'N Touch News Magazine Issue #83, June 2011

FROM THE EDITOR

Who will lose?

Years ago when the first Gay and Lesbian Community Center failed it was the youth that we had to worry about. There was no other place for them to go, except for back to what they had done before Valley One In Ten (now 1n10) to find support - sneaking into bars, going to Papago Park to meet up with someone older or suffering in silence.

Fortunately, a few individuals kept 1n10 going and it has succeeded beyond anyone’s dreams.

So this time around who will it hurt if the One Voice Community Center closes?

1n10, GLSEN Phoenix, and PFLAG all have programs that assist youth. Should the Center fail those who would be most affected are 50 and over. One Voice houses the only support programs for these individuals in the Valley. The Men’s Discussion Group meets every Monday, the Coming Out Discussion Group meets the first and third Tuesday of the month, the Older Men’s Support Group every other Thursday, both Prime Timers of Phoenix, and Boomers & Beyond meet once a month.

Another group that would be adversely affected is those individuals who seek an alternative to the bars. The LGBT Social group meets every Wednesday evening and the Lesbian Social Network (the longest running program) every Friday night.

Where would they go?

One Voice may not have the programs you as an individual want to have, but whose fault is that? I am always surprised to see those who complain the loudest are those who are typically the least involved.

If you want a program talk to the folks at One Voice and help to get it started.

So, it is up to us. Do we shrug our shoulders and complain that the center didn’t have enough diverse funding, or do we do something about it?

Just a bit of history, the people who saved 1n10 are now over 50 (with the exception on one). And although none of them would expect it, how do you repay them?

P.O. Box 17674 • Phoenix, AZ 85011-7674 (602) 373-9490 • info@ntouchaz.com Editor

Gina Read

Creative & Technical Director

M. Shelby Blanton

Business Development Director

Tracey Stewart

Assistant Editor

Luis Garcia

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NOTE: The opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect the views of ‘N TOUCH NEWS, its staff, or that of its parent company.

Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization within ‘N TOUCH NEWS is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such persons or organization. Some photos were submitted by our readers. To our knowledge, they own the copyrights, and they have given us permission to reproduce them. If you see a picture that you own, please call us immediately and we will remove if from future publications. All copy, text, display, photos and illustrations in the ads are published with the understanding that the advertisers are fully authorized, have secured proper written consent for the use of names, pictures, and testimonials of any living person, and that ‘N Touch News is not responsible for unlawful use of such content.

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4 | Issue #83 | June 2011 | ntouchaz.com

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LOCAL NEWS

Phoenix Pride

elects new board PHOENIX - Phoenix Pride announced the addition of six newly elected board directors joining the Phoenix Pride family. Elected at the April 11 board meeting and joining the Phoenix Pride Board are Ken McKenzie, Ron Lindblad, Matt Thomas and Luis Garcia. Ron McKenzie just recently served at the Miss & Mister Phoenix Gay Pride Pageant Coordinator, has been a member of the Men of Charlie’s since 2004 and currently works as an Accountant for the Phoenix Elementary School District. Ron Lindblad, local business owner of Apollo’s Lounge is no stranger to working with nonprofit organizations. Ron served as the Assistant Rodeo Director for AGRA for the past seven years and worked in the Hospitality industry for over 20 years. Luis Garcia, founding member of H.E.R.O. and an LGBT community reporter, has served as an activist leader in the community for many, many years while writing for such publications as ECHO Magazine, and Spectrum Weekly.

Luis is assistant editor at ‘N Touch News and works as the assistant house manager at Ronald McDonald House Charities. Luis is ready to offer his skills and experience to help make a great organization even better. Matt Thomas is an attorney by trade with part of his practice dedicated to immigration law working with LGBT victims of torture and persecution in asylum applications.

Matt currently does Probono work for victims of violent crimes and has volunteered in the past as a literacy tutor for Maricopa Literacy Volunteers.

Ken, Ron, Luis and Matt will begin their journey with Phoenix Pride by attending their first Phoenix Pride Board meeting on May 9.

During the May 9 Phoenix Pride board meet-

ing, two additional members were elected to the Phoenix Pride Board of Directors, bringing the total number to 14 directors. Phoenix Pride welcomes Jaime Dempsey and Rebecca Daltroff who will attend their first board meeting during our annual Strategic Planning session at the end of June.

Jaime Dempsey, Deputy Director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts, has long been interested in participating in the advancement of LGBT equality rights. For the last decade she has been focused on non-profit governance amidst significant internal or environmental/economic change; the planning and executing of large-scale community events; and the re-imagining of organizations’ public relations potential.

She believes her experience could assist Phoenix Pride in addressing issues nearly every non-profit organization faces as it grows and evolves. Rebecca Daltroff, currently a Communications major at Arizona State University, is interested in volunteering for an organization that creates positive change. Rebecca has been a member of ASU West Spectrum (ASU Gay & Straight Alliance) since the fall of 2010 working to help promote positive change on her campus.

Phoenix Pride says goodbye to Board Director, Lisa Pittari who resigned in February to relocate back to Denver, CO for an amazing job opportunity. We also say farewell to A. Beck who served as the chair of the Board Development Committee.

We wish both of these extraordinary women the best in all their future endeavors.

Phoenix Pride is a 501(c) 3 charitable organization that celebrates and promotes the history, diversity and future prosperity of the metropolitan Phoenix LGBTQ community.

LOCAL NEWS

Flash mob encourages

boycott of anti-gay food chain Chick-fil-A gets grilling

By Gina Read Earlier this year, Chick-fil-A came under fire when the $3.5 billion dollar company gave money to an event organized by one of Pennsylvania’s leading anti-gay groups, the Pennsylvania Family Institute. Although company president, Dan Cathy, has denied being anti-LGBT and claimed that he and the company have “no agenda against anyone” an investigation by Equality Matters found that Chick-fil-A gave over $1.1 million to anti-gay groups around the country making it one of the most anti-gay businesses in the United States. To draw attention to this and encourage people to boycott the food chain, H.E.R.O. staged and filmed a flash mob at a local Chick-fil-A May 6.

According to H.E.R.O. board member, Jimmy Gruender, May 6 was chosen to coincide with Chickfil-A’s 2011 Leadercast Conference that was going on in Atlanta. A protest there only drew four people, while in Arizona between 35 to 40 activists rehearsed twice two weeks prior to the flash mob protest.

Toni Loafman, an ally, has been with H.E.R.O since it started. For her the flash mob was another way to make a difference. “I think there are many ways to reach people and a flash mob is one of the more creative ways to do that.”

Patrick Gamble, the co-chair for HRC’s Equality Dinner, agreed.

“On the one side you have legislative and political actions to make change, this is just the flip side of that where

change may come through a dance and song.”

Jason Hoppe was charged with choreographing the flash mob to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” when two choreographers fell through.

He also helped in changing the lyrics to the popular song. A natural at patiently teaching non-dancers the steps and movements, ‘N Touch was surprised to find out he had no training in dance.

“I made up the dance with the help of Mandee Rowley and Meg Sneed the night before we were to present it to the group. It was a lot of fun, but a lot of work. I hope it makes a difference.”

For ally Tracy Pedrotti, a H.E.R.O. member and Right to Marry walker,

the flash mob was a peaceful way to get the message across that Chick-filA should be boycotted.

“It drew people’s attention at the restaurant, and hopefully will go viral and deliver the boycott message to even more people that weren’t aware of Chick-fil-A’s support of hate groups that advocate reparative therapy.”

According to a report from Equality Matters, the food chain has donated to anti-gay organizations like Focus on the Family and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Chickfil-A’s charitable arm, the WinShape Foundation, has hosted retreats for some of the most anti-gay groups in the country, including the National Organization for Marriage, the Ruth

Institute and more.

With 1,530 restaurants in 39 states, Chick-fil-A gave $480,000 to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, whose Director Danny Burns said, “These athletes were immersed in an environment unlike that of any other FCA Camp or conference. God freed some people from homosexuality, sexual sins, addictions and even ushered newcomers into His Kingdom.

It was truly a humbling experience.”

The food chain also donated $631,600 to the National Christian Foundation, $15,000 to Serving Marriages, and $5,000 to the Alliance Defense Fund, which according to Equality Matters, believes that religious people should be at war with the LGBT rights agenda, and recently saying: “[LGBT Equality] is the principal threat to your religious freedom.”

Chick-fil-A also gave money to the Family Research Council, which was dubbed an official hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center because its anti-gay agenda was considered violent and extreme.

Organizers hope that as more people become aware of Chick-filA’s support of anti-gay organizations they will hold the company accountable and not purchase anything from the food chain. “I loved their food, but after hearing who they support, it doesn’t taste so good now,” exclaimed one flash mob participant.

The video of the flash mob is on YouTube and at herophoenix.com.

Special PRIDE Offer

visit www.radisson.com/arizonapride

Stay with us during Flagstaff’s Pride in the Pines and ask about our special PRIDE offers 1175 W Route 66 Flagstaff, AZ | 928-773-8888

6 | Issue #83 | June 2011 | ntouchaz.com

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LOCAL NEWS QSpeak Theatre presents: The “Time of My Life Prom” At the End of the Day... True Stories of LGBTQ and Homeless Youth in the Valley

Wingspan introduces a new tradition for all Arizona

By Gina Read

By J. Ursone

PHOENIX – Now in their sixth year, QSpeak Theatre’s latest production, “At the End of the Day”, focuses on the true stories and experiences of LGBTQ and homeless youth ages 14 and up living in the Valley.

Over 50 youth participated in the story telling process between August and November 2010 along with Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development staff. Eleven youth and one adult are involved with the stage production, says A. Beck, Founder/Director QSpeak Theatre.

“We tried to get a variety of stories and experiences from all youth living on the street, with an emphasis on lgbtq youth. We found that though a significant number of youth we spoke to identified as lgbtq, that wasn’t the part they wanted to share. They wanted to share the complexities of finding resources and the lack of support systems they feel are a true help to them in a homeless situation.

Youth shared stories of going to various shelters and service agencies around the Valley and how they are treated at these facilities. They have shared those moments on the street of complete desperation and those moments of realization when they made the determination that they can get through a difficult situation,” Beck told ‘N Touch News.

The one night performance on June 3 will benefit The GreenHouse Project, the only transitional living program for LGBTQ youth in the Valley.

“Our work on this project has included workshop sessions with both the GreenHouse Project and the START program at Tumbleweed,” says Beck, adding, “QSpeak

news / politics / business / opinion

Theatre was founded to provide a voice to LGBTQ youth to share their lives and experiences with their community. The Tumbleweed programs, and the GreenHouse Project in particular, seemed like the best fit for this project and the organization has been very supportive and on board with collaboration and partnership.”

Begun as a project for Beck’s MFA, QSpeak has blossomed into an award winning theatre group.

Last year’s production of The Laramie Project in collaboration with Greasepaint Youtheatre won four National Youth Theatre Awards.

“Our participants aren’t your typical theatre performers, but our work is on par with the best youth theatre companies in the Valley.”

Despite critical acclaim, community support for QSpeak has not grown as the program has, making it very difficult to sustain.

“The youth are very involved and love being part of something they feel is truly making a difference. We need the adult LGBTQ community to support their efforts and encourage this positive participation in our community.”

Beck’s MFA project will continue she says as long as it is important to the youth. “When they stop feeling like they need this outlet to make a difference in their community, then we have done our job and QSpeak will have seen its lifespan. I don’t need to do this project - our youth ask to continue this project.”

Please support our youth community in Phoenix by purchasing your tickets and attending their production, Friday, June 3 at 7p.m. at Stagebrush Theatre in Scottsdale.

Pre-show entertainment provided by the Phoenix Metropolitan Men’s Chorus Raffle and Dessert Reception included.

All proceeds benefit Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development and the GreenHouse Project.

Tickets available only at brownpapertickets.com

TUCSON - Do you want to have prom your way? Wear what you want to wear and bring who you want to bring? Well here is your chance. Wingspan presents The Time Of My Life Prom, May 21.

“This is the perfect opportunity to have the prom you really wanted.

To be who you are, dress how you feel most comfortable, and be with who you want or by yourself! This is a prom for Arizona, so no matter where you live we hope you will come and have the time of your life,” said Oscar Jimenez, Deputy Director of Programs and Anti-Violence Programs Manager for Wingspan.

The event will feature music and refreshments in the beautifully remodeled One Toole building in downtown Tucson. Music and decorations will visit and celebrate the six previous decades. The night

promises to be the most fabulous prom for adults of the season!

The dress code is BE YOURSELF! From traditional formal attire to garments that express your unique personality and identities, all are welcome and encouraged!

Guests are invited to send in electronic copies of their prom or high school graduation pictures to be used in event promotion and for decorations. Electronic pictures can be sent to ojimenez@wingspan.org.

The Time of My Life Prom will be held at One E. Toole Ave in Tucson on Saturday, May 21, from 8 p.m. to midnight.

Tickets are $25 per person for the 21+ prom. Tickets are for sale at the community center (430 East 7th Street) Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Go to wingspan.org to order online.

ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 7

LOCAL NEWS Open Doors AZ building lifelong friendships

By Luis Garcia PHOENIX - Andrew J. Shainker, 24, was tired of meeting people at bars andcurrent online social networks so he took it upon himself to create a group where both men and women could come together and build lifelong friendships.

Open Doors AZ, is a weekly meet up group for gay men and women 18-35 who want to do things away from the bars.

“The way people meet now, especially in their 20’s, is either at a bar or online through Adam4Adam, Grindr or other dating sites,” said Shainker. “I believe that there needs to be something more.”

According to Shainker, members of the new social group have already attended Yoga and Painting Pottery classes, have gone bowling and ice skating, and visited the Phoenix Art Museum, Desert Botanical Gardens, and Phoenix Pride.

“Desert Botanical Gardens was awesome,” said Open Doors AZ member Kevin Raso. “I had a great time. If you haven’t been to an Open Doors AZ meet up yet, I definitely recommend it. It’s a great way to meet cool people.”

Shainker told ‘N Touch News that even though Open Doors AZ is intended for people 18-35 the group will not discriminate anyone from attending.

“I started this group because I was always

looking for something along these lines, but I couldn’t find it on the market,”said Shainker. “I have attended other MeetUps in the past where I was the youngest by 20 years. I felt out of place, and couldn’t necessarily relate. I wanted to create a safe place for gay men and women to come, have fun and form meaningful relationships. Most of the relationships I formed at the bar were superficial i never knew anyone’s last name or anything truly substantial about their life.”

Shainker says that he is not discouraging people from going to bars he just wants to offer them an alternative.

“This is about helping one another be the best we can be,” said Shainker. “This group is all about helping newcomers in the gay community get plugged in with healthy alternatives besides the typical gay scene. We have some amazing Meetups scheduled this summer including Arizona’s first all gay Yoga at Urban Yoga. The yoga facility is breathtaking so do not miss this truly amazing opportunity.”

For Urban Yoga instructor Marisa Randles helping Shainker was a no brainer.

