June/July 2010

We Can Do It — Oh Yes, We Can Paul Richmond Research — Wrap Up Nhojj Epoché Richard Dayhoff Montreal LGBTQA Iced Tea One Magazine. One College. One Float.

Harrington College of Design Perry v. Schwarzenegger Adam Bouska/ NOH8 Campaign

June/July 2010 Volume Two Issue Five

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04 06 10 14 15 16 20 35 36 39 40 42 43 48

06/// We Can Do It — Oh Yes, We Can!

10/// Paul Richmond

16/// Nhojj

20///Epoché

43/// Perry v. Schwarzenegger

48/// NO H8

Contents

Dear Reader Politics/// We Can Do It — Oh Yes, We Can! Artist of the Month/// Paul Richmond Mental Health/// Research Wrap Up Environmint/// I Say Green, You Say Bike!

Music/// Nhojj Fashion/// Epoché Fashion/// Richard Dayhoff— Takes Underwear to the Next Level Travel/// Montreal Drink of the Month/// LGBTQA Iced Tea Pride 2010/// One Pride. One Magazine. One Float.

Spotlight/// Harrington College of Design Politics/// Perry v. Schwarzenegger: History in the Making Politics/// NO H8

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Photo Credit/Chris Burton 2009

Contributors

Joey Grant /// Publisher Josh Shores /// Stylist Lisa Kimmey /// Director of Operations + Writer Chris Burton /// Creative Director Jennifer Schnoes /// Editor + Writer Dr. Michael E. Bricker, Ph.D., LCP /// Writer Coleman Vander Meer Balogh /// Writer Kevin Purvis BS, CSCS, Personal Trainer /// Writer Eric Green /// Writer Jon Fairbanks, www.GayTravel.com /// Writer Bret Grafton /// Cover + Fashion Editorial Photography Leslie Shores /// Stylist Diana Larionov /// Makeup Mens Underwear /// Richard Dayhoff Mens Clothing /// HisStuff Joseph Yates /// Partner Scott Cramer /// Public Relations Nick Vandevelde /// Advertising Photography for NOH8 /// Adam Bouska Photography for Courage Campaign /// Courage Campaign Photography for Equality on Trial /// Courage Campaign Photography for We Can Do It /// John Ganun Artist of the Month /// Paul Richmond

Jake Giles /// Writer + Intern Nate Stoner /// Graphics + Intern Jesse Carnay /// Editor + Intern Robert Gonzalez /// Model John Nelson /// Model Paul Montoya /// Model Aaron Christensen /// Model Chris McCray /// Model Justin Howard /// Model Robin Cook /// Model D'Angelo Tyler /// Model Chris Hongosh /// Model Byron Green /// Model Greg Hansen /// Model David Groene /// Model Andrew Oldershaw /// WCDC Model Daryl Stephens /// WCDC Model Rachel Cantu /// WCDC Model Stephanie Roberts /// WCDC Model Wilson Cruz /// WCDC Model Special Thanks go out to: We Can Do It Campaign, Courage Campaign, Adam Bouska with NOH8, Paul Richmond, Open Artist Movement, and Media Temple Productions. www.couragecampaign.org www.noh8campaign.com www.mediatempleproductions.com www.openartistmovement.com

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Dear Reader Lisa Kimmey /// Director of Operations

Joey Grant /// Publisher

Josh Shores /// Co-Founder

I’d like to take a moment to thank all of you for your overwhelming support.

I genuinely hope you all enjoy our June issue. Our Mint team has been working non-stop between the publication and the events we’ve been involved with. Speaking of, I’d like to personally extend an invitation to anyone and everyone who can join us on June 19th at 712 N Rush St in Chicago for Mint Male and Maxine LTD presentation of the Get Equal Gala Benefit. Email me (Lisa@MintMale. com) for more details or if you’d like to get involved with anything we’re doing.

Also, be sure to keep your eye out for our float in the 2010 Pride Parade. It’s so important to get involved so that we can make a difference for everyone in the LGBTQA community. Our fight for equality is far from over, but the more people that actively aim to make a change, the sooner we’ll get there. Thanks again for everything, and know how much all of us at Mint Male appreciate you, and have an incredibly proud June!

June is in full swing and it’s when our Pride should be at an all time high.

Rainbow Flags blow in the wind while the community prepares for festivals, parades, and events across the globe. It’s the gayest month of the year and had we better take advantage of it. It’s 30 days to reflect and rejoice in the battles we have overcome and to remind us that we must move even further. We must break the glass ceiling and have equality for everyone. So when you’re putting on your rainbow boa, new swim suits, and mixing your LGBTQA iced tea, take a moment to reflect. Think about the times past and recent when LGBTQ people were beaten, murdered, and arrested for their sexuality. Think about the men who are raided in bars, and the women who are raped in Jamaica for being with another woman. Consider the 250,000 people who marched less than a year ago to fight for our equality. Don’t let yourself fade into the background. Stand up and tell the world you want equality in your job, in your marriage, and in every part of your life! So gather up your flags, and don't forget to wear sunscreen while you're celebrating YOU and all who love you. Happy Pride 2010!

I love warmth of summer. It’s the only thing that helps me make it through the sometimes tortuous winters here in Chicago. Being from the south originally, I thrive on heat and humidity, making June the perfect month for me. From the Pride Parade to the festivals, even the thunderstorms, summer hits the spot for me. I sometimes miss home but feel lucky to live in a city that offers us so much. We are lucky to have such a die-hard community that doesn’t hide under the radar, but rather gets out and celebrates and is proud of who we are. I am in my 30s now and have never really had too many issues with my being a proud gay man. I love being part of a community that will welcome anyone of any kind into its arms. I know there are places out there where you do have to be silent and break down and hide who you are. That being said, this month, I would like to encourage everyone to embrace it and get out in the heat and celebrate.

Whether you’re in a big city, a smaller city where they have a little festival of sorts, or even a tiny town, invite your friends and have your own Pride celebration in your back yard. I am so excited about marching in the parade here in Chicago this year. After nine years of watching, I will definitely feel more involved and proud to be out there seeing all the people of every age, sex, religion, etc. Pride is truly a celebration for everyone and I can't wait to see you all there. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed making it for you!

Happy Pride Month Everyone!

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Photo Credit/Chris Burton 2009

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Politics

We Can Do It—

Oh yes, we can!

by Joey Grant

S

ince the National Equality March took place last October in Washington DC, a new group of activists have emerged. They’re louder, more visual and have much more of a grass roots style. Robin McGehee and Kip Williams started this group, Get Equal, when they felt that the current activist groups just weren't doing enough. They started taking a more hands-on approach and launched a website featuring the young boy from Arkansas, Will Phillips, who refused to take part in the Pledge of Allegiance in school because its promise of ‘liberty and justice for all’ remained empty for millions of Americans. His silent and powerful demonstration sparked a national media frenzy and he was given the Outstanding TV Journalism segment award at the 2010 GLAAD Media Award Ceremony.

The mission behind Get Equal is to empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community with the help of their allies.

They are taking action in demanding full legal and social equality as well as holding accountable those who stand in their way. Get Equal has a vision to make our community’s voice heard clamorously and have the government be held accountable for the lack of equality offered to all Americans.

When describing the reason and cause of Get Equal, Robin explains, ‘The LGBTQ movement stands at a turning point. In the 40 years since the Stonewall riots, our lives have changed immeasurably. We have Gay-Straight alliances in schools across the country, positive gay characters in movies and on television, affirming communities of faith, and openly gay public officials. However, the core of our movement remains unrealized. We are still not equal. At every level of society, LGBTQ folks face rampant and unacceptable discrimination.’

We had the incredible opportunity of communicating with Robin directly to get a better look at what Get Equal is really doing. They have a clear and prominent goal, and nothing shy of equal rights will do. Robin expressed, ‘The reality is that our legislators go home early during a campaign season to work to get votes and in our reality, they haven’t given us what they’ve already promised with Employment Non-Discrimination policies and the repeal of Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell. As an organization, we have a much loftier goal. We want nothing less than equal protection and opportunity in all 50 states, in all matters governed by civil law. Our hope is that our community will begin to more largely rally around a civil rights amendment or American Equality Bill that offers us all equal protection.’

What Get Equal has started are groups of activists peacefully and emphatically taking action against the disservice millions of Americans face as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Queer individuals. For example, one team has formed a group called ‘ENDA4’. Like the ATeam, but fighting the inequality of job discrimination, these four women (Chastity Kirven, Janine Carmona, Michelle Wright and Samantha Ames) are on the front line to have sit ins at Nancy Pelosi’s DC and San Fransisco offices.

The four courageous women were arrested and had to agree not to break any more laws to get the charges dropped. ENDA legislation has been stuck

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in the House Committee on Education and Labor since last year even though Representative Barney Frank promised it would come to a vote by the end of 2009, and even more recently, Frank, Representative Tammy Baldwin, Representative Jared Polis and Speaker Pelosi all claimed it was a high priority and they have the votes to pass it. The frustration of this bill not being passed has forced these members to come forward and bring the attention needed to it.

Like the last Presidential Campaign, when the excitement dies down, so does the of support from the grass roots. We inquired on how Get Equal planned to get more people involved and keep them excited about their movement, and Robin replied, ‘You are absolutely right; there is a quick momentum that builds with every action, but unless you are able to capitalize on that energy - you’ve lost that organizing moment. We are working to build grassroots connections all over the US and hope over the next months to knit together a group of community organizers that will begin to fight back and stop settling for the empty promises and excuses that our community has been receiving. We will have more actions and more ways to get involved, but it is clear there is a community demand to stop settling and to Get EQUAL.’

