METROSOURCE LA - APR/MAY 2023

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

 Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.

Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:

 dofetilide

 rifampin

 any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY

Tell your healthcare provider if you:

 Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.

 Have any other health problems.

 Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.

 Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

 Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-thecounter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

 BIKTARVY and other medicines may a ect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

 Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.

 Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.

 Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.

 Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

 Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

 The most common side e ects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

These are not all the possible side e ects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION

 This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

 Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5

 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, and KEEP BEING YOU are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date:

SPRINGTIME

& NEW BEGINNINGS

WELCOME TO SPRING AND NEW BEGINNINGS. AFTER THIS COLD WINTER, I’M INDULGING THIS SPRINGTIME. THIS ISSUE TAKES US TO EIGHT LUXURY SPAS AROUND THE WORLD THAT ARE WORTH THE TRIP, AND I MAY JUST VISIT ALL EIGHT! We also take you to Bad Ragaz, Switzerland, a charming spot with thermal waters only 90 minutes by train from Zurich. The SCOPE is a curated section of things to sip, savor, read, watch and listen to this spring. And we have the new skincare line that Brad Pitt says is a unique sustainable brand merging state-of-the-art research with the best natural ingredients.

White House correspondent Eugene Daniels has been bringing Mod Squad swagger to the press pool; Wolé Parks is stealing Superman’s spotlight; Hollywood stunt driver Zandara Kennedy is leaving haters in their tracks; drag legend Charles Busch continues to thrill audiences around the nation; and more await you in our entertainment pages this issue.

Spring is typically a season we associate with rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, resurrection, regrowth.

“Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.”

-Miranda Priestly

As Mirada reminds us in Devil Wears Prada, not all resurrections are good ones. Some topics have recently become part of the national conversation that I thought were buried long ago.

For most of civilized society (gay and straight), when we think of a drag queen performance, thoughts of energetic music, over-the-top costumes, lively dance, witty stage banter, audience smiles, fun and laughter come to mind. Sometimes even a bit of awe. How did she do that?!

I must still be asleep and dreaming … did I just read that a safety plan was created to keep the peace at a drag queen story hour? Wait … I thought these events were designed to bridge gaps and increase acceptance and understanding. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill banning drag shows in public spaces? And some other elected officials are speaking out against or proposing legislation to ban or restrict kids from drag queen performances?

Fifteen years ago, when RuPaul introduced her Emmy-winning Drag Race television show to mainstream audiences, I thought, this is fun! It’s going to let the world peek into the entertaining world of drag and the real-life human beings behind the glitter. Fast forward to 2023 and it’s as if we’ve taken a huge step backward. Or just maybe we’re just letting a vocal minority get away with diversion tactics under the guise of “protecting our children.”

Let’s be armed with some facts. The New England Journal of Medicine released a report last year of the leading causes of death among children and adolescents. In order of frequency here are the top three:

1. Firearm Related Injury

2. Motor Vehicle Crash

3. Drug Overdose & Poisoning

Oddly, ‘Exposure to Drag Queen Story Hour’ didn’t even make the top ten.

All sarcasm aside, I believe the collective retort from our community to these errant politicians needs to be,“If you really want to protect our children, what specifically are you doing to address the top causes of child mortality in the US?” Let’s not let them get away with this red herring. Instead, hold their feet to the fire to address the real problems our society is facing and hold them accountable for results. And as RuPaul would say,“Don’t f**k it up!”

Drag queens entertain and delight audiences of all ages and serve as ambassadors to the LGBTQ community. In fact, our cover feature for this issue, Blair St. Clair, hits the nail on the proverbial head “Drag is an art form, the same way that any other live entertainment is an art form.”

Cheers!

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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Michael Westman

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CURATED BY MICHAEL WESTMAN

HARBOR SWEETS CHOCOLATES

WWW.HARBORSWEETS.COM

THESCOPE

SAVOR

HARBOR SWEETS’ FOUNDER BEN STROHECKER’S GRANDFATHER (ROBERT L. STROHECKER) IS CREDITED WITH BEING THE “FATHER OF THE EASTER BUNNY.” In 1890, he kicked off the craze when he began selling them in his drugstore in Reading, PA. The first chocolate bunny stood five-feet tall in his store window - a photo of which has hung on the wall at Harbor Sweets for years. The Robert L. Strohecker Assorted Rabbit is modeled after his original giant rabbit. Each rabbit is made of two halves and filled with caramel and pecans, almond buttercrunch toffee, and whole toasted almonds with a layer of chocolate covering the inside treats.

Milk Chocolate Moon Bunnies

Perfect for the Year of the Rabbit

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According to Asian lore, rabbits were thought to inhabit the Moon. Under commission by the famous Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem, MA, Harbor Sweets brings these delightful 17th century Netsuke reproductions down to earth as a solid milk chocolate treat that all ages will enjoy. A portion of sales proceeds benefits the Museum.

Gather Chocolates

A flight of six distinct chocolates unified by rich 70% cacao and notes of local wildflower honey

16-piece gift box | $27

24-piece gift box | $39

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Conceived out of a love for nature and the outdoors, Gather Chocolate is not only beautiful and a delight to the taste buds, but also raises awareness of the plight of the honeybee. The alarming loss of honeybees and other pollinators is perilous to all agriculture and our ecosystem. Harbor Sweets hopes to change the trend by being part of the solution by donating 2.5% of all Gather sales to the Pollinator Partnership dedicated to protecting our pollinators.

J

FOUNDED IN 1986, J VINEYARDS WAS ESTABLISHED TO PRODUCE TRADITIONAL METHOD SPARKLING WINES AS WELL AS SUPERLATIVE VARIETAL WINES. Each of their estate vineyards offers a subtly different combination of soil and climate. Combined with their traditional and labor-intensive harvesting and winemaking techniques, they produce some of the most exceptional wines to be found in the region.

Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to remind the leading ladies in our lives how special they are, and what better way to celebrate our loved ones than by popping some bubbly? J Vineyards is a leader in creating some of California’s best sparkling wine in the “Champagne-style,” ideal for spring sipping as we round the corner to warmer days!

J Vineyards NV Cuvée 20 (SRP $38): This delicate sparkler is the perfect spring sip, with aromas of toasted almond and displays notes of apple, dried cranberry and ginger snap. Flavors of lemon meringue pie nicely complement the wine’s softness and lively, creamy finish. Bring a bottle to brunch!

BEST MEN

BY SIDNEY KARGER PREORDER PAPERBACK $17 WWW.PENGUINRANDOMHOUSE.COM

BEST MEN MAY BE SIDNEY KARGER’S DEBUT ROMCOM (ON-SALE: MAY 2, 2023), BUT IT’S NOT HIS FIRST FORAY IN WRITING - HE HAS WRITTEN FOR SNL’S “WEEKEND UPDATE,” COMEDY CENTRAL, MTV, FX, NBC, AND CBS. BEST MEN IS NOT JUST A QUEER LOVE STORY, BUT ALSO AN ODE TO NEW YORK CITY, RICH WITH NUANCES THE CITY-OBSESSED WILL ADORE. It also challenges the “gay best friend” trope showcasing an unapologetic look at gay dating in your 30s, while also valuing one’s own sexuality. This debut will have you rooting for the underdog and his happily ever after from the very first page.

“Bursting with laughs and so much love, Sidney Karger’s debut novel delivers a truly refreshing spin on the romantic comedy. It’s full of funny, flawed and poignant characters, set in the dreamy, sharply observed New York City that we love. Best Men is a big-hearted, feel-good summer escape.” —Anderson Cooper, #1 New York Times bestselling author and journalist In Best Men, all Max Moody wants is a happily ever after. How hard can it be to find Mr. Right when living in New York City? (Answer: extremely hard.) When his childhood best friend, Paige, gets engaged before him and ask that he be her man of honor, the pressure is on. Enter Paige’s soon to be brother-in law Chasten. Not only is Chasten super-hot, charming, and really good at wedding planning, but he also happens be the random hookup Max had a few weeks prior. Suddenly there is not just one gay best friend for Paige, but two - Chasten is competition and no matter how hard Max tries to be the best man of honor, he falls short.

“There’s so much to love about Sid’s brilliantly hilarious debut book. With sharp-witted dialogue, charming, smart characters and tons of heart, Best Men is such a funny, clever, fresh take on modern romance. From start to finish, you won’t stop laughing! I just loved it!!!!”

—Molly Shannon, New York Times bestselling author, comedian, and actress

This is a sweet, delightfully irreverent, and pop culture-filled romp capturing the essence of what it’s like to be gay and looking for love in New York City.

WATCH

GOOD ENOUGH: A MODERN MUSICAL

PRIME VIDEO

GOOD ENOUGH: A MODERN MUSICAL, THE AWARDWINNING FILM, IS NOW AVAILABLE AND STREAMING VIA PRIME VIDEO. Good Enough has received widespread praise and awards at film festivals around the world including Director’s Choice and Festival Favorite at Cinema Diverse in Palm Springs, California. Its modern pop/R&B soundtrack also took home the Outstanding Music Award in a Feature Film at the Micheaux Film Festival.

Good Enough: A Modern Musical tells the story of college star athlete Jamal (played by Jay Towns) who is struggling with his identity and trying to find his place in the worlds of those he loves most. He meets Trevor (played by Trey Mendlik) who could either bring Jamal even closer or set him further away from rediscovering his purpose. The film highlights the importance of self-acceptance and love and encourages viewers to embrace their unique

DENTS ON A CHEVY

GRAMMY-NOMINATED AND DOVE AWARD-WINNING COUNTRY ARTIST, TY HERNDON, RELEASED HIS LATEST SINGLE TO COUNTRY RADIO THIS WEEK. “Dents On a Chevy,” a duet with five-time CCMA Female Vocalist of the Year, Terri Clark, is featured on Herndon’s highly acclaimed album, Jacob

Herndon elaborates on his collaboration with Clark,“Getting to duet with my friend Terri Clark on this track is like a dream come true. The second I heard this, I knew it had to go on my album Jacob as a tribute to all those people in our lives who just fit - our husbands, wives, partners, best friends, and family members. Having people in our lives we can count on through the good times and the bad is so important, and this song is for them.”

Herndon made a historic return to Country radio with new material in 2022 with his single, “Till You Get There,” from his album, Jacob. The track spent over five months on the Music Row Breakout Chart last year, peaking at 28 just before the end of the year. His Christmas duet, “Sweet Christmas Memories,”featured in the hit Netflix original film, The Noel Diary, peaked at No. 1 on the Mediabase chart featuring Country

holiday airplay.

Ty Herndon burst onto the scene and made his chart debut in 1995 with “What Mattered Most,” which became his first No. 1 song and garnered a Song of the Year award (Music Row Magazine). It was also the title track to his first album, which debuted on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart and had the biggest first-week shipment in the history of Epic Records Nashville.

qualities and strengths. It is a powerful message that is especially relevant in today’s world, and the film’s beautiful music only adds to its impact.

The music featured in this film written and produced by Mike Spears has been praised for its catchy, upbeat sound and ability to perfectly capture the characters’ emotions. Audiences will find themselves humming its memorable tunes long after the credits have rolled. The full soundtrack is now available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and many other music streaming platforms.

“Good Enough is not just a film for the LGBTQ+ community, but for anyone who has ever struggled to find their place in their own world plus in the worlds of others. Writing the script and music was my therapy at a period of time when I didn’t feel good enough,”said director and writer Mike Spears.

Whether you’re a fan of musicals or simply appreciate great storytelling, Good Enough is a film that you won’t want to miss. So, grab some popcorn, turn up the volume, and immerse yourself in the world of Jamal and Trevor. You won’t regret it!

LISTEN

In 2014, Herndon became the first major male country artist to publicly come out as gay. He received an outpouring of support that only strengthened his relationship with fans and the country music community, expanding his reach to new and diverse audiences.

Terri Clark hails from Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, where she got her start by playing for tips at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, a legendary honky-tonk bar across the alley from Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. With over 5 million albums sold, critically acclaimed international tours, and hit singles, Terri has solidified her place in the history books of country music.

In September 2018, Terri was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. The 3-time JUNO Award winner also holds the honor of being the only Canadian female member of the legendary Grand Ole Opry. She has been named CCMA Female Vocalist of the Year five times and has taken home eight CCMA Fan’s Choice Awards. In total, Terri has had the honor of receiving 19 CCMA Awards.

WOLÉ PARKS A SUPERHERO ON HIS OWN

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

MARCH WELCOMED THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED RETURN OF CW’S SUPERMAN & LOIS, DEVELOPED BY GREG BERLANTI AND NOW IN ITS THIRD SEASON. Not just a retelling of the Superman story that has been rehashed in a myriad of films and TV shows, this show centers on our famed comic book couple in their biggest challenge yet – being parents in today’s age. Of course, there’s always the supervillain lurking in the shadows … this season is rumored to welcome Lex Luthor. Tyler Hoechlin, who plays Superman, has been the focus of many gay blogs because of his handsome good looks and that spandex. Well, stealing the spotlight is Superman & Lois costar, Wolé Parks - and he’s one of us.

Playing John Henry Irons/The Stranger, a soldier from an unidentified parallel Earth, Wolé has seen his character go through some major changes. Starting off as Superman’s supreme nemesis, hellbent on killing him, the two have eventually forged a partnership to protect the world from the baddies. This is the first TV iteration of the Superman story that has featured Parks’ character, who has appeared as a titular character in the comics. Working with the writers, Parks’ character has been an evolution in progress as his story has grown. This season will focus on John Henry’s role as a single father and things will get a bit deeper.

I’m one of the cast who actually read comics growing up. So I knew about John Henry Irons. When I booked the role, I didn’t know I was John Henry Irons, I found that out after. I was like, oh my God, these comics that I read when I was 10 or 11 years old, I’m now doing it! I went and re-watched the animated series and I see John Henry Irons and I’m like, oh yeah, that’s me! It’s a little surreal.

THESE COMICS THAT I READ WHEN I WAS 10 OR 11 YEARS OLD, I’M NOW DOING IT! ”

The show has been the main focus of Parks’ career for the last couple of years. The fans love the show, critics love the show. What does Parks love most about the show?

Honestly, it’s the people, the relationships. Because you can work on a great show insofar as the script’s amazing and you get to play this cool character, but if you go to work every day and you hate it because you hate who you’re working with, it’s horrible. We’re here 14 hours a day, at least sometimes. I get to work with amazing people, and I know it’s a cliche when people say that, but we truly do all get along. I am so happy with the cast and the crewwe have a blast. That’s for me what makes it work. And that’s what I’m most thankful for.

Even in the current age of Hollywood celebrating fluidity in fashion, fluidity in characters, and fluidity in sexuality, the comic book world still remains largely a macho-centric genre. Parks’ character is a straight, cis man, and his fitness and strength are featured heavily. As a gay man, did Parks have any issues with having to display a certain type of masculine energy?

