com. In an article in the August 4 issue of Nature, a research team based at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard reports that the HIV strains infecting individuals with particular receptor molecules on their NK cells had variant forms of key viral proteins, implying that the virus had mutated to avoid NK cell activity.

proteins that destroy their targets. Because NK cells have very strong cytotoxic activity, they need to be closely controlled, so their cell membranes are studded with both activating receptors that unleash the cell-killing response and inhibitory receptors that keep it in check. Previous research has shown that NK cells multiply during the earliest phase of HIV infection and that the cells can suppress HIV replication in cultured tissues. It also has been observed that infected individuals with particular versions of genes coding for the NK cell receptors called KIRs (killer immunoglobulin-like receptors)

”THE CHALLENGE NOW WILL BE TO TRANSLATE THOSE FINDINGS INTO NEW PREVENTIVE OR TREATMENT STRATEGIES” “This study suggests for the first time that NK cells can impose immune pressure on HIV, something that had previously been described only for T cells and antibodies, adding an additional cell to the repertoire of those with anti-HIV activity,” says Marcus Altfeld, MD, PhD, of the Ragon Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), senior author of the Nature report. “The challenge now will be to translate those findings into new preventive or treatment strategies.” NK cells are part of the innate immune system, which mounts a generalized response against invading organisms. In contrast to the adaptive immune system, which includes T cells and antibodies, innate immune responses are thought to be short-lived and not directed against a particular virus or bacteria. NK cells bind to virus-infected cells or tumor cells and release cell-killing

14 The Fight

are better able to control HIV viral levels. But whether these genes allow NK cells to control HIV replication through direct recognition of infected cells or through another indirect mechanism is unknown. The researchers designed their study to test the hypothesis that mutations in the HIV proteins recognized by particular KIRs could allow the virus to escape NK cell activity, a finding that would support a role for NK cells in HIV control. “The results of this study raise a number of interesting new questions,” said Altfeld. “We need to better understand the molecular mechanisms that allow NK cells to recognize HIVinfected cells and learn how to manipulate these cells in humans for therapy or prevention. Recent animal studies have suggested that NK cells may develop immunologic memory responses, and if that ability is found in human cells, inducing such a response through vaccination is an exciting possibility we’d like to explore.” Altfeld is an associate professor of Medicine and Alter an assistant professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

The Fight 15

.

EXPOSED

P R I V AT E P A R T S

HOW ONE MAN FOUND HIS TRUE CALLING IN LIFE AND WHAT IT TOOK TO GET THERE BY MARK ARIEL

The The Fight 16 16 Fight

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES FRANKLIN

hile Aaron Savvy’s dramatic transformation from

W

other week or so the offer grew and grew ... Eventually the weight

underbelly to mainstream is more of a carefully

of carrying four jobs was too much for me to handle and I finally

orchestrated reinvention than a random twist of fate one

agreed. I knew going into this of the repercussions that could follow:

thing seems certain: rock bottom became the solid foundation on

my family finding out, my friends’ perception of me, people down the

which he rebuilt his life.

road I would meet and future work. However, at that moment in my

The uniqueness of porn star turned health and fitness guru Savvy’s “I

life, with the mind frame I was in, I decided to accept the terms and

was young and I needed the money” saga is primarily due to the fact

risks.”

that Savvy has never tried to hide his adult film related past.

After some stints on the Sean Cody website, and a few other adult

“I don’t regret doing porn,” says Savvy, in an interview with THE

entertainment related videos, Savvy’s “turning point” came during a

FIGHT. “I was in a different state of both body and mind at that time.

promotional event with his fans. “I was in Chicago for ‘Market Days,’

Entering that industry definitely put me on the map of recognition.”

a huge event that promotes porn. As I was standing there, taking

Savvy, who first gained that aforementioned recognition as “Ajay” on

pictures with countless people, it hit me. I remember saying to myself

the adult entertainment web site seancody.com, was raised in a strict

‘What the hell are you doing? People only know you as a porn star

Mormon household, in Washington.

and know nothing else. Is this really what you want?’”

“The coming out process was a lengthy one,” reveals Savvy. “I did

That rhetorical question, on that fateful day in Chicago, was the start

not know anybody who was gay. I did not know about any gay

of a new beginning.

websites or any gay clubs. I was absolutely clueless... It was not until

“I decided that I had to break that stigma by showing the world who

after I finished serving my Mormon mission at age 21 that I started

Aaron Savvy really is,” says Savvy. After some deliberation Savvy

to have the itch of wanting to come out. I was deathly afraid of my

says he realized that his true calling in life is to share with the world

family disowning me. At the age of 25 I finally decided to come out

his “in-depth knowledge of health, fitness and nutrition.”

to my family.”

“I suddenly became a man on a mission to prove to myself and

Luckily, says Savvy, his parents’ love was stronger than their religious

to the world that no matter what lies in your past, you can do

doctrines. “My mother stood silent and then embraced me and said

anything. I started modeling for some of the biggest designers in the

“AS I WAS STANDING THERE, TAKING PICTURES WITH COUNTLESS PEOPLE$ AL @AL E=& A J=E=E:=J K9QAF? LG EQK=D>$ O@9L L@= @=DD ARE YOU DOING? PEOPLE ONLY KNOW YOU AS A PORN STAR AND KNOW NOTHING ELSE. IS THIS REALLY WHAT YOU WANT? ‘You’re my son, and I will always love you.’ My father cried for a

fashion industry, and began writing for several fitness and life-style

week and had some sleepless nights, but like my mother, accepted me

magazines... I started giving seminars on health and fitness around

for me.”

the country and launched my own fitness show. I was able to do this,

Savvy believes that his eventual foray into porn, like so many others,

because I would not let anyone try to alter or dictate what I could and

stemmed from his initial repression of his true identity. “Growing up

could not do.”

