2010-10-01 outlook: columbus by Outlook Media, Inc

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outlook oct 2010 • vol 15 issue 5

inside: spinelli’s deli’s new digs hrc’s Karin Quimby Coming out christian chase whiteside Rock the Vote radical queers driftwood ‘i’ll get there’ turns 40 columbus fashion week & Local celebrity linda

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oct 2010

I like it when boys dribble things from their mouth.

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you are here

snapshot

6 hey!

Boos, Ballet Boxes and Bygone Days... the October Issue. Welcome to our politically active issue. Inside we profile tons of young people who are making a difference in politics today. It’s also National Coming Out month, GLBT history month and Halloween. So vote, get active, come out, eat some candy, and have a High Ball. And now, in case you missed the first three times we did this, our endorsements: Let’s start with a recap of the top of the ticket races. We endorse Governor Ted Strickland and Lt. Governor candidate Yvette McGee Brown, Secretary of State candidate Mary Ellen O’Shaughnessy, State Treasurer Kevin Boyce, State Auditor candidate David Pepper, State Attorney General Richard Cordray, Chief Justice Eric Brown, and Supreme Court candidate Mary Jane Trapp. Strickland is a longtime ally of our community, and his running mate, YMB, knows us and our issues. O’Shaughnessy has been a strong supporter of our community during her time on Columbus City Council and will continue the openness and diversity that the SOS office has enjoyed for the past four years. Cordray’s credentials are beyond question, having received HRC awards long before it was fashionable to do so, and Boyce was a strong progressive voice on Columbus City Council. Pepper has shown moxie as a Commissioner in blood-red Hamilton County, supporting repeal of their punitive antiGLBT legislation and championing progressive causes. Eric Brown is our strongest, most vocal ally at the Supreme Court. Trapp is a progressive with a long history with women’s and minority issues, and was instrumental in bringing a course titled “Access to Justice and Fairness in the Courts: Sexual Orientation” to the Ohio Supreme Court’s Judicial College. For US Senate, we endorse Lt Governor Lee Fisher, a longtime friend of the community, who has supported HRC and stood up for HIV/AIDS when no one else would, and who has stated his support for full marriage equality. The US Congressional races are also easy for us – we endorse incumbent Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy in the OH-15 and Franklin County Commissioner Paula Brooks in the OH-12. Both of these ladies have fought for us, and we now are committed to fight for them. For Franklin County Commissioner, we endorse longtime ally Marilyn Brown in her re-election bid. Marilyn has been instrumental in bringing

domestic partner benefits to County workers and is among the most progressive politicians anywhere in Ohio. For Franklin County Auditor, our choice is our very own Terry J. Brown. TJ is highly qualified with a perspective much needed in this office, and would be the first openlyGLBT candidate elected to County office. For Court of Appeals, 10th District, we’re behind Edward Parks and Julia Dorrian. For the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, we support Ron Plymale, Judge Julie Lynch, Mark Serrott, Judge Pat Sheeran, Judge Laurel Beatty, Judge John Bender, Judge Richard Frye, and Judge Kimberly Cocroft in the general division, Judge Alan Acker for the probate bench, and Jamie Campbell for the domestic division. We are confident that all of these candidates are aware of how their immensely powerful roles as judges impact our community and are sensitive and fair to us and to our concerns. For the Ohio House of Representatives, we endorse incumbents Marian Harris (H19), Nancy Garland (H20), John Patrick Carney (H22), Ted Celeste (H24), Tracy Heard (H26), and W Carlton Weddington (H27). They all backed HB176 and are friends of the progressive community. We endorse David Robinson in his bid for H21, Steven Harp in H23, and Michael Stinziano in H25. Robinson showed our community his commitment and aptitude in his run for US House two years ago and will make an excellent State Representative. Harp is an admitted long-shot in his race, we’d like nothing more than to see Cheryl Grossman sent packing after her insulting and unnecessary vote against HB176. Stinziano is youthful, bright, connected, savvy, and is one of the rising stars of the Democratic Party who will be a strong progressive voice in the House.

With history in the making; we wholeheartedly support Nickie Antonio, the out lesbian Democratic candidate for state representative in Ohio House District 13. With no opponent, Antonio is assured to become Ohio’s first openly gay state legislator. We also endorse a vote of Yes on Issue 12 – the Charter amendment to allow Columbus City Council to meet in Executive Session. Let’s be perfectly clear – we are completely in favor of good and open government. Let’s also be perfectly clear – good and open government sometimes requires discussions out of the public eye. As business owners, we know that there are some decisions that can’t be made, and some discussions that can’t be had, if your staff, competitors, and vendors are sitting in the room. As members of Boards of Directors, we know that you don’t want to negotiate contract terms with bidders at the table, you don’t want to discuss pending or potential litigation with the opposing counsel sitting next to you and reading your notes, and you don’t want to discuss personnel matters in an open forum. Certain items are called confidential, personal, and private for a reason. Issue 12 simply gives the City of Columbus the same ability that most other Franklin County cities already have, and is fully compliant with Ohio’s “Sunshine” law. Council would have to announce when they were meeting in Executive Session, vote from Open Session to go into Executive Session, and leave Executive Session and return to Open Session to conduct any votes. For us, this one’s easy – we’re fully supportive of the Charter change and voting in favor of Issue 12.

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q-munity: national

earthopolis

15 insight 17 small pond 18 open kimono 20

not that kind of girl

gayatry

super mario world

poli sigh

complete the circuit

transpicuous

calendar about town

oh dem gays

features:

23 frames

creative class

52 deep inside hollywood 54

bookmarks

fashion forward

tripping out

savage love

local celebrity & astro forecast

Enjoy! Chris Hayes & Michael Daniels Co-Publishers

For the Ohio Senate, we strongly endorse Charleta Tavares in her race for S15. Tavares is a veteran of the House and the voice of social consciousness on the Columbus City Council. She will be our strongest ally in the Ohio Senate.

outlook columbus is published and distributed by Outlook Media, Inc. the first day of each month throughout Ohio. outlook columbus is a free publication provided solely for the use of our readers. Any person who willfully or knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over more than 5 copies of any issue outlook columbus with the intent to prevent other individuals from reading it shall be considered guilty of the crime of theft. Violators will be prosecuted. The views expressed in outlook columbus are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or personal, business, or professional practices of Outlook Media, Inc. or its staff, ownership, or management.

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In the race for S3, we give the nod to Libertarian candidate William Yarbrough. He is a young, energetic candidate with a commitment to fairness and equality. His Republican opponent, Kevin Bacon, voted against HB176, and the rogue Democrat, Mark Pfeifer, has been sued by the Democratic Party for his underhanded primary tactics and has repeatedly expressed his support for anti-equality Constitutional amendments and DOMA legislation.

The full version of these endorsements appeared in our June 2010 PRIDE issue. Check it out online at www.outlookcolumbus.com. For an opposing view of our Issue 12 endorsement, see the letter to the editor on page 6 of this issue.

Masc

outlook columbus does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness or reliability of any interpretation, advice, opinion, or view presented. Outlook Media, Inc. does not investigate or accept responsibility for claims made in any advertisement. Outlook Media, Inc. assumes no responsibility for claims arising in connection with products and services advertised herein, nor for the content of, or reply to, any advertisement. All material is copyrighted ©2010 by Outlook Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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#) VIRGINIA WEST SEPTEMBER 4, 2010

VIRGINIA WEST SEPTEMBER 4, 2010

A cornucopia of sorts.

Virginia is always accepting donations.

Miss ‘Nisa NEVER waits to exhale

NETWORK COLUMBUS SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

Booze+Food=Net. Werk.

Dr. Kim Kalfas has something for what ails ya…

…And it’s not Sangria!

Though, these men would disagree!

WICKED WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2010

Hello, arms…

Happily wicked!

Angelic troublemakers

Novelty check deposits can be a problem, and they would know.

SPINELLI’S OPENING SEPTEMBER 14, 2010

Deli Duo - Congrats, Joe and Bill!

“Shutup, I’m starving!”

James clutching his pearl…necklace

NETWORK COLUMBUS SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

Introducing, Spinelli’s Downtown!

oct 2010

Bill and Joe’s meat makes these girls smile!

For more pictures head to our facebook fan page: outlook; columbus.