I’m going to keep it real with you, this is what I have to deal with sometimes in my head and I have to watch out for. It’s funny, I was telling Emmanuelle who plays Lana Lang about this last week. Sometimes because my character is straight, I feel like I have to be “this is how a straight man would act.”And there is some truth to that in so far as gay men, we’re more touchy-feely with each other. Like a straight guy’s not going to come up and be like, “Hey, bitch!” and hug or grab on you. They don’t do that. I’m not going to lie, there are sometimes when that does play into my mind, but I have to let it go because ultimately you just have to trust the character. And that’s probably my own prejudice. I’m sure there’s maybe some sort of small amount of internalized homophobia or prejudice that I might have or preconceived notion because it’s a different world right now. I’m really proud of the kids and Gen Z. They’re so proud of themselves and they’re owning their truth, which is great. I came from a world where (I was born in 1982) it was a different thing. It is just mentally what I have to kind of deal with and go through.

The battle of masculine versus feminine energy is nothing new to Parks, who grew up in a generation where that just wasn’t talked about.

I grew up as a child with a single mom. I’m an only child. I grew up around women, I was kind of raised around women. I was really effeminate and growing up, people made fun of me. You know when you’re gay and you don’t know yourself, and kids can be cruel. So honestly, even before I got into acting, I had to teach myself how to butch it up and sort of pass because that’s just what it was.

I’ll never forget it, I was 12 and I was going into the men’s room, and as I walked in a guy behind me was like, “Excuse me, Miss, this is the men’s room.” Maybe because I had a big butt and I walked like a girl, I guess. I turned around and he was like, “Oh, I’m sorry,” and then he just kept walking. So, it’s stuff like that, that gets to you mentally. But you get to a point where

you’re like, I’m a grown man. I’m sure there are other actors out there who might be closeted or don’t want to talk about their stuff, that’s fine, I don’t begrudge that. But for me, if I have a life where I can’t acknowledge who I am and I have to hide that from everyone else, then is that really a life worth living? Is that truly success? That’s my barometer. Everyone else, do you, do whatever you want. I’m not doing it.

Growing up, Parks wasn’t seeing Black men or gay men enjoying the representation on screen that we now have. Now Parks gets to be a part of that.

I look at the reason we’re able to be here because people were pushing the boundaries like Greg Berlanti (he’s technically my boss) I think about what he did and what he pushed. His film The Broken Hearts Club - I

I HAD TO TEACH MYSELF HOW TO BUTCH IT UP AND SORT OF PASS.”

WE HAVE SOME AMAZING ALLIES WHO SUPPORT US”

was 18 going to see that in the movie theater. I was like, oh my God, it’s something I could relate to. I wasn’t living in West Hollywood, but I could relate to the idea of this is what gay men do, how they interact. I love that. So he’s pushing, and obviously Ryan Murphy and all these other people and Shonda Rhimes. We don’t just have gay men in the industry who are pushing it, which is great, but we have some amazing allies who support us too.

I know some people roll their eyes when they hear “diversity” and they hate it. Especially now, it’s become all politicized and I really hate that’s where we are right now. But it’s easy to say that when you don’t have your rights being taken away. There’s no “should straight people be allowed to get married? Should we teach straight education to kids? How old should they be until they can understand these things?”Yes, you don’t think about that because you don’t have to deal with it. When you grow up with that and when you hear those things and it messes with your head because that’s who you are, it’s kind of fucked up. So, it’s nice to see somebody on screen. You’re like, I can be this and I can be okay. So yeah, it’s important.

Not only is Parks using his platform to talk about diversity and the importance of staying true to yourself, but he also uses his time to give back to the community, something inspired by his mother.

My mom does a lot of volunteering and philanthropy. She was a teacher for 30 something years and she always stressed the importance of education. I do a lot of volunteering. There’s a program called School on Wheels that’s based in SoCal. I’ve been working with them for almost 10 years now, and tutor kids who might be impoverished or not have as much money, who basically can’t afford proper tutoring. It’s just important to give back. I was just taught that it’s really important.

Meshing his love of fitness and philanthropy, he has gone on two AIDS Life Cycle tours, a grueling 545-mile bike-a-thon from San Francisco to Los Angeles, benefiting San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

I’d heard about it before but I kept pushing it off because it sounds like a lot, during those seven days. But everyone said it’s the best week you’ll have because it’s nothing but a love bubble. Because the idea is that

these are people who’ve taken off a week of work and they’re raising thousands and thousands of dollars, all for a good cause. You will never feel a sense of community like that. It is truly a love bubble like they talk about. What I took from it is kind of how I just live my life. I’m very much a goal-oriented person. I kind of describe the meaning of life for me as growth, whether that’s spiritual, mental, physical, or whatever. And so, I was scared. I was like, I know how to ride a bike, but riding a bike versus riding 545 miles … I was scared, but I wanted to see if I can do it. I kept pushing myself and I did it. Then the second time, which was last year, 2022, it was even better. I was able to finish faster. I think one day I came in the top hundred, which I was really proud of. Cause I’m competitive, lol! But it’s great. It’s an amazing cause and I love it.

Parks has been achieving his goals all of his life. After being headhunted for a Kit Kat commercial in high school and doing school plays, he went to NYU to study acting as well as finance. Finance actually played a huge part in Parks’ early career, ultimately leaving his job as a finance director and moving to LA at the age of 28 to pursue acting.

I had to take a leap and I’m a person who likes a sure thing. Writing, acting, producing, none of this is guaranteed. All this stuff we do, it’s because you love doing it - I love the idea of a steady paycheck and I have control issues. But the reason why I did it was that I didn’t want to have any “shoulda coulda woulda.” I didn’t want to look back when I was 40 or 50 and be like, what if …? I just wanted to at least give it a shot. So, I did it.

And did it he has. His first big acting role was alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the feature film Premium Rush and he has gone on to work with Marc Cherry on Devious Maids, Kevin Costner in Yellowstone, Ellen Barkin in Animal Kingdom, America Ferrera in Superstore, Liev Schreiber in Ray Donovan, Kevin Bacon in Taking Chance, and appear in TV favorites like The Vampire Diaries, As the World Turns, Law & Order, Gossip Girl, NCIS, and more. What he learned from working with some of the greats is to keep it humble, and keep it real.

Another very real achievement for Parks is his 16 years of sobriety. Sobriety in the LGBTQ community is recently gaining open traction and celebration. Prior, sobriety was treated as a negative as the LGBTQ culture is so wrapped around

nightlife and Pride celebrations. Sober members of the community have often felt ostracized or left out. For Parks, it saved his life and probably his career.

I went through a lot where I didn’t know how to deal with feelings. I was not good with feelings. If I felt good, I needed to exacerbate them and keep them going even more. If I felt bad, I felt like I was going to be stuck in this hole and never feel good again. And that’s what I was kind of dealing with. Alcohol didn’t necessarily make me feel better, it just made me feel nothing at all, which was better than how I felt. It was just getting to a point where it was getting really, really bad. By the end, I was starting to black out. For me came down to the idea that I didn’t know how to like myself and love myself. Once I achieved that, then I really didn’t need it anymore. Today, I can go to bars, I can go to a party, I can be a fool, act a mess and then the party can end and I can go home. I’m really glad I made that decision, but I had to go through the process of trying to figure it out and actually decide to do it.

Wolé is a superhero on his own. In addition to his acting, philanthropy, and working out, he is exploring his passion behind the camera by shadowing directors and working on his pilots. For him, whatever he is passionate about is what he will be pursuing. And his role as a spokesperson for people of color and the LGBTQ community in the DC Universe makes him one of our leading trailblazers on TV today. His message to the community as we enter Pride season?

We obviously see there’s a storm brewing right now with these anti-drag queen laws and trans stuff that’s happening. Just be true to yourself. Don’t stress about what anyone else is thinking about you. You focus on yourself, and you keep doing your own thing. Everyone’s going to have an opinion. You just need to learn to love yourself and be true to yourself and keep going because that’s endurance. That’s what we’ve had to do this whole time. I mean, we’ve made a lot of progress, but as we see, it’s a pendulum. It swings back and forth and it’s an interesting time now. ■

Catch Season 3 of Superman & Lois on CW Follow Wolé on IG: @WoleParks

BLAIR

DRAG IS NOT A CRIME ST. CLAIR

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

I DO DECLARE! IT’S BEEN FIVE YEARS SINCE BLAIR ST. CLAIR FIRST HIT OUR TV SCREENS ON THE 10TH SEASON OF RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE Don’t let that babyface or their youthful optimism fool you, they’re all grown up. They’ve released a string of hits, including a Billboard charting album, and they debuted their new one-person show, Legally Blair, in NYC this year. First introduced to the world as a Classic Hollywood starlet, both their look and voice have evolved to reflect newfound confidence, the cultivation of their mental health, and their acceptance and celebration of their sexuality. Blair 2.0 is on fire, and in the face of the current political attacks on the drag and trans community, they have a lot to say … and sing.

An Indiana native, their relationship with heels and lashes and even the gay community, was not an early one. With a passion for performing from birth, the theatre world would become their safe place.

I didn’t know what a gay person was until around seventh grade. I didn’t even know that the term gay existed. I had no idea - I’d never heard of it. I didn’t know that boys could like boys or girls could like girls. I distinctly remember being in fifth grade watching a Pacers game in Indianapolis with my dad and him asking me which one of the cheerleaders I thought was pretty. I couldn’t come up with an answer, so I made up an answer. I remember thinking, am I supposed to think they’re pretty? Am I too young to think they’re pretty? Do my other brothers think they’re pretty? I don’t understand why I don’t, but I wanted to be them. It was a strange experience.

Being an LGBT person and finding LGBT outlets in my community growing up was far and few between. But when I found theatre, I was like, oh wait, that boy likes that other boy. And I thought, oh, that’s so different. I didn’t know that could happen. I was finally exposed to people in the real world who were queer and what that looked like, and it completely started shaping my life in a different way.

My coming-out story is kind of sweet. I like to make light of it and I joke about it, but I’m actually very grateful. I started toying around with the idea that I might have been gay as an eighth grader, maybe freshman year of high school. It was a traditional Sunday night dinner with my family, completely normal, or so I thought. My dad was asking questions of both my two brothers and me, and he came to me and said,

“So how’s school? How are your grades? Do you like boys?” I was completely caught off guard, shocked obviously, and replied, “Dad, I don’t know ...” I couldn’t really even finish the sentence when he said, “Look, it doesn’t matter if you do, if you don’t, whatever you decide, whatever you feel, just wanted you to know that we are here to talk about it.”Then I finally came to my parents afterward and said, “You know, I think I’m gay.” And they said, “Cool, if that’s who you are.” At that moment, they didn’t say that they necessarily agreed with my “choice,” but they said that they were here for me as their son, and they wanted to love me. My dad came around with the idea quicker than my mom did, which I find not to be the story with most. My mom didn’t have a problem with me being gay, she

had a problem with the fact that her son’s life might be harder than her other two kids for the fact that I am queer.

And for a while, I didn’t understand that. I thought that she didn’t care for having a gay son. My dad wasn’t necessarily super warm and fuzzy either, but wasn’t necessarily against it. So, my coming out was kind of like a fun, easy way of just announcing to the world, “Hey, I’m gay.”

Blair’s brother would go out of his way to show support by also coming out … as straight. He stated that if Blair had to be made uncomfortable by talking about their sexuality at the dinner table, so too should everyone else. It has become a family tradition for everyone to come out and discuss their preferences, what pronouns to use, who they like, and how they want to be treated.

DRAG IS AN ART FORM, THE SAME WAY THAT ANY OTHER LIVE ENTERTAINMENT IS AN ART FORM.”

Drag did not come into the picture until later with theatre once again being a part of Blair’s evolution.

I didn’t have much exposure to drag. I think I was a senior in high school, I was at a friend’s house and they had an episode of Drag Race on, season two or three. I had never heard of it. I never knew what drag was. I didn’t even call actors that were cast in female roles like Mrs. Doubtfire or actors that were playing drag queens, like Too Wong Fu, in movies. I didn’t even call that or consider that drag. I just thought they were actors, and oh, that’s cool, but it’s not for me. Like, good for them, it’s interesting but I wasn’t captivated by it.

Blair would sneak into clubs to watch drag shows but still wasn’t inspired to don a wig. It wasn’t until they were cast in a production of the musical La Cage aux Folles that they would finally get into drag. It was love at first brush.

My focus and my love and passion were always in the theatre. It wasn’t until I was cast that I was like, oh, this IS theatre. So, I had this exposure to drag - I saw it, but I never had this need or want to do it. It wasn’t this huge media phenomenon that it is today either. If anything, I think to say you were a drag queen at that point in

time, dating was harder because guys were turned off by it. Saying that you were a drag queen in public had a negative connotation. It was almost like the way, unfortunately, we stereotype people when talking about strippers or people who work in the adult entertainment industry. A lot of time people have a negative opinion of it. I think that is what happened with drag before Drag Race became popular.

Before Blair did Drag Race, they won Miss Gay Indiana. During that pageant, they learned the skills that would prepare them for reality TV and a career in drag.

The experience was really cool because my drag mom at the time was actually the current Miss Gay Indiana and she was like, look, here’s the insider scoop. This is what you need to know, what you don’t need to do. You just have to be you. Be authentic and do what you do best. Pageantry is about being clean and consistent. It’s of course being good, but not necessarily the best always wins. It’s about having consistent scores. So, I used all my theater knowledge and was like, okay, I’m just going to be this well-polished, theatrical person that I am. I put all that knowledge of theater into it. I learned so much. It was such a cool experience.

Winning Miss Indiana, literally after I turned 21, gave me so much exposure to start performing and traveling all over my state because now I had this notoriety, I held this title.

Blair was not just putting on a dress. Drag came with an additional meaning as themes and societal norms regarding masculine and feminine energy began to play a part in Blair’s life. Part of Blair’s evolution is their coming out as non-binary.

I have this struggle daily today with this masculine-feminine energy. Whether it’s being a drag queen, whether it’s being an actor, whether it’s being a gay man, a man in general, or a non-binary person. I feel like I had this struggle then in a different way than now. Then, when I was growing up, it was: you’re too feminine to play these roles on stage as a male actor, you’re too young, you’re not masculine enough, but you’re too masculine for some of these kid roles. Today I feel like I am too feminine as a gay man at times and not masculine enough. I feel this need to be more masculine presenting when I’m out of drag at times to display that I do have that range - I’m living in and out of both. As a non-binary person, there’s no cookiecutter way to be. Some people inherently think, oh, non-binary means androgynous and it means in-between - but it doesn’t. It means that there are days I connect with masculine energy, and there are days that I connect with feminine energy and it’s back and forth and in and out. I try to discuss and tell people that “blue” does not equal “boy” in the same way that “Barbie” does not equal “girl.”They are toys, colors, and things that we shouldn’t gender. But it’s the struggle back and forth in feeling where I fit in and where I’m also confident, as well as being recognized for the masculine and feminine stuff.

Blair has talked about the fact that they didn’t feel like their authentic self during that first season of Drag Race. The competition was not about Blair’s winning, it was about them finding themselves.

