October 21, 2015
Issue 1604
Former Arizona GOP chair calls for disarming blacks ... only cent Democratic presidential debate, Pullen came up with hands-down the most racist political tweet of 2015.
Hillary: Equality Act would be highest priority as president OBSERVER STAFF KEENE, N.H. -- In answer to a question from a bisexual student, Hillary Clinton said recently at a town hall meeting at Keene State College that providing civil rights for the LGBT community would be her "highest priority" as president.
"Yes black lives matter," Pullen wrote. "The best way Skidmore/Flickr
OBSERVER STAFF PHOENIX -- For a nanosecond there, it looked as if Republicans in the U.S. House might run away with the Extreme Asshat Award in their search for a speaker who has severed his last tie with humanity -- thus grabbing the spotlight from Arizona Repubs.
"Yes black lives matter. The best way to end the slaughter of young black men is to take guns away from blacks as they are the main killers."
"Marriage isn't the end of the debate, it's a step along the path to true equality. You will be able to count on me to fight for you," Clinton said, according to JoeMyGod.
-- Randy Pullen, disgraced former chairman of the Arizona GOP
Silly you if you believed it! Disgraced former state chairman Randy Pullen couldn't stand D.C. getting all the attention, so during the re-
Inside Tucson Pride Photos on 8, 9 and 12
Sexters say they’re ready to spread vagina emojis Page 6
Two accept deal in Philly gay beating, but police chief’s daughter wants a trial Page 5
Rand Paul: Government shouldn’t protect LGBTs Page 4 Are black people even U.S. citizens anymore?
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It’s been too long since we had our daily laugh from Kim Davis! Page 3
She emphasized that the fact "you can get married on Saturday and get fired on Monday" is an issue that still needs to be addressed.
to end the slaughter of young black men is to take guns away from blacks as they are the main killers." Continued on page 3
Tucsonans gather to commemorate Latino HIV/AIDS awareness TUCSON -- October 15th, more than 400 Tucsonans gathered to commemorate National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. The 13th Annual Community Dinner & Conversation took place at the Historic Pima County Courthouse, where organizers lit the courthouse façade (page 16) in a vibrant red in observation of Latino HIV/AIDS awareness. In Pima County, one in four new cases of HIV affect Latinos. NLAAD is celebrated every year as the culmination to Hispanic Heritage Month. Locally, the planning committee gave its prestigious Christian Barco Community Leadership Award to Jaime B. Arrieta, an HIV prevention advocate who created the Voz program at the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation. The evening’s emcees included Planned Parenthood Arizona’s Edna Meza Aguirre and Arizona Daily Star Columnist Neto Portillo Jr.
Continued on page 10
Police nab suspect in 21st U.S. killing of trans person this year Zella Ziona was shot after an argument in a shopping center parking lot and died at a hospital in the Washington, D.C., area.
Story on page 12
Become an old married throuple? Three men want to marry, raise kids OBSERVER STAFF Three Canadian men in a three-way relationship set off quite a fecal firestorm when they told the Daily Mail they want to get married and have kids together.
The evening’s theme was “Moments That Matter,” a theme that has been included in the committee’s awareness campaign, which includes radio ads, bus bench and bus shelter displays, print advertisements, and a 30 second PSA aired on Univision Arizona. To get tested for HIV, text your zip code to 566-948 to find your nearest HIV testing provider.
Naturally, some of the newspaper's readers believe it's their business to make the men's decision for them. As one highly rated comment goes: "I don't understand how this is considered acceptThey don't want to do marriage your way, and who's to say they should?
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Mineral collection returns to its roots at Bisbee museum BISBEE -- A 32-piece collection of minerals that once belonged to a co-founder of The Bank of Bisbee has been donated to the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum. The collection has been on loan to the museum since 2001, exhibited along with two other significant collections from Bisbee pioneers. The collection's original owner, M.J. Cunningham, opened The Bank of Bisbee with four colleagues on Feb. 19, 1900. That bank eventually became part of Bank of America, which donated the collection. Included are azurite crystal on malachite, hematite, crystalline gold on quartz and gypsum. Born in San Francisco, Cunningham moved to Arizona in 1881. He is one of those responsible for the location of the city of Douglas and he served on the boards of several predecessors of the Phelps Dodge Mining Co., now known as Freeport McMoRan. The Bisbee museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate. More information is available at www.bisbeemuseum.org.
TSA agents to stop calling trans body parts 'anomalies' WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Airport security personnel with the Transportation Safety Administration will no longer refer to transgender travelers' body parts as "anomalies," officials told The Advocate last week. The policy change comes as the result of a public shitstorm over an experience live-tweeted from the Orlando International Airport during a period of several hours by trans woman Shadi Petosky. Petosky's story gave rise to a trending hashtag #travelingwhiletrans, which highlights instances of TSA's lack of gender-sensitive training. Last week, 32 members of Congress signed an open letter to TSA urging the agency to change its current protocols for screening trans passengers. The letter recommended, among other things, that TSA body screenings not rely on subjectively chosen gender identifications. TSA scanning machines use a gender-specific computer algorithm to screen passengers. When the machine finds a discrepancy with the gender selection made by the TSA agent, a yellow box, referred to as a "anomaly," appears on the scan. The system will continue to high-
OBSERVER light such discrepancies, but agents will no longer refer to them as "anomalies," according to last week's announcement. Transgender travelers concerned about the body scans can call TSA at 855-787-2227.
Russia sentences nine in torture of young gay men Nine members of a neo-Nazi vigilante group have been sentenced for the gang torture of at least 19 young gay men lured by dating ads, according to Gay Star News. The Sinarsky District Court Kamensk-Ural sentenced six members of Occupy Pedophilia to three to six years in prison, while three others got suspended sentences. After the gay men were lured by ads, they were bullied and tortured and forced to come out as gay on videos intended to be shared with the public. Several were driven to suicide. Occupy Pedophilia became active after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a ban on "homosexual propaganda," which prohibited demonstrations and any discussion of "non-traditional sexual relations." The group, whose leader Maxim Martsinkevich was already serving jail time, claimed it was protecting children with its acts of brutality.
Bernie gives money from drug skank Shkreli for HIV aid Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders didn't waste much time when his campaign got the maximum individual donation ($2,700) from drug ho Martin Shkreli: The donation went straight to a clinic that specializes in the treatment of HIV. Shkreli became notorious last month when his startup, Turing Pharmaceuticals, hiked the price of a drug used in treating HIV and AIDS by 5,000 percent -- from $13.50 per pill to $750 per pill. The drug, Daraprim, is used in the treatment of toxoplasmosis, which disproportionately affects those who are HIV-positive. Sanders has been especially critical of what he considers price-gouging in the pharmaceutical industry. Shkreli, while saying he will reduce the price of Daraprim somewhat after the public outcry, remains especially cynical about both Sanders and Hillary Clinton. He reportedly is furious that Sanders won't meet with him, accusing
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Sanders of "appealing to the masses ... he's just kind of talking out of his rear end so that he gets some votes."