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Thats some nice large cuts meat you have... in your sandwich.

oct 2010

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y Keep City Council Open On July 19, Columbus City Council passed ordinance 1143-2010, putting what would eventually become Issue 12 on the ballot this November. This decision to change Columbus’s basic governing document, our city’s constitution, was reached after a rigorous, nearly month long process of “debate” and study by a committee appointed by Council President Mike Mentel. The committee empowered by Mr. Mentel was so open to public discourse and debate on this issue that they announced their one and only public meeting to discuss the charter change on the afternoon of Friday, July 2, 2010 - an afternoon when many citizens were heading to Red, White, and Boom or busy preparing for the long holiday weekend. The meeting was held at the convenient and accessible time of 3:30 in the afternoon, on Tuesday, July 6, when most people were at work trying to catch up from the long holiday. Much to council and their committee’s surprise, no members of the public were present for the 18-minute meeting. Then on July 19, an underhanded and according to one council staffer - “unprecedented”- last minute agenda change ensured that President Mentel’s fragile ears were spared from hearing any dissent from the citizens of Columbus. Lack of dissent has been par for the course during Mentel’s presidency. According to a recent Columbus Dispatch article, there have been 5,823 votes in council since 2007. A whopping 15 have not been unanimous. Out of the 37,742 votes cast by individual council members during this period, only 20 have gone against the majority. Although admittedly comparing apples and oranges, even Josef Stalin’s Soviet Union had more dissenting votes than our current city council. Issue 12 will not encourage more public debate; it will instead be the final nail in the coffin of public debate in Columbus City Hall. City Hall is so committed to quashing public discourse and dissent in Columbus that just last week city attorney Rick Pfieffer issued an email to area commissioners telling them not to take stands on ballot issues. This was after OWNERS AND PUBLISHERS Michael Daniels & Christopher Hayes HEADQUARTERS Outlook Media, Inc. 815 N High St, Bsmt Ste ii Columbus, OH 43215 614.268.8525 phone 614.261.8200 fax www.outlookmedia.com SUBSCRIPTIONS & DISTRIBUTION Call 614.268.8525

oct 2010

the Livingston Avenue Area Commission voted unanimously to oppose Issue 12. Several other area commissions and civic associations are also considering similar resolutions. Issue 12 supporters claim that a vote for Issue 12 is merely bringing our city’s charter in line with the Ohio Revised Code. This argument is disingenuous. Cities and municipalities in Ohio have “Home Rule;” they are not required to follow Ohio Revised Code as long as they meet the minimum standards put forth by the State. Our charter’s rules for public meetings are currently more open than those of the Ohio Revised Code. The ACLU of Ohio has come out against Issue 12 for this very reason - why should Columbus strive for a lower standard of openness and public debate? I think The Columbus Dispatch’s Joe Hallett said it best when he stated that, “Bringing the charter in line with state law is not exactly an admirable standard.” Supporters of Issue 12 also state that council needs to hold closed-door executive sessions to maintain the city’s bargaining position with regard to contracts and real estate deals. This too, is a faulty argument. Council, being the legislative branch, does not negotiate contracts directly - that’s the job of the Mayor’s office. Council merely approves contracts, and the expenditures within those contracts. They do appoint members to fill vacant seats, and following some recent embarrassments regarding this process, I’m sure President Mentel would love to move that process out of the public eye. This brings me to another point, the appointment of council members. Of the current members, all seven were appointed, not elected, to their initial term of office. The last council member who was actually elected to her first term by the people, and not appointed by council, was Mary Ellen O’Shaughnessy back in 1995. This is also the last year that an incumbent member of council lost an election. No dissent and no members of opposing political parties (the last Republican left council in

2002) means that council can run as a team and pool their campaign resources. Candidates with new ideas, who may bring outside the box thinking to a council schooled in groupthink face an uphill battle to get elected. Furthermore, appointed council members owe their loyalty to the council members who appoint them, not to the people who should elect them. Issue 12 would remove the people from the process entirely, and allow President Mentel to appoint more of his political cronies to empty seats. The manner in which council has gone about putting this amendment on the ballot and the events following the July 19 vote should give any voter pause when considering an affirmative vote. First, President Mentel did everything in his power to sneak this issue in under the radar. He fast-tracked a change to the basic governing document of the city, doing everything he could to curtail and avoid public debate during the process. If council has this little respect for the process of public discourse, can we really trust them to behave in the best interests of the public if given the power of executive session? Mentel has yet to speak to a reporter about Issue 12 - he uses cutouts like Council spokesman John Ivanic or Issue 12 mouthpiece Lisa Griffin. Finally, when the very language that council and the city attorney put on the ballot doesn’t even mention “closed-door executive sessions,” but instead deceptively mentions “open meetings,” can we really believe that council will act in our best interests? Instead of trying to sell the issue on its merits (of which it has none) and informing the public, city hall instead tries to obfuscate and confuse the public in the voting booth. We at Keep Council Open want to inform the citizens of Columbus, and we urge any of you interested in this issue to visit our website - www.keepcouncilopen.com - and to vote “no” on Issue 12. James Moore KeepCouncilOpen.org

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Why not ‘Cold as the Appalachians?’

oc t 2010

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qmunity : local

BRAVO Recruiting Volunteers for Helpline A critical link between victims of crime and the services they need is the Buckeye Region AntiViolence Organization (BRAVO) helpline. Volunteering for the helpline is a specialized opportunity and requires a significant commitment of time for training in order to properly and effectively answer phones for BRAVO. Training also better prepares volunteers to give adequate referrals, take reports and provide telephone crisis intervention to assist BRAVO clients. Most of the volunteer’s time with the helpline will be spent on routine calls, and referrals and reports. Volunteers will be trained to handle crisis situations. BRAVO does collaborative training with the local rape crisis program, Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio (SARNCO). At the end of SARNCO training, BRAVO concludes training with a module specific to their mission, policies and procedures. In all, both modules entail 40 hours of intensive training. Currently, the BRAVO helpline is staffed Sunday through Thursday night, 6p to 10p. The helpline volunteer works from home, getting calls forwarded from the BRAVO line. This position requires a commitment of time and newfound skills. SARNCO training is scheduled for October 9, 10, 16 and 17 from 9a to 5p. Upon completion of SARNCO training, the BRAVO module will take place at the BRAVO office. Anyone interested in this volunteer opportunity should contact Gary Heath, Domestic Violence Program Coordinator, at 614.294.7867 to schedule an interview.

oct 2010

Governor Strickland Designates $12.8 Million to Fund Ryan White Part B/Ohio Drug Assistance Program Governor Ted Strickland announced initial designations of money made available as a result of increased federal reimbursement for Medicaid. Among those designations are hospitals, mental health services and Ohio’s HIV/AIDS assistance program to protect health care jobs and critical health services for Ohioans. Strickland announced, “As Ohioans are fighting our way out of the Wall Street recession, this additional support could not have come at a more critical time for our hospitals and mental health system. These investments will protect Ohio jobs and help us provide health services for Ohioans in need. I want to thank President Obama and Ohio’s Congressional leaders for supporting Ohio jobs and services.” Medicaid is currently a state and federal shared financial responsibility, with expenses partially reimbursed by the federal government. In the Recovery Act, the federal government increased its share of the responsibility for Medicaid, known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP). Ohio’s enhanced FMAP reimbursement is projected to be about $518.6 million. Approximately $73.3 million of that will be distributed to various Ohio Departments including those of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, Education, Aging, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. The remaining money will go to Ohio hospitals, Ohio’s mental health system and Ohio’s Ryan

White Part B/Ohio Drug Assistance Program. This program provides assistance to eligible Ohioans living with HIV/AIDS and will receive $12.8 million. The program implemented cost containment measures in July as a result of decreasing resources, increasing enrollment and rising costs of health insurance premiums and medications. The assistance received by the program will sustain the program at its current state through the remainder of the fiscal year. Strickland also said he would gather input from the legislature before designating the rest of the state’s $243.8 million. “It is important to exercise fiscal restraint and look beyond our immediate priorities so we are positioned to address needs that may arise in the coming months. That is how we will maximize these resources and help the greatest number of Ohioans,” Strickland said. “Just because the state has received additional federal resources does not mean all of those resources must be spent immediately.”

nity in Ohio. There’s never been a study that has specifically focused on the needs - the climate of Ohio, as well as, the medical, legal and community needs of Transgender people in the state. Additionally, we have a large group of stealth Transgender individuals who don’t publically identify themselves as being such, or for that matter, seek out services specific to their identity.” Morgan explained, “There are also no statewide protections for employment, public accommodations, housing and credit for Ohioans who are transgender, bisexual, lesbian or gay. That means a transgender individual can be denied employment, fired or denied housing just because of their gender identity or their sexual orientation. The risks often outweigh the pros for many, and for some people, remaining in the shadows is the only way to survive.” Jacob Nash, member of the TransOhio Board of Directors, says that in order for TransOhio to serve the needs of the community, they need to ask what is most important.

TransOhio Launches Statewide Needs Assessment for Ohio Transgender Community

There are three assessments available to the public: 1) Transgender Identified Individual, 2) Partner of Transgender Individual, 3) Ally Of Transgender Individual.

TransOhio, an organization which serves the Ohio transgender and ally communities, has launched a needs assessment for the state’s transgender community. The assessment, the first of its kind, will serve as a snapshot of the transgender Ohio population as well as those born in Ohio, but now reside in another state.

The TransOhio Statewide Transgender Needs Assessments will be available both online and in print through December 31, 2010, though there will be an option to extend the data collection timeline as necessary. The assessments are available online, including PDF versions for print, at www.transohio.org.

Shane Morgan, Founder and Chair of TransOhio said, “It’s difficult to provide accurate information to agencies about the Transgender commu-

Got gay local news? That doesn’t involve who broke up with who? Let us know!

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Congrats to Beyond Limits owner James McGuire for winning his WNBF Pro Card at the Naturalmania Nationals!

oct 2010

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qmunity : national

GLSEN Finds Victimization and School Connectedness Directly Related The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Student Network (GLSEN) released new research via The Prevention Researcher showing a connection between institutional support and victimization amongst LGBT youth. Using data obtained from the 2007 National School Climate Survey, the research shows that anti-LGBT violence and victimization is directly related to lower levels of connectivity for LGBT youth within schools. Institutional connectivity can refer to anything from supportive school staff, to comprehensive anti-bullying policies, to attendance in Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs). GLSEN Senior Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives Joseph Kosciw, PhD explained, “Past research shows that feeling like a valued and accepted member of a school community is an important contributor to healthy adolescent development.” Kosciw went on to say, “This article demonstrates how in-school victimization negatively affects that sense of school connectedness for LGBT youth. We also find that access to institutional supports can make a positive difference in the lives of LGBT youth and plays a critical role in interrupting the damaging relationship between hostile school climate and school connectedness.” GLSEN also found that having supportive staff and comprehensive anti-bullying policies were directly related to school connectedness. In addition, they found that having a GSA and supportive staff led to increased attendance, which indirectly related to greater connectedness.

oct 2010

NY Governor Signs Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) into Law

as Washington DC have nondiscrimination laws that include protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

dar, as well as being considered for funding. Print and web advertising will be used to help contribute to the printing costs of the calendar.