over the years and completing my Mormon mission, I was hiding

Savvy insists there haven’t been any serious repercussions from his

an identity of being gay. Years of doing so put me into a secret

adult film past. “I never really got a bad rap from people. I mean

depression; a depression that I guarded from anyone knowing or

anyone saying ‘I can’t believe you did porn,’ would only mean that

detecting... I had to vent this depression somehow so I stumbled

they have watched me, making them a hypocrite.”

across gambling and became an addict. Not only was I burying my

Savvy has definitely moved on, and in his mind, so has everyone

depression in gambling, but I also vented by joining the FX original

else. “I am happy to say that because of the amount of time that has

television series of “Toughman” and became a frequent fighter.”

surpassed from my porn days, people now know me as “Aaron Savvy

With a growing debt of thousands of dollars he lost while gambling,

the fitness guru” and not “Aaron the porn star.”

Savvy tried to overcome his financial burden by taking on a number

As a “fitness guru” Savvy says he strives to “teach my clients the

of jobs. “I was a fighter, a waiter, a car detailer and a fitness trainer.

mental aspects of establishing a healthy life-style. If I can build

Not only was I still in this depression, but I dug myself a grave of

someone from the inside-out, they will not waiver and are less likely to

endless debt.”

fall back into their bad habits.”

“One day a porn recruiter found me on myspace and asked if I was interested in doing porn. I said no and went on with my life. He then came back with an offer of a lot of money and I still declined. Every 17 The Fight

TO LEARN ABOUT SAVVY’S UNIQUE PERSONAL TRAINING, FITNESS AND NUTRITIONAL PROGRAMS, VISIT : WWW.AARONSAVVY.COM The Fight 17

DOLLY APOLOGIZES LG D=K:A9F ;GMHD=

PARTON ISSUES APOLOGY OVER GAY T-SHIRT INCIDENT AT DOLLYWOOD .

C

ountry music superstar Dolly Parton says she’s “truly sorry� that a lesbian couple felt discriminated against at her theme park, reports 365 Gay at www.365gay.com. When Olivier Odom and her wife Jennifer Tiptin tried to enter Dollywood recently, Odom was asked to turn her shirt inside out because it said “Marriage is so gay.� When Olivier asked why, a park employee said that Dollywood is a “family park.� Odom wrote a letter to Dollywood asking the park to “implement policies that are inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people� and “inclusive of all families.� Parton herself issued a statement to ABC News apologizing for the treatment of Odom and her wife.

Laser Treatment for Toenail Fungus

“I am truly sorry for the hurt or embarrassment regarding the gay and lesbian T-shirt incident at Dollywood’s Splash Country recently,� Parton wrote. “Everyone knows of my personal support of the gay and lesbian community. Dollywood is a family park and all families are welcome.� In the statement, Parton explained her policies regarding clothing or signs with “profanity� are in place to protect those wearing the clothing and to prevent disturbances at the park. Parton ended her statement by saying: “I am looking further into the incident and hope and believe it was more policy than insensitivity. I am very sorry it happened at all.�

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18 The Fight

The Fight 19

G

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BY BRODIE FOSTER HUBBARD

ACCUSED GAY WIKILEAKS WHISTLE-BLOWER PVT. BRADLEY MANNING REMAINS IN JAIL, AWAITING TRIAL. BRODIE FOSTER HUBBARD UNCOVERS NEW DETAILS ON MANNING’S TROUBLED CHILDHOOD,

HIS GENDER IDENTITY ISSUES AND THE FIGHT CONNECTION.

20 The Fight

B

radley Manning is many different things to many different

airport parking lot, then struggles to survive in Tulsa with a string of

people. A person’s opinion on him depends on how much they

low-paying retail jobs; after flunking semester of community college in

already know about him, their views on gender and sexuality,

Maryland, his concerned parents suggest young adult try to make a life

and how they regard the government, our armed forces, and America’s

for himself in the Army.

role in the Middle East. To some, Manning is a hero, either for his reputed “hacktivism” (activism

AFFAIR WITH A COLONEL

by way of computer hacking) or for his membership in and stance on the LGBT community within the military. To others, he is a traitor to our

Manning enlisted in October 2007, completed basic training in

country who deserves a torturous prison sentence and execution. To

Missouri at Fort Leonard Wood in April 2008 (Manning would later

some, he is merely an emotionally troubled kid in his early twenties who

characterize the experience, via an online chat, as reminiscent of how

screwed up big time. To others, he is a gay man - or perhaps, a trans

cults program followers), and completed his intelligence officer training

woman - who had dealt with so much oppression that he could not have

program in Arizona at Fort Huachuca in August 2008. He was then

been expected to react any other way. For some who invested their

stationed in New York at Fort Drum, but traveling to Massachusetts to

hope in Barack Obama, Manning has become a symbol of a perceived

visit boyfriend Tyler Watkins, a neuroscience and psychology student

failure of this current administration to learn from the mistakes made by

at Brandeis University. He was also making friends with hacktivists in

the Bush/Cheney regime that preceded it.

