THE FIGHT LGBT MAGAZINE ISSUE 008

ISSUE 008 SEPTEMBER 2011

CONVEYING WELLNESS

MARK ARIEL EXPLORES JOHN CONVEY’S PATH TO HEALING

ARMY OF LOVERS ANN ROSTOW PROBES DON’T ASK DON’T TELL’S DEMISE

THE VALUE OF ANONYMITY

ZINNIA JONES CHALLENGES FACEBOOK’S STAND ON TRANSPARENCY

ARMENIAN PRIDE

F. E. CORNEJO REVEALS LGBT COMMUNITY GROUP’S STRUGGLE

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SEPTEMBER/CONTENTS 12 14

ARMY OF LOVERS

Hidden Toxins

COVER STORIES AND FEATURES 10 CRUISING SILvER LAkE

council Removes “no cruising” signs

12 ARmY OF LOvERS

life after “don’t ask don’t tell”

16 THE vALUE OF ANONYmITY

challenging facebook’s stand on transparency

18 ARmENIAN PRIDE lgbt group’s struggle

20 CONvEYING wELLNESS

10

John convey’s path to healing

CRUISING SILVER LAKE

22 REAL mEN SEE DOCTORS being tough has its downfalls

20

28 THE CONSERvATIvE DILEmmA

CONVEYING WELLNESS

fighting abortion & gay Rights impasse

38 YEP, YOU’RE A BIGOT!

Religious views can’t excuse bigotry

IN EVERY ISSUE 06 08 14 24 26 30 32 34 35

28

THE ONSERVATIVE DILEMMA

LETTER FROm THE EDITOR HEADLINES ca gay student murder mistrial HIv/AIDS memoir of early aids years ROSTOw REPORT can’t stay in the closet LEGAL tinkering With the first amendment FINANCE the cost of being gay PET CARE treating dogs With allergies DINING Recommend Restaurant options COmmUNITY groups, Work shops, Resources

masthead

Editor-in-chief Stanford Altamirano managing Editor Mark Ariel art Director James Michael Gomez

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 F.E. Cornejo Nathan Neuman, M.D. Brodie Hubbard Foster

cover Photo and Inside feature Photography J Squared Photography, www.jsquaredphotography.com

on our cover

Grooming By Barbara Lamelza

THE FIGHT

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

A GAY REVOLUTION WELLNESS

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

Reading this month’s interview with acupuncturist John Convey (“Conveying Wellness,” pages 20-21), I was struck by the fact that Convey, at the young age of six years old, had already realized that his “homosexuality was as genetically based as were the color of my eyes.”

This realization, it seems, assisted Convey in coming to terms with his homosexuality much quicker than many LGBT folks I have met throughout the years.

Many of us continue to deal with, in varying degrees, throughout our lives, internalized homophobia - self-hatred aimed at ourselves for being gay/bi/trans men and women.

Most of us have experienced and absorbed negative labels and ideas about homosexuality for years. Even if you came from a family that did not speak negatively about homosexuality or even actively supported it, you still heard and absorbed a lot of messages from the culture as a whole.

The single most important step in liberating oneself from internalized homophobia is recognizing that the source is external - “programming” written by a society which, in general, is still negatively disposed towards homosexuality Realizing the source of this homophobia is the first step to dealing with it.

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HEADLINES

PROP 8 BACKERS MAY GET TO APPEAL The California Supreme Court may rule that the backers of Proposition 8 and other ballot measures have the right to defend them in court, a stance that would give opponents of same-sex marriage the chance to champion the initiative all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, reports The Los Angeles Times.

During an hour of oral arguments this month, several justices appeared skeptical that only elected state officials may defend measures passed by voters, as gay-rights lawyers claimed.

The seven-member court will decide within 90 days whether ProtectMarriage, the sponsors of Proposition 8, have the right to represent the state in litigation. That ruling will clear the way for the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to decide whether ProtectMarriage had standing to appeal U.S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker’s ruling against the 2008 ballot measure.

CALIFORNIA GAY STUDENT MURDER MISTRIAL The trial of a California middle school student who shot and killed a gay classmate during a morning computer lab ended in a mistrial this month when jurors said that after 17 hours of deliberations they could not agree whether to convict Brandon McInerney.

McInerney had just turned 14 when he shot King execution-style in a computer class in February 2008.

Student witnesses said the effeminate King had expressed a romantic interest in McInerney.

Legal experts have said charging the 14 year old McInerney as an adult might have been a mistake, even though California law allows it.

BULLYING DOC SCREENING IN LOS ANGELES A documentary on LGBT bullying in America’s schools, narrated by Lily Tomlin and featuring the mother of a teen who killed himself, will screen next month at Hollywood’s Sunset Gower Studios.

Teach Your Children Well explores the issue of bullying and violence against LGBT children. Wendy Walsh, the California mother of 13-year-old Seth, who committed suicide in 2010 as a result of bullying, appears in the film.

Tomlin says she got involved with the documentary because she personally saw the effects of bullying.

“I had a brother who was the object of tremendous harassment and intolerance, and he really suffered as a teenager, because of it,” Tomlin said in a release.

Lily Tomlin

TEXAS COLLEGE: NO LESBIANS ALLOWED A college in Texas is being sued for reportedly turning away a qualified teaching candidate because college administrators perceived her to be a lesbian, reports The Advocate at www.advocate.com.

Jacqueline Gill, a Ph.D. student and former high school English teacher, was hired as a temporary instructor at Tarrant County College in August 2009. Upon hiring for her temporary position, she was told that temporary instructors typically transition to work full-time at the college upon successful completion of a one-year contract.

According to Lambda Legal, which is co-representing Gill along with attorney Benjamin D. Williams, she received high praise from her colleagues, supervisors, and parents during her year of teaching. During the year, however, Gill punished a student for academic dishonesty, and the student retaliated by falsely claiming that Gill flirted with girls during class. She denied the claim, but English department chair Eric Devlin subjected Gill to a lengthy tirade against gay people, and said that “Texas and Tarrant County College do not like homosexuals.”

Lawrence King

In June 2010, near the end of her contract, she was not allowed to interview for a permanent teaching position.

U.K. TO LIFT GAY BLOOD DONORS BAN England, Scotland, and Wales will lift a lifetime ban on gay men donating blood, a restriction instituted in the 1980s but one not supported by scientific studies on blood supply safety.

The BBC reports that government ministers have agreed to allow men who have sex with men (MSM) to donate if they have not engaged in sexual activity within the past 12 months, effective in November (earlier this year, the U.K. had considered putting a 10-year deferral on MSM blood donation). Northern Ireland is expected to issue its own decision on the matter in the near future.

8 The Fight

The Fight 9

SILVER LAKE REMOVES “NO CRUISING” SIGNS Residents believe the signs “stigmatize” and embarrass the neighborhood

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he Silver Lake neighborhood council unanimously voted this month to remove “No Cruising” signs that have been up for nearly 20 years in the heart of the gay community.