Governor David Paterson made New York the tenth state to enact an enumerated anti-bullying law that includes protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

2011 Calendar to Raise Money for Transgender Community

GLBT History Month Website Launched

Spawned from Maegan Beard’s desire to help a friend raise money, the 2011 Transguys Calendar Project is designed to provide financial assistance to transgender individuals who need help funding sexual reassignment procedures. Beard, the Project Coordinator, explained that the goal is to raise $10,000 in the first year of the project and to continue the effort each year to help as many people as possible.

Equality Forum, a national and international GLBT civil rights organization, has launched www.glbthistorymonth.com.

The calendar will feature 12 female-to-male models at various stages of transition. 100% of the proceeds raised from calendar sales will be donated to transgender individuals in need of the financial assistance for medical costs associated with transitioning.

The site also has a 2-½ minute overview video showcasing all 31 of the icons chosen for 2010’s GLBT History Month.

Executive Director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Student Network (GLSEN) Eliza Byard said DASA, “is a huge step forward for New York at a time when students across the state head back to school. We commend Governor Paterson for signing a bill into law that, if implemented properly, will make New York schools safer for all students. This is a great victory for all of us in the Dignity for All Students Act Coalition who have worked for 10 years to make this day happen. Most importantly, the bill’s signing is a victory for all New York students, who will be able to go to school in an environment where they know their school must protect them from bullying.” A version of DASA was first introduced in 1999. It passed the Assembly seven times, failing to pass the Senate Education Committee in each instance until this session. DASA prohibits bullying in schools and includes a list of characteristics most often targeted by bullies, including race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. Byard went on to explain, “While we celebrate a historic day in New York, the somber reality is that 40 states still do not have adequate protections that protect students from bias-based bullying.” The nine other states with enumerated anti-bullying laws are California, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. Three additional states (Colorado, Maine and Minnesota) as well

While the benefit is currently exclusive to transgender men, Beard explains, “Eventually we’d like to be able to expand the project to include an annual Transgirls calendar as well to benefit people transitioning from male to female.” She went on to explain, “My ultimate goal is to turn this project into a charitable foundation and provide a central resource for people looking for help with funding trans medical costs - everything from hormones to binders and other devices.” Calendar pre-orders as well as donations are currently being accepted through the project’s website, www.theTcal.org. Additionally, there are opportunities on the site for advertising space on the calendar, promoting and selling the calen-

At long last, the gays are on the Internet.

Beginning October 1, one GLBT icon will be presented each day with a video, bio, bibliography, downloadable images and other resources, all for free. The resources for icons presented from 2006 – 2009 are archived on the website.

Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director of Equality Forum explained, “Equality Forum offers a free GLBT History Month link to organizations, educational institutions, workplace groups and the public. The 800% increase in Web traffic in 2009 with over 6 million hits proves the power of GLBT History Month to educate and inspire.” Visitors can also embed the 31 icon videos to websites, blogs or social networking pages. After the video is embedded, the player will automatically update the daily icon video. Icons to be featured during the month of October include: Cynthia Nixon (actress), George Washington Carver (scientist), Tom Ford (fashion designer/filmmaker), Eleanor Roosevelt (First Lady), Matthew Shepard (Hero), Rufus Wainwright (singer/songwriter), and Jane Lynch (actress). outlookcolumbus.com

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Nothing says ‘customer appreciation’ like a free T-shirt.

oct 2010

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earthopolis

Report reveals widespread toxic coal ash contamination by Bruce Nilles Power industry lobbyist Jim Roewer: “Wasn’t a problem.” Leslie Stahl: “Well, it was a problem, but we just didn’t know it.” This excerpt from a recent 60 Minutes story on toxic coal waste sums up the current trouble with the millions of tons of toxic ash left over each year from burning coal for energy. While scientists and experts know, and have known for years that coal ash is full of harmful pollution that can cause cancer and other serious illnesses, the issue flew largely under the radar until the massive TVA disaster. Even now nobody, including the EPA, has a full picture of how much of this toxic waste is out there, where it is, or if it is staying put. The coal industry has dumped millions of tons of its toxic leftovers at thousands of sites across the country with no federal oversight, and utterly inadequate state policies. The result? Toxic ash dumpsites lacking even basic safety protections, drinking water sources poisoned and people unknowingly put at risk. A new investigative report reveals more than three-dozen new sites in 21 states, including 4 sites in Ohio, where toxic coal waste has made water supplies unsafe. These sites are the latest in a steadily growing number of waters known to be contaminated by poor management of coal ash. So far more than 130 cases of coal ash contamination have been found in 34 states, and even EPA admits this could be just the tip of the iceberg. Many state agencies (like those in Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico and Tennessee to

oct 2010

Funny. Usually, being widespread is a good thing.

name a few) require no monitoring of waters near toxic coal ash sites. Other states, like West Virginia, do such a poor job of monitoring as to be useless. About 70 percent of the toxic coal ash generated nationwide is dumped in states that don’t require monitoring to see if toxic contamination is leaking from coal ash sites. The report shows that states responsible for only four of the coal ash sites have required an investigation to determine the scale of the pollution. Not one state has required the toxic pollution to be stopped, let alone cleaned up. There is a clear need for the EPA to step in where the states have failed to protect our communities. Lisa Jackson and the EPA have recognized this and the agency is currently considering whether and how to regulate toxic coal ash. In September the EPA held a series of hearings across the country to gather public comment on the new protections. Whether you attended a hearing in person or submit comments online I urge you to send a strong message to EPA that federally enforceable protections are absolutely necessary in the face of the growing risk from coal’s toxic waste. Due to high demand, the EPA has extended the public comment period until November 19th. The EPA is specifically seeking input on a mandatory vs. voluntary approach and the “beneficial use” of coal ash waste in consumer products. Speak up today at SierraClub.org/CoalAsh and follow the latest news at SierraClub.org/Coal/OH. Bruce Nilles is the director of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, the largest component of Sierra Club’s new Climate Recovery Partnerships. The Beyond Coal Campaign is working to reduce America’s over reliance on coal, slash coal’s contribution to global warming and other pollution woes, end destructive mining, and secure massive investments in clean energy alternatives.

outlookcolumbus.com

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Civic engagement can mean something totally different to gays.

oct 2010

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oct 2010

Drag queens and baseball… drag queens and football… When will we have the fitting drag queens on ice?

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insightout

From Conflict to Connection : New Tools for Old Debates by Regina Sewell Stuck between your partner’s aunt ranting about abortion on one side and your partner’s mother fondly reminiscing about G.W. Bush on the other, your lip begins to twitch. The desire to point out the hypocrisy of the fundies, the evils of the conservative right wing leaders, and the list of ways that G.W. Bush set the country on a course of financial and social ruin gnaws at you like the itch of poison ivy. You know that if you don’t say anything, you will feel dirty, tainted, like you stepped in dog shit. But if you argue, it will be worse. If you slay them with your superior intellect they will probably storm off to pout. If it’s a fair match, you will end up in a stalemate. You’ll be angry. They’ll be angry. Your partner will be angry with you for making a scene. Dinner will be ruined. And they will leave even more convinced that they are right. Or, if you’ve all been drinking or come from a family that settles things with violence, you might come to blows. Fun times with the in-laws! Your own family gatherings are even more difficult because the connection is deeper, or at least it’s supposed to be. Even though you know that she is trying to save your soul, when your own aunt tells you that you’re going to hell, it hurts. When your cousin, the cousin who let you win at poker when you were seven, tells you and your partner that he’s sorry but, “Gay marriage is just wrong. Hey, it’s supposed to be Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve,” the sting of rejection can pierce something deep in your soul. And how can you even talk to your brother when you know that he listens to Rush Limbaugh and has a “God Hates Fags” bumper sticker on his truck? Standard self-defense techniques may get them to shut up - like getting your butt out the door and walking to a less hostile environment - but they don’t help you feel more connected. If you find that you often leave family functions seething in resentment about not being seen or valued, frustration about not being heard, guilt over slaying your unworthy debate opponents, or shame about acting like a 5-year old, it’s time to try something new. In Nonviolent Communica-