Blair St. Clair used to be a persona that I switched into. It was this escape. It was escapism from my real life. It was this person I always wanted to be, but just the best qualities of that person. There were no flaws, there were no things I disliked. It became such a perfectionist’s Type

dream. It was this perfect reality or this universe that doesn’t exist. I wanted it to be perfect and live in this little Utopia that I created for myself. Doing Drag Race, I realized I was being critiqued and this little perfect world, this perfect bubble I created, wasn’t so perfect. Then I started having to dive deep into who I am as a person and going to therapy and unraveling.

Why did I create this persona? Why did I create this escape from my life? Why am I not comfortable in my own life? It’s a really cool thing today because I don’t need Blair to escape. I don’t have to have her to feel comfortable or feel confident or feel beautiful or feel like I can perform. I can do that on my own now. But I found it through drag. Now Blair is just the highglammed version of myself, kind of as if a celebrity was going to the Oscars or going to a red carpet event, they get into drag, it’s their own type of drag. My type of drag is female presenting or feminine presenting, whereas your drag might be wearing a really great suit and getting a fresh haircut and feeling really comfortable or confident. I find that there’s drag in everybody and everything, and RuPaul says all the time, “We’re all born naked and the rest is drag.” My drag now today is not escapism. It’s not costuming necessarily either, it’s just another way of presenting myself.

Blair’s look and presentation have notably changed. Blair is not just a replica of a ‘40s or ‘60s starlet anymore, they have cultivated their own image – full of sexuality and fluidity. In their own words, Blair has become an adult. Part of being an adult is coming to terms with past trauma. Not only has Blair dealt with body image issues, but they were also a victim of rape. Now they are taking control of that trauma and drawing strength from working through it. Recently, a thirst trap of Blair’s went viral. It wasn’t about the likes or the comments, it was about the fact that they were in control.

I don’t want people to think that because I am eating more, going to the gym, taking care of my body, and because I put muscle mass now all of a sudden I’m confident - that’s not the case. I’m confident because I’m healthy today. I battled a horrible eating disorder through middle school, high school, and through Drag Race - everything I hid. If you look back at photos, you could tell that I was

malnourished and unhealthy. But I escaped another way of life by feeding (no pun intended) this eating disorder that made my life unhealthy.

During the pandemic in 2020, I really was striving for health because I had a time when I had to be introspective and look at my life. I had no work, we weren’t performing, and I wasn’t traveling. I went through a breakup. I moved back to my hometown. I lost the majority of everything that I had worked hard for from my eating disorder and from my relationship with drugs and alcohol and I lost a lot that I really worked hard for in my life. I had to look inward and say, I don’t want this life anymore. I want to be healthy. So, with these thirst traps, I started a journey of finding health for myself, which then felt found confidence. The healthiness found confidence. The confidence was like, cool, I want to share this. I’m excited by it. But also, the sexual journey, too, has been a sexual awakening throughout my adult life because my initial experience with sex was not my choice. I felt like it was taken from me. I had this anger of people who did feel sexy, did feel confident. I had this jealousy, I had this rage where if people were confident or posting thirst traps, I wanted to be them,

but I wasn’t them. I so desperately wanted that internal confidence. And I’ve been able to find more and more of that every day by finding more health for myself and finding more excitement for myself and who I am. Every day, I feel like I lean into a little bit more loving the person that I am and feeling less need to be what everyone else is.

Blair is using their platform and newfound confidence to speak out against the blatant conservative attack on the drag community.

It feels like it has come out of left field, and it feels like we’re constantly fighting to be seen and to be heard. I feel like we’re constantly having our voices just taken away.

I have questions - why are you uncomfortable? What is it that you’re afraid of? What do you interpret that drag queens are doing with children? Because if your thought process is that we’re perverted or we have adult content or behavior, then you’re mistaken. Because drag is an art form, the same way that any other live entertainment is an art form. It should be for everybody, by everybody. It was founded in queer culture, but that doesn’t mean it’s just for queer people. We’ve shown that it’s for everyone and there’s a place for everyone. And with that inclusion, it’s also for people of all ages.

Now if I’m being candid, is there some drag entertainment that might only be suitable for adults? Absolutely. But there is a time and place for that the same way there is theater that’s for adults. There is TV that’s for adults. There are movies that are rated PG 13 and R and people are told this is maybe not kid worthy. But at the end of the day, a child can only be parented by their parents. It is a parent’s job to say what their child should or should not be exposed to.

What about someone in a costume is inappropriate for a child? If the conversation is: this cis man wearing a costume that is “supposed” to be worn by a woman is wrong, then that’s the true discussion that people are not having. Right? But that’s where their problem lies. The content that’s being shared is not inappropriate.

Some of Blair’s Drag Race peers have been called out for not actively posting about or making statements about the current legal actions being taken against the drag community. Even Momma Ru herself was prodded on social media to make a statement. Does Blair think it is an LGBTQ influencer’s duty to get involved?

I don’t think influencers or celebrities, people with platforms, are supposed to do anything. I think we have the privilege of having a platform that I want to take advantage of. So doing this interview is a way of saying that I’m taking advantage of the platform, the following, I have to be able to use my voice and make it heard because my voice is important to me. When I was assaulted, my voice was taken away from me. When I’ve been in audition rooms and people haven’t cast because of my gender, my voice is taken away from me. When I have been in situations where I was told no, or I wasn’t seen or wasn’t heard, my voice is taken away from me. This is a chance for me to be able to use that voice and to be able to be present and to talk about situations that are particularly important to not just my life, but others around me.

We are selfish people. We’re humans. We want to only talk about things that are important to us. Some might think, oh, this isn’t going to affect me, so I don’t want to talk about it. But it is important to use that voice and to talk about it. Speaking honestly, I don’t think anyone is supposed to do anything, but I think that we should be really rallying, rallying behind people with platforms to use them because that is part of what they are for.

How does Blair think we can best support the community?

I think the best way to support one’s community is again, by using a voice. Whether that’s spoken or in text, making posts, and sharing things. Social media is a free commercial at your fingertips where you can be pumped with information and education in seconds. Some people say, oh, my vote doesn’t matter. Your vote matters and your sharing matters. Because the more people see things, the more people learn and are educated. More education helps funnel into opinions to then vote on issues and topics. And that is priceless. So, sharing education and learning is number one. I think number two is going to spaces in person and showcasing your support.

It’s having hard discussions with people privately one-on-one who don’t understand. Because I would rather someone say, I know that you don’t agree with this, but I want you to at least put my knowledge and my ideas to the test and have this conversation. You don’t have to walk away agreeing, but let’s have this conversation. I think that’s where we can start finding support.

I’m doing it in a literal form by using my speaking and my singing voice because

drag queens are specifically known for not using their voices. I’ve been telling my drag friends, this is a time now more than ever to speak out, to get on the microphone, to talk, to sing, to use the voices that we have in our bodies.

My message is to be loud and be heard. No one is too small – no one. Everyone’s voice matters and should be taken seriously and your art is valid. It’s time to celebrate each other more. It’s also time to get out there and demand more from everyone, but also to thank those who have helped clear these pathways for us. One of my biggest pet peeves is hearing about new people dabbling in art, whether it’s drag or anything queer, and not knowing where and who came before us to make it possible. Because I can go on TikTok and do a transformation from male-presenting to female-presenting and it can be a wonder and it can be art. We come from a place where that used to be hidden, and I’m so excited that that’s celebrated today. I want people to understand we should be grateful that that’s where our world is today. ■

You can follow Blair on IG: @BlairSt.Clair

THIS IS A TIME NOW MORE THAN EVER TO SPEAK OUT… TO USE THE VOICES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BODIES”

PAGE: PHOTO BY WILLYUM BAULKEY @WILLYUMPHOTO

AS A NON-BINARY PERSON, THERE’S NO COOKIE-CUTTER WAY TO BE. ”

ZANDARA KENNEDY IS WORKING TO MAKE THE MOTORSPORTS AND STUNT INDUSTRY MORE ACCESSIBLE TO UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS. She is an ambassador for Racing Pride, whose mission is to unite motorsport as a whole to bring about significant and lasting change by actively promoting, and supporting, LGBTQ+ participants. Zandara is a trailblazer behind the wheel. With an extensive career as a Hollywood stunt driver, stunt coordinator, precision driver, and more, she made herstory this March as the only openly queer person to compete in the 2023 Formula Drift season. Not only dealing with the challenges of being a female in a male-dominated field, but she has also overcome challenges representing the queer community, at the cost of losing sponsors. Her career goal is to not just be one of the top female drivers, but to be one of the top drivers - period. And she is well on her way.

Canadian-born Kennedy was always addicted to extreme activities, even in her youth.

I was definitely an adventurous kid –my parents enrolled me in gymnastics as a toddler, and I was always the kid in the air climbing on the support structures of the jungle gyms, giving other parents heart attacks. My parents were good about striking a balance between allowing me to take risks and keeping me safe. I think they knew we would all be miserable if they tried to keep me from exploring.

Her first passion was to join Cirque du Soleil, training on the trampoline and working on circus stunts.

I loved exploring my physical potential – working with others to create something that seemed impossible. I loved being in the air and at the top of the pyramid. It gave me such a feeling of calm focus, which is what I get from driving now.

Breaking her arm at the age of 14 ended her dreams of the circus. She went off to university in Vancouver, getting her motorcycle license to work as a courier. After meeting a stuntman, she realized that stunt driving was a very real and lucrative career. Looking up top female drivers in the field and seeing what training they had, she was determined to make a place for herself in Hollywood by following everyone who had come before her. She attended Motion Picture Driving Clinic at the age of 19 and started honing her skills, ultimately becoming one of the youngest stunt coordinators in Canada. She would not be deterred by the industry’s limitations on gender, she knew that she had to be

MY ONLY WAY FORWARD WAS TO BECOME SO QUALIFIED THAT I COULDN’T BE IGNORED.”

IN THE FAST LANE WITH ZANDARA KENNEDY

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

YOU DON’T GET THE HIGHS WITHOUT EXPERIENCING THE LOWS.”

better than anyone else and took it upon herself to seek out mentors in the field and challenge herself with more and more training.

I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. So, that meant my only way forward was to become so qualified that I couldn’t be ignored. It took time, but eventually, I got the opportunity to show the skills I had built and the ways in which I was an asset, and my preparation enabled me to make the most of the opportunities I was given.

I think the ‘why’ is an important part of overcoming obstacles. Why we are continuing to push against that obstacle, and why we are using that approach. Sometimes a better angle is to pivot or try another approach. If you know this is the only path toward what you are trying to achieve, then you must embrace the difficulty as part of the process. Everything has a price, and you don’t get the highs without experiencing the lows as well. For me, this approach doesn’t make the hard times any less hard, but it does help remind me that they are temporary and for a larger purpose. Talent

gets you in the door, but it doesn’t keep you there when things get challenging - studies have shown that grit is the most important determining factor in long-term success.

In addition to stunt driving, she engages in tactical firearms, freediving, combat, and fire stunts. What won’t she do? Is she addicted to danger?

I am addicted to learning. I love developing skills and knowing what I am capable of. All of these activities are dangerous, sure, but mostly if done incorrectly. All of them require intense focus, and intense focus is where my brain is the most at peace. Plus, I want to make sure if there’s ever a zombie apocalypse that I’ll be an asset to any team I join.

Does she ever get scared of the dangers of the job?

We have a saying in stunts that if you’re not afraid at all, that’s when you’re a danger to yourself and others. Well-managed fear keeps you sharp and focused. I get scared all the time, but I work through it. My goal is to build my skills so that the point at which I become scared keeps moving

further and further away.

She has worked on X-Men, Deadpool, XXX Riverdale, Supernatural, Fear the Walking Dead, Lucifer, and many more. Her commercials have marketed brands like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. She has stunt doubled in driving scenes for Uma Thurman, Gillian Anderson, Anne Heche, and the list goes on and on. What gig sticks out the most?

There have been so many unique moments that I’ve been very fortunate to experience – one of my favorites was definitely working on the set of Blood and Treasure, which took us all over Morocco. The producers, after a lot of encouragement from myself and the actress I was doubling, Sofia Pernas, wrote in a car chase for us. That meant shopping for and building cars for a car chase in less than a week. Most of the local crew spoke Arabic, as well as some French. Luckily, I speak French, so that helped a lot. Explaining to the local fabricators, using a combination of French and YouTube videos, how to modify the cars was a cool experience.

In addition to creating a space for LGBTQ drivers, she also wants to make work more accessible to women, people of color, and people with disabilities. She knows all too intimately having to prove herself tenfold based on the fact she is part of a minority group.

An expression that I really identify with is “you can’t be what you can’t see.”

I love helping people work toward and realize their potential. That’s only possible when there is space for them to do so. In film, huge strides towards diversity and representation continue to be made, and I see people starting to work to support this goal in motorsport as well.

I certainly never imagined I could be a racecar driver until I was already a stunt woman because I didn’t see anyone like me doing it. I’ve already had very young girls walk up to me and tell me with certainty “I’m going to be a racecar driver.” I learned from their parents that I was the first female racecar driver they had seen. Getting to see those kids’ faces when I let them sit in the driver’s seat is one of the best feelings on the planet.

A lot has changed during my nearly 20-year film career, and there are a lot more opportunities for women than when I started. One of the biggest obstacles that stands in the way for women in male-dominated industries is this idea, wherever it originated, that there isn’t room for all of us. This has tended to mean that women, rather than supporting each other and seeing one another as allies, tend to compete against each other. I see this changing a lot within both the film and motorsport communities, and I am trying to be a part of that change.

Not only is she inciting change through her actions and visibility, but also through her conversations. She had a long conversation with a sponsor who told her they could no longer have their logo next to anything Pride related. The conversation had such an impact on the sponsor, they changed their mind.

I think I knew (I was gay) as soon as I developed my first crushes. I didn’t realize that was a thing people would have a problem with until middle school and I encountered some pretty negative reactions.

I never felt I had to come out to my family. But in both of my industries - film and motorsport - I experienced people

assuming I was straight and having to eventually correct that assumption. I wondered if being open and honest about who I am was going to lose me work or sponsorship. In the case of sponsorship, I wouldn’t say the reactions were entirely positive. I also realized that it’s important for me to surround myself with people for whom my being queer is not a mark against me, but something to be celebrated.

Zandara makes her debut as the only Canadian and out LGBTQ athlete competing in four Formula Drift events this year. Formula Drift is the world’s highest level of drift competition, featuring the top of the top in the industry. From Zandara’s first drifting experience, she was hooked. It gives her time to focus and feel present, even though runs are about 45 seconds to a minute, running the engines at the red line. This is yet another milestone in Kennedy’s career. Is she nervous?

I learned a lot of things about building a race team and being a race team owner and driver simultaneously last year. I’m excited to be working with a professional team this year and to have an opportunity to focus more of my attention on driving and less on logistics. I’m nervous about debuting on the formula drift stage and making the best impression possible as a driver.