“When Andrew first approached me and suggested the idea for this class, I thought it sounded like a really great opportunity to offer something new and exciting to the Phoenix gay community,”

said Randles. It’s a healthy alternative to the bar scene. To Urban Yoga, yoga is about community and bringing people together, while offering a sanctuary for people to grow and discover new things within themselves, and at the same time offering a great workout. This class will be a great time for people to de-stress at the end of the work week, sweat it out, meet new friends, and hang out with one another. I am excited and honored to offer the venue for this class.”

Yoga will be offered on a weekly basis as long as at least 10 people show up to a class, adds Shainker.

For more information on Open Doors AZ or for a schedule of events visit opendoorsaz.com

Tough economy threatens Valley’s free spay/neuter program

PHOENIX – Maricopa County’s largest, no-cost spay/neuter program for dogs and cats, is facing serious cutbacks because of the poor economy. Without free spay and neuter services, thousands of dogs and cats in the community will not get sterilized, leading to increases in pet overpopulation, and ultimately, euthanasia.

Last fiscal year, Maricopa County Animal Care & Control’s (MCACC) spay/neuter assistance program (SNAP) provided nearly 12,000 FREE spay/neuter surgeries to pets of Maricopa

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County residents. Tough economic times have contributed to the program’s popularity; as Valley pet owners scramble to participate in the program and get their companion animals altered at no-cost.

Surgeries provided through the spay/neuter assistance program are funded entirely by donations to the Phoenix non-profit organization, Friends of Animal Care & Control (FACCs).

The cost per surgery averages $61 – multiply that by 12,000 surgeries and it’s over $700,000.

The spay/neuter assistance program will continue as long as funding allows. A gift of $61 will spay or neuter one dog or cat through the assistance program.

“Stopping unwanted animal births through spay/neutering, is the only way to stop homelessness, said Greg Hales, President of Friends of Animal Care & Control. “We have partnered with the Maricopa County shelter system to help decrease the number of unwanted, homeless animals from coming through their doors.”

One cat can be responsible for more than 420,000 kittens in its lifetime. “At this rate, stop-

ping unwanted births is the only way to control the number of animals that end up in Valley shelters,” said Tina Eacret, Executive Director of Friends of Animal Care & Control. “This crisis is one that we cannot “adopt” our way out of, the most effective way to deal with pet overpopulation and reduce euthanasia is through spay-neuter.

“Unfortunately, Friends of Animal Care & Control is also feeling the effects of a strained economy, and the organization has seen a decrease in financial support. “We certainly understand the need for people to cut back on their charitable giving,” said Friends of Animal Care & Control’s Board President Greg Hales. “However, dogs and cats are going to reproduce regardless of the economy, and our battle to combat pet over-population is on-going.”

Donations for the spay/neuter assistance program can be made online at azfaccs.org, or mailed directly to FACCs, P.O. Box 80739, Phoenix, AZ 85060. Friends of Animal Care & Control is a 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax deductible. news / politics / business / opinion

LOCAL NEWS

Ally joins Phoenix City Council

By Luis Garcia

PHOENIX - The Phoenix LGBT community has found themselves with a new ally in Phoenix City Council.

Bryan Jeffries, 40, has been appointed to Interim the District 2 Seat after the departure of Councilwoman Peggy Neely, who left her seat to run for Phoenix Mayor.

According to Equality Arizona Chair Tom Mann, Jeffries is a strong supporter of Equality Arizona and a trusted champion in the fight for equality.

“I am proud to announce that Bryan Jeffries, a friend of mine and the community, was appointed to serve on the Phoenix City Council,” said Mann. “Equality Arizona has endorsed Bryan’s candidacy. I encourage you to visit his campaign website at jeffries4phoenix.com and sign up to support his campaign.”

Jeffries has also been a member of the Phoenix Planning Commission and a Mesa fire captain. The 18-year paramedic/firefighter veteran will fill the vacancy until August 30, when a special election will be held to find Neely’s replacement. Jefferies has already declared his candidacy in that special election, which is the same day as the city’s general election for

mayor and councilmembers in city districts 1, 3, 5 and 7.

“Equality Arizona has made it a priority to engage in city council and mayoral elections across the state.” said Bill McDonald, founder and political chair of Equality Arizona. “As you know, we hosted the first debate this election cycle for the Phoenix mayoral candidates, a historic first in Arizona.

By being out front in that race, Equality Arizona has helped position the issues that impact the LGBT community and our allies at the top of the priority list for the leaders in Arizona’s largest city. Now that we know where the candidates stand, we need to work to support those who will be champions for equality.”

According to Mann, with Jeffries in the city council the LGBT community will have another voice when it comes to LGBT related issues, which include; ordinances that pro-

hibit workplace discrimination, benefits to city employees with domestic partners and improve accessibility to family or gender neutral restrooms.

“These are just some of the things they can do locally. In addition, they can also be champions on statewide and national initiatives. That’s why it is critical that we support candidates who will stand with us. Bryan Jeffries is one of those candidates,” adds Mann. Equality Arizona is a statewide political advocacy organization, working at the state capitol and in communities across Arizona to advance lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality. It is the mission of Equality Arizona to secure, protect and defend the rights and welfare of LGBT people in Arizona.

For more information on Bryan Jeffries’ campaign for Phoenix City Council in Dist. 2, visit jeffries4phoenix.com of call 602-492-5574.

Protestors greet guests

at Catholic fundraiser

By J. Ursone SCOTTSDALE - On May 6, guests of the 22nd American Cardinals Dinner, an annual national black-tie event, were greeted by a small but vocal contingency of protesters asking the Catholic Church to stop funding anti-gay initiatives such as Proposition 8 (California) and Proposition 102 (Arizona).

The protest was organized by local activist group H.E.R.O., because many of cardinals attending the event have swayed legislation in opposition of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender rights and freedoms through their congregations and have threatened to pull all charitable work and funding out of Washington D.C. if same-sex marriage is legalized.

Held at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church in Scottsadale, the event was attended by Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix, four cardinals who currently serve as archbishops of U.S. dioceses, Archnews / politics / business / opinion

bishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, and Most Rev. Allen H. Vigneron, Archbishop of Detroit and Chairman of the CUA Board of Trustees.

Each year a different diocese or archdiocese hosts the black-tie event; this is the first time the dinner has been held in Phoenix. In recent years the dinner has been held in such cities as Atlanta, Houston, Boston, Las Vegas, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and San Francisco.

Since its inauguration, the annual event has raised more than $26 million to support scholarships for Catholic University students. ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 9

LOCAL NEWS

Legislation wrap up

By Sam Castañeda Holdren, MSW The calm that comes after a major storm or natural disaster hits is always a bit surreal. While you feel some sense of relief because the immediate danger has subsided, you also start to get a sense of the damage that was caused. That bittersweet and disorienting feeling is what it felt like the day after the Arizona State Legislature adjourned this year.

In a series of marathon sessions, lawmakers rapidly pushed hundreds of bills with substantive policy changes through the legislative process. Major decisions were made during sessions that lasted into the early morning hours of the next day. The final day of this year’s session, for example, started at the morning of Tuesday, April 19th, and ended at 5:25 a.m. the next day.

The process by which is a bill becomes a law is slow by design. Doing so provides an opportunity for a bill to be properly vetted and to ensure that what legislators put into law is itself legal, does what the sponsors initially intended and is free of other unintended consequences. But this year, at the end of the session, Governor Brewer had 168 bills on her desk, with only 10 days to review and decide whether or not they would become law.

By rushing through the process, lawmakers didn’t have a chance to see the damage they were causing. Why would those in charge at the state capitol do something so reckless? Some have said that certain members with ambitions for higher office wanted to end the session so they could launch their campaigns. While this is likely true, at least in part, that doesn’t fully explain why so many major pieces of legislation had to be rushed through.

Legislative leaders could have called for an early adjournment while putting bills that weren’t fully vetted on hold until next year.

It’s bewildering to hear Republican lawmakers time after time argue against a bill in committee and then vote in favor of the bill simply to “keep the bill moving through the process.” Committees are where legislators can study an issue, analyze a bill and - if a proposal has problematic language - make appropriate changes. If there isn’t enough time that session, the bill is supposed to die. It can be revived in a subsequent session after additional vetting with stakeholders and experts in the field, not to mention input from the public.

Perhaps a more accurate explanation for the rapid-fire sessions is that the majority party at the Legislature knew that what they pushed through was so far out of the mainstream that they wouldn’t be able to get what they wanted if there was an opportunity for the public to chime in. The Legislature’s policy priorities are so ideologicallydriven that if the public discovered their true impact, the pressure lawmakers would receive would derail their efforts. The majority party, in effect, has discovered a way to get away with murder.

Even the capitol press corps – the public’s neutral news / politics / business / opinion

watchdogs – couldn’t keep up this year.

While we survey the damage of this year’s chaotic legislative session, rather than becoming overwhelmed and discouraged, we need to get prepared. Another assault on Arizona’s families is coming in January, when the Legislature returns.

We need to ready our movement to respond when lawmakers make their next move. And, we need to ready our movement to hold lawmakers accountable for their actions. Here are a few things you can do to help ready our movement: Get informed – Organizations like Equality Arizona send regular updates throughout and leading up to the legislative session. Sign up to receive their email blasts and read them. An informed electorate can be a powerful force.

Get involved – In addition to joining and donating to groups like Equality Arizona (I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to give – even if all you can give is $10), when you receive email blasts urging you to take action, you should take action.

There is power in numbers and the more people who are involved, the more effective we can be in blocking bad bills from becoming bad laws. Getting involved also means volunteering with organizations like Equality Arizona and the campaigns of our allies to help elect candidates who will vote against bad measures and in favor of good ones.

Here’s a summary of the Legislature’s actions (and inaction) on bills related to LGBT equality this year: Bullying - The Arizona Safe Schools Act (SB 1549 & HB 2580), which would have helped to address the problem of anti-LGBT bullying, received a hearing in the Senate Education Committee, but never received a vote. It died in committee.

Adoption - In an effort to make it harder for gay and lesbian people to adopt children, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed SB 1188 into law, which gives a preference to a “married man and woman” in adoption placement.

This bill, which as a side effect makes it more difficult for single straight people to adopt, is opposed by mainstream child welfare and advocacy groups for a reason – it takes the focus of adoption off of what’s in the best interest of the child. Fortunately, the bill didn’t outright prohibit adoptions by gay and lesbian people, so if you or someone you know is interested in adopting, don’t let this discourage you from taking steps to become an adoptive parent and providing a loving, caring, and forever home to a child.

Discrimination - HB 2565, a bill that is

designed to undermine the LGBT-inclusive antidiscrimination policies adopted by public colleges and universities, was also enacted into law. This bill prohibits schools from disciplining or discriminating “against a student in a counseling, social work or psychology program because the student refuses to counsel a client about goals that conflict with the student’s sincerely held religious beliefs.” Translation – students who don’t like gay people can refuse to serve gay clients or refer them out (in violation of the codes of conduct for these programs) and the school can’t do anything about it. Additionally, this bill says universities and colleges “may not deny recognition or any privilege or benefit to a student organization that exercises its rights” to select its members and leaders “in furtherance of the organization’s religious” mission. Translation – public universities and colleges will be required to give student groups that want to discriminate against gay people access to taxpayer dollars, even though they are violating school policy.

A bill (SB1288) with similar language about licenses professionals was vetoed by the Governor, but only after law enforcement groups raised objections.

Holdren is the Public Relations Director for Equality Arizona (www.equalityarizona.org).

ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 11

LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS cancer patients who need assistance with medical bills and daily living expenses due to their illness.

DJ’s, giveaways, raffle prizes, Bud Light Bottle Models, poolside dance party and it is all for a great cause.

The Wyndham Hotel, located at 50 W. Adams St., is offering $79 room rates.

Tickets $25 online at missingpuzzlepiece.com

Drag 101: The Kings & Queens of Tomorrow CASA GRANDE - Ever wanted to be or learn to be a Drag King/Queen but were old you were too young because your not 21? Well now is your chance! On May 28, Drag 101 will teach you what you need to know to get you started on your way to becoming the next great performer of tomorrow!

Register now for a full day workshop with Seryna Rockwell-DuBois and Romeo White as they teach you the proper way to dress, apply make up, stage presence and more.

Class starts at 9 a.m, and goes through the day breaking for lunch at noon. Class will be fun and exciting. After class Seryna, Romeo White, and two surprise guests will perform.

Class is $35 per person, more information and syllabus’ will be given out at time of registration.

Registration costs are non-refundable, With the class you also get to perform at the show, if you wish not to perform, you may watch the show, if you do perform you get one free guest into the show! The show is $10 at the door.

Class will be held at the Blackbox Theater, 1334 E. Florence Blvd., and runs all day. The Drag show will begin after class and run until 8p.m.

AZWIT presents: A season of “Strength, Hope & Reawakening” PHOENIX - The 3rd Arizona Women in Tune concert of the season promises to raise the roof with ZIP, ZING, and ZESSST. Zip from Duke Ellington’s It Don’t Mean A Thing, Zing to Down to the River to Pray from O Brother, Where Art Thou, and on to the Zessst of Crazy (yes a little Patsy Cline). We blend in little Doo Wop, a pinch of Beatles, a dash of show tunes, and top it all off with some AZWIT favorites.

As it says in the song Season of Love from Rent- Lets celebrate! Remember a year in the life of friends – five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes. Don’t miss a single minute of our own special brand of cheekiness. Come join us for this jubilant hullabaloo.

Event will be held at 801 E Camelback Road, Phoenix in May 20 & 21.

For more information go to azwit.com

Trans Community Memorial Day Party PHOENIX - This Is H.O.W. presents the Trans Community Memorial Day Party on Sunday, May 29 from 11a.m. to 9 p.m. at TIH Residence and Community Center, 5526 E. Pinchot Ave. Come enjoy traditional Burgers, dogs, beans and salads, games and good food, with more to be announced as we get closer to the day of the event, including a movie festival, plenty of good fun and great discussion.

This event is open to all allies, family members, friends, and, of course, trans individuals.

Teachers’ Lounge PHOENIX - Teachers’ Lounge is a profes-

Dive in - hottest women’s event June 4 Drench supports people going through cancer treatments PHOENIX- Join Missing Puzzle Piece for the 3rd annual Drench Pool Party, the hottest women’s event in Phoenix, June 4 at the Wyndham Hotel in Downtown Phoenix.

Missing Puzzle Piece, the premier womens event company in Phoenix, was organized to help

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sional development opportunity for K-12 teachers seeking strategies that improve safety and inclusion in their teaching practice. Teachers’ Lounge also provides an opportunity for teachers and staff from K-12 schools to come together to network and discuss topics related to the LGBT community.

Teachers’ Lounge will meet at the One Voice Community Center on May 25. One Voice is located at 725 West Indian School Road, Ste. #125.

For more information about Teachers’ Lounge, email teachers@glsenphoenix.org

The Poetry of Arizona’s Landscape PHOENIX – The Herberger Theater Center is pleased to announce a special summer exhibition, The Poetry of Arizona’s Landscape, at the University Club of Phoenix, 39 East Monte Vista Road in Phoenix.