NFL owner donates $10,000 to Houston anti-equality drive HOUSTON -- While most of the National Football League is trying to be more welcoming of gay players and LGBT fans, Houston Texans owner Bob McNair just donated $10,000 to the effort to repeal Houston's LGBT-inclusive human-rights ordinance, the Houston Chronicle reported. The campaign has focused primarily on the law's protection of transgender people, claiming it will produce bathrooms full of sexual predators -which has not happened so far in cities with similar laws. Most local business leaders and celebrities have spoken out in favor of the ordinance, but the anti-gay group Family Research Council trumpeted McNair's donation by saying, "Like so many locals, he's strongly against forcing local businesses to swallow their beliefs and celebrate sexual immorality." Houston is scheduled to host the 2017 Super Bowl.
Vatican monsignor comes out, gets fired posthaste VATICAN CITY -- A high-ranking Polish priest got fired from his position in the Vatican press office soon after coming out in an Italian newspaper, according to BuzzFeed. Monsignor Krzysztof Charamsa told Corriere della Sera he is gay and in a relationship with a man. The paper reported that he was prepared to face the consequences of his decision, but just wanted the church to know "he's happy and proud of his identity." Charamsa also disagreed with Pope Francis' 2013 assertion that there's a "gay lobby" within the Vatican. "I met homosexual priests, often isolated like me ... but no gay lobby," he said. According to the Vatican, Charamsa has lived in Rome for 17 years and worked at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith since 2003. He also serves as assistant secretary of the International Theological Commission and teaches theology at two of Rome's pontifical universities.
UK general says gays make more effective army
The commander of the United Kingdom's land forces has called for more homosexuals and trans people to sign
October 21, 2015 up, according to the Financial Times. "[Diversity] in our ranks gives us a breadth of understanding and capability we don't get in any other way," Lt. Gen. James Everard said in an interview. "We need to reach into [places] that probably people would have said were nontraditional — away from the working class of Middesborough and all that sort of stuff and into a much more diverse and broader range of characters. That's hugely important for us," he said. "Operational effectiveness is at the top of the pile" of reasons, Everard said. "Diverse teams, well-led, are far more effective than bog-standard teams." The UK dropped its ban on LGBT service members in 2000, but lately it's been actively encouraging their recruitment.
1830 E Broadway Blvd #124-215 Tucson, AZ 85719 www.observerweekly.com info@observerweekly.com Voice Mail 520-812-0909 Editor-In-Chief Bob Ellis Executive Editor Nicholas K. M. Pafford Senior Editor Greg Miller Assistant Editor Christine Beall Assistant Editor Christopher L. Pankratz Phoenix Area Distribution T-Media Promotion Send Classifieds, Inquiry Letters, etc to: info@observerweekly.com Publication of names or photos of any person or organization in the Observer Weekly is not to be construed as indication of the sexual orientation of such person, organization or advertisers or any employees thereof. Opinions expressed by contributors, advertisers or in PSA’s are not necessarily those of the Observer, its staff or advertisers. The Observer assumes responsibility for its own editorial policy only. © 2014 by Observer Publications Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted or archived in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Observer Publications Inc.
October 21, 2015
GUEST COLUMN
OBSERVER
WEEKLY
It's been too long since we had our daily laugh from Kim Davis!
Looks as if the curtain came down on Kim Davis' first 15 minutes of fame. Durn. She was fun while she lasted. However, reports say she confiscated the state's marriage-license applications and substituted her own version that doesn't identify the county and has no place for the clerk's signature.
So far, he hasn't even tried to back off -- he just says his tweet was taken out of context. No matter how many times he might insist "Well, I meant ... " the fact remains that he said what he said. Today's Republicans are continually having to say "Well, I meant ... " every time they say something so outrageous it sets off a public shitstorm.
Her most recent ploy for attention, in which her lawyer claimed she had a private meeting with the pope which apparently turned out to be a few seconds in a line with 100 other people, didn't go so well. ican itself' — which reads as his deceptive way of saying, 'Pope Francis didn't actually invite Davis to the embassy, but someone with Vatican connections did, so we're going to keep saying Vatican over and over until enough people think the Holy Father actually invited our client to meet him," Ambrosino chortled.
So once again, we're back to "facts don't matter."
Then again, what they said before it and after it usually makes clear that they DID say what they meant -- they're just aghast afterward that most people found it unacceptable.
Talk about "facts don't matter" -that was a whopper out of whole cloth.
Just a few years ago, Pullen was not only a Republican power at the state level -- he rose as high as treasurer of the Republican National Committee.
The story from Staver said Pope Francis had been following the Kentucky county clerk's fight against marriage equality and encouraged her with bated breath to "stay strong."
Turned out that the "meeting" was orchestrated by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the Vatican ambassador to the U.S., who has a long history of homophobia.
The Vatican says Pope Francis didn't even know who Davis was when he held her hand in the receiving line along with a hundred other people, and certainly did not mean to support her homophobia.
That's a red flag right there -- Vigano is a big booster of the previous pope and one of those people ("both within the Clan of the Red Beanie and without," in Charles Pierce's delightful phrase) who are not so pleased with the new one.
Almost immediately, Staver tried to soft-pedal his story in an interview with Time magazine: This time, he simply "assumed" that Pope Francis knew who his client was because "her story has been published worldwide" and she's often recognized in airports.
Brandon Ambrosino at The Daily Beast was one of the first to call feces on the Liberty Counsel story plant.
That was pretty funny because one of the ways Davis is recognized in airports is by her ass-length hair, which was bundled up for the pope visit rather than hanging loose.
Well, at least we got that settled. Pope 1, Liberty Counsel 0.
Staver eventually argued that "whether or not his story was factually accurate, it was symbolically accurate," as Ambrosino expressed it.
For now, though, I'm kind of missing the daily pronouncements about Kim the Asshat Clerk. Could we please bring her back for an encore?
"According to Davis’ lawyer, Mat Staver, the meeting came 'from the Vat-
They never seem to learn that not being able to express oneself clearly pretty much disqualifies one for public office to begin with.
And don't forget: This story also involved the tale of 100,000 people gathering in Peru to pray for Kim Davis. The photo provided was quickly identified as an event from 2014 and nothing remotely connected to Davis.
Anyone -- and I mean anyone -reading the story released by Liberty Counsel about the pope-Kim tete-a-tete must have noticed that there weren't many details. Almost in minutes, reporters with Vatican contacts were ripping it to shreds.
"Who, for instance, initiated the meeting — and why?" Ambrosino asked.
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But Pullen didn't say that. He just called for taking guns away from blacks.
That means she's angling for more jail time -- and certainly should already be there -- in order to stretch her moment in the spotlight.
Very select group, Kimmie.
Former Arizona GOP chair calls for disarming blacks ... only It's possible Pullen meant that blacks are the main killers of other blacks. Bloggers were quick to point out that that's true, just as whites are the main killers of whites -- proving only that people tend to kill whoever's near when they go over the edge.
