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Love Language:
Gifts!
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CONTENTS NOVEMBER 18, 2020 VOL44 NO16
INSIDE THE MAGICAL WORLD OF CHRIS COLFER SHOPPING GUIDE
PLATINUM GIFT GUIDE LAVERNE COX: A TRAILBLAZER FOR TRANS REPRESENTATION CANNABIS CORNER AMERICAN QUEER LIFE: NOTES ON NOTES ON “CAMP”
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SERVING THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS SINCE 1976 PHONE 303-477-4000 FAX 303-325-2642 WEB OutFrontMagazine.com FACEBOOK /OutFrontColorado TWITTER @outfrontmagazne INSTAGRAM /outfrontmagazine FOUNDER PHIL PRICE 1954-1993 ADMINISTRATION info@outfrontmagazine.com MAGGIE PHILLIPS Co-Publisher ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER Co-Publisher JERRY CUNNINGHAM President JEFF JACKSON SWAIM Chief Strategist EDITORIAL editorial@outfrontmagazine.com ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER Editor-in-Chief VERONICA L. HOLYFIELD Creative Director KEEGAN WILLIAMS Copy Editor DENNY PATTERSON Celebrity Interviewer INTERNS Arianna Balderrama, Danny Bradley, Izzy Yellin, Justine Johnson, Ray Manzari WRITER Rick Kitzman ART art@outfrontmagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Design2Pro and Senna Bryant COVER DESIGN Senna Bryant COVIER IMAGE Courtesy of Netflix MARKETING + SALES marketing@outfrontmagazine.com QUINCEY ROISUM Senior Marketing Executive KELSEY ELGIE DOMIER Busines Developement Executive KAYTE DEMONT Digital Sales Executive
DISTRIBUTION OUT FRONT’s print publication is available semi-monthly, free of charge, one copy per person. Additional copies of OUT FRONT may be purchased for $3.95 each, payable in advance at OUT FRONT offices located at 3535 Walnut Street, Denver CO, 80205. OUT FRONT is delivered only to authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of OUT FRONT, take more than one copy of OUT FRONT. Any person who takes more than one copy may be held liable for theft, including but not limited to civil damages and or criminal prosecution.
COPYRIGHT & LIMIT OF LIABILITY Reproduction of editorial, photographic or advertising content without written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Advertisers are responsible for securing rights to any copyrighted material within their advertisements. Publisher assumes no responsibility for the claims of advertisers and reserves the right to reject any advertising. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles or advertising is not to be considered an indication of the sexual orientation or HIV status of such person or organization. Publisher assumes no responsibility for the loss or damage of materials submitted. OPINIONS EXPRESSED are not necessarily those of OUT FRONT, its staff, or advertisers.
RESERVATION OF RIGHTS Q Publishing Group, LTD is the owner of all right, title, and interest in the OUT FRONT brand and logo. No person or entity may reproduce or use (or authorize the reproduction or use of) the OUT FRONT brand and logo in any manner other than expressly authorized by Q Publishing Group. Unauthorized use of the OUT FRONT brand and logo is strictly prohibited. OUT FRONT is published by Q Publishing, Ltd., a Colorado corporation and is a member of: the National Equality Publishers Association and Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 7
FROM THE EDITOR
Love Language Gifts, Gifts, Gifts! M
y love language is gifts. Receiving gifts, sure, everyone likes that. But, as someone who often struggles with expressing physical and verbal intimacy, I partially rely on perfect gifts to tell people how I feel.
It probably runs in my family; my dad is an antiques dealer and my mom was a vintage clothing dealer for a while, so I equate finding something really special and unique that sums up a person’s style or aesthetic with love. This is why I think this gift guide is still so needed, even in 2020. Sure, money may be a little tight, and gift lists may be a little short this time around, but that’s even more reason to shop with a purpose this year, with queerfriendly companies who need your support. So, if you have a few holiday gifts to check off your list this year, take a look in these pages for some suggestions to pamper, surprise, and spoil the people you love the most. -Addison Herron-Wheeler
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Inside the Magical World of by Denny Patterson
ChrisColfer
Millions of people may know Chris Colfer for his iconic role as Kurt Hummel on Ryan Murphy’s hit musical, comedy-drama television series Glee, but he has also gone on to write 16 best-selling, young-adult, fantasy books that readers cannot get enough of. Recently rolling out his latest endeavor, A Tale of Witchcraft, it is safe to say that this book will be on your must-read list. The second installment of Colfer’s A Tale of Magic series, and technically a prequel to his critically acclaimed The Land of Stories series, A Tale of Witchcraft is full of twists and turns while an evil clan tries to exterminate magic. Colfer’s The Land of Stories universe is described as a “modern-day fairy tale,” and more than 6,000,000 copies have been sold. They are beloved around the world, continue to attract new fans, and many tackle real-world issues and topics.