Last year, she completed a 20,000-mile tour of the US across 16 racetracks, going through four transmissions. What did she learn the most about herself and the US from her trip?

I moved out of my home and put all my stuff in storage before doing the trip. My key takeaways were that I didn’t need nearly as much as I thought, in terms of material possessions, but it was also a real struggle not having a solid concept of home. Home became the people on the road with me and

that I met along my journey – the familiar faces I would see at different tracks and places I would return to became that sense of home for me.

As a Canadian, I had a certain impression of the US. Driving across the country multiple times and visiting so many different racetracks made me realize how diverse the country is in every way. I will say, not much sign of LGBTQ+ people outside of the major cities, though we did try to find them.

Zandara says the drifting community has welcomed her as a woman, but as a queer person, not so much. As with any other challenge in her career, she will overcome and leave haters in their tracks.

I’m not sure if it’s strength or sheer will. Integrity is very important to me, so if I’ve committed to something or someone, I will do everything in my power to see that commitment through. Eliminating failure as an option keeps me focused on figuring out what it will take to make things happen. This is not to say I don’t have some incredibly hard moments – I’m just not willing to give up.

Her message to the LGBTQ this Pride season?

It’s hard to be positive with everything making the news these days. I think it’s so important that we stay united and stay visible and look for the allies who are out there in so many places we might not expect. They are there.

Inquiring minds want to know: after she completes Formula Drift, how will she unwind?

I’m not so good at unwinding, so I will let you know in October. Until then I think my brain will always be full of what’s left on the to-do list. ■

You can follow Zandara on IG: @ZeeDrives

IF THERE’S EVER A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, I’LL BE AN ASSET.”

LUXURIATE: EIGHT LUXURY SPAS WORTH THE TRIP

BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES

ZOOM FATIGUE GETTING YOU DOWN? IT’S TIME

TO BOOK NOT JUST A SPA DAY, BUT A SPA VACATION. We surveyed the globe and found some of the best spas to check out. Log out and slam that laptop shut. It’s time to rest, rejuvenate on your spa adventure. Soak it all in, you deserve it!

ANANTARA GOLDEN TRIANGLE ELEPHANT CAMP & RESORT

Chiang Rai, Thailand

www.anantara.com

The Anantara experience first emerged in 2001, with their first luxury property in Hua Hin, Thailand. Each of their stunning hotels and resorts tells a different story. Their world-famous Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in the fabled Golden Triangle, situated on a hill overlooking the confluence of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar offers grazing elephants in the most stunning natural landscapes imaginable. This resort, an elephant camp, was created in 2003 to rescue elephants. Over sixty 60 elephants have been rescued from Thailand’s city streets and guests can interact in a variety of elephant experiences including their signature Walking With Giants experience that provides an optimal way of getting to know the elephants and develop a deeper emotional connection.

Spa guests enter to the delightful fragrance of lemongrass and ascend to private teak wood suites overlooking the three countries. The spa menu draws from northern wellness traditions as well as indigenous and medicinal ingredients. Spa experiences at the resort include a Gua Sha facial treatment, which combines a blend of nourishing plant extracts and traditional Thai ingredients to encourage cell renewal and oxygenation to promote anti-aging, smoothed wrinkles and relax facial muscles. Guests will also find Yam Khang fire therapy, which is an ancient

Northern style, Lanna Thai healing practice that uses heat, oils, and mainly the feet to massage and treat the body. They also offer traditional Thai Ya-Pao detoxification therapy. This starts with a traditional Thai abdominal massage to clear out blockages, increase blood flow and encourage the circulation of the lymphatic system and is followed by herbal burning on the abdomen to help relieve discomfort, balance the elements and help rid the body of excess air, which causes bloating, distension and pain.

MIRAVAL BERKSHIRES RESORT & SPA

Lenox, Massachusetts

www.miravalresorts.com/berkshires

There’s something special going on in the Berkshires. Creatives like Edith Wharton, Norman Rockwell, and Nathaniel Hawthorne have long been drawn to the storied mountains for inspiration. James Taylor, Yo-Yo Ma, and Meryl Streep are just a handful of the celebrities who have homes in the area. In addition to the abundance of arts and culture happening in the area, there’s something especially healing and transformative. Miraval Berkshires, a resort and spa destination is smack in the middle of this movement. Miraval Berkshires’ stunning grounds are centered around a regal 1894 mansion with 380 acres designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect responsible for Central Park in New York City. A trip to Miraval gives guests an opportunity for an immersive experience which includes fitness, yoga, and wellness programs as well as spa treatments.

Their spa, Life in Balance Spa, designed by Clodagh, features outdoor adventure programming,

equine therapy and more. Guests are greeted with a hand-crafted metal mandala and invited to indulge in 29,000 square feet of pools, saunas, lounges, and treatment rooms. Innovation meets tradition at Miraval Berkshires, where nature nourishes the body. Body renewing rituals include a Manuka Honey Quench, Almond Orange Brightening, a Lemongrass Escape, and more. Those looking for Ayurveda, or the “Science of Self-Healing” can experience a new treatment called Pradhana Veda, a 90-minute session combining the core elements of Ayurveda for the ultimate restorative fusion. In addition to these unique and game-changing treatments, there’s opportunities for Reiki, Reflexology, Yoga, Thai Massage, Vibrational Sound Therapy, Crystal Energy Work, and so much more. There’s a plethora of encounters and experiences at Miraval. If you only have time for a short stay, consider indulging in the Miraval Berkshires Day Package and embark on a complete retreat for mind, body, and soul from 8:30am to 5:00pm. By the end of the day you’ll feel refreshed and renewed, but might just end up calling in and staying the rest of the week.

Elephants in their natural habitat

Anantara Resort aerial view

Miraval serenity pool

Miraval adventures

THE OMNI HOMESTEAD RESORT

Hot Springs, Virginia

www.omnihotels.com/hotels

/homestead-virginia

There’s something in the water, and we’re all about it. Omni Homestead Resort’s Warm Springs Pools recently reopened after a 14-month, $4 million renovation. These 19th century bath houses have long been sought after by weary travelers looking for renewal. The baths, fed by four natural warm springs, rich in mineral content, offer a bounty of health benefits from soothing the skin to boosting blood circulation and relieving pain. Omni Homestead Resort is located across over 2,000 acres of scenic Virginia landscape. The property has been visited by 23 U.S. Presidents including Thomas Jefferson and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Jefferson was such a fan, in fact, that he took baths several times a day for three weeks. Until recently, the baths were named the Jefferson Pools. Omni Homestead Resort purchased the pools and gave them just the “updo” they needed. In addition to the healing pools, the spa at Omni

PALAZZO FIUGGI

Fiuggi, Italy

www.palazzofiuggi.com

The Italian village of Fiuggi is famous for its Acqua di Fiuggi, low-mineral water that flows down from the mountains. Located a little over an hour outside of Rome, the healing waters of Fiuggi have been used as early as the 14th century. Palazzo Fiuggi, is a stunning wellness and medical spa designed to encourage relaxation and encourage a lifelong approach to wellness. The property opened less than two years ago and has already won some of the most prestigious international awards and accolades. The facility, which draws on the local natural springs, fuses ancient holistic disciplines with traditional Western medicine. The heart and soul of the spa is their thalassotherapy baths with sea minerals and a spa suite that includes a whirlpool, sauna, and Turkish baths. Their main swimming pool dates back to 1936 and, at the time, the building was the first in Europe to have an outdoor pool. Guests these days can soak in three magnificent swimming pools and even book an indulgent spa suite. Step back into Ancient Rome at The Palazzo’s recreation of the experience of the ancient Roman Baths at their Roman Therme.

Need to get out of the water? Special treatments include the MLX Dome, combining Far Infrared Rays (FIR) technology with Plasma Light Therapy

Homestead offers Swedish and deep tissue massages, classic European facials, body treatments, manicures, pedicures and salon services. Spend a long weekend at the property and

maximize the healing properties of the springs. There are 15 minerals at work and the water is continuously flowing at over 1,700,000 gallons each day.

(PLT) to rejuvenate the skin; Terapia Psammo, which is a therapy carried out via a specially equipped bed that supports the body and allows the dry heat of natural quartz sand to relieve muscle and joint pain; Quartz Vibra Sound Healing; and so much more.

Looking to focus on your face? Dr. Barbara Sturm, the aesthetic doctor, renowned worldwide for her non-surgical approach to anti-aging, consults with

the spa to offer treatments like Bio Lifting, Celliss, and a variety of treatments to help guests radiate beauty from the inside out. For the ultimate experience, book a room at Villa Luisa, the 7-bedroom Villa located on the grounds where you can retreat to your own private spa with sauna after indulging in a long and blissful day at the Palazzo Fiuggi spa and medical facilities.

Omni Homestead Resort Palazzo Fiuggi

THE RITZ-CARLTON MALDIVES

Fari Islands, Maldives

www.ritzcarlton.com

The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, in the North Malé Atoll, is a 45-minute journey by speedboat or a 10-minute seaplane flight from Malé International Airport. The resort is heralded

THE ST. REGIS BAL HARBOUR RESORT

Miami Beach, Florida

www.marriott.com

Miami is known for beaches, art, and the art of party, but The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort is serious about R&R and the art of wellness. The property, stretching 27 stories above the white sandy beaches of Miami, offers an idyllic wellness getaway for travelers in search of privacy, exclusivity and relaxation. Guests can unplug at The St. Regis Spa, which recently introduced a new spa concept, featuring an all-new menu of luxury treatments and wellness experiences inspired by Caroline Astor and the resort’s sense of place. The 14,000-square-foot spa offers wonderful treatments from the signature Caroline Collection, Wellness Collection, Body, Massage or Facials, all of which feature products from world-class spa and beauty brands including Sothy’s, Omorovicza, and Intraceuticals. Go for the gold with the 24K Gold Wrap, a 90-minute journey designed to relax and reconnect the mind and body while leaving the skin hydrated and luminous. The treatment starts with an invigorating full-body exfoliation using a golden sugar scrub, followed by a gentle scalp massage. While the cleansing mask works to warm and detoxify the skin, a harmonious hydromassage leaves the mind deeply relaxed. In the

for its overwater villas, white sandy beaches, turquoise lagoons, and coral reefs with marine life. Shaped by the Maldivian sun and shored by the Indian Ocean, the property is renowned for its signature Ritz-Carlton Spa. The wellness spa, inspired by the Earth’s energy, is a ring-shaped sanctuary tucked over the breathtaking and tranquil turquoise lagoon. It features nine spa treatment

rooms including a spa suite with its own relaxation lounge, a salon and a boutique. Treatments include the Bamford Signature Journey, which combines Japanese Shiatsu and Swedish motions to ease tension and balance meridians, followed by wave-like massages in unison with the ocean’s rhythm; their 90-minute Bamboo Massage which penetrates deep into the tissue by using heated bamboo sticks, kneading the muscles to stimulate blood circulation while enhancing flexibility; and their signature treatment, the Maldivian Signature Rejuvenation, which incorporates organic coconuts and pearly-white sand in a full-body massage to relax, nourish, and rejuvenate.

mood to splurge? Book the Illuminate & Lift treatment, a 90-minute journey featuring the best of science and rare ingredients with instant, visible results to preserve the youth of the skin. AHA’s remove congestion while plumping facial massage lifts. Enjoy a tightening bio-cellulose mask that firms while rose stem cells and porcelain flower oil repair damaged skin performed with SOTHYS products from Paris, known for their extraordinary treatments and science of results.

Traveling with the hubby? Go ahead and book

The Four Elements Couples Journey, which features a two-person soak tub, private rain showers, and separate treatment areas. At 90-minutes long, the natural treatment begins with a personal consultation and includes an immersive full-body exfoliation, hydrobath, and back and scalp massage, using CBDbased products to target inflammation, nourish the skin, and promote deep relaxation. It’s been said that “Miami is always a good idea,”so why not say yes?

The Ritz-Carlton Spa

The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort

THE TWELVE APOSTLES HOTEL AND SPA Cape Town, South Africa

www.12apostleshotel.com

The Twelve Apostles, part of the Table Mountain Range, overlooks Camps Bay in Cape Town, South Africa. Rising up from the mountain range is The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, possibly one the best hotels in not just South Africa, but all of Africa. The award-winning luxury Spa at The Twelve Apostles Hotel, overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, and offers an abundance of wellness and rejuvenation, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Table Mountain National Park.

The spa is designed by owner Toni Tollman, the all-white crystal grotto in natural muted tones of white, beige, stone and marble, exudes an aura of tranquility and calm, allowing guests to succumb to the hands of expert therapists with treatments that heal, restore and pamper. The spa offers personalized, individual treatments and Spa Journeys for both hotel guests and day spa visitors, as well as a variety of half and full-day Spa Packages. The Ultimate Spa Package is a fourhour experience that includes an Aromatherapy

WHITEFACE LODGE

Lake Placid, New York

www.thewhitefacelodge.com

Whiteface Lodge is tucked away into the woodlands surrounding Lake Placid in upstate New York. The Spa at Whiteface Lodge is an intimate 5,700-square-foot spa that takes its inspiration from the complex mosaic of Adirondack Mountain life. It’s no surprise that Condé Nast Traveler recently named the spa one of the top 100 Spas in North America, as this serene and blissful destination is destined to make you feel like a brand new you. Spa guests can embark on a variety of spa adventures from massage, skincare, body treatment, to salon experiences. Whiteface Arnica Recovery Wrap is an 80-minute gentle exfoliation with Arnica infused sugar. An Arnica infused shea butter masque is applied while you are wrapped in a warm cocoon,

allowing you to soak in rich minerals and healing Arnica extract. Once you’re all wrapped up, enjoy a Deep Tissue Massage to relax the body and mind. The Lodge Mud Wrap is a 50-minute detoxifying and nourishing fullbody mud masque. The wrap utilizes minerals and clay to draw out toxins and impurities, and a relaxing scalp massage while enveloped completes the sensory journey, letting stress melt

Massage followed by a 60-minute facial treatment and spa manicure and pedicure. Enjoy lunch and a glass of bubbly as part of the package, or book the Secret Indulgence two and a half hour experience to take in an exotic Elemis salt scrub followed by the Elemis Absolute Spa Ritual and then a Deep Tissue Massage to ease away your tension and leaving you feeling blissfully invigorated. If you’re coming with

away. A massage of rich shea butter completes the treatment, which leaves visitors feeling refreshed, clean, and energized. If traveling with two, go for the Great Salt Lake Bath and Massage Ritual, an 80-minute experience including 50-minute traditional therapeutic massages followed by submerging in a warm 25-minute hydrotherapy bath of sea salts, magnesium, and arnica. This mixture of minerals will help rejuvenate and extend the

your beau, the Total Relaxation Duo is a five and a half hour experience offering a 60-minute Hydrating Milk Bath Wrap, 60-minute facials, a 90-minute Relaxing Stone Massage followed by a 60-minute manicure and 60-minute pedicure. Feeling a little tipsy afterward? It’s because they give you a bottle to share, along with lunch and chocolate covered strawberries. Ooh la la, indeed!

benefits of your massage while soaking in an oversized hydrotherapy tub designed for two.

