Metrosource August/September 2018

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 METROSOURCE

METROSOURCE

MIAMI, MIAMI YOU’VE GOT STYLE BIANCA DEL RIO HURRICANE SEASON AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

CODY RIGSBY PERFECTING PELOTON

RECLAIMING MY PRIDE THE WINNER REVEALED

WELLNESS

KARL SCHMID POSITIVELY FABULOUS

What is BIKTARVY®?

BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults. 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.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about BIKTARVY? BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects: } Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection.

If you have both HIV-1 and HBV and stop taking BIKTARVY, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.

Who should not take BIKTARVY? Do not take BIKTARVY if you take: } dofetilide } rifampin } any other medicines to treat HIV-1

What are the other possible side effects of BIKTARVY? Serious side effects of BIKTARVY may also include: } Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. 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 effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (5%), and headache (5%). Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or don’t go away.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking BIKTARVY? } All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection. } All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements. BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all of your other medicines. } If you 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. } If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

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.

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you.

Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the following page.

Get HIV support by downloading a free app at MyDailyCharge.com

KEEP EMPOWERING. Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.

BIKTARVY is a 1-pill, once-a-day complete HIV-1 treatment for adults who are either new to treatment or whose healthcare provider determines they can replace their current HIV-1 medicines with BIKTARVY.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

BIKTARVY.COM

IMPORTANT FACTS

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.

(bik-TAR-vee) MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. 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.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults.

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 all your medical conditions, including if you: • Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.

• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

• Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby.

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.

• Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY BIKTARVY can cause serious side effects, including: • Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.

• Changes in your immune system.

• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure.

• 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 effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (5%), and headache (5%).

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. 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, DAILY CHARGE, the DAILY CHARGE Logo, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies.

Version date: February 2018 © 2018 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. GILC0396 04/18

August/September 2018 | VOLUME 29, NO. 4

CONTENTS

28 KARL SCHMID THIS TV PERSONALITY IS CHANGING WHAT IT MEANS TO

live openly with HIV: the extraordinary journey that brought him here — with Dame Edna included!

32 CODY RIGSBY FROM DANCING WITH CELEBS, HE WENT ON TO BECOME

one of Peloton’s most popular trainers, spreading music and tolerance with every class.

36 RECLAIMING MY PRIDE

36

IT’S THE ART CONTEST THAT BECAME OUR BIGGEST EVENT

ever: now meet the judges, the finalists, the winner and the night we toasted them on top of the world!

48 WELLNESS IN MIAMI HEALTHY SOUL FOOD? SUNRISE YOGA ATOP A RESTORED

art Deco landmark? Dinner with a giant unicorn?

Nobody feeds the body and soul like Magic City.

52 GLAMPING IN BIG SKY COUNTRY FIND OUT WHY A GROUP OF GAY MEN BOUGHT OUT THIS From top left: Bridgette Victoria Cruz, Queens, NY. “Para Mi Gente”; James Falciano, Brooklyn, NY. “A Celebration of Queer Expression”; Charles Caldwell, Rahway, NJ. “Speak Up and Reclaim Your Pride”

ON THE COVER PHOTO BY MANNY AMIT

dude ranch for to throw a birthday party full of Rocky Mountain scenery and cowboy-style luxury.

ONLY HALF-LISTENING

VIEWS

EDITOR’S LETTER

THE SUMMER AFTER KINDERGARTEN, I WAS ADMITTED TO THE

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hospital. Something was wrong with my left ear, and the doctors were having difficulty identifying a remedy.

They hoped a month of IV antibiotic treatment would be enough to correct the problem. If it wasn’t, they’d perform surgery at the end of the month.

The trouble with these IV treatments was that, after a while, my circulatory system became overburdened. The arm in which the needle was inserted began to swell and not properly receive the medication. So after a week, they switched to the other arm. When that arm swelled, they had no choice but to return to the other, still not-quite-deflated arm.

Having an IV inserted can be extremely disconcerting. There can be difficulties finding an appropriate vein, tapping into it and getting the apparatus to sit properly. When they went to insert the IV into my still-tender arm, it felt like liquid fire. Sensing that my discomfort might upset my mother, they wheeled me away to “another room” (really more of a supply closet) where a burly blonde orderly held me down as the procedure was completed. For decades after, I would wake from nightmares, reliving that moment.

Unfortunately, that suffering was for naught. The antibiotics had no discernible effect, and I was scheduled to undergo a surgery that would enable the doctors to clear out the damaged tissue - including my eardrum and the bones essential for conducting sound. When I woke from the surgery, the pain was extraordinary - as though someone were swinging a bat that was perpetually connecting with the side of my head. But the most lasting and life-altering result was that I was left effectively deaf in one ear.

Having now spent nearly my entire life in this condition, I don’t have much with which to compare it, but I’ve noted how it interferes. When walking down the street with someone, I have to be on their left, which often leaves me performing a kind of pas de deux to get into position. People are constantly trying to whisper things into my non-functioning ear, such that I instinctively turn my hearing ear toward their lips - resulting in more than a few inadvertent head butts. When it came to music, I learned how to position myself around pianos and speakers to catch more of what was going on. And if we are seated such that my right ear toward an open car window, you might as well be trying to talk to me from the next room.

One learns to cope. I’ve known people for years before they noticed. I generally don’t feel differently abled. But I’m aware that I miss bits of conversation. I’ve fake-laughed at many jokes with punchlines I never heard rather than go through the rigmarole of asking for them to be awkwardly repeated. Occasionally I’ll listen to something designed to offer stereo sound and be unable to hear whatever portion of it is being delivered into the left channel. I worry that I might lose the hearing in my other ear (due to an accident or the passing of time) and be left without the ability to hear at all. I wonder if I should learn sign language preemptively.

Doctors have told me that there may be options that could restore my hearing - but I’ve been down that road and disappointed before. When I had an another corrective ear surgery in high school, the doctor optimistically decided to excise a piece of my jaw muscle to function as my new ear drum. Within months it had collapsed, causing more problems. I don’t need to have my head cut open again to know that my ear is a destroyer of anything put into it.

This is the life I know. In the same way I am gay or cisgender or white, this is a circumstance that the universe built into my experience on the planet. I suppose I could spend more time raging or complaining about it, but - with the exception of some basic medical upkeep - I prefer to focus on living the best life I can, adapting where necessary, and not putting myself in positions where my hearing loss will prove a disadvantage. I’ve accepted it. But if you should ever find yourself in conversation with me, I’ll take this opportunity to apologize in advance — because no matter what, I’m only half-listening.

■ AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

METROSOURCE.COM

PUBLISHER Rob Davis ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Evelyn Vayner EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paul Hagen CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jiyon Son ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kevin Phinney SENIOR DESIGNER Jayson Mena COPY EDITOR Kevin Phinney PROOFREADERS Erin Jordan, Barbara Mele CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jennifer Day, Steve Gottfried,

Matt Gross, Jeffrey James Keyes, Christopher Lisotta, Deborah L. Martin, Terence O’Brien, Kevin Phinney, Jonathan Roche, Eric Rosen, Wade Rouse, Jeff Simmons, Megan Venzin ACCOUNT MANAGER Rick Kestenbaum ADMINISTRATION Luswin Cote INTERN Roi Mase NATIONAL DISPLAY ADVERTISING

Rivendell Media 212.242.6863

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER David Miller GENERAL MANAGER Thomas K. Hanlon DIRECTOR | OPERATIONS MGT Ray Winn DIRECTOR | MARKETING Ryan Christopher DIRECTOR | ORDER Heather Gambaro MANAGEMENT MANAGER | ADMINISTRATION Erin Jordan MANAGER | OPERATIONS Leonard Porter MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT MARKETING Kristine Pulaski MANAGER CONTROLLER David Friedman DIRECTOR | CREDIT & Elizabeth Teagarden COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT MANAGERS | CREDIT & Rosa Meinhoffer, COLLECTIONS Diedra Smith For national advertising inquiries, call: 212.691.5127.

Subscriptions: One year (6 issues): $19.95; 12 issues: $34.95.

Reproduction of any article, listing or advertisement without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

The people, businesses and organizations appearing in Metrosource are supportive of the gay community. Mention of any person, business or organization is not a reflection of their sexual orientation. ©2018 Davler Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Metrosource is a registered trademark of Davler Media Group LLC. Printed in the USA. Metrosource Davler Media Group 213 West 35th St., Suite 12W New York, NY 10001 212.691.5127 metrosource.com

DEPARTMENTS THE WELLNESS ISSUE

this page: suite at RC Bal haRBouR CouRtesy of Ritz-CaRlton • Cody RigsBy CouRtesy peloton • offeRman and poehleR CouRtesy nBC • BianCa CouRtesy magnus hastings.

August/September 2018 | VOLUME 29, NO. 4

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CULTURE 6 METROSCOPE The Gay Games head to Paris, Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman get crafty, a book goes behind the scenes of BoJack, and more... in scope!

11 TECH How to sleep tight.

12 MUSIC The cult of SSION. Plus Xtina and Florence Welch return.

14 BOOKS Swimming pools, protests and well-used nudes.

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21 FINANCE Be sure about insurance.

22 SCREEN McQueen, Westwood, and sexy Hollywood secrets.

BODY 44 HEALTH Try these five yoga poses to increase confidence.

46 METRO HIV He left a career as a cardiac surgeon to help those at the bottom.

VIEWS 20 DIARY Wade and Gary consider options for how they’ll spend their golden years.

51 POV After a lifetime of letting men walk all over him, Kevin seeks change.

56 LAST CALL

Bianca del Rio: new book, hot new movie, same old queen of mean.

CURATED BY PAUL HAGEN AND ROI MASE

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PARIS PLAYS THE GAY GAMES ARE A SELF-DESCRIBED HYMN TO LOVE,

encouraging self-expression, combatting discrimination and helping to build a more equal world for all. This year competitors and fans alike will head to Paris in August for the 10th Gay Games. The Games were founded in 1982 in San Francisco by Tom Waddell, who envisioned a world where LGBTQ equality would become a reality and exclusion would no longer exist. Every four years over 10,000 athletes make their way to the Games to enjoy dozens of sports and cultural events inspired by traditions from all over the world.

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If you are already planning to join in the Gay Games and are looking for LGBTQ-friendly accommodations, consider Jules & Jim Hotel (hoteljulesetjim.com/en), a luxurious and cozy environment dedicated to giving gay guests an intimate experience in Paris. The Jules & Jim Hotel features a stunning lobby gallery, state of the art gym & pool facilities, ultra-fresh meals, and 23 modern rooms all equipped with balconies. There is no better place to enjoy relaxation, love, and the warm spirit of Paris after a long day at the 2018 Paris Gay Games. paris2018.com

IMAGE THIS PAGE: COURTESY JULES & JIM HOTEL

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GOOD SPORT

IMAGES THIS PAGE: CARSON KRESSLEY BY RAINERHOSCH • JOHN WATERS BY GREG GORMAN •ADAM RIPPON COURTESY AND CHRISTIAN SIRIANO COURTESY NEWBO • OFFERMAN AND POEHLER COURTESY NBC

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PACK UP

RAPIDS RELEASE DO YOU FEEL THE DESIRE TO GROW, TO GET BETTER AND STRONGER IN

your daily life? Continue your personal evolution at the Newbo Evolve Festival, which celebrates the ever-changing creative spirit through multiple modes of artistic expression. This year’s headliners are Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson, but several big names from the LGBTQ community will also be on hand — including fashion mavens Carson Kressley and Christian Siriano and recent Olympian and Dancing With the Stars winner Adam Rippon, who will be doing a panel on how his life changed when he made the

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From Left: Adam Rippon, Carson Kressley, Christian Siriano, John Waters

bold choice to be himself at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Carson Kressley’s “Tszuj Your Life”event will take a look at both how he struggled to break out from the crowd around him and how his styling and self-care tips can benefit everyone. Queer and straight festival attendees alike will have the unique opportunity to take a deeper look into their favorite areas of expression and rejoice in the Bohemian spirit. The festival runs August 3–5 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Three-day passes start at $375 and are available to purchase at the festival’s website. gocedarrapids.com/newboevolve

THE TV SET

CRAFTER ALL FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS AND HOSTS AMY POEHLER AND NICK

Offerman comes a creative and lighthearted competition series that celebrates creativity and craftiness. You may recognize the comic duo from TV’s Parks and Recreation (2009-2015), but now they are back on NBC for a six-episode competition series titled Making It that brings together talented artists and “makers” from across the nation. Poehler and Offerman share an affinity for craftsmanship — albeit from two completely different view-

points — but both demonstrate their love for the art of craft on Making It. Each episode features two main projects in which competitors flaunt their talent and skills — the “faster craft” speed round and the “master craft” challenge. These will test the participants’ ability to work under pressure and creatively adapt to each week’s theme. Poehler and Offerman will also be joined by expert judges Simon Doonan and Dayna Isom Johnson. Making It premieres July 31. nbc.com METROSOURCE.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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FUNNY THING

DRAWING INSPIRATION

offerings currently in production — with its dark humor and deeply flawed characters, who happen to inhabit a weird world where humans and animals interrelate like people. Now a new book, Bojack Horseman: The Art Before the Horse (Abrams, $35), offers an intimate and wonderfully quirky look at how real life stories and meticulous production came together to inspire the popular Netflix show centered around a horse(man) suffering the slings and arrows of show business. With an introduction by the show’s creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the book takes readers on a journey through embarrassing experiences that became part of Bojack’s dark and boozy story and reveals how its unique world came into focus with 121 pages of illustrations and concept art. It’s evident how much energy and inspiration were poured into every aspect of the show; the evolution of the look of each character, the filters chosen to give the show its signature style, even the most minute background details convey the effort put in. Stream past seasons of BoJack on Netflix and learn more about the book online. abramsbooks.com

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CAN’T MISS

NODDING OFF IT’S ALMOST EMMY SEASON, AND WE ARE EXCITED FOR THE

possible twists and turns this year’s awards show will provide. Last year, RuPaul Charles won Best Host of a Reality or Reality-Competition Program for RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Will he again be among the LGBTQ hosts, actors, writers and directors recognized for their exceptional work this year? There are quite a few strong recent contenders for this

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METROSOURCE.COM

year’s nominations, including the Netflix Queer Eye reboot and the revamped Will & Grace on NBC. Other shows like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Orange is the New Black may also have more Emmy love in store. The 70th Emmy Awards show will be hosted by Michael Che and Colin Jost of Saturday Night Live‘s “Weekend Update” September 17 at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. emmys.com

Images thIs page: Bojack horseman Image courtesy netflIx • jost and che courtesy nBc

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BOJACK HORSEMAN IS ONE OF THE MORE UNIQUE ANIMATED

DANCING QUEENS IT’S TIME TO SING ALONG AGAIN: TEN YEARS AFTER MAMMA MIA!

became a surprise box office blockbuster, sequel Mama Mia! Here We Go Again hits the big screen July 20. Sail back to the Greek Island of Kalokairi, where Sophie (Amanda Seyfriend) is continuing to learn about her mother’s mysterious past as she prepares to face her own motherhood. Lily James (Downton Abbey’s irrepressible Rose) joins the cast in flashbacks as the younger version of Meryl Streep’s Donna — one of many characters who we’ll meet Peter Moore. Performance view of Lucinda Childs in Childs’ Egg Deal, Concert of Dance #13, November 20, 1963.

IMAGES THIS PAGE: MAMMA MIA COURTESY UNIVERSAL PICTURES • ART BEAT © BARBARA MOORE/LICENSED BY VAGA, NEW YORK, NY. COURTESY PAULA COOPER, NEW YORK.