Image courtesy of Chris Colfer
OUT FRONT had the opportunity to chat more with Colfer about his books, as well as Glee and being an LGBTQ role model.
Hi, Chris! Congrats on your latest book, A Tale of Witchcraft! Without giving too much away, can you tell us more about it? Yes. It is a whimsical story about a wacky coven of young witches, and it is also a story about a corrupt, secret society called The Righteous Brotherhood who want to destroy magic once and for all. Everything is an allegory for hate, fear, and mental health. Hopefully, if I did my job correctly, it will be a nice way for parents and kids and their kids to talk about mental health. Hopefully readers can recognize some of the situations and feelings that the characters go through, and they will be able to identify with it and be able to talk about it. Your first two books, The Wishing Spell and Struck by Lightning, were both released in 2012. How would you say you have evolved as a writer since then? Oh God, I am just so much better! [Laughs]. I feel like the more you do it, the better you are at it. When I look back, I get a little embarrassed at my writing, and I wish I could change it, especially with The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell, but I think the beauty of that book and why it resonated with readers so much was because it was a lot of kids’ first chapter book that they read, and it was the first chapter book that I wrote. I feel like there is some kind of symbiosis there. First-time reader and first-time writer colliding. I would like to move on and ask a couple questions about Chris Colfer the actor, especially your work in Glee, since that was your first major TV role. How would you say the show changed your life? Oh my God, that is such a hard question to answer because, how did it not change my life? I don’t know where I would be right now had I not been cast as a teenager out of a small town. It was a dream come true. Don’t get me wrong, it was a lot of work on so many fronts, and it wasn’t always the happiest place to be, unfortunately, but it was a dream come true. I am profoundly grateful that I had that experience. How did it feel to know that Ryan Murphy created the role of Kurt just for you? That is still something I have never been able to wrap my head around. Especially since it was such a terrifying time for me because, up until Glee, I was just a closeted kid growing up in a conservative town, like where kids get beat up for being gay. The fact that I went from a closeted kid in a farm town to arguably one of the most famous gay teenagers in the world was quite an experience. Did you ever think Glee would make such a significant impact on LGBTQ youth across the world? No. Since they had not come up with a character yet, I had no idea that I was going to play the gay character, or that there was even going to be a gay character in the show. I did know that the performing arts aspect of it, that definitely had an audience because I was very much part of that crowd. Being a performing arts theatre kid growing up, I knew that people would respond to it, but I never could have imagined that it would go on to become this huge phenomenon. What more do you hope to accomplish as an openly gay actor? Hmmm, that is such a good question. It is definitely different now than it was when I first started, that’s for sure. I think people are more accepting of gay actors; I think there are more opportunities for gay actors, and I think there is finally some respect for gay actors, which I do not think there was much of any of those things 10 years ago when I started. There has always been this sort of ugly expectation with gay actors where our goal should be to prove that we can play straight. That has never ever once been on my agenda. I think there are enough incredible gay people in this world. So, I hope I get to do more honest trails of what it is like to be a gay man. Before we wrap up, are there any other projects upcoming you would like to mention or plug? I can’t announce anything right now, but I do have a few things coming up, and I am very much looking forward to it because they are very, very authentic characters. To stay up-to-date with Colfer, follow him on Twitter and Instagram @chriscolfer. Visit thelandofstories.com for more information on books, tour dates, appearances, etc. To read the full interview, visit outfrontmagazine.com. 1 0 \\ N O V E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 0
Jesse, 36 — Denver
Jesse’s choice to be on PrEP means he has taken the steps to protect himself on and off the stage. PrEP is a once-a-day pill for HIV prevention. For more information and personal stories visit ProudToBePrEPPED.com
or call 1-844-367-7075 to speak with a PrEP specialist.
To write Love on her arms
To Write Love On Her Arms is a charity organization that has helped those who self-harm or have suicidal thoughts for years, their name becoming synonymous with supporting and uplifting those at a low point. This holiday season could be tough for some, so this year, support the nonprofit and give back by buying some of their cool merch, like hoodies and masks. It could give someone in need the courage to ask for help.
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Singular Stock Neil Stock sews and creates things that he hopes will spark joy, delighting in the process of designing, then bringing color and fabric to life in something beautiful. From campy pillows to luxurious jackets to Christmas tree skirts, Neil creates unique pieces. He can take your ideas and execute them to your satisfaction. Prices range from very affordable to higher-end, one-of-a-kind value. Neil is always adding new product, so be sure to check in often.