Whiteface Lodge is the type of destination you can’t just go to for a couple of days. There’s plenty to see and do after your spa adventure including tennis, pickleball, basketball, an onsite movie theater, old-fashioned two-lane bowling alley, bonfires in the evenings, and delicious dining options. Book your stay today!

Twelve Apostles Spa

Whiteface Lodge

Photo by Nathan Allen

A NEW WINE-INSPIRED SKINCARE LINE FROM BRAD PITT

BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES

WE COULDN’T FILL OUR CARTS QUICKLY ENOUGH WHEN WE LEARNED BRAD PITT WAS INVOLVED WITH A NEW MEN’S SKINCARE LINE – LE DOMAINE. After falling in love with the unique beauty of Provence, Brad Pitt worked with the Perrin family to restore Château Miraval, cultivating the estate’s grapevines and building a strong partnership which includes a distinctive approach to skin care and a line that is as red hot as Legends of the Fall. When asked how he came to meet the Perrin family, he noted, “When I decided to relaunch our Miraval rosé back in 2012, I was introduced to them through a mutual friend. He praised their work at Beaucastel. Since we share the same values for authenticity and preserving nature and terroir, we immediately hit it off.” Regarding creating a skincare line, he went on to reveal, “For a long time, I had tossed around the idea of creating a skin care line. When the Perrins told me about the research they had conducted with a professor on the antioxidant property of grapes and leaves, it clicked. We rapidly moved on with the concept of developing a unique sustainable skin care brand merging state-of-the-art research with the best natural ingredients.”

Our initial introduction to Le Domaine was The Serum, a moisturizing and anti-aging product with two active compounds that slow down the signs of skin aging. Recently, Le Domaine did a 28-day, dermatologically controlled in vivo test with 32 volunteers. This test was conducted using strict scientific methods approved by professors Nicolas Lévy, MD, PhD and Pierre-Louis Teissedre, PhD, these in vivo and in vitro tests precisely measure the remarkable effects of Le Domaine on wrinkle depth, antioxidant activity, skin hydration, and skin radiance. During that time The Serum proved to have several effects including experiencing a reduction of crow’s feet wrinkles, increase in plumping effect, and an increase in radiance and luminosity. And 94% of the group agreed The Serum made their skin more beautiful, soothed, and their complexion more luminous.

Le Domaine Skincare’s Luxury Collection includes The Cleaning Emulsion ($80), The Cream ($320), The Serum ($385), and The Fluid Cream ($310). The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star stated, “I was involved in the creative process every step of the way from choosing the name and the brand identity to testing the products. I’m a big fan of every single one and use The Cream daily. It is my favorite one - I really like the texture because it’s creamy, it moisturizes quickly. It makes my skin much more comfortable under the California sun.”

Le Domaine’s The Cream is exquisite, vegan, gender-neutral skin cream created with an equal emphasis on science and nature, formulated with soothing grape water and two exclusive patented active ingredients, GSM10 ® and ProGR3 ®, all of which incorporate grapederived ingredients from Château de Beaucastel. GSM10, an anti-aging compound developed by Pierre-Louis Teissedre, a professor at the University of Bordeaux Institute of Vine and Wine Science, uses upcycled Grenache seeds and the skin of Syrah and Mourvèdre grapes. Similarly, ProGR3, created by French scientist and researcher Nicolas Levy, features resveratrol—a potent and effective antioxidant—derived from Beaucastel grapevines.

Each of the products come in stunning bottles made of recycled glass and repurposed parts of wine barrels. Pair your new ultra-lux skincare products with a nice bottle of Miraval Rosé and summon the spirit of the South of France from the comfort of your home. ■

All Le Domaine products are available at https://le-domaine.com.

CHARLES BUSCH ALWAYS THE LEADING LADY

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

I NEVER HAD TO COME OUT. I WAS JUST SO GAY.”

PAGE 38-39:

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL WAKEFIELD

THE HISTORY OF DRAG IS FULL OF BIGGER-THANLIFE PERSONALITIES WHO HAVE BEEN TRAILBLAZERS, SETTING THE SCENE FOR THE DRAG RACE GENERATION OF SUPERSTARS. Making their entrance into the drag spotlight like a lioness with style, grace, and a side of camp, is one of entertainment’s finest leading ladies … Charles Busch. This multihyphenate entertainer made an indelible splash onto the scene in New York in the mid-’80s with his play Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, an unlikely hit that became one of the longest-running plays in the history of Off-Broadway. Not only did the show turn the theater scene on its head, but it also ignited the audience’s love affair with Busch, making his drag famous (or infamous) on a mainstream level with no one doubting the man in a wig as a bona fide starlet.

This playwright, actor, director, novelist, cabaret performer, and drag icon’s career would prove to be as colorful and almost as fanciful as one of his early plays with a Tony nomination, Outer Circle Critics’ John L. Gassner Award, Sundance Film Festival Award for Best Performance, honorable mention at the Tribeca Film Festival, Drama Desk Award for career achievement as both performer and playwright, a star on the Playwrights Walk outside the Lucille Lortel Theatre, two MAC awards, an infinite amount of critical acclaim, standing ovations, and a near cult following. This summer he tells all in his memoir, Leading Lady. Talking to him is dizzying as he recounts his almost too-hard-to-believe real-life stories, the people he’s come across, and the characters he has created - all in his signature Charles Busch voice, a demure mix of classic Hollywood and New York sensibility.

Busch’s works are often saturated in the textures of Classic Hollywood. His leading lady characters evoke the likes of Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, and more. His period pieces are not parodies but rather fierce homages of the films of yesteryear. Like a page from one of his pieces, this love affair with classic films and the foundation for the Busch motif was born from a bittersweet mix of tragedy and sentiment. When Charles’ mother died when he was seven years old, his father hired a live-in housekeeper who took over Charles’ room, necessitating he share a bedroom with his father.

My father would come home from a date, late. And he loved old movies, he loved classic films. I would just be up till two in the morning every night because how can you fall asleep when there’s James Cagney in Angels with Dirty Faces or Vivien Leigh in Waterloo Bridge on TV? It was a kind

of wonderful thing. In some ways, it was a great time for me to be with my father who was basically a straight man with a gay sensibility. So that was great. I basically got my whole film education watching movies with him, you know. By the time I was 11, I could tell you the nominees for Best Actress from every year before then, and my father thought that was really funny.

Norma Shearer made a big impression on me, particularly in Marie Antoinette. My father loved Greer Garson, particularly in his favorite movie Random Harvest. And I can certainly see that the lady I’ve often played, although it ranges, is largely a somewhat elegant lady in the Norma Shearer/Greer Garson mode. In my plays, there is a scene, usually about 40 minutes in, where I sit the leading man down and say, “Lemme tell you a little story ...” and it turns out the elegant lady Sylvia started out as a carnie dancer. Or the very elegant classical concert pianist, Gertrude Garnet, is actually Gritty Garnet, the Kissing Kitten of the Keys. I’m usually a rather spurious grand dame who comes from proletarian roots and puts on airs and more often than

not, I usually have a tawdry backstory. I think that might be one of the standard elements of camp is the mask that slips, and maybe that’s kind of essential camp, at large, within the gay community - the mask that slips revealing your true self.

Still reeling from the loss of his mother, Charles was flunking school at age 14 and in bad shape. Life would imitate art as Busch’s real-life Auntie Mame – his Aunt Lillian, a widow with no children – would step in, adopt him, and sweep him away to Manhattan, essentially saving his life and providing the colorful foundation that would seep into every one of Busch’s pieces. Like one of his characters, Busch would emerge from his trauma resilient with confidence in his identity, although it took the long way around.

It wasn’t until years later going into therapy that I actually realized how screwed up I was. It affected me early on because I was sort of a psychosomatically fragile kid. I couldn’t get enough sympathy. I was the little boy whose mother died, that was my identity. And so, I think I just needed sympathy. There was never anything wrong with me. I never went to a doctor, but I was always just in a sort of this kind of fragile

way. Then when I was about 15, suddenly I became sexualized. I never had to come out. I was just so gay.

I was very lucky too. I grew up in this rather sophisticated milieu. I was raised with no religion at all. I was very lucky that I didn’t have things that so many gay people have to fight against. I had to fight against just my own kind of sadness. But at the age of 15, overnight, seemingly, I went from being Oliver Twist to being a cute teenage gay boy. The whole world suddenly went from black and white to Technicolor. Suddenly I felt great, you know? Men started thinking I was cute.

My aunt got me a membership to go swimming at the YMCA. For a sophisticated lady, she was very naive and had no idea that she was sending me to the most notorious gay cruising place in the universe. I went after school one day, and it was all older, gay men. I was the only teenage boy there. And oh my God! It was all sorts of showbiz gays there, all these men discussing who was the more musical - Lauren Bacall in Applause, or Katharine Hepburn in Coco – and I thought, this is fabulous! I was sort of catnip to these older men. And I was going back. I was going swimming about five days a week! My aunt said, “Well, I think this is a great success!”

Busch attended The High School of Music and Art in Manhattan and would go on to major in drama at Northwestern University in Illinois. Not being cast in plays while in school incited Busch to write his own material, gaining early popularity and giving him his first real drag performance. Back in New York, he took a series of odd and even odder jobs and decided to put a skit on in the Limbo Lounge, a performance space and gallery in the East Village. Vampire Lesbians of Sodom was born and would be followed by a string of viral hits, with Busch usually playing the leading lady. Donning the wigs, the heels, and the lashes was just a natural choice for Charles.

It never occurred to me, what will people think? That just has never been in my mind, even when I was kind of screwed up as a young kid and kind of always slightly depressed, I never cared. That just wasn’t a part of my DNA. That could really slow you down if that’s a big part of your emotional life. So, yeah, for all my insecurity I never worried about

what people thought.

I was always aware of this androgynous quality in me. And for me, it’s deeply profound. I don’t really even totally understand it and don’t feel I even need to understand it. I’m probably on some sort of non-binary scale, obviously. It’s so easy for me to slip into a female role. I don’t need the costume. I do a lot of radio plays or readings when I don’t get dressed up. It’s not necessary. I enjoy it. I mean, I love costume design and I thoroughly enjoy drag, it’s not necessary for my belief, or the audience’s belief, in the character because it comes from such a deep, personal place. I can effortlessly access it.

Busch’s drag and the mainstream success he has had with it has trailblazed a path for the queens of the Drag Race era. Busch is proud of the current state of drag and the variety that exists. His relationship with drag has evolved, and so too has the art of drag.

I think that it’s wonderful that drag performers today can be so open and aware of the depth of what it means and that we have trans drag performers and just about every nuance now. When I began, Lypsinka and the various drag performers of my generation were so upset if we were ever called drag

queens in the press because it meant that we were being patronized and not taken seriously as professionals. When I read my old interviews or see quotes, I’m mortified at the stupid things I say defensively, the complete opposite of what I’m telling you.

I would say any glib statement I could come up with just to separate myself and that it was strictly a role that I’m playing and has nothing to do with who I really am. Just ridiculous. The fact is my entire creative life is my own androgyny. But we didn’t feel comfortable saying that back in the 80s. And we were right in a certain sense that if somebody in the press, particularly the straight press, called you a drag queen, it meant that you weren’t a real actor. You weren’t a real playwright. You were just kind of a party person. We were right and we were wrong. I really admire the way it is today that drag performers are from the very beginning just acknowledging the profundity of what it means to them.

Not only was Busch a leader of the drag movement, but he was also front and center during the developing art culture of New York in the 80s, a delicious time in history filled with art, sex, and rock ‘n’ roll.

FOR ALL MY INSECURITY I NEVER WORRIED ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT.

It was a thrilling time, starting this little theater company of misfit people who all adored each other. I’d never had a circle of friends like that. I just never did. To have that camaraderie and then to be in the right place at the right time, in the East Village in the early 80s which was a kind of a creative explosion where Madonna and Keith Haring and all these different people came out of that milieu in the last neighborhood in Manhattan that had cheap rents, was amazing. All these odd art galleries and dance clubs were popping up in an area that was basically Berlin after the war. It was just a scary crack-addicted area of burned-out buildings. But because of that, these different edgy clubs and galleries could spring up. It was thrilling being there and being part of it - doing performance art in this very edgy neighborhood. All of the magazines and newspapers were picking up on this bizarre, sexy scene in this weird part of Manhattan. Our plays had these titles like Vampire Lesbians of Sodom and Theodora She Bitch of Byzantium. We were good punchlines for all these articles. We had our picture in People Magazine, it was nuts. It was thrilling just to discover your talents in this outrageous

period. It was exciting.

Busch’s pieces are usually presented without an overtly political or, yes, even in drag, gay agenda. Critics have remarked this has been attributed to the wide success of his work. Audiences of all types feel comfortable and welcome in Busch’s realm, unafraid of being preached to. Given the recent attacks on our drag and LGBTQ communities by politicians, does Charles think we need more general entertainment to build bridges with the conservative side, or is now the time to add fuel to our art?

I think it’s both. I think we have to be political, and we can’t just be marched off to the camps. We have to fight with everything we have. But there’s also a point to popular entertainment. Gay marriage came across through the fierce activism and efforts of so many people. I also think Will & Grace and Modern Family, particularly Modern Family, helped the cause of gay marriage immensely. Because so many people around the country don’t really know gay people, and suddenly they came close to them. I don’t think you can discount it, but that’s not enough. Activism is key. It’s terrifying what’s going on and how drag is somehow being used to terrify ignorant people.

Busch continues to thrill audiences around the nation and his upcoming memoir, Leading Lady, is already heating up the book circuit in presales. His fictionalized memoir about his time at Limbo Lounge, Whores of Atlantis, has become a must-read for any lover of theatre, drag, and camp. Leading Lady has proven to be a bit more serious.

It was a real challenge to just really get into that zone of remembrance, I think for most of us, we try to avoid that zone, just losing yourself in the past. But in this case, I had to and it is so interesting that when you really start going deeper, all sorts of memories and details start coming forth that you hadn’t remembered or thought about and you get into this almost hypnotic place. Some of it was very painful. My sister Margaret, who’s about two and a half years older than I am, and I are very, very close. Until I started writing this book, as close as we are, we’d never discussed my mother’s death and where we were separately on that day. It was very difficult and painful for us to just really go back there to 1962 to this day that changed our lives. My mother was this painfully shy, socially awkward person who had no friends at all except for her sisters. She spoke in a whisper if strangers came by.

And it’s just so interesting that this person from her death, her absence from the world, changed so many people’s lives. I just wonder if she had lived and hadn’t died when I was seven, what my life would’ve been like, how would she have been with this complicated gay child with all sorts of artistic fantasies and leanings? Whereas my Aunt Lilian was so capable and so strong to give me these opportunities and fight for me. You wonder ...