The signs were erected as a way to clamp down on “gay cruising” along Griffith Park Boulevard, Hyperion Avenue and several other streets in the neighborhood east of Hollywood, reports www.nbclosangeles.com.

“I whole-heartedly vote for the removal of the signs. They are just more useless and offensive visual blight on our streets,” said Vaughan Davies, who wrote on the “Remove No Cruising Signs” Facebook page.

Charles Herman-Wurmfeld, a Silver Lake resident and at-large member of the council, spearheaded the effort.

“Recently, the public safety committee of the Silver Lake neighborhood council discussed and voted on this issue, finding that the signs were no longer effective tools of public safety,” wrote Herman-Wurmfeld. “These signs do not need to be a part of our living streets in 2012.”

In 1997, it was a different story. Residents encouraged officials to post the signs after men were spotted having sex with other men in public.

A Los Angeles Times article from 1997 describes the scene: “A nearby sex club had drawn crowds, as did the boulevard’s mention in gay guides.”

“In no way am I a moralist, but it would be embarrassing,” said one exasperated condo owner who regularly got an eyeful from his third floor balcony. “I’d have guests over and guys would be having sex” in the bushes below.

Today, residents say those types of clubs have closed and the neighborhood has changed. They believe the signs “stigmatize” and embarrass the neighborhood.

10 The Fight

The Fight 11

ARMY OF LOVERS What's our military policy now that "Don't Ask Don't Tell" is over?

BY ANN ROSTOW 12 The Fight

I

ndeed it feels as if we’ve gotten rid of the damn ban several times over, but it’s still here, flickering on and off like Tinker Bell without a live audience. And it will stay here with us until September 20 until it officially dies-we hope for good.

Shhhh. You remember the cheers last September when Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was struck by a federal court judge, who one month later, ordered the policy suspended. The law was quickly reinstated by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which put a stay on the ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Phillips.

Two months later, the lame duck Congress quacked to attention, limped into their chambers and repealed Don’t Ask. However, the repeal bill contained provisions for lengthy studies and training and certifications and Lord knows what else, leaving gay soldiers stuck in their closets for months and months.

Indeed, with a Republican House majority in place as of last January, Congress even reverted back to holding needless committee hearings and added little antigay barbs and pins to various defense bills just for the hell of it. I forget.

Something about how chaplains don’t have to conduct marriages and no one can play Barbra Streisand’s first two albums in the barracks.

Then, in July of this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit got fed up with the long rollout, and released its stay of that lower court decision from the fall of 2010.

Suddenly, without warning, Don’t Ask was once again struck from the books.

Maybe it was a coincidence, but the President and his military chieftains quickly certified the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, which triggered one final countdown, Under the language of the repeal bill, the policy will end sixty days after certification, which is how we arrived at September 20.

Meanwhile, Obama and company asked the Ninth Circuit to reinstate Don’t Ask for this short period of time, arguing that even if the law itself was unconstitutional, the orderly process of repeal must be allowed to run its course. The court agreed in part, but told the government that no discharges could take place based on asking or telling.

Since no contested discharges had taken place for months, that was not a problem.

But here’s the part worth watching. The Obama administration has also asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to just toss the whole Don’t Ask case (Log Cabin Republicans v USA) into the circular file and pretend it never happened. After all, the government says, the law has been struck and will soon be off the books.

Let’s just end the lawsuit. Fuggedaboudit!

Not so fast, say our brothers and sisters in constitutional litigation.

First, even if the Ninth Circuit says the case is moot, there’s no reason to void the lower court decision of Judge Virginia Phillips, who ruled that Don’t Ask was an unconstitutional violation of Free Speech and Due Process rights. We want that on the books.

We also want the thousands of ousted servicemembers to have a cause of action for future lawsuits, should they choose to protest their treatment. For that, they need Phillips’ opinion and/or a confirmation from the appellate court.

Further, the case is not “moot.” Don’t Ask may be on its deathbed, but there’s nothing to prevent a conservative administration or insane Congress from formulating some new anti-gay law or military policy. Indeed, Michelle Bachmann recently told the press that she thought Don’t Ask had “worked well” and she’d consider putting it back in place (presumably through executive order) if elected.

The fact that Michelle Bachmann will be elected president when pugs fly should be of no consequence to the appellate court. What matters is that even though the law will not survive the political process of today, its constitutionally flawed concepts should not be allowed to rise from the grave tomorrow.

Finally, it’s crucial to note that repealing Don’t Ask did nothing to guarantee equality or to ban sexual orientation discrimination in the military. Harry Truman’s famed executive order desegregating the armed forces went all the way: “ending immediately all discrimination and segregation based on race or color.”

In our case, we went from a policy ban, to a statutory ban, and now into some sort of limbo. A Ninth Circuit ruling on the merits of this long running case would at least give us some solid direction from an authority. I don’t know about you, but I think the judicial level one rung down from the Supreme Court is worth a listen.

A hearing in the Log Cabin case took place in beginning of the month. And on September 19 and 20, HBO is airing a documentary on the military ban, called “The Strange History of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.”

It has been strange.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE!

As far back as March 1778, homosexuality was grounds for dismissal from the Continental Army, when Lieutenant Frederick Enslin was found in bed with a soldier named John Monhort. Read Brodie Foster Hubbard’s exclusive article on Homosexuality in The Military at www.thefightmag.com

The Fight 13

WE WERE THERE A gut-punching

memoir of early AIDS years THIS COLUMN IS SPONSORED BY EDWIN’S PRESCRIPTION PHARMACY WWW.EDWINSRXPHARMACY.COM

I

f you go into combat in your 20s, and most of your close friends die, it’s tragic but not entirely unexpected. But if you were a young gay man in San Francisco or New York or Los Angeles or some other urban center in the early 1980s, odds were that if you didn’t die yourself, you would suddenly lose most of the people around you, be they friends, lovers, neighbors or even just acquaintances, writes Alonso Duralde at TheWrap.com.

The new feature length documentary “We Were Here” documents the coming of what was called the “Gay Plague” in the early 1980s. It illuminates the profound personal and community issues raised by the AIDS epidemic as well as the broad political and social upheavals it unleashed. It offers a cathartic validation for the generation that suffered through, 14 The Fight

and responded to, the onset of AIDS. It opens a window of understanding to those who have only the vaguest notions of what transpired in those years. It provides insight into what society could, and should, offer its citizens in the way of medical care, social services, and community support.

Early in the epidemic, San Francisco’s compassionate, multifaceted, and creative response to AIDS became known as “The San Francisco Model”. The city’s activist and progressive infrastructure that evolved out of the 1960’s, combined with San Francisco’s highly politicized gay community centered around the Castro Street neighborhood, helped overcome the obstacles of a nation both homophobic and lacking in universal healthcare. In it’s suffering, San Francisco mirrors the experience of so many American cities during those years. In its response, The San Francisco Model remains a standard to aspire to in seeking a healthier, more just, more humane society.