By R.D. Smith GUEST COLUMNIST
Turns out there were some really scurrilous people in that line, including the ass pimple who became famous as a spokesman for Subway while investing his gains in child molesting.
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While I have no great faith in the Vatican bureaucracy as a fount of truth, I'll let you decide whether it's more reliable than a gaggle of goose-feather brains including Kim Davis and her lawyer from Jerry Falwell College -- pardon me, Liberty University -- who have quite obviously NOT been too strict about the truth through this whole sad affair. Maybe Staver thought he could drive the pope into a corner and dare him to respond, and the pope would simply turn the other cheek and not defend himself.
No doubt it was all for fund-raising purposes and was wildly successful.
He sank into a quagmire involving the biggest single donation received by the state GOP, which largely was used to produce an attack ad against an opponent of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio -- an ad so toxic it was pulled after one day because of public outrage. Pullen has since been trying to cleanse himself of the aroma from that fallout. So who gives a damn what Pullen says these days? No doubt that's the problem -- he was feeling left out, so he tried to figure out a way to get back in the news. Boy, did he ever!
OW
October 21, 2015 OBSERVER WEEKLY Trial opens in drugging, Rand Paul: Government killing of four gay Londoners shouldn't protect LGBTs
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OBSERVER STAFF If you sometimes wonder which century the GOP prezidunces think they're running in, you aren't alone.
Special-needs teacher Stephen Port is accused of murdering gay men he met online.
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has been trying his best to undo his recent statement at Drake University in Iowa that he didn't think government should protect workers against anti-gay job discrimination. "I don't know if we need to keep adding to different classifications to say government needs to be involved in the hiring and firing," said the GOP presidential candidate. "I think society is rapidly changing and if you are gay, there are plenty of places that will hire you."
OBSERVER STAFF LONDON -- Trial opened Monday in Barkingside Magistrates Court, East London, for 40-year-old Stephen Port, accused of killing four young gay men he met via dating websites and overdosed on the date-rape drug GHB. The BBC reported that the deaths occurred over a 15-month period from June 2014 to September 2015. Two of the bodies were left near St. Margaret's Church in Barking, East London, and discovered on different dates by the same dog walker. All four bodies were within Barking, where Port also lives. Neighbors say they saw little of him. Authorities initially thought the men died of drug overdoses. Port's
alleged
victims
included
fashion student Anthony Walgate, 23; Slovakian-born artist Gabriel Kovari, 22; chef trainee Daniel Whitworth, 21; and forklift operator Jack Taylor, 25. One victim was found clutching a suicide note, but it's understood that the note is now being subjected to more forensic testing. A year ago a detective investigating the discovery of three bodies in a month, and within a mile of each other, said the deaths were "unusual, but not suspicious." Port was remanded into custody after his court appearance; he was scheduled to appear again at the Old Bailey before the week was out. His Facebook page says he was educated at Oxford University.
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Banning anti-LGBT discrimination only creates "a class of people who can now sue," he said.
"I think society is rapidly changing and if you are gay, there are plenty of places that will hire you." -- U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, hoping to be your president but opposed to your equality
He voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act when it came up in 2013. He defended that vote in an op-ed piece in the Louisville CourierJournal, saying it's "offensive" to compare the 1960s civil-rights struggle with the fight to end anti-gay bias.
now you have a reason you [were fired]. ... People don't put up a sign and say, 'I'm firing you because you're gay.' It's something that's very much disputed."
"It sets up a whole industry for people who want to sue," he said. "If you happen to be gay and you get fired,
But presumably not disputed by people on the receiving end of the discrimination.
Judge finally tells Kentucky: Decide if Davis' made-up license forms are legal or not OBSERVER STAFF ASHLAND, Ky. -- Since state officials obviously don't want to get off the dime, U.S. District Judge David Bunning last week ordered Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear to find out whether Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis' altered marriage-license applications can stand up in court. Davis was pissed about being ordered to issue same-sex licenses, so she substituted forms that do not include a place for her signature or even identify the county that's issuing them. Davis herself has said the forms are illegal, as has her attorney and the ACLU of Kentucky, representing the four couples who sued her for not issuing licenses as her job description requires.
"They are not worth the paper they're written on," said her attorney, Mat Staver of the Jerry Falwell-related Liberty Counsel, before he recently changed his story and insisted the forms are valid. Beshear previously said he's confident the paperwork is legal. But in terms of legality, it normally would be the state attorney general whose word would carry weight on the issue. When Bunning approved Davis' release from jail on contempt of court charges, he warned her not to interfere with the issuance of marriage licenses. Of course, she had already made it clear with her defiance of the U.S. Supreme Court that she does not intend to submit to federal judges' authority.
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Page 5 WEEKLY Westboro gargoyles may Two accept deal in Philly gay picket Davis courthouse beating, but police chief's daughter wants a trial
Kevin Harrigan walks to the criminal justice center in Philadelphia last week. He and Philip Williams, accused of beating a gay couple on a Philadelphia street last year, must stay out of downtown under a plea agreement that spares them prison time. The radical, anti-gay Westboro wants to show its disdain for the Kentucky clerk's "adultery."
OBSERVER STAFF TOPEKA, Kan. -- You might think the Westboro Baptist Church nut jobs would be very supportive of the Kim Davis nut job. On the contrary, Westboro members say Davis should issue same-sex marriage licenses because Davis' serial husband-swapping caused God to punish the U.S. with same-sex marriage in the first place. (God shakes head and regrets Creation.) And soooooo ... the Westboro crew is threatening to picket Kentucky's Rowan County courthouse, in which the "fake Christian" (Westboro's description) Davis' office is the main tourist attraction these days. "Kim claims that she has lived in proud sin for many years, divorcing and remarrying, not one time or two times, in fact you need a score card to keep track," Westboro said in a press release. "That man that Kim Davis is living with and calling her husband, IS NOT! Her husband is Dwain Wallace, who she married when she was 18 years old. It does not matter how many years you pile on, it was adultery at the beginning and it was adultery in the middle
"Kim Davis . . . has decided that her adultery is less sin than the sin of the sodomites." -- Westboro Baptist Church press release saying that if Kim Davis had really repented, she'd have dissolved her fourth marriage as "adultery" and it is indeed adultery today!" All that's missing is a pulpit, thunder and lightning. "If Kim Davis received mercy from God and grace, as she claims, she would, with all due haste put her sin away. She would mourn for her sins, and in a show of great mercy, she would be busy apologizing to the fags for enabling them, and she would, with all diligence, give those perverts a marriage license." This is not a "Saturday Night Live" parody, folks. This is the state of the nation, regardless of what presidents may say over and over in that famous January speech.
OBSERVER STAFF PHILADELPHIA -- Two of the three suspects in the beating of a gay couple last year in a ritzy downtown Philadelphia area have accepted plea deals to avoid potential prison time. The third, Kathryn Knott -- daughter of the police chief in the wealthy suburban township of Abington -- insisted on going to trial. The plea agreements for Philip Williams, 24, and Keith Harrigan, 26, require them to stay away from downtown for several years, pay nearly $1,000 in restitution and perform 200 hours of public service at a facility serving the LGBT community. Neither man spent a day in jail. Gay writer and activist Dan Savage called the sentences "appalling." The three are accused of beating Zachary Hesse and Andy Haught, leaving one victim with a broken jaw and cheekbones, after shouting anti-gay slurs. Pennsylvania's hate-crime law does not cover sexual orientation.