Book and Reverie by Addison Herron-Wheeler
Book and Reverie delves into the world of literature with scents inspired by books. Though Halloween just passed, reminisce on the holiday with candles titled “A Nightly Read in New Orleans” and “Books and Petrichor.” The comforting feeling brought by reading a book while smelling the scent of rain can all be encapsulated within a candle. The smell is described as “the heady fragrance of wet earth and after rain.” The candles come in eight-ounce jars and are made from blends of soy and coconut wax, in addition to food-grade paraffin. All are hand-poured. More scents inspired by the love of books include “Fiction and French Roast,” as well as an abundance of more scents. The candles' longevity in scent has proven to last, as per the countless amazing reviews. The book-themed candles are perfect for staying in doors and simply diving into a book. Book and Reverie also offers candles dedicated to zodiac signs, for that personal consideration in gift giving. The labeling of the candles remains vibrant and true to the scent. Book and Reverie’s “The Lucid Connection” offers a more simple-yetelegant look to the label. The lettering reflects that of a typewriter, with details of splashed ink dotted across the design. Perhaps the most notable detailing lies within the page number at the top right of the label, as to mimic that of a book. The Manhattan-based shop also has Greek mythology-inspired candles available. The one of Hades features a skull laying on top of the wax. Book and Reverie also has a bundle of Hades and Persephone candles, seeing as the couple cherished their short time together. Lia, the owner, states that Book and Reverie is a safe space for all. Placing emphasis on the trans community, Lia explains that the space is meant for everyone to enjoy and delve into witchcraft as well. They even offer a candle for practicing magic.
BACI A pleasurable experience! Although a little hard to get in the right place at first, once on the right spot, the vibrations accompanied with lubrication was a nice replication of oral pleasures. Despite a fairly busy handle, the soft, fleshlike material encompassing the clitoris was comfortable and felt natural. My only complaint is that the device was a little loud, so make sure any guests in the house are not within earshot.
Book and Reverie can be found on Etsy and Instagram @bookandreverie. O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 1 3
Clay Tits
by Arianna Balderamma Based in Brooklyn, New York, Clay Tits crafts ceramic goods all in the shape of boobies. The love for all bodies is shown through their work. Clay Tits offers a variety of products such as pots, mugs, and even cards, all of which display different shapes, sizes, and colors. With its push on inclusivity, you can see yourself within its art. Many of its products come in small sizes, perfect for succulent plants. The rawness of the craft can be shown in the product itself. With varying shapes, each product is made uniquely and unlike the one before. Clay Tits also has larger pots for your growing plant babies. Owned and run by Michaela MacPherson, Clay Tits focuses largely on queer- and feminist-influenced art. MacPherson also has products dedicated to folks who have had top surgery. Products are always updating and restocking, and Clay Tits even has ornaments, perfect to display on your tree this year. It even has a holiday card featuring a snowperson (with tits, of course). Be sure to send one to your mother-in-law kicking it in the South. MacPherson also makes bells, all in the shape of lovely ladies, so much so that they’re titled Lady Bells. If you desire to display your love for tits outwardly, Clay Tits has T-shirts. They highlight all boobies with a fruit print such as bananas and citrus. MacPherson also provides titty brooches. Products from Clay Tits are handmade. This includes the physical forming of the shapes and the pop of color. The cards are also illustrated by MacPherson. Clay Tits will make neat stocking stuffers, or simply a treat for yourself if no one’s on your list You can view and purchase items from Clay Tits on its website, claytits.com. Be sure to stay tuned for further additions on products.
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Terrorium Shop
by Arianna Balderamma
The Terrorium Shop, located in Denver, combines taxidermy with gardening. This idea came to life when owners Amber and Ian combined both their skills in order to create the amazing work found in their shop. The animals used are sourced ethically, stating on their website, “Our goal is to honor the deceased through living adornment. Every piece is made with intention, and we take great care to source responsibly. It is our goal to honor nature, not take advantage of it.” The animals come from roadkill or foraging. The Terrorium Shop also works with animal control and a variety of other sources. The shop preserves the animals, and even offers classes to teach others how to do so as well. The plants are also harvested sustainably. “It is our goal to run an ethical and sustainable business that maintains transparency.” The pair also do commissions of their work. A lot of work goes into creating a piece. You can simply tell by viewing them. The mix of life and death displays itself in elegance: both dance together being a necessity to each other. If the beauty of the premade ones don’t do it for you, The Terrorium Shop also offers DIY kits to begin your personal terrarium. The kits come with what the plants need and a little dinosaur figurine. Being a gardening place as well, the shop also offers planters. Truly, the shop offers incredible pieces of art to be admired in full. Keep them as a remembrance of the inevitable, but also that life is to be enjoyed fully and wholeheartedly, too. You can find the shop located on 3611 W 49th Ave. in Denver or at their website, theterroriumshop.com.