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SCREEN IT younger versions of — including Christine Baranski’s Tanya, Julie Christie’s Rosie and Sophie’s“three dads”(Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård). Also, keep an eye out for Andy Garcia and Cher. The latter joins the franchise as Sophie’s grandmother who shows up uninvited and intent on offering her granddaughter some guidance. As in the first film, listen up for new takes on ABBA hits including“Waterloo,” “When I Kissed the Teacher,” “Fernando” and more. mammamiamovie.com

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ART BEAT

DANCE CHANCES

THIS SEPTEMBER, THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART WILL DISPLAY

a major exhibition, Judson Dance Theater: The Work is Never Done, celebrating the obstacles and accomplishments of the Judson Dance Theater, a group of choreographers and artists who changed the landscape of modern dance. Taking its name from Judson Memorial Church in New York’s Greenwich Village, Judson Dance Theatre redefined and challenged what was accepted (and not accepted) as dance via a series of organized open workshops that would later evolve into performances.

Judson Dance Theater: The Work Is Never Done celebrates their unconventional spirit of experimentation and the impact of a body of work that still resonates today. The exhibition will tell the extraordinary story of this dance revolution though a gallery exhibition with over 300 objects, a print publication and a scheduled performance program in the MoMA’s Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron atrium. The exhibition will be on display from September 16, 2018 to February 3, 2019. Judson Dance Theater: The Work Is Never Done is organized by Ana Janevski, Thomas J. Lax, and Martha Joseph. moma.org METROSOURCE.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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INK SPOTTED

CIRCUIT SHAKERS

IF YOU’VE EVER ENJOYED KEVIN ALLISON’S TOO-RAW-

DON’T MISS THREE PUMPED-UP EUROPEAN PARTIES

for-NPR storytelling podcast RISK!, then you’re sure to get a kick out of its just-released companion book, also titled RISK! (Hachette Books, $16.99).

This sometimes-shocking, always-fascinating book is a collection of short stories and essays by actors, comedians and people who aren’t necessarily as used to the spotlight — offering true tales they never thought they’d dare to share. Some wellknown contributors include Michael Ian Black, TS Madison, Jonah Ray, Aisha Tyler, Lili Taylor, Paul F. Tompkins and Dan Savage. The podcast’s host and book’s editor Kevin Allison has had a long and venerated career in comedy, notably as part of The State, but found new purpose in life as the creator of RISK! — spreading the inspiring message that our most cringe worthy moments can become our best stories. Now you can enjoy them on the printed page (including both hits from the podcast and brand new stories) — tales that are alternately naughty, funny and scary in ways that will make you think, feel and maybe even want to share a story that you never thought you’d dare to. risk-show.com

and NOLA’s perennial summer street party:

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EAT UP

TOFU PRESS

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THERE ARE MANY HEALTH BENEFITS THAT

come from eating tofu and a wealth of delicious meals you can make using it.

But, let’s face it: sometimes working with tofu can lead to serious frustration in the kitchen. Here’s good news: Tofuture is a company transforming the way we prepare tofu with a tofu press that removes all its unneeded water — making for more delicious meals. The gentle nature of the press process results in a tofu that’s the perfect texture and consistency to absorb flavoring and impress guests with your mastery of this oft-misunderstood ingredient. Prepping your tofu takes three simple steps before you leave it pressing in the fridge: 15–30 minutes for the consistency of cheese sauce or chocolate mousse; one to two hours for quiches and pies; four or more hours for stir-fries, kebabs and baked tofu. The tofu press by Tofuture retails for $29.99 in the U.S. tofuture.com.

RAPIDO CIRCUIT PARTY, AMSTERDAM AUGUST 5 RAPIDO AT PARADISO, THE LARGEST CIRCUIT PARTY IN Amsterdam, is held in a former church in the

heart of the city. Paradiso has a main hall with two balconies overlooking the large dance room, a smoking room and a bathroom level with snacks and refreshments. People from across Europe come to dance to beats by international DJs and get lost in the visuals. clubrapido.com CIRCUIT FESTIVAL, BARCELONA AUGUST 9-19 MATINEE GROUP BARCELONA PRESENTS ONE OF THE

largest and most popular international LGBTQ events on the planet. Circuit Festival has plenty of events to keep you shaking, including Sodoma

by Matinee, the After Sun Pool party, Forever Tel Aviv, The Week, Mega Woof, Waterpark Day and Night, Papa Main Pool Party, Matinee Champions, We Sandia, and the LaLeche Closing Party. circuitfestival.net/barcelona XLSIOR, MYKONOS AUGUST 22-29 LIFEZONE EVENTS GATHERS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE

from all over the world on a Greek island for XLsior, one of world’s most exclusive international circuit festivals. Started in 2009 by Anastasios Kapetanias, XLsior focuses on fun, love, luxury, amazing outdoor scenery, entrancing music, and general celebration. The unparalleled staff work hard to make sure that XLsior Festival is an experience that will blow your mind. xlsiorfestival.com SOUTHERN DECADENCE, NEW ORLEANS AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 3 TAKE A TRIP DOWN TO THE HISTORIC FRENCH

Quarter of New Orleans for one of the Gay World’s historic annual celebrations. With over 210,000 LGBTQ people expected in attendance, Southern Decadence dependably offers a variety of top-notch parties on Bourbon Street and pumping music from the nation’s best DJs. It’s no wonder the weekend is known to many as Southern DecaDANCE! southerndecadence.net

IMAGES THIS PAGE: RISK COURTESY HACHETTE BOOKS, KEVIN ALLISON CREDIT MINDY TUCKER • TOFU PRESS COURTESY TOFUTURE

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SHARE DARE

SLEEPING ON IT An accident of fate led one man to a sleep specialist, where he discovered the most life-changing tech he ever encountered. BY TERENCE O’BRIEN

IMAGE THIS PAGE: COURTESY PHILIPS

FOR THE WELLNESS ISSUE, I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE TWO PIECES OF TECH:

tube. It can fit either just over your nose or more of your face, and the slight pressure helps keep airways open. But there’s some intelligent programming going on, too. You don’t get constant pressure; when you first put it on, the pressure is barely noticeable. It only increases when it detects you’re not breathing, so it’s constantly monitoring and adjusting to your needs throughout the night. Practically everything is adjustable, from the humidity levels to the mask. It even has a Color LED screen that shows your progress over the past few days and provides reminders to change filters or obtain supplies.

It’s also rather well connected, which tickles my inner geek. It has Bluetooth and app that offers insight into total usage, mask leakage, and your nightly AHI score. It also has a cellular modem to send your data to your doctor and an SD card backup.

How did it work for me? That first night, I had the best sleep of my entire life. When I woke up, it was like that moment in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy opens the door and that burst of Technicolor floods into the gloomy, sepia-hued farmhouse. A lifelong haze lifted, and my definition of feeling rested changed radically and instantly. Since I got my CPAP, I have not shut up about it. I get pulled aside by friends and family at parties, asking me - in hushed tones - whether I think they also might have a problem.

My response is always the same: The best sign that something is wrong is a concern — either in the back of your own mind or that expressed by a loved one. If either of those apply to you, talk to your doctor, take the test, and if you’re told you need a CPAP, use it. Surprisingly, only 34 percent of those people who are prescribed a CPAP machine use the device consistently and correctly.

Since that first night over a year ago, I never go to bed without it.

It didn’t kill intimacy with my partner, and I wake up feeling refreshed.

For all the tech that’s out there that claims to be “life changing,” my CPAP is the one that delivered literally overnight.

And in case you’re wondering: I went from 108 episodes an hour to only 0.8. Learn more at sleepapnea.org.

■ METROSOURCE.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

TECH

DreamStation

METROSOURCE

one that told me I had a serious health issue and one that fixed it.

Sleep apnea is a condition that affects roughly 22 million Americans, but 80 percent of people with moderate to severe apnea are undiagnosed. It’s strongly correlated with being male, overweight and a smoker. Though I’ve been all of those things at some point in my life, I never thought I had a sleeping problem. Sure, I was tired all the time, but I had always been. I’d snore so loudly that my partner would move to the couch and airplane passengers would abandon their seats around me. But I had no idea something was seriously wrong. If it weren’t for a series of well-timed coincidences, I still wouldn’t.

My health insurance plan has a deductible, and once I hit it, everything else for the year was fully covered. At that point, I went into allyou-can-insure mode. While at the dermatologist for “mole patrol,” I saw a sign in the lobby for the sleep center and thought I’d check it out. If I hadn’t read that sign or the clinic hadn’t been able to see me right away because of a cancellation, who knows where I’d be today?

I had a 15-minute conversation with a doctor. He recommended a test — but not in a lab; they’re take-home now. Traditionally, diagnosing sleep issues required spending the night in a lab connected to a bunch of equipment, which seemed uncomfortable and expensive.

Instead I was given a kit with an attachment to my finger (to measure pulse and oxygen levels) and a tube that went in my nose. I was told to go home, wear it to bed, drop it off the next day and expect results in about a week.

Less than 24 hours later, I got a call from the doctor’s office, demanding that I come in immediately and be fitted for a CPAP. I said I’d do it later in the week, but the nurse was insistent. When she told me my results, I understood why. Sleep apnea is measured in AHI (Apnea–Hypopnea Index) events per hour. An event is a pause in breathing for more than ten seconds that causes a decrease in blood oxygen.

People in normal sleep have less than five events per hour. People with apnea are graded on a scale, with the most severe cases coming in at more than thirty events per hour. I had 108. The nurse used the word “extreme” twice in the two minute phone call. Doing the math, I realized that every single night I went to bed, 30 percent of the time I was not breathing.

A CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is the first line treatment for sleep apnea. I was outfitted with the Philips Dreamstation, which I found to be surprisingly well designed. I’d heard horror stories about CPAPs being ugly and ungainly but the current generation is a quantum leap forward from the older models. It’s modern, white, curvy and sits unassumingly on my night stand. The most surprising thing? It’s virtually silent. It doesn’t disturb me or my partner.

It has a humidifier, so my nose and mouth don’t dry out. And the mask I chose was a soft silicone rubber one, which is really comfortable.

The Dreamstation applies pressurized air to a mask through a

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DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS

CULTURE

MUSIC

Ssion hits heights like Liza, Xtina comes back with an urban twist, and Florence and the Machine look to the skyline. BY MATT GROSS

SSION

O (Dero Arcade)

blend of DIY art-pop to outrageous new heights. Since the start of his storied career, SSION has garnered a near cultlike following in art, film, fashion and music circles alike — not only for the infectious tunes that blur gender and genre but also for his incredible, self-directed music videos (check out the “Queen” clip by Perfume Genius and“Sexercize”by Kylie Minogue, for starters). On O, the multimedia mastermind presents his finest work to date. A definite highlight is“At Least the Sky is Blue,”which features indie hero Ariel Pink, and finds both performers in drag (as Elizabeth Taylor and Liza Minnelli, respectively). The resulting video is simply magical. Other must-play tracks include lead single“Comeback”and“1980-99,”which features both the vocal stylings of underground pop sensation Sky Ferreira and Patty Schemel, the former drummer for Courtney Love’s band, Hole. For more on this groundbreaking queer artist, visit ssion.com

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IMAGE THIS PAGE: SSION BY BRUNO STAUB

ON HIS THIRD STUDIO ALBUM, THE FIRST IN NEARLY A DECADE, SSION (BORN CODY CHRITCHELOE) TAKES HIS UNIQUE

CHRISTINA AGUILERA Liberation (RCA Records)

FEATURING COLLABORATIONS WITH HIP-HOP HEAVYWEIGHTS

Kanye West, Ty Dolla Sign and 2 Chainz, the diva’s latest record breaks new barriers in both sound and message.

Following a six-year absence after her last effort Lotus (which received a lukewarm reception), Xtina is back with a true vengeance — particularly on tracks like “Accelerate,”“Right Moves”and“Masochist.”While most songs here veer in more urban directions, there’s also a duet with Demi Lovato on an uplifting ballad called “Fall in Line” and is dedicated to all women who have struggled to accept themselves and find their true voices in a post-Trump world. While Liberation could benefit from a proper edit (15 tracks - really, queen?), it’s fair to say this is the comeback we’ve all been waiting on for a very long time as the limber-voiced Aguilera has never been more fierce or confident. She’s hinted at a lengthy world tour later this year. For dates as they’re announced, join her 17 million Twitter followers @xtina.

FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE High as Hope (Republic Records)

IMAGES THIS PAGE: CHRISTINA AGUILERA BY MILAN ZRNIC • FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE BY VINCENT HAYCOCK

CHRONICLING SUBJECTS INCLUDING HER COMPLICATED

connections to her London-based family, romantic relationships and even art itself, Florence Welch’s latest album finds the chanteuse sounding pure, raw and honest, simultaneously exploring love and loneliness. About the lead single “Hunger,” she explains: “This song is about the ways we look for love in things that are perhaps not love, and how attempts to feel less alone can sometimes isolate us more. I guess I made myself more vulnerable in this song to encourage connection, because perhaps a lot more of us feel this way than we are able to admit.”

Another standout is “Big God,” a rousing, pop number co-written by Welch and fellow revered Brit, Jamie Smith of The xx. It’s also worth noting that she mixed the record in New York, where the view of the skyline - and its stark contrast to the chaos of the wider world - would ultimately give the album its title. Find Florence and the Machine on Facebook @florenceandthemachine.

Dive into the history of Swimming Pools, understand the symbols of Protest, and consider nudity in design from Head to Toe. BY ROI MASE

CULTURE

BOOKS

STRIPPED DOWN

HEAD TO TOE: THE NUDE IN GRAPHIC DESIGN THIS IS A SUBLIME LOOK AT THE MULTIFACETED

ways nudity finds its way into graphic design by addressing how such images appeal to our primal human nature. The collaboration between award-winning art director Marko Illic and renowned design critic Steven Heller offers results in enticing visuals built around human bodies and discussed with enlightening cultural and historical savvy. The subjects are by turns amusing, politically charged, sexual and emotional. There’s the strategic use of fruits and vegetables to cover nether regions, athletes bearing all to display their sportssculpted physiques, solemn posters spread-

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ing awareness of the HIV/AIDS crisis — all suggesting that the ways in which the human body can be used as a means to convey a message may well be limitless. From classics like the Rolling Stone issue featuring a nude John Lennon and clothed Yoko Ono to more recent ad campaigns that dare to bare, nudity is portrayed as a staple in the fabric of human expression. Head to Toe: The Nude in Graphic Design includes over 600 images of the body, all showcased in a comprehensive and enlightening array of designs that will certainly appeal to anyone who prefers their coffee table books with a little more beneath the covers.

IMAGES THIS PAGE COURTESY RIZZOLI

By Steven Heller and Mirko Ilic; Rizzoli New York, $50

THE SWIMMING POOL IN PHOTOGRAPHY

By Francis Hodgson; Hajte Cantz, $55 DIVE INTO THE ALTERNATELY EXCITING AND

serene world of humanity’s intimate relationship with swimming pools - from the earliest poolside photographs to the complexities of capturing modern day water athletics. Swimming pools have long been scenes of self-expression, from the religious rituals performed in ancient public bathing houses to custom swimming holes designed to reflect ever-evolving architectural aesthetics.

Especially as one considers how each photograph relates to the others in any given particular section, this book finds new and surprising meaning in these not-so-simple tubs. With a foreword on the “Multiple Histories of the Swimming Pool,” we begin to explore how pools have evolved to suit the needs and desires of humanity. The text nods toward

how society tends to think of these structures as mundane and fixed but then fiercely challenges these preconceptions.