2011 marks 30 years since AIDS descended. Like an unrelenting hurricane, the epidemic roiled San Francisco for two decades and only began granting some reprieve with medical advancements in the late 90s. The death years of AIDS left the City ravaged and exhausted, yet, as in most of the developed world, the worst seems past. Though thousands are still living with HIV, and new infections continue at an alarming rate, the relentless suffering of the 80s and 90s has given way to a kind of calm, and, understandably, a degree of willful forgetfulness. “We Were Here” utilizes San Francisco’s experience with AIDS to open up an overdue conversation both about the history of the epidemic, and the lessons to be learned from it.

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The Fight 15

THE VALUE OF ANONYMITY

BY ZINNIA JONES

16

LA HEALTH NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2011

lahealthnews.com

For better or worse, anonymity allows us to see what people are really thinking. A message to Randi Zuckerberg

A

t a recent panel hosted by the esteemed IT journal “Marie Claire,” former Facebook marketing director Randi Zuckerberg (sister of Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg) said, “I think anonymity on the Internet has to go away. ... People behave a lot better when they have their real names down. ... I think people hide behind anonymity and they feel like they can say whatever they want behind closed doors.”

Well, isn’t that kind of the point? Using reputational impact as a means of behavior control sets up an implicit hierarchy of expression: there are things that people will say to your face, and there are things that they won’t. Randi Zuckerberg’s mistake is in assuming that everything people will not say therefore should not be said, should not be known, and is totally unimportant.

This is a critical error. For better or worse, anonymity allows us to see what people are really thinking. That is not something to be disposed of so casually. The fact that a certain idea may exact a social cost does not always mean that it shouldn’t be heard. One of the most significant offerings of the internet is that it has specifically provided an outlet for such views, unfettered by concerns of courtesy, tact, or social norms. Do people take advantage of this for the purposes of dishonesty, frivolity, spam, stupidity, prejudice, astroturfing, harassment, threats and crime?

Absolutely. But the very feature of anonymity that people so often condemn is precisely what gives it its unique value: unaccountability liberates people.

Supporters of anonymity will often cite its crucial role in the lives of whistleblowers, victims of stalking and violence, human rights activists, and citizens living under oppressive regimes. These are important purposes, but I don’t think we have to appeal to the most virtuous uses of anonymity in order to defend it. What if we want to know what people really have to say? Even the most idiotic, hateful and pointless posts provide a valuable window into what people are actually thinking, or even just what they feel comfortable expressing in private.

This is something we ought to be aware of. If people are secretly ignorant, violent and destructive, and they’re just waiting for this to become socially acceptable, we’ve learned something very important about them. And when these opinions are brought out into the open, they can be recognized for what they are, and addressed appropriately.

But by enshrining the dogma of social approval as an absolute metric, and using the fear of reputational injury to discourage honesty, opponents of anonymity aren’t just regulating the behavior of malcontents - they’re enforcing ignorance upon the rest of us. Anonymity offers us a

glimpse at the dark heart of society that only a fool would dismiss as irrelevant. And only through staring down the void in our collective soul can we come to understand how horrible the human race truly is.

The notion that the mandatory use of real names is an effective means of enforcing civility is not only misguided, but simply wrong. Facebook and its users stand in direct contradiction to this assumption, and they demonstrate this every day. Taken outside the walled garden of privacy controls, we all get to witness the most flagrant displays of misogyny, racism, homophobia, and religious ignorance of every stripe. Most importantly, the presence of real names does nothing to stop this. Instead, we find that people feel free to express such sentiments when they believe they’re in an environment that’s accepting of these views - regardless of whether they’re identified or not. Claiming that real names will solve any of this is like saying that bullying can’t happen because people will know who’s bullying them.

Obviously, it doesn’t work that way. If anything, the exposure of real names has only enabled entire communities to band together against these people in a witch hunt of internet stalking.

This is what requiring identification would really mean: everyone’s personal information would be out in the open for anyone else to use and abuse as they please. You might think that making everyone equally vulnerable would discourage any misbehavior. But for the same reason that nuclear deterrence is ineffective against the suicidal, some people simply don’t care. A threat to one’s social standing means absolutely nothing to someone with no sense of self-preservation, and everyone else would be left at the mercy of maniacs. If you thought that was a problem with anonymity, imagine how much worse it’ll be when everyone’s identity is there for the taking.

Cyberbullying may be a serious issue, but it is one issue, and it is not the only relevant consideration here. Rewriting the fundamental assumptions of the internet just because people are saying things they wouldn’t say in person is an unwarranted overreaction to something that can be addressed with far less extreme measures. However you choose to manage people’s identities on your blog, forum or profile is your own business. But to say that anonymity as a whole must be eradicated from the internet is to take that choice out of everyone’s hands. And even if you think you know better than they do, this is not your decision to make.

Some of us would like the opportunity to listen, and that means people must have the opportunity to speak.

Read more commentary by Zinnia Jones at: www.zinniajones.com/blog

ARMENIAN PRIDE

many armenian families are in denial that lgbtq armenians even exist

BY F. E. CORNEJO

I

n 1998, a group called the Gay and Lesbian Armenian Society (GALAS) was formed by a number of Armenians who were looking “to foster acceptance and promote equality of its gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender membership by empowering the members and enriching their lives.”

Board President, Pol Atteu, takes a definitive stance that “planning events for all members specifically designed to inspire and encourage a sense of community, and outreach to LGBTQ students in high schools through the Gay/ Straight Alliance,” is the best execution of the group’s mission. The family sensibility of the organization doesn’t allow for picketing and rallying. The civil rights work here is done by planting a seed of hope.

The majority of “out” LGBTQ Armenians come from strong tightly knit families and communities, from which they have been rejected either emotionally or literally. In response, GALAS launched the Psychotherapy Outreach Program, offering “individual and group therapy for difficulties in relationships (of any kind), depression, anxiety, stress, and coming out,” at little or no cost. The beauty of this organization is that anyone who understands and is interested in enriching the lives of the LGBTQ community is welcome, regardless of sexual orientation or race.

“We have many supporters and members that are not Armenian and that covers high school students all the way through people in their 50’s and 60’s. We also have transgender members,” says former Board President, Armen Sarkissian. But he laments that, “Many Armenian families are in denial that LGBTQ Armenians even exist!” Should the organization fall apart many young Armenians may follow in the footsteps of Tyler Clementi, who felt that there was no other option. There are over 500 subscribers to the Facebook page, but only 114 active members.

Atteu has big plans for building the membership, “As an international Celebrity Designer, I hope my international profile will bring GALAS to the forefront and help the organization to grow.” The visibility of Role Models for Armenian LGBTQ community is as crucial as family. Is a healthy family life possible for LGBTQ Armenians? It is if you agree with Sarkissian, that “the biggest and most important way we put our mission statement in action is to exist and be there as a support system to whoever needs help.”

For more information about GALAS or the Psychotherapy Outreach Program visit www.galasla.org 18 The Fight

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The Fight 19

WELLNESS

ConveyING Wellness Popular West Hollywood Acupuncturist John Convey on coming out, living with HIV, Eastern medicine and finding inner peace

BY MARK ARIEL 20 The Fight

“I don’t mind what happens.”