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 1 5
Colorado Health Network
World AIDS Day Sponsored Content
Even as we find ourselves in the midst of a nw pandemic, December 1 reminds us to pause in recognition of another global health crisis that continues to impact our communities. World AIDS Day has been observed each year on this date since 1988, when it began as a day of remembrance to the many lives lost to AIDS-related complications and to serve as an urgent call to action for research into prevention and treatment options as well as the search for a cure. Colorado Health Network is proud to join in the tradition of observing World AIDS Day, and this year, it will do so through virtual events on social media in which anyone can participate regardless of their location. CHN provides resources to Coloradans living with and at risk of acquiring HIV, including prevention and testing services, PrEP, behavioral health care, medical and dental care, insurance navigation, case management, syringe exchange, and housing and nutritional assistance. CHN has continued meeting the needs of the community throughout the current COVID-19 crisis by providing many programs via telehealth and by adapting any necessary in-person services to improve safety for both clients and staff. The impact of HIV and AIDS was devastating to an entire generation, particularly in the early days before the advent of effective treatment options. Since HIV was first identified, over 35 million people worldwide have died from AIDS-related complications. While a cure for HIV continues to be elusive, incredible strides have been made in treatment and prevention. HIV today is a treatable condition, which means effective management can be achieved for many by taking a once-daily pill. By starting treatment quickly and remaining in care, people with HIV can expect to live full, rich, and healthy lives. We know today that Undetectable=Untransmittable, or U=U: a person with a suppressed, undetectable viral load has zero risk of transmitting the virus. Finally, the advent of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP, means that by taking daily medication, individuals without HIV can drastically reduce their risk of acquiring the virus. World AIDS Day provides the opportunity to celebrate advances in treatment and prevention, even as we remember those we have lost and advocate for more effective strategies to treat HIV, eliminate stigma, and reduce the continued spread of the virus. We invite you to join Colorado Health Network by following facebook.com/chndenver for additional news, updates, and virtual events.
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SPONSORED CONTENT
GiftGuide
Infusiasm 5 Leaf Salve
The perfect companion to the lotion, this salve will help ease your pain in specific, targeted areas. Simply rub it on your unbroken skin in the targeted pain area, and feel instant relief with zero negative side effects. It’s a great way to safely take the edge off from unwanted discomfort.
5 Leaf 5 Leaf Lotion Some cannabis lotions feel rubbery from the CBD, leaving hands dry, but not 5 Leaf. The lotion permeates the skin, providing moisture that can’t be beat, even by traditional lotions, and it’s the perfect thing after a long day when you’re a bit achy and sore. The bottle is small and portable with an easy, pump-action top. Grab some to moisturize, and keep the pain at bay!
Bath Soak
This year has brought us a lot of things, but aches and pains shouldn’t be one of them. The bath soak by 5 Leaf helps you to relax and gives you a sense of calm. This product contains both CBD and THC, but it won’t really get you high. Instead, it just helps you unwind, providing targeted relief to sore muscles. This is the perfect gift for those needing to de-stress or relieve pain in the neck thanks to recent global events.
Sweet Grass Cannabutter
Looking to do some cannabis cooking? Look no further! This is some of the best butter on the market, perfect for whipping up a batch of special brownies or adding a little kick to your pasta to make it cannabisinfused. The packaging makes the butter look like any other condiment, but the childproof features keep it secure, and the flavor rivals any non-infused butter on the shelf. Definitely a staple for any cannabis connoisseur who is also a foodie!
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 1 7
CBD Pet
Salmon and Bacon TINCTURES You may be treating all your aches and pains with cannabis treats, but what about your furry friends? CBD can help pets with all kinds of common problems, like stomach issues or joint pain in their later years. And, if you’re going to hook your pet up with CBD, you might as well get something they like. This delicious pet tincture from CBD Pet comes in salmon and bacon, perfect for both dogs and cats who need a little CBD TLC!
Tracy’s Dog If you’re like many of us, quarantine has put a damper on your sex life. If you’re not in a relationship, finding a hookup to satisfy your needs may be hard; if you’re in a relationship, the stress of the world may be taking its toll. Maybe you just like to have a little alone time to recharge.
Insert Tracy’s Dog to spice up your sex life! The OG clitoral sucking vibrator is a vibrator that targets clitoral orgasm and G-Spot orgasm simultaneously. The sleek design is attractive and fun, and the shape makes it easy to use and grip from any angle. Would recommend for anyone from a first-time vibrator owner to an experienced toy user. P.S.: it fits in a stocking too, if you really wanna create a buzz.
Sum Microdose
If you haven’t been microdosing cannabis, you’ve been missing out, and Sum microdose have you covered with their awesome line of products. Varieties like Relief and Energy infuse cannabis microdose technology with other herbal blends to deliver a product that won’t get you high and will give you the boost or the relief you need. If your day is at an end and you do want something stronger, have no fear. Sum Microdose also has a meta-dose dissolvable that packs the regular, 10mg punch of THC.