Each passage prefaces a related collage of themed photographs that present deeper looks at topics such as “The Art of Swimming,” which looks into many of the strokes and techniques involved. Stories seem to be waiting in each image and at every pool, together prompting fresh understandings of their functions throughout the 203 pages of images in color or black and white. Whether you prefer to revel in the variety and spectacle of their respective designs, enjoy the colorful crush of bodies in crowded summer retreats, or discover how swimming pools have been used for political purposes, you’ll find many different reasons to consider drifting through these pages.

this page: pool images courtesy (upper) library of congress and (lower) getty images • PROTEST IMAGES COURTESY LARS MULLER PUBLISHERS

PROTEST. THE AESTHETICS OF RESISTANCE Written and edited by Basil Rogger, et al; Lars Muller Publishers, $29.95 ART AND SYMBOLISM ARE ESSEN-

tial to resistance movements, and this book brings that into sharp relief: how art unites people behind common causes and pushes movements into the public arena. Protest has been a major driving force in the way we express grievances and our hopes for better lives — encompassing everything from silent marches to vivid blatant aesthetic expression. As such, this book presents not only the relevant visuals but also in-depth analyses of how various resistance movements constructed designs that were both functional and fit their narratives — from the deci-

sions that shaped the NYC Lesbian & Gay Pride pins to the way certain groups have expressed wordless protest through hand gestures. Through eye-opening collections of imagery and text, the reader begins to understand both how these symbols came to be and how they might influence what it might mean to rise up en masse in the future. Protest. The Aesthetics of Resistance presents symbols of protest as far back as the Roman Empire, when Christian groups defaced currency with religious symbols, and connects this to how the women’s suffrage movement in the 20th century used the same means

of protest. The work illuminates the meanings, not only in each resistance’s aesthetics, but also in the rich tradition of artistic expression throughout the history of protest movements worldwide. The work investigates why resistance groups chose their respective symbols and how they disseminated them during their demonstrations until the symbols themselves finally became synonymous with the movements for which they stood. Taken as art or history, it’s irresistible.

METROSOURCE.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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Something is brewing...

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FINDING CARE

AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

From left: Jain, Williams and Jeon

IMAGE THIS PAGE: COURTESY SPECTRUM SCORES

THE CONCEPT CAME TO PHIL WILLIAMS AND TWO CLASSMATES AT THE

University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine as they tackled a project to identify ways to innovate healthcare. They determined a problem they wanted to solve, then set about building a product that would do so. The result: SpectrumScores, a user-driven, web-based application (and eventually a mobile app) that locates healthcare professions who best meet the needs of LGBTQ patients and those with HIV/AIDS. “When we first started thinking about this, we thought there must be something that exists, but there’s nothing out there that offers the transparency and trustworthiness that members of the community can provide,”Williams explains.

The website, at SpectrumScores.org, launched in mid-October and initially covered Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York City, and Chicago, with plans to phase in more regions. The brainchild of Williams, Naveen Jain and Jun Jeon, the platform was designed to address a concern: that not all medical professionals are equipped to appropriately treat LGBTQ individuals.

A 2010 report by Lambda Legal reported that 63 percent of HIV+ individuals who were surveyed had experienced some form

METROSOURCE.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

BODY

of discrimination in healthcare. Another 56 percent of lesbian, gay and bisexual respondents had also experienced discrimination, and 70 percent of transgender and gender non-conforming respondents did as well. “Being a member of the LGBTQ community, I’ve had negative and positive experiences with healthcare providers,”Williams muses.“I’ve seen how difficult it is to find a provider who really understands how my sexual identity interplays with my healthcare needs. As a future healthcare provider, this simply isn’t acceptable.”

While other organizations provide ways to locate LGBTQ-preferred professionals (such as the helpful directory at metrosource.com), SpectrumScores is also building a review network so users can assess feedback about providers from peers. Users can also sort providers by their affiliation with certain advocacy organizations or academic medical centers and by the types of service they provide.

Healthcare professionals are scored according to four primary criteria: providing a welcoming environment; inclusive practices (such as having intake forms that reflect diversity); LGBTQ-specific knowledge (including knowledge about PrEP); and overall satisfaction.

“We are hoping — over the long-term — to build a user-driven community where LGBTQ patients can leverage their experience in healthcare and increase transparency to help others to find medical providers to best meet their needs,” says Williams.

Williams, Jain and Jeon recently enlisted Building Healthy Online Communities – a consortium of public health leaders and gay dating website and app owners who support HIV and STI prevention online – as a partner. And they already are committed to another ambitious goal: they envision building a resource of research and training tools to improve the delivery of healthcare by providers.

“To me,” Williams adds, “it’s been incredibly rewarding to work on a project that is doing more than talking about problems in the healthcare system and instead hoping to find a solution.”

■

METROHIV

Three classmates are helping people living with HIV — and LGBTQ people — find the treatment they deserve. BY JEFF SIMMONS

19

GOLDEN GAYS?

VIEWS

DIARY

In the course of helping their own parents face the slings and arrows of age, Wade and Gary make alternative plans for their own twilight years. BY WADE ROUSE

20

IT IS THE CALL NO ONE HOPES adapting to their wants and needs and general way of life was to receive: late at night, on a an idea to which I was firmly opposed. weekday, when the world is A dear friend had broached the idea of buying a swath of generally asleep. I could tell land somewhere in a temperate climate and building a comimmediately by the look on mune of cottages. Some of them would be specially equipped for Gary’s face that the news was wheelchairs and other accessories necessary for our final years. not good.

It would also be dotted with clubhouses for parties. We would “My father fell,” Gary said all merge funds to hire caregivers and doctors, perhaps even after talking with his mom. offering them a salary and living quarters on our land.

“Broke his hand, shattered It was a grand idea, and one that appealed to me, but how his forearm. Surgery, rehab...” would we all agree on the same location? And could we all play Gary stopped and started sob- (and continue to age) well together in such close proximity? bing.“This could be it.”

“Don’t go into business with a friend,” my father had always Gary’s 84-year-old father had been battling Parkinson’s for warned, and this seemed like pretty serious business. years. It had progressed to the point where he was having difMany of our friends’ and relatives’ children had also proficulty walking without assistance. vided assurances that they would be there for us, but they were As I held Gary and told him it would be okay, he whispered, young, some of them just starting out. Life, as we all know, takes “Liar.”Then he added,“You don’t need to go through this again.” many unexpected turns. And I knew many peers whose children, “For better or worse,” I reminded him. either emotionally or financially, would not be in the position to “It’s been worse for a while,” he said through his tears. care for them in their own later years.

My mother had been diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and died Thus, this question of care had haunted Gary for years, in 2009. My father went into a tailspin as soon as she passed, largely because he (half-heartedly) joked that I would be the and his dementia made the next six years a rollercoaster ride. first to die, and he would be left alone. So I had (half-heartedly) He died in 2015. Gary had been by my side every step of the joked to Gary that I already had my exit strategy all planned: way. Between maintaining their care and my career, we were When it was time, Gary would wheel me outside of our home exhausted and had prayed for a break when it came to worrying in Palm Springs — which sat at the top of a mountain — and about Gary’s parents. simply let go as I chugged a bottle of rosé.

As we rushed to see his father, Gary looked at me while I mentioned this to Gary’s father when we visited. We were driving and asked,“Who’s going to care for us?” sitting alone in his room after he’d finished his physical therapy.

It’s a question that we — and many of our gay friends — had He was exhausted. His head rolled when he was tired, and his posed for years, even more so in recent days as our parents words came out soft and slurred. Still, he laughed and nodded. became increasingly infirm and we aged. I jokingly called my “That’s all we want,”he whispered. (I had to lean close to hear aging LGBTQ posse “The Golden Gays,” and several of us had him. )“To be in control of our destiny.”He stopped.“With dignity.” sat down to figure out exactly how we were going to handle our Gary’s father has now made it home — for how long, we do later years with a maximum of grace and without the help of any not know. But it is good to know that he is there with his wife, children of our own. and when I think about him sitting in his favorite chair, watching I certainly was of the mindset of Gary’s parents and my own baseball in the home he loves, I can’t help but imagine myself in father: I wanted to die in my own home. I was not only worried a similar position. Sometimes it makes me weep with happiness about the type of care I would receive – even in the nicest of and sometimes, with fear.

■ retirement facilities – but of the type of care Gary and I would receive as gay spouses.

Wade’s latest novel as Viola Shipman is The Recipe Box. To learn Gary felt he would do just fine in a cushy retirement village about both his novels and memoirs, visit waderouse.com.

— whether it was gay or straight — playing bingo and organizing dances until his time came. But I, like my father, didn’t play HAVE YOU DEALT WITH YOUR PARENTS (OR YOUR OWN) AGING? so well with others, and so signing up to spend unknown time SHARE YOUR STORY IN “GAY VOICES” AT METROSOURCE.COM. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

METROSOURCE.COM

When You Have Your Health...

The cost of health insurance can be intimidating, but it’s better than risking bankruptcy. BY JENNIFER DAY WHETHER YOU’RE SELF-EMPLOYED, UNEMPLOYED, OR COVERED UNDER AN

IMAGE THIS PAGE: STOCK PHOTO COPYRIGHT : BAKHTIAR ZEIN

The ACA ensures that affordable health insurance is available in every state to individuals and families who cannot afford pricier care. In general, fewer families with parents who are LGBTQ have health insurance than families in general, because many employers don’t offer coverage for same-sex partners or their children. Thus, it can be very costly for parents who are LGBTQ to insure their entire families — but thanks to the ACA, many more children with parents who are LGBTQ are finally able to access the coverage that they need.

The ACA bans Health Insurance Marketplaces (and the plans sold in them) from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. LGBTQ-led families can now enjoy comprehensive coverage without being discriminated against based on the people they love or what their families look like. Transgender people are also entitled to increased access to coverage without worries about being denied based on their gender identity or expression.

In addition, the ACA prohibits insurance companies from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions such as cancer and HIV. Before the ACA, transgender people or people living with HIV could be suddenly dropped from plans or denied coverage. However, since January of 2014, people living with HIV ought to be able to receive health coverage that includes their treatment plans, and being transgender is no longer regarded as a pre-existing condition.

HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACES The Marketplaces act as a one-stop shop for health insurance. Each state offers its own Health Insurance Marketplace. In many states, LGBTQ heads of household are able to buy single-family plans. However, in states where inclusive family plans are not available, LGBTQled households should still be eligible for tax credits to buy plans that cover their whole family.

THE COST OF GOING UNINSURED Health insurance might seem expensive, but before you decide to go without, take a careful look at the risks. For instance, according to WebMD, there’s a 1 in 5 chance you will land in the ER at some point be-

tween the ages of 25 and 44 — a trip that could easily cost you as much as $1,450. If you need surgery on a broken arm, for example, you could be on the hook for more than $16,000 if you’re without insurance. In fact, one in four uninsured people will lose all their savings to medical bills, which remains the leading cause of bankruptcy in the U.S.

THE COST OF BEING INSURED According to eHealth, premiums in 2017 for individual coverage averaged $393 per month while premiums for family plans averaged $1,021 per month. The average annual deductible for individual plans was $4,328 and the average deductible for family plans was $8,352. That means that last year, the average family paid $9,996 for coverage alone, and if they met their deductible, a total of just under $18,000. Meanwhile, an average individual spent $3,852 on coverage and - if they spent another $4,358 to meet their deductible - a total of $8,210.

CULTURE

HOW THE ACA HELPS LGBTQ FAMILIES

FINANCE

employer’s health-care plan, finding affordable health insurance can be a frustrating, time consuming process. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) added many benefits for LGBTQ individuals and families, but you should still do your research to find the best plan for your particular needs. Affordable health insurance exists, but qualifying can be tricky, and you want to make sure you end up with the coverage you need.

COMPANIES THAT INSURE LGBTQ PEOPLE Each year, the Human Rights Campaign produces the Corporate Equality Index, which rates companies from 0 to 100 on their treatment of LGBTQ employees. The index considers five criteria when rating companies, including: sexual orientation and gender identity in the company’s equal employment opportunity policy; domestic partner benefits; transgender-inclusive health insurance coverage; overall organizational LGBTQ competency; and public commitment for LGBTQ-specific efforts. Some of the Top 25 Companies include names you’ll recognize: They include AT&T Inc., The Walt Disney Company, and Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. The full list is available online at hrc.org.

THE BOTTOM LINE Health insurance is necessary, and you’re better off budgeting for health insurance expenses than risking bankruptcy. The ACA made it easier to find affordable healthcare for those who don’t work at companies where such benefits are company policy. Do your research, and remember that when you have your health, you have everything.

■ METROSOURCE.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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SINGULAR SENSATIONS

MCQUEEN ANYONE WHO LIVED IN NEW YORK CITY IN 2011 BUT WAS

foolish enough not to attend Savage Beauty, the record breaking exhibition of fashion designer Alexander McQueen’s work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, will feel the regret of missing out after viewing this excellent documentary about a simultaneously magnificent and ordinary man. The film follows McQueen (Lee, to his friends) from humble beginnings on London’s East End to the heights of international fame from which he tragically could not find his way back. Disarmingly plain in appearance (chubby, with a weak chin and a mouth that tended to hang open), McQueen looked more like a pizza delivery boy than a designer of haute couture. Beyond just appearance, there was something pleasingly pedestrian about the man, who shied away from the spotlight — living for his work, friendships, beloved mother and playful dogs. Scored with

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tracks by film composer Michael Nyman (The Piano, Man on Wire), a favorite of McQueen’s, the film brims with an urgency furthered by the intensity of McQueen’s runway shows: their unusual names become the film’s chapter titles - e.g. “Highland Rape” and “The Dance of the Twisted Bull.” Crackling with McQueen’s talent and dark psychic energy as well as the efforts of his gifted collaborators, these fashion shows appear more like true art than any others I’ve seen. And through this well composed collage of interviews with friends, archival footage and overall exquisite visuals, you get a remarkably clear picture of a complex artist and his visionary art. THE WORD: McQueen suggests — quite possibly correctly — that its subject was in a league all his own, and this doc offers an intimate glimpse into the person behind the art. COMING TO: Theaters

IMAGE THIS PAGE: MCQUEEN PHOTO BY ANN RAY COURTESY BLEECKER STREET MEDIA

CULTURE

SCREEN

A photographer who knew absolutely everyone, two designers whose points of view revolutionized fashion, children reconciling differences from their parents, and the man who kept the secrets of the Hollywood’s Golden Age. BY JONATHAN ROCHE

MADELINE’S MADELINE

)-!'%3 4()3 0!'% -!$%,).% 3 -!$%,).% #/524%39 /3#),,/3#/0% s 3/229 4/ "/4(%2 9/5 #/524%39 !..!052.! 0)#452%3

TEENAGE MADELINE HAS BEEN PRACTICING WITH A THEATER

troupe: mimicking, acting, reacting, moving and feeling as a group. At times it’s playful and joyful; at times it’s weird. She seems so embraced by the odd ensemble of performers, especially their charismatic leader Evangeline (Molly Parker of Lost in Space). But Madeline is much younger than the rest, and Evangeline seems oddly focused on her. Strange, often magical rehearsals are contrasted with Madeline’s turbulent home life with her mother in Queens. Regina (Miranda July - Me You and Everyone We Know) seems like a normal mother, if a bit eccentric and maybe extra stressed out. However, as Madeline and her mother clash at home and the secret drama of Madeline’s life is exorcized in rehearsals, the picture becomes more clear, if slightly bizarre. Director Josephine

Decker (Thous Wast Mild and Lovely) makes another highly theatrical film with a very experimental feel. If you’ve even seen live experimental ensemble performance, you’ll recognize its signature here (though likely still be swept up in it). If you’ve never encountered this kind of art before, then your trip will be even stranger. Backed by executive producer Joe Swanberg (Easy, Digging For Fire), what Decker does so well here is to immerse the viewer (almost physically) into both this world and Madeline’s unstable mind, while never completely abandoning reality. Decker has also discovered a potential star in Madeline (newcomer Helena Howard), who inhabits the very center of this mysterious story with a natural ease and intensity. THE WORD: It’s the kind of film that will tickle your brain after it’s over. COMING TO: Theaters