Boston, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researcher David House, and absorbing their ethics and culture. House would

BULLYING, ALIENATION AT SCHOOL

later be one of the individuals who helped form The Bradley Manning Support Network, which according to their website, is “an ad hoc,

The details of Manning’s life, his time in Iraq, and the crimes he has

international grassroots effort” aimed at raising funds for Manning’s

been accused of are part of a tale told not by manifestos sent to the

legal defense.

press or sit-down interviews with reporters, but chat transcripts, social

Manning, who was having difficulties with the machismo and

network accounts, military incident reports, and conjecture by people

homophobia prevalent in his unit, as well as the general burden of

who never were face-to-face with the small-town Oklahoman turned

living and working under the strict rules and regulations of military life,

“MANNING WAS AN ARMY OF ONE IN HOLDING THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT THEY WERE HIDING FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE” - CENK UYGUR, “THE YOUNG TURKS” Army specialist. Yet it is with those individuals that he shared the most

also reached out online to make friends. “I’m surprised you haven’t

personal information, not only of the troubles he had experienced in

asked the usual question” wrote Manning to Zinnia Jones. “Why is a

a broken home and as a homeless teen, but about the information

gay, libertarian, atheist, computer nerd in the army?”

security leak he allegedly committed from his position as an intelligence

Zinnia Jones is a YouTube sensation, the self-proclaimed “Queen of

analyst for the United States Army.

Atheism,” who publishes videos and blogs discussing social, political,

Whether or not he ever meant for his own travails to become public

and religious topics. Jones, a trans woman (“Call me ‘she’. Or ‘he’.

knowledge, Manning’s childhood and adolescence in Crescent,

Either is fine.”)

Oklahoma (and his brief schooling in Wales, UK) has become the

February of 2009,” says Jones, “I was contacted online by Private

origin story for an international incident: a gifted, effeminate boy

Bradley Manning... he found me via my YouTube videos, and we spoke

dealing with bullying and alienation at school and a disharmonious

on several occasions until August of 2009.”

domestic life seeks solace through tinkering with technology (Manning

In his chats with Jones, Manning indicated that he believed the Army

wrote in an online chat, “I had a fascination building stuff with Lego,

is actually a diverse organization. “Male, female, black, white, gay,

and with army stuff with green and tan soldiers... I also had hand-me-

straight, Christian, Jewish, Asian, old or young, it doesn’t matter to

down dolls from my sister, Barbie dolls...”); boy becomes a child of

me; we all wear the same green uniform,” wrote Manning, “but it’s still

divorce, with a suicidal mom and a violent father; teen starts wearing

a male-dominated, Christian-right, oppressive organization.” Manning

makeup and bringing home other boys to sleep over, though dad’s new

did not glamorize his work in military intelligence, saying it was not

wife thinks her new stepson isn’t actually gay but just doing it all for

“as fun as television and movies make it out to be... in the real world,

show; altercation between young man and step mom, in which he pulls

intelligence is a goofy, clunky, and annoying process.” However,

out a knife and 911 is called, ends with police removing him from the

Manning managed to make his intrigue, claiming to Jones that he had

premises; 18 year old makes a new home out of a truck in a Chicago

an affair with a colonel at the Defense Intelligence Agency.

is also an ongoing contributor to THE FIGHT. “In

The Fight 21

the Middle East.

SIGNS OF INSTABILITY

Manning had access to sensitive information and war footage available on the Department of Defense’s Secret Internet Protocol Router Network

Manning was very interested in progressive politics, going to such

(SIPRNet) and Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System

events as “a Gavin Newsom gubernatorial fundraiser” and “a Stonewall

(JWICS). What occurred between the start of Manning’s work in the

Democrats Capitol Champions thingie.” At the time, Manning said he

Middle East and his initial detainment in Kuwait - in particular, just

was looking forward to “hobnobbing with congressional folk” and

exactly what he did with all that access - is a matter to be determined,

A ;9F L =FLAJ=DQ 9?J== OAL@ L@= EGN=E=FL CALLING FOR BRADLEY TO BE RELEASED... THERE IS A REASON WHY THIS IS AGAINST THE LAW” - ZINNIA JONES, “THE FIGHT” CONTRIBUTOR picking their brains about religion and homophobia. Manning also

in theory, by a court of law, though whether it be military or federal

attended Proposition 8 protests, though he called the efforts against

remains to be seen. All that is certain is his arrest in May 2010, his

the measure “a grassroots mess” with “no leadership,” telling Jones in

transfer to a Marine base in Quantico, Virginia at the end of July

a chat, “I’d love to take the reins.” Manning named quantum physicist

2010, and his March 2011 transfer to Kansas at Fort Leavenworth.

Richard Feynman, astronomer Carl Sagan, and assassinated gay

He awaits trial on nearly three dozen charges so far relating to the

politician Harvey Milk as his role models.

release of hundreds of thousands of classified documents, including

Manning was not shy about sharing his opinions with Jones in

State Department cables, military incident reports, and logs with

their chats. Manning called Rick Warren, the high-profile Christian

information about military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and at

evangelical preacher

least two videos of civilian deaths, casualties known euphemistically

who has spoken out against same-sex marriage, “a fuzzy warm and

as “collateral damage,” caused by U.S. airstrikes. This data ended up

friendly fascist.” Manning’s portrayal of American diplomatic policy, as

on Julian Assange’s website, WikiLeaks, most notably the video which

reflected in his view of a state department report he had just read, was

came to be known on the internet as “Collateral Murder.”

“Keep a smile on your face, and a knife behind your back.” Manning also shared his idea with Jones about producing a video regarding “the

EXTREME STRESS AND ISOLATION

history, current status of, and call for repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT, as of press time, is set to end on September 20, 2011).