The opening reception will start things off on First Friday, June 3, 2011, 5:30-7pm. Works will be on display throughout the historic 1917 residence-turned-club through August 11, 2011.

The Poetry of Arizona’s Landscape represents many interpretations of Arizona’s unique terrain.

Members of the local art community juried the show, including Herberger Theater’s 2011 guest curator Jim Covarrubias. The jury viewed approximately 300 images and chose the 38 pieces for the exhibit. More than 39 artists from across the state submitted artwork, from which 17 artists were selected, including Jill Friedberg, Kimberly Harris, Maggie Keane, Leslie Parsons, Lisa Peterson Love, Luis Salazar and Dave Wilson.

All are welcome to the June 3rd artists’ reception, which is open to the public. Music by String Serenade. Gallery hours at the University Club of Phoenix are 9 to 11am and 1 to 5pm.

Volunteer at the Pride Center PRESCOTT - The Prescott Pride Center would like to develop a larger volunteer pool so that the work is spread out and the time commitment per person is shorter. If every household on the mailing list volunteered, the monthly staffing commitment would be less than ten minutes each.

If half of those on the mailing list respond, a little less than twenty minutes would be needed per person. In reality, the Pride Center only needs about 26 volunteers to work one two-hour shift each month to keep it open. If you sign up for two shifts, we only need 13 people. Think about how much you’re getting for your time. It’s a small commitment in exchange for a community resource like the Prescott Pride Center.

The price tag is low and the reward is high, so please give us a call at 928-445-8800.

Lift your glass and drown your sorrows TUCSON - Calling all Independent, Republican, and Democratic women! It’s time to celebrate who we are, assess the damage done to our rights and our communities, and share our strengths!

Join Jessica Schultz, Political Director for Gabrielle Giffords, and our wonderful elected women legislators and local officials for a drink, a nibble, and great conversation and networking, May 19.

Whether you have never been involved in electoral politics or have always been an activist, please join us! And bring your friends and colleagues!

news / politics / business / opinion

LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS Sponsored by the Arizona Women’s Political Caucus.

Contact Jill Maratea for more information. jmaratea@cox.net 520-625-4579

Reveille Mens Chorus Spring Concert TUCSON - “From Out of the West We Come”, a BBQ flavored concert with all the fixins, May 21 from 8-10 p.m. at Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. Tickets are $40 at the door, $15 for seniors and advance sales, $10 for students with I.D. Tickets can be purchased online at www.reveillemenschorus.org, by calling the Reveille line at 520-304-1758, at Antigone Books or from any Reveille member.

Desert Voices TUCSON - Weekly Rehearsal for all those interested in singing with Tucson’s GLBT/SATB

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chorus will be held may 23, 7p.m. at Water of Life MCC, 3269 N Mountain Ave, Tucson.

Contact: Rebecca Cohen, Office Manager, at info@desertvoices.org, 520-791-9662 or www. desertvoices.org.

Meets 1st and 3rd Fridays. Call 520-609-5077 or email oasis.wingspan@gmail.com for location.

GLSEN Meeting

TUCSON - Tucson Pride announced that June 17-26, 2011 will be their annual Pride History Week celebration. Kicking off the week will be an opportunity to support Tucson Pride and see the Phoenix Mercury June 17 home opener. There are a limited number of seats available and transportation from Tucson to Phoenix is included.

Tickets can be purchased through the Tucson Pride website for $20 dollars and the bus ride which will include dinner and non-alcoholic beverages is $25 additional.

In collaboration with Wingspan and in remembrance of our past we will be presenting a “Coming Out Panel” on June 26 at Fluxx Studios 414 E. 9th Street Tucson. The event will be free and is open for all to join.

Pride in the Desert is set for October 15, 2011 in a new venue at Kino Memorial Stadium, formerly known as TEP, at 2500 E Ajo Way, just off I-10. Pride organizers are extremely excited about the new venue because it allows them the space to grow but also to be together as a community.

Please continue to check the Pride website for updates.

TUCSON - The monthly meeting of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) meets the first Thursday of the month. This group strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected, regardless of sexual orientation. We welcome as members any and all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or occupation, who share this philosophy.

Next meeting is June 2 at 4:30 p.m. at meeting Room B, Martha Cooper Library, 1377 N Catalina Ave.

Oasis LGBT social group TUCSON - Oasis is a diverse social group that gives you the opportunity to meet other LGBT people in a relaxed, friendly environment.

Our group usually includes 10 to 25 members and is a great mix of people from every age group.

We’re male, female, transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual-and everything else! Plus, since we’re a drop-in gathering, you can join us however often you’d like.

Tucson Pride week kicks off

ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 13

POLITICS

LGBT campaign story

By Angela Piazza Reluctance to vote and campaign, infighting between groups with the same goal, and the religious rightâ s obstinacy are some reasons stalling the progression of gay equality, according to gay rights activists.

“The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.”

These words of President Lyndon B. Johnson, delivered in a speech in 1965, strikes a chord with the civil rights battle for many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

The LGBT community has always struggled for parity in a nation founded on the progressive thought and resolve of its forefathers who created a free country to be governed under a declaration that “all men are created equal.”

Matt Salmon, a 23-year-old Midwestern University student, political activist, and son of former conservative republican congressman Matt Salmon Sr., is one face behind the struggle for LGBT equality.

When he was 18 years old, Salmon received counseling to become straight and voted against

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his own equal rights. He said he understands why some people vote against their own wellbeing and feels that sitting down and discussing issues will help persuade them to vote for their own equality.

Salmon is the president of a LGBT activist group known as the Arizona Log Cabin Republicans, which focuses on promoting LGBT rights by endorsing candidates with similar values and the guiding principles within the GOP. Not all of the LGBT community is actively pursuing their rights.

“People don’t see much need for activism anymore.” Salmon said. “Everybody wants equality, but not everybody will campaign for it.”

After losing elections year-after-year, some have fallen into a state of hopelessness and despair, says Steve Brittle.

Brittle, 59, is an environmentalist, LGBT activist, and founder of the Equal Means Equal campaign in Arizona. He believes that the primary focus of LGBT efforts should be for simple equality rather than focusing efforts on a specific area such as same-sex marriage.

“It takes years for a gay person to become comfortable with themselves but then they expect others to be immediately comfortable around them.” Salmon said.

According to Brittle and Salmon, the youth of the nation are more willing to grant the LGBT community equality. They believe that younger people are better informed about LGBT inequalities through media and the influence of peers.

Daniel Healey, a 21-year-old Arizona State University Student and voter said he agrees that younger people are more willing to vote for LGBT rights. “Younger people are always more liberal, but unwilling to vote.” Healey said. “There is a mentality that their single vote will not matter in the end.”

The LGBT community struggles in passing legislation mostly because of the “religious right’s” inability to accept that being gay is not a mental disorder, says Salmon. “It is easy to think that LGBT people shouldn’t have equality if you believe that being gay is a disorder.”

The “religious right” is not solely responsible for impeding LGBT favoring legislation from passing. Factions within the LGBT community stunt their own success, according to Brittle and Salmon.

Fighting and disorganization among different activist groups in the community have negatively impacted their cause.

According to Brittle, certain groups of LGBT activists are “control freaks” and will not accept outside help or use others ideas, such as, pancake breakfasts to raise money for campaigns.

“Many people are willing to campaign for their rights,” Brittle said. “They just need direction and someone to tell them what to do next.”

Both Brittle and Salmon are positive that the future holds legal equality for LGBT people.

“Even after the LGBT people achieve legal equality, it still will be a struggle for social acceptance.” Salmon said. “I want to see bigotry and hatred removed from the world.”

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YOUTH

1n10 - Priceless By the Volunteers & Youth at 1n10 We were struck hard at 1n10 with the loss of one of our youth, Clint McHale. He played a vital role a few years back helping us implement the YEP! House Mpowerment program. He was an amazing young man, talented, well-behaved, softspoken, kind and a huge smile that lit the room.

He will be forever missed at 1n10.

I felt it appropriate for the youth to speak about the value of 1n10 in their lives in honor of Clint. Love each other, stop the fighting, stop the mess……you never know when life will turn a different way on you.

Coming into this organization as an outsider gave me an interesting opportunity to examine the role of 1n10 in the larger LGBT community.

Without a doubt, 1n10 is going above and beyond the call of duty to provide empowering social services for youth. The collaboration of staff members, youth, and volunteers fosters relationships that are incredibly vital to the health and the strength of the community as a whole. 1n10 embraces the mess; the organization isn’t deterred by challenges or barriers. For me, 1n10 is an expression of hope.

Hope for our youth, our community, and our world. 1n10 represents the hope for a better tomorrow for all members of our human family.

For the youth, 1n10 is more than a safe space. It is a place where they can grow physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is a space for self-expression, identity development, discovery and empowerment. It is not a space created for youth, it is a space created by youth. Perhaps the best way to describe it is in the way that I’ve heard countless youth refer to it during my time here: 1n10 is home.

Jess Mahon-MSW Intern 1n10 has been there for me at some of the hardest times of my life. They are like a second family to me a lot of times because they support the youth in anything they need help with. If you need various resources they will either give them to you or tell you where you can find the resources The volunteers at 1n10 are absolutely amazing people. They have some of the biggest hearts I know. The volunteers have helped me grow throughout my time at 1n10 into the person I am today. It was through 1n10 that I have gotten involved in so many different organizations. For example QSpeak Theatre with our Director Beck who used to be the coordinator of 1n10. 1n10 is a wonderful organization that helps so many people and will continue helping people for quite some time in the future.

Samuel Taylor-youth participant I have been apart of 1n10 for almost six years now and the outstanding positive energy it gives seems news / politics / business / opinion

ized that I had found a family.

1n10 has taught me many things. Among the top quotes I repeat over and over are; “no matter how serious the relationship, no one can ever own you” and “don’t let being gay define who you are, acknowledge that it is simply another comma.” With these two pieces of wisdom always in mind, I go about my life being proud of every aspect of the person that I am and knowing that no one has the right to try to control me. I have ample gratitude for all the things that 1n10 has answered for me and for the pieces of advice I have received from both youth and volunteers that will forever help guide my life.

Jackson Blake-youth participant

Clint McHale - 11/3/85 - 5/4/11

to brighten your day in a instant. Welcomed by fellow youth and volunteers that genuinely care about your well being makes me come back for more. Not to mention the workshops that are not only fun but inventive and informative. A great place to meet new people and make friends. 1n10 has provided many opportunities that involved me attending MLK brunches, Human Rights Campaign Dinner’s, Gay Camp and walking in the Pride parade.

I’ve been blessed to be apart of such things and for that I have been giving back with plenty of community service hours which aren’t going to stop. These are just the stepping stones for what’s to come and when I have reached the time for me to step up as a volunteer, I will not hesitate. 1n10 is an art that has been passed down from teacher to student. To nurture and guide the children of today for better and brighter years to come. 1n10 has givin the youth a voice. A voice that’s been carried across the valley an will not stop until heard.

Thank you 1n10 for love, friends, knowledge and most of all accepting me as I am.

Shane F. Penunuri-youth participant To describe 1n10 it would be like trying to describe your family; a little bit of this, a little bit of that and end endless amount of love. I grew up in Nashville, Tennessee where pride was something that most did in the confines of their own home.

There were, of course, the handful that were out, proud and loud 24/7 but, most had a routine schedule to turn the “gay” off and on. Within the first few months of moving to Phoenix I was invited to a “gay group.” I had no idea what to expect and was frankly scared out of my mind. The moment that I walked in the room at the Tempe Boys & Girls club though, I was overwhelmed with love and respect. Over the next few weeks I had real-

Being a volunteer at the YEP! House has completely changed me as a leader. I have had similar experiences that many of these youth have encountered, which makes this volunteer experience so deeply personal to me. Positively impacting the lives of these young adults with not-so-obvious lessons of respect, safety, appreciation of diversity, and selfconfidence are some of the many seeds we volunteers try to plant in their lives and we grateful get to see glimpses of those seeds growing every day we’re with them. I am honored for the opportunities and experiences that these incredible youth have given me and allowed me to be part of, which are a priceless gift that I will keep close to my heart forever.

Luisa Valdez-Volunteer 1n10 has been a part of my life for quite some time now, and I don’t see myself straying from that anytime soon. To me 1n10 is a place that anyone is welcome, as long as they are positive empowering people, regardless of where they come, from who their parents are, what kind of transportation they use and many other things. 1n10 is a safe place for youth to go to interact with others and be able to be themselves with no fear. I attend because 1n10 is the only true home I have ever known. I know that the volunteers and staff are always there to assist me with troubles or stresses and they are there to give logical and safe advice. The staff and volunteers at 1n10 are truly special people because they all care a great deal about the youth and really want the best for each and every one of us.

Tucker Parkinson-youth participant 1N10: Fun, safe, & free programs for LGBT Youth & Allies ages 14-24. A place where LGBTQ & Allied youth can be themselves, be empowered, and build community. So come and meet friends, hang out, get support & resources. Just show up or call/TXT 602-754-1175.

For information on 1n10 and their services, go to 1n10.org, myspace.com/1n10youth or facebook. com/1n10.org ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 15

NATIONAL NEWS Attorney General intervenes

in DOMA deportation case WASHINGTON - In what has been called an “extraordinary” step, Attorney General Eric Holder on May 5 vacated a Board of Immigration Appeals decision and asked the Board to reconsider a case dealing with a foreign-born man in a New Jersey civil union with his American born partner.

“Pursuant to my authority set forth in 8 C.F.R. § 1003.1(h)(1)(i), I order that the decision of the Board of Immigration Appeals (“Board”) in this case applying Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”), 1 U.S.C. § 7, be vacated, and that this matter be referred to me for review.”

Saying the attorney general “has taken [an] extraordinary step” with the decision, attorney Eric Berndt -- the supervising attorney for the National Asylum Partnership on Sexual Minorities at the National Immigrant Justice Center -- tells Metro Weekly, “It adds some heft to our requests for prosecutorial discretion in individual cases in which the foreign partner” of a same-sex binational couple is seeking a green card because of his or her citizen same-sex partner.

Attorney Lavi Soloway, a co-founder of Immigration Equality, has been one of the leading attorney-advocates on the issue of asking the government -- the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security and White House -- to exercise that discretion. Soloway tells Metro Weekly in an email, “This development could be a sign that the Obama administration is looking for a way to protect gay and lesbian bi-national couples who are currently barred from the regular marriage-based immigration process by the Defense of Marriage Act. The original decision was made on the basis of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and specifically Section 3 that bars the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions and therein prevents the American-born half of a same-sex couple from sponsoring a foreign-born partner for citizenship.

In January, the Obama Administration announced that after review it could no longer defend the constitutionality of Section 3 in court.

In light of this, LGBT rights advocates had asked that all immigration proceedings dealing

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with Section 3 of DOMA be put on hold and officials use their discretion until several ongoing court cases dealing with the constitutionality of Section 3 are resolved.