The thing about leading ladies is that you are mesmerized at once, leaning forward to hear every dripping word and every fanciful story. This article could have been three times as long and still not have captured the delightful time we spent together. She’s a true grand dame. ■

You can preorder Leading Lady on Amazon.

Check out everything Charles at CharlesBusch.com

THIS PAGE: CHARLES AND JOHN WOJDA AND MARY TESTA IN JUDITH OF BETHULIA (2012) PHOTO BY DAVID RODGERS

THE REASON I’M HERE IS THAT I’M BRINGING SOMETHING THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN.“

STYLE AND SUBSTANCE

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT

EUGENE DANIELS

BY STEVE GOTTFRIED

WITH HIS RETRO ‘FRO, SIGNATURE TURTLENECKS AND PAINTED NAILS, EUGENE DANIELS HAS BEEN BRINGING MOD SQUAD SWAGGER TO MORNING JOE AND MEET THE PRESS, MORE THAN HOLDING HIS OWN ALONGSIDE SEASONED POLITICAL ANALYSTS. Described as a“rising star”Politico reporter by Vanity Fair upon his inclusion in Playbook, Daniels is part of an elite squad of reporters tasked with having their fingers on the pulse of the power players in Washington D.C. As an openly gay African American White House Correspondent, Daniels is broadening the lens of what it means to be a journalist in 2023.

I sat down for a one-on-one Zoom session with Mr. Daniels to get a glimpse behind the man and his mystique. If intersectionality is the current buzz word du jour, Daniels is an apt representative, keenly aware that the very things that once were the source of trauma growing up are now valued traits which give him a unique insight into American politics. Combined with his calm demeanor and nuanced commentary, Daniels has become a mainstay on MSNBC and is representing in the best possible way as an openly gay, proud Black man. What’s more, Daniels is keenly aware of the responsibility that comes with this position. It is what drives him and informs his coverage.

Little did he know as a Black gay child growing up in a smattering of Southern states from Arizona to Florida that he would one day not only be part of the White House press corps, but that he would be living out his ancestors’ wildest dreams, flying on Air Force One, chatting with the Bidens alongside his husband Nate Stephens at the White House Christmas party or posing questions for a one-on-one sit down with Madam Vice President Kamala Harris. But all that is a day in the very hectic life of Eugene Daniels who was once told by a former boss that he’d never make it in broadcasting because his voice was “too Black.” Fortunately, that very wrong and very bad advice did not deter him. To the contrary, it likely spurred him to greater heights because he realized if he wanted to spread his wings, he would need to leave behind the comfort of local news in Colorado and head to Washington D.C.

Daniels posted a photo of himself as a child to his Instagram account on National Coming Out Day. It’s a sweet photo capturing the innocence of childhood but there’s a sadness that comes through his eyes. Whether the sadness had anything to do with his sense of being different or whether it was something entirely mundane, we’ll never know. Swipe right and we

see the adult, fully realized out and proud man he would become. Beside the childhood photo, Daniels writes: “To the kid in the first picture: It’s going to take you decades (almost 3) to finally love yourself and accept what you already know to be true. It’ll take you longer to celebrate it.”Talk to me about what your childhood was like and the perspective that you now have looking back.

I look back at my childhood and I feel very fortunate, despite the fact that I got bullied as a kid for being gay. I didn’t come

out till I was 27, but I felt really lucky to have parents and siblings who were very loving. And so, while school really sucked, I would get to come home and my mom and I would talk almost every day. My dad was in the Army, so he was deployed a lot, but also very there and fabulous. So, my home life was great. I think a lot of queer people look back and feel very sad for the kid that we were. There is a kind of hopelessness when you’re a kid and you know something’s different before you have the words to know what it is. I was one of those kids who always knew I was different and more fabulous and gay.

Daniels describes the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016 as a catalyst for his own coming out. Though he was living in Colorado at the time, a safe distance from the massacre, Daniels recalls how the horrific event had a profound impact on him.

I remember thinking seriously, for the very first time that I could die and no one would know who I actually am. That kind of shook me to come out of the closet. This terrible thing happened to all these people who were just being themselves and here I was in the closet. I started to envision what my life might look like if I started to live my truth, if I started to actually be myself and be with men. Up until that point, I dated women exclusively. I just could not leave this earth without my family knowing fully who I am. And it changed everything about my life.

If Pulse provided the impetus to come out, it was his move to Washington D.C. which served as his springboard into embracing his truth as a gay man. He recalls reading a New York Times article by Jeremy Peters proclaiming Washington D.C. as “The Gayest City in America.” Though to be clear, there was a question mark in the title which gave the author a little wiggle room since the claim was based on surveys by Gallup and the Census Bureau.

When I came out of the closet, I was very intentional about repeating the mantra “we’re never doing that shit again.” We’re never going to hide who we are. I’m going to feel comfortable in my skin. I’m going to always feel like I belong somewhere. My mom gave me this advice when I was younger which was “you belong in whatever room you find yourself.”

Daniels applies this mantra to his professional life as he finds himself in spaces typically reserved for straight, white counterparts. A self-proclaimed Beyoncé super-fan, Daniels draws strength from the song “Cozy” from her Renaissance album.

It’s about being comfortable in your own skin. That is a constant thing that we’re all battling is being comfortable being ourselves, being cozy as we are. And showing up in these spaces that are often very white and very straight. Spaces that would never have someone with an Afro but me, no men with nail polish. I listen to that song often when I’m walking into the White House. I’ll

PEOPLE DESERVE TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POLITICS IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE TO THEM.”

throw that on to just center myself.

It is a struggle. Imposter syndrome comes for all of us at different times. And every time I go to a new place, I’m like “remember what my mama said.” The first time I was on Meet the Press I thought I was going to pass out. Or going to the White House Christmas party with my husband and talking to the President and the First Lady. It’s like, what the hell am I doing? How the heck did we get in here? You have to remind yourself that other people in D.C. who have power are just people. We all have a closet that we have to come out of. As a reporter, I often feel in control because I’m holding them accountable. It always blows my mind when I’m at the table with Mika, Joe and Willie on “Morning Joe” interviewing members of Congress or mayors and governors. I try to remember the reason I’m here is that I’m bringing something that no one else can. So I push that fear to the side and focus on the work. And then when I come home, I freak out with my husband –“oh shit, I can’t believe I did that!”

Daniels recalls his first date with a man and his first “boy kiss” as a 27-year-old.

It was in December of 2016 here in D.C. I got here in September, and I just came out gay.

He also remembers the exact day he came out because it fell on the same day immortalized in the Earth Wind and Fire song “September” with

its infectious beat and exuberant vibe and lyrics: Do you remember, the 21st night of September, Love was changin’ the minds of pretenders, while chasin’ the clouds away…

The first time I came out I basically just threw up the words. The only thing I was able to say up until I told my family was I’m not straight. So I started to come out little by little while I was in D.C. And then I just started dating. I started doing all the things we’re supposed to do as people who can live and love. Like going on dates and figuring out what I like in a man. I knew what I liked in women, but what do I like in a man? Do I want someone taller than me, shorter than me, older, younger? I met the man who would become my husband the next year. I was ready for a boyfriend.

For someone who’s managed to make it this far in an extremely competitive field, what advice you would give to somebody wanting to follow in your footsteps? Let’s pretend you’re speaking to college graduates at their commencement ceremony.

One - be yourself. It is at the core of how I feel. I have been able to carve out a path for myself. So be yourself fully and everything that means. Two is to find organizations that celebrate the idea that you are a singular person with singular experiences and who aren’t trying to change you. There’s nothing wrong with them making you a better reporter or giving you techniques to make

you a better writer. But at the end of the day, you can’t change the fact that I’m Black and gay. Those two things cannot be - and I won’t allow them to be - changed. Number three is to stay surrounded by love. This is a difficult career. And depending on where your path goes, and how much attention you get, you can hear a lot of terrible things online. There’s a constant deluge of people calling me the N word or the F word or putting them together. Surrounding yourself with people who remind you that the hate that you receive is outweighed by the love that you receive is vital. Number four is to stay focused on the work. I think often, young people get caught up in wanting to be like this person or that person. Focus on being yourself and on the work. Put your head down and work on your craft. Don’t think about climbing the ladder. Don’t think about, you know, oh my God, how do I get on TV at 24. And then I think number five would be to create a work family of people who you trust to come to and talk to. Find mentors.

One of Daniels’ favorite pinch-me moments was the first time he flew on Air Force One. Me and my dad share the same name. And they give you all these things that say Mr. Eugene Daniels, so I sent him all this stuff. He was like, “Oh my God, you took our name on Air Force One.” Up to that point, I had not thought of it in that way.

With every experience that I have been very lucky to have, I bring my entire family, including the people I never met, the people who were snatched from Africa. I bring all of them with me to those big moments. And I think that’s what means the most about the career that I have been really fortunate to have.

When I ask him to tell me about the Eugene Daniels swagger, he busts out in laughter, prompting me to elaborate. When you’re on the air, you seem very cool and collected. You make your points, like you are just sitting in someone’s living room. It’s a very appealing quality. Does that come naturally? Or did you have some on-air coaching?

It is really funny that you call it that. The first time I was on television was during COVID. I was at home and my then boyfriend, now husband, was just sitting nearby. So the stakes felt lower, if that makes sense. Like the nerves of oh my God, I’m sitting next to Andrea Mitchell or Chuck Todd ...

When I prepare for going on television, I often think about my grandmother who’s in Bucksport, South Carolina. And I think, what are the things that this older Black woman in South Carolina on a fixed income, or her friends or my cousins, need to know about this topic? What does it mean for people? How do you talk about politics in a way that is accessible? I don’t feel the need to use a bunch of SAT words. Because I think about those folks. People deserve to understand and have conversations about politics in a way that makes sense to them.

Let’s talk about your fashion choices. First, tell me about the outfit you wore to your wedding which was very fashion-forward.

So both Nate and I went to a shop in Georgetown called Everard’s Clothing who made both our suits. They were amazing and since I wanted something that was a little bit different (no lapel, Nehru collar, only one clasp) we got to really collaborate on it. The train from my shoulder is actually a detachable bow train from a wedding dress that the tailor at Everard’s affixed to my shoulder.

Shifting to your professional, on-camera wardrobe, I think the way you put yourself together is really fun and kind of livens things up. It doesn’t feel like the standard talking heads. To see you in bright colors and unafraid to go against the grain is refreshing. Do you have a stylist or do they give you a wardrobe allowance?

What? No! I wish. No, they do not. What’s funny is - people ask about this a lot because I’m basically always in a turtleneck if I’m on TV. And the main reason is because I don’t like ties. When we did our photo shoot for the new Playbook team, they were like, we want you guys to look cool and young - but really smart. So, I got a turtleneck and thought that it looked very Mod Squad. I had the Afro already. Then I got this nice textured blue jacket. Instead of buying ties, I just bought a bunch of turtlenecks in different colors. This is a lazy way to look fashionable, and feel good and comfortable. My full self likes to play with fashion and colors and fabrics.

As all roads invariably lead back to the Queen B, Daniels showed me that he just had his nails done to match the promotional artwork for Beyoncé’s upcoming tour which he’ll be attending in August. When I asked if Beyoncé is familiar with his work as a reporter, Daniels had mixed feelings about the prospect.

I don’t know. I hope so. Maybe I don’t hope so. I’m scared. She’s like a goddess. She’s one I’d be scared to meet. Terrified.

As we wrapped up our wide-ranging conversation, I asked Mr. Daniels what his proudest moment had been. He paused for a moment before responding.

Oh my God, I’m gonna cry. As I mentioned, my grandmother is from Bucksport, SC, which is this small town of mostly Black people. During the 2020 primary, I was still on the video team and I was talking to our Executive Producer about how we were

going to cover the South Carolina Primary, which we knew was going to be Biden’s big moment. My family is from the area, so Brooke was like, go talk to your grandmother. We’re going to do a story featuring Black women. So go to your grandmother’s house and talk to her about politics and who she’s voting for. And I did. Reporters usually don’t talk to their family. Being able to sit down with her and talk about her life story, about being a Black woman in South Carolina, about her politics, about why she thinks the way she thinks. A lot of the stories I already knew, knowing and hearing from her over the years. And being able to share with people the story of how my great grandmother would have a bucket in the car for all her kids because the “black-only” bathrooms were so disgusting. Ruby Brown is not someone who would typically be sitting across from a reporter, talking to them.

When I think of the sacrifices that have been made for me to be able to do the things that I do, sacrifices she made, that her grandmother made, that my great-great grandfather made. That’s why I’m able to do what I do and why I feel confident moving through the world as myself is because they did all the hard work. What I do now is small potatoes compared to having to carry around a bucket in the car so you can use the bathroom because white people won’t let you use theirs. Those are the real struggles. Telling that story is my proudest moment out of everything.

SWITZERLAND’S LIFE IN BAD RAGAZ

BY MARK A. THOMPSON Grand Resort Bad Ragaz

Helenabad, Bad

Ragaz

be daunting, yet when in Switzerland, it’s best to follow local protocol, especially in matters related to health and wellbeing. Furthermore, as you remind yourself, Grand Resort Bad Ragaz is home to the Swiss Olympic Medical Centre. Olympic bodies, enough said.

For nearly 800 years, ever since the discovery of thermal waters in the Tamina Gorge in the year 1242, legions of health fanatics have sought out the healing properties of Europe’s largest hot spring. Back in the day, those in search of a cure for their bodily ailments were lowered by ropes into the Tamina Gorge where they remained for days on end, seated in 98°F therapeutic waters.

Fortunately, health resorts have evolved since then, and Grand Resort Bad Ragaz is a five-star superior property complete with two five-star hotels, seven restaurants with a total of six Michelin stars, two golf courses, two thermal spas, twelve pools, a medical clinic which is home to the Swiss Olympic Medical Center, a sculpture garden, and a casino with over 100 varieties of gin. In other words, just the sort of place where you want to sequester yourself for a week of spa treatments and gastronomy.

All in the name of health, of course.

The village of Bad Ragaz is located approximately 90 minutes by train from Zurich. When you step out onto the train platform, you might imagine that you hear a cowbell in the distance. Surprise, you’ve arrived in Heidiland, a vacation region in Eastern Switzerland which is widely-celebrated as the birthplace of Heidi, the little girl raised in the Swiss Alps by her grandfather. But before you have time to yodel, your Mercedes transfer to Grand Resort Bad Ragaz has arrived to whisk you to the expansive health resort that fuels the local economy.

Founded in 1840, the Hotel Hof Ragaz offered thermal treatments flowing directly from a threemile wooden pipe that carried the water from the gorge to hotel guests. But it was not until 1868, when the renowned Swiss architect Bernhard Simon bought the domain of Ragaz, that the area became internationally celebrated and associated with Russian nobility and Belle Époque aristocrats who flocked to the area to take the waters.