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‘Our biggest challenge has been the number of folks who want to be involved. So many people all around the country have been activated, and they want to take action as part of the Get EQUAL network. That’s amazing, of course, because it means that more organizing is happening. But it’s challenging to figure out how to support everyone when you have limited time and resources. We want to help build a network, and we also want to use our resources in the way that’s most effective. We’re trying to figure out how to meaningfully support all the grassroots activism, while focusing on a few specific goals that we can accomplish as an organization.’

Get Equal is pushing to steer away from fighting at a State by State basis, expressing that, ‘We must pass 50 different laws in each state to protect us from job discrimination, marriage, and safety. These laws can’t be state only: they must be national because we are all citizens of the this nation, not just the state we reside in. To make it more clear, the statewide laws can easily and consistently be struck down, by either the executive branches, lawmakers or the citizens themselves.’

When we put all of our resources into state and local campaigns, we cede our power to make national change, and we inevitably leave the most vulnerable members of our community behind. Whether or not your state or community has marriage equality or employment protections, you still don’t have all your rights. In the meantime, a significant portion LGBTQ people in most places in the country don't have any of those protections or rights.

We need a unified voice demanding nothing less than equal protection in all matters governed by civil law all over the country. While we may be ‘a little more equal’ in places like Iowa or Massachusetts, there are no fractions of equality. We have the moral authority, and the right, under the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, to demand full equality.’ And that’s exactly what Get Equal is doing.

Organizing a nation is no easy task, but with their tactile skills and boundless determination, they will mobilize via the internet. These communities will then create bases across the country where LGBTQ citizens and communities can bind together and become one voice for one option: equality for all. Get Equal is not a group of compromisers and sellouts, but rather the future of our freedom to the rights we deserve as LGBTQ citizens. The group will connect the dots across the country by creating a network of activists and volunteers.

Robin and Kip created the National Equality March in which over 250,000 LGBTQ people and their friends, families, and allies came together and demanded equality. The NEM was held last October on the west lawn of the Capitol, drawing major attention to the our rights as equal Americans. They created a march that was funded on support of the grassroots and private donors, and with the little money they had, they created a moment in time that will never be forgotten. Now is the time to mobilize and take it to the streets. We need to take those 250,000 plus people and get them to make it 1,000,000 plus to get the country up to speed on rights such as job discrimination, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Defense of Marriage Act, and other discriminatory laws that must be removed.

With passion and excitement, Kip Williams illustrated why a mobilized base must change the nation. ‘When properly served, we believe these people can create a ground swell of energy that will fundamentally change the current political dynamic, restrict support for those who stand in the way of full equality, and embolden those who want to do the right thing. No longer must we settle for empty promises while our young commit suicide, our

rights are stripped away at the ballot box, and we are treated as second class citizens. The time has come to unequivocally say that we are more than a political movement — we are a civil rights movement.’

Get Equal is a strong, organized, and driven force, and they’re speaking out without settling for anything less than full equality. ‘No one should settle for inequality. We deserve equality, and we should act like it. We should all be holding our leaders accountable, and pushing for them to do the right thing.

For some of us, that means disrupting business as usual and not backing down.

For others, it means withholding dollars and votes or having hard conversations with friends and family. But we all have to take responsibility for our equality, and we have to insist that we have the moral authority to do so.’ » Images for this article were provided by WE CAN DO IT, Oh Yes We CAN. The We Can Do It campaign is out to build solidarity and personal strength through positive messaging. The goal is to bring to life modern individuals by depicting them as powerful, and not as victims in support of global LGBTQ movement worldwide. Their global campaign is aiming to bring in that familiar feeling of ‘America, We can do it.’ Their more modern slogan, ‘Yes we Can,’ was made famous by current President, Barack Obama. WCDI is trying to change the face of and the feeling of how the world perceives the gay movement. Its not surprising why we chose this campaign to illustrate our article on Get Equal, another organization that is trying to change the direction of the LGBTQ movement. One is national and one is Global but both upcoming powerful forces to watch out for. For more information please check out www.MediaTempleProdcutions.com and www.GetEqual.org

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Artist of the Month

Fairy­-Boy Dreams to Reality Artist Paul Richmond Uses Gay and Glam to Express his Own Inner Diva

by Jake Giles

Mint Male: Can you tell me a little bit about how you became a working artist?

Paul Richmond: My art education began at a pretty young age. By the time I was three, my parents couldn’t pry me away from the dining room table where I sat busily drawing myself as a fairy tale princess. They explained that being a princess wasn’t an acceptable career path for a boy from the Midwest (which was quite a bummer). However, they also presented a compelling alternative – art lessons. I began oil painting once a week with a fabulous local artist named Linda Regula, who nurtured my creativity and helped me develop as a visual storyteller. Grand portraits of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty followed.Later, I attended Columbus College of Art and Design, graduating in 2002. It was invigorating to be exposed to so many new ideas and techniques, yet my personal life was a train wreck due to deep-rooted denial of my homosexuality. It took a lot of energy to convince myself I was straight while secretly lusting after every moody art school boy who crossed my path. Fortunately, the year following graduation was a time for personal growth. I formed a mural painting business with my friend, the amazingly-talented painter Melissa Forman, and she helped set me straight (so to speak) in many ways. She was the first person I came out to, and as I began exploring my sexuality with my artwork, she encouraged me to bring the paintings out from under my bed and start exhibiting them. My work and I have been on parallel journeys of increasing gayness ever since.

MM: Tell me about the Cheesecake Boy series; such as your inspiration and which subjects make the best work?

PR: The Cheesecake series grew out of my fascination with pin-up art from the 40s and 50s. It was a more innocent time (at least on the surface), and I love the elaborate scenarios that artists like Gil Elvgren and Art Frahm concocted in order to justify disrobing their subjects. A loose nail, a doorknob, or a brisk wind would all work in a pinch, resulting in hapless models accidentally exposing their unmentionables. I’m interested in exploring how gender roles were reinforced by these artistic expressions of sexuality. It intrigues me that it was considered sexy for a woman’s skirt to be ripped off before a crowd of oglers, while the male pin-up was only exposed when he

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wanted to be. Times certainly have changed! Men may have had a free pass on wardrobe malfunctions in the good old days, but my Cheesecake Boys are here to even the score. I began the series a few years ago with paintings that were heavily influenced by the vintage beefcake aesthetic – pompadours and all. However, my most recent pin-up work portrays homosexual figures from contemporary pop culture, and I’ve been fortunate that a whole slew of gay celebs have graciously agreed to be de-pantsed for the sake of art.

MM: What can we expect in the exhibit this June?

PR: Well, I certainly had to pull out all the stops for my first Chicago exhibit, especially since it falls during Pride month! My show ‘Cheesecake’ at the Center on Halsted will feature oil paintings of gaylebrities such as Jack Mackenroth, Jesse Archer, Ari Gold, Alec Mapa, Dale Levitski, and more — all losing their clothes in ridiculously over-the-top predicaments. Perez Hilton makes an appearance, getting his pants pulled down by Lady Gaga’s dog. Mike Ruiz will also be there, squatting for the perfect angle during a photo shoot and bursting out of his britches. And Del Shores is shown filming a steamy scene from ‘Sordid Lives’ and inadvertently becoming the star of the show thanks to a little help from gravity. All in all, it should be a pretty revealing show!

MM: Any plans for more celebrity-based Cheesecake Boy works?

PR: I’ve really enjoyed working on these, so it’s quite possible. The celebrities have been wonderful, entrusting me with hilariously compromising photo references and providing much encouragement along the way. Some of them even helped recruit other Cheesecake models, including Jesse Archer who should be dubbed the official pin-up ambassador. He introduced me to Alec Mapa, Darryl Stephens, and Ari Gold. And how did I repay him?

By painting him as the damsel-in-distress in a cheesy horror/slasher flick, trying to escape a knock-kneed monster by way of a dark, spooky forest. And of course, his skimpy outfit is getting torn to shreds by treacherous branches along the way. It’s not easy being a Cheesecake Boy! However, it’s great fun for me, so I predict there will be more to come.

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MM: I adore your piece with Dolly as Glinda. How does being gay affect your work, if it all?

MM: What’s the best advice you have for young, aspiring artists afraid of the ‘starving artist’ syndrome?

PR: After I realized I couldn’t grow up and be Snow White, my next choice was Dolly Parton. I happened to see ‘The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas’ when I was a child (while other kids my age were watching ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘Mister Rogers’) and I went around proudly proclaiming that I wanted to grow up and be a whore. Apparently I didn’t quite grasp all of the particulars, just that they wore lots of cute clothes, sang and danced constantly, and hung out with a big, blonde, cartoon of a woman who seemed like loads of fun. While I’ve moved beyond the career ambition she inspired, my love for Dolly has never wavered.

Being gay has had a significant impact on my work. I know many artists who would avoid that statement like the plague. However, it would be silly for me to separate the two since I paint sexy men in their underpants for a living. Even my more ‘serious’ work, like the Dolly painting you mentioned or some of my earlier pieces that explored my coming out process, are all indelibly linked to my sexuality. My earliest gay paintings were more art therapy than a new career direction, but I was too much of a show-off not to bring them out of the closet right along with me. And I was awe-struck by the response they received. People could actually relate to what I had painted! The dark secret that had made me feel so isolated as a child was now helping me connect with people all around the world.