Immigration officials refused this, saying that it was business as usual until DOMA, or at least Section 3, is repealed or struck down.

Now, the Attorney General seems keen to examine the case further, asking several interesting questions of the Board.

He inquires if, DOMA Section 3 not withstanding, there is any New Jersey state law that would grant the men the right to be considered spouses. He goes on to ask whether, absent of DOMA, the couple fulfills all other criteria that would grant the foreign-born partner the term spouse under the Immigration and Nationality Act, and whether, if the applicant had a “qualifying relative” he would be able to “satisfy the exceptional and unusual hardship requirement for cancellation of removal.”

This filing is related to the couple Josh Vandiver of Colorado and Henry Velandia of Venezuela, who were married in Connecticut but live in New Jersey and therefore are recognized as partners in a civil union by the state.

Following the Obama administration’s DOMA decision, lawyers representing the couple had hoped proceedings for Velandia’s removal would be halted, however they were told that, because DOMA remains in force, no allowances could be made. Holder’s intervention raises hopes that a remedy may yet be found, and not just for Velandia but for all bi-national same-sex couples currently facing deportation proceedings.

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NATIONAL NEWS

Rhode Island gay marriage advocates not giving up PROVIDENCE, RI (AP) - Advocates of gay marriage delivered a message to Rhode Island state lawmakers who blocked a same-sex marriage bill this year: We’re putting a political bull’s-eye on your back.

Hundreds of Rhode Islanders rallied at the Statehouse May 4 in favor of gay marriage – despite legislative leaders who say they’ll consider a compromise measure to create civil unions instead.

Those at the rally vowed political revenge on those lawmakers who opposed making Rhode Island the sixth state to recognize gay marriage.

“The 2012 election cycle starts now,” Kate Brock, executive director of the group Ocean State Action, told a cheering crowd on the Statehouse steps. “We start recruiting candidates now. We start building our war chests now. Don’t get mad.

Get elected.”

Meanwhile, House lawmakers introduced civil union legislation designed to give gay couples the same state rights afforded to married couples. Rep. Peter Petrarca, D-Lincoln, the bill’s sponsor, said he supports gay marriage but that it has no chance of passing this year. He said the rights granted through civil unions are a better than none at all.

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Last week, House Speaker Gordon Fox, DProvidence, announced that he was throwing his support behind civil unions because gay marriage legislation couldn’t pass the Senate. Fox is openly gay and his announcement deeply angered many gay marriage advocates. One carried a sign at Tuesday’s rally reading “Fox Hunting Season is Open.”

Those at the rally included religious groups, students, couples gay and straight and a young woman with a vuvuzela. Miss Rhode Island Deborah Saint-Vil attended, as did several lawmakers.

Marriage Equality Rhode Island, the group that organized the rally, dismisses the civil union bill as a hollow compromise.

Fox said last week that he knows many gay marriage advocates hold him responsible for the bill’s failure. He said he believes the state will one day recognize gay marriages, but that this year the votes weren’t there.

Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed’s opposition was a key obstacle to the legislation. The Newport Democrat says she supports civil union legislation and believes the bill will win broad support in the Senate. Gov. Lincoln Chafee, an independent who has urged lawmakers to pass a gay marriage bill, said he will sign the civil union measure.

But Chris Plante, director of the National Organization for Marriage-Rhode Island, said the bill’s passage is not a foregone conclusion. Plante said civil unions have proven to be a stepping-stone to full gay marriage laws in other states. People opposed to gay marriage, he said, also should oppose civil unions.

“It’s same-sex marriage by another name,” he said. “It is a backdoor way into legalizing gay marriage. I believe that we will be able to peel off significant amounts of votes once (lawmakers) understand that.”

ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 17

WORLD NEWS

Brazil’s supreme court recognizes gay partnerships

BRASILIA (Reuters) -

Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court legally recognized homosexual partnerships in a landmark case for gay rights in a country with the world’s largest population of Roman Catholics, May 5, 2011.

Justices at the STF, as the country’s top court is known, voted 10 to zero in favor of gay partnerships, setting a legal precedent in Latin America’s largest country. One justice, Jose Antonio Dias Toffoli, refrained from voting, saying he had dealt previously with related cases.

The decision grants gay couples most of the rights enjoyed by heterosexual partners, including pension benefits, inheritance and, some lawyers say, possibly the right to adopt children. Lower courts had ruled both in favor of and against partnerships, which are not governed by a specific law.

“The freedom to pursue one’s own sexuality is part of an individual’s freedom of expression,” said Justice Carlos Ayres Britto, the author of the ruling.

The ruling makes Brazil the second South American nation after Argentina to allow gay partnerships. The majority of judges argued that the Constitution did not explicitly rule out gay partnerships and that these were an expression of the right to privacy and equality before the law.

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Gay activists celebrated the decision, saying the ruling shows the state is willing to defend the rights of citizens regardless of their sexual and race condition.

“The degree of civilization of a country can be measured by the way people in a nation treat their homosexual community,” newspaper O Globo’s website cited Claudio Nascimento, head of Rio de Janeiro state’s Gay, Lesbian and Transsexuals Committee, as saying. “It’s a historic day for Brazil.”

Brazil’s Roman Catholic Church had argued against the decision, saying the only union the Constitution referred to was that between a man and a woman.

“Plurality has its limits,” Hugo Jose de Oliveira, a lawyer representing the Brazilian National Bishops Conference, or CNBB, told the court. Church leaders said they would not budge from their position as a result of ruling.

About 140 million of Brazil’s 190 million population in 2008 were Roman Catholic.

The case was brought to the court by the government of Rio de Janeiro state and by federal public prosecutors.

Most major cities in Brazil have an active and open gay community, and Sao Paulo every year hosts the world’s largest gay parade, with about 3 million people attending.

Despite that, the country has struggled with recent episodes of violence against the gay community -- including harassment and beatings at central points in Sao Paulo.

In rural areas and even in the nation’s capital, Brasilia, gays are often ridiculed and harassed.

ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 19

Tempest and Aija @ Colors Restaurant, Tucson

NAU PRISM Drag Show and Meeting @ Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff

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A REFRESHINGLY OPEN VENUE. Look to Flagstaff Courtyard for a refreshing change of pace. Here you’ll find plenty of options to help you relax and recharge. Unwind outdoors in the courtyard, connect with free WiFi or simply explore the open space around you. With services and amenities designed to give you more freedom, you’re sure to get even more from your free time.

Pride in the Pines Special- June 17-19, 2011 The Courtyard by Marriott Flagstaff is a proud sponsor of the 2011 Pride in the Pines, June 17-19, 2011. Book early to lock in the Pride in the Pines rate of $99.00. Can't make it to Pride in June...No worries this rate is valid all year long! Just ask for the Pride in the Pines rate.

99/night

From $

To reserve your room, call 800-321-2211, or visit courtyard.com.

Courtyard by Marriott® Flagstaff Flagstaff, AZ T 9287745800 Courtyard.com Rates are per room, per night, based on availability, not available for groups of 10 or more rooms.

Gay Chambers

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Information

Phoenix Gay Chamber

Lunch Networking

June 3 from 11a.m.-1 p.m. at the Hilton Pointe.

You must RSVP by emailing rsvp@ phoenixgaychamber.com

June Net Mix

June 17 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm “Night at the Mercury” at US Airways Center, 201 E. Jefferson Street.

GPGLCC NetMix Night Includes: Pre-game Networking Mixer from 5-7 (game to follow Net Mix) Includes appetizers & cash bar discounted lower level ticket to Mercury Home opener. Free Lightrail access with game ticket. $25 includes admission, food and Mercury season opening game. Tickets at gpglcc.org

Board of Directors Meeting The GPGLCC Board of Directors meets every month on the second Wednesday at 8 a.m.

Members are welcome to attend the meeting.

If you wish to address the board, you must do so in writing by emailing Tony Felice at development@gpglcc.org and by calling in advance 602-237-5572.

Mesa Allstate agency owners earn prestigious service designation MESA- As a business leader and involved citizen in the Mesa/Phoenix area, Allstate exclusive agency owner Wayne and Kevin Smith have been designated an Allstate Premier Service Agents for 2011.

Bestowed upon less than one-third of Allstate’s nearly 12,000 agency owners across the country and 17% of Allstate’s Arizona agencies, this designation is being presented to Wayne & Kevin Smith’s Allstate agency for its commitment to putting the customer at the center of their work.

The Premier Service Agency designation is awarded to Allstate agency owners who have consistently demonstrated excellence in delivering an accessible, knowledgeable and personal customer experience, and in achieving outstanding business results. Wayne & Kevin Smith’s agency is located at 6731 E Brown Rd in Mesa and can be reached at 480-985-0760. Wayne & Kevin also have an additional location at 1901 E University in Mesa and can be reached there at 480-464-8766.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate®” slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help nearly 16 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow.

For more information on Allstate got to www. allstate.com or call 1-800 Allstate.

Time to service your car, summer is here!

Tucson Gay Chamber

Breakfast Meeting

Breakfast Meetings will be held the third Thursday of the month at the The Manning House, Lavender Ballroom, 450 W Paseo Redondo # 212 in Tucson.

Go to tucsonglbtchamber.org for more info and to rsvp.

22 | Issue #83 | June 2011 | ntouchaz.com

PHOENIX - Don’t forget your car’s pre summer check up! There are many things you should check out under your hood and under your car to prepare your vehicle for one of the toughest climates your car will ever have to face. It is about much more than just Air Conditioning.

When you add the summer heat into the mix, if your Belts & Hoses are old and cracked or the hoses are soft, you are prone to failure at the most inopportune time. Checking your belt & hose condition is a very important factor, so add that to your summer vehicle check list.

Coolant/Anti-Freeze… Many people do not

realize that the older your coolant becomes the less it protects your motor from extreme heat or cold.

Here are the suggested intervals for proper maintenance, every 3 years or 36,000 miles for older cars with green coolant and 5 years or 100,000 miles for newer vehicles. A coolant flush can also remove any debris build-up in your cooling system. If you are unsure about the age or condition of your coolant, we can test it for you. But most important, check your fluid levels more often in the summer.

Tires… Many people don’t think about tires and heat, but everyone should. As tires travel around they generate heat from friction then add the summer road heat which can reach upwards to 200 degrees, the condition of your car’s tires becomes a very important factor. Weather checked or cracking, low tire tread, low tire pressure and uneven wear are a major summer concern.

And don’t forget about your Battery, Air Filter, Brakes, and Fuel Filter and……….

No matter what your summer travel plans or driving habits here in Arizona you should put a pre-summer check-up on your list of important things to do. Let your Community Tire Technical Team give Old Blue or New Blue a 19 point check over and keep you and your family safe on the road this summer.

You can reach Community Tire to find a location near you at 602-569-4930 or go online at communitytireaz.com Store coupons available online.

Newest addition to University of Arizona a new opportunity for groups!

TUCSON - The University of Arizona Challenge Program offers powerful training programs on new low and high challenge courses. Experiential Education Director Tim Kidd will showcase the teambuilding and training experiences available for small and large groups/companies as well as the indoor meeting area, catering services, covered dining areas and other amenities providing groups a year round setting in a productive and stimulating environment.

Join the Tucson GLBT Chamber of Commerce for an interactive tour and refreshments from 4:30-6:30 p.m. May 19 at the Rincon Vista Sports Complex, 2300 E. 15th St. (between Plumer & Tucson Boulevard on 15th St.). Casual dress and comfortable shoes recommended.

Rincon Vista Sports Complex is located at 2300 E. 15th St. (between Plumer & Tucson Boulevard on 15th St.).

Cost: $10 MTCVB Partners & CTAs. $15 Others. RSVP online at visittucson.org/PartnerRSVP. You will receive an immediate e-mail confirmation when you RSVP online.

news / politics / business / opinion

Buffalo Exchange adds Tucson location TUCSON - As part of the Downtown revitalization effort by locally-owned businesses, Buffalo Exchange brings the original concept of buy-sell-trade clothing Downtown with the opening of a new shop at 250 E. Congress (east of 6th Avenue). Street and public garage parking are available nearby.

The Downtown Buffalo Exchange will be near other independent, local businesses such as salons, cafes, tattoo and clothing shops. The 100 year-old building features original brick walls and high tin ceilings. The refinished oak, hardwood floors were repurposed from the McKale gymnasium. The decor features natural, unpainted bricks and warm vintage colors. There are five roomy, well-lit dressing rooms plus two buy counters, where customers can sell their clothes for cash or trade. The store will open with inventory from Buffalo Exchange stores from coast to coast, including New York, Texas and California.

The Downtown shop is Buffalo Exchange’s third in Tucson. Buffalo Exchange is headquartered in Tucson and has shops at 2001 E. Speedway and 6170 E. Speedway. Buffalo Exchange has been recently featured on the Nate Berkus Show, TODAY Show, Good Morning America, CNN, Inked Magazine, NYLON and Teen Vogue. The shop was voted Best Resale/Vintage Clothing by readers of Tucson Weekly in the Best of Tucson 2010. Buffalo Exchange earned the position of 3,850 and an industry rank of 180 on the 2010 Inc. 5000 by Inc. magazine (Sep 2010). Buffalo Exchange is a member of Local First Arizona.

Buffalo Exchange is unique because clothing and accessories are bought, sold and traded locally with store customers. Used clothes can be traded for any item in the store, including jewelry and brand new clothing. The ever-changing inventory includes designer wear, basics, vintage, jeans and one-of-a-kind items. Including the new Tucson and Charlotte stores, the family-owned resale clothing business now has 42 stores and 2 franchises in 15 states, with $64.4 million a year in revenue. Based in Tucson, Buffalo Exchange is an independent, privately held company and the founders manage the day-to-day business. Buffalo Exchange is a sustainable business that helps protect the environment by reusing and recycling clothing. Because we deal in local resale, emissions from production or distribution are eliminated.

news / politics / business / opinion

The store donates to local charities in the community through its Tokens for Bags(r) program, which has generated nearly $380,000 for hundreds of local nonprofit organizations since 1994, saving 7.6 million bags. Shoppers are encouraged to accept a token instead of a bag for purchases, and Buffalo Exchange donates five cents to a charity of the customer’s choice.

For more, visit buffaloexchange.com.

Local businesses wanted for summer internships!

TUCSON - “JA You’re Hired!” is a new and exciting high school program created to prepare high school students to enter the workforce by teaching them vital business skills such as interviewing techniques, resume writing, conflict resolution, problem solving and interpersonal communications.

There are a myriad of ways to support this important workforce development initiative, including hosting a summer intern. Your participation ensures a positive impact on the youth of Arizona by giving them an opportunity to learn and practice the skills they need to succeed. Junior Achievement’s carefully designed internship model creates a program that supports everyone involved.

Take advantage of this opportunity to have an impact on the youth of Arizona. Your participation will: • Directly impact your company’s future workforce • Mentor tomorrow’s leaders by teaching them workforce readiness principles • Promote skills, behaviors and values that contribute to workplace success • Support an exciting day-long student event with educational workshops and unique workplace skills competitions • Provide eligible students with an opportunity for valuable summer internships and contribute to their professional development through an additional mentorship prior to beginning the internships • Increase your company’s visibility in the community as an organization committed to educating our youth To learn more about this program and how your business can participate, please contact Melissa Leasher, Director of Program Development at 480-219-0220.