WHEN DID YOU COME OUT TO YOURSELF? I don’t remember

f hat simple, yet profoundly f liberating statement is acupuncturist John Convey’s personal affirmation. “I don’t mind what happens… I truly don’t. I simply am not invested in an outcome of my life, nor the situations that come in and out of it. I enjoy being happy.”

having to “come-out” to myself. I do remember arguing with God about his “homosexual creation,” he called “Johnny”. At age six, I remember being so angry with myself for being gay but also fully aware that there was no outside influence involved; this was an inside job. Somehow, I just knew that my homosexuality was as genetically based as were the color of my eyes, blue.

Convey, 42, founder of the popular WeHo-based “Evolve Wellness Center,” is considered by many to be one of the leading wellness practitioners in Los Angeles. His faithful clientele rave about his uncanny healing abilities, his genuine concern for his patients and his peaceful demeanor.

wanted to be a doctor of some sort.

When I was little, eight or nine years old, I wanted to be a veterinarian. As I grew, my desire for healing led me from pets to people and becoming a

T

After receiving his Masters of Science from Samra University, Convey studied with Japanese Acupuncture Master Kiiko Matsumoto and Daoist Master/ Acupuncturist Jeffrey C. Yuen as well as studying with Japanese monks the art of Buddhist meditation.

Utilizing a holistic approach in his healing therapies, Convey combines Traditional Chinese Medicine, Japanese-style Acupuncture, Reiki, nutritional counseling and wellness coaching to assist his patients in maintaining optimal health.

In an interview with THE FIGHT Convey talks about coming out, living with HIV, Eastern medicine and finding life’s true calling.

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? I grew up just outside the valley in a rural town called Agoura Hills. We lived in one of the only track home developments at the time. There was a ranch with horses and a couple of cows. The ranch was huge and the rolling hills became County property or “open space” that you could barely see way off in the distance.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR UPBRINGING? I had what I thought was

an all-American childhood with a dash of the Catholic Church regurgitating nonsense to me… While I was as a good student and enjoyed school, my secret life cast a shadow over my adolescence.

from my doctor that I had, at best, six months to live. I assumed, at that time, that I would most likely not live to practice medicine. After a serious bout with tonsillitis, my boyfriend at the time suggested acupuncture. In a single treatment, acupuncture was able to rid my body of the infection, and I began to wonder what effect it could have for those of us living with HIV.

CAN YOU SHARE MORE OF YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH AT WHAT POINT IN YOUR LIFE DID PERSONAL YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN THE ACUPUNCTURE AND THE TREATMENT WELLNESS FIELD? I have always OF HIV/AIDS? Treating a patient with HIV is no different than treating someone with digestive problems.

As an acupuncturist, we are simply focused on the current state of the individual. Two patients with HIV could come in for treatment, but could have two different diagnoses, therefore, two different treatments.

I was taught in school to treat the person, not the disease. I obviously believe in this medicine because of my own personal growth and healing that occurred following treatment.

This belief continues to grow each day as I observe the same healing results with each of my patients.

“I realize life was designed to be lived to its fullest. I learned to not only chase my dreams but to truly live them. We all experience fear in life CAN ACUPUNCTURE HELP WITH THE but I learned to turn SIDE EFFECTS A PATIENT SUFFERS fear into fuel and THROUGH WHILE TAKING HIV fight” doctor of medicine was how I would be able to heal them. When I reached my early teens, I realized that working with patients, rather then pets would be more relevant. I am one of the lucky ones, I guess. I have always known that I had a knack for comforting people and a keen intuition that proved to be healing... My curiosity led me to really want to understand, “how dis-ease works”. Through my own challenges, opportunities and experiences, I began to understand the disease process, learning to not only treat/ prevent disease, but also to inspire others to access their own ability to maintain health and wellbeing.

TO WHAT DEGREE DID YOUR HIV STATUS INFLUENCE YOUR DECISION TO GO INTO THIS FIELD? At 19 years of age I was

MEDICATIONS? Absolutely. The human body is the most miraculous machine you’ll ever own. Acupuncture is a catalyst for the body’s own ability to heal itself. Each needle stimulates the body’s many cellular communication systems. Once your system is inspired the door to alternative treatment opens and healing begins.

WHAT REALIZATIONS DO YOU HAVE TODAY THAT YOU DIDN’T HAVE BEFORE THIS JOURNEY? I realize

life was designed to be lived to its fullest. I learned to not only chase my dreams but to truly live them. We all experience fear in life but I learned to turn fear into fuel and fight.

To learn more about John Convey and the Evolve Wellness Center visit: www.evolvewellness.com

diagnosed with HIV, with a prognosis The Fight 21

REAL MEN SEE DOCTORS being tough may have some advantages but it’s also killing us

T

here’s no two ways about it: we men don’t take very good care of ourselves. Far too many of us don’t ever see a doctor unless there’s something seriously wrong or our partner makes the appointment for us.

Men are half as likely to visit a doctor for a check-up as women are, and there are over 7 million American men who haven’t seen a doctor in over 10 years. And even when we do go to the doctor, we often don’t feel comfortable talking about our health.

changes, would you?) If something’s hurting or just doesn’t seem right, call. Even if you’re feeling great, call anyway.

The time to see your doctor isn’t when you’re hooked up to life support. It’s now, when you’re feeling healthy.

Below is a summary of important steps you can take to improve the quality - and length - of your life.

• Eat a varied diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat foods.

So why don’t we take better care of ourselves? Part of the reason is the way we’re brought up. As little boys, we’re taught not to cry, not to complain, and not to show any signs of weakness. We ignore our aches and pains and play through our injuries. In our 20s, we think we’re indestructible and see going to the doctor as a waste of time and money. In our 30s, we’re too busy with our career to go, and by the time we’re in our 40s we don’t go because we’re afraid of what we’ll find out.

• Be especially careful to limit cholesterol intake and avoid saturated fats.

Being tough may have some advantages. But it’s also killing us. Most life-threatening illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, can be treated or cured if they’re caught early. However, one recent study found that twothirds of men wouldn’t even go to the doctor if they were experiencing chest pain or shortness of breath-two early warning signs of a heart attack.

• Don’t smoke.

• Exercise at least 30 minutes, three days per week.

• Protect yourself from the sun.

• Maintain a healthy weight.

• Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day.

• Limit alcohol to two drinks per day.

• See your doctor regularly.

• Know your family history & discuss it with your doctor.

• If you are over 40, get a baseline PSA (prostate specific antigen) test. Monitor this periodically with your doctor.

• Practice safe sex.

So here’s the deal. If you can’t remember the last time you had a complete physical, pick up the phone and make an appointment. (You wouldn’t let 10 years go between oil 22 The Fight

22

LA HEALTH NEWS

JULY 2011

lahealthnews.com

The Fight 23

Can’t Keep That Closet Closed Can you believe we have another antigay GOP lawmaker caught with his pants down in manon-man cyberspace? No, I’m not talking about Phil Hinkle, the married Indiana house member who set up a date with a guy on Craigslist.

