News & Views
Volume 2, Issue 18 June 2018
Insights: Anecdotes and Opinions Nine Debutnates Come Out, More Than 100 Show Up, Celebrate
By Jerry Thacker PFLAG Beaumont Vice President
Attending the first ever Beaumont PFLAG Coming Out Ball was wonderful. I had attended one other Coming Out Ball a couple of years ago at the MCM Elegante, so I knew
pretty much what to expect. The Ball this year was held at the Beaumont Country Club. Arriving at the Country Club at dusk was a new experience for me. It was a beautiful start to the night. The weather was gorgeous. I met my table mates at the door and found my table. The decorations were simple and elegante. The tux gift bag that contained the souviner shot glass was adorable. As guest arrived, I greeted those who I knew and introduced myself to those I didn't know. Guests were enjoying visiting with one another as they sipped their complementary cocktails. The energy in the room was evident as the debutants were about to be presented. One by one, each debutant was presented by their escort, as Beth Gallaspy, read a brief bio on each debutant. Beth was a wonderful choice for emcee.
After all debutants were presented and were standing in a line on the floor, they broke out into their dance number "This is Me" from the Greatest Showman Soundtrack. The freedom and energy they exuded was infectious. It was definitely the highpoint of the evening. As the evening progressed, awards were given to Baylor Wortham as Ally of the Year and to Lois Morgan-Roy as Lifetime Ally. Fran Watson who will also we the Beaumont Pride Grand Marshal was given an award and an opportunity to share a little about herself. Beth Gallaspy began the live auction and before she got too far into it, debutant Andrew McCluskey grabbed the mic and took over. Andrew is a born auctioneer and electrified the room. People were bidding and bidding
Continued Page 2 as Insights
Monthly Book Pick: Douglas King’s Collection By Nolan Thornal PFLAG Beaumont Debutante Cocordinator
Local author Douglas King is a true believer in the importance of the written word to capture, express, experience, and celebrate the richness and humor, the hopes, dreams and fantasies of the gay community. The High Range is an action/adventure story joining together an out and proud FBI agent and a closeted federal park ranger to investigate murders high in the Park tundra regions. One
thing about the FBI agent…he always gets his man. The Succession follows the gay Chief of Staff for the British Prime Minister in horror and confusion resulting when the British royal family and most of the lawmakers including possibly the Prime Minister, are killed in one monumental act during the opening of Parliament. The Fabergé Conspiracy pits an introverted, historical researcher with a secret past against/with the young, flamboyant art and fashion editor to investigate and develop the story about a spectacular
Kremlin theft. The two have nothing in common. The Q Factor is about an exclusive boarding school for exceptionally talented, gay high school students. The students find themselves subjects of a deadly experiment, and their haven quickly becomes a prison of terror where the only way out is death. Purple Wings is a fantasy novel where the human world crosses paths with the world of witchcraft, fairies, and demons. A human boy falls in love with a boy who is not so human, endangering friends, family, and a whole other
world.
See King’s Author’s Page at www.amazon.com//e/B00ACKPRRY.
Inside Insights Cont.
high. A special thanks goes out to Andrew for engaging the room. Another great moment during the Ball was Olivia Gardner's performance.She pulled out all the stops and gave the best performance of her life. Olivia added an unforgettable moment that people will talk about for years. As the performances ended and the dance music started. The dance floor became a place for celebration of life and of person, whoever it is you are and however you wanted express yourself. The PFLAG Ball will go down as triumph for persons to celebrate their unique selves. And that's a beautiful thing!
Monthly Movie-Series Pick :
'Big Mouth' features realistic relationships with fantastical friends By Jacqueline Hays PFLAG Beaumont President
Netflix offered up Nick Kroll's animated series, “Big Mouth” this past fall. The series follows friends Nick and
Andrew as the tip toe into adolescence. Well, Nick seems to be tip toeing with the help of his attic ghost Duke Ellington, while Andrew is crashing into puberty complete with nocturnal emissions and and pubic hair
guided by the Hormone Monster sometimes referred to as Maurice. The show is not quite child approved television and teeters on the NC-17 end of the rating scale, although it is pretty darn honest about what puberty is really like. Andrew and Nick go to class, field trips and even a school dance. They are surrounded by supporting characters like Devon, Jessi and Mathew. “Big Mouth” even thoughts an openly gay classmate. During the third episode, the writers take on LGBTQiA themes head on with the episode titled, “Am I Gay?” In this episode, Andrew is sexually aroused by a movie trailer featuring The Rock and questions his sexuality. Andrew seeks advice from the ghost of Duke Ellington, which results in a celebratory song where An-
drew is accompanied by Freddie Mercury. Andrew then verbalizes his his sexuality questions to best friend, Nick. Nick doesn't respond in a “reassuringbut-I'm-not-that-way,” way, nor does he break off the friendship. Nick does what we would hope our best friends would do and lays one on Andrew to see if there is any connection. Meanwhile, the feminine cast members are also depicted surviving periods, first crushes and parents getting divorced. Each character is highlighted at least in part with every subsequent episode making the supporting cast and story lines just as important as Andrew and Nick. This show is so incredibly honest it will hit home with any viewer, as long as the viewer doesn't mind some serious potty mouth.
Saturday, June 9
More
Noon-Midnight
200 Crockett Street
Free Street Fair
$10, Two stage access All ages until 9 p.m.
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Nagashima, PFLAG Beaumont Education Chair
What’s Happening Pride Fest Kicks Off With Cult Classic, ‘After Shock,’ Thursday, June 7 Rocky Horror fans can come and get their dessert. PFLAG Beaumont's Pride Fest crew is starting Pride Fest weekend early with a interactive showing of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show's" sequel, "Shock Treatment." Come one, come all for this cult-y good time and counter- culture educational experience. Free LogOn Cafe, 3508 Calder 8 p.m.
Special thanks to...
Genevieve Brassard,Cate Carabelle,Pete Churton, Rob Clark,Beth Galaspy, Reyann Gonzales,Latasha Hagan, Harris Jewelers, Bob Meier Michael Therrien,Amanda Turner,Jerome Wells, Carrie Wilson and Baylor Wortham for their donations toward the Coming Out Ball.
PFLAG Monthly Education and Support Sunday, June, 17 * 2 p.m.,
450 11th Street Legacy Community Health Building
Membership not required to attend
SETX Norml Monthly Meeting
Thursday, June 7 6-8 p.m.
LogOn Cafe 3805 Calder