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tion, Marshal Rosenberg provides us with a different strategy that shifts our focus from winning a conflict to creating or strengthening connections. This approach requires us to look at and take responsibility for our own emotional responses and gives us tools to get our deepest needs satisfied. So, when you feel your lips start to twitch when your partner’s aunt rants about abortion, or when your partner’s mother reminisces about the good old days when Bush was king, or when you want to disappear or run away when your aunt tells you that you’re going to hell or your cousin condemns gay marriage, ask yourself, “What am I feeling?” Do you feel angry, frustrated, annoyed, hurt, scared, anxious, embarrassed, humiliated, or guilty? Next, ask yourself, “What am I making up?” In other words, are your stories augmenting the words you are hearing? Do you think your aunt is judging you because you don’t believe the way she does? Do you think that when your partner’s mother reminisces about Bush that she’s consciously disrespecting or criticizing you? Do you think that if you don’t convince them of the ignorance of their views, the nation will go to your version of hell in a hand basket? Do you think your aunt and cousin are rejecting you outright when they voice their opinions on God and gay marriage? Do you think that your brother’s bumper sticker means that he personally hates you? Now, ask yourself, “Is this really true?” Is your partner’s aunt really judging you personally? Is your partner’s mother really criticizing you or putting you down? Will the world really go to hell in a hand basket? Are your aunt and cousin really rejecting you? Does your brother really hate you personally? The key here is to stop making stuff up, to stop attributing motives for other people’s words and just take their words on their own merit. Next step: look at your underlying needs. Needs drive emotional responses. When our needs are being met, we feel good. We feel happy, affec-

tionate, engaged, hopeful, confident, excited, grateful, inspired, or peaceful. When they are not being met, we feel afraid, annoyed, angry, confused, unsettled, embarrassed, tired, hurt, tense, sad or vulnerable. Once you’ve figured out what you’re really feeling and weeded out your interpretation of motive, go deeper. Explore the underlying unmet need that is driving your negative reaction. We all have, for example, a need for connection (including things like acceptance, community, empathy, inclusion, intimacy, love, safety, to know and be known, and to see and be seen), physical well-being (including air, food, safety, shelter, touch, sexual expression, and rest), honesty (including authenticity, integrity, and presence), play, peace, autonomy (including choice, independence, and space), and meaning (including a sense of competence, consciousness, contribution, creativity, and understanding). When you reflect on your reaction, do you feel hurt because your need to be seen or to be unconditionally accepted isn’t being met? Do you feel frustrated because your need for inclusion isn’t being met? Do feel scared because their words create a hostile environment for you and your need for safety isn’t being met? What if, instead of trying to change the way those around you think, you focused on connecting to them? Instead of arguing with your partner’s mother about politics, what if you shifted the conversation to something you both agree on. If she hates healthcare reform, is it possible to meet her in that place of frustration with the law that came out, even if you are on the opposite side of the fence? Can you join her in talking about horror stories of people who don’t have health care without attacking people who do? If you want to be heard, you have to engage people in a way that they can hear. Most people need to feel heard before they can truly hear someone else. What if you were able to empathize with your cousin about what drives his belief about gay marriage? Is he coming from a place of fear that the world will come to an end if you and your

If he gets this mad because that dude left the milk out, just imagine if he left the butter out too.

partner can legally wed? If so, can you empathize with his fear? (If you have trouble with this, remember how afraid you were of the potential of President Sarah Palin.) Once you sense that he feels heard, what if you spoke honestly about how his words affected you, stripping your words of judgment, labeling, name calling, or interpretation of why he believes what he does? For example, what if you were to say, “When I heard you say that gay marriage is “just wrong,” I felt hurt. I’m gay and I think that if you really love me you’d want me to have the same rights as you have. And when you root your opinion in religion, I think that you think that I am not worthy of love in God’s eyes. I’d like you to at least consider how your beliefs hurt and read why some religious leaders support gay marriage.” This same strategy might work with your brother. Or you may decide that you really don’t want connection with your brother. We all have a need for authenticity, so perhaps it’s better to be honest and tell him that you don’t want to hear anything about his political beliefs and disengage from him if he feels the need to overstep your boundary. The key here is that your focus is on connection, if not with them, at least with yourself. (And I’m guessing that you really aren’t connected to yourself when you are totally wrapped up in convincing the other person that you are right. You might be connected to your head, to your ego, but not to your whole self.) Paradoxically, while the goal of this approach is not to change the other person’s mind, it often works that way because when you touch someone’s heart, their heads often follow. *You can also find out more about the Nonviolent Communication at www.cnvc.org, or more locally at www.nvcohio.org. For more suggestions about how to work through the emotional baggage that allows you to get hooked into anger, shame and other negative emotions and/or for help with responding to emotional and physical attacks, check out my book, We’re Here! We’re Queer! Get Used to Us! It’s available through my website: www.ReginaSewell.com.

oct 2010

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oct 2010

Get biz-y at Network Columbus. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where bizness happens... and we have fun!

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by Jon Dunn

Deli Duo Does Downtown

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be able to look towards growing the business. They sought some professional advice from Action Coaches, a business-counseling firm that provided insight into growing the Spinelli’s brand.

“Welcome to Spinelli’s on steroids!” says Joe Spinelli, co-owner & founder of Spinelli’s Deli, as he opens the door to their new location at 50 N High St. Joe and coowner & founder Bill Ward are taking their winning As in most partnerships, each of the partners is formula from Victorian Village to the downtown High unique and is often quite different from the other. This & Gay Street corridor in a big fashion. observation is not lost on the Spinelli’s duo; they take full advantage of their differences. Bill is reserved; he The new Spinelli’s Deli location is much larger than calmly keeps an eye on things but is always ready the familiar Neil Avenue store. The former restaurant with facts and figures, which Joe appreciates. “I trust was gutted and then refitted to a custom design. “It’s him so much,” explains Joe “that he even does my been totally built out, from the floor to the lights” says own personal finances! Seriously!” Joe is much more Joe as he walks through the nearly completed space. animated, taking the lead in conversations and talkLooking around the large room, Joe observes, “At the ing with his hands. “I’m Italian,” he explains “I have Neil Avenue location, you barely have room to turn to talk with my hands!” around. This is big enough to hold events and gatherings here.” With more seating, customers can stay The easy banter between them results in exchanges longer to watch the High Street bustle just outside the like this: windows and enjoy the local artists works displayed on the walls (quarterly art exhibits start with local “The partnership is successful because we are so difartist Kojo on October 27). ferent from each other, we play off each other’s strengths. Bill is the ‘quiet’ one, while I’m a little more At the front, large windows, which open out onto the outgoing, maybe more of the face of the business,” street, provide a cafe-style ambience to the brightly lit says Joe, with Bill adding “You can’t have a successand tastefully appointed dining room and integrate ful partnership with both partners being the face.” the High Street bustle into their space. Joe and Bill decided on the windows when they found they were To which Joe replies “Well, if you want, we can take eligible for funds from the Mile on High Façade Imyour face off the logo, then.” provement grants funded by the city. “They offered us matching funds up to $5000 for making these im“I didn’t say that,” quips Bill. provements, so we took advantage of that, of course,” explains Joe, “I think they worked out wonderfully.” Community figures largely in the Spinelli’s Deli plan, because that’s what helped them thrive at the origiIn planning the expansion, Joe and Bill considered a nal location in Victorian Village and then encouraged study done by Chris Boring of Boulevard Strategies, them to expand. “We have such a loyal following that which suggested that the best type of restaurant in even during a year of recession, our sales were actuthat downtown location would be a fast casual style ally up 11% for the year!” says Joe, adding that it shop, offering quick, affordable breakfast and lunch “gave us a lot of confidence about going ahead with opportunities for busy workers. The emphasis will be the expansion.” placed on speed; handling a busy downtown breakfast or lunch crowd demands it. Some things, like the Instead of the normal route of financing with bank menu, have not changed. All of the favorite Spinelli’s loans, they took a different route and secured the necsandwiches and entrees will be available, along with essary funding by reaching out to their community. some new additions. A new innovation is a Grab and Go case, filled with ready-to-purchase items and a “All of our funding was arranged through private indedicated register to keep the flow happening. Cus- vestors,” explains Bill. “Banks can be difficult to work tomers can also call in or order online for quick pickup with and this way we had a lot more flexibility. A lot of on their way to work. influential people got involved, confident they would have an excellent return on their investment.” He The store hours (7a-6p, Monday through Friday) readds that local businesspeople, such as Aaron Levenflect a downtown workweek crowd, but the store will thal, proved to be invaluable to the process. also be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 8a-2p to weekend downtowners. “I met with Donna Carsten, Joe agrees, saying “Aaron and I have been friends for the president of the Downtown Residents Associayears. I sat with him, reviewed our business plan and tion,” says Joe, “and they asked us to consider having the Boulevard Strategies study and asked him if he Sunday hours. It’s something we’ll be trying and defi- could help connect me with people who would be innitely keeping an eye on.” terested investing.” They soon had the necessary backing in place and moved ahead with the expanThough they are now veterans of the restaurant biz, sion. Joe and Bill had very different careers before they met through one of Joe’s childhood friends. Bill spent 21 The Gay Street corridor downtown is quietly but years at Key Bank and Joe was a social worker. “My quickly filling up with new shops and places to eat. A grandparents did own a restaurant, however,” says walk along the street at lunchtime on a warm Friday Joe. After deciding to partner up, they opened a Man- reveals a bustling crowd of pedestrians and patrons hattan Bagels shop in 1987. “We kept that franchise filtering through places like JT Gumbo’s, Sugaropen for over five years,” Joe explains, “until Manhat- daddy’s and the Tip Top. Spinelli’s new location just tan Bagels went bankrupt.” The partners had seen around the corner on High Street is a logical spot for the writing on the wall and took over the operation them to occupy. Noting the Gay St neighborhood of themselves, even changing the name (at a cusgay-owned and gay-friendly establishments they are tomer’s suggestion) to Spinelli’s Deli on the fly. moving into, Joe, who is gay, remarks, “it’s a gay little corner, isn’t it?” Even with the name change, their dedication to customer service and quality never faltered. Both Joe and “You’re gay?” quips Bill. Bill worked every aspect of the deli, including making sandwiches. “You do whatever it takes when it’s your The new Spinelli’s Deli is located at 50 N High Street. The hours are: Monday through Friday 7a to 6p; Saturday/Sunday 8a to business,” Bill advises. Each of them became very 2p. Their phone number is 614.280.1044 and you can visit visible in the store, making sure everything was going them on the web at: www.spinellisdeli.com. smoothly. Constantly being behind the counter didn’t let them step away from the business far enough to

A man’s gotta know his limitations – just ask Joe about his dancing!