Hinkle, 64, later explained to the press that he was not gay, and did not really know what was going on his mind when he exchanged several emails with a teenage boy and arranged for a paid sex date in a hotel.

But as I said, Hinkle is not our guy. Hinkle is so last week. This week, we are following the antics of Puerto Rico senator Roberto Arango, another Republican who dutifully cast his votes against gay rights on several recent occasions.

Frankly, I didn’t even realize there were any gay measures up for debate in San Juan this year, but I gather there was something about gay marriage and something about adoption rights. No and no, said Roberto.

Arango recently published a self-portrait on Grindr, a naked shot of his rear end taken on all fours through some kind of contortion. Arango resigned a few days later, telling the press that he could not recall if he took the picture, but conceded that it was possible. The lawmaker said he’d been on a diet and lost some weight, so much so that he’d been taking photos of his new physique. This might have been one of them.

He actually said that!

Ann Rostow “Since when does a slot on Dancing With the Stars require a jump through 1950s All American hoops? “ 24 The Fight

Grindr, of course, is an all male smart phone app that is used mainly for hooking up. Perhaps there are few guys out there using Grindr to meet new friends and exchange movie or book reviews. But those rare Grindr users are not posting close-ups of their nude posteriors on the site.

Well, I hardly know what to say. This is getting to be old hat. And as I’ve said before, the real question is not, “Why the hypocrisy?” It’s, “What are they thinking?” These are not online avatars. They are relatively public men who somehow think they can expose themselves and solicit sex on the Internet without anyone noticing. Are they stupid?

Arrogant? Unhinged? Trying to get caught?

And finally, they’re such cowards. Why can’t they just tell the truth and accept the consequences? But like the toddler alone in the living room who insists he didn’t break the lamp that crashed to the ground five seconds earlier, these adult men roll their eyes to the heavens and expect us to believe that their evil imaginary twin

TOP CHEF As for the other GLBT news, it keeps slipping out of my head. Usually I keep about five stories at the front of my mind while I write, but this week they are dissolving as quickly as I can look them up. The new CEO of Apple is gay. But I’m not sure that’s a big story. I mean, what can you say? Good luck, Tim! Oh, and some people are upset that Chaz Bono is going to be on Dancing With the Stars because he’s a transman. Really? Since when does a slot on Dancing With the Stars require a jump through 1950s All American hoops?

Not that Dancing With the Stars should set the bar for trans-inclusion. Far from it. But please.

Timmy was the one soliciting online sex.

There is also a gay cannibal in the news, but I’ll have to look him up. Here it is, from six days ago: “Russian Cannibal Ate Gay Date,” off the GlobalPost website.

BALLS OF POLYSTRENE

Seems the 21-year old chef, Ivan L, lured his 32-yearold buddy to his Murmansk flat, stabbed him to death, cut off his feet and head, and fashioned meatballs out of the torso. He also uploaded video of the gruesome stovetop scenes onto the

I have the Volokh Conspiracy to thank for an interesting item indeed.

According to this legal website, a woman in South Carolina is being prosecuted for sporting a pair of plastic testicles on the back of her car.

Under Palmetto State law, the Conspiracy tells us, a driver can be fined for operating “a motor vehicle in this State which has affixed or attached to any part of the motor vehicle which is visible to members of the public not occupying the vehicle any sticker, decal, emblem, or other device containing obscene or indecent words, photographs, or depictions.”

My my my! It seems that the “device” in question here is considered “indecent,” which would mean in this instance that it portrayed a part of the human body in a “patently offensive way” and lacked artistic value to boot.

Fortunately for the driver, the sages at the Conspiracy believe that South Carolina would be hard pressed to defend their plastic testicle policy under settled principles of constitutional law.

The Supreme Court has ruled that “vulgarity, with no sexually arousing component,” is protected under the First Amendment, ergo, the naughty accessories dangle well above the reach of the law. We’re all assuming here that the sight of plastic testicles does, in fact, lack a “sexually arousing component,” and here, I can only speak for myself, and perhaps as well for my cohort of lesbian baby boomers.

Internet. According to a different source, the Independent, the murder took place in the bathtub.

After killing his victim, Ivan ran warm water to soften up the corpse for butchering. Oh, and he also made sausages as well as meatballs.

Here’s the kicker. According to the Independent, Ivan faces 15 years in prison, assuming he is found competent to stand trial. Fifteen years? For eating someone?

Seems a bit lenient to me. Ivan explained to police that he wanted to try human flesh. He picked his victim from a gay website because gay men are easier to manipulate and more private than other people.

Guys, be careful out there.

Particularly when cruising around the Arctic Circle.

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 25

LEGAL

TINKERING WITH THE FIRST AMENdMENT

public school’s administRatoRs have the poWeR to shut doWn highly pRovocative speech. but “gay? fine by me!” haRdly qualifies

BY ANN ROSTOW

T

his month we have a public school T-Shirt lawsuit.

You know. The student is told to remove his or her pro-gay or anti-gay shirt, and promptly threatens a First Amendment challenge. The school says that it is only acting in order to maintain order on campus. Lawyers note that kids do not leave their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate. In general, the T-Shirt wins.

I generally root for the T-Shirt, gay or straight, as long as the slogan isn’t mean or obscene. And, luckily for me this time, the shirt was worn by one of the good gals, a sophomore at Hoover High in Alabama named Sara Couvillon, who proclaimed: “Gay? Fine by me!” Sara had worn the shirt several times without incident, but this time, for whatever reason, she was told to take it off “for her own safety.”

It’s true that a public school’s obligation to maintain order gives administrators the power to shut down highly provocative speech. But “Gay? Fine by me!” hardly qualifies.

Even if a fellow student were to react to the sentiment with violence, the school’s duty would be to take the violent student off the campus, not give him or her the proverbial heckler’s veto over Sara’s speech.

26 The Fight

In a letter to the Hoover officials, a lawyer for the Southern Poverty Law Center’s LGBT office offered this High Court citation from history’s most famous high school speech case, Tinker v Des Moines: “Any departure from absolute regimentation may cause trouble. Any variation from the majority’s opinion may inspire fear. Any word spoken, in class, in the lunchroom, or on the campus that deviates from the views of another person may start an argument or cause a disturbance. But our Constitution says we must take this risk. [It is] this sort of hazardous freedom - this kind of openness - that is the basis of our national strength and of the independence and the vigor of Americans who grow up and live in this relatively permissive, often disputatious, society.”

“ ... tHis sort oF HaZardous Freedom - tHis kind oF oPenness - tHat is tHe basis oF our national strengtH and oF tHe indePendenCe and tHe Vigor oF ameriCans... “ Happily, the school seemed impressed with the SPLC’s reasoning. A couple of days later, Hoover authorities reversed themselves, noting that since Sara’s shirt did not actually pose a disruption, she could continue to sport the gay friendly expression. I suppose that’s a step in the right direction.