The case against Manning is largely based on the testimony of infamous

Manning also told Jones that ex-boyfriend Tyler Watkins, a Catholic,

informant and computer hacker Adrian Lamo, who was arrested in

valued his faith more than their relationship. Manning and Watkins

2004 for breaking into the databases of MCI WorldCom, Microsoft,

ended their relationship right before Manning’s departure to Iraq in

The New York Times, and Yahoo, for which he served six months of

October 2009. Manning’s assignment came despite conflicts with

home arrest and two years of probation, and paid $65,000 in fines.

roommates and signs of instability. His superior offices expressed

There are diverging viewpoints on whether Lamo was doing his duty as

concerns and recommended mental health counseling, but were

a concerned citizen or acting duplicitously for his own personal gain.

satisfied with his response to therapy and gave no formal objection to

Advocates for Manning point out the inconsistency of Lamo’s multiple

Manning’s deployment.

retellings as to when and how he and Manning first came into contact. According to the May 2010 chat transcripts Lamo provided to the

“COLLATERAL MURDER” VIDEO

Federal Bureau of Investigation and Wired Magazine, Manning had formed a friendship with Assange and served as his “high profile

Specialist Manning came under discipline once at Forward Operating

source” through data burned onto CD-RWs, some with Lady Gaga

Base Hammer near Baghdad for hitting a female officer with whom

songs that he would lip-sync to as he wrote over the discs. Manning

he had a disagreement. He was subsequently demoted to Private

told Lamo the area he worked in was “a perfect example of how not to

and warned of a possible discharge for “adjustment disorder,” which

do infosec” - that is, information security - “weak servers, weak logging,

has been debated as meaning either trouble adjusting to military life,

weak physical security, weak counter-intelligence, inattentive signal

or gender identity issues, or both. Statements by his military gender

analysis... a perfect storm.”

counselor and published chats have revealed that Manning had begun

There are multiple instances in the Manning-Lamo chats where Manning

examining his gender identity shortly after deployment, crossdressing

expressed his extreme stress, loneliness and isolation, telling Lamo that

in public while on leave, contemplating electrolysis, and seeking

he was “flipping out,” “a total mess,” and “a wreck.” Manning told

counseling about gender reassignment. He also shared his objections

Lamo about his network of gay contacts in Washington D.C and shared

to the war with the same military gender counselor, based in part on

his exploration of living as a female.

his observations from deep within the Army’s intelligence presence in

The reputedly bisexual Lamo flirted with Manning, telling him during

22 The Fight

an exchange about Manning’s gender identity, “You make a cute boy.”

trying to carry on the proud tradition of LGBT activism? Was a lonely

Lamo also assured Manning that their conversations were “not for

gay boy (and potential trans woman) from a dysfunctional family

print,” saying, “I’m a journalist and a minister. You can pick either, and

bullied by fellow soldiers, taken advantage of by a duplicitous fellow

treat this as a confession or an interview (never to be published) and

hacker, and abused by the justice system?

enjoy a modicum of legal protection.”

“Manning army of one was an in holding the government accountable

One of Manning’s personal revelations to Lamo was that he was setting

for what they were hiding from the American people,” says Uygur.

up an online identity as “Breanna,” including Twitter and YouTube

But for her part, Jones cannot justify Manning’s alleged leaks. “I can’t

accounts. While their authenticity as Bradley Manning’s personal

entirely agree with the movement calling for Bradley to be released...

accounts has yet to be confirmed, username “bmanningfm” created

there is a reason why this is against the law.”

YouTube and Twitter accounts in May 2010. @bmanningfm can be

Also, despite Manning’s interest in activism, passion about gay rights,

seen on Twitter following only two other accounts, one being journalist

and journey into life as a trans woman, Jones doesn’t hold Manning as

Glenn Greenwald, the other being the official account for online

the symbol that he aspired to be for the LGBT community. “There are

political news show The Young Turks.

thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people around

“I’m proud that Bradley Manning was following The Young Turks,” said

the world who serve their country with honor,” says Jones. “They have

show creator, executive producer, and host Cenk Uygur in a statement

not done anything like this, and who they are is not even remotely a

to THE FIGHT. “He is a whistleblower, not a criminal.” Uygur is one of

reliable indicator that they would pose

the many voices who have called out the Obama Administration for

some kind of security risk. It’s clear that Bradley was facing a variety

their treatment ofManning since he has become a prisoner awaiting

of issues that were much more significant than simply being gay, and

trial.

reducing all of this to his sexuality is extremely misleading.” Still, Jones believes “Bradley deserves a fair trial - he’s already been deprived of

NAKED FOR DAILY INSPECTION

a speedy trial, and the effects of his prolonged confinement may have caused irreparable damage to his mental well-being.”

Manning was initially held at Quantico as a maximum custody detainee under Prevention of Injury status, which entailed the removal of his

Philip Crowley, a United States Assistant Secretary of State for Public

prescription glasses, not being allowed daytime sleep or bed sheets,

Affairs, resigned in March 2011, three days after calling Manning’s

PHILIP CROWLEY, A U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS, RESIGNED IN MARCH 2011, L@J== <9QK 9>L=J ;9DDAF? E9FFAF? K LJ=9LE=FL “RIDICULOUS, COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND STUPID” being periodically stripped to his underwear by guards, and at one

treatment “ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid” in front of

point, presenting himself naked for daily morning inspection. He was

an audience at MIT. Shortly after, at a fundraiser in San Francisco

confined to his cell for all but one hour a day, for which he was allowed

where protesters broke into song on behalf of Manning, Obama said

to walk only while still shackled.

Manning’s treatment was appropriate and that “he broke the law.” The

Manning wrote an 11-page letter appealing his status, which his lawyer

comments have been construed by some as an assumption of “guilty

released to the press. An investigation concluded after Manning’s

before proven innocent,” or even before any sort of trial, particularly

transfer to Fort Leavenworth ruled that despite medical officers advising

problematic when coming from a constitutional scholar and sitting

that Manning was not a suicide risk, brig personnel contradicted Navy

President. Juan Méndez, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on

regulations by ignoring the findings and leaving Manning on hold for

Torture, has been joined by Amnesty International, The British Embassy

several more days.

in Washington, Welsh Labour Member of Parliament Ann Clwyd, U.S.