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open kimono

Mobilizing the Troops HRC’s Karin Quimby on the upcoming election, ENDA, and DADT by Michael Daniels Ohio’s always at the heart of it all, and this year is no exception. As part of its grassroots efforts, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has sent Regional Field Director Karin Quimby to Ohio through Election Day. Quimby joined the Human Rights Campaign in February of this year, and comes with a strong background in both policy and politics. Prior to joining HRC, Karin was a district representative for a congresswoman and a field director for a congressional campaign. She managed a No on Proposition 8 field office in California and has significant experience in faith-based organizing and in building durable coalitions. I caught up with Karin to get her thoughts on a variety of issues facing the community. Michael Daniels: What does a Regional Field Director do, and why has HRC placed you here in Ohio through the election? Karin Quimby: I am here in Ohio to help mobilize our HRC members on several fronts: to get them out working to elect fair-minded candidates and to contact their U.S. Senators and Representatives to support the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and support the Employment Nondiscrimination Act. Senator Voinovich greatly disappointed us when he refused to support the repeal. MD: What are the major issues HRC is currently addressing?

oct 2010

KQ: HRC has been strongly focused on the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and the Employment Nondiscrimination Act this past year. We are nearly there with the DADT repeal, and despite the recent disappointing vote, we feel hopeful that the Senate will take it up again after the election and finish it before the end of the year. Speaker Pelosi has also pledged to bring a fully- inclusive ENDA to a vote in the House before the year’s end. MD: How does Ohio play into those issues? KQ: Senator Voinovich was a major target for us for the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. We believed he was fair-minded enough to understand that this discriminatory law is hurting Ohioan lesbian and gay service members and their families. He had the chance to stand up for fairness and equality, and he decided not to. In addition, every U.S. House member from Ohio will have the opportunity to vote to end employment discrimination against LGBT people after the election. We are hopeful that a majority will vote in favor of ENDA and get us one step closer to protecting us all in the workplace. Many people don’t realize that in many states we can still be fired from our jobs just for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered. MD: As a delegation, Ohio is both conservative and progressive in the House and Senate. Which Ohio representatives have the best and worst HRC records? What about our senators? KQ: Senator Brown is our champion in the Senate

with a 100% rating from HRC. Senator Voinovich rates at 60%. Our HRC endorsements for the upcoming election in November tell us who supports equality most strongly here in Ohio and who we must get out and support: For U.S. Senate: Lee Fisher (D-OH); for Governor: Ted Strickland (D-OH); for U.S. House of Representatives: Steve Driehaus (D-OH-1), Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH-10), Marcia Fudge (D-OH-11), Betty Sutton (D-OH-13), Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH-15), John Boccieri (D-OH-16), and Tim Ryan (D-OH-17). MD: How does HRC work with other groups such as Equality Ohio, ODP’s LGBT Caucus, etc? KQ: Right now our HRC local leaders and I are working to inform our HRC members across the state of Ohio about the opportunities they have to work for fair-minded candidates and also to help get the very important Bowling Green nondiscrimination ordinances ratified with a positive vote on Nov 2. We are grateful that there are such strong LGBT organizations in Ohio like Equality Ohio and Stonewall Democrats that are working for the same goals and we are pleased to be partnering with them. The Ohio Democratic Party has distinguished itself as the only state party in the nation with a full-time LGBT Caucus Director, Collin Burton, who is doing an extraordinary job activating and coordinating the LGBT vote and volunteer base. We are all working together with a single purpose: to elect fair-minded candidates on November 2. Those who want to join our effort should go to: www.fightforohio.com/lgbt.

BlackBerry smoothies are not recommended.

MD: How can our readers learn more about HRC, and how can they get involved? KQ: HRC has really strong local steering committees in Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland. Those interested in getting more involved locally can find them on the web at: http://columbus.hrc.org, http://cincinnati.hrc.org, and http://cleveland.hrc.org. MD: As a Regional Field Director, you do a ton of travel. What’s on your BlackBerry for those roadtrips? KQ: Let me first say that when pulling into Cleveland last week through a series of complicated off ramps, I found I was experiencing feelings of love for my GPS - she has a beautiful British accent and always has my best interests in mind. She gets me where I need to go and I’m so grateful. What’s not to love? On the other hand I have a love-hate relationship with my BlackBerry. I am listening to a new Cat Stevens compilation I just got while on the road here in Ohio. Many of the songs are from Harold and Maude and make me think big thoughts about life and death in the off times when I’m not busy working to get fairminded candidates elected - oh wait, that’s also about life and death… Contact Karin by calling 202.216.1584 or by email at karin.quimby@hrc.org.

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Is it me or is Jerry Rhodes staring that manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bottom?

oct 2010

EVEN

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not that kind of girl

Single Ladies by Mette Bach This summer, I went to Denmark to visit my grandmother and the rest of the family. Normally, when I visit my grandmother, I stay with her but she is 94 now and self conscious about using a walker. Plus, she told me she has to pee several times a night and didn’t want to wake me (as if she could - I sleep like a bear in winter). I respected her desires and stayed with other relatives and visited her during the day instead. After about a week, she said she was glad I was there but sad that we hadn’t had our usual girl talk. There’s just something about a sleepover, I guess. My grandmother and I have had our best conversations in our nightgowns after the dishes were done and put away. I missed those talks, too. Lunch is just not the same. So I reassured her that none of her new habits could possibly bother me, came over with a suitcase and started to set up. I folded out the legs of her antique hide-a-bed. Incorrigibly the perfect hostess, she came rushing over to stop me. Even on her walker, she is speedy. “What are you doing? Let me do that,” she said, bending down to try to adjust the very stiff, squeaky couch. It took a lot of effort but I was eventually able to convince her to let me do the stuff she really shouldn’t. Before long, she got into it and asked me to rearrange the top shelves in her kitchen that have been bugging her. She has a couple of home care workers who come and see her every other week and make sure her bathroom is scrubbed and her living room is vacuumed but she can’t get herself to get them to do the stuff she considers private. She’d rather make them a cup of coffee and have a chat about current events or political trends or hear about where they’re from. My grandmother grew into her singleness after she became a widow in 1974. “The first ten years were the hardest,” she told me, “Everyone wanted to know why I didn’t meet someone new, why I didn’t want a man in my life.” She sipped her coffee and took a bite of pastry. It has taken me a long time to come to a similar conclusion as hers - that the single lifestyle is the best one for me. Thankfully, I have the perfect role model. My grandmother has been single for nearly four decades and she enjoys her life. While mostly everyone else in my family is monogamously coupled and mostly married, she has stayed true to her one-bedroom apartment. “Why would I want a man in my life?” she chuckled. “I mean, if I needed someone to hang pictures for me or wash my windows, I could ask one of my sons or grandsons or a boy from the neighborhood. There’s no sense in keeping someone around, putting up with all their flaws and making dinner for them every night just to get the odd home improvement job done once in a while.”

She told me most women in her generation didn’t understand her and didn’t know what to do with themselves if they were alone. “Would you believe that some women don’t think it’s okay for them to go to the movies alone?”she asked, incredulous. “And a lot of women, once they become widowed, just eat toast for dinner. Me, I eat my favorite meals every day. Why shouldn’t I?” My grandfather died before I was born and although I would have liked to have known him, and I heard stories about how funny he was and how warm, my grandmother gave me a different gift by being single. From as far back as I can remember, she showed me that living a single life as a woman was something to be proud of, not something to pity. She traveled the world and saw things and tried food and talked to people that no one in her hometown knew anything about. She read newspapers every day and even today is still on top of the latest documentaries and films. She joined her strata council and was elected president by all of her neighbors. She went on retreats where she took part in theatre productions. She went to museums and for long walks. And as she said, “I had a chance to get to know every single one of my grandchildren and great-grandchildren on a one-to-one basis. How many people get to do that?” It’s funny how family can trigger us in so many different ways. Before I moved over to my grandmother’s apartment, I found myself answering a lot of the questions she had to answer. When was I going to get married and have kids? Why wasn’t there anyone serious in my life? Didn’t I want more for myself than a cat and a bachelor suite apartment? Now and then, I found myself frustrated, like my answers weren’t being heard, but I knew I was only there for a short while and would soon go back to said cat and apartment where no one would ask those questions. It was easy enough to change the topic. But it wasn’t until after I spent some time with my grandmother that it occurred to me that I really ought not change the topic. What I needed to do - and what I did do - was handle it as she did. Face things head on. I had to be honest. So I told them, as my grandmother had, that I had loved hard and loved well and that I savor a lot of wonderful memories. But as far as where my life is right now, I have other priorities. So, in short, why am I not married with kids? Because I don’t want to be. But I don’t need their pity or anybody else’s. After all, I have a grandmother who is very proud of me. Mette Bach is the author of Off The Highway. www.newstarbooks.com

oct 2010

I Am… Mette Fierce!