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The Fight 27

THE CONSERVATIVE DILEMMA The abortion train and the gay rights express are heading down differenT PATHS

BY ANN ROSTOW

H

ave you noticed that the media tends to lump the debates on abortion and samesex marriage into a monolithic category of “conservative social issues?” I don’t think that’s true anymore.

Conservatives will acknowledge that life partners deserve legal recognition. And the two issues will continue to diverge from there. No longer will simplistic pundits toss” choice and gay rights” into the same ideological basket.

Sure, the far right still stands staunchly for life and traditional values. But the two questions are actually far removed and have very different political trajectories.

While views on abortion rights have become more nuanced and murky over the last couple of decades, opinion son same-sex marriage and other matters of gay civil rights have become more focused and lucid.

Don’t get me wrong. I believe abortion rights are necessary. But abortion is not a happy thing. It’s the solution for a tragedy; rape, incest, birth defects and health complications. Or it may the solution for an unplanned pregnancy. But it’s notsomething to celebrate or cheer for. It’s kind of like bankruptcy law.

You need access, but you don’t want to use it.

That makes sense. The right to marry is based on clear-cut principles of equal rights. The right to an abortion is based on difficult philosophical theories of life itself. And as Americans look beneath the surface of the sound bites, they face very different demands on their hearts.

Earlier this year, the head of Focus on the Family, Jim Daly, told a Christian interviewer that he thought the Christian right had probably lost on the issue of samesex marriage, based on demographics. He implied as well that the Christian right may have gone overboard in its antigay fervor and detached itself from its underlying culture. And headed that Christians might be advised to examine their own casual attitude towards heterosexual marriage.

On abortion, he seemed to think the war could still be won, and cited relatively high pro-life positions among younger generations.

Indeed, I think he’s right, and I think that increasingly people on all sides of the political spectrum will begin to hold common views on abortion rights and gay marriage.

Liberals will admit that a healthy woman who aborts a healthy six-month fetus is flirting with infanticide.

28 The Fight

Abortion must be legal, but there is only one reason that anyone would object to a federal law that prohibited non-health related abortions of viable fetuses over five or six months. And that’s politics.

Pro-choice advocates fear that if you draw a line in the sand at five or six months, the line will shift towards three or four. If you can’t define health reasons in a statute, you could end up endangering women when a conservative doctor claims an abortion is not medically necessary. But to kill what is essentially a premature baby for nuclear reason? Can’t we all agree that such a decision is unacceptable?

On the other hand, the Supreme Court’s draconian ruling against partial birth abortion exacerbated the political friction, because partial birth abortions are virtually exclusively used in medical emergencies, and these are the cases that focus on the mother’s health.

Outlawing the best medical practice puts these mothers at risk, and those on the pro-life side always seem to forget that mothers are “alive” as well. Or they were, before some pregnancy related dilemma killed them because their doctor couldn’t perform the correct procedure.

I’m going to skip over abortions in the four or five month ranges, because, well, I can’t figure out where I stand. But abortions for women who are three months pregnant or less is simply, a necessary evil. Because again, if you are

“Common ground on same-sex marriage is equality. Common ground, on abortion, It’s a murky subjeCT” pro-life, you are also concerned with the life of the woman who has accidentally gotten pregnant but who lacks the means, support or the desire to become a parent. Yes, this little thing is a life interrupted, but early pregnancies are interrupted all the time by nature.

And in this early stage, it is note viable fetus, but a clump of cells, or a zygote or whatever.

But, it’s still very sad. Absent an abortion, this little thing or clump is on a straight road to becoming a unique human being. This woman will forever check the calendar and imagine how old her daughter or son would be. The prolife politicians who oppose such abortions aren’t in the same category as those who compare same-sex marriage to bestiality. They have a legitimate point of view.

Most of us on the gay left are so used to following our progressive political agenda in lockstep, without stopping for self-examination, that we reflexively react against any “pro-life” politician and assume that he or she is part of the enemy camp. But what do we really think about the subject?

I think many on the conservative side have been doing the same thing with same-sex marriage, even as their internal voices wonder why they should battle a committed couple

with two kids who live in the suburbs, drive the carpool and pays taxes.

This needless conflict will continue as long as we stay at loggerheads even as common ground is right before in front of us.

Common ground on same-sex marriage is equality.

After all, common ground doesn’t mean splitting the difference. It means finding sincere areas of agreement and philosophical comfort. Common ground in the fights against slavery and segregation was not some middle-ofthe-road compromise. It was equality. Here as well, equality rings true even in the hearts of gay opponents, and they will eventually answer that bell.

Common ground on abortion? I’m not sure where it lies, because as said at the start. It’s a murky subject. Yes, it’s necessary, not just for medical reasons, but early on for humane reasons. But while we’re lambasting anyone who disagrees with us or hampers our right to choose, let’s also listen to the truth within us that says life is precious. That voice was preempted to some extent when the other side cleverly stole the adjective “pro-life,” and branded the rest of us with the insipid “pro-choice.” But you know what? We are all pro-life. And that will be our common ground even as abortion law remains a contested field.

The Fight 29

FINANCE

THE COST OF BEING GAY

Tax Changes for Gay Married New Yorkers

N

ow that gay marriage is legal in New York, legally wed couples will be subject to new state tax rules, which affect everything from income and sales taxes to estate planning.

they are going to need to fill out their federal return twice: They must file their official return as individuals, but they must also complete a dummy federal return as if they were married so that they can compute their New York taxes.

While New York recognized same-sex unions performed elsewhere before the state started issuing marriage licenses of its own two month ago, that recognition did not extend to tax matters. Now it does, reports Tara Siegel Bernard on the New York Times Money blog at www.bucks.blogs. nytimes.com.

Couples who were married as of Dec. 31, 2011, will be considered married for the entire year, which means they must file their 2011 returns as married. That said, the law is not retroactive, so you can’t amend a prior year’s return, or file a 2010 return that is on extension, using a married filing status (even if you were married at the time).

The new tax rules, in fact, apply to all legally married gay couples who are living in New York, even if they were married outside the state.

Going forward, gay couples may also want to consider changing the amount of state tax that is withheld from their paychecks in light of their new filing status. To make any changes to withholding, members of same-sex couples can file a new state withholding allowance form (known as IT2104) with their employers.

Of course, since the federal government does not recognize same-sex unions, that equal recognition still does not apply for federal tax purposes. So couples will need to maintain a double identity of sorts: one for the state, another for the federal government.

So how will couples’ tax lives change? And what do they need to do differently? The state tax department recently issued guidance for these couples, outlining some of their rights and responsibilities. The changes went into effect on July 24 as part of the broader marriage equality law.

Married couples must now file their state income tax returns using a married filing status, even though they must continue to file as either singles or heads of households on their federal returns.