Guantanamo Bay, the site of one of the Bush Administration’s many

Democratic Representative Dennis Kucinich, and many others in raising

controversial policies, was one of the topics that came up between

questions about the constitutionality of Manning’s imprisonment and

Manning and Zinnia Jones in their chats. “Sometimes I wish it were

whether his treatment might be a human rights violation.

all black and white like the media and politicians present it,” wrote

“Regardless of what he might have done,” says Jones, “he is a person,

Manning. “He’s the bad guy, oh and he, he’s the good guy.” Manning

and he has rights. Everyone does.”

could just as well have been predicting the discussion at large about his own case - “It’s all shades of blurry grey.” Did Manning do the right thing? Is he a champion of the transparency Obama promised to bring to government but failed to deliver? Is he a martyr for the human rights movement, and in particular, the LGBT community, both in the military and the civilian world? Was he just The Fight 23

HOME SWEET HOME

WHETHER EMBELLISHING A NEW HOME, OR RENOVATING A CURRENT RESIDENCE, YOUR LIVING SPACE SHOULD BE RELAXING AND STRESS-FREE, A SAFE HAVEN FROM THE HARSH WORLD OUTSIDE. HOME IMPROVEMENT TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS.

UUU INTERIOR DESIGN Christopher Grubb / Arch-Interiors Design Group When considering home improvement, you might want to ask yourself if you need a decorator or designer. “I often get asked the difference between the two at the beginning of a project,” says Christopher Grubb, President of the Beverly Hills based ArchInteriors Design Group Inc. “I explain that in my experience, a decorator does that - decorates your space and makes is pretty. A designer is there to transform your environment. Moving walls to make rooms function, addressing the lighting and electrical needs, producing construction drawings for your contractor, etc.,” says Grubb. “I do ‘decorate’ the space with fabrics, furnishings and decorative items. But it’s only one of the services I offer,” reveals Grubb. An important aspect one should take into account when considering home improvement is your budget. “Make sure you have a grand total on the project before you proceed,” warns Grubb. “No one needs the extra stress. Be prepared to phase out some of the decorative items if you need to and don’t compromise on the design,” advises Grubb. In general, says Grubb, when working with a designer, first and foremost, have images to share of your likes - and your dislikes. Designers communicate best with images. Be clear on all of your needs and wants. You will be creating an intimate working relationship, and the designer should be focused on fulfilling your style. Make sure you feel you are being heard and understood. If they are imposing their style on you or you feel dismissed, you have the wrong designer.” To see how Arch-Interiors Design Group can assist you in creating an environment, visit their web site at www.archinteriors.com

9:GN=: “A FIRE BACK IN THE 1930’S LEFT A THICK LAYER OF SMOKE AND SOOT THAT HAD NEVER BEEN PROPERLY CLEANED. YOU COULDN’T SEE ALL THE SMALL PAINTED DETAILS BEFORE ZOLTAN RESTORED IT. HE BROUGHT ALL THE COLORS BACK TO LIFE AND MADE IT GLOW.”

UUU INTERIOR RESTORATION Zoltan Papp / Artisan Restorations Artisan Restorations’ customers include well-known names in the entertainment business, fashion design industry, high-value insurance companies, and top antique auctioneers. They work in cooperation with top interior designers, with works that have been featured in renowned national and international publications such as Architectural Digest, Antiques And Fine Arts, and Los Angeles Times. Owner & Founder Zoltan Papp, a graduate of the Hungarian FineArts School, with years of experience in Hungary as well as Austria and Germany, founded Artisan Restoration in Los Angeles in 1984. Papp, together with his colleagues and expert craftsmen, specializes in various fields of restoration, including high-end European antiques, furniture, fine arts oil paintings, gilded pictures and mirror frames. Their antique professionals also create and build coffered ceilings, wall paneling, and murals. To learn more about Artisan Restorations and Interior Creations, visit their web site: www.artisanrestorationcenter.com

24 The Fight

HOME SWEET HOME,

Cont’d...

UUU COLOR YOUR WORLD Casey & Jamie Davis / Portola Paints & Glazes Founded by father and sons trio Jim, Casey & Jamie Davis in 2001, Portola Paints & Glazes is a Los Angeles based paint company specializing in Eco-Friendly finishes and Architectural Coatings. The following pointers, reveals Jamie Davis, should be taken into consideration when deciding to paint your home. LIGHTING When deciding on a color scheme for a particular room, you need to consider the natural light that comes into it. Find out how strong the daylight is and spend some time in the room during different times of day, taking note how the light affects it. For instance, if a room is facing northeast, it will receive the least amount of natural light. So always use warmer colors to soften the shadows. If a bathroom has a large window and receives a lot of natural light, then a pallet of cool blues and violets would look pretty, not cold. COLOR Take note of how colors make you feel. Certain colors evoke a strong emotional response. Before choosing colors, take time to consider how you want to feel in the room. Paint some test colors on the walls and observe how they change from day to night. For example, in a home office that benefits from lots of natural daylight, one may wish to use a cool sky blue as the main color to stimulate clear thinking and a peaceful atmosphere. Yellow is a great color to use in a kitchen. Yellows are welcoming and sunny. INSPIRATION It is never too soon to gather ideas and put them into a scrapbook. Magazine clippings, posters, food, flowers, photos etc. If you like it - paste it in the scrapbook. As the book fills you will see a theme start to develop. If you’re building a theme from scratch, find an inspirational starting point, such as a favorite rug or painting and pick your colors from that piece. TEXTURE The texture on the walls can dictate what direction to go with your paint finish. If you have smooth walls, your options for finish are wide open. Again, consider the mood and feel you want. PREPARATION Quite possibly the most important step in painting is the preparation. Plan a day for prep. Take the extra time to remove switch plates and hardware. Patch cracks and holes. Tape windows and moldings. Move all your furniture into the middle of the room and cover it with a drop cloth or an old sheet. This will allow you to focus on the task at hand. Lastly, have fun! Painting is one of the most inexpensive ways to completely transform a room or living space. Visit the Portola Paints & Glazes showroom in Los Angeles to see all the options available to you. For more info go to: www.portolapaints.com