Sponsorship opportunities with Pride in the Desert TUCSON - This years Pride in the Desert theme is People Representing Individuality Diversity & Equality. Tucson Pride believes this best describes our community and what we strive for

every day. Many different people make up our vibrant community and this theme best honors who we are, as a group.

Many businesses feel the direct, daily impact of LGBT dollars in the community. For others, it is more of a cumulative, long-term effect. Wherever your business may fall in this spectrum, one thing is certain: everyone benefits from a community environment that fosters feelings of inclusion, acceptance, and respect. To achieve such an environment, everyone must share equal responsibility for its creation and care.

Join Tucson Pride for what is traditionally southern Arizona’s largest gathering of the LGBT community.

For more information go to tucsonpride.org

IGLTA welcomes Delta Air Lines FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - Delta Air Lines, a leading international carrier offering service to more than 350 destinations in nearly 70 countries, recently joined the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association’s group of Global Partners as a new Platinum Partner to show its continued support of the worldwide LGBT community.

The Global Partnership Program was developed to provide the international business community with opportunities to align itself with IGLTA through customized marketing platforms to showcase a commitment to LGBT travelers worldwide.

“Delta is committed to global diversity and we demonstrate that through both industry and community relationships,” said Steve Sear, Delta’s vice president – Global Sales. “We are proud to support our LGBT customers and communities where we live and serve.”

The Platinum Level Global Partnership provides significant exposure for a company seeking to strengthen its LGBT outreach. This partnership level contains bundled marketing opportunities in combination with high-level, creative visibility for invested partners to help build and maintain a relationship with IGLTA members and the increasingly visible LGBT community worldwide.

“We are very excited to have Delta Air Lines at our top level of partnership,” said IGLTA President/CEO John Tanzella. “Over the past four years Delta has significantly grown its support of LGBT events and causes, and IGLTA is proud to promote Delta to the global community of frequent travelers.”

ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 23

FITNESS

Confessions of a snacker

By Kirk Matthews Kirk, I have sort of a confession, well kinda.

Since January, I thought I’d been doing really good at work and with my friends about sticking to my diet and trying to lose weight like everybody else. And it’s not even that much really. I’m only 32. So I just wanted to lose like 25 pounds to be my old college self again when girls would give me attention. But I noticed at work that I’m not the only one who sneaks snacks at her desk in between the “official” meals. So, it’s kind of a sad show we put on. Like what I mean is that it seems like we cheat and then pretend it’s all good when we sit down to eat together.

So only a few of us really are getting anywhere.

And I for one am starting to just feel really guilty and want to give up. So any help would be great.

Thanks, Sharon Sharon, honesty is the first step, so let’s start there. And you deserve credit and respect for it.

You’re thinking that you’re sabotaging your own results, and you’re probably mistaken, as you’ll read below. Whether it’s deliberate is rarely up for debate: most people who enter a program of change really are sincerely wanting the result. It’s the getting there that’s frustrating.

Many of you feel as though you’re shooting in the dark; hoping you hit that target with the poor aim of simple guesswork.

Important point: At least you’re not attempting to starve the weight off. That’s so very important because we know that starvation diets don’t work in the long-term scheme of smart weight management.

So I’ll be repeating this idea several times here…

Here’s an important question to ask yourself: Am I currently gaining weight? Really, am I? Be honest and not judgmental for now, as we’re using some simple dietary science here.

Let your honesty carry you through these observations: less judgment and more factual observation.

Here’s why: If you’re not currently gaining weight, and in fact if you’ve not been adding weight for some time now, then what you’re currently doing is actually serving you well.

Think of food as firewood on a roaring fire: 24 | Issue #83 | June 2011 | ntouchaz.com

take away too much of the wood and you risk extinguishing the fire. Obviously, complete removal of food would eventually result in death; and while that sounds drastic, many people steer dangerously close to damaging their health in the pursuit of the quick fix. Many people who are simply trying to become healthier and slimmer do some crazy starvation fad diets, cleanses, flushes and so on just to lose weight. And many doctors will confirm for you that while these fasts and cleanses might be good for allergies and more, they aren’t really regularly observed to be helpful or healthful for longterm weight loss.

I’m striking a solid mark on the ground here for you to stand on as you repeat these phrases: Starvation does not work.

Extra bodyfat is only stored energy.

I am not obese, and my goal is within reach.

I love food and I am in control.

That last point is a big one: control. And I’m focusing on your control because you might very well see your friends losing control as they stab at this diet and that fad to attempt the quick fix.

But you know better: you’re cheating with snacks at your desk behind open view of others because your body knows better: it knows something’s not quite right about the “dry Caesar salad with dry chicken and dressing on the side” approach to “dieting-for-show”.

So, let’s discard this notion that we’re going to lose weight as a New Year’s resolution, or a deadline-based venture. Let’s celebrate the control you do have by entering a new phase where you acknowledge that if it took eight to ten years to put the weight on, then even as much as a year to lose the extra weight is a sensible, and more likely longlasting, prospect.

Let’s understand that simply eating tiny amounts less at every other meal is one key. One more walk around the block on your evening walk is another easy key. A really good night of sleep is yet one more key. And let’s not forget the value of water, water, and more clean water as an additional very effective key.

So to recap: Eat a bit less at every other meal –

barely noticeable. Walk a bit more – barely tiring at all. Sleep a bit more – who doesn’t enjoy that?

And more clean water: easy as can be.

Key point to remember: you’re still in your menstruating years. Every month, your body prepares for the possibility of pregnancy, right? And while men clearly don’t have the same concern, both genders risk dramatic loss of muscle in calorie restriction diets. And your muscle is your metabolic “fire”. We don’t want a lowered metabolism: that’s like taking wood off the fire – and cooler burning is not the way to lasting results.

And women are more likely to suffer greatly reduced metabolism as a result of continual caloric restriction. Here’s why, from a strictly hormonal human survival viewpoint: If you become pregnant, the priority is to feed the baby, not to attract girls like in college. How’s that for honesty? The hormones rule everything. So women in their childbearing years – whether considering becoming pregnant or not – cannot toy with caloric restriction for very long without it backfiring on their best intentions. Fabulous and skinny doesn’t feed babies. Did I mention that hormones rule everything?

But the hormonal system can easily tolerate some mild trickery in the form of ICR: Intermittent Caloric Restriction. Take calories away here, then eat normal, then strip a few calories there.

Over time, this becomes a habit. Over time, you consider taking a yoga class or biking or a casual hike. Over time, you might take up a light jog instead of a walk around the block. Over time, you consider that you’re worth hiring a trainer to learn how to preserve and build the metabolic fire of appropriate muscle for your body type and size.

Over time, you can have your cake and eat it too.

And when the girls start giving you attention like they did in college, that cake tastes so much better, because it’s smart cake!

You’re going to do just fine, because you are smart -- I can sense it. And sooner than later, you’ll be sending a follow-up e-mail about how you knew the steady course was the key all along, and all of this information is just another step to propel you to the easy discipline to reach your goals...

That’s all for now. Best of health to you all and as always, keep those questions coming!

Kirk Matthews is a multiple Certified Personal Trainer and Professional Nutrition Consultant; answers may contain advice from either or both disciplines. Call: 602-616-9195. Questions: e-mail kirk. matthews@hotmail.com (use “‘n touch” in subject line).

Visit www.thetrumpnetwork.com/kirkmatthews and hover over “Why Our Products Work” and click on Privatest, Custom Essentials and Silhouette Solution to learn about Lab-formulated supplements made just for you! And visit: www.sportsclubatcitysquare.com to try before you buy. news / politics / business / opinion

SPORTS

LGBT Sports

Arizona Derby Dames

host national tournament PHOENIX - Arizona Derby Dames offer up some more interleague banked track roller derby action on Saturday, May 21 at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum on the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix as they host the coffin Draggers vs, the Brutal Beauties then, the Runaway Brides vs. the Schoolyard Scrappers.

Mark your calendars for June 10, 11 and 12 as the Arizona Derby Dames host a national banked track roller derby tournament at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Battle on the Bank IV will feature nine teams from around the country, who will compete in the fourth annual tournament (which is hosted by a different league in a different city each year). Teams include San Diego Derby Dolls,Team Legit (all star flat track skaters), Tilted Thunder Railbirds (Seattle), Los Angeles Derby Dolls, Tucson Roller Derby, TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls (Austin), Orange County Rollergirls, South Side Roller Derby (Houston) and the Arizona Derby Dames. Ticket info at tickets.arizonaderbydames.com. Visit battleonthebank.com for more information on the tournament.

Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum is located at 1826 W. McDowell Rd., Phoenix. Doors will open at 5 p.m. with the bouts starting at 7 p.m. General admission tickets for the stadium seats in the Coliseum will be $12. Two hundred

Basketball

Open Play Sundays from 2 – 4 p.m.

Sports Club of City Square www. phoenix.ngba.us hellraiserhoops@yahoo.com

Flag Football

PHX Hellraisers Flag Football League

general admission tickets are available for standing room on the floor around the track for $12.

General admission for children 12 and under is free. VIP tiered seating right off the floor (with access to a nearby VIP only bar and restrooms) will be $20 for adults and children. Parking will be $7. Tickets will be on sale the day of the event at the Coliseum box office starting at 4 p.m.

Stick around for the after party right inside the Coliseum at the Arizona State Fair Bar & Grill.

Meet with the Arizona Derby Dames over some drinks and discuss the night’s bouts. All ages are welcome, but you must be over 21 to be served at the bar.

Vancouver 2011 Outgames

news / politics / business / opinion

Sports leagues of the Valley provide a safe, friendly, and fun social setting for the LGBT community. Whether a new comer, veteran, or a fan, everyone is welcome.

Hellraisers Hoops

GLISA North American

VANCOUVER , B.C. - With less than three months to go, and athletes from as far away as Nigeria, Australia, Germany, London and Japan attending, the GLISA 2011 North America Outgames is moving ahead full steam in preparation of this summer’s Outgames taking place in Vancouver, July 25-31st, 2011.

The Vancouver 2011 Outgames will include 18 sport elements supported by GLISA (Gay/ Lesbian International Sports Association of North America) including Soccer, Volleyball, Hockey, Eco-Challenge (Whistler) 10K Run, Golf and many more taking place throughout the Lower Mainland.

Leagues Spotlight

Locations include Softball City in Surrey, Whistler, Edgewater Casino, Langara Golf Course, Stanley Park, Yaletown and more! For more information on the Sporting element of the Vancouver 2011 go to the website below.

A key component of to the Games is the Human Rights Conference, taking place at the Sheraton Wall Centre. Featured keynote speakers will include Blake Skjellerup (Olympic short track speed skater) and Sara Davis Buechner (Professor of Music UBC and concert pianist) and Stephen A. Glassman, Chairperson of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

The Vancouver 2011 The third component of the Outgames is the cultural celebration! Featuring the Flag Run, Opening and & Closing Ceremonies, Womenzone, showcase performances by various artists, medal ceremonies and so much more all happening concurrently with Vancouver Pride Week!

For more information or to register go to vancouver2011outgames.com

Saturdays 9 a.m. January – April Colter Park www.phoenixflagfootball.com info@phoenixflagfootball.com 602.284.9207

Rugby – Men Phoenix Storm

Tuesdays & Thursdays 7 p.m.

Longview Elementary School www.phoenixstorm.org info@rugbystorm.com

Softball

Cactus Cities Softball League

Sundays starting at 8 a.m.

Spring: Feb. – May; Fall: Oct. - Dec Ceasar Chavez Park www.cactuscities.com

Swimming

The Phoenix Sunfish

Year around schedule Mon, Tues, & Thurs - 6:30 - 8 pm Saturdays - 4:30-6 pm Three Locations throughout the valley www.phxsunfish.org

Volleyball – Indoor

Desert Volleyball Alliance February - May Saturdays 12 – 3 p.m.

Kingdom Courts www.desertvalleyalliance.org aaryck@hotmail.com

Volleyball – Sand

Arizona Gay Volleyball Association

Three seasons to choose from Feb – May, June – Aug, Sept – Dec Indian Steele Park & Radisson City Center Mondays & Tuesdays 6:30 p.m. www.azgv.org commissioner@azgv.org

ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 25

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RADISSON WOODLANDS HOTEL FLAGSTAFF

By Luis Garcia What once started as a small picnic held on the outskirts of town for fear of backlash and violence, Pride in the Pines, has become a must-not-miss event of the summer. Fifteen years after 300 Flagstaff residents gathered to show their “pride” the event has grown to the thousands making it one of the largest festivals in Flagstaff.

Each year the Northern Arizona Pride Association’s tries to continue its mission is to educate, celebrate and increase acceptance and awareness of the Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community of Flagstaff and Northern Arizona.

“As Pride has grown so has its importance as an annual event in Flagstaff, both as a celebration of who we are as LGBT individuals, and as a symbol of our continued struggle for equality,’ says Kathryn Jim, NAPA President.

“We are very excited about this year’s Pride festival. Pride in the Pines will be celebrating its 15th year this year and we have been working very hard

to make it a memorable event. This year marks a milestone for both Pride in the Pines and the City of Flagstaff as it is the first year that The Commission of Diversity Awareness has designated the month of June as GLBT month. The proclamation will be read at Pride by city council member Coral Evans.”

“This year has also been remarkable for Pride in sponsorship. Producing Pride in the Pines is a huge undertaking, requiring the time and effort of many dedicated board members, volunteers, supporters and sponsors. We have seen an increase in local sponsorship for this years festival and are very grateful for our local community and businesses investing in our organization. As an organization and a community we are proud of what we have accomplished and look forward to many more years of welcoming everyone to Pride in the Pines.”

According to Flagstaff Councilmember Coral Evens, Pride in the Pines is a testament of the diverse nature of the city.

“Our commitment to inclusion and ensuring diversity makes this a thriving city and a popular

destination for many visitors from around the world,” said Evens. “As a member of the Flagstaff City Council, I remain committed to supporting and recognizing the exceptional contributions of our diverse communities.”

This year’s festival promises to keep you entertained with an array of activities, events and musical performances. Although the festival is on Saturday, there are many events scheduled over the entire weekend.

Multi-platinum recording artist Taylor Dayne will headline Pride in the Pines (see interview on following page).

The New York-born artist’s three albums for Arista Records, Tell It To My Heart, Can’t Fight Fate, and Soul Dancing, produced twelve Top 20 singles, among them the chart-topping “Love Will Lead You Back.” Over the course of her career, she has sold more than 75 million albums and singles worldwide, garnering three Grammy nominations along the way. On her new album, Dayne co-wrote four of the songs, including the first single,“Beautiful,” with Norwegian tunesmith Hitesh, as well as

One-on-one with Taylor Dayne Multi-platinum recording artist Taylor Dayne may call her new album Satisfied, but the world-class performer is anything but, as she prepares to release her first studio album in almost 10 years on her own Intention Music label, distributed by Warner Music Group’s Adrenaline/ADA. Dayne took time out of her busy schedule to talk to ‘N Touch News Magazine about being the headliner at Pride in the Pines on June 18 in Flagstaff.