The plea deal further tarnished that reputation in the eyes of dozens of Twitter users who sent the district attorney's office messages of outrage. One, Sam Ritchie of the Innocence Project, wrote: "They didn't even admit what they did And still they got a slap on the wrist. Shame on you @DASethWilliams! #LGBT". Philip Williams (no relation to the district attorney) must stay away from downtown for the five years of his probation. He pleaded to aggravated assault and conspiracy. Harrigan cannot return until his three years of probation are completed. His plea involved simple assault and conspiracy. Neither objected to the ban, which was also a condition of their bail, Barry said. However, their whereabouts won't be electronically monitored, so the ban will be difficult to enforce.
Assistant District Attorney Michael Barry said the case "affected the sense of security for all people in Center City, particularly people who are gay and lesbian."
"It's not the easiest thing to enforce," Barry acknowledged, but he insisted that many downtown police officers are familiar with the case and the defendants.
The defendants, he said, damaged Philadelphia's reputation as a safe, gay-friendly city.
Enforcement apparently might depend on how those officers feel about gay bashers.
October 21, 2015 OBSERVER WEEKLY California governor signs Sexters say they're ready five laws that benefit LGBTs to spread vagina emojis
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OBSERVER STAFF SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Gov. Jerry Brown this month signed a law regulating the placement and treatment of transgender foster youth, as well as four other laws that potentially help LGBT citizens. The measures take effect Jan. 1. The foster-care law is reportedly the first in the nation to require that care-givers and state agents respect a young person's gender identity when placing foster children. The other new laws signed by Brown will: 1) protect the jobs of transgender people who work for state contractors (if the contract involves more than $100,000);
2) require that unmarried parents using assisted reproduction be treated the same as married persons in the same circumstances, drop a requirement that a doctor or sperm bank must be involved in assisted reproduction, and provide clear direction on how egg donors must be treated; 3) provide resources and information to aid teachers in identifying and assisting LGBT students in need of support in dealing with bullying or lack of social acceptance; and 4) allow state agencies that oversee public health to collect voluntarily shared data on the sexual orientation and gender identity of the people they serve, just as they collect other types of demographic data; if the agencies see significant health disparities related to these characteristics, those disparities must be reported to legislators and the public.
Flirtmoji These are the first five vaginas to peek out at the mass market.
OBSERVER STAFF Google Play Store and Apple App Store both just say no, but sexters insist the vagina emoji is an idea whose time has come. The app stores, of course, censor sexually explicit content, so displaying ladyparts is a road they definitely aren't ... um ... "going down" right now. Earlier this month, though, a sexpositive startup called Flirtmoji released the first five of its proposed new "visual language" of 200 vaginas to wide acclaim. Alanna Vagianos, women's editor at The Huffington Post, immediately wrote that they're "absolutely adorable." Flirtmoji artists Jeremy Yingling and Katy McCarthy (the company's founders are a self-described "group of hornballs," but let's be dignified and call them artists, OK?) say their new creations are "designed to empower people of all sexualities to communicate their desires, concerns and flirtations." Each of their vaginas is unique in shape, size, color and haircut -- sort of like the real thing. "We're trying to empower people to better communicate their needs and wants in sex," Yingling told The Huffing-
ton Post. "Visual language is powerful stuff. With Flirtmoji, we worked hard to create the visual language that sex deserves: playful, sex-positive, bodycentric, entirely inclusive art." Yingling also said the app stores' censorship is unhealthy for society. "Keeping open lines of sex-positive communication is a crucial part of having a healthy sex life," he told HuffPost. "And a world of people having consensual, healthy sex is a good place to be. ... "Now we're equipped with phones and the potentiality to continue to embrace and grow our sexuality, but certain tech powerhouses have embraced rigid censorship parameters," he added. A quick survey of female friends in various age groups indicated women are very supportive of the idea -- in many cases, enthusiastically so. Of course, our female friends are not members of One Million Moms, which probably will view the situation differently. Flirtmoji's creations aren't all body parts, either. The company also features other sex emojis as "a playful way to talk about sex, sexuality and consent in a playful and healthy way," as Vagianos described them.
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The LGBT community doesn't need straight 'friends' who jeopardize credibility
Cop off the force after biting testicles during bar fight
By R.D. Smith GUEST COLUMNIST
BALTIMORE -- A Baltimore man is no longer an Anne Arundel County police officer after being charged with public intoxication and biting a man's testicles in a fight outside a bar last spring, police said.
The latest hot political trend is that more anti-abortion activists increasingly want to also be perceived as pro-gay.
No information about the exact circumstances of his leaving were provided.
I'm not getting into the argument that somehow it makes sense to say the government should not make personal decisions for LGBT citizens unless the L or the T gets pregnant, in which case the government should force her to give birth.
Michael Flaig, a 10-year veteran of the department, got into the fight outside a bar after a man told him to stop groping the man's female roommate, according to police documents. Flaig, 31, was charged with second-degree assault and public intoxication, but police decided not to prosecute the assault charge after Flaig agreed to plead guilty to endangering the safety of another person.
Let's just remind ourselves that we daily see admonitions that as long as one of us isn't free to make our own decisions, none of us are. I thought that made good sense, and I still do.
community to gain some credibility with the wider community, and nobody needs Daleiden's help to jeopardize the progress made.
(Yes, I know about the Pro-Life Alliance of Gays and Lesbians; the fact that it exists doesn't make it rational -- today's Republican Party exists, for crying out loud!)
No doubt this is mostly a generational thing: Daleiden's generation is widely tolerant of LGBT issues, and the anti-abortion movement no doubt will need to adapt or perish.
But one recent development simply goes over the line, and his name is antiabortion activist David Daleiden.
If Daleiden or any other forcedbirther wants to be pro-gay, it's up to them to justify how they pick and choose which rights get approved and which don't.
When he spoke to the anti-gay Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit last month, he made a plea for gay rights. The big news there was that the news media took very little notice. For those of you who don't recognize Daleiden's name, he was behind a recent project that's still being called a Planned Parenthood video about selling baby parts -- despite his own admission on CNN that the baby shown in the video was still-born and not connected in any way with an abortion. When the CNN interviewer pointed this out, Daleiden repeatedly insisted "it's still the same kind of fetus." No functional adult doesn't know the difference between "aborted" and simply "born dead." In other words, Daleiden is a bigtime liar who loves the spotlight but who isn't even good at faking his lies. It's taken decades for the LGBT
Tyger
the baby's head emerges. Later interpretations of spilling "the blood of man in man" came up with an abortion ban, but originally even the punishment for that was considered to be by "the hands of heaven," not under man's law.
Flaig received a letter of commendation from the county police foundation in 2011.