You might wonder what’s so beneficial about these thermal waters that flow from atop the Alps. After an 11-year journey through the mountains, the hot spring water emerges at a temperature of 98°F with a well-balanced combination of minerals that promote the healing of rheumatic ailments, metabolic disorders, and neurological and musculoskeletal afflictions. Not only does your skin feel velvety to the touch, but bathing in these waters

TWO DOORS FACE YOU IN THE TAMINA THERME AT GRAND RESORT BAD RAGAZ: ONE LEADS INTO THE “TEXTILE SAUNA” FOR CLOTHED INDIVIDUALS - AND THE OTHER INTO SAUNAWELT (SAUNA WORLD) WHERE SCORES OF HEALTH ENTHUSIASTS WANDER IN THE NUDE. For some people from the States, the prospect of public nudity might

Tamina Thermal Baths Bad Ragaz

Sculpture Park, Grand Resort Bad Ragaz

Verve by Sven Bar

Tamina Therme Outdoor Pool

boosts the immune system, increases circulation, and relaxes the muscles to promote well-being.

Throughout the resort, you’ll see scores of hotel guests wandering the grounds in hooded spa robes and slippers on their way to and from the thermal waters and the saunas. The resort’s numerous hotels, restaurants, cafés, shops, salons, and wellness clinics are connected by gleaming corridors and motion-detected doors that glide open upon approach, and at times, you feel as if you’re walking through Starship Enterprise on your way to an alternate reality.

A member of Leading Hotels of the World and Swiss Deluxe Hotels, Grand Resort Bad Ragaz offers three unique hotels, each furnished in a style befitting the building’s original provenance. Upon entrance into the five-star Grand Hotel Quellenhof which was completely refurbished in 2019, guests are greeted by a magnificent 52-foot waterfall chandelier of 2,500 glass spheres. A second chandelier of 30,000 Swarovski crystals hangs above the lobby’s centerpiece, a circular fireplace with lounge seating.

At 550 square feet, the hotel’s Junior Suites are larger than many city apartments and offer luxuriant bathrooms with gold-leaf lavatory and electronic bidet. Walk-in showers feature gold-leaf flooring, and the massive soaking tub is backed by a marble mural of the Swiss Alps. The in-house toiletries are infused with the resort’s thermal waters - and hospitably include face cream and bath salts. The living area offers a wet bar with crystal goblets and glasses, spirits and wine, and a Nespresso machine for early morning coffee served on the balcony with panoramic views of the Swiss Alps and the resort’s sculpture garden.

Every third year, the village of Bad Ragaz becomes Bad RagARTz, an international triennial sculpture festival. For six months, from May through October, the entire village transforms into a public art exhibition with numerous sculptures and artworks placed on the grounds of Grand Resort Bad Ragaz. An early morning walk through the property on the way to breakfast becomes a lesson in art and cultural history.

After breakfast, most guests at the resort make their way to either the hotel’s Thermal Spa (reserved for hotel guests) or Tamina Therme which is open to the public with free access for hotel guests. It’s not uncommon to find many people making an entire day of it, wandering hither and yon from one pool to another, indoors and then out, pausing for a juice or a smoothie at one of the various cafés, reclining on chaises in relaxation rooms, then returning to the steam baths and saunas. You might see students reading

university texts while others catch the mountain sun on outdoor chaises. The multiple saunas in Saunawelt include Finnish, bio-sauna, infrared, Sanarium, Scandinavian Kelo infusion, Latvian, and a Nera ritual sauna where Banja rituals and infusions are performed around the sauna stove.

One of the more innovative and immersive treatments is haki® flow therapy, which was developed by therapist Harald Kitz. A holistic concept that focuses on the head, spine, and pelvis, haki flow treatment is conducted in the thermal waters in the early hours before Tamina Therme opens to the public. During the 75-minute session, your legs are attached to flotation tubing, with a flotation device beneath your back, while the therapist guides you through the water, slowly pulling and stretching your body. Some haki therapy fanatics compare it to the embryonic motion prior to birth, and there are times when you might feel as weightless as a jellyfish, as fluid as algae on the sea floor.

By day’s end at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, you feel so healthy that you’re tempted to eschew alcohol, and certainly there are a number of non-alcoholic cocktails served at the Michelinstarred Verve by Sven. That said, the spirits-loaded

cocktails are composed of botanical ingredients that make you feel both healthy and high. And given all your good intentions throughout the day, you’re entitled to order the deliciously decadent waffle and caviar, as well as the organic hourly egg served with potato mousseline and plenty of Perigord truffles. The renowned chef Sven Wassmer has earned five Michelin stars for his two restaurants at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz which highlight Alpine fine dining alongside healthy, sustainably-sourced ingredients.

In the evenings, hotel guests gather at Verve by Sven Bar around the fireplace at Hotel Quellenhof for a nightcap, or they head to the casino, or for an evening stroll - and yet it’s equally indulgent to fall into bed. A pillow menu offers no less than ten pillow choices, including Swiss stone pine. An indigenous conifer grown high in the Alps, the Swiss stone pine is known locally as the “Queen of the Alps” for its aromatic essential oils and therapeutic properties. Numerous studies have shown that the scent of Swiss stone pine purifies the air and lowers your heart rate while promoting a deeper, more restful sleep. But then, at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, sweet dreams are all but guaranteed. ■

Presidential Suite Living Area

Sauna Village and Pond

Imperial Suite, Palais Bad Ragaz

SHAKINA NAYFACK PRESENTING THE WORLD WITH POSSIBILITIES

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

BETTER THAN A ROMY AND MICHELE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION REBOOT, PICTURE IT: A MILESTONE HIGH SCHOOL REUNION AT AN ULTRACONSERVATIVE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN ORANGE COUNTY … Shakina Nayfack, Class of (fill in the blank, we don’t do ages): performer, director, writer, producer, artistic director, and activist whose groundbreaking career has encompassed television, theater, and music with projects on Amazon, Hulu, Audible, and NBC; making television history not once, not twice, but three times. Sounds like a Most Successful Honoree, correct? Too bad the high school asked her to leave when she was the victim of bullying because of her identity as part of the LGBTQ community.

I narrowly escaped and narrowly survived. I ended up dropping out of that high school and then was institutionalized for a while in a very Girl, Interrupted sort of way because no one knew what to do with me. And then went to Orange County High School of the Arts where I ended up having to start a riot because they wouldn’t let me create a Pride Club. I ended up not graduating from there either. So, I dropped out of another school after fighting tooth and nail to get this club off the ground. I got my high school proficiency from Horizons, famed Horizons, it was the stuff of legends. I roll hard for what I rep and where I come from, you know? If you are a child of continuation school, you were my people. So that was sort of my Orange County life. The biggest thing is that I refused to be silent about who I was and also refused to be shamed for who I was. This was before I even knew how to identify as trans, I was just femme. I was gay and femme. It was a knockdown, drag-out journey, but I made it and I’m one of the lucky ones.

It was Shakina’s inner strength that got her through those rough years and propelled her journey into the entertainment field. She became founding member and artistic director of New York’s Musical Theatre Factory, developing hundreds of musicals, including the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning A Strange Loop and her one-woman show, unabashedly titled Manifest Pussy, to critical and audience acclaim. For her theatre work, she has received the Lilly Award, the TRU Humanitarian Award from Theatre Resources Unlimited, and the Beatrice Terry Fellowship Award from the Drama League. From where did she manifest this inner strength?

LOVE IS SACRED AND SHOULD BE BLASTED OUT AS FAR AND WIDE AS POSSIBLE”

I think I knew from a really young age that I had a right to be here. I had something important to say and I had a destiny. I also knew something was wrong, and I refused to accept that it could only be wrong with me. Sometimes it was a bit of “fake it till you make it.” But the tenacity to keep faking it till I made it, still to this day, I think comes from a belief that I have a lot of love to give and that love is sacred and should be blasted out as far and wide as possible. And for someone to tell me that my love that I want to shine is unacceptable or dangerous is a lie, and I won’t stand for it. It basically came down to that.

There was this whole other journey that happened between SoCal and New York. I went to college in Santa Cruz, which is like the redwood forest and the ocean and the most amazing liberal place in the world. I was able to find myself and be myself and change my name and claim my identity. And then I spent a number of years between Riverside and LA and Central Mexico studying ritual dance and really trying to figure out my body and my spirituality. And then I went to New York. So, I had like gone on this whole other kind of academic shamanistic dance journey that sort of rooted me into who I was before I even transitioned.

And then when I moved to New York, I was like, okay, I think the world is ready for me and I’m ready for the world. It was really interesting because I was trying to prove myself as a director and make my way as a director developing new musicals. It wasn’t until I was going to transition and I was like,

I don’t know how to afford this. I was like, I think I’m just going to crowdfund this. Wait, how am I going to crowdfund this? I’m going to make a show. I’m going to reach out to my people. I was one of the first people in the Broadway community to transition. I thought, people are going to have so many questions, let me just answer them upfront in a show. And that was the first time I had gotten on stage in over a decade. Suddenly I was like, wait, am I an actress? Am I not a director right now? Am I actually going to become an actress? That thing maybe I always wanted but never thought I could be. And that’s what happened.

Shakina’s first major TV role was playing Lola, a “trans-truther,” on Hulu’s Difficult People, costarring in a dream cast with Billy Eichner, Julie Klausner, Andrea Martin, Cole Escola, Gabourey Sidibe, and more and that boasted a veritable who’s who of entertainment’s best as guest stars. Shakina was making history as playing the first trans actor in a recurring, comedic role. The character, while speaking about trans rights, was funny and sassy, not a victim, not powerless - a milestone for trans representation. And it was also a milestone for Shakina, who found her comedic voice.

I learned that I was funny. I always made people laugh, but I never thought of myself as a comedian. I was with some of the best comedians in the business, some of the funniest people on television, and I could hold my own. The authentic me that I was bringing is exactly what Lola was. Aside from the hair, I’m pretty much the same. I have been nothing if not consistent and persistent.

Nayfack also served as a writing consultant for the show. She would go on to appear in the finale of Amazon’s Transparent, also working behind the scenes as a writer and producer. In 2020, she became the first trans person to have a starring role on a major network comedy show for NBC’s Connecting. Most recently, she made history again with NBC for her writing, directing, and acting work on Quantum Leap for the “Let Them Play” episode, starring trans actors and centering on the hot topic of trans youth in school sports. Wanting to get more experience in a writer’s room, she wrote a sample and asked to meet with the showrunners of Quantum Leap, pitching her idea for this episode. In every episode, the main character must enter someone else’s body to affect change. Shakina, knowing what it’s like to be in a body that feels foreign, wanted to use the opportunity to feature a family with a trans youth as a way of building a bridge of empathy through storytelling. The episode was a hit. What was her biggest obstacle in getting the episode made?

The biggest challenge for me in getting the episode made was learning to accept all the support from those whom I anticipated having pushback. Then, from there, figuring out how to stand up for what really mattered to me in the episode and communicate that and meet everyone where they were so we could do it collectively and enthusiastically from the beginning. Once we all got aligned and I realized that I had everyone behind me, then we just like had to make an episode, a great episode.

With Shakina’s time in front of behind the camera, what is Hollywood getting right about trans representation, what does Hollywood still need to work on?

I think people have realized that trans people need to play trans people. I hope that we’ll see the end of the practice of cis people playing trans people. I hope that can spill over into disability representation. We’ll see. Hell, even gay and lesbian representation and bi representation!

I think we’re getting right that trans people exist in all fabrics of storytelling because we exist in all fabrics of life. So, I think that you’re starting to see trans characters and trans people pop up in different levels of hierarchy in terms of a series regular, guest star. Also, it’s not always about them being trans, it isn’t about their transness. They have a whole arc and it’s just them living a life. We’re starting to see some of that real integration, not tokenism.

Where we need work is that in representation, one is not enough. That’s like the actual rule. They don’t tell you that when they say

I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE IN THE BROADWAY COMMUNITY TO TRANSITION. TRANS PEOPLE NEED TO PLAY TRANS PEOPLE.”

representation matters, but one is not enough. That means anytime you’re in a meeting or anytime you’re writing a script or anytime you’re casting a show, one of anyone isn’t actually diversity because you need to be able to show multiplicity, multiplicity within identity - that’s what diversity is actually about. Also, representation doesn’t just mean what you see on the screen. Representation means everyone who contributes to the thing that is being seen because there are a lot of eyes and ears and hands and notes on a project before it gets out to the public. So if there aren’t trans people in the room at every level of that conversation, then no matter what is on the screen might have been vetted in a way that’s less than authentic, and that is a concern.

As for the current political war on the trans community, Shakina has a lot to say. An interesting juxtaposition is, the more success that Shakina has had and the more representation the trans community has, the more the conservatives are winning in the legal arena.

There are two things going on that are important to recognize. The first is that at any moment of liberation, the forces of darkness will rally hardest against the light about to break free. We’ve had this incredible swelling of trans visibility and the possibility for trans young people to even come out and exist, which is just so worthy of celebration. But it has created a backlash from a really fringe, unfortunately powerful vocal group that has taken sway over the majority of a passive political base. People are so daunted by the political landscape these days that it’s hard to notice (I forgive people for not noticing) when such a small percentage of the population is being used at such a massive political scale.

It’s interesting because I’m in the business of imagining trans futures and presenting the world with possibilities for trans

experience, a trans life. I didn’t have those growing up. And every time we tell a story in media, and we allow audiences to get to know a trans character and to imagine their life and to imagine life with trans people, it just makes the world more possible for us overall. So, a big movement in this quest for trans visibility has been to work against these tropes of trauma and isolation that keep repeating. These stories we tell become the stories we tell ourselves; you know? And so, we’re out here in Hollywood trying to tell a different story than the radical political right is trying to tell. Unfortunately, we haven’t succeeded in mobilizing the bases enough to make a stand, which to me would look like the passage of the Equality Act and national protection for LGBTQ people.

What’s wild is that it’s politicians and ignorant parents pumping fear into kids who otherwise are actually pretty down. Most kids of this generation don’t really have a problem with queerness or gender, they’re just sort of like, okay, you do you, I’m into what I’m into. But it is the fear-mongering and hate being pumped in from politicians, religious institutions, vis-a-vis ignorant parents, where we have to intervene.

With so many different directions Shakina can go into, the spotlight is on her. She has turned her early trauma, her life journey, and her identity into a powerful beacon for the LGBTQ community in entertainment and beyond. Currently, she is working hard on getting her membership in the Director’s Guild of America. She has more stories to tell, more audiences to thrill, and more history to be made. Her message to the LGBTQ community?

Lead with love and protect each other. No one else is doing it for us so we gotta do it for ourselves.