‘N Touch: Hi Taylor. Thank you very much for doing this interview.

Taylor Dayne: You bet!

So what have you been up to? How is life? (laughs) Good question. Life is good. I leave for the Kentucky Derby tomorrow, I perform there at the Barnstable Brown annual gala that they do for diabetes. Then I will attend the races. I just wrapped up an independent film that I was working on last week called Telling of the Shoes which was fun. It’s a good cast. Then next week I start to do vocals on my new single coming out in the summer call Right Time.

That’s awesome. So most of us grew up shaking our butts to your music, how is life different now? (laughs) Back then there was no internet or cell phones so I was always on a phone in the middle of an airport. If there were cell phones in 1989 Donald Trump had them.

And of course you couldn’t call into the radio stations as much. Now we can get on the internet and use Skype. It was far more exhausting than it is now.

By Luis Garcia

Have your musical taste or choices changed?

I don’t know. I love pop music like everyone else. There is some

“Love Chain,” “The Fall” and “Hymn.”

Her new album, Satisfied, offers Dayne an opportunity to show off the versatility of her amazing pipes, which have gotten deeper, richer and more confident with age.

“This is a very exciting time musically for me and this record reflects that,” said Dayne. “It was great to have the opportunity to create magic with some of the producers and writers I have admired over the years. This record has been a long time coming. We’ve put together a great independent team that can rival any major. I’m in great hands.”

The Green Room in downtown Flagstaff will once again host the official Pride in the Pines PrePride Party, After Party and Farewell Brunch.

Comedian Suzanne Westenhoefer will host the Kick-off party on Friday, June 17 with limited tickets sold for her new 2011show, Semi-Sweet. It will be followed by a meet and greet cocktail turn dance party hosted by DJ p Phunk.

“I’m calling the new show Semi-Sweet because there’s a lot of sweet stuff to talk about…. and a lot of stuff that, well, isn’t.” says Westenhoefer.“The

show is cry-laugh funny, and a little bit thoughtprovoking at the same time. It’s all about the changes that have occurred in my life over the past year. Some have been good… and some not-somuch. I thought the name Semi-Sweet captured that perfectly.”

Westenhoefer, became the first openly lesbian comic ever to appear on television in 1991 on an episode of Sally Jesse Raphael entitled “Breaking the Lesbian Stereotype…Lesbians Who Don’t Look Like Lesbians.” She went on to become the first openly gay comic to host her own HBO Comedy Special in 1994, which earned her a Cable Ace Award nomination. Other television appearances include The Late Show with David Letterman, GSN’s remake of the classic game show, “I’ve Got a Secret” as well as HBO, Bravo and LOGO TV specials. Now beginning her 20th year of sidesplitting merriment, she continues to forge new ground while enjoying her well-earned reputation as a pioneer on the lesbian comedy scene.

The official Pride After Party will be hosted on June 18 at 9 p.m. by Afeelya Bunz and Di Va.

great stuff out there and I enjoy listening to it. It’s all good.

You have always been vocal is supporting gayrights issues. Do you remember the moment when you first became involved?

Growing up in New York and witnessing what went on. Seeing that and my brother’s work with the VJs I was exposed to that community. They have been the most loyal audience for me and giving back was the only option. I love being a part of that.

Tell me about Facing a Miracle and your performance at Gay Games.

The company that was producing the single came to me. They held a contest on who would write and produce the single. They then came to me and asked if I was interested in recording the song. After I heard it I said without a doubt. If anyone goes on YouTube you can see it. The Gay Games are every four years. They are done all over the world just like the Olympics. Athletes all over the world, gay and straight, participate in that. It was a phenomenon. There were 26,000 people there. It was amazing.

Tell us more about your new single.

The name of the single is called Right Time. I wrote it with Macho Psycho in Sweden and I’ll be doing the vocals next week. We are shooting for summer. I am doing the production with Mike Rizzo. He’s a very successful remixer and producer.

You can check out his stuff online. That’s the beginning of the new single. continued on page 53 >

Pride in the Pines 11 a.m., June 18 Wheeler Park, 212 W. Aspen Ave. Downtown Flagstaff. www.flagstaffpride.org

Pre-Sale ticket outlets: Flagstaff -

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Phoenix-

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Online -

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Saturday, June 11, 2011, 5:30pm Sheraton Phoenix Downtown 340 North 3rd Street Phoenix, Arizona 85004 Silent and Live Auction Complimentary Wine and Bubbly Hour sponsored by Barefoot Wine Cash Bar Available Special Presentations Special Performance by The YEP Fusion Dance Crew Gala VIP Tables: $500.00 Table of 8 (Premium Table Placement) Gala VIP Tickets: $50.00 per person (VIP tickets and tables include Beef Carving Station, Mashed Potato Martini Station, Dessert Bar and Barefoot Bubbly and Wine) General Admission Gala Tickets: $15.00 per person

Order tickets or reserve your table at: www.pride-gala.org Benefitting The Phoenix Pride Scholarship Program www.phoenixpride.org

Phoenix Pride in the Park 2011 @ Indian School Steele Park, Phoenix

PhurFest 2011 @ Quality Inn Downtown, Phoenix

HEALTH

Time to plant those herbs!

By Dr. Damien Brandeis

S

ummer is coming!

If you are so inclined, it’s a great time to plant some herbs. Of course, the culinary herbs come to mind for flower pots and little garden plots. I have a suggestion that thrives in the Arizona sun.

It is useful and beautiful.

Calendula officinalis is one of my favorite herbs. It is an excellent herb for treatment of all skin ailments including chemical burns, cuts, abrasions, eczema, psoriasis, impetigo, staph infections, acne, and sunburns. Calendula is also safe to use on the mucosal membranes of the ear, nose and throat. It’s common name is pot marigold. This herb is not the nasty smelling flowers that are many times planted as borders in vegetable gardens.

The plant’s flower reminds me of the sun. It has a beautiful flower with bright yellow petals. There is very little aroma to the plant. The medicinal parts are the stem, flower petals, and the sap. You may use the plant fresh though dried it is are much more potent.

Calendula is extracted with water and can be used in herbal teas, tinctures, ointments and remedies.

Calendula contains many bioflavinoids which are antioxidants which protect the body from free radical cellular damage. It is a superlative antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiviral. I apply the “succus” (sap from the plant) to all abrasions, sutured wounds, and all forms of skin irritation. I use this herb in news / politics / business / opinion

place of an antibacterial ointment.

Calendula is great for all skin issues.

An ointment made from Calendula is excellent for the treatment of sun burns. If you have eye irritation from allergies, you can place an herbal tea bag of moist warm Calendula flowers over your eyes and the swelling will decrease rapidly. If you are suffering from an ear ache, a cooled tea dropped into the external canal will soothe the pain and promote the demise of the offending organism. When I have throat irritation from allergies or colds, I gargle with Calendula succus. Then I make a hot cup of the tea prepared by steeping the dried flowers in boiling water for 20 minutes. It is a refreshing drink and soothes your throat. I find the tea one of the most effective treatments for a common sore throat and seasonal allergies.

Calendula is also a great treatment for ulcers and other stomach and intestinal ailments. I have had reports that the tea is a great tonic for menstrual cramps. Calendula is healing for all surfaces of the body.

Considering the beauty of the plant and its many uses, Calendula is one plant you should consider growing this summer. The fresh plants will serve you now, and the dried plant will serve you all winter long. It is beautiful medicine.

Dr. Damien Brandeis, NMD has a private practice located in west Chandler. For more information about Dr. Brandeis and his practice, visit drbrandeis.net. ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 35

Grand Opening Gala @ Pulse Bar, Tucson

ETHICS

RX for listening

By Dr. Dina Evan

E

ver wondered why doctors don’t listen? For whatever the reason; high costs, low energy, high risk, low ethics, I have had a run of doctors who feel they know more about my body in less than six visits than I know in sixty-plus years and it’s not only annoying, it’s plain dangerous.

I went to one doctor that told me for several years that the reason I was weak was that I had fibromyalgia.

He would become agitated if I dared interrupt to tell him anything and he felt our sessions should be controlled by his unending stories about other patients and off-point questions. The second doctor, who the first doctor’s administrative manager sent me to, told me I “looked great, how could anything be wrong?” Something was wrong! I had a non-contagious bacterial infection that was getting the best of my lungs. I searched the city and found a new doctor, this time a woman.

Within less that three visits, the truth that despite their gender, doctors don’t listen raised it’s ugly head on her shoulders. She told me I was imagining some visual acuity problems I reported experiencing from a medication she prescribed and when I insisted the symptoms were real, she for the third time, insisted she knew best. I took myself off the medicine and become her non-compliant patient. I went to an optometrist and an ophthalmologist, both of whom told me and her I needed to get off the medicine immediately and do not use it ever because had I stayed on it I would have become permanently blind. My doctor never apologized for giving me so much guff after receiving both of their reports.

Not listening has become an epidemic. Our elected officials don’t listen. Our employers don’t listen. news / politics / business / opinion

Our family members and even tener, you’ll discover what motivates est authority on everything in your our spouses very often don’t listen. your clients to buy your product or life. Don’t let a license, a title, or any Why? Maybe it is because we are use your service. By listening, you’ll other façade of authority trick you not connected enough to care. May- discover what’s bothering your into ignoring what you know to be be it’s because we are afraid we will spouse, your partner or your chil- right for you. Listen to yourself first, be responsible and have to do some- dren. By listening, you’ll discover a and foremost. thing in our already burdensome lot of very interesting people in the When you are genuinely listening, lives. Maybe it’s world around you are not judging, or being critibecause we you. Listen- cal, you are being humble and caring “I think we stop are on sening is the both when listening to yourself and sory- overcatalyst that others. Moreover, if you are not lislistening because we load, but fosters mu- tening, you’ve stopped learning. are afraid we might diswhatever tual underThanks for listening.Send questhe reason, s t a n d i n g , tions to DrDBE@attglobal.net or agree, or we might have to listening has c o m p a s - to editor@ntouchaz.com. change something, or fix become a Dr. Dina Evan is a licensed Marsion and something.” lost and preprovides us riage, Family, and Child Therapist cious art. with insight in the State of California. She has ofI was very into people’s fices in Phoenix, AZ and Los Angeles, fortunate when I was getting my needs and desires, so that we can CA. Dr. Evan has won national aclicense to have had had a Zen Bud- connect with them. By listening, claim as a human rights advocate. She dhist supervisor who taught me that you’ll become a mindful, compas- is a columnist for several newspapers mindful listening, created mindful sionate, conscious human being. By and has written five best selling books. responses which ultimately resulted listening to yourself, you could save For more information you may go to in mindful living. Granted this skill your own life. You are your high- DrDinaEvan.com. is a lifelong work in progress, especially when faced with injustice and inequity, however, it’s a skill worth working toward.

I think we stop listening because we are afraid we might disagree, or we might have to change something, or fix something. What if all we really have to do is hear and understand? If I can hear you, and understand why you believe what you believe, I can then respond in a caring way that accepts the possibility of differences. Not only does this allow for greater compassion and connection, it may save a life – your own or another’s.

Are we listening to our kids when they tell us about their fears and feelings of despair? Are we listening to our spouses when they speak of their aloneness? Are we listening to our community when they say we are sick of having gay pride be about booze and sexual activity we can’t be proud of? Are we listening when our gut tells us not to take a medicine or get involved with an inappropriate potential partner? Are we listening when our intuition tells us to find another doctor, stop drinking, ask for what we need and get healthy?

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ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 37

YOUR PETS

Pets in search

Your pets and poisons around the house

By Dr. Alicia Ruiz

of a Loving Home Located in Phoenix, Arizona Rescue is the last voice for dogs and wcats who, through no fault of their own, find themselves awaiting death at our county pounds.

Nadia

Each year the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) experts field tens of thousands of calls involving animal companions who’ve had potentially hazardous contact with insecticides, weed killers and pet-toxic plants. While gardens and yards are lovely for relaxing, they can also prove dangerous for our animal companions.

The ASPCA recommend you watch out for the following: Poisonous Plants - When designing and planting your green space, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that many popular outdoor plants—including sago palm, rhododendron and azalea—are toxic to cats and dogs. Sago palm and other members of the Cycad family as well as mushrooms can cause liver failure, while rhododendron, azalea, lily of the valley, oleander, rosebay, foxglove and kalanchoe all affect the heart. Please visit our full list—and pics!—of toxic and non-toxic plants for your garden.

Fertilizer - Just like you, plants need food. But pet parents, take care—the fertilizer that keeps our plants healthy and green can wreak havoc on the digestive tracts of our furry friends. Ingesting large amounts of fertilizer can give your pet a good case of stomach upset and may result in lifethreatening gastrointestinal obstruction. Be sure to follow instructions carefully and observe the appropriate waiting period before letting your pet run wild outside.

Cocoa Mulch - Many gardeners use cocoa bean shells—a by-product of chocolate production—

in landscaping. Popular for its attractive odor and color, cocoa mulch also attracts dogs with its sweet smell, and like chocolate, it can pose problems for our canine companions. Depending on the amount involved, ingestion of cocoa mulch can cause a range of clinical signs, from vomiting, diarrhea and muscle tremors to elevated heart rate, hyperactivity and even seizures. Consider using a less-toxic alternative, such as shredded pine, cedar or hemlock bark, but always supervise curious canines in yards where mulch is spread.

Insecticides - Like fertilizer, herbicides, insecticide baits, sprays and granules are often necessary to keep our gardens healthy, but their ingredients aren’t meant for four-legged consumption. The most dangerous forms of pesticides include snail bait with metaldehyde, fly bait with methomyl, systemic insecticides with the ingredients disyston or disulfoton, mole or gopher bait with zinc phosphide and most forms of rat poisons. Always store pesticides in inaccessible areas—and read the manufacturer’s label carefully for proper usage and storage.

Compost - You’re doing the right thing for your garden and Mother Earth—you’re composting!

Food and garden waste make excellent additions to garden soil, but depending on what you’re tossing in the compost bin, they can also pose problems for our pets. Coffee, moldy food and certain types of fruit and vegetables are toxic to dogs and cats, so read up on people foods to avoid feeding your pet.

Dr. Ruiz is a Doctor of Veterinarian Medicine at Central Phoenix Animal Hospital, 602- 277-5155. Questions for Dr. Ruiz can be emailed to editor@ntouchaz.com news / politics / business / opinion

Nadia is just such a love bug - always showering friends with kisses and wanting to be as close as possible. She has spurts of energy where she runs around, chasing her toys and sprinting around the house. At these times, she loves to roll around on her back - sometimes with her face ending up under her dog bed - and rolling around energetically with her paws in the air!

It’s quite a sight. She’ll sometimes pause upside down as if expecting you to rub her belly. Once her spurts are over, though, she enjoys lounging on the couch or laying by your feet.