Recently, I’ve been allowing my sense of humor free reign in my work, which is a dangerous prospect. My painting ‘Noah’s Gay Wedding Cruise’ depicts my thoughts on gay marriage (subtlety was never my strength) by portraying a grand ark filled with happy LGBT couples like Ellen and Portia, Bert and Ernie, and the gay penguins. I also threw in some drowning sinners, such as Fred Phelps, Anne Coulter, and Larry Craig. A boy can dream, can’t he? And of course the Cheesecake Boys were also the result of a conversation that began with ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if…’

Painting allows me to pluck images from the back of my mind and share them with the world. Sometimes they’re of a more personal, sensitive nature, and other times they are just undeniably wacky. Regardless, since I’m convinced the inside of my brain looks like a drag queen exploding, there’s no denying the influence of my homosexuality across the board.

PR: First, I would suggest getting a copy of the book How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist: Selling Yourself Without Selling Your Soul by Caroll Michels. She does a great job of dispelling the myth that you can’t make a decent living as an artist. I find it to be incredibly helpful.

Also, I would encourage other artists to keep an open mind about less-traditional opportunities to promote their work. As a gay artist with narrative oil paintings, marketing them presented an interesting challenge. Galleries that are looking for sofa-matching color schemes aren’t beating down my door, nor are the highly conceptual or minimalist-oriented curators, but I’ve been really fortunate to find my own path. There was the Tammy Faye Memorial Celebration for one (you probably won’t find that listed in any “How to Be an Artist” manual). Thanks to a portrait I painted of the late televangelist, my partner and I were invited to the private function along with guests Larry King, Cloris Leachman, and Ron Jeremy. Presenting my painting there led to exhibit opportunities with World of Wonder, a production company and art gallery in LA that had produced ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ documentary.

Others started to take notice as a result, and along with a big boost from Internet exposure, the old “one-thing-leads-to-another” plan took off.

It makes me smile to think that Tammy Faye helped open doors and take my art career in new directions. I hope I do the great lady proud. 

MM: Which mediums do you use and/or prefer?

PR: I’ve used about everything, but my favorite is still good old-fashioned oil painting on canvas. Linda traded my Crayola crayons for a sable brush when I was three, and I depicted gigantic tributes to my favorite cartoon characters (which still adorn the walls of my parents’ house to this day). I’ve branched into other techniques over the years, but standing at the easel and working on a painting is still as exciting for me as it was back then. And somehow, after twenty-seven years, I still have so much to learn! The good news is I can’t imagine myself ever getting bored.

MM: Is there an uncharted territory, if you will, of something you’d like to do artistically that you haven’t yet?

PR: I’ve been toying with an idea for a new series that would put a gay/glam twist on the story of Snow White. My version, “Lily White and the Seven Divas,” would use imagery and symbolism from the original story (along with some new additions) to tell the tale of a young, androgynous boy coming into his own – by way of a colorfully inhabited enchanted forest. I’d like to do a series of elaborate, narrative paintings exploring this theme, and I’m even contemplating a possible sculptural component too, a life-size, glasscoffined self-portrait.

Paul Richmond Photographer/ Allison Grimes Stylist/ Patricia Begley

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Mental Health

Research—

Wrap Up!

by Dr Michael E. Bricker M.D.

Your feelings called...they’re trying to get in touch with you.

Researchers find that when LGBTQ individuals take time to express their emotions, they experience less anxiety and depression and perceive their lives as less stressful. Several studies found that gay individuals who engaged in activities such as journaling or discussing their stresses with a friend, partner, or trusted family member, fared better than their counterparts who did not take time to directly acknowledge challenges in their lives. Do you take time to admit to yourself or to others the struggles you face? Your mental health may depend on it!

Blame it on the Al-al-al-al-al-alcohol...

Numerous studies show that LGBTQ individuals are at an increased risk for substance use AND abuse...especially gay men. A recent finding also showed that avoiding the ‘bar scene’ did little to reduce LGBTQ individuals’ potential for abuse. Researchers note that abuse of alcohol is much more prevalent for LGBTQ individuals than for heterosexuals, with gay men and lesbians representing the highest at risk. Gay men are also more likely than their heterosexual partners to abuse ‘club drugs’ like ecstasy and GHB, and also showed increased risk for abuse of crystal meth. When you think, ‘I would never get “that bad”’, think of it this way...no one ever plans to become an alcoholic or drug addict.

Substance use/abuse also shows correlation with a variety of physical health problems, as well as mental health issues including depression and suicide.

Have you taken time to examine how and why you use substances lately?

How monogamous are gay men?

While monogamy rates among gay men have seemed to fluctuate over time, more and more gay men appear to endorse a monogamous lifestyle. A recent study found that about 74% of gay men reported being monogamous in their relationships. Research has not supported, however, that this is the only way to achieve happiness. Studies in this area have also established that monogamous and non-monogamous gay men do not differ in how sexually and relationally satisfied they are, and that men in open and monogamous relationships seem to have about equal amounts of sex with their primary partner. One difference that seems to appear in these groups is that monogamous men do tend to show greater connection/attachment with their partners than do those men who are in open relationships. However, each of these groups seem to display similarly healthy attitudes toward relationships, and these differences may merely represent the differing needs certain gay men have in their relationships. So...how do these stats stack up against your own assumptions?

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Gym Bunnies Recent research continues to confirm that gay men are at a significantly increased risk for body image issues. Gay men regularly report that stereotypes perpetuated in the gay community continue to add stress about being fit. Attitudes about body image also have been found to not only lead to greater depression and anxiety among queer men, but may also adversely impact their sex life. Gay men have also been linked with compulsive gym use, and these fitness habits appear to correlate with over-idealized images of what we should expect in a partner, both from ourselves and from a potential mate. What’s more, while we may believe that working out is healthy, excessive focus on fitness can lead to problems that mimic other types of addictions including neglecting other areas of our life, limiting social contact, and fostering feelings of inadequacy about ourselves. When you find yourself drawn to work out, ask yourself why it is so important to you. If exercise is your only tool to dealing with low self-esteem, you may be fighting a losing battle.

The Bisexual Dilemma Studies show that individuals with a bisexual identity often experience marginalization not only from the heterosexual community, but by the homosexual community as well. Attitudes about bisexuality being a ‘phase’ are pervasive in queer circles; however, research consistently proves otherwise. Science shows that most bisexual individuals show consistent feelings for both sexes throughout their lifetimes. Unfortunately, many who are bisexual are consistently met with stereotypes and attitudes that serve to mock or dismiss their identity, and show decreased social and emotional well-being as a result. Luckily, bisexual individuals may be buffered from these detrimental effects by developing a community of support and having experiences of feeling valued as a bisexual individual. The next time you hear someone joke about bisexuality, you may want to consider speaking up. We already receive enough pressure and judgement from heterosexual society without having to deal with the judgments within our own community.

Environmint

Illustration by Nathan Stoner

You Say Green,

I Say Bike!

by Eric Green

Looking outside it appears that the weather just broke. The trees are budding, flowers are reaching for the sun and bikes are coming out of storage.

There are some die-hards who toughed it out this winter and while they certainly deserve a medal, most of us are just now dusting off our two-wheeled buddies. Personally, I’m excited about the end of another winter where I spent too much on cabs.

Bicycling around Chicago has its benefits. It’s environmentally friendly, great exercise and it allows us a beautiful view of the city that we just can’t get from trains, buses or cars. Not to mention the sense of freedom that being able to get up and go gives us.

There are a plethora of restored and recycled bikes just begging for you to give them a home. A wonderful place to start searching is Working Bikes (workingbikes.org) here in Chicago. It is a not-for-profit organization that keeps bikes from being needlessly trashed. According to their website, they also donate to countries where “a bicycle can often mean the difference between work and unemployment.” Imagine how you will feel riding a bike knowing that its purchase helped improve the lives of people halfway across the globe.

Whether you relate to your bike as a new buddy or as an old friend, keeping it in proper working order is extremely important. It adds to the lifespan of your bike. It insures your safety as well as the safety of those around you.

Spring is a great time for a tune up. I have had a lot of success with the friendly people at Rapid Transit Cycleshop (rapidtransitcycles.com), but there are many places around the city capable of keeping your bike healthy.

Find the one that’s right for you. If you prefer to be your own mechanic, plenty of cycle shops offer classes and even free seminars. Also, a number of do-it-yourself books are available. Check your local bookstore and see what’s in stock.

Once your bike is safe to ride make sure you’re riding safely. The City of Chicago website actually presents a helpful rules-of-the-road guide for bikers. Check it out at http://egov.cityofchicago.org/Transportation/bikemap/keymap.html. I’d like to highlight that it is both dangerous and illegal to ride on sidewalks or wear earphones while riding. Helmets are still a personal choice in Chicago, but it’s better safe than skull-fractured. Lights while riding at night are a good idea as well. No one actually wants to hit you, so let them know you’re there.

If you ever find that cycling strictly as a form of transportation just isn’t putting enough bike in your day, there are plenty of options to explore.

One of these is Critical Mass. At 5:30 p.m. on the last Friday of every month, hundreds of riders set out from Daley Plaza to “take back the streets,” if only for a couple of hours. This event creates a wonderful sense of community among participants and helps to implant the seed of bike-loving in every witness. For more information look no further than chicagocriticalmass.org.

If you haven’t done it yet, get on your bike and go for a ride. Do it for the environment. Do it for your health. Do it for a movement. Do it because it’s cool and everybody else is doing it. You have every excuse you’ll ever need, so pedal your heart out Chicago.