SORRY TO BOTHER YOU ITS TITLE ECHOES THE EYE-ROLL-INDUCING GREETING OF THE

dreaded telemarketer, which is exactly what Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield - Atlanta), who lives in his Uncle’s basement, has become. But after stumbling through his first day of apologizing for interrupting, Cassius gets some great advice from a veteran of the job played by Danny Glover: “Use your white guy voice.” Thus, for the rest of the film, a frequently-used gag features Cassius opening his mouth and the voice of David Cross (Arrested Development) coming out. And it is pretty hilarious, as is the playful and at-times surreal film as a whole. When Cassius gets better and better at making sales, he quickly ends up having to choose between ascending the corporate ladder or staying in the working-class trenches with his family (Terry Crews - Deadpool 2), friends (Jermaine Fowler - Bojack Horseman), coworkers (Steven Yeun - The Walking Dead), and extremely cool girlfriend (Tessa Thompson - Westworld). Seduced by the promise of money Cassius quickly finds himself in a new world that is as creepy as it is decadent. He attends cocaine fueled parties at the mansion of the big boss himself, played

by Armie Hammer (Call Me By Your Name) — whose tall, blonde haired, blue-eyed form makes the perfect avatar

for “the man” with the surprisingly diabolical plan. Rapper, producer, and now writer/director Boots Riley blends the fantastic and the all-too-real in a refreshing and funny new mixture. THE WORD: This film will make you smile, even as it offers a potent and timely message about social justice and economic inequality. COMING TO: Theaters METROSOURCE.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD saw action in WW II, though Scotty’s not a fighter, he’s a lover - of women, men, friendship, fame, his hilarious old wife, many cats and also junk (including old toilets) that he finds of the streets of LA. But before there was present day Scotty, there was the very sexy Scotty of ‘40s and ‘50s Hollywood where he ran a gas station from which he brokered male and female ‘companionship’ to some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. The list of Golden Age celebrity clientele is long, including Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, Rock Hudson and many more. For more than 50 years Scotty faithfully kept their secrets until finally telling all in his 2012 New York Times bestselling memoir Full Service - because by then all the potentially scandalized parties were deceased. Yet Scotty continues on, clearly one of those folks who ward off deterioration by con-

tinuing to do what he loves. He catches flack from some for spilling the beans, which raises the question: where does the right to privacy end? And perhaps also: if some of these glamorous icons truly were gay - do we fellow gays deserve a chance to know and appreciate our famous brethren for who they really were, not to mention for how they were forced to find gratification through a secret network since they couldn’t have it in their public lives? This documentary offers a picture of a gorgeous and flawed world that so many love to look at, and an extraordinary life woven throughout it. THE WORD: It’s a delight to hear Scotty’s outrageous stories from the past, and to get to know the man himself: as beautiful, complex and imperfect as any to grace the screen. COMING TO: Theaters

7%347//$ 05.+ )#/. !#4)6)34 RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING OF WESTWOOD, WE CAN SEE WHAT A REST-

less, complex and creative woman Dame Vivienne Westwood has been and continues to be. After helping to ignite the punk moment of the ‘60s with her extreme designs, Westwood and her ex-partner Malcolm McLaren (who managed the Sex Pistols, who she also dressed), Westwood went on to become one of England’s most dis-

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tinct and lauded fashion figures of the last hundred years. Born into a working class family, she still has that telltale accent, those crooked teeth, and all her rough charm. She knows what she thinks and is never afraid to say it. Westwood also hates talking about herself, yet somehow manages to make it through the film’s interviews about her long and fascinating life. But even more than her past, the film shows her in present time, where she struggles to keep a tight hold on her still-privately-owned company. It’s become too big, she says, and puts out products that she doesn’t necessarily like. In spite of the potential profits, she has no interest in producing things that she doesn’t personally care for. Born with a crusader’s spirit, Westwood has long championed important human rights causes and environmental issues such as climate change. She is smart enough to know that there is plenty that she does not know, yet she also sees the bigger picture: that her rebellious designs are not truly rebellious, but part of “the market” and the great distraction that might very well doom us all. THE WORD: Together with her flamboyant Austrian (much younger) husband, Vivienne Westwood continues to aggressively be herself, and it’s gratifying to get to know her in this documentary by freshman director and ex-model Lorna Tucker. COMING TO: Theaters

)-!'%3 4()3 0!'% 3#/449 !.$ 4(% 3%#2%4 ()34/29 /& (/,,97//$ #/524%39 '2%%.7)#( %.4%24!).-%.4 s 7%347//$ 05.+ )#/. !#4)6)34 #/524%39 '2%%.7)#( ENTERTAINMENT

CULTURE

SCREEN

MEET SCOTTY, AN EX-MARINE WHO

FAR FROM THE TREE THE OLD SAYING ABOUT PARENTS AND CHILDREN SAYS,

IMAGES THIS PAGE: FAR FROM THE TREE COURTESY SUNDANCE SELECTS • LOVE CECIL COURTESY ZEITGEIST FILMS

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” But what about when it does? Fueled by his life-long struggles with his sexual identity and his parents’ disapproval of it, author Andrew Solomon wrote a book, which has now been adapted into this surprisingly moving documentary. In it, Solomon explores various incidences of children being very different from their families: a grown man with Downs syndrome whose mother worries about his ability to tell fantasy from reality; a teenage boy with autism that robs him of the ability to speak; a 23-year-old woman trapped in a body the size of an eight-year-old; a man with hands and feet, but almost no arms or legs; and a mentally sound teenager who murdered a young boy for no apparent reason.

Looking at these situations might seem like a downer, but do not be deceived - to assume as much would be to miss the opportunity to feel and grow: the same opportunity that these families would’ve lost if they’d have simply had offspring more similar to themselves.

Solomon also poses an increasingly important question: how do we decide which differences to “cure” and which to celebrate? If we had perfect control (which science offers/threatens to eventually provide), would we lose the very variety that has made us what we are as a species? This film will move you and hopefully open your mind to see past the discomfort of perceived suffering that so often blinds us when we consider difference.

This is both the challenge and the prize: to look, and to see beyond, and to celebrate differences as loudly as so many now do the LGBTQ community.

THE WORD: “Unhappiness is all the same, it’s all the ways we find to be happy that are unique.” COMING TO: Theaters

LOVE CECIL EVEN IF YOU’VE NEVER HEARD HIS FAMOUS NAME, YOU KNOW CECIL Beaton’s type: gay, fabulous, opinionated, artistic, witty,

dripping with style, knows everyone, goes to the cool parties, reminds one of Oscar Wilde and leads a life entirely of his own invention. That’s the man in nutshell, except this kind of man can’t fit into a nutshell; he barely fits into 98 minutes. Born into the British middle class in 1904 but preternaturally possessing an upper-crust air, Beaton fell in with the a fabulous crowd at a young age. He became one of the Bright Young Things, those Bohemian socialites who threw boozy, elaborate, drug-fueled fancy dress parties that titillated the tabloids of 1920s London. He became the premier photographer in fashionable society, worked for American Vogue, was the favored photographer to the British royal family, and became the country’s main war photographer

for the duration of WW II. He did art and costume design for My Fair Lady and Gigi, among many other films. He was in love with his good friend Greta Garbo, though they were both gay.

As the accomplishments and details of his astounding life continue to pile up, the film takes on an air of excitement. Beaton seems to have done everything, and photographed everyone: Brando, Bacon, Monroe, Huxley, Burton, Taylor, Hepburn, Jagger, Warhol, Dietrich, Picasso, Capote, Chanel, Streisand. Many were good friends, others became bitter enemies. His photos are complemented by extensive diaries showing him also to be a first-rate writer and similarly savage wit. THE WORD: Charged with the energy of this extraordinary individual and sublimely narrated by Rupert Everett, this is simply one of the most exciting biopics I have ever seen. COMING TO: Theaters METROSOURCE.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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NMAC: LEADING THE WAY

TO CREATE A GENERATION OF LEADERS

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BY 2019, LINDA SCRUGGS ENVISIONS

that 1,000 individuals of color living with HIV will be equipped to serve as leaders in communities across the United States.

“We expect that 80 percent of them will in some way be engaging effectively in decision-making opportunities,” says Scruggs, who is the DiLinda K. Scruggs rector of the Leadership Pipeline program at NMAC, the National Minority AIDS Council. However, she explains,“There have historically been gaps when it comes to the individual minority and ethnic experience [of not being] at mainstream tables.”

That awareness prompted NMAC to launch its Building Leaders of Color (BLOC) project, fueled by funding from The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program with support from the Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative Fund of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

BLOC reflects the 30-year old NMAC’s core mission to “lead with race,” by empowering a new generation of minority leaders through a three-pronged approach featuring regional and national workshops, a focus on transgender women of color, and train-thetrainer sessions.

According to NMAC, black women are 20 times more likely to get HIV than white women and 50% of black gay men will have HIV by the time they are 35. But the people making decisions that impact them are largely individuals of a different race, ethnicity, and age. That concerns NMAC, which has been trying to bring more diversity to planning bodies, medical and support care teams, boards AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

METROSOURCE.COM

of directors and other mobilization efforts to address the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.

“What is happening is that the original core of people who started this work are aging out,” said Paul Kawata, NMAC’s Executive Director. “We have a responsibility to make sure there would be a generation of leaders who would take this mantle and bring us to the end Paul Kawata of the epidemic.”

Faced with significant numbers of new infections involving people under 25 years of age, particularly among gay men and young black men, Kawata said, “we need to make it clear that HIV is not over. The numbers are still impossibly high.”He also adds, “We want to bring voice to the communities that are often overlooked and that we don’t hear from.”

That has meant also targeting areas with higher HIV rates, such as many communities in the South. Stigma, lack of education, limited access to basic necessities and transportation, and even pure racism have diminished the opportunities for diverse representation. “We find stigma a major barrier, in particular in the South,”Scruggs says. Early results of BLOC, she says, have found that 94% of those trained have felt more effective, and 92% engaged in some way with decision-making entities, ranging from local community organizations to government agencies.

And all, she said,“are focused on the HIV community.”

■

IMAGES THIS PAGE: COURTESY NMAC

BODY

METROHIV

How can we address the still-alarming rates of HIV infection among minorities?

The answers may lie in giving them a seat at the decision makers’ table. BY JEFF SIMMONS

In adults with HIV on ART who have diarrhea not caused by an infection

IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION This is only a summary. See complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or by calling 1-844-722-8256. This does not take the place of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or treatment.

What Is Mytesi?

Mytesi is a prescription medicine used to improve symptoms of noninfectious diarrhea (diarrhea not caused by a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on ART. Do Not Take Mytesi if you have diarrhea caused by an infection. Before you start Mytesi, your doctor and you should make sure your diarrhea is not caused by an infection (such as bacteria, virus, or parasite).

Possible Side Effects of Mytesi Include:

Tired of planning your life around diarrhea?

Enough is Enough Get relief. Pure and simple. Ask your doctor about Mytesi.

Mytesi (crofelemer): • Is the only medicine FDA-approved to relieve diarrhea in people with HIV • Treats diarrhea differently by normalizing the flow of water in the GI tract • Has the same or fewer side effects as placebo in clinical studies • Comes from a tree sustainably harvested in the Amazon Rainforest What is Mytesi?

Mytesi is a prescription medicine that helps relieve symptoms of diarrhea not caused by an infection (noninfectious) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Important Safety Information Mytesi is not approved to treat infectious diarrhea (diarrhea caused by bacteria, a virus, or a parasite). Before starting you on Mytesi, your healthcare provider will first be sure that you do not have infectious diarrhea. Otherwise, there is a risk you would not receive the right medicine and your infection could get worse. In clinical studies, the most common side effects that occurred more often than with placebo were upper respiratory tract (sinus, nose, and throat) infection (5.7%), bronchitis (3.9%), cough (3.5%), flatulence (3.1%), and increased bilirubin (3.1%).

For Copay Savings Card and Patient Assistance, see Mytesi.com

Please see complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com.

NP-390-22

RELIEF, PURE AND SIMPLE

• Upper respiratory tract infection (sinus, nose, and throat infection) • Bronchitis (swelling in the tubes that carry air to and from your lungs) • Cough • Flatulence (gas) • Increased bilirubin (a waste product when red blood cells break down) For a full list of side effects, please talk to your doctor.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.

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.

Should I Take Mytesi If I Am:

Pregnant or Planning to Become Pregnant?

• Studies in animals show that Mytesi could harm an unborn baby or affect the ability to become pregnant • There are no studies in pregnant women taking Mytesi • This drug should only be used during pregnancy if clearly needed A Nursing Mother?

• It is not known whether Mytesi is passed through human breast milk • If you are nursing, you should tell your doctor before starting Mytesi • Your doctor will help you to decide whether to stop nursing or to stop taking Mytesi Under 18 or Over 65 Years of Age? • Mytesi has not been studied in children under 18 years of age • Mytesi studies did not include many people over the age of 65. So it is not clear if this age group will respond differently. Talk to your doctor to find out if Mytesi is right for you

What Should I Know About Taking Mytesi With Other Medicines?

If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, herbal supplements, or vitamins, tell your doctor before starting Mytesi.

What If I Have More Questions About Mytesi?

For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

To report side effects or make a product complaint or for additional information, call 1-844-722-8256.

Rx Only Manufactured by Patheon, Inc. for Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. San Francisco, CA 94105 Copyright © Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Mytesi comes from the Croton lechleri tree harvested in South America.

U N S T OP P A B L E

KARL SCHMID

THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF A MAN WHO WAS A CHILD STAR DOWN UNDER, TRAVELED THE WORLD WITH DAME EDNA, BECAME A PROMINENT FACE ON AMERICAN TELEVISION AND THEN MADE A REVELATION ABOUT HIS PERSONAL LIFE THAT IS CHANGING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE POZ IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY. BY KEVIN PHINNEY

media savvy and camera ready. But when the 37-year old former child actor and LA red carpet host told the entire planet that he’s been HIV-positive for a decade, he had no idea what he’d set in motion.

READY OR NOT, HERE COMES KARL! While Schmid had been thinking about coming out as poz for some time, he decided to reveal his status on a Friday night last March almost on a whim. He liked the way he looked in a photo, then decided to share it to social media, along with a surprisingly candid message.

“Labels are things that come and go,” he posted to Facebook, “but your dignity and who you are is what defines you. I know who I am, I know what I stand for and while in the past I may not have always had clarity, I do now. Love me or hate me, that’s up to you. But, for anyone who has ever doubted themselves because of those scary three letters and one symbol, let me tell you this, you are somebody who matters. Your feelings, your thoughts, your emotions count. And don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.

I’m Karl Schmid, and I’m an HIV-positive man!”

By Sunday afternoon, Schmid’s disclosure had been shared over 250 times and received more than 3,500 likes.

And that was only the beginning.

Although he’s a familiar face to some 350,00 viewers in the Los Angeles area for his ABC-7 celebrity interviews at the Oscars, Golden Globes and elsewhere, Schmid was not a household name to most Americans. His simple and candid revelation is changing all of that — and the conversation that people (especially gay men) are having

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about what being poz means in 2018.

Yes, it helps that he’s handsome, healthy, articulate and boyishly masculine. He is everything you could want in a poster boy, and it doesn’t take a genius to see how each of those elements contributed to his post going viral.

But what seemed to take everyone by surprise, including Schmid, is just how ready the world is for the conversation he wants to have.

A KID IN AN ADULT WORLD Much of Schmid’s story seems unlikely: He was born and raised in Geelong, a city he diplomatically describes as “bohemian,” 90 miles outside of Melbourne, Australia to parents he remembers as “lovingly hands-off but deeply supportive and encouraging.” His eldest brother Adam went off to boarding school when Karl was still a schoolboy.

Then out of the blue, middle brother Kristian got cast on one of Australia’s biggest TV hits of the day, Neighbours — the same program that launched the careers of fellow Aussies Russell Crowe, Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce.

“We went from having a whole family around all the time to a completely different kind of life overnight,” Schmid recalls. “Kristian would be gone Monday through Friday with my aunt and uncle in Melbourne, then be at home on the weekends.”

But when he finally got the chance to see where Kristian was spending his time, Schmid was smitten.“For me, it was a huge thrill to walk onto a soundstage where I’d seen all these interiors on TV, and here they were all stacked next to each other,” he recalls. “I fell in love with this amazing world of make believe at seven. The spell of television with

ALL PHOTOS OF KARL SCHMID COURTESY MANNY AMIT.

YOU DON’T GET TO BE WHERE KARL SCHMID IS WITHOUT BEING

This would lead to his own big break on one of New Zealand’s toprated childrens’ shows, What’s Now?, where Schmid romped on live TV through most of his teens. “I was the youngest there,” Schmid reflects.

His exposure to live television would later prove invaluable, but for the moment, a youthful wanderlust plucked Schmid up and deposited him halfway around the world.

the fame and all the excitement was pretty mind-blowing. As a family we were thrust into the limelight, traveling a lot and staying in fancy hotels.”