Most of what the anti-abortion movement teaches is superstition; they claim it to be from God because what other authority can they claim for it? Daleiden has proven himself not to be an honest messenger for even that limited message. The gay community can appreciate his vote; his dishonesty needs to stay elsewhere.
But it's up to the community to make it clear that the likes of Daleiden are not welcome to fake any videos to "promote" LGBT rights nor is he welcome to appoint himself a community spokesman in any way as he's done on the "pro-life" issue. The wider Christian community is finally noticing that if God ordains persecution of gays, that fact didn't get recorded in the Bible. Daleiden, who has described himself as "culturally Catholic," is of course free to oppose abortion. What he should not be allowed to do without being called out on it is claim that his opinion speaks for God -- or, for that matter, has any claim to moral superiority. The Torah records God's rules for the early Jews on countless topics, but neglects to include an abortion ban. In fact, in the Talmud is a requirement to terminate a pregnancy if the mother's life is in danger -- right up to the time
This pretty girl is about two years old, and love chin scratches and ear rubs! She’s sweet, and vocal, and will talk with you, if you listen. She is a little shy, but once she warms up, she is so affectionate and sweet. She doesn’t like other kitties very much, as Tyger wants to be your only love. IF you have room in your heart for a sweet girl like her, come down and meet this girl!
To volunteer, call Mark Rosenbaum For support services, call a Link Specialist For more information, events, or to donate, visit www.tihan.org
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Asshats be warned: Take Become an old married throuple? Three men want on 78-year-old George Takei at your own peril to marry, raise kids Continued from page 1
able so SO many reasons including all the psychological studies stating children need both a male AND a female role model parent. What ever happened to those studies? Were they just bonkers?" So many things wrong with that comment, too; for starters, in exactly which country is a three-way marriage "considered acceptable"? Yet, anyway. With three such clean-cut, wholesome-looking ambassadors working to make it happen, maybe some day ... but there's probably no reason for wingnuts to get their knickers in a twist right this minute. A more pertinent question might be: With so many people screaming for smaller government, why is it always those same people who want the government interfering in bedroom issues?
OBSERVER STAFF If you follow "Star Trek" and "Heroes" icon George Takei on social media, you already know it's hard to get the best of him. Somebody named knows that now.
Wajih
Kelly
Last week, for whatever reason, Kelly decided to troll Takei on Facebook with the simple message "George Takei you SUCK". Takei's response was equally simple: "And well, I'm told."
quiet, relaxing retirement," he told the New York Post. "But [my career] has blossomed." One thing that keeps popping him back in the spotlight on occasion: his supposed feud with "Star Trek" co-star William Shatner, described by Takei as the "crazy uncle" of the "Star Trek" cast and one person who is obviously not thrilled about Takei's current popularity. Takei also says it's not a feud -- "I just state the facts as they are."
Takei's profile just keeps growing, ever since he came out as gay 10 years ago and married his partner, Brad. He has said he was reluctant to come out because he felt actor Tab Hunter's career was destroyed by being outed in 1955.
"He [Shatner] made this great big to-do about not getting an invitation to our wedding, two months after our wedding. We did send him an invitation, [so] we were absolutely baffled. If he wanted to come that badly, if something happened in the mail and he didn’t get it, he should have called us before the wedding. But what's the point of making a fuss two months later? Well, as it turned out, we were driving down Sunset Boulevard and we saw a great big billboard advertising William Shatner's new talk show, 'Raw Nerve.' And I said, 'That’s the reason why.' A little controversy always gets you more attention."
Instead, Takei's career revived, he has more than 7 million Facebook followers, and he's in steady demand as a TV guest.
And anybody who wants to stir it up with George Takei, good luck to them -- they'll find him to be the sharpest and hippest 78-year-old out there.
Naturally, social media went wild -- half-a-million or so Facebook likes right away -- over such an awesome response, and before long, the troll was asking Takei "can we be friends again?"
"I had been prepared for a nice,
Play with him at your own peril.
In this case, Adam Grant, 27, was married to Shayne Curran, 29, in 2011. But Sebastian Tran joined the household in 2012, and the two married ones divorced in 2014 in order to make the relationship more equal. "We didn't want Sebastian to be excluded or feel like the third wheel in our relationship," Grant said. "So Shayne and I decided to get a divorce so that we could make a renewed commitment
between the three of us instead. "We want to make sure that we're all equally bound and obligated to each other in marriage," he added. Curran responded, "We're the happiest we've ever been – all our dynamics and personalities work so well in a relationship. The three of us bring out the best in each other. We all sleep in a king size bed together – it's necessary when there's three people in a relationship as well as two dogs who end up getting into your bed!" With same-sex marriage gaining more acceptance, it's probably bringing kids into the equation that's more controversial. But the guys appear serious. "I have two sisters who have both offered to carry our children for us as surrogates and are willing to donate their eggs as well," Curran said. "My sisters actually argue over which one them will carry our baby first – I feel very lucky! "Meanwhile Sebastian's sister will probably donate her eggs, too, so we can keep it in the family. We want to mix our genes enough so that our kids are as genetically close to us as possible. But we're open to adoption, too. "Children are a huge part of our future plans."
Hillary: Equality Act would be highest priority as president Continued from page 1 "We have to pass the Equality Act," she said, referring to legislation that would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal laws to include protections in public accommodations, public education, employment, housing, federal funding, jury service, legal protections and credit for LGBT people. Ummm . . . Maybe she'd like voters to elect a Democratic Senate to help out with that? The student had asked how Clinton's position compares to those of the other candidates. Clinton recently appeared on "Saturday Night Live" and made fun of how her embrace of marriage equality "could have happened sooner." "My views did evolve, and I think most people my age would say the same thing," she said.