Via CBD/THC
io
Restorative Bath
This bath salt is one thing that doesn’t need to concede. There is THC and CBD in the product, but it will not get you high. This is a great gift to give someone who could use a day of pampering (and couldn’t we all right now?). It will help relax your muscles and provides a soft, lavender scent. There are other scents to choose from, and you can also use this bath salt as a revitalizing scrub. 1 8 \\ N O V E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 0
Element79
Love is love is love. Getting engaged this year? Want to give a gift to a friend who means a lot to you? Maybe you’ve had a hard year and want to treat yourself as a reminder of how resilient you’ve been. No matter the reason, Element 79 is where it’s at. They carry everything from alternative engagement rings to unique necklaces and everything in between. The best part is that they’re local to Colorado, and they have a strong emphasis on the overall experience of shopping for jewelry. You’re a friend and customer, not just a transaction. If that doesn’t scream a welcoming safe space, we don’t know what does!
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DISCOVER WHAT’S NEW AT C h r i s t k i n d l M a r k e t D e n v e r. c o m
Laverne by Denny Patterson
Images courtesy of Netflix
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cox
A Trailblazer for Trans Representation T
he trans liberation movement was still in its early stages when The Celluloid Closet came out in 1995, but once the community started to find its voice, actress and activist Laverne Cox has become a pioneer in the fight. Since making history as the first transgender person to be nominated for an acting Emmy for playing Sophia in Orange is the New Black and being the first openly transgender person to appear on the cover of Time, Cox has continued to break down barriers. She has been a vocal advocate for more diversity in Hollywood, with a focus on trans people of color. Trans representation deserves to have its very own placement in the history of cinema, and Cox will not rest until that happens. Now, she is the executive producer of a new film called Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen. Directed by Sam Feder, this film is an unprecedented, eye-opening look at transgender depictions in film and television, revealing how Hollywood simultaneously reflects and manufactures our deepest anxieties about gender. In addition to Cox, Disclosure features leading trans creatives like Chaz Bono, Alexandra Billings, Jamie Clayton, Angelica Ross, Brian Michael Smith, and Yance Ford who share their reflections and resistance to some of Hollywood’s most beloved moments. Currently streaming on Netflix, Disclosure provokes a startling revolution in how we see and understand trans people. OUT FRONT had the pleasure of chatting more with Cox about the film, how important it is to tell trans stories, how Hollywood is getting better at casting trans artists, and how we can increase trans awareness and visibility. Hi, Laverne! Thank you for taking some time to chat with me about the documentary, Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen, which you are an executive producer of. How and why did you get involved with this film? I have always wanted to do a film that looks at the history of trans representation on screen. There are so many things that we need to unpack, and three years ago, I happened to go to a panel event, a conversation at Outfest,
and Sam Feder, the director of Disclosure, was giving a presentation that day of the research that would become the film. He had been doing research for about three years before we even met. Interviewing various trans people about their memories of film and television, archiving footage, he had footage that dated back to the early 1900s, and I was like oh my God, this is amazing. I met him after his panel, and we met a week later. I was like, I would love to be involved in this. The interesting thing about putting something into the universe is that just a few weeks earlier, maybe a month or so, I was talking to my manager saying the next project I wanted to be involved with, I wanted to do something on trans history. So, I made a conversation about it and I happened to just be at the panel that day. Sometimes you just need to put it in the universe. Disclosure may be up for some major awards. How exciting and significant would that be? Oh my God, I love that there is Oscar buzz about our film and buzz about other awards. We talk about this in Disclosure, people have been winning, particularly Academy Awards, for decades telling trans stories. There has never been an openly trans person to actually win an Academy Award, ever. There have been three openly trans people nominated. Angela Morley, Yance Ford, and Anohni. Three people in the entire history of the Academy. So, it would be amazing if our film got nominated. Our director is trans, the film mostly had a transgender crew, it would be historic. It would be amazing if we won! Think about how many people have profited from trans stories in terms of awards and money. So often, trans people are sort of left out. What do you hope audiences take away from this film? So many things. A therapist many years ago said to me in our first session, the only thing we can control are our perception and our behavior. That is all we can control, and I have been thinking a lot about my work in the media, and I think a huge part of it has been about encouraging people to frame things differently. To engage in new perspectives, and I think that is what Disclosure does. I think if we have new
perspectives on the world around us and ourselves, then maybe we can behave differently. Maybe we can act differently. Once people have the perspective of what Disclosure offers, I hope people might act differently. One of my favorite things is what Ryan Reynolds said after he saw the film. He said, this film changes the way that I will look at film and changes the way I will make film going forward. For me, that is really what it is all about. And what have you personally taken away from it? So much. I learned so much in the course of making this. The big win in this moment is thinking about how amazing trans people are. How amazing our perspectives and stories are. This film centers trans spectatorship. It centers our stories the way we see. It is a beautiful thing, and there has been so much progress, but we still do not get the full trans perspective enough in the media of how we see the world. When I met Sam the first time after we met after that presentation, I relayed to him my story about how much I loved Yentl. As a kid, this particular song, “Will Someone Ever Look at Me That Way?” I related to it so much because I knew I was a girl, but the world did not see the girl that was inside who had crushes on boys. Yentl was the same way. Sam said that changed the way he imagined making this film because he said that is a very specific trans way of looking. This film has reaffirmed how amazing and incredible trans people are. Disclosure takes us through all areas of trans history in film and media. Were there any facts or discoveries you were shocked to learn about? One of the earliest films, A Florida Enchantment from 1914, it features a sex change. The first cinematic sex change happened in a silent film in 1914. The man takes a pill and wakes up the next day and becomes a woman, a woman takes a pill and wakes up the next day and becomes a man. As the film sort of played with gender, there is blackface as well. All the stereotypes we begin to see play out around gender also played out around race. These things were intertwined at the very beginning of cinema, and they continue to affect the ways in which we see ourselves and each other. That was kind of mind blowing. O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 2 1