As a result, same-sex couples are likely to spend more time - and money, if they hire an accountant. That is because 30 The Fight

But they should run the numbers before they do. Married couples who earn more than $75,000 each and plan on filing a joint return may want to continue to keep their “single” withholding so that they don’t end up owing the state money in April because of the marriage penalty, said Tina Salandra, a New York accountant with expertise in samesex couples’ issues. The penalty causes married couples to owe more money than if they filed their returns separately.

For more info on this topic visit: www.bucks.blogs.nytimes. com

TREATING DOGS WITH ALLERGIES

J

ust like people, dogs can show allergic symptoms when their immune systems begin to recognize certain everyday substances - or allergens - as dangerous.

Even though these allergens are common in most environments and harmless to most animals, a dog with allergies will have an extreme reaction to them. Allergens can be problematic when inhaled, ingested or contact a dog’s skin.

As his body tries to rid itself of these substances, a variety of skin, digestive and respiratory symptoms may appear.

Any dog can develop allergies at any time during his life, but allergic reactions seem to be especially common in terriers, setters, retrievers, and flat-faced breeds such as pugs, bulldogs and Boston terriers.

A few common allergens include: tree, grass and weed pollens, mold spores, dust and house dust mites, dander, perfumes, cleaning products and food ingredients (e.g. beef, chicken, pork, corn, wheat or soy).

It often takes some detective work to find out what substance is causing the allergic reaction. Dogs with a food allergy will commonly have itchy skin, breathing difficulties or gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea and vomiting, and an elimination diet will most probably be used to determine what food he is allergic to. If your dog is specifically allergic to chicken, for example, you should avoid feeding him any products containing chicken protein or fat.

Please note that food allergies may show up in dogs at any age. If you think your dog has allergies visit your veterinarian. After taking a complete history and conducting a physical examination, he or she may be able to determine the source of your dog’s allergic reaction. If not, your vet will most probably recommend skin or blood tests, or a special elimination diet, to find out what’s causing the allergic reaction.

32 The Fight

The Fight 33

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GREAT INDIA CAFE DELICIOUS INDIAN CUISINE

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SEPTEMBER CALENDAR COMPILED BY F.E. CORNEJO

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH

THEATER

BENEFIT

DOG SEES GOD: CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BLOCKHEAD

AN OLD FASHIONED DRAG QUEEN TUPPERWARE PARTY

LYRIC-HYPERION THEATRE, 2106 HYPERION AVENUE LOS ANGELES. FRIDAY-SATURDAY, 8PM, SUNDAY, 7PM, 323-413-PLAY [7529]. $15.

The Linden Bay Collaborative presents Charlie Brown and the Peanuts Gang in their high school years. Snoopy has died and the group is falling apart; engaging in and confronted with bullying, drug use, eating disorders, teen violence and sexual identity. A portion of proceeds benefit: The Trevor Project. www..thetrevorproject.com

MUSIC FIREWORKS FINALE: A NIGHT AT THE MOULIN ROUGE

HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 2301 NORTH HIGHLAND AVENUE, HOLLYWOOD. FRIDAY & SATURDAY, 8:30PM, SUNDAY, 7:30PM. FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION 323-850-2000 OR HOLLYWOODBOWL.COM Enjoy the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra performs An American in Paris and other French-themed favorites. Then experience the jazzy cabaret sounds of Paris Combo and dancers from the legendary Moulin Rouge, followed by a dazzling fireworks display.

EQUATOR CAFÉ, 22 MILLS PLACE, PASADENA. TUESDAY, 6PM This month’s “Princes of Pasadena” gay mixer will be emceed by winner of “the titleand crown of Miss Tijuana Natural Springs Water,” Chico’s Angels star Kay Sedia. Kay’s Tupper Ware show will begin at 7 pm. “The Princes of Pasadena” host monthly mixers, to raise funds for Gay/ Gay Friendly charities and improve the community for everyone.” A percentage of Tupper Ware and bar sales will be donated to AIDS Service Center.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23rd

PHILANTHROPY APLA & MACY’S PASSPORT PRESENT GLAMORAMA 2011 “ARTRAGEOUS”

THE ORPHEUM THEATRE, 842 S. BROADWAY, LOS ANGELES. FRIDAY, 8PM. FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW. MACYS.COM/GLAMORAMA. TICKETS RANGE FROM $75 - $1,000. HIGH FASHION. FIERCE PERFORMANCES. One Unforgettable Night. Collections include Bar III, Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld for Impulse, Papi, Tommy Hilfiger, Trace

Reese and more! Featuring Cee Lo Green with Far East Movement, and special guests Sharon Stone and Pauley Perrette with a special tribute to Dame Elizabeth Taylor.” The event helps raise money for various charities that help fight childhood illness, cancer and HIV/AIDS levels, blood pressure, bone density,

EVENT OUT ON THE MOUNTAIN : MAGIC MOUNTAIN SPECIAL LGBT EVENT

SIX FLAGS MAGIC MOUNTAIN, 26101 MAGIC MOUNTAIN PKWY., VALENCIA, 91355. FRIDAY, 6PM-1AM. FOR INFORMATION 661-2554527 OR WWW.OUTONTHEMOUNTAIN.COM The 4th annual Magic Mountain LGBT Private Party will be co-hosted by DJ Ray Rhodes and Los Angeles drag diva, Ingénue. The party is closed to the general public for this special gay and gay-friendly event (no regular tickets or season passes accepted).

PHILANTHROPY IMPULSE GROUP’S END OF SUMMER ROOFTOP PARTY & AIDS WALK THANK YOU PARTY

AIDS HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION, 6660 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD, LOS ANGELES. FRIDAY, 7PM. FOR PRICE AND DETAILS VISIT WWW.IMPULSEGRP.ORG Impulse Group is a newly formed group of socially active young gay men in colThe Fight 35

SEPTEMBER CALENDER laboration with AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) whose purpose is to promote healthier sexual lifestyles using modern social approaches.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24th

DISCOURSE JAMIE LEE CURTIS : LOVE WISELY, LOVE WELL VALLEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, 18111 NORDHOFF ST, NORTHRIDGE. SATURDAY, 8PM. FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION 818677-3000.

Gay right’s supporter and philanthropist, Jamie Lee Curtis is the author of numerous best-selling children’s books. Ms. Curtis is also an AIDS activist and is the official spokesperson for The Children Affected by AIDS Foundation.

EVENT MIND, BODY & SOUL: A LESBIAN HEALTH CONFERENCE

THE VILLAGE AT ED GOULD PLAZA,1125 N. MCCADDEN PLACE, LOS ANGELES. SATURDAY, 9:3AM-7:30PM. RESERVATIONS 323-8607394 OR WWW.LAGAYCENTER.ORG/MINDBODYSOUL. FREE. L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center offers a full day of workshops and special guest speakers that address every aspect of health and well-being for lesbians/bisexual women.