26 The Fight

WINDOW TREATMENTS Sandra Wininger / F & R Interiors Windows are the eyes of your home. Nothing adds more character and personality to a home than a well-executed custom window treatment. Windows stream in light. They provide beauty and natural light to any space. However, they can allow others to see into them. They can increase your energy costs as well. “As you build your home, think about your windows and the window treatments you are likely to need,” advises Sandra Wininger of F & R Interiors in Beverly Hills. “Most people will not think about window treatments until after they have a window to deal with, which can be very limiting,” explains Wininger. “Think about things such as how the window opens, its position and even what types of window treatments you can use on those windows once they are installed.” “One of the most common problems with new developments is that windows open inward,” reveals Wininger. “Inward opening windows may result in a misaligned or even damaged window treatment. The result is that the window is not fully used. A solution to this is to have the windows open to the outside. Window treatments can then be installed in the window frame without any concern. Sliding windows is another ideal alternative that works well with any window treatment.” “If this is not possible, then try to leave space above the window frame itself so that window treatments can be positioned at this point. A fixed pane may also be an option. If a window opens in, then leave at least five inches of space above it so that window treatments can be installed in that space.” The lovely, Parisian born Sandra Wininger, together with her husband Rob, started F & R Interiors 1990 in a spare bedroom, and currently work out of a 2,200 sq. ft. showroom on the Beverly Hills border that includes every possible style of window fashion and a huge array of decorative hardware and trims that can transform any room into an inspired and inviting space. To learn more about their unique window treatment options visit their web site at www.fandrinteriors.com

The Fight 27

28 The Fight

"!$ (53"!.$

ROSTOW REPORT

It’s been a month when serious legal stories have dominated the GLBT newsreel, and yet I can’t help leading with the report about the Orange County woman who drugged her husband, tied him to the bed, cut off his penis and ran it through the garbage disposal. Ouch! Were there no divorce lawyers available? The psycho-wife called emergency services and allowed herself to be arrested without incident, telling police that her hubby “deserved it.� She was arraigned on a million dollars bail and will presumably spend a few decades behind bars for her misdeed. Interesting what human beings are capable of doing to each other. I’m sure he wasn’t the best husband in the world, but still. Guys, you’ll be particularly relieved that we are now moving on to important legal news.

$/. 4 !3+ #(%#+3 ).4/ (/30)#% So, In early July, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit told the U.S. government to stop enforcing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and while they were at it, asked Obama to explain why his Justice Department was continuing the ďŹ ght on behalf of Don’t Ask in

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30 The Fight

their courtroom. After all, isn’t this law on its way out? And didn’t the Obama administration announce that sexual orientation discrimination was presumptively unconstitutional in a letter to Congress last February? The answer was yes, and yes... but. In an emergency motion to the judges, the government explained that the repeal process itself deserved deference from the court, assuring the judges that the long-running lawsuit would shortly become a moot case. Then, on July 22, the Defense Department and the President ďŹ nally certiďŹ ed that the end of Don’t Ask will not adversely

affect military readiness. The repeal will be official 60 days from that date, which I don’t feel like calculating. (September 20, I was just informed.) The judges have been sticklers thus far, so it’s not clear that they’ll throw up their hands and toss out the case during this interim period. Meanwhile, they did agree to reinstate part of the military ban, telling the U.S. that they could still refuse to allow gays to sign up for duty, but that they could no longer hunt down or discharge current troops. Can I ask why we have built in a 60day transition period? We had a vote in December. And we’ve gone through months of planning and training for the new policy, which I’ve also found confusing. It’s not as if we’re teaching every soldier how to play chess, or making everyone sew their own uniforms. Yet now, after everything’s done and everyone’s trained and the brass have signed off on the repeal, we are still going to wait another two months. Explanations anyone?

()'( #/524 -!9 (%!2 '!9 #!3% Moving on, Lambda has asked the U.S.

decide whether to accept the case sometime this fall when they start their next session.

the left or right, who are then promptly dismissed by viewers on the other side?

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2%,)')/53 &2%%$/- 50(%,$ ). !5342)!

What else is new? We’ve learned in recent weeks that Michelle Bachmann does not seem to be a friend to our vibrant and wonderful community. Sorry everyone, I do not consider that to be breaking news. Do we not remember her sustained, obsessive attempts to pass an antigay marriage amendment in Minnesota a few years ago? I mean really. Why is this woman getting a pass from the mainstream media and being treated as just another GOP candidate for president? She believes in intelligent design, thinks global warming is a hoax, thinks gay people are sexually dysfunctional and has accused Barrack Obama of being “antiAmerican.” She has a limited grasp on American history and on the general mechanics of finance. She stated that she prefers that the United States not participate in the global economy, as if that were a policy option. She has advocated for some kind of bill or resolution to make sure that the United States continues to use the dollar, based on her misunderstanding of the term “global reserve currency,” which she

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Supreme Court to review a zany ruling out of the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The New Orleans-based federal appellate court recently overturned two lower courts by deciding that Louisiana was not obliged to issue a revised birth certificate for a little boy who was adopted as an infant by two out-of-state men. I won’t get into the opinion’s fine print, but legal experts here at THE FIGHT believe that the Fifth Circuit judges found something really interesting to put in their pipes and proceeded to smoke it. The High Court will

apparently believed referred to the idea of having a single world currency. She’s a nut and she is totally absolutely completely unprepared to be President of the United States. The fact that she leads the Iowa polls should by all means be a topic of media speculation. But the speculation should be on the order of WTF? Is there some unwritten rule of media etiquette that forbids discussion of a presidential candidate’s nonexistent qualifications for the job? Or is that kind of criticism reserved for official pundits from