The family encouraged Schmid to follow his passions.

“My grandmother on my mother’s side was and always is very interested in the theater,” he says.“She emigrated to Australia after fleeing the 1956 Hungarian revolution in the middle of the night while being shot at by Russians. My Mom was five or six at the time, and she had to kiss her father goodbye — not knowing if or when she’d ever see him again. They relocated to the other side of the world and didn’t get to see each other again until she was in her 20s. So my grandmother really is the true hero and matriarch of our family and took a very active role with us.”

The next years’ changes were swift and seismic. The family relocated — first to Fiji, then to New Zealand, and the young Karl found himself immersed in drama programs and “little acting things,” he says with a chuckle.“I went to a high school in Christchurch with very liberal photography and music programs; it was all very progressive. I fell into drama and ended up on a kid’s show called Mel’s Amazing Movies.”

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“Once I turned 18, I decided I wanted to see the world and discover myself, so I moved to London and just worked in bars,” Schmid recalls. “By the time it was all done, I was working in this tiny town outside Glasgow, and I placed a call back to New Zealand, where I was told, ‘No, you’ve been gone a year, that ship has sailed.’ So I returned to Australia instead.”

For a time, Schmid says, life was a blur of work, self-promotion and live events. Eventually, he found his way into event creation and promotion, and his next big break appeared just as serendipitously as the others had.

“I was doing events for a fellow named Michael Shepard and we were doing events for [Australian Cable and Satellite channel] TVOne, and he and I just clicked. Michael was in his 40s, gay and deeply in the closet,” says Schmid. “But while I was there, I got offered a job to travel as Barry Humphries’ personal assistant.”

Now, the name Barry Humphries may not ring a bell for most Americans, but a sizeable chunk of the civilized world knows (and adores) his alter-ego: Dame Edna (pictured, above).

“So I went to meet while they were shooting a commercial for the U.S. tour,” Schmid intones in his husky baritone.“And I knew you never refer to Dame Edna as ‘Barry’ when she’s made up. She sized me up and asked me if I was good with e-mail. She said, ‘I need protecting. Everybody is always trying to get something from me.’ And I said back, ‘Well, you’re a woman with a lot to give.’ A few days later, I got a call saying: Barry would like to meet you.’”

Schmid and Humphries/Dame Edna saw the world together several times over and remain close. But, as Schmid found himself becoming more immersed in production, he also felt an itch to be back in front of the camera.

THIS PAGE: DAME EDNA/KARL SCHMID IMAGE COURTESY KARL SCHMID

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A DAME

SIMPLY THE TEST Schmid began doing red carpet work for TV Guide, and once he was back in London, finally found enough time to take a dip in the dating pool as well. “I had a good job, I was enjoying my 20s, I had an actor boyfriend who lived in another country, and I was making all the kinds of mistakes you make when you make when you’re having a good time and not paying enough attention, which led to me picking up this... little gift.”

Schmid recalls meeting up with his boyfriend in Japan, “and after I got back, I heard from a friend who said, ‘You probably don’t want to hear this, but your boyfriend has been hooking up.’ I confronted said boyfriend, and asked what was going on. He admitted it — then took the whole conversation down the path of HIV, and I didn’t really think anything. Somehow I left my office in Soho on this miserable October day, walked over to the Dean Street clinic and got tested.”

As the world now knows, Schmid’s HIV test came back positive.

“My first thought was really about my parents,” he says now. “I thought I’d let my parents down. On the ground floor was a conference room, so I tried to call my boyfriend in the States, He wasn’t answering my calls. Then I called a colleague. I never went into self-pity, or said it wasn’t fair. And I didn’t have some digital countdown doomsday clock ticking in my head either. I got very rational. I said to myself, ‘What are we going to do?’ I called my straight, rugby-playing brother living in Warsaw who said, ‘Get yourself to the airport. There’s a ticket waiting for you.’ Then we called my parents, and my grandmother was there, too. She heard the news, and said in her heavy Hungarian accent, ‘Yeah, so what?’”

THIS IS THE MOMENT Soon medicated until the virus was undetectable, Schmid tried to resume as normal a life as possible. Because he believes that being up front about your sero status is an important threshold to cross with dates, he’s had a lot of surprising responses since his diagnosis — including people stopping the date instantly and, on another occasion, having a drink tossed in his face. Small wonder it took him ten years of deliberation and discretion to come out as poz.

But the final steps in that process began when Schmid simply asked someone to snap a photo of him wearing his AIDS Memorial shirt. “I just thought I looked cute in the pic,” he says in that same Aussie accent that charms the entertainment elite.

But once his post was out there in the world, it took on a life of its own.“I had no concept that it would do what it did,”Schmid confesses.

“I had - hand on my heart - no clue. And that’s by no means why I did it. I can only say that it felt like the right time to say, ‘Enough.’

I’d spoken to colleagues, some of whom advised me to keep quiet, but it just felt right in the moment. I never have considered myself a public person or someone who has a modicum of fame, so it genuinely surprises me to think of myself of somebody who is somebody.”

When complete strangers posted homophobic remarks “and really had a go at me, I knew word was getting around,” says Schmid.

Nonetheless, he describes unburdening himself of his secret as transformative and liberating. And he believes that his post being seen and shared across the globe can only be a good thing, haters be damned. “When people ask about it going viral, I always say, ‘Yes, I’m

aware of it, and the 15 minutes I’m in the zeitgeist is a moment that I’m passionate about. I will do whatever I can to make the mark that I can make while I have this opportunity. Now is the time to shine a light on this thing called stigma. Give it another month or two, and the public conversation will have moved on.”

CHANGING THE CONVERSATION Schmid’s news has once again ignited a debate among gay men about what it means to live with HIV in the Age of the Cocktail. We’re finally discussing how much has changed with the current state of medical science — including that it’s a near medical impossibility for someone who is poz and faithfully taking his meds to infect another person with HIV. Undetectable, say the experts, means the virus is effectively untransmittable. No one in the world of medicine speaks in absolutes, but that’s the closest thing to a guarantee you can get.

It’s a far cry from the rising death toll days when people had yet to comprehend the disease, how it was transmitted or how to treat it — though far too many people continue to act like we are still living in that terrifying era. “People need to understand,” Schmid says, “it’s not 1991 anymore. And we need to have a new conversation because stigma is still damaging too many lives.”

How many more will follow in his footsteps? Magic Johnson came out as HIV-positive in 1991 — when Karl Schmid was 11. Now, nearly thirty years later, we’re still holding out for more poz heroes.

■

RIGSBY RIDER CODY RIGSBY CLIMBS UPON HIS INSTRUCTOR’S BIKE AND STUDIES THE

room. He looks out upon the faces of his regular students, many who come to ride with him every week at Peloton, a cycling studio located near the corner of 23rd St. and Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.

Next, Rigsby peruses a digital leaderboard to review the dozens of additional students who are joining his class remotely. He recognizes the names, though he’ll likely never meet them face to face. This is where Rigsby’s charm and energy come in handy: Not only is he expected to provide guidance for the people he can see in the room with him, but his words must also inspire thousands of riders scattered across the country.

Rigsby, a former commercial dancer, works at Peloton’s only “live studio,” with its fast-moving cameras gliding across the ceiling revealing just how different this workout space is from others in the neighborhood. There are 60 stationary bikes inside, however that number will only account for a small portion of the roster participating during any given session. That’s because the majority of Peloton’s customer base rarely attends class in person.

People from Columbus, Milwaukee, Austin and everywhere in between have purchased their own Peloton brand bikes to ride along in the comfort of their own homes, where they can log in to attend“live”classes whenever they want to break a sweat. It’s up to the studio’s in-house master instructors to deliver the same fast-

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paced workout to everyone - even those tuning in from hundreds of miles away. Thankfully, Rigsby has no problem connecting with fans near or far: his unmistakable passion and infectious personality seem designed to reach the ends of the earth.

Rigsby’s romance with New York City begins the same way it does for so many young performers: He packed up and said goodbye to his home state of North Carolina nearly a decade ago in search of creative opportunities. His first six years in NYC were busy ones, as he spent long days darting from audition rooms onto stages, often performing as a backup dancer for artists like Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry during high-profile film and television segments. The work came steadily for Rigsby, who at the time believed his fitness level was more than adequate to support his chosen career path. Being in shape came mostly as a byproduct of time spent dancing more than anything else. It wasn’t until a big opportunity presented itself that Rigsby realized it was time to kick the resistance up a notch.

“A choreographer with whom I was closely connected reached out to me about a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show gig,” Rigsby recalls.“He told me that he wanted to book me, but that I needed to get my body in check first.”This loaded job offer struck a chord for Rigsby. He was familiar with the gym, but was quite green in terms of pure physical training. As a result of this reality check, JS2_7893 v2 copy Rigsby soon began to concentrate on nutrition and sessions with

ALL IMAGES THIS SECTION COURTESY PELOTON AND CODY RIGSBY

HOW PELOTON MASTER INSTRUCTOR CODY RIGSBY RECYCLED HIS CAREER IN DANCE INTO HELPING PEOPLE GET FIT — NEAR AND FAR, SPINNING GREAT MUSIC AND SPREADING LGBTQ ACCEPTANCE ALONG THE WAY. BY MEGAN VENZIN

METROSOURCE.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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personal trainers, which helped him come to understand that fitness could be more than just a tool for professional advancement for him: It could be a way of life.

As Rigsby’s musculature became more defined, so did his plans for the future. Though performing still served as his primary means for paying bills, the fulfillment he once found in it began to take a backseat to his newfound love for fitness. While working in a burlesque club on the lower east side, Rigsby received an e-mail from a previous employer about a new cycling studio, and before he knew it, Rigsby was doing a new kind of performance - this time in front of some health-savvy directors.

“They liked my personality,” Rigsby says. “One huge talent I had to leverage was my natural camera presence. It’s something that’s so unique to the Peloton job, but matters so much when you’re teaching out to four cameras that reach thousands of people across the country.” His knowledge of dance was also integral in the creation of Rigsby’s signature “Groove Ride” - a 45-minute, choreography-based class that integrates riding to the beat along with other timed workout movements such as crunches, handlebar push-ups and free weight lifting.

Rigsby’s transformation from dancer to instructor was gradual; he found it surrounded him organically with the elements of performance he most loved, including music. “Music is the shining star of any workout we do, either in group fitness classes or by ourselves,” Rigsby attests. “Sometimes you need fierce beats that will give you tons of energy in a cycling class; other times it’s the lyrics and rhythm that inspire and craft that journey. When you’re trying to be your best self, and you have that piece pushing you, music becomes an essential part of the workout.” Playlists are an area in which he finds that fellow LGBTQ artists lend some flavor to the class vibe. Rigsby is a self-proclaimed lover of house and circuit music, not to mention underground club bangers. Legends like Peter Rauhofer (aka Size Queen) and Junior Vasquez often find their way onto Rigsby’s heart-pumping soundtracks.

“I love to discover new music and share that with people,” Rigsby says. “It’s a goal of mine to make people curious. I love

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when people come up to me after class and ask,‘Hey, what was that song?’” Cody’s selections range from familiar and fun to deliciously obscure.“I did a ‘History of House’ series a couple of years back and used some Honey Dijon,” Rigsby adds. He’s referring to Honey Redmond, an acclaimed Chicago-born, New York City-based techhouse producer who also happens to be transgender.

While sharing new music with riders is one area of passion, Rigsby says he loves his job for another big reason. ““Being visible in the homes of people who don’t have gay friends, or who have maybe never even met a gay person gives me the opportunity to be a positive influence in their lives,” Rigsby says. He pauses thoughtfully. “I’ve had riders tell me that they have gay sons, and they’ve been better able to connect with them because of who I am.

It’s incredibly endearing. It just goes to show how small steps can have a huge impact, almost a viral effect, on people.”

But this impact is, in some ways, only just beginning. In January 2018, Rigsby was promoted to master instructor. He teaches five 45-minute rhythm rides each week — plus an additional three short-form classes. Recently he had the opportunity to engage with his out of town fans when Peloton invited a thousand bikers to New York City for a Home Rider Invasion. “Connecting with my riders on social media alone is so inspiring. They keep me going every time,”Rigsby says, emotion welling in his voice.“But getting to meet them in person is a whole different experience. One woman, who was probably in her 60s, told me that my class brings her so much happiness. She explained that at her age, she often feels invisible, but not when she’s riding with me. I found that very touching.”

Rigsby’s positivity is contagious, and it may be his most important tool for healthy living. It’s the quality that has helped propel him from casual gym goer to master instructor. He hopes his dedication and upbeat take on life can serve as a beacon of hope for those who see health-conscious living as a point of stress. “We try to compare ourselves to others, but [working out] is not that deep,” Rigsby says. “It’s one step on our journey. Your best self can’t be compared to anyone else. You must be fearless enough to just show up, and the rest will fall into place.”

■

CODY’S 6 HABITS OF HEALTHY LIVING MAN CANNOT THRIVE ON CYCLING ALONE. IT

takes a full routine to keep the mind and body in tip-top shape. Cody shares some of the healthy habits he’s built over the years: 1) Aim for 8 hours of sleep every night.

“I try to make this a number one priority, but I’m human so I miss the mark sometimes,” Rigsby says.“A good night’s sleep is absolutely essential to any healthy lifestyle.”

2) Never skip breakfast.

“Go for a well-balanced, high-protein breakfast first thing in the morning,” Rigsby shares.“I mix it up between oatmeal, eggs, fruit and other energy-packed standbys.”

3) Identify your personal nutrition plan.

“I’m working with a nutritionist who has me counting macros. I’m on a 3,200 calorie per day diet that’s helped me understand the true makeup of the food and the portions I need to get the most out of every meal,” Rigsby explains.“Whichever plan you choose, you need to build habits that keep you eating right.”

4) Switch it up.

“When I’m not on the bike, I love lifting weights,” Rigsby offers.“I meet with my body building trainer at Crossfit South Brooklyn three times a week, and he makes sure I spend at least an hour weight lifting and conditioning.”

CODY’S CARDIO CLUB MIX WHAT’S A WORKOUT WITHOUT A SLAMMIN’ PLAYLIST? CODY’S MANY YEARS WORKING

as a dancer helped him develop an impressive palate for music. From Top 40 to underground club, here’s a Rigsby-inspired soundtrack to keep you sweating: 1) “If Madonna Calls” - Junior Vasquez 2) “Let Me Be Your Underwear” - Peter Rauhofer 3) “Stars” - Honey Dijon feat. Sam Sparro 4) “Barbie Tings” - Nikki Minaj 5) “Just Dance” (RedOne Remix) - Lady Gaga, Kardinal Offishall 6) “If Your Girl Only Knew” - DJ Ashes 7) “Real Life” (Kilter Remix) - Duke Dumont, Gorgon City, NAATIONS, Kilter 8) “So Emotional” (David Morales Mix) - Whitney Houston, David Morales 9) “Slumber Party” (Bad Royale Remix) - Britney Spears, Tinashe, Bay Royale 10) “Be Careful” - Cardi B

5) Keep up with the cardio.

“Peloton is such a huge part of my fitness routine,” Rigsby says, but he knows many people need motivation to get their cardio.

“Truthfully, it was hard to commit to that kind of workout before I became a trainer.”

6) Carve out time for meditation.

“My daily meditation practice is what keeps me grounded,” Rigsby says.“I spend between 15 and 30 minutes in meditation everyday, which allows me to see what thoughts are going through my head and what’s pulling me in different directions.

Meditation is the key to becoming focused.”

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RECLAIMING MY PRIDE ABOUT metrosource.com/reclaimingmypride

LGBTQ community through creativity. The result was a contest that drew over 100 submissions from artists interpreting what “Reclaiming My Pride” meant to them.

Inspired by the indomitable spirit of Maxine Waters’ “Reclaiming My Time,” the work we gathered illustrated bravery and vulnerability, highlighting both our diversity and our unity. This culminated in an extraordinary evening during NYC Pride Week when we announced the winner and celebrated with some of the finalists whose work you’ll see on the following pages, along with some of their own words describing their work, and you can find images from that fabulous night at the end of this piece on page 42.