October 21, 2015
OBSERVER WEEKLY
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Are black people even U.S. citizens anymore? Not in some states, apparently By R.D. Smith GUEST COLUMNIST Remember how several Republican-controlled states added voter-ID requirements last year and were shocked -- shocked, I tell you -- that most people saw right through the racism behind it? Why, shee-yit, we were told -- all they gotta do is go down to the driver's license office and git 'em uh noo AhDee; ain't nuthin' racist 'bout that. Of course, now it's a year later, and Alabama is leading the way: Just in time for the 2016 presidential farce, Alabama has announced it will close the driver's license offices in EVERY ONE of its most heavily black counties. And of the 10 counties in the state with even a bare majority of blacks, eight will see their driver's license offices closed. Secretary of State John Merrill noted that the impact on voting will be minimal because each county has a board of registrars office that will issue an ID sufficient for voting. So we're good -- only the poor people who want to drive (that is, who want to work, since there's no public transit to speak of) will have to take a day off from work and venture off to another county to get their license. And yes, it will affect plenty of poor whites as well. But in all, the latest action will leave 29 of Alabama's 67 counties -- nearly half -- without a place to get a driver's license, and it just happens that all the heavily black counties are included. And did I mention that the cost for renewing a driver's license in Alabama changed this year from $23.50 to $36.25? I don't suppose that will hit poor people the hardest, either, according to legislators. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (which is responsible for the driver's license offices) saw the Legislature cut its budget by $11 million, so something had to give. State Sen. Arthur Orr, chairman of the Senate General Fund Budget Committee, said the Legislature intended for cuts to be made in the mid-level bureaucracy, not in "direct services to the people." Whatever excuses the legislators may claim, though, it's obvious the law doesn't require that services be maintained or spell out any penalties for not doing it, just as it's obvious the legislators would have known that bureau-
crats wouldn't shaft themselves if given a choice. American Progress Action released a report ("The Health of State Democracies") last summer that rated Alabama last in every category, but this is a national trend -- in GOP states, at least. Nationally, you can expect more stories about people who have voted for 50 years suddenly finding they no longer can: AARP estimates 8 million Americans over the age of 65, or 20 percent of that age group, don't have an ID that will allow them to vote in their state. The elderly are often in a particularly unpleasant bind because many of them were born before births were routinely recorded with the government, so they often do not have the birth certificate required to get the new ID. In South Carolina, a state with a comparatively small population, the re-
cent restrictions are estimated to disenfranchise 178,000 voters, and an Associated Press analysis shows blacks will be most affected. I'm not sure if there's a reliable estimate yet of the number being disenfranchised in Texas, but it's been reported that blacks there are 305 percent more likely than whites to lack the newly required ID and Hispanics are 195 percent more likely. And in Texas, you must remember, a student photo ID won't allow you to
vote (too many damn Democrats there) but a hunting license will. Let's see now, which ethnic group goes after the hunting licenses? It's right on the tip of my tongue . . . The big question in my mind is why the federal government isn't kicking some ass and telling the states to play nice. Oh wait -- we're not in 1970 any more, are we? Nowadays, we can't count on the federal government to do much besides invade a couple more countries.
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OBSERVER
New Jersey archbishop bans Communion for Catholics who support marriage equality
WEEKLY
Police nab suspect in 21st U.S. killing of trans person this year OBSERVER STAFF GAITHERSBURG, Md. -- Zella Ziona, a 21-year-old black trans woman, was found shot in the head in a service alley in a Gaithersburg shopping center last week, and by the weekend police had a 20-year-old suspect in custody charged with first-degree murder. The suspect, Rico Hector Leblond, 20, is believed to have been an acquaintance of Ziona.
Haring/Catholic News Service
Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark, N.J., addresses the pope at the conclusion of Mass at the Pontifical North American College in Rome earlier this year.
OBSERVER STAFF NEWARK, N.J. -- The Roman Catholic archbishop of Newark last week sent his priests strict guidelines on refusing Communion to Catholics who are divorced and remarried or who support same-sex marriage. The views of Archbishop John J. Myers have long been known. The two-page memo also orders parishes and Catholic entities not to host people or organizations that disagree with church teachings, nor are those "who represent the church" allowed to attend events of which he disapproves. It's unlikely to be coincidence that the order comes while Pope Francis is leading a high-level synod in which about 270 bishops debate whether to allow remarried Catholics or those in unmarried couples to receive Communion. There's also little question that Myers issued the order although he's retiring in a few months and a new arch-
GOP chupacabra: Impeach Hillary on her first day WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Other Planets, called last week for Hillary Clinton to be impeached on her first day as president. "In my judgment, with respect to Hillary Clinton, she will be a unique
bishop will be in office. His successor has already been named, in a move seen as placating priests and members angry with Myers. Among the issues: In one case, a priest who was under court order to stay away from children was allowed to work with youths, and in another Myers was criticized for using church funds to pay for pricey renovations to a retirement home. The guidelines also are likely to cause dissension in the 2016 election contests, since candidates who support gay rights or abortion are often challenged by right-wingers over whether they should receive Communion. "Catholics must be in a marriage recognized as valid by the church to receive Holy Communion or the other sacraments," Myers' memo states. "Non-Catholics and any Catholic who publicly rejects church teaching or discipline, either by public statements or by joining or supporting organizations which do so, are not to receive the sacraments." president if she is elected by the public next November, because the day she's sworn in is the day that she's subject to impeachment because she has committed high crimes and misdemeanors," Brooks said on Matt Murphy's radio show. Of course, Rep. Brooks -- Alabama's answer to a light pole -- may have overstepped his bounds when he used the words "in my judgment ... "
Where God's love for all is the good news!
October 21, 2015
Witnesses claimed to have seen a man arguing with Ziona, as well as a confrontation with a group of people who appeared to be teenagers. One witness said he honked his horn until the suspect fled. "[I] blew my horn, stayed on my horn long enough to get his attention, and then he looked up and took off running," said a witness who identified only as "Joe." Another witness, who refused to provide any name at all, told WJLA-TV, "I only saw one gun. It just happened
so fast, and [it was] kind of scary." That witness said Ziona was surrounded by four or five young people at the time, and that four or five rounds were fired. WRC-TV reported that Ziona's mother rushed to the shooting scene and collapsed in grief. Ziona's friends said she had only begun to live openly in the past few months, but repeatedly helped other people adjust to trans life. "She wanted to show the world how to be transgender," her friend Jasmine Black said. Ziona was found at about 5:50 p.m. and was pronounced dead at an area hospital at 8:12 p.m. Police at first identified her as male using her birth name, but changed their reports after talking with her friends. "This is a horrific crime and a tragedy for those who knew Zella," Gaithersburg police Chief J. Thomas Manger said.
OW
LGBT groups release sample legislation to end conversion therapy on youth SAN FRANCISCO — The National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the Human Rights Campaign, released sample legislation for state legislators and equality groups who want to protect LGBTQ youth from the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy. This first-of-its-kind sample legislation draws from best practices in the jurisdictions that have passed successful laws, the more than 20 states that have introduced similar legislation, the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act (a federal bill that takes a fraudbased approach to regulate conversion therapy), and the experience of legal experts working on this vitally important issue. “This sample legislation is the culmination of two decades working to end conversion therapy, three years helping states take legislative steps to protect youth from these ineffective and harmful practices, and a truly exceptional coalition of legal experts from across the country. What has emerged from this extraordinary process is a bill that is both true to our shared values and legally airtight. Moving forward, we could not be more excited to work with state legislators and equality groups equipped with this powerful tool to end conversion therapy once and for all,” said NCLR staff attorney Samantha Ames. “This important sample legislation comes at a critical time in our fight to protect our nation’s LGBTQ youth from the dangerous practice of conversion therapy,” added HRC legal director Sarah Warbelow. “A junk pseudoscience that amounts to nothing more than child abuse, this so-called therapy has been denounced by every mainstream medical and mental health association.