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Photo Credit/ Wilson Prunier

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Music In between videos featuring scantily clad dancers and jam-packed hot tubs, viewers might blink a few times when they see the video for singer-songwriter Nhojj’s single ‘Love’. The clip features two gay men in love, doing what gay men in love do: riding a motorcycle, sharing embraces, being intimate. It sounds too progressive to be true. Maybe it’s that this is often unseen video content in mainstream music. Perhaps it’s the soothing falsetto Nhojj uses to narrate the story. In any case, ‘Love’ took the number one spot on MTV’s Music Top 100 Chart, beating out big names like Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. Although he’s been making music for over a decade, Nhojj is a recent face in the new wave of openly LGBTQA artists to hit popular music. After graduating from NYU, Nhojj bought Tascam recording equipment and released his debut album two years later (2001). With his newest album, Soul Comfort, the Caribbean native hopes to continue changing preconceived notions about the representations of love that are fit for feature in a mainstream music video.

by Jake Giles

Mint Male: Congratulations on ‘Love’ hitting number one on MTV Music.

How did you react to the news?

Nhojj: I was surprised, then I was jumping up and down like a kid. Not only am I an out, gay artist, but I’m also an indie artist. ‘Love’ is my first music video, so this is enormously encouraging and rewarding. I hope this inspires other gay artists to stay true to who they are and share more of our stories through music.

MM: Where did the inspiration come from for the song ‘Love’?

N: I wanted to write the ultimate love song; one that captures the essence of making love with someone you care about. The ultimate experience of love is really beautiful and quite spiritual; it’s indescribable really, but that is what art does best: describe the indescribable. I also wanted to capture love’s sexiness.

MM: Who were your biggest influences while developing your sound?

N: One of my biggest musical influences was Michael Jackson. I remember singing into my parent’s stethoscope trying my best to sound like MJ. Another musical influence was Bob Marley. Growing up in the Caribbean, his message of one love was everywhere. Personally, I really look up to Nelson Mandela.

He is the symbol of faith and courage in overcoming prejudice, hatred, and ignorance.

MM: Can you tell me a bit about your songwriting process?

N: It changes from project to project. I’ve recorded four CDs; with each one I’ve explored a different form of songwriting. I approached my debut I’ve Been Waiting for You like a personal diary. I would keep a little recorder close by and whenever I got a melodic idea, I’d record it and add to it as other ideas came. With my sophomore album ‘Someday Peace Love & Freedom,’ I listened to lots of reggae-fusion tracks and let the music inspire my melodies and lyrics. John Martinborough Coming Home [features] interpretations of songs I grew up singing in church. My latest, Soul Comfort, started out with the idea of focusing on everything that is good in life and writing about those particular experiences, like love, relationships, spirituality, friendship, sex, solitude, and of course music.

MM: What do you hope to accomplish as a professional musician?

N: To have an openly gay album reach #1 on Billboard’s top 200 chart.

Wouldn’t that be a powerful message of acceptance?

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MM: If you could work with any musician, living or dead, who would it be and what type of song would you create?

N: That’s a great question. I would work with Carlos Santana. He is such an incredible musician and uses his music to make this world a better place. I would love to create a song that explores how gay and straight people can live together and celebrate our differences.

MM: The video for ‘Love’ has received enormous amounts of praise from the LGBTQA community for its depiction of gay love. What type of reception did you anticipate from mainstream music?

N: In my heart, I hoped the mainstream would embrace my video showing two men in love, but I honestly didn’t expect them to receive it. It’s sad to me that some people feel threatened by love that appears in different forms from what they are familiar with. I believe love is always good. But things are changing and this video reaching number one is another indicator that our society is changing for the better. I believe things will continue to change for the better. We just have to keep on believing and working towards this truth.

MM: How has your music been received by both the Black and Gay communities?

N: It’s been really remarkable. BET’s Soul Sessions congratulated me on being the first black male to win an OUTMusic Award, and news articles about ‘Love’ reaching number one were published in Guyana where I grew up. The comments were really encouraging and supportive. I can’t imagine that everyone is supportive, but many people are and I’ve experienced the same from gay communities. The Advocate and many gay bloggers covered the story.

Once again, the comments were so encouraging. It’s validation that magic can happen once you live your truth and share it.

MM: Do you feel any responsibility as an openly gay man in the music business to be a role model for LGBTQA youth?

N: Absolutely, I remember growing up in the Caribbean and not having role models; I didn’t see myself or anyone like me. As a result, I felt invisible. It is so important to be visible and see yourself expressed through others. It’s affirming and empowering in ways we don’t fully understand yet. On my website, I blog about other role models who both LGBTQA youths and adults can look up to and be inspired by. 

Photo Credit/ Rod Patrick Risbook

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epochĂŠ

Photographed by Bret Grafton Styled by Leslie + Josh Shores Makeup by Diana Larionov Wardrobe by Richard Dayhoff

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Artist Statement

The inspiration for this shoot came from many different sources, but the biggest push came from Anime movies, which is where the art direction for this shoot began. The idea of mobs of men fighting in a post-apocalyptic society who had military training, and followed the Samurai code of honor struck a deep nerve. The makeup, along with the color blocking reflects this concept and is also very similar to traditional Samurai masks. Black straps and obi belts bring the traditional Samurai feel of dressing into the fashion styling. Coupled with guns and holsters, the models took on a very sexy, weaponized look — a very fashion forward oriented take on this photo shoot. The set was edgy and urban: the broken down underbelly of the city that was a perfect location for our concept. The cold, gray lighting emphasized the apocalyptic nature: in this future, the sun is weaker and the days are darker.

Bret Grafton/ Editorial Photographer www.graftonphotography.com

Epoché is the name of this fashion piece. The word is loosely translated as the moment where all movement is suspended. In many action movies, especially in Anime, there are those great moments where time slows down and even stops. All kinetic energy is suspended and there is tension between the past and future. The photograph this kind of action, we concentrated on moments where the models were frozen in a larger action or at the beginning of movement.

Richard Dayhoff’s underwear was the fashion focus for the shoot. During a collaborative meeting with the designer, we decided to play off the exceptional durability and comfort of his product. If one was going to fight in just their underwear: his brand would be ideal. They are stylish, comfortable and much like armor. Please enjoy our revealing and abstract depiction of suspension featuring Richard Dayhoff’s newest line of underwear. 

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Fashion

Richard Dayhoff —

Takes Underwear to the Next Level

Underwear has long been used for support, protection, or a sexy surprise. Richard Dayhoff considers underwear to be the most important layer because it’s the first thing that gets put on. You clothe yourself further from there. With his incredible vision and attention to detail, he has created a premium line of underwear designed to outlast its owner.

The innovative layers of his boxer briefs expel sweat to the outer layer where it later evaporates. His new technology and modern fabrics have produced an undergarment that will not stitch out or fade. With the success of these must-have, modern, masculine, form-fitting boxer briefs, Dayhoff will be premiering three additional styles: a tee and a tank. These types of underwear are meant for action. Keep your eye out this fall for a new contour brief, a button brief, a button boxer and his original boxer brief. After wearing these comfortable, life enhancing undergarments you’ll want to leave your pants behind.  Syde Jerome of Chicago and I.D. are currently carrying Richard Dayhoff performance underwear.

For more information check out www.RichardDayhoff.com

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Montreal —

It doesn’t get any better than queer Quebec

by Jon Fairbanks/gaytravel.com

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Travel Originally named ‘Ville-Marie’ or ‘City of Mary’ (for you Anglophone people), Montreal is a chic, sophisticated gay destination. It is the second-largest French speaking city in the world (after Paris). That said, most residents also speak English and getting around is pretty manageable. With triple-peaked Mount Royal in the background, the view of downtown Montreal is a beautiful sight to behold.

Le Village in a Nutshell The gay village in Montreal is the largest in North America in terms of area.

Luckily for out-of-towners it’s also easy to find. If you journey down Sainte Catherine Street, the major downtown area, you’ll start seeing rainbow flags and gay porn shops at about Rue Berri. The Village stretches to Rue De Lorimier and in between you’ll find a plethora of bars, clubs, coffee shops, boutiques and restaurants, all of which serve the local and foreign LGBTQA community.

Planning Your ‘Autoroute’ For a city with a metro population of more than three million, Montreal is pretty easy to maneuver. If you’re driving, you’ll find there is usually street parking in The Village, but street signs are in French so make sure you understand what they say or you could get ticketed/towed. If you fly to Montreal, there are taxis and the Metro (subway system) that will take you where you need to go. The Beaudry Metro station is located smack dab in The Village.

Places to Stay: Great Deals in The Village No matter what you’re looking for, you’ll be able to find the right place to stay in Montreal. There are a lot of inexpensive and quaint B&Bs or non-chain hotels to choose from. Hotel Dorion is a cozy property if you’re on a budget.

It couldn’t be any closer to all the action! Situated on Rue Dorion, you can get a standard room or upgrade your stay with a Jacuzzi or other amenities. Hotel Maritime Plaza is more expensive and about two miles away from The Village but it’s extremely gay-friendly and the service is always on-point!

Poutine, Peas and Resto Bars If you like cruising with your meal, Le Drugstore is a treat for all of the senses.

Part-restaurant, part-bar, part-boutique, it’s a huge complex that staffs hot waiters/waitresses and hosts a large LGBTQA clientele. There’s a variety of menu options, but the best is a burger with a generous helping of poutine. This isn’t a nickname for a part of the female anatomy, rather, it’s a dish made up of French fries and topped with cheese and gravy. This is popular in Quebec.