So, it took him over two years, but an Austrian man has finally obtained a driving license that depicts him wearing a kitchen strainer. Niko Alm told authorities that the strainer was religious headgear and could not be prohibited on his ID shot. Alm is a Pastafarian, a member of the Americanbased Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. According to CotFSM beliefs, the Flying Spaghetti Monster created the Earth as it now appears a few thousand years ago. However, the noodly divinity made it seem as if the Earth began billions of years ago and that life developed here over time. This spiritual duality allows adherents to embrace both intelligent design and Darwinian evolution. The earliest adherents to the Church were pirates, who were subsequently marginalized by Christians, jealous of their faith. Pastafarians have set aside Friday as a day of worship; they wear pirate gear on important religious occasions, and enjoy beer. Although the faith has been around for “millions, if not thousands, of years,” the CotFSM gained some national prominence in 2005, when one of its leaders wrote a letter to the Kansas Board of Education wanting to make sure that the tenets of the Church would be included in any curricular discussions of intelligent design in the state public schools. For several years I had a bumper attachment of His Noodly Appendages on my car, but I traded it in. The car, not the attachment. At any rate, I consider myself an adherent of the Church, even though I confess I’m not been as active as perhaps I should be. That said, I am writing on a Friday and I have just opened a Corona in recognition of the holy day. Ann Rostow writes news analysis columns for THE FIGHT and other gay publications across the country. Rostow can be reached at: arostow@aol.com

The Fight 31

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SUMMER HEALTH TIP Soaring temperatures are no more comfortable for dogs and cats than they are for people. Heat prostration is a common cause of summer illness that can, and does, kill many beloved pets each year. If your pet spends a substantial part of its day outside, be sure that you provide a cool, shady spot for it to escape the hot summer sun and plenty of cool, clean water. A sheltered area must also be available so that the pet can escape summer storms. Be sure that areas in which pets are housed are secure and that pets cannot run into busy streets, fall into deep window wells, or become trapped within or under lawn equipment. Some of the worst summer tragedies involve pets that are left in vehicles in the sun with the windows partially or completely rolled up. Temperatures inside a car rapidly climb to more than 100 F and can cause death sometimes in as little as 10 minutes! If you need to leave your pet in a car for any period of time, please do the pet and yourself a favor and leave the pet at home. When traveling with your pet, call ahead to make sure the pet will be welcome at any hotels or homes where you intend to stay. Travel from state to state usually requires a health certificate for each pet, which has been signed by a veterinarian. Travel outside of the country often requires that the pet be quarantined for a specified period of time, so be sure to check restrictions in the country to which you will be traveling. Remember that sometimes the best solution for everyone is to make arrangements for someone to watch the pet in your home, or to bring the pet to a boarding facility designed to provide it with the special care it needs.

PESTICIDES, LAWN CARE ALERT

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6109 Lindenhurst Ave (at Fairfax) www.drshadle.com 32 The Fight

Many pesticide products are potentially toxic to pets. Be sure to store these items where pets have no access to them. After treating lawns and outside areas, restrict pets from these areas until exposure danger has passed. Remember that many types of summer foliage (among them hydrangea, wisteria, delphinium, foxglove, privet hedge, and monkshood) can be toxic to pets as well, so do your best to prevent your pets from “dining out.”

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RESTORING YOUTH TO YOUR EYES One of the first areas to show signs of aging is the under eyes. Our eyes are the focus of our face. As we age our eyebrows droop, our eyelids wrinkle and fall, and we develop “bags” and dark circles under our eyes. These changes result in an undesirably tired, aged and sad look. Fortunately, advances in medicine and cosmetic surgery can now reverse much of this aged look with little to no down time, with nominal discomfort, without scars, without the need for general anesthesia and with minimal risk. Below, I will discuss the options available in eye rejuvenation. WHAT CAUSES UNDER EYE BAGS? The sagging of the eyebrows, upper eyelids are from a combination of the natural aging process and our lifestyle. As we age, the fat in our face starts to shrink and reduce in volume. The cheek fat under the eyes also deflates and the veins become visible through the thin skin giving us the appearance of dark circles. As a result of this volume loss in the cheeks, the support fat that the eyeball sits upon may also become visible and appear to bulge as bags under the eyes giving a tired and aged look. UNDER EYE REJUVENATION WITH THE STEM CELL LIFT®

The most natural and logical way to correct the undesired effects of volume loss due to fat shrinkage and deflation is to replace the volume with what was there before, with fat. Under local anesthesia, the fat can be taken from any part of our body and injected into other areas (eyes, face, nose, hands, calves, buttocks, etc.) to sculpt the area and to fill it and restore volume. The fat contains the most concentration of adult tissue stem cells of any organ in the body. These mesenchymal stem cells have tremendous regenerative and rejuvenative capacities and are essential in correcting and maintaining the needed volume under the eyes. The Stem Cell Lift® procedure entails removing fat from the body using mini liposuction techniques; separating, concentrating and activating the stem cells found in the collected fat and 34 The Fight

preparing them for injection into the under eye and cheek areas. The stem cell rich fat restores the youthful volume, corrects the under eye bags and becomes part of its surrounding tissues. The Stem Cell Lift® gives a scar free and natural appearing look with long term benefits and with minimal risk. ADVANCES IN LOWER EYE LID SURGERY Blepharoplasty is the eyelid surgery done to get rid of the excess skin on the eyelids and to remove the bags under the eyes. In the past all the fat under the eye was removed which resulted in a more hollowed and therefore older appearance. Today, the fat is not removed but rather repositioned to fill the hollowed area under the eye. The amount of fat removed is to provide natural look and not a hollow, sunken or pulled look, as was done in the past. The lower eyelid fat is reached from inside the eyelid, leaving no visible scar on the face. This procedure does not require general anesthesia and is indicated in hypertrophic under eye fat pads. CONCLUSION Advanced cosmetic surgery techniques offer better, safer and more natural treatment methods to correct under eye bags. A face-to-face consultation is essential to establish individualized treatment plans that will optimally give you your desired cosmetic results.