Madelyn Madelyn is a very special kitty - an incredibly affectionate companion, an accomplished conversationalist, a talented player, and easy on the eyes as well! Madelyn would do fine as your only feline friend or after an introductory period, she should do fine with other friendly felines as well. Any family would be lucky to welcome Madelyn into their home!

To learn more or about Nadia or Madelyn, go to azrescue.org. ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 39

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ABBA-solutely Fabulous Mamma Mia comes to Gammage

By John Thomas Lotardo Hey Dancing Queen, dust off your feather boa and get ready to have some fun. Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ runaway hit, Mamma Mia!, the musical based on the songs of ABBA, comes to ASU’s Gammage Auditorium May 17.

The show, which runs through May 22, is essentially about love, exploring family life and the quirky relationship between a mother and her soon-to-be-wed daughter. “The show has been awesome. Audiences are phenomenal!” explains Mario Mathews, who plays in the ensemble and understudies for Sky in the show. I caught up with Mathews via cell while the show was touring Macon Georgia.

Mathews agrees that the show has a large gay following whereas I claim the group ABBA as “gay icons” Mathews thinks it is also the shows exuberance that’s a hit with gay audiences. He explains that “Mamma Mia has a huge gay following; it attracts lots and lots of gay men and lesbian.” The show’s attraction is most probably that each of us have “a dancing queen inside them” and with this type of “over-the-top fun-filled mu-

sical” you can’t help but enjoy yourself. When I asked about his take on the show’s main theme, Mathews takes a moment to think and decidedly declares that the show is “all about discovering all aspects of love.”

Using the songs of ABBA into a story of fun and remembrance, the show introduces Donna, a feisty forty-something single mom, who recalls distant memories of carefree days and careless nights while her daughter Sophie dreams of romance and a big white wedding. Mamma Mia! carries us to a mythical Greek island to share two

magical days in the lives of our heroines. Mamma Mia! main attribute is the music which features 22 of ABBA’s best known songs including, “The Winner Takes It All,” “Dancing Queen,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Take A Chance On Me,” “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do,” “Super Trouper” and, of course, “Mamma Mia.” Mathews has been with the tour for just about a year and a half and he confides that his biggest fan, his mom, reminds him just how lucky he is.

Like contestants of the Amazing Race, the show has been all over the Country playing to crowds that just love it just like when it first appeared here in 2003 and the times thereafter. And with such a fun show, it is a type of show which gives the performers a lot of freedom, especially in the choreography.

Mamma Mia! performs at Gammage Auditorium located on Mill Avenue and Apache Blvd. in Tempe. For more information about Mamma Mia! call ASU’s Gammage Auditorium Box Office at 480-965-3434 or visit asugammage.com or mamma-mia.com

My D-Lite(ful) conversation with Venus

By Britney Star Before Venus D-Lite had a chance to wow the judges and let people into her life, she was sashayed away from the stage of RuPaul’s Drag Race season three. Crushing Christmas ornaments to be-dazzle an outfit is a pretty creative thing to do, I wouldn’t call that copying. I would call it being innovative!

When it comes to a sickening Madonna impersonation, Venus is one the top people that come to mind. She has the look, the attitude and, well, she really looks like Madonna! Surfing on Facebook I came across a picture of Jujubee and Venus and I was like wow!! I have to interview her, she is one fierce diva! The resemblance between Madonna and Venus is uncanny. I wondered to myself if Venus had a second chance would she be in the top three or possibly the next drag superstar? I recently got in contact with Venus, thanks to her manager, Jizza Bella from NY, and asked some questions so that not only could I find out more about Venus D-lite but also to let readers into Venus’ life! If you didn’t know who Venus D-lite is, get ready cause your about to take a crash course on the platinum blonde bombshell!

Britney Star: Out of drag what is your real name?

Venus D-Lite: My Real Name is Adam and very soon legally I will change my name to Adam D Lite. The last name has changed my life for the 40 | Issue #83 | June 2011 | ntouchaz.com

past 10 years and I am very proud of it! Plus, I am curious to see what it would look like on a credit card. LOL. What made you decide to do drag?

When I was a little baby only 18 years old and I had a friend from high school who started dressing up in drag. I never had an interest in it before but for some reason I just had the urge to put on some high heels and a lot of eyeliner and red lips. After which lead to an addiction that Betty Ford can’t even cure. LOL You impersonate a Sickening Madonna - where do you get your inspiration?

‘When I was fifteen years old I remember I

wanted to be her as a performer. Not look like her but be a male type version of her. Basically I wanted to be a sexy, provocative, push boundaries type entertainer. I guess that is what Drag is right. LOL. I remember the first time I dressed up as Madonna I didn’t want to do it because I didn’t think I could look like her and I didn’t want to disgrace my idol by trying to pull off a cheap imitation of her. My boyfriend convinced me to do it and to my surprise I had lots of people telling me I looked like her which sparked my interest to keep doing it. The cosmetic surgeries came later but that’s a whole different story. LOL For you, what is the most fun part of drag?

I think for me, performing on stage. I love entertaining and I love to “Wow” people, make them laugh, etc. What I also enjoy is traveling to different cities to perform.

For the full interview with Venus D-Lite please visit LoveGlamor.com Don’t forget to check out Venus’ website venusdlite.com or on FaceBook at facebook.com/venusdlite and facebook.com/venusdlitefans Next month get ready for an amazing interview with Americas next drag superstar Raja Gemini!

Until next time, Xoxo, Britney Star news / politics / business / opinion

Greenway Thunderbird

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ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 45

NIGHTLIFE Phoenix Kobalt With it’s blend of neighborhood bar and trendy without the attitude, Kobalt has gilled a niche ling needed in the Valley.

Memorial weekend, May 30 join TC Taylor, Paula Shea, Phaedra and Celia Putty for Kobalt’s annual summer kickoff show. Fun will be had by all. Great specials, munchies and lots of laughs.

1-4p.m.

Kobalt has busy Sundays with darts at 11 a.m.

Karaoke at 9 p.m. and usually special events in between!

Tuesday nights are always happening with the GLAD Dart league teams competing against each other. Darts aren’t your thing? Karaoke at 9 p.m.

Wednesday night Poker starts at 8p.m.

Thursdays offer Trivia Night with Gina at 9 p.m. and HRC’s Shaken and Stirred for Equality (Every third Thursday).

Friday Kobalt is the Happy Hour Hot Spot and from midnight till close The Groove Lounge!

Saturdays are always busy with special events, videos and spin. On the first Saturday of the month it’s Taylor Made hosted by TC Taylor.

Kobalt is located at 3110 North Central Avenue #125. Web: kobaltbarphoenix.com

The Rock The Rock is celebrating their 2 year Anniversary this month!

The party starts Friday, May 20 when Joey and Sherry join the cast of Genderfuct at 10p.m, featuring an All Live Singing Show. A Limited Amount of VIP Seats will be available for this show! Ticket Holders will receive Prime Seating, a Special Souvenir Lanyard and a Meet & Greet with Both Artists starting at 9p.m. VIP Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at The Rock or by calling 602-248-8559.

Sunday, May 22 the cast of Showgirlz will close out the Anniversary Extravaganza!Experience the high energy show that has everyone talking! Hosted by Mia Inez Adams. Show starts at 7 p.m.

To thank loyal patrons for the continued support, the Rock will be offering $2 Cocktails from 2p.m.-2a.m. all weekend long and they will be hosting a barbeque/tea party on Sunday May 22 from 1-5p.m. with the Infamous Stiletto Shank spinning tunes for you all afternoon!

On Thursday, May 19 the Rock will be premiering a new show from Pandora Productions - Glamazon! This show will be hosted by the illustrious TC Taylor with special guests Saellah V, Faleasha Savage and more. Show starts at 9p.m. and promises to be an evening of Unparalleled Glitz and Glamour!

Friday May 20 An Evening with Joey Arias and 46 | Issue #83 | June 2011 | ntouchaz.com

Sherry Vine featuring The AZ Gender Outlaws.

10p.m. VIP Meet & Greet at 9p.m.

Friday May 20 An Evening with Joey Arias and Sherry Vine featuring The AZ Gender Outlaws.

10p.m. VIP Meet & Greet at 9p.m.

Friday May 27 - This Just In…Lady Christian has packed up her Trailer and is heading over to The Rock on the Last Friday of Every Month with her Trailer Trash Revue! Only at The Rock! The Madness Begins at 10p.m.

Then on Sunday May 29 the cast of Rock N GLAM Cabaret returns to the Show Room at The Rock with an all new show, inspired by the 80’s. This show features some amazing singers and is sure to impress even the most jaded queens.

Dress in your most hideous 80’s attire to win some great prizes! Bring in Canned Food to Help Support Joshua Tree Feeding Program and receive $1 off admission price. Show starts at 7p.m.

Every Saturday Night, Experience the Many Talents of Local Drag Legend, Barbra Seville in The Barbra Seville Show. This Vegas Style Show is a real crowd pleaser and continues to pack the house every week. So, make your reservations.

Show starts at 10 p.m.

To reserve a table to any of the Rock’s upcoming shows or to book a party go to therockdmphoenix. com. The Rock is located at 4129 N. 7th Ave. in Phoenix. For more information go to the website or call 602-248-8559.

Rainbow Cactus Join Rainbow Cactus Saloon May 21 as the Sassy Sisters Salute the Military.

May 22, is a fundraising show for Missing Puzzle Piece for cancer patients struggling with bills.

May 28, the incomparable Slique Callahan presents her new show “Urban Cowboi”. Then its the brilliant Tina Angotti and her band! Fun starts at 7:30 p.m. $5 cover.

May 29, Anson Reign Drag Kings 101 (new performers). Should be educational!

June 11, giddy up cowboys and cowgirls for an International Gay Rodeo Association fundraiser.

The Sassy Sister come out again June 18, at 9 p.m. Join these hilarious ladies - who you calling lady? They rock the house.

Rainbow Cactus is located just a hop, skip and a jump away at 15615 N Cave Creek Rd in Phoenix.

Phone 602-971-1086.

TUCSON IBT’s Every Monday night join IBT’s for “Filthy/ Gorgeous”...Something for the ladies from 9 p.m. till close. Drink specials, and music with DJ Hurricane.

Wednesdays great happy hour specials start

at noon! Then stay for ‘Viva La Diva’ with Janee’ Starr and her Starrlets at 9p.m.

IBT’s is open Mon - Sun , noon until 2 a.m.

IBT’s is located at 616 N 4th Ave., Tucson.

Phone: 520-882-3053 Website: ibtstucson.com

Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness (aka The Biz) Is a hot gay & lesbian nightclub.

Nightly specials including erotic dancers, Karaoke, Hip Hop, go-go dancing, and open mic night.

Relax and light up a cigarette out in the back patio area, or enjoy the wii lounge. There’s a lot going on at The Biz. The Biz welcomes back Meow Mixx May 21 at 9 p.m. $5 cover. GOGO girls drink specials all night long.

The Biz is located at 2900 E. Broadway Blvd. #118, Tucson.

Pulse Pulse Tucson, formally The Coyote Moon Pub, brings a stunning, brand new vision to nightlife in Southern Arizona. From weekly cabaret shows to intense dance music to countless events.

The new owner is none other than Tucson’s famous Miss Lucinda Holliday (a.k.a. Larry Moore). A proud Tucson resident since 1989, Larry has been an active and indispensable member of the GLBT community. As Lucinda, he has propelled his art and its public acceptance to unimaginable heights. Larry’s vision combined with that of his General Manager’s, Rick Morey-Wolfe, will breathe new life into this city!

Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy the drinks, food, contests and entertainment by performers from Tucson and all over the country.

Whether you are looking to get up and sweat it out on the dance floor or if you’re in a more mellow mood, just sit back and relax in the conformable lounge, Pulse Tucson is the place for you.

Pulse Tucson is an all-inclusive alternative lifestyle venue.

Pulse Tucson, 915 West Prince Road. Phone: 520-293-7339.

Woody’s Now that the weather is perfect, it’s a great time to spend outside on Woody’s fabulous patio. Daily specials and events.

Sunday’s offer Happy Hour from 11a.m. 8p.m., Brunch and Bloody Mary Bar 11a.m. 1:30p.m., Drag Bingo(every other sunday)8p.m.

- 9p.m. and Karaoke 9p.m. - 2 a.m. Woody’s has reintroduced Amateur Dancer Night. The Hotbodz perform Monday nights. Come by and see the news guys!

For more information go to mywoodysaz.com.

Woody’s is located at 3710 North Oracle Road, Tucson. news / politics / business / opinion

FOCUS TUCSON

Best selling author at The Loft TUCSON - Writer and sex educator Susie Bright will speak at Pima County Public Library’s annual LGBT author event June 15.

In celebration of Gay Pride Month, the Pima County Public Library’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Services Committee will host an evening with one of the country’s foremost sex educators, activists, and writers; Susie Bright, author of Big Sex Little Death: A Memoir.

Susie Bright is the author of the national bestsellers Full Exposure and The Sexual State of the Union, as well as The Best American Erotica and Herotica series, which ushered in women’s erotic publishing. She also co-founded and edited On Our Backs magazine.

This talk and reading will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday June 15 at The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Ms. Bright

will remain to sign books following the presentation, and her books will be available for sale.

The event is free and open to the public and is made possible through generous funding from the Friends of the Pima County Public Library. For additional information please check the Library’s website at www.library.pima.gov or call 520-791-

4010.

From the book jacket of Big Sex Little Death: A Memoir: “Susie Bright’s real life is just as compelling— more compelling—than her sex life. And that’s saying something.” —Dan Savage “I have a very scary feeling Susie Bright is not making any of this up. Guns, drugs, threesomes, socialist factionalism, a stabbing . . . all before she got her G.E.D.?” —Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic “Susie Bright is a one-woman counterculture, a teenaged socialist revolutionary turned Reagan-era sexual freedom fighter. In this bittersweet memoir, she recounts a life full of political and erotic adventures and betrayals, a life at once deeply subversive and totally American…” —Tom Perrotta, author of Little Children and The Abstinence Teacher

Alison Davison’s saying Goodbye Wingspan will soon be losing one of its most beloved and familiar faces: Alison Davison, coordinator of Wingspan’s SAGA (Southern Arizona Gender Alliance) program since 2008, announced April 4 that she plans to leave at the end of this month.

Alison, who also is an advocate and educator with Wingspan’s Anti-Violence Programs, will be returning in May to Seattle, where she spent much of her adult life. There, she says, she is looking forward to a new phase of her life, new challenges and being able to spend more time with her family, including her daughter and her 6-year-old granddaughter.

Alison has been involved with Wingspan in one way or another for 10 years, from the summer Sunday in 2001 when she first walked through the door as a shy, “awkward kind-of baby T” and “left with a lot of information and a sense of belonging,” through years of volunteering, including filing and data entry for the Development Department, to her full-time staff positions with SAGA and AVP. She also has been active in collaborations with other Tucson and Southern Arizona groups and organizations on LGBT issues, including the University of Arizona President’s LGBT Diversity Advisory Council, the LGBTQ Behavioral Health Coalition, Pride Alliance and affirming congregations.