Featured Speakers: Dr. Neva Chauppette, Addictive Habits in the Lesbian Community, Jewel Thais-Williams, Being a Healthy Lesbian Girl, Sarah Tomchesson, Girl on Girl 101: Queering Your Sex.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4th

DISCOURSE EDGY

CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT CENTER, 1000 N. ALAMEDA ST. LOS ANGELES. FOR INFORMATION ON ATTENDING CALL 818-894-3384 / 818-332-8209 36 The Fight

Embracing Diversity of GLBTQ Youth & Families; Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Transgender, and Questioning, dedicated to professionals who work with GLBTQ Youth and Families. Includes Continental Breakfast.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9th

Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles http://www.gmcla.org Los Angeles Prime Timers Social group for older mature gay men and admirers www.laprimetimers.org Los Angeles Gay Bridge Club http://www.communityvisions.org/IAGLBC Los Angeles Gay/Lesbian Scientists www.lagls.org

ARTS THE VENICE FOOD & ARTS FESTIVAL & BITCH, THE PLAY VENICE CENTER FOR PEACE WITH JUSTICE AND THE ARTS, 2210 LINCOLN AVENUE, VENICE. SUNDAY, FESTIVAL OPENS AT 11AM AND IS FREE. Performance of “BITCH” at 4 p.m. and tickets are $20. For more details: femaledogproductions@gmail.com An event celebrating women in business and the arts. “BITCH” is a collection of 13 monologues inspired by personal experiences.

DISCOURSE THE 2011 USC LGBT CONFERENCE & SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON

RONALD TUTOR CAMPUS CENTER, UNIVERSITY PARK CAMPUS. SUNDAY, 8:30AM - 2:30PM. FOR FULL DETAILS VISIT HTTP:// ALUMNIGROUPS.USC.EDU/LAMBDA/ Conference brings together leaders in the Southern California queer community to discuss the ever-changing landscape of LGBT life, and how all of us can be involved in its improvement. All proceeds benefit the programs of the USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association.

GROUPS Asian/Pacific Gays and Friends www.apgf.org Gay Asian Pacific Support Network WWW.GAPSN.ORG LOS ANGELES GAY AVIATION CLUB Pilots, Flights Attendants, Mechanics. www.unusualattitudes.info Club Nur Gay Middle Eastern clubnur.com

Gay Play Every Friday, 11am-2:30pm. The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 N McCadden Place, Los Angeles. For more information call: 323-993-7430. Free. Weekly group for the LGBT parents or guardians of infants and toddlers, up to 3 years old.

Los Angeles Gay for Good Gays making a commitment to volunteer for social welfare and environmental service projects. www.gayforgood.org Los Angeles Gay Naturism California Men Enjoying Naturism www.cmen.info Los Angeles Prime Timers Older mature gay men and admirers. www.laprimetimers.org Bi-Osphere P.O.V. Every 2nd Wednesday, 8-9:30pm. The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 N McCadden Place, Los Angeles. For more information, call 323-860-7302 M-F between 6-9pm. Topic-driven discussion for women and men who identify as, or are exploring bisexuality.

Transgender Perceptions Every Friday, 8pm. The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 N McCadden Place, Los Angeles.

For more information, call 323-860-7302 M-F between 6-9pm.

Social networking group offers a safe and welcoming opportunity for people of any age and gender identity to learn from others and to share experiences.

Seniors Services Ongoing, The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 N McCadden Place, Los Angeles.

For more information, call 323-860-7359.

Domestic Violence Support Ongoing, L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, 1625 N Schrader Blvd. Los Angeles. For more information, call 323-860-5806.

Bienestar: Sabores Youth Program.

Locations vary. For additional information, contact Victor Sanchez, Director of Youth Services at (323) 727-7896 ext. 116. Free.

One of Bienestar’s HIV prevention programs geared to educate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) youth ages of 14 to 24. Sabores is offered in Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties.

12-STEP GROUPS All groups meet at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza 1125 N McCadden Place, Los Angeles. For more information, 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.

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The Fight 37

FINAL FIGHT

YEP, YOU’RE A BIGOT! You don’t get a pass on bigotry by claiming that a god agrees with you

BY ZINNIA JONES

N

owadays, one of the most common arguments made by opponents of gay marriage is that they would be considered bigots if gay marriage is legal. The National Organization for Marriage gets a lot of mileage out of the claim that children will be taught that their parents are bigoted, and people of faith will be seen as discriminatory.

Recently, former senator Rick Santorum got into an argument with a high school student, where he complained: “I had Piers Morgan call me a bigot - because I believe what the Catholic Church teaches with respect to homosexuality, I’m a bigot. So now I’m a bigot, because I believe what the Bible teaches - now, 2000 years of teaching and moral theology is now bigoted.”

Well, yeah! That’s because it is. This fatuous argument reveals two important things about Mr. Santorum and other antigay Christians. First, they’re much more concerned about being perceived as bigots than whether they might actually be bigoted. Second, they are unable to conceive of any kind of moral progress that could be inconvenient to their positions or contrary to a particular faith. The sheer self-absorption of this mindset is breathtaking. Imagine if any other prejudice were defended with such an argument. How seriously would we take the protests of white racists that they would be seen as bigots because of integration? How much would we care about the complaints of men that they would be considered bigoted if women are allowed to vote?

It’s plain to see that the discomfort that bigoted people may have with their bigotry being recognized does nothing to change the fact that it is still bigotry. And the idea that we should accommodate their preferred self-perception by continuing to deny equal rights to the targets of their bigotry is so brazenly narcissistic it defies all comprehension. You are not that important! If you have to put up with being seen as bigoted so that people can finally receive their equality under the law, then you’ll just have to deal with it. It’s too bad you got the short end of the stick on this one, but if every hint of moral realization and social change was immediately quashed because some people want to be assured

38 The Fight

that they’ll always be in the right, there would never be any kind of progress.

And no, your religion does not have the power to legitimize bigotry. Bigoted beliefs do not become excusable just because a church or a book endorses them. You don’t get a pass on bigotry by claiming that a god agrees with you. People came up with the very same justifications for all kinds of prejudice. It changes nothing. Like it or not, your religion will evolve. It might deny this, it might lag behind, but religions are dragged along with the moral climate of society at large.

The Catholic Church doesn’t hold trials of alleged witches anymore. Mormon leaders decided that God changed his mind about allowing black people to be ordained. And some day, you will have to face the reality that your 2,000 years of moral theology are helpless next to a moment of moral reflection.

By focusing only on the legal aspects as the key factor in whether or not they’re considered bigots, they’ve failed to understand that this is just a symptom of ongoing social progress. We already see them as bigots, and that’s the very reason why the legal standing of gay people is now a point of contention. The moral validity of anti-gay prejudice has been cast into doubt, and homophobia is no longer regarded as an unquestionable constant of our society. Fighting this on a legal front is just trying to close the barn door after the horse is long gone. It’s not going to stop anyone from seeing you for exactly what you are. And no law, whether earthly or divine, will change that. The only one who can keep you from being a bigot is yourself.

Read more commentary by Zinnia Jones at: www.zinniajones.com/blog