We want to offer special thanks to all of our partners in this endeavor - especially One World Observatory, who lifted us to new heights; Red Bull, who helped give us wings; and our charity beneficiary, The Ali Forney Center, whose work with homeless LGBTQ youth we are honored to support. If you like what you see here, we encourage you to sign up for our MetroEspresso newsletter at metrosource.com/subscribe, as — in the coming months — we’ll be sharing exclusive video about what inspired these artists and looking forward to next year’s event, which will coincide with World Pride 2019 and the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. —Paul Hagen

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ALL IMAGES THIS SECTION COURTESY OF THE ARTISTS

EARLY IN 2018, METROSOURCE SET OUT ON A MISSION: TO CELEBRATE POSITIVITY IN THE

RECLAIMING MY PRIDE WINNER DAVID JESTER SAN DIEGO, CA “This series is inspired by how we present ourselves or treat each other,” says David Jester, winner of our inaugural “Reclaiming My Pride” contest, regarding the series from which “Home” is culled. It’s hard to believe that these creations - featuring beautiful images of the human body as seen through the play of light in water, almost never happened. “My partner and I had two boys to raise, so I chose the corporate route instead of pursuing the art,” Jester remembers. “After the kids were raised and out of the house, I decided to pursue my dreams. For about the past two years, I’ve been painting full time.” So what was Jester’s winning philosophy? “For me it is ‘Reclaiming My Pride’ in the sense that it goes back to the basics of Pride. I remember when Pride was about the need for social acceptance. We just wanted it to be ok to love another of the same sex, to be included. This painting for me is that.” You can see more of David Jester’s work and learn how to purchase prints by visiting davidmjester.com.

METROSOURCE.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

#ReclaimingMyPride

“HOME”

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RECLAIMING MY PRIDE

PAUL ANAGNOSTOPOULOS MERRICK, NY

FINALISTS

DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME “The navigation of desire, specifically in terms of the queer male, is the main narrative arc I employ. Each work serves as a visual manifestation of an imprisoning emotional state, ending in either triumph or pain.”

LOGAN BENEDICT MIDDLETOWN, DE

ROTTED RIBCAGE

metrosource.com/reclaimingmypride

“It’s been a year since I experienced sexual trauma and reclaiming not only my pride . . . but my body as well, has been quite the struggle for me. Trauma can have a lasting effect on victims. I’ve channeled my pain into my craft. This work is all about pride and self-love, repossessing ownership of a body that has been so battered and bloodied and bruised.”

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CHARLES CALDWELL RAHWAY, NJ

SPEAK UP AND RECLAIM YOUR PRIDE “My artwork reflects everyone’s ‘perspective,’ as you can see in my abstract style of painting. My colors — red, blue, yellow, and green — reflect all humankind.

We are all different in some way or form. However, we are all the same as well, we are one.”

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RECLAIMING MY PRIDE

BRIDGETTE VICTORIA CRUZ QUEENS, NY

PARA MI GENTE

FINALISTS

“To reclaim my pride as a Puerto Rican Queer Woman — is to send a message to all those who are like me and unlike me: I exist, I am strong, and no matter how much you try to neglect my people and people like me. Yo soy Boricua todavía. Yo soy Queer todavía.”

TOM CULLIS NEWPORT BEACH, CA

ABANDONED “Throughout history, the U.S. military had an inconsistent policy when it came to gays in the military. Today we now face a crisis with the estimated 15,000 transgender military personnel who serve bravely for a country that cannot decide if they deserve the same rights as the heterosexual population. Are they protecting a country that has abandoned them?”

JAMES FALCIANO BROOKLYN, NY

A CELEBRATION OF QUEER EXPRESSION #ReclaimingMyPride

“I think visibility is more important than ever in this particular political climate we are currently in, and I hope to use my artistic platform to continue to aid in the fight for a wider Queer visibility and acceptance. Inevitably there is also a sense of exploring my own Queer identity through my subjects. I choose individuals who are fearless and confident in their expression, as I ultimately aim to be in my own right. By exploring their identities, it is aiding me to come into my own.”

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RECLAIMING MY PRIDE

LUIS MARTIN BROOKLYN, NY

THE ART ENGINEER

FINALISTS

“By exercising appropriation, an act usually limited to those with absolute power, I give meaning to the images around me instead of it being imposed on me, through media and advertisement. Through this work, I hope to create a moment of reflection for the viewer, LGTBQ or not, to feel their center as a point of departure for pride.”

IVAN MEDINA NEW YORK, NY

DARE TO BE YOURSELF “Dare to be yourself and the rest will follow. Strip yourself of every pretense and just go out and show your true self to the world—that’s how you reclaim your pride. Everywhere you go you are bombarded with negative messages from the media. It is unsettling. The only thing that keeps me going is the fact that every time I step outside my apartment I can go out and present myself exactly the way I am—no pretenses and no masks.”

ABBY TAYLOR BROOKLYN, NY metrosource.com/reclaimingmypride

IN/VISIBILITY

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“This piece, and the larger body of work for which it stands, explores and celebrates transgender, non-binary, gender queer and gender fluid identities. I feel my work not only fits within the themes of ‘Reclaiming My Pride,’ it truly stands for them.

It represents an amazing, supportive and safe community of very unique individuals who thrive on creativity and charity; a community of which I’m very happy to be a part. I create this work in an effort to encourage a greater conversation about problematic gender conceptions.”

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SENIOR MANAGER OF GROUPS AND TOURISM AT BROOKLYN MUSEUM

ELISABETH CONDON AMERICAN PAINTER

SCOTT FRANKEL MUSICAL THEATER COMPOSER

ALI HOSSAINI AMERICAN ARTIST, PHILOSOPHER, AND BUSINESSPERSON

Elisabeth Condon is an American painter, known for work featuring spills of poured paint. Condon received the 2015 New York PULSE Prize for work she created at Swatch Art Peace Hotel, Shanghai. She has received a New York Studio School Mercedes Matter award, a Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant, Florida Individual Artist Grant and numerous university grants. Condon’s work is held in the public collections of the United States Foundation of Art in Embassies Program (Beijing), Perez Museum Miami, Tampa Museum of Art and JP Morgan Chase Collection.

Scott Frankel is a musical theatre composer whose work War Paint enjoyed a run on Broadway (starring Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole). Other works include Grey Gardens, Far From Heaven, Happiness, Doll and Meet Miss Future. Earlier this year, “The Songs of Scott Frankel & Michael Korie” were presented as part of Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series. Frankel is the recipient of the ASCAP Foundation New Horizons Richard Rodgers Award and the Frederick Loewe Award. He is a fellow of the MacDowell Colony and a graduate of Yale.

The cutting edge of art, technology and business, Ali Hossaini’s video installations have won acclaim from The New York Times, which called him a “biochemist turned philosopher turned television producer turned visual poet.” He’s worked with Brad Pitt, Salma Hayek and Dennis Hopper, and has been presented by BAM, the Barbican, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the NYC Opera. He is a Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of Informatics, King’s College London, a trustee of the Young Vic Theatre and an Associate of Lord Cultural Resources.

SCOOTER LAFORGE NYC BASED ARTIST

Veteran art dealer Christopher Pusey cofounded Dorian Grey Gallery in 2010, the premier source for work connected to the historic streets of NYC. In 2017 Dorian Grey Projects evolved into to a private salon exhibition space in Soho specializing in art advising and curatorial services. Artists exhibited include Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Martha Cooper. Puley is also the Sales Director at Chase Contemporary gallery, specializing in paintings by RETNA, and noted photographers such as Raphael Mazzucco, Terry Oneal and Mark Seliger.

CHRISTOPHER PUSEY

GALLERIST/CURATOR

FAWN ROGERS

RECLAIMING MY PRIDE

Scooter LaForge is a full-time artist living in NYC. His work has been shown at the Leslie-Lohman Museum, Vienna’s Friedrichshof Museum, and Stockholm’s Spiritmuseum/Absolut Art Collection. He was commissioned to create garments for Madonna’s performance of her single “Bitch I’m Madonna” on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, and Debbie Harry have all worn items from his clothing line. He also works closely with legendary stylist and fashion maven Pat Field.

LA BASED CONTEMPORARY ARTIST

Fawn Rogers is an LA-based artist. Through painting, photography, video, and sculptural installation, Rogers addresses the idea of power as the currency of nature and human interaction. Her aesthetic incorporates realism, conceptualism and the synthesis of text and image. Concerned with systems of the natural world and social constructionism, her art accepts the full range of existence, including violence, innocence and invention. She has shown paintings, photos, and conceptual installations in museums, galleries, and nontraditional locations on four continents.

Bill Schelly is an award-winning author whose memoir Sense of Wonder, My Life in Comic Fandom is the story of a gay kid who found a home in the subculture of 1960s and 1970s comic fandom. As a teen, he became an early force in fandom, created his own comics and built a network of like-minded young people, turning his love of comics into a career as an adult. He received a degree in Art Education from the University of Idaho, and BILLY SCHELLY AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR has written over 20 comics-related books, including Sense of Wonder from North Atlantic Books. His web site is billschelly.net.

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#ReclaimingMyPride

LAVAL BRYANT

Born in Harlem and raised across the street from the Brooklyn Museum, Laval’s love and passion for the arts were fostered by her schooling at the prestigious Calhoun School and Brooklyn College. Over the course of her career, Laval has lent her talents and expertise in communications to organizations including The Metropolitan Museum of Art. However, Laval’s passion and love for the community ultimately led her back to the Brooklyn Museum as the Manager of Groups and Tourism Sales.

JUDGES

You Be the Judge: For Metrosource’s “Reclaiming My Pride” contest, we sought out individuals who are both community leaders and also have a passion for art to judge our finalists. The following eight judges scored the finalists’ pieces based on the strength of the each piece’s description; how the submission fits within the “Reclaiming My Pride” themes of community, creativity and charity; the uniqueness of the work, and overall visual appeal.

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ON JUNE 20TH — MIDWAY THROUGH NYC PRIDE WEEK — METROSOURCE GATHERED WITH

LGBTQ community leaders, “Reclaiming My Pride”contest participants, and many of the people that made our inaugural art contest possible. The setting was a New York City landmark — One World Observatory — and as you might expect, the view was sublime — inside and out. Here’s a little taste of our very special evening. Even more images are on display at metrosource.com/reclaimingmypride and facebook.com/metrosource.

metrosource.com/reclaimingmypride

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

RECLAIMING MY PRIDE

Pride on Top of the World

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AS18_RMPevent.indd 42

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WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH GOLDEN MILK?

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of drinking “Golden Milk” (a.k.a. Turmeric Tea) lately. Turmeric, the yellow-golden spice known for its use in curry dishes, comes from Curcuma longa, a tropical herb native to India. It’s been used in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years as a remedy for colds, indigestion, throat conditions and liver issues. This perennial herbaceous plant can achieve heights of up to three feet tall and grows wild in Southeast and South Asian countries. Golden milk can help to alleviate headaches by promoting sinus draining, aid in digestion and build immunity against colds

HEALTH

and flu. Already got a cold? Tumeric can stimulate mucus to help clean out your system while also spreading antibacterial agents throughout your body. Additionally, turmeric can help detoxify the liver through reducing fattiness and obstructions.

How does golden milk work its magic? Well, the most active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which has proven to have antiinflammatory and immune-boosting properties. To achieve these affects, adults can (and should) take 400 to 600 milligrams of pure turmeric powder daily. Want to prevent cancer? Look no further.

Curcumin has anti-cancer written all about it. It helps kick cancer to the curb by eliminating damaged cells and limiting growth of tumors and the overall spreading of cancerous cells.

There are many variations for preparing Golden Milk (widely available online). In addition to turmeric some popular ingredients include unsweetened coconut or almond milk, cinnamon, ginger, coconut oil, peppercorns and sweeteners (honey, maple syrup or otherwise) to taste. Simply boil your base of choice (milk or water), add a few teaspoons of turmeric (ground, grated or however you prefer it), and stir in the additional ingredients to taste. Let this mixture sit over heat for about ten or twelve minutes before straining and serving. Consider garnishing with a little lemon or lime and serve. And if you want to spice things up a bit try adding ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, star anise or coriander for variety.

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)-!'% 0(/4/ #2%$)4 25")3#/ s 35.)3! #(5+,9

It’s the fad that’s sweeping health circles, but what’s in golden milk and why is it supposed to be so good for you? BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES

SAVE UP TO 41% OFF THE COVER PRICE Yes! I want all the fabulous that’s fit to print!

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* Add $2.50 per issue for foreign mailing, including Canada. Credit Card #______________________________________Exp. date_________ Complete this form and send it with a check or money order to: Metrosource c/o Davler Media 213 West 35th St., Suite 12W, New York, 10001

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Five poses for

SELF CONFIDENCE

BODY

HEALTH

UNLESS YOU’VE BEEN LIVING UNDER SOME KIND OF ZEN-PROOF

rock, you’ve probably heard about the benefits of a yoga routine.

Hitting the mat at least three times a week can lead to lower stress levels, increased flexibility and stronger bones for those who commit to regular stretch sessions. So, we understand how flexibility and being centered improves the body, but what about the oft-discussed yoga goal of achieving a “steady mind”?

As a certified yoga instructor, students come to me daily with testimonials about how yoga has changed their lives. Some talk about the weight loss they’ve seen; others mention how their newfound quality of breath has helped them in times of panic.

However, there is a shift I see in nearly all of my students that few of them recognize automatically. Perhaps it’s because these kinds of transformations can’t be measured by a mere scale or lung capacity reading. Instead, I see it in their glowing faces, their smiles — and their posture.

It’s that yoga has sent their confidence levels soaring to new heights, often without them even realizing. This may sound contradictory to new students who have struggled in class, failing to differentiate one warrior pose from another (There’s three?!) Here are five not-so-scary poses to get you on this path to loving yourself again. Namaste!

1 2

1 TADASANA (MOUNTAIN POSE)

Tadasana might seem like the easiest pose of all, but it’s actually quite advanced. New yogis may confuse this triumphant pose for “just standing,” but let’s be real: for many people “standing up straight” has become a thing of the past. If you text, type or left-side lean as much as I do everyday, chances are you’ve avoided stacking your joints the way your skeleton intended.

Start by finding yourself at the top of your mat with your big toes together and your heels slightly apart. Ground yourself through all the corners of your feet including your big toe

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mound, pinky toe mound and both edges of your heels. Breathe deeply, lifting your chest toward the sky. Draw your belly button in toward your spine and tuck your tailbone under. Without arching your back, draw your shoulders back, internally rotating your arms so that the eyes of your elbows are pushed forward and your palms are open. Keep the crown of your head reaching toward the ceiling and tuck your chin slightly. Look forward with a soft gaze. Take three deep breaths in through the nostrils, then out. You’ll instantly feel several inches taller — and a strong sense of pride to boot!

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Is yoga really as good for the mind as it is for the body? Give these specially chosen moves a try and see for yourself. BY MEGAN VENZIN

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3

4 5

2 KUMBHAKASANA (HIGH PLANK)

4

This high pushup position may send some minds spiraling back to the days of the “President’s Fitness Challenge,” when as children we were expected to support our weight with upper body strength alone. Oh, how wrong our PE teachers were! Kumbhakasana allows us to use not only our arms but also our abdominal muscles, spine and pectorals to bear our weight as well. Find yourself on all fours with your fingers spread wide and your shoulders, elbows and wrists stacked in one straight line. Next, extend one leg toward the back of your mat and then over, curling your toes under to help lift your legs from the mat. Draw your belly button toward your spine and activate your abdominals, pressing the crown of your head toward the front of the room to achieve length in your spine, all the way from your skull to your sacrum. Use your breath to maintain this posture. A floating booty will compromise this pose, so draw your glutes down to align the back. Hold for three breaths, and drop your knees back down to the mat. Repeat this sequence five times to build heat. You may never have to resort to using the term “girl push-ups” again.