Your good friend Francesco Le Metre composed the film’s score, and it has been talked about widely as being an important element in understanding the film’s emotional element. Do you agree? Yes. Music is so important in any film, and what Francesco does, there is something very simple about it that doesn’t distract. The right score always heightens the narrative, and he did a great job. Our soundtrack, I believe it is now available on vinyl, so folks should go and get the Disclosure soundtrack. How were you feeling once you saw the final product? I mean, there were so many edits [laughs]. The first rough cut I saw was about four hours. Sam was like, it’s a little long. Like, yeah! I was sad about how many things that were cut, ultimately. We had to cut so many things just for time and whatnot, but once we got the final cut, I was so moved. Even though I have been there for many of the interviews, certain interviews continued to make me laugh out loud or cry. Certain interviews still make me think, I wish I had thought about that. Everyone who speaks on screen in our film is trans, but the stories and perspectives they share, and everyone is so brilliant, I was just so moved by it. I am impressed with the incredible cast we were able to put together and what they brought to it, and I would say that is a testament in part to our production model. We were committed to hiring mostly trans people for our crew, and when we could not find someone trans to fill a role, we had this person train a trans person. Everywhere you looked on our set, there were trans people. Our cast who appeared on screen said that made a difference in terms of the comfort level they felt. Sharing their stories, sharing intimate things about their lives, they felt a certain sense of comfort because we were everywhere. That is rare on a film set. It has always been important to tell trans stories, but do you think there is a great urgency nowadays? The statistics we cite in Disclosure is that 80 percent of Americans say they do not personally know someone who is transgender. Everything that most Americans learn about trans people, they learn through the media. So, having representations that show our humanity are literally a matter of life and death. That is one of the things that we grapple with in our film. With increased visibility comes increased violence and targeting. We know that this year, the year that Disclosure premiered on Netflix, it is the deadliest year on record for trans people. Even during a global pandemic when everybody is supposed to be at home, we are still getting murdered. Films aren’t everything. People need to change their behaviors, and they need to have access to material resources to change lives and decrease violence. You make an interesting point in the film about using cancel culture as an excuse to not discuss trans issues. Do you think cancel culture is useful or harmful to social movements? I don’t believe human beings are disposable. I think when we cancel people, we let go of the idea that people can evolve, change, and be redeemable. I am way more interested in people’s humanity and having empathy for people, even if they cannot muster the empathy for me. I am interested in having a vision for transforming culture instead of disposing human beings. How harmful have old stereotypes, memes, and tropes of trans people in the media been in regards to understanding trans issues? Watching Disclosure, I think we can be really clear about the disparaging, inaccurate, negative, dehumanizing, and degrading portrayals of trans people have taught Americans and people around the world how to think about trans people. The work of undoing that, it is going to take a while. It is going to take some time. Brittany Packnett Cunningham, this brilliant activist, she is as woken as aware as she is about so many issues. She didn’t even realize how much the media had indoctrinated her into certain kinds of thinking about trans people. For me as well, as a trans person. So, that 2 2 \\ N O V E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 0
work is so ingrained in ways that we do not even fully understand, and that is really deep. The undoing of that is going to take quite a bit of time. Why should non trans people watch Disclosure? For a lot of reasons. To become more aware of the struggles of trans people, how the media has taught them to think about trans people, and I always believe that trans people present an opportunity, if folks choose to accept that opportunity, for us to have a critical interrogation with the assumptions we have made about our own genders. We can begin to unpack that, and I think having moments of critical self-reflection are not only useful, but necessary for us to personally transform. We are never going to change the world if people do not have moments with themselves to say, how am I implicated in the discrimination against another community? How am I implicated in racism, sexism, etc., and then begin to act differently? I think everybody should watch Disclosure to have those moments of critical self-reflection, interrogation, and hopefully transformation. Also, it reminded me of how much not all media can propagandize or sway our views. We are seeing a lot of that right now. I think having critical reflection on media right now is very important. It is crucial. You are an icon who has contributed so much to the trans community. Did you ever think you would be a trailblazer? I think, I hoped. I hoped my work as an artist could make things better for people who might follow me. I have told this story a million times, but when I was about five or six years old, my mother gave me this Black history book with biographies of famous African Americans with little photos of them. I carried the book around with all the time, and I was like, oh my God, how amazing it would be to be an artist. I was already wanting to be a dancer, but like, it would be amazing if my work as an artist could make things better and pave a path for people who followed me. That thought was sort of planted in my mind very early on. Like, this would be cool to be in the tradition of people like Leontyne Price, Arthur Mitchell, or Katherine Dunham in some way. Hollywood has been known to drag its feet when it comes to casting trans performers. Do you believe this is still the case?