Some restaurants put ketchup or peas on top. In fact, peas are served on top of many dishes in the Province, as garnish. A truly cosmopolitan city, Montreal and specifically The Village offers an eclectic mix of great cuisine, including Le Bato Thai, Restaurant La Strega (Italian) and Le Club Sandwich. More than just a great place to grab a sub, Le Club Sandwich is a diner-style institution complete with juke-boxes.

When Night Falls Sainte Catherine Lets Her Hair Down The biggest and most popular gay club in Montreal is Club Unity, on Sainte Catherine Street. There are three floors in Unity. On the bottom floor you’ll find a bar, on the second two bars with a huge dance floor and on the third two

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more bars and another dance floor playing a different kind of music. True to its name, the crowd at Unity consists of men and women of various ages, types and preferences.

Parking is the best dance club for just us boys. Also located in The Village, off Sainte Catherine, Parking offers great music from the best local and international DJs. There are two dance floors and disco music is played on the main floor. Women are only allowed to join the party on Wednesday.

Worth a second mention, by night, Le Drugstore turns into a popular lesbian bar. There are three levels of drinking, dancing and debauchery — what’s not to love?!

If you want to see nearly naked guys do the dancing for you, take a swing by Campus and get a lap dance from one of the hot, but usually straight, male dancers.

After the club, if you’re looking for a late night ‘dip,’ there are a few bathhouses to choose from, all within stumbling distance of the gay clubs. Oasis and Sauna Centre Ville are a couple of the most popular with locals and tourists.

Beyond The Village Of course there are an abundance of things to do outside of The Village. Montreal is a city bursting at the seams with museums, landmarks and classic architecture. Visitors who need a shopping fix can get lost at Eaton Centre. Located on Sainte Catherine, Eaton is the largest shopping mall in eastern Canada, serving more than one million visitors each week. Apple, Lacoste and Banana Republic are just a few of the familiar retailers you’ll find here.

If you’re looking for a faster but thrilling way to burn through your money, venture over to the Casino De Montreal. Open 24 hours a day, the casino offers more than three thousand slot machines and more than 100 gaming tables. If you end up pissing away your spending cash early, you can stay and watch a cabaret show.

French, English and other linguistic influences are fused harmoniously. If you’re looking for a uniquely Euro experience, but don’t want to leave North America, Montreal is an ideal destination.

For a city with a metro population of more than three million, Montreal is pretty easy to maneuver. If you’re driving, you’ll find there is usually street parking in The Village, but street signs are in French so make sure you understand what they say or you could get ticketed/towed. If you fly to Montreal, there are taxis and the Metro (subway system) that will take you where you need to go. The Beaudry Metro station is located smack dab in The Village.

Drink of the Month

LGBTQA Iced Tea

by The Mint Founders

In celebration of Pride month (and the parties that follow the parade), we decided to go with the LGBTQA Iced Tea. This tasty summer cocktail is a combination of liquors that may not seem to have anything in common, but when put together, become one hell of a party. That's the thing about equality. We may be made from different fabrics of life, but that doesn't mean we don't deserve to be thrown into the same pitcher.

The Long Island Iced Tea (LIIT) is the basis of many elaborate mixed-drinks. It dates to the 70s, named after the continental USA's largest island, Long Island, New York. Although it doesn't contain tea, it's taste is similar. The drink sits in the top 5 of most popular cocktails and is regularly mentioned or seen served in television and films.

Some worthy mentions are The Simpsons, Sex and the City, and Cruel Intentions.

Lemon Vodka Gin Bacardi Rum Tequila and Triple Sec Quartered lemons And sweet and sour mix

1 oz

1 oz

1 oz 1 oz each Garnish 1.5 oz

Mix ingredients together over ice in a glass.

Pour into a shaker and give one brisk shake.

Pour back into the glass and make sure to add a splash of Coke.

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Pride 2010

One College. One Magazine.

One Float.

M

int Male is excited to announce that as of April, we have created a partnership with Harrington College of Design. It makes sense for a college that offers schooling in almost every element of creative design to team up with an up and coming, artsy local magazine, yours truly, Mint Male. After Brad Kisner, the Department Chair of Communication Design at Harrington College of Design, read Mint Male's prior issues, he was sure that the partnership would fit the mold that Harrington strives to create in the design world. Brad then teamed up with Dan Elliot, a design teacher at Harrington College, to dually teach the Experimental Design class Harrington offers to their students. Every summer semester, the students in this class design Harrington's yearly Chicago Pride Parade float. In previous years' Pride, these students' work has won the title of Best Business Float, and they want to strive for that title again this year.

Being a founder of Mint Male, I was incredibly eager to work with this accredited school, as was our own Creative Director, Christina Burton. We came in on the first day of class and presented our magazine, our design and our mission as a company. The students sat intently and were (most likely) a little overwhelmed by our tale spanning from the beginning to the present magazine we have become. I genuinely enjoy telling the story of Mint Male; our journey from idea to reality, our trip to DC and the countless people and artists we have met along the way. The students seemed to admire our work and became excited for the project ahead, which has a time frame of seven weeks. We later brought in Aaron Christensen, a local glass blower, sculptor and, most importantly, a float designer to help the students along with their designs, providing design tips, and structural dos and donts.

The team was formed with 12 bright design students, and the planning began. Then, in serendipity, the prestigious gold coast Salon Maxine offered to host a gala in celebration of Mint Male and Harrington's collaborative work for Pride with the benefits going to GetEqual.org. A cluster of ideas went through us minters' minds like lightning to create an event that encompassed everything it took to create a successful Pride weekend. We wanted to bring the float to life in the form of a fund-raising party and mix in art, music and live photo shoots to create an upscale event as well as a multi media evening. Enye wine, and others soon jumped on board to help cater and quench the thirst of our guests.

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Lindsey, a Harrington student, working diligently on 3D float mock-up.

by Joey Grant

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Pre Co limi lle nar ge of y ske De tch sig es n st pro ud vid en ed ts f or by H Pri arr de ing 20 ton 10 Flo at.

Spotlight

The mission of Harrington College of Design is to create the next generation of design professionals that will lead and serve the global community.

Harrington College of Design was founded in 1931 by Frances Harrington as an Interior Design school. Seventynine years later, Harrington College of Design has transformed into a nationally recognized and accredited school offering many different forms of creative design. They offer digital photography, communication design and its long standing curriculum of interior design. The school has been continuously motivated to strive for excellence and is enriched with a faculty of practicing professionals. Their curriculum is not designed for the weak of heart but for passionate young professionals who want to make a difference in the design community and the world.

Harrington College of Design Institutional Goals » Recruit and retain superior faculty who encourage experimentation and exploration. » Ensure progressive industry-relevant curricula and student learning via assessment and constituent-driven improvement. » Develop and implement innovate market-leading programs in design. » Infuse global and local awareness and social responsibility across the campus. » Support and graduate a diverse student body which demonstrates design excellence and strong leadership capabilities. » Support our mission by building a proactive service organization and making sound financial decisions.

Interior Design/// The ID program is a extensive overview of the world of interior design. Graduates will be fluent in historic design styles, building codes, textiles, 3D visualizations and the ability to think outside of the proverbial box.

The goal for Harrington's faculty is to create field-ready designers that have a solid base on which to build, a detailed eye for architecture and color, and a true passion for the field. Harrington transforms their students into designers that are responsible for performing services relative to interior spaces, including programming, design analysis, space planning and aesthetics, using specialized knowledge of interior construction, building codes, equipment, materials and furnishings. Degrees offered in this program are Masters of Fine Arts in Interior Design, Masters of Interior Design, Bachelor of Arts in Interior design and Associate of Applied Sciences in Interior Design.

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Digital Photography/// One of Harrington's newer, yet established, programs has been tailored to producing digital photographers who are strong business professionals as well as technically advanced and highly artistic.

It's a unique program run by professionals that can help students build a working knowledge of digital photography and finished their associates degree in as little as five concentrated semesters. The curriculum is heavy in creativity, strict deadlines, and photographic, artistic excellence. The school offers 6,200 square feet of studio space, labs with high-speed dual processor Mac G5s and the complete line of Adobe Creative Suite as wel as other imaging software. This program offers an Associates Degree of Applied Sciences and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Photography.

Communication Design/// The newest addition to Harrington College of Design is the Communication Design program. Communication Design at Harrington is an elevated graphic design/advertising hybrid program designed to produce a professional who is well rounded in media design. The program is tailored to teach the student how to execute graphics and advertising designs that fit their clients needs and their everchanging audience. They take design to a new level by challenging students to think forward, be intensely creative and act on artistic urges, while also promoting detail-oriented, clean and modern graphic design. This program offers a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Communication Design.

Politics

Perry v. Schwarzenegger:

History in the Making

by Jennifer Schnoes

“Stories not only teach us how to act — they inspire us to act. Stories communicate our values through the language of the heart, our emotions. And it is what we feel — our hopes, our cares, our obligations — not simply what we know that can inspire us with the courage to act.” Marshall Ganz What is history? Is it not a gathering of stories told to keep memories of old alive; to learn from our mistakes and take pride in our accomplishments? While Ganz's quote may not having anything to do with gay rights or even marriage rights, it has everything to do with what we as the LGBTQA community should be striving for. Would people act out on their own without hearing someone else's story of pain and discrimination? Stories are what keep our passion for equality alive - hearing about it on the news, triumphs and failures alike. Some of you may well be sick and tired of hearing about California's Proposition 8, but the trial that has taken place is one of the most important stepping stones in our fight for equality. Hearing stories of those Californians who had their rights stripped from them has inspired people around the country to step forth, and even inspired Republicans to take a step back and alter their views. For those of you who haven't followed the Prop 8 trial, and you know who you are, this is a sampling of the major people, organizations and happenings in the trial. You can find this information, and much more at www.prop8trialtracker.com. While this is most definitely not a complete list, these are, in my opinion, the major players in need of mentioning.