You can follow Shakina on IG: @Shakeenz

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1700 Stadium Way LA 213 847-LAFD

www joinlafd org

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)

700 E Temple St, B-38 LA 866 444-LAPD

www joinlapd com

FRAMING

Framing Gallery

8527 Santa Monica Blvd

West Hollywood 310 657-6904

FITNESS/GYMS/PERSONAL TRAINERS

Body Builders Gym

2516 Hyperion Ave

Silverlake 323 668-0802

Fired Up Athletics

8474 W 3rd St, Ste 208, LA 213 608-9425

www firedupathletics com

GUEST HOUSES/B&B’S

MisterBandB

www misterbandb com

HAIR SALONS

Blades 801 N Larrabee St, Ste #1 West Hollywood 310 659-6693

Shorty’s Barber Shop

755 N Fairfax Ave West Hollywood 323 297-0554

www shortysbarbershop com

HOTELS

Opus Hotel Vancouver 322 Davie St Vancouver, BC Canada 604 642-6787

www opushotel com

Preferred Hotels & Resorts

www preferredpride com/metrosource

Ramada Plaza West Hollywood Hotel 8585 Santa Monica Blvd 800 845-8585

www ramadaweho com

Sunset Marquis 1200 Alta Loma Rd

West Hollywood 800 858-9758

www sunsetmarquis com

INSURANCE

Marc Berton Insurance LA 323 872-0482

San Fernando Valley 818 365-9449 Toll Free 800 924-4459 www marcberton com

INTRODUCTION SERVICES

Bespoke Matchmaking LA 888 422-6464

www bespokematchmaking com

LEATHER

665 Leather & Fetish Co 8722 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood 310 854-7276

Rough Trade 3915 W Sunset Blvd, Silverlake 323 660-7956 www roughtradegear com

MARKETING SERVICES

Brand2Fly

San Jose 408 763-7924

www brand2fly com

GayVan com Travel Marketing www gayvan com

NUTRITION & FITNESS

Power Zone

8578 Santa Monica Blvd

West Hollywood 310 289-1125

www powerzoneonline com

PET SUPPLIES

Nulo Pet Foods

nulo com/love

PHARMACIES/DRUGS

AHF Pharmacy 1400 S Grand Ave, Ste 801 Downtown LA 213 741-5271

1300 North Vermont Ave Hollywood 323 661-0643

www ahfpharmacy com

Cienega Pharmacy

99 N La Cienega Blvd, Ste 104 Beverly Hills 310 360-9969

www uniteddrugs com

PHYSICIANS & MEDICAL SERVICES

Hollywood Sunset Free Clinic

Family Medicine & Mental Health

3324 W Sunset Blvd, LA 323 660-2400

www hsfreeclinic org

TATTOO

Body Electric Tattoo and Piercing 7274 1/2 Melrose Ave LA 323 954-0408

www bodyelectrictattoo com

THRIFT SHOPS

Berda Paradise Thrift Store 3506 W Sunset Blvd LA 323 661-8246

VIDEO Broadway Video 3401 E Broadway, Long Beach 562 433-1920

WEDDING SERVICES

Cake and Art 8709 Santa Monica Blvd

West Hollywood 310 657-8694

www cakeandart com

Metrosource is committed to helping non-profit organizations in their ongoing efforts to serve our diverse community.

PACIFIC PRIDE FOUNDATION

ATHLETIC

ARRIBA SKI & SNOWBOARD CLUB

PO Box 69611

West Hollywood, CA 90069

www.arribaski.org

CHEER LA

1223 Wilshire Blvd #1580 Santa Monica, CA 90404 www.cheerla.org

DIFFERENT SPOKES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

P.O. Box 2466 Hollywood, CA 90078

www.differentspokes.com

GOLDEN STATE GAY RODEO

ASSOC - GLAC

P.O Box 2407 Long Beach, CA 90801

562 498-1675 www.larodeo.com

GREATER LA GAY BOWLING www.igbo.org

LA BLADES ICE HOCKEY PO Box 4346 Laguna Beach, CA 92652 310 288-3632

www.bladeshockey.com

LA POOL LEAGUE PO Box 2227

Los Angeles, CA 90078 818 426-2171

www.lapl8ball.org

LA TENNIS ASSOC. (LATA) PO Box 481226 Los Angeles, CA 90048

www.lataweb.com

SHORELINE FRONTRUNNERS OF LONG BEACH PO Box 90774

Long Beach, CA 90809 562 252-0218

www.shorelinefrontrunners.org

SURF & SUN SOFTBALL

www.surfandsunsoftball.com

WEST HOLLYWOOD AQUATICS

www.wh2o.org

CULTURAL, SOCIAL

ASIAN PACIFIC AIDS INTL TEAM

6501 West Olympic Blvd Ste 610 Los Angeles, CA 90015 213 553-1830

www.apaitonline.org

BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY

5001 Angel Canyon Rd Kanab, UT 84741 435 644-2001

www.bestfriends.org

BEST FRIENDS PET ADOPTION & SPAY/NEUTER SERVICES

15321 Brand Blvd Mission Hills, CA 91345 818 643-3989

www.bestfriends.org/la

CHRISTOPHER STREET WEST/GAY PRIDE

8235 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90046 323 969-8302

www.lapride.org

GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION (GLAAD) 5455 Wilshire Blvd, #1500 Los Angeles, CA 90036 323 933-2240

www.glaad.org

GAY MENS CHORUS OF LA 9056 Santa Monica Blvd, #300 West Hollywood, CA 90069 800 636-7464

www.gmcla.org

LA GAY & LESBIAN CENTER

The Village at Ed Gould Plaza

1125 N McCadden Place Los Angeles, CA 90038 323 860-7302

www.laglc.org

LA GAY & LESBIAN CENTER

McDonald/Wright Building 1625 North Schrader Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028 323 993-7400

www.laglc.org

LA YOUTH

SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

8111 Beverly Blvd #306 Los Angeles, CA 90048 877 465-2977

www.la-youth.org

LONG BEACH LESBIAN & GAY PRIDE PO Box 2050 Long Beach, CA 90802

562 987-9191

www.longbeachpride.com

OUTFEST THE LA GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL 3470 Wilshire Blvd #1022

Los Angeles, CA 90010 213 480-7088

www.outfest.org

126 East Haley, Ste A-11 Santa Barbara, CA 93101

805 963-3636

www.pacificpridefoundation.org

THE POINT FOUNDATION

5757 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 370 Los Angeles, CA 90036

866 33-Point www.pointfoundation.org

VALLEY PERFORMING

ARTS CENTER

18111 Nordhoff St Northridge, CA 91330

818 677-2488

818 677-3000 valleyperformingartscenter.org

WORLD HARVEST

FOOD BANK

1014 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90015 213-746-2228

www.worldharvestfoodbank.org

HEALTH/ COUNSELING

AID FOR AIDS AFA

8235 Santa Monica Blvd #200 West Hollywood, CA 90046 323 656-1107 www.aidforaids.net

AIDS HEALTHCARE

FOUNDATION/MENS

WELLNESS CENTER

• 6255 W Sunset Blvd, 21st Fl Los Angeles, CA 90028

888 AIDS CARE

• 1300 N Vermont Ave, Ste 407 Los Angeles, CA 90027

866 339-2525

800 367-2437 www.inspotla.org

AIDS HEALTHCARE

FOUNDATION PHARMACY

8212 Santa Monica Blvd

The David Geffen Center West Hollywood, CA 90046 323 654-0907 www.ahfpharmacy.org

APLA HEALTH

Client & Community Services

The David Geffen Center

• 611 South Kingsley Drive Los Angeles, CA 90005

213.201.1600

213 201-WALK (9255)

• 3743 S. La Brea Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90016

323.329.9900

• 5901 W. Olympic Blcd. #310 Los Angeles, CA 90036

• 1043 Elm Avenue #302 Long Beach, CA 90813

562.247.7740

www.apla.org

www.aidswalk.net

AIDS RESEARCH ALLIANCE

1400 S Grand Ave Ste 701 Los Angeles, CA 90015

310 358-2429

www.hopetakesaction.org

www.aidsresearch.org

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

3333 Wilshire Blvd #900 Los Angeles, CA 90010

800 227-2345

www.cancer.org

BEING ALIVE PEOPLE WITH HIV/AIDS ACTION COALITION

621 N San Vincente Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90069

310 289-2551

www.beingalivela.org

GAY & LESBIAN CENTER Orange County 1605 N Spurgeon St Santa Ana, CA 92701 714 953-5428 www.thecenteroc.org

HOLY FAMILY SERVICES, ADOPTION & FOSTER CARE 840 Echo Park Ave Los Angeles, CA 90026 213 202-3900 www.hfs.org

LA FREE CLINIC

• 5205 Melrose Ave Los Angeles, CA 90038

323 653-1990 – appts 323 653-8622 – admin www.lafreeclinic.org

• 6043 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028

• 8405 Beverly Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90048

LA PUBLIC HEALTH

www.reallycheckyourself.org

OUT OF THE CLOSET

THRIFT SHOPS

• 8224 Santa Monica Blvd

West Hollywood, CA 90046

Pacific Coast Hwy Long

PROJECT ANGEL FOOD

922 Vine St Los Angeles, CA 90038

323 845-1800

www.angelfood.org

THE TREVOR PROJECT

9056 Santa Monica Blvd #100

West Hollywood, CA 90069 310 271-8845

www.thetrevorproject.org

VALLEY COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE

6801 Coldwater Canyon Ave North Hollywood, CA 91605 818 301-6314 - HIV testing 818 301-6390 - Medical Services

www.smarthealthla.com

LEGAL

LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND INC. Western Regional Office 3325 Wilshire Blvd #1300 Los Angeles, CA 90010 213 382-7600

www.lambdalegal.org

NATIONAL G & L TASK FORCE

5455 Wilshire Blvd #1505 Los Angeles, CA 90036 323 954-9597 www.thetaskforce.org

LESBIANS

LESBIAN LAWYERS ASSOC OF LA PO Box 480318 Los Angeles, CA 90048 213 486-4443 www.lgla.net

POWER UP 419 North Larchmont Blvd, #283 Los Angeles, CA 90004 323 463-3154 www.power-up.net

WOMAN ON A ROLL PO Box 5112 Santa Monica, CA 90409 310 578-8888 www.womenonaroll.com

PROFESSIONAL

LOS ANGELES GAY AND LESBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 8424 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood,CA 90069 424.209.2708 www.laglcc.org

REFERRALS/ SWITCHBOARDS

LA Gay & Lesbian center Jeff Griffith Youth Center 7051 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90038 TOLL FREE: 800 773-5540

LA GAY & LESBIAN CENTER

MacDonald/Wright Bldg 1625 North Schroder Los Angeles, CA 323 933-7400 www.angelfood.org

THE TREVOR PROJECT 9056 Santa Monica Blvd #100 West Hollywood, CA 90069 310 271-8845 www.thetrevorproject.org

THE VILLAGE AT ED GOULD PLAZA 1125 North McCadden Place Los Angeles, CA 90038 323 860-7328 prevention@laglc.org www.laglc.org

RELIGIOUS

ALL SAINTS PARISH 504 North Camden Dr West Hollywood, CA 90036 310 275-0123

BETH CHAYIM CHADASHIM 6000 West Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90035 323 931-7023 www.bcc-la.org

GLORY TABERNACLE CHRISTIAN CENTER 3215 East Third St Long Beach, CA 90804 562 438-7758 www.glorytabernacle.com

OPEN DOOR MINISTRIES 4101 Willow St 562 925.3533

www.open-door-ministries.org

ST. JANE FRANCES CATHOLIC CHURCH G & L OUTREACH 12930 Hamlin St North Hollywood, CA 91606 818 985-8600

WEST HOLLYWOOD CHURCH 916 North Formosa Ave West Hollywood, CA 90069 323 656-2400

PALM SPRINGS DIRECTORY

CANNABIS

760 778-1053

The Lighthouse Dispensary

760 320com

The Vault Dispensary and Lounge

760 866-

Just Fabulous 515 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 864-1300

www bjustfabulous com

Mischief Cards & Gifts 226 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 322-8555

www mischiefcardsandgifts com

Peepa’s 120 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 318-3553

www peepasps com

HAIR SALONS

Cut Barber 1109 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 322-2999

www cutbarber com

760 567-6852

Palm Springs, CA 92262 888 999-1995 www sparesortcasino com

• 32-250 Bob Hope Dr, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

760 322-3400

442 268-5498

ATTRACTIONS

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens 47900 Portola Ave

Palm Desert, CA 92260 760 346-5694 www livingdesert org

Palm Springs Air Museum

745 N Gene Autry Trail Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 778-6262

www palmspringsairmuseum org

Palm Springs Art Museum

101 Museum Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 322-4800

www psmuseum org

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

1 Tram Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 888 515-8726

www pstramway com

BAKERY

Over the Rainbow Deserts

1775 E Palm Canyon Road, Suite 150 Palm Springs, CA 92264 760 322-2253

www romanblas com

Pastry Swan Bakery

70225 Highway 111 Suite A

Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 760 202-1213

www pastryswan com

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino 84-245 Indio Springs Dr Indio, CA 92203 760 342-5000 www fantasyspringsresort com

Morongo Casino Resort & Spa 49500 Seminole Dr Cabazon, CA 92230 800 252-4499 www morongocasinoresort com

CLOTHING

GayMart 305 E Arenas Rd #6635 Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 416-6436

Revivals

• 611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 760 318-6491

• 68401 Hwy 111, Cathedral City, CA 760 969-5747

FINANCIAL ADVISORS

Simon Hobbs California Financial Partners Inc California 818 637-0180

simon@calfp com

GIFTS

Destination PSP 170 North Palm Canyon Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 354-9154

www destinationpsp com

Greetings Palm Springs 301 N Palm Canyon Dr # 102 Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 322-5049

www greetingspalmsprings com

Daddy’s Barbershop 192 S Indian Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92264 760 537-1311

www daddysbarbershop com

Palm Springs Fine Men’s Salon 750 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 3 Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-904-0434 www psfinemenssalon com

PET SUPPLIES

Bones-N-Scones 633 S Palm Canyon Dr Suite #26 Palm Springs, CA 92264 760 864-1133

Cold Nose Warm Heart 187 South Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 424-2006 www pspetstore com

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

DAP HEALTH 1695 N. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 323-2118 www.daphealth.org

DESERT CARE NETWORK 760 561-7373 www.desertcarenetwork.com

DESERT OASIS HEALTHCARE 275 North El Cielo Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 325-DOHC (3642) www.mydohc.com

EISENHOWER HEALTH 39000 Bob Hope Drive Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 760 340-3911 eisenhowerhealth.org

MICHAEL’S HOUSE 1910 S Camino Real Palm Springs, CA 92262 844 768-0633 www.michaelshouse.com

PALM SPRINGS ANIMAL SHELTER 4575 E. Mesquite Ave, Palm Springs, CA 92264 760 416-5718 www.psanimalshelter.org

PALM SPRINGS FRONT RUNNERS & WALKERS frontrunners.clubexpress.com

STONEWALL GARDENS 2150 N. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 548-0970 www.stonewallgardens.com

THE LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER OF THE DESERT 1301 North Palm Canyon Dr, 3rd Floor Palm Springs, CA 92262 760 416-7790 www.thecenterps.org