It’s getting better. It is definitely getting better, but there can always be more progress. What I am excited about with my own career is that I am being offered roles that are not necessarily written for trans actors. That has happened a few times, and that is very exciting and important for casting directors, working executives, directors, and producers to think out of the box in terms of casting. Then there are so many trans stories that need to be told. So, I think we are making progress, but I think we have a long way to go because there are just so many stories out there. Should trans people only play trans roles? This can also be said for any LGBTQ person playing LGBTQ roles. No, absolutely not. My shortest answer of the day [laughs]. Actors are trained to play a plethora of different characters, and it is really about whether you are right for something. When Shonda Rhimes had me in mind to play the role I am playing now, Kacy Duke in her Netflix series Inventing Anna, Shonda thought about who could possibly play Kacy, and she thought I would be the best person for the part. Kacy is a real-life person who happens to be a cis woman, but it shouldn’t matter. It should not matter if you are trans or not, it should be about who is the best person for the role. By the same token though, I also think if it were reversed, even though I would tell a cis person they shouldn’t play a trans person, I think again, we should also think about the potential impact of cis people playing trans folks. Then think about that impact, and go in with awareness, then make whatever artistic decisions you need to make. What more needs to be done to increase trans visibility and normalize trans folks in the queer community? I don’t think it is just the queer community, but starting at home with my LGBTQ family, it has been interesting. There has been so much progress within our community, but I still see a lot of folks saying that trans people should not be a part of the LGBTQ. I mean, I cannot believe in 2020 we still see this. Like, trans people should not be involved, and people say if this is gender identity, then gay, lesbian and bisexual is sexual orientation. That is absolutely true, but I think that perspective is ahistorical and apolitical. It does not reflect the reality of the ways in which people historically and erroneously conflated sexual orientation and gender identity, but because of that
historic conflation, we have all been lumped together. So, we are in this struggle together. Then the fight for equality and justice for everybody, it is intersectional anyways. Gender identity can intersect with sexual orientation. There are a lot of trans people who are bisexual, gay, or lesbian. Then there are people of color, so all of this is intersectional. I think everybody in our communities need to ask themselves if they are really interested in justice for everybody. That justice should not be just for us. It shouldn’t be like, I got my rights, I’m good. Justice should be about everybody whether they are trans, people of color, working class, disabled. If we are interested in justice, then that should be about building coalitions across our differences. Besides Disclosure, what are some other top trans-inclusive films you would recommend checking out? Wow, that is a great question. Lingua Franca is a beautiful film. It premiered earlier this year on Netflix, and it was written and directed by a trans woman, and she is also Filipino American. It is a beautiful story. There is a TV show on YouTube called King Ester, and it tells the story of a girl named Ester in preKatrina leading up to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Ester is played by Rowin Amone, and she gives such a forced, raw performance that I loved. There is also Gun Hill Road which is a beautiful film from around 2011 starring Harmony Santana about a young trans woman and her family. This was the first time Harmony Santana received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her performance, and Gun Hill Road is the first time an openly transgender actor was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Before we wrap up, are they any other upcoming projects you would like to mention or plug? I have a film on Hulu right now called Bad Hair, directed by Justin Simien. People should check that out. I have a film called Promising Young Woman that is supposed to come out Christmas Day that was directed and produced by Emerald Fennell. Inventing Anna on Netflix comes out either next year or the year after, so keep checking on that. To stay-up-to-date with Cox, follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, or visit lavernecox.com. Disclosure is now streaming on Netflix. O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 2 3
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Notes on Notes on “Camp”
Life
American Queer by Rick Kitzman