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LOW (od

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Gaze into the face of intern Dom.

oct 2010

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Coming Out as a Christian by April Blaine

and conservative churches about what the church’s response should be - affirmation, tolerMarisa* is the kind of person that others are ance, rigidness, or avoidance? The debate has drawn to. She is confident and outspoken, com- ensued and continues on in church after church passionate and cheerful, intelligent and funny. and denomination after denomination. Churches Marisa is passionate about social justice and have split. Relationships have been destroyed. identifies herself as a trans person. She is a Careers have been ended. The debate doesn’t apmom, a dance coach, a gender performer, and… pear to be going away anytime soon. a Christian. What has been so deeply frustrating to me as a As a long time activist in the LGBTQ community, pastor is that the arguments over theology and Marisa told me recently that it is this last label “right belief” have begun to send a message that that has been the hardest to be open about. She the Christian faith is, at heart, about a specific admitted that she feels like she still has to “come set of beliefs. The LGBTQ community has received out as a Christian” to others in the LGBTQ com- the message loud and clear. If you don’t fit into munity. “There are so many people who have the correct system of beliefs and practices, then been hurt so bad. Saying I’m a Christian to my you cannot be a part of this faith tradition. friends, almost makes me feel like I am a traitor,” Marisa said. However, at the very heart of the Christian faith is not a set of beliefs or a doctrine. It’s not a set of I’ve always known that the Christian church has rules. At the heart of the Christian faith, is a perdone its fair share of damage and hurt to mem- son. The earliest Christians came together to celbers of the LGBTQ community. However, until re- ebrate the hope and life that they found in this cently, I don’t think I realized that the fear and person and the fact that Jesus had been resurhatred that is characteristic of so many Chrisrected from the dead. Those in power had sought tians has actually been equated with the core of to oppress, to do violence, and to murder… they the Christian faith. The behavior of these Chris- had tried to destroy Jesus, but in the end he lived. tians has convinced members of the LGBTQ community that Jesus and the Christian faith has no These early Christians sought to learn as much room for them. about the way of Jesus as they possibly could. It turns out that Jesus was a pretty radical guy. He Nothing could be further from the truth. was homeless. He hung out with prostitutes. He dined with the rich and the poor. He hung out For more than a decade, the church has found it- with women who had bad reputations. He self bitterly divided when it comes to the topic of touched lepers, took time to laugh with children, homosexuality. Divisions arise within both liberal and challenged those in authority.

oct 2010

Interestingly, Jesus didn’t have a lot to say about “right belief.” In fact, the things that seemed to make him the most upset had to do with the misuse of power by those in authority. He consistently warned people against becoming too self-righteous and about judging others. Instead, Jesus wanted people to be made whole. He certainly did his fair share of physical healing, but what seems most profound is the healing that he did in the souls of those he encountered. He met people right where they were, with all their pain and struggles. In Jesus, people were able to find forgiveness, become reconciled to others in their community, and many were able to experience dignity and respect in ways they never had experienced before.

way of life. Following in the way of Jesus, we are seeking to be in community with one another, to grow in our faith and understanding of God, and to learn how to love one another and the world in more authentic and helpful ways. I am convinced that Jesus wasn’t concerned about the sexual orientation of those he encountered, but instead was most interested in teaching us all how to truly live. It is my hope that many more people like Marisa would find communities where they can explore their faith, ask good questions, and experience God’s love. In doing so, it might be easier and easier to “come out as a Christian” and create pathways and space for others to experience this kind of inclusive and loving community in the world.

The earliest Christian communities experienced a * name changed for privacy purposes similar kind of healing and wholeness. These communities were rare enclaves where men and April Blaine is the Co-Pastor at Summit on 16th, a recUnited Methodist Congregation located near women were treated as equals, slaves had worth, onciling the OSU campus at 82 E 16th Ave. Summit is a spiriand the poor found honor and respect. tual home for all people and welcomes everyone to I help pastor a small United Methodist congregation near campus. We are a reconciling community, which means we are open and affirming to all people including members of the LGBTQ community. At the heart of the DNA of this small church is a desire for all people to come just as they are and have the opportunity to encounter God in a way that will help them to become more of the person they were created to be.

come and explore faith in a safe and nurturing environment. Visitors will find a refreshingly diverse community gathered together in community, supporting one another in their spiritual journey. Seeking to be in connection to the community, Summit is home to a community garden and a number of non-profits, including FreeGeek, Yay Bikes and the University Area Enrichment Association. Sunday worship celebrations take place at 10:30a. Weekly bible study happens on Tuesday evenings at 5:30p. Visit our website at http://www.summiton16th.org for more information.

In my opinion, this is the heart of the Christian

Instead of the closet, you come out of the tabernacle.

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Those who were actually alive in the 80s are not cool enough to attend.

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super mario world

Who Wants a Hole Pie? by Mario Pinardi Why do public policy makers have to be concerned about what hole I put my penis into? Really. By nature, I am not a political person, nor am I politically savvy. I have people in my life that drink gallons of the “political Kool-Aid” and then some, so I let them be the subject matter experts on politics. My only political concern has always been centered on why should I be denied basic rights or bullied into policy that segments me from the rest of the population. Plus, the creation of these exclusive policies is often defended by God & Christianity. What does God have to do with civil matters? Did God influence our property tax rate? Did God influence what you paid for your huntin’ license? Does God dictate who can obtain a marriage license? Why does our government choose not to separate church and state? I love my uniqueness and obvious gaiety, and I love getting some from Hubby, so, tell me why this is damaging to the straight world or to my community’s values, and why is getting some from Hubby a reason to deny me basic civil rights? I think my sexual proclivities have no bearing on how damaged community values become. With divorce rates going up, cases of adultery being publicly reported, and subversive “gay” behavior happening with obvious gay haters, I think the gay community has nothing to do with

oct 2010

damaging community values. I find that most folks who campaign passionately for family values are the ones seeking a boy blowjob in an airport bathroom, and thus committing adultery if they are married. Enough about the conservative, red-tie wearing, suburbanite-sheltered blow hards; let’s go a little deeper in my community. Now, the internal pressures of being gay can lead to another political layer. I think one of the reasons I am not politically savvy is that I do not necessarily agree with a lot of my gay brethren. I am for gay marriage, equality in benefits at all levels, and tougher punishment for hate crimes, but I choose not to affiliate myself with any parties (unless it comes with booze). I am not a Dem or a Log Cabin (Syrup) boy either - I am more like Mrs. Butterworth. My fellow gays do not understand my removal from any party affiliation - if you are openly gay, you must be a Dem. Well, there are some Dems that I think are dumb, and there are some Republicans that are just turds. Plus, there is often the pressure from influential GLBT political action groups that feel if you do not vote their way, you are only damaging yourself & your friends. Peer pres-

sure is still childish in any arena, including the political arena. Your right to vote is your choice that is equal across all states. No organization, your group of friends, and your current work place should not be pressuring your political choices.

share your political record with me while sitting in your expensive leather desk chair that was made in a furniture factory that you may have signed off on closing. Do candidates think we are really that dumb?

And, what’s up with the ads? Neither party or candidate can do a decent commercial - they all have been schmaltzy and inane. My favorite is the Cubicle Commercial where the employees are complaining about the lack of action towards job growth in Ohio, while the phones are ringing - I keep thinking answer the damn phones or you will lose your job, too! Job growth has been sparse everywhere, not just Ohio. And, not one person is really to blame for all of the job loss. This should be evident, but for some it is not. And, there is a commercial where a candidate is spewing all of his “down home” accomplishments, from paperboy to Eagle Scout. Really? Don’t get me wrong, I am all for hard work and giving back to the community, but what do your “down home” accomplishments say about your current political record and your actions currently? If I ask, I am sure you will

I guess the point of this month’s rant is that it is OK to not be as political savvy as the rest of your homo posse. And, it is OK to choose your own party, whether it is Democrat, Republican, Green, or Independent. I encourage everyone to exercise that right that we all have: vote. If you feel that you are not educated enough on the current candidates, get online and look up the candidates and their voting records on issues that are important to you (and, while online, if you see a candidate on Manhunt, ask them out). Do not rely on commercials or your weekly Happy Hour to decide how you should vote. Be bold and be ballsy, and march to your own beat. I mean we’re gay, and we are different, so continue to be proud about being different. As for the public policy makers and their need to be involved in where I “stick it,” c’mon over and join us - we’re a hospitable couple and we are talented cooks, too. Apple pie, anyone?

I’ve holed a few pies in my day...

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No Touching! Well... Okay :)

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polisigh

How to Love a Homosexual to Death: Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill by Tyler Adams On a muggy day in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, hundreds of demonstrators had gathered around a stage, their arms raised, some waving signs, others fists, many crying or shouting. The crowd roared as American Evangelist Lou Engle took the stage. He told the crowd of young born-again Ugandans he had come to “join with the church of Uganda to encourage you in the nation who are showing courage to take a stand for righteousness in the earth.” The crowd cheered ecstatically. He is talking about the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, draconian legislation that prescribes the death penalty for acts of “aggravated homosexuality.” This new category includes sex with minors or those who are HIV-positive. The bill would also outlaw STI prevention and outreach to LGBT communities. Anyone who knows of a homosexual act or person, and does not report it to the authorities could face jail time. Pastors, teachers, and doctors who mentor LGBT would become criminals. And homosexuality is defined so broadly that even those who don’t identify as lesbian or gay might find themselves breaking the law. The bill is currently stalled before Parliament, due in large part to Western governments that threatened to cut aid money to Uganda. But Parliament could pass some of the bill’s key provisions under the radar in bills with more innocuous-sounding titles. For instance, Parliament is currently reviewing “The HIV Prevention Bill” which would criminalize HIV transmission. And the Anti-Homosexuality Bill could be passed at the last minute in order to win votes in upcoming elections.