We look forward to partnering with state legislators and key stakeholders in working to pass these vitally important measures to stop this horrific practice once and for all.” The sample legislation comes just days after the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, issued a report calling for an end to conversion therapy and urging family acceptance of LGBTQ children. NCLR and HRC are at the forefront of the fight to end conversion therapy, and work closely with legislators and state leaders across the country to introduce bills protecting youth from these dangerous practices, which are associated with extreme depression, substance abuse, and even suicide. Five jurisdictions — California, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Oregon, and Illinois — now protect LGBTQ youth from conversion therapy at the hands of licensed mental health professionals, with leaders from several other states planning introduction of similar legislation in the 2016 legislative session. Last year, NCLR launched its #BornPerfect campaign to stop conversion therapy across the country by passing laws, fighting in courtrooms, and raising awareness about the serious harms caused by attempts to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. For information about the dangers of conversion therapy visit www. NCLRights.org/BornPerfect or HRC’s resource page.
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OBSERVER
October 21, 2015
Iranian soccer team allegedly includes eight trans women
Amir Poormand/Getty Images
Woman hired and fired within half an hour -because of hand tattoo
WEEKLY
Iran reportedly performs more sex-change operations than any country except Thailand -- because the Islamic government prefers gender reassignment for gay men.
OBSERVER STAFF elaborate hand tattoo, which cannot be covered without gloves.
OBSERVER STAFF Claire Shepherd got offered the job, thought she was perfect for it, then read the company's conditions of employment and asked if her hand tattoo would be a problem, and got fired -- all within the space of 30 minutes, she said earlier this month. She was hired by British shopping logistics company Dee Set via a phone interview. "At the end of the phone call, she told me I had the position and would be starting next week," Shepherd wrote in a Facebook post. "The company then sent me an email with their dress standards. As I read it, I was gutted as they noted that all tattoos must be covered up as they are likely to cause offense." That's when she asked about her
Shepherd claims six years of experience in "managerial roles" without her tattoos being an issue and said she considered herself "perfect" for the Dee Set job. "I was shocked when they replied and said they would no longer be employing me as I would not be able to cover my tattoos," she said. Maybe Dee Set got a shock as well. After Shepherd's post went viral, the job offer was suddenly open again. "We have explained to Claire that the job offer remains; we are currently recruiting all over the UK and we welcome all with the right skill set to join our growing team of retail experts," Dee Set's chief operating officer, Greg Phillips, said in a statement.
TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's women's soccer roster includes up to eight trans women who have not undergone surgery, and according to the London Telegraph, the country's soccer association has fielded "a number" of similar players. Despite retaining strict laws about homosexuality, Iran has for decades accepted the practice of gender reassignment and has a large transgender population. Westerners may have a hard time wrapping their minds around the fact that a strict Muslim country reportedly performs more sex changes per year than any nation except the sex-tourist destination of Thailand. (Iran's numbers cannot be independently verified.)
However, Iran is now being accused by some of pushing the limits of international sporting codes by including so many trans women on its national soccer squad. The Telegraph reported that Mojtabi Sharifi, "an official close to the league," was the source of the report about the eight top-level players. No names of players were revealed. Iranian doctors have previously reported that Iranians are sometimes forced to undergo gender reassignment in order to "fix" their same-sex relationships. Official policy doesn't include coercion, but the reports say there is pressure in order to avoid the "illegal" relationships.
Shepherd was not interested at that point. She has since accepted a job with B&M.
Remember to send in your wedding announcements and photos to info@observerweekly.com so we can print them here for all the world to see.
Page 14
As Clark Saw It
OBSERVER By Gary Clark
WEEKLY
October 21, 2015
Tennessee man hospitalized after 'butt-chugging' wine says cops and hospital lied OBSERVER STAFF The 20-year-old University of Tennessee student who achieved online fame last month after "butt-chugging" enough wine to land him in the hospital now says everybody was lying about it. Media reports indicate that Alexander Broughton was taken to the UT Medical Center with an injured rectum and a blood-alcohol level more than five times the legal limit for driving.
Zoe’s World
By Zoe
UT police said Broughton's fraternity brother, John Patrick Carney, told officers his friend had been utilizing an alcohol enema to get drunk faster. Broughton now says that's "the most gross idea I have ever heard." "I am a Christian who would never desecrate my body in that manner," Broughton told England's Daily Mail. "To do so would be against God's law." His attorney, Daniel McGehee, held a news conference to say they plan to sue somebody, but it wasn't immediately clear who they would target. University officials still insist that wine up the pooper was the reason Broughton ended up unconscious in the emergency department. Broughton says he remembers a
Facebook According to a police report, "Mr. Broughton had no recollection of losing control of his bowels and defecating on himself."
drinking game with fellow Pi Kappa Alpha members, but not the part involving his butt. Oh wait -- did we mention that some of the media reports hinted that Broughton must be gay or he wouldn't have had so much fun butt-chugging? We're being reminded of something here -- "the lady doth protest too much"?
Page 15
Monday BRODIES TAVERN - Service Industry Night 7 p.m.- 2 a.m. $2.50 House Well, Long Islands, Margaritas on Tap, $3 16 oz. BudBud Light-Mic Ultra Cans, Fireball Shots. IBT’s 11a.m.-2a.m. Taking Back Mondays hosted by Diva featuring *3-4-1 Well Vodkas (Regular, Grape & Cherry) 9 - Close. Karaoke Inside or Lounge on the Patio 9 p.m. VENTURE-N Open Noon-2am. Free Music. Free WiFi 2 for 1 Original Everything Happy Hour 5-6 pm.
Friday BRODIES TAVERN - Get the Party Started Friday 7 p.m. - 2 a.m. $3 Malibu Rum Black-House Long Islands-Pucker Vodka, Margaritas on tap-XX Pints IBT’s - 11a.m.-2a.m., Flawless Fridays featuring “Absolutely Flawless” Drag Show hosted by China Collins @ 9 p.m. DJ Import Inside after the show, Million$DJ on the Patio 9pm. GoGo Boys @11p.m. VENTURE-N - Open Noon-2am. Free Music. Free WiFi 2 for 1 Original Everything Happy Hour 5-6 pm.
OBSERVER
Wednesday
Thursday
BRODIES TAVERN - Two Buck Tuesday 7 p.m. - 2 a.m. $ 2 House Well, Fire Eater Shots, $2 Margaritas on Tap, $2 Long Islands IBT’s - 11a.m.-2a.m.; Taco Tuesdays. $1 Tacos. Drink Specials 9-Close: Mix-n-Match Mexican Beer Special, Tequila Specials (Patron $6, Milagro $4.50, Hornitos $4, Cuervo $3.50), Million$DJ Inside 9 p.m. VENTURE-N - Open Noon-2am. Free Music. Free WiFi 2 for 1 Original Everything Happy Hour 5-6 pm.