Camp is like porn: I know it when I see it. I do not refer to outdoor experiences requiring tents, bear spray, or turkey jerky, but to the urban, esoteric, cultural trope often synonymous with queer expression. Like Carmen Miranda’s tutti-frutti hats, pink flamingos, black velvet paintings. Anyone can camp-ify, and anything can be camp-ified. But does camp matter? Quelle horreur! If it does, how, why, to what purpose? For those seeking answers (and a great holiday stocking stuffer), there’s no better source than “Notes on ‘Camp,’” the 1964 essay by Susan Sontag. She was a writer, filmmaker, philosopher, teacher, political activist, and from 1989 until her death, partner to photographer Annie Liebovitz. Quoting her muse Oscar Wilde throughout, Sontag wrote her dissection of this modern artistic taste as 58 notes, brilliant and brief. For example: 8. Camp...is the love of the “off” of things-being-what-they-are-not. Search for the worst album covers, and The Shaggs or Faith Tones will appear in all their off-ness along with dozens of others. (Ya gotta see the Tones’ Jesus Use Me cover with the faces of 3 4 \\ N O V E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 0
His Orangeness, Kellyanne, and Mikey replacing the sisters.) 19. Pure examples of camp are unintentional; they are dead serious. One of the purest is the 1981 film Mommie Dearest starring Faye Dunaway in a Grand Guignol performance as über-star Joan Crawford. Crouching on her haunches, Mommie leers like Karen Black as the Zuni fetish doll in Trilogy of Terror, wire hangers and cold cream replacing Black’s pointy teeth and butcher knife. This classic, camp movie generated gobs of guffaws and golden fodder for drag queens, Halloween costumes, and creative videographers— the exact opposite of the filmmakers’ intentions. 25. The hallmark of camp is the spirit of extravagance. Camp is a woman walking around in a dress made of 3,000,000 feathers. And that dress was probably at 2019’s Met Gala, “Camp: Notes on Fashion.” 41. The whole point of camp is to dethrone the serious. Randy Rainbow has made a career dethroning His Orangeness with humor and clever images. He’s never cruel, but knows how to zap the power of cruel subjects:
with laughs, exposing His Orangeness like the deluded emperor who wore no clothes. Rainbow’s pink cat-eye glasses? So camp. 52. Camp is a solvent of morality. It neutralizes moral indignation, sponsors playfulness. The musical Hairspray deals with race, La Cage Aux Folles with homophobia. In both examples, the bigoted characters lose their battles, not in bitter ways, but with lots of fun, great costumes and music along their merry, consciousness-raising way. Sontag uses many descriptors: naïve, anti-serious, playful, kitschy, gaudy, pretentious, frivolous, exaggerated, extravagant, vulgar, non-judgmental, generous. In her debate between high and low art, she argues camp makes “good taste of bad taste.” Camp “is good because it’s awful.” In #50, Sontag acknowledges how “an improvised, self-elected class, mainly homosexuals” declared themselves “aristocrats of taste” and filled an aesthetic void. Maybe this validates the somewhat pejorative truism: “It takes a fag to make something pretty.”
Along with beauty in an often ugly and serious world, laughter is what queers were going for with outrageous creations and silly observations. Their lives were fraught with so many dangers—arrest, bodily harm, loss of job, family, housing, life itself—that the courage to have fun and dress up became more important. The word “camp” may have derived in the late 19th century from the French term se camper, meaning to pose in an exaggerated fashion and eventually defining the effeminate characteristics, behaviors, or aesthetic choices of working-class homosexuals. The world did not reflect queer lives, so queers built a world in their own image. That image began with drag, which has come a long way since Divine, Dame Edna, and Bugs Bunny. Emmy-winning RuPaul may be the apex of modern drag. Her Vanity Fair, Vogue, and Cosmo
covers invoke the absurdity of Marie Antoinette’s court at Versailles, arguably the foundation of the camp aesthetic with its yards of brocade and ropes of jewels. The queen’s two-feet-high wigs may have inspired the 60s beehive and its attending declaration: “The higher the hair, the closer to God.”
For a contemporary camp allusion ... In the November 6 New York Times’ review of modern movie Bad Hair, critic Teo Bugbee describes the film about a “new cinematic monster: the sew-in weave” and the Black woman who got the demonic ‘do as “pleasantly campy.”
Camp creates amusing and delightful art by appreciating the mundane, the awful, the ironic, the trivial. If you can look at a velvet Jesus clock, say “Jesus, look at the time,” and think that’s funny, then you get camp. You get the retro perfection of The Brady Bunch with their absurd catastrophes, or in camp terms, “catastrophes,” the world of Peewee Herman; the gun duel between Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge in the film Johnny Guitar; Andy Warhol’s body of work; the heroines of Tennessee Williams; the courageous, passionate failure of Florence Foster Jenkins.
You, too, can know camp when you see it. Order Sontag’s 50-page pamphlet (a second essay is included) published by Penguin Modern from your indie bookseller, and stuff a holiday stocking or two.
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 3 5
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