There’s something about a sturdy squat that reminds us of the body’s pure, compact strength. Start by taking your feet as wide as the mat (about two-and-a-half feet) with all 10 toes facing forward. Bring your arms up and overhead, allowing the palms to touch, then draw the thumbs toward heart center. Slowly descend by bending your knees, bringing your pelvic bone to hover above the mat. Press the elbows toward the inside of your knees to push the chest forward. Hold for five breaths, or transition into a flow by placing your hands into a wide-legged forward fold with your head hanging heavy. You can flow back and forth, bending the knees and switching between the malasana and your forward fold to maintain strength.

MUKHA SVANASANA 3 URDHVA (UPWARD FACING DOG)

5

This heart opener is a true pose of empowerment! Find yourself flat on your belly with your elbows bent, hands flat and fingers spread wide, right outside your rib cage. Press into your hands, and begin to straighten your arms. When you have enough height, lift your pelvis and thighs up from the mat and use the top of your feet to support you as you press your chest through your arms. Finally, send your chin upward in space, allowing the energy to pulse from the center of your sternum. Yes, you are fierce! You can easily curl your toes under, send your tailbone back and let your chest reach toward your thighs to transition into a favorite counterpose downward facing dog.

This combination heart-and-hip opener is truly a fool-proof stress reliever and confidence builder. Start by lying flat on your back, then draw the soles of your feet together, allowing the knees to splay out wide toward the edges of your mat. Draw your shoulders back, allowing your shoulder blades to press into the mat and your palms to fall open toward the ceiling. While this may make some yogis feel vulnerable, this posture is great for letting go of stale emotions and old feelings. A simultaneous release of both the hips and the heart will leave you feeling rejuvenated and new. Make this pose extra juicy by leaning back on a pillow or bolster to add extra elevation to your back body.

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MALASANA (SQUAT POSE)

SUPTA BADDHA KONASANA (RECLINED BOUND ANGLE POSE)

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MEETING THE NEED FOR NON-BIASED CARE Why one doctor left a career in cardiac surgery in order to concentrate on the needs of his LGBTQ clientele, and the new way he’s getting his message across. BY JEFF SIMMONS

BODY

METROHIV

a decade ago, he came to accept that his practice wasn’t providing the long-term career fulfillment he’d hoped for. “I really started to hate the field,” he conceded. After some soul-searching, Goldstein decided to reconsider his options entirely.

“I started to think about where I wanted go and realized that there was a huge need in the gay community for non-judgmental, non-biased care,” Goldstein says, “specifically for the gay male, but also for the bottoming male.”

That’s when Goldstein launched BeSpoke Surgical, a Beverly Hills and New York City-based medical and surgical concierge practice for the gay community, with a focus on men’s sexual health and wellness. But even though the practice flourished — it now treats some 70 patients a week — Goldstein sought a way to reach more men to embrace healthy lifestyles.

So he recently launched the first episode of Tail Talks, a quarterly video series assembling roundtables of experts, medical professionals and influencers to talk about touchy topics such as sexual positions, HIV and AIDS. In its pilot episode, Tail Talks focused on PrEP, the one-a-day pill which can prevent users from contracting HIV, in an informal and lively conversation with writer Brian Moylan and writer-director Kit Williamson inside Alan Cumming’s nightclub, Club Cumming.

“There are many issues surrounding gay culture that should be talked about,” Goldstein attests. “There should be an educational component to everything that everybody is doing to make sure they are engaging the right way. So we are aiming to educate while doing it in a fun, cool format.”

Of particular concern, he says, is closing chasms between generations by educating younger gay males. Video provides an accessible, consumable platform to spread info that medical professionals might not always provide or even be informed about. “You use everything you can socially to go direct to consumers, specifically about taboo subjects,” he says, “so people can really do an appropriate investigation and figure out where they really are.”

Future episodes of Tail Talks — the name was coined as a tongue-in-cheek salute to bottoming — will explore sexual issues among a younger generation. “I am trying to hold educators and medical professionals accountable,” says Goldstein, “and make sure that many generations have resources available to them in a succinct, cool, appropriate way, so that people can get answers.”

“That’s the point of Tail Talks,” the physician concludes, “to make sure people have safe spaces and don’t feel they will be judged or biased or are dirty in any way. We really should create positivity in everything we are doing.”

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IMAGE THIS PAGE COURTESY DR. EVAN GOLDSTEIN

DR. EVAN GOLDSTEIN WAS TRAINED AS A CARDIAC SURGEON, BUT about

WHO SHOULD GET TESTED FOR HIV? EVERYONE.

See how often testing is recommended.

Visit HelpStopTheVirus.com © 2016 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. UNBC3150 06/16

Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour and Haulover Cut

7 WAYS TO WELLNESS IN MIAMI EVERYONE WHO LIVES A CHAPTER IN MIAMI TENDS TO BELIEVE THOSE

were the years when the Magic City hit its peak: Everyone was there!

Supermodels! Scarface! Madonna! Versace! Miami Vice! The Rat Pack! By the time my husband and I landed in South Beach, Versace was gone and Madonna had moved on. Instead there was Art Basel Miami Beach and Michelin-starred chefs opening restaurants in restored Art Deco hotels while starchitects like Herzog & de Meuron designed parking garages on Lincoln Road.

Miami has been reinventing itself ever since its inception as a winter resort in the 1920s, and every renaissance reveals new attributes.

The city’s nickname derives from its seemingly magical growth from a barrier island of less than 1,000 residents to a metropolitan area of nearly 5.5 million in little more than 100 years. Since the establishment of Miami’s first hotel in 1884 (appropriately named the Peacock Inn) and on through Dionysian days of drag queens and supermodels, Miami and the Beaches have remained inviting — particularly for the LGBTQ community. Dade County passed a human rights ordinance in 1977 that banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment, housing and public services (at least until Antia Bryant arrived on the scene). Today, Miami is one of the world’s most LGBTQ-friendly destinations, hosting guests from around the world for White Party and Winter Party, and Miami Beach Gay Pride.

For many, it’s all about the miles of sugar-sand beaches, but there are plenty of ways to seek wellness in Miami — sand optional.

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TRY HEALTHY SOUL FOOD: In recent years, Miami Beach has become a nexus of health and well-being. Soul Tavern (soultavern.com) in Sunset Harbor exemplifies that trend in a neighborhood rich with yoga studios, juice shops, Flywheel classes and Botox beauty bars.

Surrounded by a lush garden patio trellised in vibrant bougainvillaea, the plant-based gastropub is an oasis of healthy living with awardwinning design by Pravda Architecture. Owner Jason Gordon, who has a doctorate in Chinese medicine, has created a convivial tavern where Korean barbeque tempeh sliders and vegan mac-and-cheese complement nearly forty hand-crafted elixirs designed to combat ailments from anxiety to hangover - perhaps negating any ill effects from the sangria and bottomless mimosas of weekend brunch.

FIND READING ROOM: Nearly 200 boutique and resort hotels line the shores of Miami Beach, notably along Ocean Drive - a milelong stretch of restored Art Deco hotels designed by a veritable Who’s Who of 20th-century American architects. At the northern end stands a stately neo-Colonial structure with a four-column portico once known as The Betsy Ross Hotel. What looked like a Southern plantation home was actually built in 1941 amidst the nation’s nostalgic craze for Colonial style. After an ingenious two-year transformation incorporated neighboring 1930s Art Deco gem the Carlton Hotel, The Betsy (thebetsyhotel.com) opened in 2016. The 130-key hotel now boasts an Art Deco wing and a Colonial wing connected by a

IMAGES THIS PAGE: ToP LEfT courTESy rITz-cArLTon BAL HArBour And HAuLovEr cuT • IMAGE of MEN PLAYING KADIMA COURTESY GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU WWW.GMCVB.COM

HOW DO YOU LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE IN MAGIC CITY? WE’VE GOT FOOD TO TASTE, SIGHTS TO SEE AND CULTURE YOU’LL WANT TO CATCH. BY MARK A. THOMPSON

IMAGES THIS PAGE: SUITE AT RC BAL HARBOUR COURTESY OF RITZ-CARLTON • BETSY POOL AT MAGIC HOUR AND BETSY SUITE COURTESY THE BETSY HOTEL SOUTH BEACH

Two men playing kadima

Suite at RC Bal Harbour

suspended pedestrian bridge enclosed in what looks like a gigantic dinosaur egg but is really a passageway that leads to a sumptuous Library.

This bibliophile’s refuge complements Writer’s Room, the hotel’s artists’ residency program, inaugurated in honor of owner Jonathan Plutzik’s father, a three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist. Since 2012, Writer’s Room has hosted over 400 artists, including Amy Tan, Jane Smiley, and John Guare.

The Betsy’s spacious oceanfront Royal Suites are furnished in tropical plantation style with ceiling fans and walnut floors. Spa bathrooms of Carrera marble feature walk-in showers and bath mirrors with built-in LCD televisions. Classic barware complements curated guest libraries, so you can sip a Cuba Libre while reading Hemingway. On the Skyline Deck, a suspended lap pool hovers high above a courtyard atrium, so it’s like swimming laps in the air. Sunrise yoga on the rooftop segues nicely into a massage at the tranquil outdoor spa, where treatments utilize natural ingredients such as mandarins, blueberries, and sugar plums. As Hyam Plutzik wrote,“Expect no more. This is happiness.”

DINE WITH A UNICORN: If you’re dining at the feet of a 12-foot-tall golden unicorn created by Damien Hirst and valued at more than $6 million, you are seated at Pao at Faena (faena.com), where Top Chef champ Paul Qui is determined to wrestle your gaze from the resplendent dining room and fix it on the boldly inventive Asian-influenced food. This fiercely fabulous funhouse is within the phantasmagoric labyrinth known as Faena Miami Beach. What was once mid-century Hollywood hang-out the Saxony has been transformed into a surrealist rococo playground where red velvet and gold leaf frame a fanciful fantasy created by a team that included architects Foster + Partners, Rem Koolhaas’s OMA, and theatrical visionaries Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin Why have Qui’s culinary chops earned him a James Beard Foundation Award? The answer becomes apparent with a cobia kinilaw (as crudo is known in the Philippines) soaked in coconut milk and red onion with heart of palm and cilantro. Qui’s cuisine incorporates elements from his native Philippines, as well as Japan, France, and Spain — perhaps most strikingly exemplified in the dish called Unicorn. An Instagram star, the uni corn pudding arrives in its own sea urchin shell atop a bed of dried spice: exactly what you want to eat at the feet of a golden unicorn.

Betsy pool at the magic hour Betsy suite

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CATCH SOME CULTURE: It used to be snowbirds who flew to Miami in December; now it’s culture mavens who flock to Art Basel Miami Beach (artbasel.com) and linger for the New World Symphony (nws.edu), Miami City Ballet (miamicityballet.org), the acclaimed Pérez Art Museum Miami (pamm.org), the new Institute of Contemporary Art Miami (icamiami.org), and Miami Beach’s recently-renovated Bass Museum of Art (thebass.org). Cinephiles amass at OUTshine (mifofilm.com), the joint Miami and Fort LauThe Betsy derdale LGBT film festival, which remains the largest LGBT cultural arts event in South Florida. Visitors seeking further diversion head to The Hub at the LGBT Visitor Center (gogaymiami.com) and The Pride Center at Equality Park (pridecenterflorida.org), two LGBT centers that have become a nexus of LGBT Florida life.

LT Restaurant Ocean Drive at night

TOAST CHAMPAGNE LIFE: What says Miami like a soaking in a tub overlooking the ocean with a bucket of Champagne on ice? How about adding a snack from the full-service gourmet kitchen in your floor-through suite atop The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour (ritzcarlton.com). With private terraces that overlook the ocean and the 99-acre nude beach at Haulover Park, the suites at The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour deliver you into a lush life marked by mahogany, leather, and crystal. Asprey toiletries fragrance the air with hints of citrus and jacaranda. Have an in-room massage or head to Exhale Spa, the 10,000-foot wellness sanctuary overlooking the water.

And should you feel overwhelmed by the 100-plus luxury boutiques located in the lushly-landscaped retail oasis, The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour offers a couture concierge who remains on call for wardrobe consultation, so you’ll be dressed just right for a visit to Sunset Lounge at Artisan Beach House, a beach-bright restaurant with views onto Haulover Cut. SAY CHEESE: Back at the Betsy Hotel, there’s no shortage of good reasons to dine at LT Steak & Seafood. Chef Laurent Tourondel’s homage to classic cuisine is housed in a room redolent of post-war Miami glam.

For many, it’s all about the fact that no sooner are you seated than a server presents a basket of hot popovers and a side of butter. Flavored with gruyere cheese and cracked black pepper, each popover is the size of a prize-winning Périgord truffle — and equally delicious with butter oozing through its airy center: they’re like wellbeing in a basket.

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images this page: guy Dill terrace reception at rc Bal harBour courtesy of ritz-carlton • the Betsy anD lt restaurant courtesy of the Betsy hotel south Beach • OCEAN DRIVE AT NIGHT COURTESY OF GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU WWW.GMCVB.COMT

Guy Dill Terrace Reception at RC Bal Harbour

MAKE LIKE A MEDITERRANEAN: What was initially a beloved Greek restaurant in Montreal has become a gastronomic juggernaut for owner and executive chef Costas Spiliadis — with global outposts in New York, Athens, Vegas, London and Miami. Located in the SoFi neighborhood at the southern tip of South Beach, Milos Miami (milos.ca) is probably closest in spirit to Spiliadis’s original vision. Each day, their fish market offers more than 20 species of fish caught by Milos fishermen along the Mediterranean and prepared with the lightest touch. Housed in a cavernous white marble cube that neatly nods to ‘90s Miami nightlife, the restaurant buzzes with animated energy from sunset through closing. An attentive staff ably supports a stellar kitchen whose finesse is manifest on each plate of pristine seafood. From the arrival of a small potted plant of oregano (complete with cutting shears) to a tower of lightly-fried zucchini and eggplant, and on through to a dessert of baklava ice cream with Greek yogurt and seasonal fruit, Milos Miami transports you to a Greek isle without ever leaving the Beach.

THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL IS NOT EASY TO ACHIEVE With all due respect to Whitney Houston, Kevin discovers that learning to love himself involves getting past experiences that made him feel less than proud. BY KEVIN PHINNEY was chatting with a fellow in the swimming pool that my relationship was headed down the drain. I told him that simply I couldn’t wrap my head around it. “I gave this guy unconditional love,” I confessed - the pool water disguising my tears.

“There’s your mistake,” my pool buddy said, paddling nonchalantly.“Unconditional love is great for fairy tales, but in real life, you need to know what your limits are and when someone has crossed them. Conditional love may not be nearly as romantic, but it’s a more sane and sure path than what you’re describing.”

What was ultimately my reward for sticking with my partner through all of this? When he decided to break up with me, he shrugged off my devotion. As for his breaking our rules regarding safe sex outside the relationship? “I was too young to make a promise like that,” he replied, — although he’d been an adult for more than a decade at the time we’d made our agreement.

In retrospect, I can now look back and see how, one decision at a time, I’d “given up my power,” as self-help speakers like to put it. So then the question became: how does a person recover from being a doormat and achieve a state of greater wellness? I began to seek wellness in the kind of wisdom that would help me not repeat such mistakes. And I’m still looking.

A few weeks back, I was sitting in a piano bar when someone asked to sing “The Greatest Love of All,” the George Benson song that had become such an anthem for Whitney Houston. I’d always considered the song fairly cheesy in the way it took what should be Big Life Lessons and reduced them to soundbites worthy of a grocery store greeting card.

Yet I found myself reconsidering the lyrics as the singer belted them out. My siblings and I never had parents to who showed us all “the beauty we possessed inside“or gave us the“sense of pride”the song says is so important to instill. But at“Everybody searching for a hero,” my eyes began to suddenly well with tears.“I never found anyone to fulfill my need. / A lonely place to be, and so I learned to depend on me. / I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone’s shadow. / If I fail, if I succeed; at least I’ll live as I believe. / No matter what they take from me, / they can’t take away my dignity.”