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Lou Engle belongs to a network of conservative Christians, which includes Rick Warren, Warren’s dissertation adviser and Ugandan backers of the bill. Located around the globe, they seek a “Second Reformation” for Christianity. Their vision for the world is a conservative utopia where the distinction between church and state no longer exists. Where law is morality, and morality is law. Where women are subservient to men. Where sex and intimacy only exist within marriage between one man and one woman, and criminal would be those who broke that Godly covenant. Where democracy no longer matters because it is God who rules. Where capitalism doesn’t need regulation, nor do the poor need assistance, because these too are God’s will. These beliefs are part of what is known as dominion theology. The bill is a Ugandan expression of this vision. The Ugandan writers hope to not only discourage homosexuality, but to legislate it out of existence; in the dominionist belief, this would be a first step toward bringing government, family, church and business into harmony for Jesus’ return. Uganda Member of Parliament (MP) David Bahati proposed the bill in October 2009; months after a group of American evangelical Christians gave lectures at an anti-gay conference in Kampala. Many believe that these lectures provided the impetus and inspiration for the bill. One of the lecturers, Scott Lively, presented the crowd with his “expert” research on the “gay agenda.” That agenda, he told them, means to destroy morality and the family, to bring about unbridled sexual freedom. This would undoubtedly lead to the downfall of civilization, according to Lively.

A Uganda gay rights activist reported that Lively’s talk introduced the idea that homosexuals seek to recruit children in schools by offering them money and iPods. This has raised a public uproar and fueled popular support for the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. Furthermore, Ugandan religious and political leaders cited Lively’s lectures during the first reading for the bill in Parliament, and at subsequent rallies in support of the bill. Lively is a fringe character among the Christian Right in the U.S. He leads several groups listed on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s rather short list of hate groups, and he is infamous for his book that blames Nazism and the Holocaust on German gay men. However, other more mainstream and influential American conservative Christians have questionable ties to the bill. Journalist Jeff Sharlet has documented the links between the Family, or The Fellowship Foundation, and the leaders in Uganda who proposed the bill. The Family is a network of Christian fundamentalists who hold positions of great influence in Washington, D.C. and around the world, including seats in Congress. Republican Senator Jim Inhoffe (OK) is a member. He frequently travels to Uganda to praise its government for its conservative stance on matters of sexuality and helped start a Ugandan branch of The Family. The MP who proposed the bill is the head of the Family’s local branch. While some American Family members have openly opposed the bill, MP Bahati insists that behind closed doors others in the group have encouraged him in his anti-gay endeavors.

has compared homosexuality to pedophilia. You might remember the uproar when then Presidentelect Obama chose Warren to give the inaugural prayer. Many Obama supporters felt betrayed by that decision. Warren’s anti-gay work is not limited to the U.S. During a visit to Kampala in 2008, he declared Uganda a “purpose-driven nation” when the Church of Uganda protested the acceptance of homosexuality in American mainline churches. He has since denounced the Anti-Homosexuality bill and rebuked the bill’s supporters, even those with whom he has developed close ties. For instance, in 2005, Warren’s wife declared the most outspoken proponent of the bill to be Ugandan pastor Martin Ssempa “a brother” of the Warren family. Ssempa and Warren frequently visited each other’s churches during abstinence campaigns waged across Africa during the Bush years. The Warrens have cut their brother off to save face in the aftermath of the bill. Warren has denied the influence he and his particular brand of Christianity have had in the wave of homophobia sweeping across Uganda. He and his followers couch their homophobic messages in a language of love that hides one of their true intentions: the elimination of homosexuality. This is exactly what conservative Christians do when they utter “love the sinner, hate the sin.” Let’s not be fooled. It is vital to remember that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, and bills like it before Uganda’s Parliament and other legislatures in Africa today, are meant as a prototype, not just for Uganda, not only for Africa, but for the world.

And then there is Rick Warren, an immensely popular evangelist and a vocal gay rights opponent who

outlook cannot endorse fisting, but Chad Frye can.

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Rome isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the only thing flaming.

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Is that bangle really necessary, muscle-flex girl?

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complete the circuit

The Tea Party’s War Against Gays (and Other Observations) by Mickey Weems

Westboro Baptist Church, the “God Hates Fags, Soldiers, America and Any Sense of Fashion” folks.

Somebody threw a Tea Party, and we sure as hell weren’t invited. The Tea Party has tons o’ White folks and the occasional African American (to show diversity). But if you are Muslim American, Hindu American, Wiccan American, non-skinning-and-grinning African American, Hispanic American, Gay American, undocumented American, atheist American, unarmed, optimistic about America, or compassionate concerning the unemployed and underemployed, you are not welcome.

But there is a difference. Although both groups dress pretty much the same (abysmally), the Westboro Baptist people have never, ever been violent, neither have they threatened physical violence. In some ways, this makes the “God Hates Fags” people morally superior to “Don’t Retreat, Reload!” political figures such as dominatrix Sarah Palin and her disciples, Sharron Angle, Joe Miller and Michele Bachmann. They play with matches by a powder keg. Lord knows how many more people will needlessly die because of such irresponsibility.

My beef is not so much with those who identify as Tea Partiers, but with their spokespeople. There are statistics showing that most Tea Partiers are not against Gay marriage or having Gays in the military. If those figures are true, they unfortunately do not make squat. Not one of the TP leaders has stood with us, not one, since the movement was high-jacked mid-flight by Christian Jihadists. Just look at what the Wyoming Republican Party has recently stated in hopes of pleasing the Teabagging extremists in its midst: homosexuality should be illegal.

That’s even better than Rand Paul’s bong hits for the Aqua Buddha.

That’s the difference between true Libertarians like Ron Paul, who calls for the government to get out of our bedrooms, and some fools in Revolutionary War outfits and toting firearms while screaming about using Second Amendment remedies if Obama doesn’t resign.

Tea Party leaders are also in the company of Jamaican musicians who sing murder music: songs with lyrics calling for the death of Gays, preferably by machete, gunshot and/or burning alive. By the way, punk-ass loser Capleton, who sings murder music, is touring the USA as we speak to promote his new album, I-Ternal Flame.

Personally, I am relieved that nobody would ever consider me a Tea Party member. Any group started by a Wall Street whore like Rick Santelli is certainly not my cup of tea. Because of their leaders, it is so very fitting that the Tea Party’s most prominent symbol is a snake.

Capleton is especially fixated on flame, especially that which physically burns Gay people, a point he repeats again and again in songs like “More Prophet” and “Bun [Burn] Out di Chi Chi.” Here’s a sample of his lyrics:

In the continuing War Against the Gays, Tea Party leaders have made it clear that any opposition to their hatred of our people is a denial of their rights, much like asking them not to wave guns around in public. This puts them squarely in the company of the

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But at least the Tea Party Express has given us moments of true comedy. Case in point: their newest rising star Christine O’Donnell, a Born-Again, non-masturbating ex-witch who claims she went on a date at a Satanic altar, and that scientists have put fullyfunctioning human brains in mice.

You should know seh Capleton burn battyman [Gay man] That same fire apply to the lesbian Burning you, blazing you, burning you Burn out the chi chi [faggot]

Mickey burned his out way back in the 90s!

Blood out [Chop/stab/shoot up] the sissy To those who honestly do not think this new album is a declaration of war against Gay people: get your head out of your ass. Go back to Jamaica, Capleton, and take your bullshit with you. We have enough of it in this country already. For those who want to let promoters know Capleton and his ilk are not welcome in the USA, here are the places and dates for his “ITernal Fags Burn in Hell Flame” Tour. He will be performing in Norfolk VA (Oct 1), Albany NY (Oct 3), Columbus OH (Oct 8), and Denver CO (Oct 12). Also in the music news, our own Lady Gaga has spoken out against the ban on Gays in the military in a rally held in Portland, Maine. Said the Gaga: “Equality is the prime rib of what we stand for as a nation. And I don’t get to enjoy the greatest cut of meat my country has to offer.” Okay, is she talking about dinner or wardrobe? She went on and made a great point: “Doesn’t it seem to be that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is backwards? Doesn’t it seem to be based on the Constitution of the United States that we’re penalizing the wrong soldier? Doesn’t it seem to you that we should send home the Straight soldier who hates the Gay soldier? The Straight soldier who has prejudice in his heart where the military asks him to hold our core American values.” LOVE HER. Please join us for “When Hate Comes to Town,” 7p on Friday Oct 1 in the Senate Room at the Ohio State University’s new Ohio Union. The forum is sponsored by Qualia, and will be moderated by Outlook’s own Michael Daniels. We will meet with BRAVO and other LGBT groups to discuss upcoming events such as the “God Hates Fags” Westboro Baptist Church and Capleton, and discuss ways in which we as a community can deliver rapid and effective response to those who wish to bring hatred to us (contact me at mickeyweems@yahoo.com for more info).

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Vote to Prevent Adult “Bullying” by Tara McKenzie Alison

sition; it’s behavior motivated purely by hate and prejudice. It’s unfair treatment; it’s “bullying.”

I watched a story on the national news the other evening about “bullying.” Bullying is a behavior wherein one or more individuals, operating from a position of strength, abuses or mistreats another weaker person, for no other reason than hate or animosity. The story described a school anti-bullying program that focuses not only on teaching the students to recognize bullying, but also teaches them to “step up” and intervene, when they see someone being bullied. The program teaches children that there is “power in numbers” and that, once the first person steps up, others will follow. One of the program’s goals seems to be teaching children that they need to be the first person to “do the right thing” and step forward - to be the catalyst that brings peer pressure to bear on the bully.