“Alison has been such an incredible asset to wingspan and our community. I can’t imagine the place without her. Her groundbreaking work with SAGA and the LGBT Behavioral Health Coalition has made real progress for transgender people here in Arizona. Additionally, her advocacy on behalf of all LGBT people has done much to open minds and bring about positive change,” said Linda 48 | Issue #83 | June 2011 | ntouchaz.com

Thomas, Wingspan program director.

Farewell from Alison: I wandered into Wingspan on a warm summer Sunday afternoon in July of 2001. I was welcomed and given a little tour of our old Sixth Street home. The front-desk volunteers were friendly and knowledgeable. I left with lots of information and a sense of belonging. A couple of months later, I began volunteering. I did filing and data entry for our Development Department on Friday mornings.

I started attending SAGA meetings as soon as I could . . . probably in August of 2001. I was an awkward, sort-of “baby T” at that time. Of course I wanted to help out with SAGA, too. It took a little longer to work out how I might do that. During my first year in Tucson, I was finishing my transition and plotting how to do that at my job.

The support I received from others in our community was invaluable. Many here offered information and wisdom. I will remain grateful to this

community forever. Almost immediately, I noticed the amazing talented and dedicated staff who kept the center alive and available. I wanted to work at Wingspan someday. It took a little over seven years for that to happen. I am delighted that I had the opportunity. It was a pretty challenging time to start working here. Almost immediately my job as SAGA Coordinator shifted and morphed from full-time SAGA to a variety of roles and tasks at Wingspan.

Recently, after much hard work, and everyone doing much more than imaginable, we have stabilized and begun to expand a bit. Wingspan’s future looks as bright and as secure as any nonprofit can. Our communities have rediscovered us.

Volunteers, interns and donors have returned or newly discovered us. This seems like a good time to make a change. Paralleling Wingspan, I’ve had some personal changes and challenges over the past couple of years. My parents both passed away.

I suddenly find myself not just older, but the oldcontinued on page 53 >

Help grow Wingspan’s Bloom Fund Wingspan has created the BLOOM Fund to support Wingspan programs and outreach projects that engage underrepresented communities within the larger LGBT population. These projects include Puertas Abiertas, Southern Arizona Gender Alliance (SAGA), Rainbow Families, Senior Pride and RainbowCONNECT. All of these groups are only partly funded through grant streams and need your support.

Your gift will assure the continuation of events and project such as Transgender Awareness Week, Tucson Latin@ Gay Pride, the Senior Forum newsletter and LGBT-family advocacy and par-

enting workshops, as well as travel costs that permit us to reach LGBT communities in geographically isolated areas in Southern Arizona.

Our goal is to find 50 “seed” donors who can commit to giving Wingspan $25 a month for one year. BLOOM/seed donors will receive a special quarterly letter highlighting how your generosity is giving a voice to our community members who face various significant barriers.

Please consider becoming a seed donor to ensure that Wingspan’s garden flourishes for the entire community! For more information on the BLOOM Fund, email wingspan@wingspan.org. news / politics / business / opinion

NIGHTLIFE - TUCSON

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Congress

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re e

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ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 51

CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS COME VISIT US! ‘N Touch News will be attending both Flagtaff and Bisbee Prides in June. Stop by and say hi! And have a safe, and memorable pride 2011 season!

The GLBT Guide, Inc. The national gay business listings, personals and classifieds. Bringing America’s GLBT Community together. Listings for less than $3/mo. glbtguide.com.

CONGRATULATIONS Bears of the west on a very successful and phabulous PhurFest 2011! Can’t wait for PhurFest 2012!

Downtown Phoenix Public Market is now open on Wednesdays from 4-8pm. Not just on Saturdays anymore!

Support local farmers and artists while also supporting the local economy... and by the way, a little organic food won’t hurt you!

BUSINESS / SERVICE Having a bad hair day? John Krebs of Panache Salon can help you with all of your hair needs. 5533 N. 7th St, Suite 401, Phoenix. Call (602)678-5517.

Blake Housecleaning. Taking care of all your housecleaning needs. Serving all parts of the Valley. Ron Blake 480-241-5651 rblake5551@hotmail.com

COMMUNITY INFO Free Social Group and Nonprofit listings. List your social group or non-profit organization for free at ntouchaz.com! Click on the community directory page and add your listing today!

COUNSELING

Professional tax preparation for individuals and small businesses.

Call Rainbow Tax Service today for your appointment. (602) 265-1631.

Writing your biography? Let a professional edit and proof your manuscript for a reasonable price.

Call for rates. 602-957-1638.

Mobile bookkeeper for small business. I’ll crunch your numbers so that you can focus on what you do best. Contact Dave Connell at 602-400-5383.

Personal Fitness Training.

Blake Fitness is the name to know for all your fitness training needs.

15 years of experience and still having fun! Ron Blake 480-2415651 myblakefitness.com

Remodeled Rental 7th St/ Maryland Small triplex, private end unit $595.00 per month, water included. 1 bed/1 bath, 850 sqft, travertine throughout, french doors, upgraded kitchen, lots of storage, walk in closet, mature landscaping. Move in Ready! Arizona Lifestyle Realty, 480-861-8744 Roommate wanted to share nice house in quiet neighborhood near 36th St. and Indian School.

Available Feb. 1st. 2 bed/2bath, covered parking, washer dryer, wireless internet, cable tv, private backyard, no smoking in house, dog allowed (no cats). $600 plus 1/2 utilities. Call John at 602-5023313.

Shortsale, taking backup offers. 3,000+ Square Feet in this highly upgraded Trend Homes development. 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath. Gourmet Kitchen. R/O and Water Softner. Gate courtyard entry. $175,000. Arizona Lifestyle Realty, 480-861-8744

Patio style home. 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1500+ Square feet, 2 car garage, private yard and patio, gated courtyard entry. $157,500. Arizona Lifestyle Realty, 480-861-8744

FOR SALE

Now, Voyager Hypnotherapy/ Coaching- Let me help you improve many areas of your life.

Visit NowVoyagerHypnosis.com for some ideas or call 602-3016551. The Mind Is The Greatest Vessel!

Licensed Professional Counselor - Call Rene Broussard, LPC for a Caring Counselor who knows our community, from the inside out: 480-751-1020. Sliding Scale Fee and Free Initial Consultation Available.

FOR RENT/LEASE

For LEASE - $2500.00 Luxury living, 2/2, Bridge, Mountain, Lake and City light views, ground level. Arizona Lifestyle Realty, 480-861-8744

52 | Issue #83 | June 2011 | ntouchaz.com

LUXURY PENTHOUSE 207 W. Clarendon #22E 1566 sq.ft. 2 split Master BRs/2 full baths. Eat-in kitchen. LR/ DR. Pool,spa,tennis,light-rail. 24/7 front desk. $395,000.00. Linda Pool - Keller Williams - (480)600-7504 lindapool@cox.net

Shortsale, taking backup offers. Tenant occupied. Immediate cashflow possible. 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath. R/O and Water Softner, central vac, surround sound. Near 22nd Street & Southern Ave. $89,900. Arizona Lifestyle Realty, 480-861-8744

Shortsale. 3 bedroom, 2 bath.

22nd Place and University in Mesa. $79,900 - pre-approved at this price. Arizona Lifestyle Realty, 480-861-8744

505 W Wayland Dr in Phoenix1200+ Square Feet, 3 bedroom, 2 bath. $95,000. Arizona Lifestyle Realty, 480-861-8744

Vacant Land for Sale! Central Phoenix. 36th St/ Thomas. Ideal for seasoned investors & developers. Less than $1.78 per sqft of land. Potential for mutli family units or single family home. Listed at $9,000. Seller may carryback up to $10k-. The Ron Houston Group 602-402-2459. Arizona Lifestyle Realty.

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CLASSIFIEDS Experienced Licensed Massage Therpist and Experienced Cosmetologist for upscale central Phoenix salon. Call George or David at 602277-8849 for more information.

LANDSCAPING FOR SALE: Uptown Gem of a Home 1024 West Georgia Avenue, Pasadena Neighborhood, Walkability Score 67, Energy efficient 3 bedrms, 1.75 baths. 1900 sq. ft has home office entry. Spacious corner lot, walled privacy, paddle fans, skylights, A/C and evap.

Security doors thruout & alarm system. Detached 2+ car port with secure storage, Offered at $235,000. MLS # 4186597, 10 2 4 w g e o r g i a a v e . e p r o p e rtysites.com. Owner/agent John E. Hughes, Jr. (520) 907-6792.

VOX | Landscaping & Construction Complete landscaping design including walls, stucco, pavers, fireplaces, barbeques and metal work. Call Beth Rohlfs, Owner at 480538-8081 | ROC# 262709

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HEALTH Are you experiencing any of the following? Hot flashes, mood swings, low sex drive, weight gain, depression, headaches, anxiety, foggy thinking, vaginal dryness, prolonged fatigue? Call 1-888-314-3413

HELP WANTED Bartenders/Cocktail Servers Wanted Looking for at least 2 years experience or customer service equivalent. Stop into the Rock for an application, 4129 N 7th Ave, Phoenix AZ 85013. 602-248-8559

< continued from page 29 Will you be performing it at Pride in the Pines?

I don’t know. It depends on when it will be released. I would have to say no at this moment. Flagstaff Pride is just a couple weeks away. I don’t know, it might be too premature to do but we will see.

What can your fans and those people who have never seen you perform before expect at Pride?

They can expect great vocals. All live. (laughs) There will be a lot of energy and a lot of hits they know.

Have you ever seen any drag performers do Taylor Dayne?

Goodbye... < continued from page 48 Rainbow Massage Therapy.

Bring this ad in for $10.00 off your massage. Located near 7th Ave & Indian School. Swedish & Hot Stone. Call (602) 2651631 to make your appointment or e-mail rainbowmassagephx. com (MT-09329)

Purchase Classified Advertising Online! ntoucha z.com

news / politics / business / opinion

Taylor Dayne...

est person in my family. I am, I guess, the matriarch (and patriarch) of my family. My daughter and 6-year-old granddaughter are in Seattle, where I spent most of my adult life. I feel pulled back to the NW. Tucson, Wingspan, SAGA and all of the various communities I’ve worked and played with here have meant much to me. I feel honored to be able to move so freely in this town.

I am amazed how easy it is to talk with anyone I feel the need to talk to. I feel a deep sadness about moving away from you all. You are in my heart and a part of my soul.

I’ve been honored to be a part of the U of A President’s LGBT Diversity Advisory Council. It was extraordinary to see this group make significant differences in the university’s prac-

Of course I have. (laughs) Oh my God. Some of them look better in a dress than I do.

I have a couple of quick questions from some of our readers. First, “have you really ever danced with a stranger.” (laughs) A lot of times.

Next is, “have you ever tore up a hotel room.”

Eh, that’s relative. I am not a trasher but I am sure some maid wasn’t to pleasant with me the next day. But it was nothing deliberate.

Is there anything else that you want to tell ‘N Touch readers?

I am looking forward to it. Everyone please come down to the show.

It’s going to be awesome. tices. Our “bathroom subcommittee” helped craft trans-inclusive changes.

What started in the bathrooms has spread to the dorms. Work with the U of A, on this committee, with Pride Alliance, and with UMC and the Med School have enlightened me.

So, after all of this, I am ready to move on to a different set of challenges and a different phase of my life. I will be a more tangible part of my family in Seattle. I will get to play with my granddaughter. I will be returning to where there is water in the rivers, the trees are green, and the politics are a bit less challenging.

I hope to find ways to contribute to the folks in the NW. I want to play a bit more. Maybe do some writing.

I hope to have a place for you to visit when you crave a bit of cool damp inspiration. I may do some winter couch surfing in Tucson. I will miss all of you a lot.

ntouchaz.com | June 2011 | Issue #83 | 53

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Community Tire 40th St/Univ

602-470-0677

Ain’t Nobody’s Biz (TUC)

520-318-4838

Community Tire Cottonwood

928-634-0705

Chute

602-234-1654

Colors Restaurant (TUC)

520-323-1840

IBT’s (TUC)

520-882-3053

Kobalt

602-264-5307

Dave Connell

602-400-5383

Glenchrist Tax Preparation

602-644-1045

Chiropractic In Touch Chiropractic

602-548-1998

Counseling / Addiction Man 2 Man

602-307-5330

Stonewall Institue

602-535-6468

Design & Web Services Lionwood Visual Design

GayTucson.com 602-402-2459

602-978-0251

Bookkeeping & Taxes

Real Estate Services Tony Ray Baker/Tierra Ant.

623-694-4737

Community Tire Glendale

602-277-8849

928-864-7680

Dorian Kreiling/ReMax

602-992-2830

Salon Georvid

480-287-3780

Marric Studios (FLAG)

Ron Houston/AZ Lifestyle

Community Tire North Phx

Beauty

Danton Photography

Church of the Holy Spirit

602-568-4068

Community Church of Hope

602-234-2180

Gentle Shepherd

602-864-6404

TIHAN

520-299-6647

Restaurants Bitz-ee Mamas

623-931-0562

Caffé Italia

602-749-9228

Linda’s on Osborn

602-956-4420

520-293-7339

Slice of Sicily Pizza

602-667-3331

Rainbow Cactus

602-971-1086

Rock, The

602-248-8559

Retail Shopping

Woody’s (TUC)

520-292-6702

Loft Cinema, The (TUC) Pulse Tucson (TUC)

loftcinema.com

Pets Central Phx Animal Pawzapalooza

602-277-5155 480-659-9933

Chute Store

chutestore.com

Off Chute Too

602-274-1429

STD Testing / Services AZMAN2MAN

602-307-5330

Taxi/Transportation: Discount Cab

602-266-8747

602-413-0954

Event Services Celebrate Your Life

623-463-3470

Financial Services Glenchrist Tax Preparation

602-644-1045

US Bank, Jonathon Humig (TUC) 520-664-1624 Wells Fargo

wellsfargo.com

Health Care Dr. Damien Brandeis, NMD

480-855-6560

Dr. Lindsay Pearson (TUC)

520-302-4033

The Medicine Shoppe (TUC)

520-461-1125

Southern AZ AIDS Foundation

520-628-7223

Home Services Floor Source

602-2-SOURCE

PartyLite

602-410-9825

Information / Support One Voice Community Cntr PFLAG of Payson PRISM @ NAU

602-712-0111 928-476-2358

facebook.com/prism.nau

Insurance Ken Leombruno

602-971-5799

54 | Issue #83 | June 2011 | ntouchaz.com

news / politics / business / opinion

June 18-19, 2011

TWOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A PARTY Denver is the perfect blend of urban energy and outdoor adventure, all set against the amazing Rocky Mountain backdrop. And June 18-19, the Mile High City celebrates PrideFest, bringing the parade right into the heart of downtown and offering plenty of live entertainment all weekend long. Plan your Pride getaway and find great deals. VISITDENVER.COM/GLBT

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