Dr Nathan Newman is a world renowned cosmetic surgeon in Beverly Hills and the innovator of the Stem Cell Lift(r). Dr. Newman works in collaboration with finest specialists to provide the most comprehensive and individualized medical treatment for his patients. To learn more about Dr. Newman and his advanced cosmetic surgery procedures please visit NathanNewmanMD.com or Stem-Cell-Lift.com. To schedule a private consultation with Dr. Newman, please call 310-273-3344.

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The Fight 35

UNCOVERED:

THE DIARY PROJECT USING TEXT FROM ACTUAL, REAL-LIFE DIARIES OF LGBT PEOPLE, UNCOVERED’S POWERFUL DANCES REVEAL LIVES AND STORIES THAT HISTORY HAS TRIED TO ERASE .

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fter sold-out runs in San Francisco and New York, “Uncovered: The Diary Project” comes to Santa Monica for one weekend only.

Uncovered is a riveting exploration of LGBT life stories and the innermost secrets we keep in our diaries. The show is part of the month-long “BEHOLD” Festival of LGBT performance at Highways Performance Space. Using text from actual, real-life diaries of LGBT people, Uncovered’s powerful dances reveal lives and stories that history has tried to erase. Out spill diary secrets, bathhouse antics, pop idols, outrageous love, impossible courage and the importance of documenting and sharing our history. “Uncovered: The Diary Project” is choreographed by trailblazing transgender choreographer Sean Dorsey. SF Bay Guardian named the show in the “Top Dances of the Year” category.

“Uncovered: The Diary Project,” takes place on Friday/Saturday August 12 & 13 at 8:30pm at Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica. For ticket info call 310-315-1459 or visit: www. highwaysperfomance.org

36 The Fight

The Fight 37

COMMUNITY

GROUPS Asian/Pacific Gays and Friends www.apgf.org Gay Asian Pacific Support Network www.gapsn.org

Cheer LA Cheerleading www.cheerla.org

Get Centered Meditation Class. Call 323-860-7300

Los Angeles Lesbian Rugby www.eaglerockrugby.com

Seniors Services Call 323-860-7359.

Women’s Southern California Golf www.womensgolf.org/wscga

LA Rowing www.larowing.org

Los Angeles Lesbian Poker www.lalpg.com

Different Spokes Cycling www.differentspokes.com

Los Angeles Women on a Roll Luncheons, Comedy Nights, and Conversation Groups. www.womenonaroll.com

Southern California Blades Ice Hockey www.bladeshockey.com

Domestic Violence Support Call 323-860-5806 12-STEP GROUPS

Los Angeles Gay Aviation Club www.unusualattitudes.info Club Nur Gay Middle Eastern clubnur.com Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles www.gmcla.org Los Angeles Prime Timers Social group for older mature gay men and admirers www.laprimetimers.org Los Angeles Gay Bridge Club www.communityvisions.org/ IAGLBC Los Angeles Gay/Lesbian Scientists www.lagls.org Los Angeles Gay for Good www.gayforgood.org Los Angeles Gay Naturism www.cmen.info

All groups meet at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 N McCadden Place, Los Angeles. Call 323-860-7302 M-F between 6-9pm. - Alcoholics Anonymous Mondays, 6:10-7:10 p.m. - Crystal Meth Anonymous Saturdays, 9:10-10:10 a.m. - Debtors Anonymous Tuesdays, 8-9 p.m. - Marijuana Anonymous Wednesdays, 8:15-9:45 p.m. Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Overeaters Anonymous Wednesdays, 7-8 p.m. - Sexual Compulsives Anonymous Mondays, 8-9 p.m. Tuesdays, 8-9 p.m. Wednesdays, 8-9 p.m. Thursdays, 8:15-9:15 p.m. Saturdays, 12:15-1:45 p.m. - Women’s Narcotics Anonymous Saturdays, Noon-1 p.m. SPORTS

Los Angeles Prime Timers www.laprimetimers.org Bi-Osphere P.O.V. Call 323-860-7302. Transgender Perceptions Ccall 323-860-7302

Los Angeles Lesbian Softball www.lagaysoftball.com Los Angeles Lesbian Tackle Football www.californiaquakefootball. com

Los Angeles Gay Rodeo Club www.gsgra.org Los Angeles Gay Flag Football http://www.laflagfootball.com There’s also lesbian tackle football. West Hollywood Gay Rugby www.larebellion.org Los Angeles Pool League Friendly Billiard teams www.lapl8ball.com

Los Angeles Frontrunners www.lafrontrunners.com West Hollywood Soccer Club www.gaysoccer.com Los Angeles Gay Scuba Club www.barnaclebusters.org Los Angeles Gay Rock Climbing www.lalgbtclimbing.com West Hollywood Aquatics Swim and Water Polo Teams www.wh2o.org

Gay & Lesbian Bowling League www.tavernguildleague.com Saga LA Ski & Snowboard Club www.sagala.org V.O.I.L.A. Volleyball www.lagayvolleyball.com

Don’t See Your Group Listed? Send Details to: HGLWRU#WKH¿JKWPDJ FRP

Great Outdoors www.greatoutdoorsla.org Gay And Lesbian Sierrans Camping, Outdoors, Hiking http://angeles.sierraclub.org/ gls/and family.

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