The philosophy suddenly struck me as something I could adopt.

I’m not sure I’m living out the truth of those words yet. But they’re on my mind while I’m learning how to put myself ahead of the needs of any one guy or relationship. RuPaul reminds us at the end of every episode of Drag Race. “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love anyone else?” It’s easier said than ■ done, but at least my compass is finally set in that direction.

POV

legal in all 50 states!” That was what my ex-husband posted on Facebook in response to the 2015 Supreme Court decision mandating marriage equality. Most of his friends — people I once considered our friends — responded in a torrent of laughter. One said she snarfed milk through her nose when she read it. Another was a fellow I once rocked in my arms while he sobbed about falling in love with a married woman who was not his wife. I couldn’t believe my ex could be so cruel or that anyone else found it comical. I went into an emotional tailspin that lasted for months.

Because being with someone who could do that said something about me as well. The trouble is, I have a pesky tendency to pick guys who initially see me as confident, strong and independent. I’m not. I’m resilient, yes; often strong. But I’m interdependent. And once that becomes apparent (coupled with occasional moments of self-doubt), it seems that I no longer command respect, and the relationship starts to collapse on itself.

One partner disappeared in front of my eyes. He got laid off from work, then sat across from me teaching himself web design at our dining room table. Before long, he emerged from his cyber cocoon a full-fledged online porn mogul - using our living room for photo shoots while I was out. After being together for more than a decade, he decided to quit putting any effort into us.

Unfortunately, my response was shaped by lessons I’d learned from a childhood in which parents who were violent alcoholics implanted messages that lasted far longer than my time under their roof. Having been told I should never have been born by my mother and that I’d never amount to anything by my stepfather, I continued to hold on tight as I could to anything that remotely resembled love. So I stayed with Ace Bannon (his porn name) until it became abundantly clear that I was no hope.

Another partner cheated on me — in an open relationship, no less. Since we lived in separate states for some time, we had safe sex rules — rules he ignored at the wrong moment. He seroconverted and very nearly infected me with HIV. When he told me he was suicidal over his diagnosis, I could have said:“Too bad.You made a reckless choice.” Instead, I forgave him. My rationale was that true love meant showing up when things get ugly.

During what would ultimately be our last vacation together, I

VIEWS

“HOORAY, NOW MY DIVORCE IS

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MONTANA MAGNIFICENT

WE HEAD TO BIG SKY COUNTRY, WHERE SOME VISITORS EXPLORE LIKE LEWIS AND CLARK, SOME RIDE LIKE COWBOYS, AND OTHERS RETREAT IN LUXURY. BY MARK A. THOMPSON

Trapper Peak, Bitterroot Mountains

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TRAPPER PEAK COURTESY TRIPLE CREEK RANCH

NO MATTER WHOM I TOLD THE NEWS THAT I WAS TRAVELING TO A

dude ranch in Montana, the response was either utter disbelief or gales of laughter. Even my editor thought the situation sounded like a pitch for Netflix: Into the Wild with Noel Coward. I even had to convince my husband that Montana and Manhattan were not mutually exclusive; that we could be urban cowboys living out a Brokeback fantasy.

On the other hand, what did we know of Montana (apart from headlines about a certain allegedly thuggish congressman)? Was it actually the locale for Brokeback Mountain? (Nope, that was Wyoming.) Home to Yellowstone? (Yes, at least a portion of it.)

Named from the Spanish word for mountain, Montana is defined by its sky-scraping ranges, 77 of which are part of the Rocky Mountains. The very sound bespeaks something majestic.

And it’s vast: the nation’s fourth largest state. Bisected by the Continental Divide, Montana is split into a mountainous west and an eastern expanse of prairie that’s part of the Great Plains.

We were headed to the Bitterroot Mountains, one of the longest continuous ranges of the Rockies which proved daunting to Lewis and Clark in 1805. Not only did they tussle with the rugged terrain, but also with the wildlife. That’s another thing to remember about Montana: it holds the largest grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states. One wonders whether that could that be connected to the fact that Montana’s population of just over a million residents is the least obese in the U.S.?

Running from bears is bound to burn calories.

Before 1889, when Montana became the 41st state, the area was known as the Montana Territory, notable for a population of bison exceeding 13 million and just over 20,000 humans. Slaughtered nearly to extinction in the late 19th century, bison (“buffalo“ to many) are on the rebound in the West, and as we scaled the hill to TRIPLE CREEK RANCH (triplecreekranch.com), we glimpsed a herd of free range bison grazing in the Bitterroot Valley.

At nearly a mile above sea level, Triple Creek and its neighboring CB RANCH (cbcattleranch.com) encompass an area of more than 26,000 acres ringed by snow-capped mountains. What was once the 40-acre home of a minister from New York (who raised four children with his schoolteacher wife) became an allinclusive “Montana Hideaway” in the 1980s, offering guests a

Montana wilderness experience. Today, much of the adults-only luxury ranch resort is under a conservation easement, thereby providing an unofficial sanctuary for migratory wildlife such as elk and deer. The surrounding coniferous forests and wildflower meadows abound with moose, wolves, black bears, eagles — and mountain lions.

As we wound our way toward the Main Lodge, we passed a field of elk, part of a wild herd of more than 1,000 that claim the ranch as home. Up ahead was a large, unmoving bison — which turned out to be a part of the owners’ vast collection of Western art and sculpture.

For years, Montana has existed as “the last best place,” depicted in the works of Western artists as a land where cowboys and fly fisherman meander along pristine rivers and untouched countryside. Wallace Stegner, the Pulitzer-Prize winning author and bard of the West, once wrote, “Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed... We simply need that wild country available to us…”

Nestled within four million acres of national forest, Triple Creek Ranch sits on the southern side of Trapper Peak, the highest mountain in the Bitterroot Range. Under soaring Ponderosa pines, the ranch’s 25 private log cabins and ranch homes bear the name of local attractions such as Osprey, Piquette, or Sugar Loaf.

Our log cabin was called Rocky Knob: a 640-square-foot, one-bedroom luxury cabin with a wood-burning fireplace, and a wraparound deck with private hot tub overlooking a lazy river.

The massive double bathroom included two water closets, plus a double steam shower that could easily fit six cowboys should such a steamy scene ensue. When an unexpected snowfall blanketed the cabin in white one night, it was tempting to mix a hot toddy from the all-inclusive bar and spend the next day in front of the crackling fire — or in the hot tub dusted with snow.

Instead, we had a date with a wrangler and our horses Ruger and Riley. Amidst the natural splendor of Triple Creek, it’s still possible to take in the grandeur that greeted Lewis and Clark, particularly while on a trail ride that traverses the same awe-inspiring landscape and offers panoramic views of the Continental Divide.

At the resort’s Rider’s Roost, we chose chaps and dusters topped

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off with cowboy hats before mounting our horses under the guidance of our young wrangler, a laconic cowboy with a killer smile. Triple Creek honors Montana’s ranching heritage with various trail rides over historic routes, including a cattle drive where riders and wranglers move up to 800 head of cattle over mountainous terrain. We chose a more leisurely route, one that would allow us to return to the lodge in time for cocktails and dinner.

A member of RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX (relaischateaux.com) since 1995, Triple Creek serves Western-influenced cuisine in a double-height dining room beneath the gaze of trophy taxidermy. The award-winning kitchen, complemented by a superlative wine collection, focuses on local purveyors of Western bounty. Huckleberries, for example, appear in muffins, scones, and pancakes, while river trout serve as a reminder that a river runs through it (the ranch, that is). Upstairs, the Lodge’s Rooftop Lounge is furnished like an elegant gentlemen’s club during the Gold Rush. Post-prandial cocktails in hand, we sank into leather chesterfields in front of the fireplace and raised a toast to cowboys.

While ranching and grain farming have fueled Montana’s economy for generations, tourism is its fastest-growing industry with over ten million annual guests visiting such attractions as Yellowstone, Glacier National Park (where the melting glaciers are predicted to disappear completely in a few decades), and LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD. At Triple Creek, guests with a bit of wanderlust head into the wild with a gourmet pack lunch for various day trips that include the ghost town of BANNACK (bannack.org), which was once Montana’s first state capital or the LEWIS & CLARK EXPEDITION TRAIL which runs the full length of the Bitterroot Valley. There’s also the 2,800-acre LEE METCALF NA-

On Horseback at Triple Creek Ranch

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IMAGES THIS PAGE: COURTESY PONDEROSA CABIN AND HORSEBACK COURTESY TRIPLE CREEK RANCH

Ponderosa Cabin

Breakfast at Triple Creek Ranch Cocktail at Triple Creek Ranch

Chipmunk Cabin

Images thIs page: ChIpmunk CabIn Courtesy trIple Creek ranCh) • breakfast, CoCktaIl. DUSTERS AND GLOVES COURTESY MRNY

Wrangler Dusters

Wrangler Gloves

TIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE and BIG HOLE NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD, both of which are located about an hour’s drive from the ranch.

For those guests yearning to roam beyond the ranch’s immediate environs, Triple Creek Ranch owner Craig Barrett proposes his own personal Relais & Châteaux Route du Bonheur (or “Road of Happiness”). According to Barrett, “Being able to live in Montana, the ‘Treasure State,’ is a dream come true,” he says. Barrett particularly recommends a respite at THE RANCH AT ROCK CREEK (theranchatrockcreek.com), located in Philipsburg, Montana. Apart from the 6,000-acre ranch, there’s the nearby CAMP ROOSEVELT ARENA, which hosts rodeos for the region’s most dedicated cowboys. Further afield, in Saratoga, Wyoming, MAGEE HOMESTEAD (mageehomestead.com) has been a working ranch since the early 1900s, when cowboys were housed in the log cabins, which are now newly-renovated.

In keeping with Triple Creek’s investment in preserving the culture of the Old West, the ranch houses one of the world’s most extensive collections of Western American art. Paintings by such Western masters as Frederick Remington and Charles Russell hang on the walls alongside bronze sculptures and more contemporary works.

Budding artists who are inspired by the museum-quality collection can partake in the ranch’s annual Artist Workshop Weekends. Each autumn, contemporary Western artists take up residency at Triple Creek as the ranch transforms into a veritable artists’ colony for guests

who paint en plein air — or “in the great outdoors,” as a cowboy might be more apt to say.

In spite of the ranch’s many diversions — panning for sapphires, anyone? — we found it easy to understand why some guests choose to linger in their luxury log cabins and have dinner delivered to their doors. Each time we returned to Rocky Knob, we found another memento: a framed photo of our archery class, more freshly-baked cookies, cowboy poems on our pillows. When we heard there’d been a total ranch buy-out by a group of gay men celebrating a 50th birthday, it wasn’t hard to imagine why the four-day party had been such a roaring success. Picture it: fly fishing, nature safaris, dog sledding, snowshoeing, skijoring (in which one, on skis, is pulled by an animal), river rafting — a full range of activities, all ripe for gay mayhem.

Guests at the ranch fly into Missoula, which is about a 90-minute drive from Triple Creek — or they can drop in by air, on one of two helipads. Due to the remote locale, no cell service is available but WiFi access is complimentary. However, we were too busy gazing into the big sky to fixate on phones. Stegner once wrote, “One cannot be pessimistic about the West. This is the native home of hope. When it fully learns that cooperation, not rugged individualism, is the quality that most characterizes and preserves it… it has a chance to create a society to match its scenery.” And who couldn’t use a visit to a place where both optimism and mountains soar?

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STORMY TIME OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, BIANCA DEL RIO HAS RISEN FROM DRAG HEAD-

VIEWS

LAST CALL

liner to become a Mistress of All Media. Lately, she’s been busy promoting the sequel to her sleeper movie hit, Hurricane Bianca (the newest installment is called From Russia With Hate), and found time to pen a new book as well. The title?

Blame It On Bianca Del Rio: The Expert On Nothing With An Opinion On Everything.

Once described as the love child of John Waters and Joan Rivers, Ms. Del Rio holds nothing back. We spent some time in the eye of the storm with her.

METROSOURCE: Hurricane Bianca was such a tickle but had a real story, too.

So many of us were expecting something between an early John Waters/ Divine movie and a Varla Jean Merman short, but it works as a comedy, while also making a serious point about people being fired just because they happen to be gay. How satisfied were you with the result and the response?

Del Rio: The intention was to be funny and to have fun. But yes, at the core, it’s a serious topic that you can be fired in 29 states for being gay.

So we tried to find a way to present that situation and keep it funny.

And with Matt Kugleman writing; he always takes it to another level of funny. He was the one who said, let’s put Bianca and [her nemesis, Debbie Ward, played by] Rachel Dratch together, and I had a blast doing that.

It’s often said that you have your whole life to make your first project, and two years to finish your second. Was the second movie easier to make?

I just showed up. The second film was written by Matt Kugelman and Derek Hartley. So all I did was take out five or six weeks from touring.

And I made sure they didn’t send me things too far ahead — because I’m not going to deal with it until it’s right there in front of me. I knew that we were filming in NewYork in October, and it was a lovely thing to wake up to — the idea of being in one place for a week, where all I had to know was whether to show up in or out of drag. And there are a lot of cameos from people who happened to be in town: Wanda Skyes, Chyenne Jackson, I mean, Janeane Garafalo, for God’s sake! It was a lot of fun.

So movie-making appeals to you.

I turned down several Meryl Streep roles. [Kugelman] makes magic; It was more or less the idea of a sequel that had been lingering in his mind since the first one, and there’s a third installment planned as well.

Do you see yourself as a trailblazer?

I don’t really think of myself as carving out a path, but I know myself and my strong suits. I like stand-up, and this is what I do. I’m not a singer to

create music or videos; I’m a little older than some of the other queens. I’ve been at this for 22 years now, and I think of being on television as kind of a Golden Ticket. I know what it’s like to appear in front of four people at [gay bar] the Ritz on a Monday night. ... I definitely appreciate being able to travel the world, to go to Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia. It’s worked out well.

Why have you been so successful, where others have not been?

I’m not one of those queens who sits around thinking about what it all means — unless I’ve been drinking. I think as long as you’re working, that’s all that matters. And I know not everyone is going to like my particular brand of comedy. So you just go and do your thing the best you can.

Do you think you could have done all this without Drag Race?

If you want to look at how Drag Race has changed the world’s perception of drag — it all depends on how you look at it. I’ve been at it for many years. I didn’t start drag to do television; it just happened to work out. And when it does, you’re put on a platform and what happens after that is up to you. Some find success and some don’t. Some get banned from DragCon, when you know the only bomb they’re really going to bring is their act. Look: I didn’t change who I am. I still travel all over with a new show every 10 months, but it’s still me.

And of course one of the things about Drag Race becoming so huge is that people now think whatever they saw portrayed on the show is all you, or all there is to you. And there’s also a slew of people who now think they’re experts. We didn’t have all this when I was growing up — other than Ru with her solo show on VH1. There have been a hundred queens through Drag Race now, and a handful that are memorable. So you have to figure out where you are in life and what you want to do with it. As far as the haters go, I just don’t listen to them. I know in my heart they’re gonna die.

I mean, who cares what some keyboard warrior thinks? I have no regrets.

Is there a downside to the acceptance and assimilation of drag to where it can actually dilute the original?

To me it’s all just entertainment. It’s not some secret magic thing that requires a lot of time thinking about it. That’s not my thing. To me, it’s pretty simple: If I don’t wear a wig I’m a nasty fag. If I do, I’m hysterical.

I just try to go about my business, you know? I’m a clown, and I’m not here trying to change the world. I wanna laugh, and so do the people who come and see me.

■ CHECK YOUR VIDEO ON DEMAND AND STREAMING SERVICES FOR HURRICANE BIANCA: FROM RUSSIA WITH HATE. BLAME IT ON BIANCA DEL RIO IS AVAILABLE FROM DEY STREET BOOKS.

THIS PAGE: BIANCA DEL RIO IMAGE COURTESY MAGNUS HASTINGS

Drag Race champ Bianca del Rio is having quite the summer - offering both a sassy new book and a sequel to her surprise hit film Hurricane Bianca. BY KEVIN PHINNEY

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