Rick Jacobs, founder and chair of Courage Campaign, speaking at an event for eqaulityontrial.org

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Politics The Amendment The actual text of Proposition 8 is a mere 14 words long, but undoubtedly has had an enormous effect on an entire group of people.

The only salvation for the 18,000+ couples who married during the Summer of Equality is that the court ruled to uphold those marriages as they were legally viable at the time. And nothing Ken Starr says or does can forcibly divorce them damnit!

The text of Proposition 8 reads: This initiative measure is submitted to the people in accordance with the provisions of Article II, Section 8, of the California Constitution.

This initiative measure expressly amends the California Constitution by adding a section thereto; therefore, new provisions proposed to be added are printed in italic type to indicate that they are new.

SECTION 1. This measure shall be known and may be cited as the “California Marriage Protection Act.” SECTION 2. Section 7.5 is added to Article I of the California Constitution, to read: SEC. 7.5. Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.

The Major Players Perry v. Schwarzenegger: The legal name for the Prop 8 Trial. The Governator is officially obligated to be named as defendant in the case, but both he and Attorney General Jerry Brown refused to take any part in the proceedings. The case is challenging the validity and constitutional ‘rightness’ of Proposition 8, the law that was brought into being on the very day Obama was voted into office; a law that outlawed marriages between same-sex couples after November 4th, 2008. A bittersweet moment for all of us, as we celebrated in one hand, and mourned in the other. Perry, after Kristin, is the plaintiffs, the two couples who brought the case against Prop 8 to the courts.

They are Kristin Perry and her partner Sandra Stier, and Paul Katami and his partner Jeffrey Zarillo. These couples are not allowed to marry in California under the oppression of Prop 8. All four of them testified on Day One. The trial is being heard in Federal District Court right in downtown San Francisco, the heart of Gay-dome on Earth. Where else would we want this taking place other than a stone’s throw from Castro? The Supreme Court in Washington would be a sweeter location for this writer’s tastes, but the case is only a stepping stone to Washington, DC. Please give any support you can, monetarily or your valuable time to the Courage Campaign, NOH8, and the plethora of pro-marriage equality organizations for their masses of information and advocacy in these difficult and changing times. Make sure also to give your whole hearted support to Ted Olsen and David Boies, the lawyers heading the fight for equality. We want them to know that we appreciate all they're doing and for having such open minds for, and I say this with love, right-wingnuts.

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Judge Vaughn Walker: Chief Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and is the presiding judge for the trial.

He has been Chief Judge since 2004, having been nominated by Reagan for the job. In February, Walker was attacked by the Right-Wing, and accused of being biased toward Perry simply because he is ‘allegedly’ gay. NOM, The National Organization for Marriage, said this:

“He’s been an amazingly biased and one-sided force throughout this trial, far more akin to an activist than a neutral referee.”

What? Seeing as how Judge Walker was almost booted from his nomination for Chief Judge because of his ‘insensitivity to gays and the poor’, how did they come to this conclusion? Nancy Pelosi herself headed the case against him, saying exactly that: he’s insensitive to gays and the poor. Now, I’m not exactly rooting for those particular characteristics, but in order to get a fair day in trial, this case needs an unbiased judge. A judge who doesn’t have leanings toward either side, no matter his personal feelings on the matter. Courage Campaign said it best: Nobody would say a word if a black man were presiding over a case of racial discrimination. Nobody would say a word if a woman was ruling on a case involving sexual harassment or rape.

Nobody would say a word if a straight man or woman was presiding over the Prop 8 case. Why? Because the right-wing wants the public to believe that because Walker is gay, his neutrality is compromised by his sexual orientation, since homosexuality is not a static state of being according to the conservative base.

The American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) This is the non-profit organization that filed the lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiffs. They fight for the rights of Kristin, Sandra, Paul, Jeffrey, as well as the rights of every American to legally marry the person they love regardless of gender.

The Religious ‘Right’ The LDS Church: How could we forget the tireless efforts of the Mormons for getting Prop 8 passed in the first place? No matter how hard they try to deny their involvement, and the funds they contributed towards the campaign to get Prop 8 passed, they still got caught. The Church is actually being fined for not turning in proof of their campaign contributions on time. Not that this slap on the wrist is anything significant compared to the damage they did, and barely a drop in the barrel of their bank account (the fine is somewhere in the $5‚000 range), but hopefully it will be a deterrent to hide their actions next time. Their contributions to this campaign trigger multiple sources of outrage within me, one being the fact that my rights are being decided by a group I hold no loyalty to, nor do I prescribe to any Christian religion, so WHY do they hold so much power over my civil rights.

Another outrage is the fact that religious groups are even legally allowed to contribute to politics and to widely and powerfully effect a statewide vote on a non-religious issue. Separation of Church and

Politics State! Why are there not laws keeping churches from injecting their biased opinions into the way voters make their decisions. Religious sects should not be able to campaign the way the LDS church did, under cover or not, with door to door campaigns, scare-tactics, and the undeniable poisoning of peoples’ minds to make them think that we, the wacko homos, were going to destroy all they held dear if Prop 8 didn’t pass.

ProtectMarriage.com (Formerly Yes on 8) ProtectMarriage.com presents themselves as a family first organization fighting to save your children from the evil pedophiles known as homosexuals. Not really, but they do try to portray themselves as protectors of children and defenders of ‘traditional’ aka heterosexual marriage.

Their official website statement is this:

NOM (National Organization for Marriage) We all know and love NOM for bringing on the doom of mankind with their dark and stormy internet video, The Gathering Storm, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp76ly2_NoI) which depicts doctors who are ‘forced’ to choose between their faith and their profession, teachers who are forced to promote homosexuality and parents who have to stand by helplessly as their children are taught that kissing their school chums is okay. Visit youtube.com as well for some funny parodies of NOM’s Gathering Storm video including Gathering Storm Chasers, and a version of NOM’s Original video but with snippets of Terminators (including Arnold) blowing things up when they start talking about the end of the world as we know it.

For an inspirational response to NOM’s video please visit this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trUn886UCtU&annotation_ id=annotation_494502&feature=iv Being a fan of LOL Cats, I find the acronym ‘NOM’ slightly hilarious, but the group is by no means an organization that should be ignored or laughed at (with the exception their obnoxious website and video collection). They’ve proved time and again that they have some sort of power over the people, whether they achieve victory through lies or fear, they are a force to be reckoned with and a group that needs to be fought tooth and nail.

Their official statement is this: “The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to protect marriage and the faith communities that sustain it. Founded in 2007 in response to the growing need for an organized opposition to same-sex marriage in state legislatures, NOM serves as a national resource for marriage-related initiatives at the state and local level. For decades, pro-family organizations have educated the public about the importance of marriage and the family, but have lacked the organized, national presence needed to impact state and local politics in a coordinated and sustained fashion. NOM seeks to fill that void, organizing as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, giving it the flexibility to lobby and support marriage initiatives across the nation. Consistent with its 501(c)(4) nonprofit status, NOM works to develop political messaging, build its national grassroots email database of voters, and provide political intelligence and donor infrastructure on the state level, with a focus on developing new strategies for increasing influence in the Northeast and West Coast, where marriage is most under threat.” - taken directly from www.nationformarriage.com verbatim. Wow.

“ProtectMarriage.com is a broad-based coalition of California families, community leaders, religious leaders, pro-family organizations and individuals from all walks of life who have joined together to defend and restore the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman. Well over 100,000 Californians have become active in supporting traditional marriage through ProtectMarriage. com. Protectmarriage.com is defending traditional marriage in the courts, through activism and advocacy, and through public education and academic research.” - taken directly from www.protectmarriage.com (thanks y’all!)

All walks of life... really? Now…the only public education I’ve heard of coming from the right-wing are scare-tactic campaigns which spew that traditional marriage will be destroyed if we let the gays into the mix. Heterosexual marriage will be a thing of the past, and your wife may in fact leave you for her best girly friend. And your 2nd grader will learn how to perform cunnilingus or use a cock ring in health class. This is probably how Prop 8 came to pass in the first place if you want the harsh reality. While not affiliated (on the surface) with ProtectMarriage.com, those dark clouds in the background of that wonderfully misleading internet video from NOM also helped to scare a little over half of California into voting Prop 8 into law.

The Plaintiffs Kris and Sandra: These two women are like many gay (and straight) couples across the US. They have been together for over a decade.

They are raising several children. They hold jobs that benefit the good of their state and the good of their community. They are educated. They are the face of a healthy, happy American family that deserve the protections and rights of marriage, not only for themselves but for their children. Take away the ‘gay’ and you see the demographic of a large portion of the United States. ‘Gay’ shouldn't be an issue when you look at the writing on the wall.

Paul and Jeff: The other brave couple standing against oppression are another example of hard working, well educated Americans, who have a long standing, monogamous relationship. Paul is a business owner, and both men are law abiding, tax-paying citizens of this country who deserves to take part in all the rights that are owed to them.

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Politics The Attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies: Formerly on opposite sides of the courtroom in the Bush-Gore fight for the presidency, these two buddy attorneys are taking a stand against the unconstitutional Proposition 8 and fighting to overturn the law. Strangely enough, both of these men are lifelong republicans who, amazingly, are capable of rational thought and can see that depriving upstanding US citizens who love each other of the right to express that love with a legally binding ceremony is not acceptable.