BRODIES TAVERN - Whiskey Wednesday 7-2 a.m. $3.25 Jack-Jim Beam-JamesonFireball-Makers Mark-Johnny Walker Red IBT’s - 11a.m.-2a.m., “Viva La Diva” Drag Show Hosted by Diva at 9. “Whiskey Breath” Drink Special Every Wednesday 9-Close. $2 Well, $3 Call, $4 Select Top Shelf Whiskey and Scotch Blend Whiskies. Million$DJ Inside after the drag show. VENTURE-N - Open Noon-2am. Free Music. Free WiFi 2 for 1 Original Everything Happy Hour 5-6 pm.Dave’s $3.50 Margaritas and Long Island Iced Teas
BRODIES TAVERN - Customer Appreciation 7-2 a.m. Two-for-One Well-Domestic Bottles, Margaritas on Tap House Kasiz Shots IBT’s - 11a.m.-2a.m. Therapy every Thursday. All Day *2-4-1 Drink Specials (excludes top shelf, wine & draft). Million$DJ Inside at 9 p.m., DJ Sid the Kid on the Patio 9 p.m. GoGo Boys @11 p.m. VENTURE-N - Open Noon-2am. Free Music. Free WiFi 2 for 1 Original Everything Happy Hour 5-6 pm. 4.00 Titos/Absolut, Cosmos/Martis from Dan G
Saturday
Sunday
BRODIES TAVERN - Back Pocket Sabado Latino 7 p.m. - 2 a.m. $3 Magaritas on tap-Corona Bottles, $3.25 Latin Beers-XX Micheladas, $1 Tequila Shots-Corona Ritas IBT’s - 11a.m.-2a.m., Karaoke on the Patio 5 - 8 p.m., “Saturday Night Starlettes” drag show Hosted by Janee Starr 9pm, Million$DJ on the Patio 9 p.m., DJ Import Inside after the drag show. VENTURE-N - Open Noon-2am. Free Music. Free WiFi
4-5:30 p.m.
4:30-6:30 p.m.
6:30-7:30 p.m.
7-9 p.m.
7-10 p.m.
7-8:30 p.m. 7-9 p.m. 6 p.m.
sources
Mah Jongg Mondays Himmel Park Library. Ages 50+, 1035 N. Treat. In Our Own Voices, Women’s therapy group for survivors of sexual trauma, SACSA, 1600 N. Country Club, 520.327.1171 Cancer Support Group for LGBT People, Arizona Cancer Center at UMC-North, Rm 1127, 3838 N. Campbell Ave. 520.694.0347 Regardless of… NA LGBT Meeting, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 400 E. University Blvd. SAGA General for trans forlks and allies 1st Monday SAGA Desert Girlz for trans Femanine folks 2nd Monday Reveille Men’s Chorus Open Rehearsal, Rincon Congregational Church, 122 N. Craycroft Tucson Women’s Chorus rehearsal.Call for details: 520.743.0991 Desert Girlz meeting at Wingspan PFLAG en Español Meets the 1st Monday of each month at Fortin de las Flores: 243 W. 33rd St.
4 p.m.
LGBTQA Support Group. LGBTQ Affairs Office, UA Student Union level four. SAGA Desert Boyz for trans masculine folks 3rd Tuesdays
7-9 p.m.
Wednesday 3-8 p.m.
SAAF’s MSHAPE Lounge offers mens health resources
12-1 p.m.
Pink Triangle AA Meeting, 439 N. Sixth Ave. Everyday. Gender Spectrum support Group. UA Campus Health Service Building Room C312. $5 TMC Hospice LGBTQ Grief Support Group. 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, Peppi’s House Chapel, 2715 N. Wyatt Drive. RSVP at: 520-324-2438. Wednesday Night Christian Bible Study, Cornerstone Fellowship Social Hall, 2902 N. Geronimo Ave. Weekly Bears Coffee at Crave, 4530 E. Broadway Blvd.
3-4:30 p.m.
4:30-6 p.m.
6:30-7:30 p.m.
7-9 p.m.
Two Spirit support group. African American Student Affairs MLK Center, 1322 E. 1st Street. 6 p.m. Write Now! a writer’s group open to all at Revolutionary Grounds 606 N. 4th 6:30-7:30 p.m. Regardless of… NA LGBT Meeting, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 400 E. University Blvd. 7 p.m. Weekly Meditation Classes in Central Tucson, cost: $10, Kadam Meditation Center Arizona 1701 E. Miles St. 7-9 p.m. SAGA Desert Partnerz for cis-gendered 4th Thursday 7-10 p.m. Triangle Tribe, Men’s Support Group. Call 520-398-6826
3-8 p.m.
SAAF’s MSHAPE Lounge offers mens health resources
4-5:30 p.m.
Support Group for Transgender Survivors of Sexual Trauma, SACSA, 1600 N. Country Club Queer People of Color &
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Ajia Simone, Owner 426 E. Ninth St. 520.624.8400
10-11.30 a.m.
10-12 p.m.
2-5 p.m. 2:45 p.m.
Friday 4 p.m.
5:30-6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m.
Wingspan’s Eon Youth Program New Youth Orientation Fridays at 4p.m. Youth Center Open M-F Oasis LGBT Social Group. Email oasis.wingspan@gmail.com Bingo at MCC Every Friday call John 975-3166.
2nd Saturdays
Bears of the Old Pueblo Potluch 2nd Saturdays 520.444.2275 Transparents For parents of trans kids. RSVP SAGA to attend.
Sunday 9-11 a.m.
Co-ed Softball, all abilities welcome. Oury Park, 600 W.St. Mary’s
Advice For Life & Prayers for World Peace. Bud dha’s teachings, Kadampa Meditation Cen ter Arizona 1701 E. Miles St. LGBT Buddhist Medita tion Group meets every Sunday at The Three Jewels, 314 E. 6th St. in Tucson. Meditation sessions with readings, recordings, and discussion. Welcoming to all.For info call Jim at 520-884-4218. Mamasitas! Men’s Sports club at Menlo Park The New Men’s Massage Group. Sept 21 at 4 pm. Call Marc at 881-4582 to sign up. Or email bleu55@gmail. com in advance. It’s a great place to meet men. Safe, non-sexual but very sensual and a little erotic. Donation.
3-5p.m.
Men’s Social Network “H” Club open to entire LGBTQ community. This is a fun discussion, learning and participation group meeting for discussions on major words beginning with the letter “H.” Doesn’t meet the 1st Sunday of the month.
5:30 p.m.
Puertas Abiertas Latin/ Hispanic LBGTQ/Ally support group meeting at Wingspan 430 E 7th St – every 3rd Sunday of the month at 5:30pm.
Saturday
Thursday
SAAF’s MSHAPE Lounge offers mens health re-
BRODIES TAVERN - Funday 7 p.m. - 2 p.m. $2.50 House Well, $3 House Long Islands, Tap Magaritas, $1 House Kasiz Shots, $1.75 Domestic Pints IBT’s - 11a.m.-2a.m., Karaoke 4-8:30 p.m. “Cheap Ass Sunday’s” 9-Close feat. 2-4-1 Drinks and Bottle Beer (exclude top shelf, wine & draft), Karaoke Inside 9pm; DJ Sid the Kid on the patio 9 p.m. VENTURE-N - Open Noon-2am. Free Music. Free WiFi
2:30-4:30p.m.
Tuesday 3-8 p.m.
October 21, 2015
Tuesday
Monday 12-3 p.m.
WEEKLY
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OBSERVER
WEEKLY
October 21, 2015
Tucsonans gather to commemorate Latino HIV/AIDS awareness Story on page 1