There are a menagerie of other attorneys for our side, witnesses and organizations that are contributing to this trial. Please visit www. couragecampaign.org and www.prop8trialtracker.com for all the juicy updates. If you want a good laugh (or a slap in the face), visit www.protectmarriage.com and www.nationformarriage.org for the Full Monty of right-wing backward-ness.

The Courage Campaign While not officially involved with the trial itself, I cannot publish this article without acknowledging their tireless efforts at keeping the public updated on all the comings and goings of the Prop 8 trial and other Equality/LGBTQA related stories. Rick Jacobs and his staff of ingenious writers, bloggers, reporters, and researchers have contributed immeasurably to the fight for equality and this article would not even exist without their continued feed of information, support, and grassroots movements. To follow the Courage Campaign visit their website at www.couragecampaign.org and sign up for email updates.

The Editor’s Opinion The issue that many anti-gay and middle of the road Americans (and ProtectMarriage, and NOM) have lost sight of, is that the majority of those who support gay marriage are not interested in forcing the Christian/religious population to accept gays into their religious buildings. A marriage license does not have a religious denomination on it, and is not signed by someone of a religious sect. US citizens receive marriage licenses from a courthouse; not a church. Not a cathedral or a mosque. If you have anyone in your life that is still on the fence about gay marriage, remind them of this. I, myself, am not a Christian, and have no intention of getting married in a church. I don’t want to take choice away from those of the religious path. They can put bars on the church windows for all I care. All I want are rights.

Not Holy Communion. Another big issue for me is the insulting accusation that allowing me and my girlfriend to marry will promote child molestation, and polygamy. Now...I do know a married lesbian couple who do occasionally bring another woman into their bed for a bit of fun, but don’t straight couples do the same thing? It may be hush hush, but we all know it happens. There's a section on Craigslist for it!

This practice, however, is not exclusive to the LGBTQA Community and is a far cry from polygamy and the practice of having multiple wives like in good old (heterosexual Mormon) Utah. I am confident

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that the testimony of the two couples will show that these outrageous accusations and fears are simply a product of ignorance and hatred of our community.

As for the Prop 8 case itself, the general course of this trial has gone rather well in my opinion, a judge who has a rational head on his shoulders, and the far right being restrained by law instead of plowing through the crowd with their normal holier than thou reign of power, and a couple of pit-bull attorneys who aren’t going to let the opposition get away with glossing over their ‘studies’ that they claim proves their point. My interest in Prop 8 began from the day I heard of its existence some two years ago in 2008. When now President Obama stood in Grant Park that cool November night, I was crying two kinds of tears. Tears of joy that we now had a president who didn’t look down on this nation and see a ruling class of heterosexuals that should be rewarded for their coexisting genitalia and a second class level of homosexual, bisexual, transsexual, gender queer, pan-sexual and everywhere in-between and beyond who needed to be quelled and beaten down until they had no voice and no rights of their own. Tears of sadness and heartbreak also streamed down my face, for California had passed Proposition 8, a law that now needs no explanation. I was in Los Angeles, California the next day on a vacation, not specifically because I wanted to take part in the protests, but on an actual vacation, but I had to face my friends (who wish to remain anonymous), who had married earlier that summer and were now afraid that their happiness was coming to an end so quickly. I cried for them, and for their future, as we were all unsure of what Prop 8 would mean for their marriage. The vacation was a bittersweet one, as I saw many a leftover Prop 8 sign. I wanted to rip them out of the ground and have a joyous bonfire of Yes on 8 signs, but I decided to be the better person and not give them the reaction they were looking for.

I now look back to that time, when I felt helpless and hatefully oppressed, and smile, for now there is hope on the horizon since four brave people, and a few Equality minded groups stepped forward and said, ‘No! This is not right and we will not stand for it. We will not be pushed to the side while others enjoy the freedoms that we cannot.’

The 156 days that have spanned between the beginning of this trial and the closing statements which are taking place on June 16th, 2010 have been chock full of eye opening stories and surprises for both sides. The full expanse of this historic trial cannot be encompassed in one article, but I hope, for those who have not been following, that this will be a small insight into the enormity of the Prop 8 Trial, and I hope you tune in to the end, as closing statements are scheduled for June 16th, 2010. Let us hope (and some of us pray) for the outcome to be a fair and equality minded judgement, not based in prejudice or even a slight discomfort, but in the separation of church and state and the constitutional right of all Americans to take part in their pursuit of happiness.

The Trial The trial itself, which started in January, when you watch the few videos that are available (very few no thanks to the supreme court),

Politics is rather dull, and takes a fair bit of resilience and patience to sit through. Most of the witnesses are monotone and bland faced. But what they are saying is rather extraordinary in some cases. Witnesses for the ‘Yes on 8’ campaign (now known as Protect Marriage), literally cannot find any valid reasons other than their own bigotry to uphold the ban on gay marriage in California. In fact, the defendants even kicked some of their witnesses off the stand because they couldn’t come up with any statements that would support their case. Funny how that is. Before the trial even started, the defendants (protectmarriage.org) were already hurting their case with their own attorney, Charles Cooper, saying he ‘just didn't know’ how same-sex marriage could hurt opposite-sex marriages. And why would it? Nancy and Bill down the street are not going to suddenly go their separate ways after 40 years of marriage simply because Harold and Ron are tying the knot. Marriages, and people in general, do not work this way.

The trial began with testimony from all four plaintiffs, who were part of 10 witnesses who included 5 experts ranging from Psychologists to Professors in the Clinical Socio-medical Sciences. Some big names and brains to be sure. They all came forward with their studies on children with gay parents, the affects of discrimination on families and the affects of parents not being legally married on children. They gave opinions on how gay marriage might hurt, hinder, or help opposite-sex marriage. All of them came to the same conclusion: they could not think of any reason why gay marriage would have any effect on heterosexual marriage. A big issue in the case is whether it’s in the state’s interest to allow or disallow the marriage of gay and lesbian couples. It is in my opinion that the passage of Proposition 8 was by far a victory for hate-mongers and homophobes, and not a true depiction of what was good and right for the state of California or the United States of America.

Some of the expert witnesses for the plaintiffs (our side) include Professor Nancy Cott, a Harvard University professor and historian, who noted that the ability to procreate is not a prerequisite for marriage since, she said, “George Washington, the father of our country, was sterile at the time of his last marriage.” Other witnesses include Dr. George Chauncey, a Yale historian, Dr. Letitia Peplau, a relationship expert and a Social Psychologist at UCLA, Edmund Egan, a Chief Economist, Dr. Ilan Meyer, a professor of Socio-medical sciences, Dr. Michael Lamb, another psychologist who focuses on child development in the home, and Helen Zia, a lesbian writer who focuses on Asian communities and provided testimony about her own life and experiences. One of the witnesses is even the Republican mayor of San Diego who is the father of a lesbian daughter, who realized during the course of the trials that his opposition to gay marriage was rooted in his own discomfort rather than any rational belief that same-sex marriage would be detrimental to society at large. More witnesses include M.V. Lee Badgett Ph.D., Ryan Kendall, who testified about his experiences with ‘conversion therapy’, Gary M. Segura Ph.D., and Gregory M. Hereck Ph.D. Witness testimonies ranged from speaking about their personal experiences within the Gay and Lesbian community, going through the horrific experience of conversion therapy to experts speaking on their scientific research and historic knowledge of slavery, civil rights

movements and how they are comparable to our fight for equality today. No matter how much supporters of Prop 8 and those who are against marriage equality would like to discredit the similarities between the Civil Rights movements for Slaves, African Americans and the LGBTQA community, they share striking similarities. Before the slaves were freed, they were not allowed to marry. They were left to join together in loose bonds and family groups and were not afforded the same rights as their white owners. We would call these types of bonds ‘civil unions’ today. During the trial, Dr. Cott said this:

“When slaves were emancipated, they flocked to get married. And this was not trivial to them, by any means.

They saw the ability to marry legally, to replace the informal unions in which they had formed families and had children, many of them, to replace those informal unions with legal, valid marriage in which the states in which they lived would presumably protect their vows to each other. In fact, one quote that historians have drawn out from the record … it was said by an ex-slave who had also been a Union soldier, and he declared, ‘The marriage covenant is the foundation of all our rights’.”

We saw the same thing happen in California after the Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal, with over 18,000 couples marrying in what has come to be known as the Summer of Equality. I believe that many couples in other states will flock to get married as well, if ever this nation upheld equality for all and allowed same-sex partners to marry legally and have access to those 1,000 rights that opposite sex couples freely enjoy.

On the flip side, the defense’s witnesses included Dr. Kenneth P. Miller, and David Blankenhorn who is the founder of the Institute for American Values, a man who likes to say things to the press, take them back, say them again and then get caught lying, but then take what he said back and then say it again... you get the idea. Another man questioned in the case is Dr. William Tam, a San Francisco minister who believed his children would become gay if marriage equality was granted. He is also the Executive Director of the Traditional Family Coalition and was a major player in the Yes on 8 Campaign that struck fear into the hearts of many Asian-American Californians. His testimony at the hands of David Boies was harsh to say the least. I’ve encountered my fair share of homophobes and, unfortunately, a few of them truly believed that ‘gay’ is contagious. This is where I would lick my finger, wipe it down their arm and then watch, amused, as they have a mini-stroke, but in all seriousness, there are people in this world who do believe that the day all Americans can enjoy marriage equality will be the next coming of Jesus and the Apocalypse and all that jazz. We have to wonder what they’re so afraid of and why they have the fear that their heterosexual, close-minded son or daughter will suddenly be struck with the notion that they want to break up with their equally close-minded significant other and switch proverbial baseball teams. Dr. Tam’s testimony included that he believes the ‘studies’ showing that us gay peeps are 12 times (yes TWELVE times) more likely to molest children than heterosexuals, but then couldn’t Mint Male June/July 2010 ///

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Politics remember where he’d read the study. Now, I don’t know how many of you read up on pedophiles, but I’m willing to bet that the majority of them do not include themselves in the gay party. They are sick, sick people that need to be contained, but the majority of them are not homosexually inclined. Many pedophiles go after the opposite sex, so slamming loving couples with the accusation that their union will promote people to molest innocent children, or that they themselves are on par with pedophiles, is a farce of a lie I’ve not seen since the Bush Administration’s reign. He also admitted to writing letters to many Asian-American voters which stated that other states will “fall into Satan’s hands” if Prop 8 was not passed. This could be one of the most ignorant men called to the stand during the trial. His testimony is laughable and does wonders for the plaintiffs’ case. And, when I say laughable, I do mean it. Here is a portion of his testimony transcribed for your amusement: B » Attorney Boies.

T » Dr. Tam. B/ Countries with same sex marriage saw amazing moral decline? An increase in polygamy and incest in the Netherlands.

T/ Yes B/ Netherlands legalized polygamy?

T/ Shows the moral decay of a liberal country, in their views of sex.

B/ You say here that the Netherlands legalized polygamy and incest after legalizing same sex marriage?

T/ Yes B/ Who told you that?

T/ The internet B/ The internet?

T/ Yes Ha! The internet told him! All hail the uncompromising internet for giving our dear Dr. Tam the solid information he needed to scare millions of people into voting for Proposition 8. Some countries in Europe legalized same-sex marriage which inspired the legalization of, in his opinion, polygamy, and incest. I wonder how many results that google search provided him. (Editor’s insert: Actually, if you google ‘Netherlands Polygamy Gay Marriage’ around 67,500 results come back, but who’s to say how many of them are viable sources of information that can be used in a courtroom while under oath).

In all honesty, Dr. Tam’s testimony is a big part of the plaintiff’s case since his words solidified the fact that many Californians voted for Prop 8 out of hatred or because of their religious beliefs and not because gay marriage would hurt heterosexual marriages or society. This would make the entire law unconstitutional on the basis that it wasn’t conceived and passed in the interest of bettering the state’s interests.

The opposition tried to get Dr. Tam’s testimony stricken from the record. Why? Because they knew how horrible his testimony was for their case. The whole point of the trial is to demonstrate that Prop 8 was contrived in prejudice and hatred towards gay people, and I believe that Tam’s testimony proves it, and we can only hope that Judge Walker makes the right choice as we near the end of the trial. Usually, the courts give the public a 24 hour notice of their judgement, so check your local gay-friendly locations to see if anyone is forming any gatherings in your area, because whether the news is good or bad, being near friendly faces when the news hits could prove useful.

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The Response to Prop 8 NOH8 Several Anti-8 and Equality organizations popped up in response and protest to the passing of Prop 8, but none stood out so successfully, and as widely acclaimed as NOH8 Campaign. The NOH8 Campaign evolved after November 4th, 2008s Proposition 8 passed in California, banning same sex marriage, even after thousands of couples had already celebrated their love and signed legal marriage licenses. Several members of the LGBTQA community came together at the grassroots level and formed NOH8, a photographic silent protest. The movement was created by celebrity photographer, Adam Bouska (http:// www.bouska.net) and his partner Jeff Parshley. Since its inception, NOH8 has expanded to well over 2,000 faces from every walk of life including everyday people, soldiers, politicians (and their wives), and even celebrities, and the list is rapidly growing larger every day. The funds raised by the NOH8 Campaign are used for the promotion of their campaign and raising awareness for LGBTQA discrimination and Marriage Equality across the globe.

The photos feature people, groups, and couples with their mouths duct taped shut with ‘NOH8’ written on their cheeks symbolizing their silent protest. Some have props, while others choose to wear only the simple white t-shirt that is prevalent in the NOH8 Campaign photos. NOH8 has received an astounding amount of support from all over the world, with coverage from various local and national news programs as well as publications. NOH8’s photos are all over Facebook and Twitter, along with several other networking sites, spreading the word about the importance of their protest. The images are expected to eventually be used for a large-scale media campaign compilation. To view recent photos, learn more about the campaign, or to contribute to NOH8, visit www.noh8campaign.com Note: NOH8 is not affiliated with The Courage Campaign or any of Courage Campaign’s subsidiaries.

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Politics Testimony: Equality on Trial A recent development, in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to keep the trials un-televised, is the reenactment of what’s going on in the courtroom right now. Conceived by Cleve Jones, a leader in the fight for equality, the project has drawn celebrities such as Marisa Tomei and Josh Lucas to the cause, using their talents to portray the very people fighting in the courtroom. With scripts available on the EoT website, even you can contribute! Get out your camera and take a script right from the website - www.equalityontrial.org - and bring attention and a little bit of artistic flair to the trial that we should be able to watch but cannot thanks to the supporters of Prop 8. You can choose from scripts ranging from Kristin Perry testifying that she ‘comes out every day’ to Ryan Kendall’s testimony about his conversion therapy. The words in these scripts may bring tears to your eyes, but know that you are doing a great deed by bringing these people’s words to life and letting the nation see exactly what needs to be seen.

Other Moves for Equality in the News Prop 8 is not the only case going to Federal court these days. GLAD has filed a lawsuit to strike down Section 3 of DOMA which keeps the Federal Government from recognizing same sex marriages performed in states that allow gay marriage. This is just another step in the right direction, and hopefully Obama will, at some point, pull his head out of the sand and uphold the promises he made us. Why is DOMA still in existence when we now have a president who is (somewhat, hopefully, maybe) on our side? GLAD’s position on Section 3 is this:

“DOMA Section 3 is also unprecedented because determinations of marital status are made by states and not the federal government. For the first time in our nation’s history, this law requires the federal government to override a state’s decision about who is married as to an entire class of marriages. DOMA Section 3 is a radical and unjustifiable departure from the division of power between the states and federal government.”

Other equality news is the repeal of DADT, in which preliminary amendments passed in the U.S. House and Senate Armed Services Committees in late May. The repeal will be a part of an enormous Defense Bill which will have to pass the Senate, but it is a great start.

The only downside is that many republican senators, including John McCain, have threatened to filibuster the bill. I guess he and his wife (and daughter) don’t share the same views on marriage equality. While the bill is a far cry from Obama’s desk, it is still viable and we are seeing progress.

Naar de Uiterste deel zit Zuinig! ‘The End is Near!’

– Because we all love the Netherlands for allowing Gay Marriage – Finally, we have a date for the closing arguments of the Prop 8 Trial.

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Wednesday June 16th, 2010. At that point, it will have been 156 days since the start of Perry v. Schwarzenegger, and the evidence mounted against Prop 8 is substantial. These trials have exposed the lies, the bigotry, and the empty reasoning for the campaign and passage of Prop 8. The outcome of this trial means a lot to the future of marriage equality, this we know. Fortunately, Dr. Tam’s testimony will not be stricken from the record, and his amusing, yet relevant testimony can be used against the opposition for marriage equality. Dr. Tam’s testimony was powerful proof that Prop 8 was, as I’ve said before, driven by hatred of the LGBTQA community. This alone is enough to strike down Prop 8, without all the other evidence, without all of our key witnesses and even without our amazing attorneys and plaintiffs, though reading and listening to Boies rip into the defense’s key witnesses is without a doubt some of the best roast sessions I've heard in years. It was impossible from the start for the defense of Prop 8 to propose a rational basis for this discriminatory measure. Any ‘rational’ denial of rights lay in their own personal bigotry and hatred of LGBTQA peoples and is not enough to constitutionally uphold a law that bans loving people from marrying. When witnesses for the defense begin to realize that their opposition to same-sex marriage is really only based out of their own discomfort (i.e. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders), one has to come to the conclusion that a great portion of people probably hold the same view.

By no means will Judge Walker’s verdict be the last word on this case. Protect Marriage will inevitably appeal if Walker rules in favor of equality, and the California Supreme Court may have their say as well, but I highly doubt that any appeal would be successful. The testimony provided has made it quite clear that Prop 8 was passed in hatred, bigotry, and a general ignorance and fear of the LGBTQA community and their families. The testimony from our side of the playing field provided piles of evidence that marriage supports child development, and even David Blankenhorn admitted that marriage is a ‘public good’. It is a fact that this ruling will most likely only effect those couples in California, but it will send a powerful message to the rest of the nation that there is no rational reason to ban loving couples from marrying one another, and that it would actually be in the state and the nation’s interests to allow it. Think of all the money that would come pouring in from all us gays getting married!

For those of you who have made it to the end of this article, get out there and tell your stories, help someone come out, form an activist group! Most importantly, remember this: there are 1,000 legal differences between the LGBTQA community and our heterosexual counterparts. The outcome of this trial may be the stepping stone to closing the gap between us or the fire that burns the bridge towards equality, and for this lesbian…I’m hoping it’s not too dry in California on the day of decision.

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Marisa Tomei and Josh Lucas pose during a reenactment of the Prop 8 trials for Testimony: Equality on Trial

Cleve Jones, pictured, is a senior advisor at Courage Campaign, and is heavily active within the LGBTQA community

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