House Bill 176, Ohio’s Equal Housing and Employment Act, is intended to end this discrimination. HB 176 prohibits discrimination in employment and housing, on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. This bill - in similar form - has been introduced into every General Assembly, since 2003, yet this is the first year that the bill has passed the Ohio House and moved onto the Senate. In the House, the bill had bi-partisan sponsorship and support, when it passed. Governor Strickland has vowed to sign the bill into law, if and when it reaches his desk. Why? Simple… because, it is the right thing to do: “fairness” isn’t - and should never be - a partisan issue.

I was struck by how well the children responded to the program, which by all measures seems to be having great success in reducing bullying among the student population. I couldn’t help but wish that we - as adults - could learn the lesson that these young children seemed to have so readily embraced.

Nearly three-quarters of Ohioans recognize that simple truth and support this legislation, as do 21 other states, 433 of the top Fortune 500 businesses, 11 of Ohio’s 13 four-year public universities, and 16 different Ohio cities - all of which have prohibitions similar to those found in HB 176. With those numbers, you’d think that HB 176 would be a “no-brainer,” but apparently, some of our Senate politicians seem to have “no brain” relative to this legislation.

What am I talking about? One of the most pressing issues within the transgender community is employment discrimination, leading to unemployment or under-employment. Currently, the State of Ohio has no law that prohibits an employer from firing an employee, who “comes out” as gay, lesbian, or transgender, even if that employee has been working for that employer for decades with a stellar performance record. Beyond the workplace, Ohio LGBT citizens can be denied housing, refused service at a restaurant, or denied entrance to a store or movie theatre, and it’s all perfectly legal throughout most of Ohio. To me, taking away someone’s livelihood - for reasons completely unrelated to their work peraformance or another valid business reason - is just unfair, and it seems to be a pretty good example of adult “bullying.” Pure and simple, it’s one person using their superior “power” to abuse and mistreat someone in a weaker po-

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We live in a country that promises equal treatment to all of its citizens. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity - characteristics that most of the medical community agrees are personal and immutable - is just as unfair as discrimination on the basis of race or gender. There are other reasons - beyond the simplest one of “fairness” - for instituting these discrimination prohibitions. When viewed from a purely economic perspective, the issue becomes one of “would you rather have a person gainfully employed and paying taxes, or would you prefer that person drawing unemployment and other government financial aid?” Especially in today’s economy, with huge government deficits looming everywhere, I find it hard to believe that any politician wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to keep people gainfully employed and off the unemployment roles. So… with that being the case, why isn’t HB 176 already the law

Ask Tara about Pride leadership, she is a big fan!

in Ohio? It’s not law, because the bill has been languishing in the office of Ohio Senator Bill Harris (R), President of the republicancontrolled Ohio Senate, since September of 2009. Senator Harris has refused to assign the bill to committee for fair hearings or schedule it for a floor vote. He’s using his power, as Senate President, to block the bill from fair and open hearings and a simple “up or down” vote. Why? To be absolutely honest, I can’t begin to fathom a rational reason. Is it pure partisan politics or is it just plain “bullying”? I just don’t know; there seems to be no sense to his actions, other than one of outright support of open discrimination against a small minority - a motivation that I wouldn’t want to assume about anyone; I prefer to give every person the benefit of the doubt. Nevertheless, the bill has been lying dormant in his office for over a year, now. It’s sad that one person can hold the will of a vast majority of Ohio citizens hostage so easily and for so long. What do we do about it? Each and every one of us needs to be the person who “steps up” next month. Each of us must put forth the effort to do the right thing and make our voices heard. This election is critical - not only for this issue - but for every issue for the next ten years. Because of the 2010 census, those elected into office in November will be redrawing the electoral map of Ohio. The Governor, the Secretary of State, the State Auditor, and two others from the House and Senate comprise the Apportionment Board, which is tasked with redrawing Ohio’s districts - an act that will reverberate through the next ten years of Ohio politics. This election, more than others, will determine whether or not any pro-LGBT legislation will stand of chance of passage in Ohio, for the next ten years. So… get out and vote! Don’t be the person who sits by and allows the bullying to continue; be the catalyst that brings peer pressure to bear on these issues! Tara McKenzie Allison, Esq., is a transgender attorney, who resides and practices law in Columbus, Ohio. She has served as a Board Member and Legal Counsel to TransOhio, a nonprofit organization serving the transgender community of Ohio. She is an active speaker on transgender and legal issues, providing educational, informational, and legal services to the general public. She can be contacted by e-mail at tara_m_allison@hotmail.com.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26 NO GAY TEAM TWISTER? Team Trivia Tuesdays @ Level Dining Lounge, 700 N High St, 614.754.1342, www.levelcolumbus.com: $3 Smirnoff all flavors, $2.50 Domestic Bottles – Starting at 10pm – 614 Night - 2 Rotating DJ’s, drinks up to 50% off. 8p; No cover.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27 AN ART EXHIBITION ON A CLASSIC PICK-UP LINE Last Year at Marienbad Redux @ CCAD Canzani Center, 60 Cleveland Ave, www.ccad.edu: This exhibition takes the question “Didn’t we meet last year at Marienbad?” from the classic 1961 film, and explores how we know each other.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31 THE BEST CURE FOR A HALLOWEEN HANGOVER? LOUD MUSIC Steve Lehman Octet @ Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 N. High St, 614.292.3535, www.wexarts.org: Alto saxophonist Steve Lehman leads his smooth jazz octet. Transition right into the quiet, winter spirit after last night’s partying. 8p; $13 - $17.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22 A fantasia on social circles. NOTE: NO PASSPORT STAMPS PROVIDED Through December 8. 11a – 6p; FREE. A Musical Passport @ King Avenue United Methodist Church, 299 King Ave, www.cappride.org: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28 Capital Pride Concert Band pres- A HALLOWEEN PARTY TO COMMEMORATE ents a musical journey around the VIA TATTOO TRAUMA @ BoMA, 583 E Broad world. Sousa still included. SecSt, 614.233.3000, www.barofond show at 3p on Sunday. 8p; modernart.com: Party, fetish ball. $10 - $25. Same difference. Enjoy traumatizing and sexily scandalous acts, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23 including Anna & the Annadroids. MODERN VAUDEVILLE MEETS MODERN SIDESHOW 9p; $20. America’s Got Talent Live @ VetAGAIN WITH THE TIME WARP? erans Memorial, 300 W Broad, www.fcvm.com: The national tour Rocky Horror @ Axis, 775 N High of America’s Got Talent is coming St, 614.291.4008, www.columbusnightlife.com: Center Stage to Columbus, with Jerry Springer Players presents a timeless clasand the season 5 winner in tow. Be amazed! Be astounded! 7:30p; sic about libidos and silly dance moves. Now on stage! Through $39.50-$99.50. November 7. 8p; $15. CLASSIC DRAG Berwick Ball @ Score Bar, 145 N FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29 5th St, NOT THE USUAL KIND OF BASHING WE www.scorebarcolumbus.com: TALK ABOUT Enjoy olde tyme homosexual rev- Monster Bash 2010 @ Meeting elry. Relive a period of greater hate Haus, 588 S 3rd St, www.gerand fear, then throw caution to the manvillage.com: Enjoy Trick-orwind and go out in drag. Theme? Treating along City Park Avenue Rome is Burning. Hot. $10 (adand the east side of Third, folvance), $15 (day of). lowed by a party with food provided by Max & Erma’s and a SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24 Columbus Brewing Company open RUDE. bar. Guests must be 21, costumes The Method Gun @ Wexner Center highly recommended. 8p (Trick-orfor the Arts, 1871 N. High St, Treating), 9:30p (party); $50 (Ger614.292.3535, www.wexarts.org: man Village Society members), The final performance of innova- $60 (non-members). tive theater troupe, The Rude Mechanicals. Shows started on HO HO HO? October 21. Come see what the Sleigh Bells @ BoMA, 583 E nation is talking about, and why Broad St, 614.233.3000, the Rude Mechs matter. 2p; $10 - www.barofmodernart.com: A Hal$18. loween party featuring the band, Sleigh Bells, know for the single MONDAY, OCTOBER 25 “Tell ‘Em.” It’s a concert, and it’s TAKE A VACATION FROM KARAOKE a party. Doors open at 10p; $10 Monday Night Football @ Score (pre-sale), $15 (door). Bar, 145 N 5th St, www.scorebarcolumbus.com: Football. 25 cent SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30 wings. What more can you ask MY FAVORITE COSTUME LAST YEAR WAS for? Oh right, it’s gay too. No cover. ‘THE SHOCKER’ Halloween Highball @ Short North, between 2nd and 4th Avenues, www.highballhalloween.com: The best Halloween party in the Midwest. Fashion show, DJs, Nina West and the only better than candy: beer. 6p; $5.

• • • • • • • • • • • about town • • • • • • • • • • •

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11 COME OUT, COME OUT, WHOEVER YOU ARE… National Coming Out Day @ Everywhere: Come out for the first time! Come out to new people! Come out again! Or just come.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 KICKING ASS AND… DOING OTHER www.ohioana.org: Because everyFRIDAY, OCTOBER 1 ALL THE BEST PARTIES INVOLVE CONDOMS THINGS TO IT TOO body loves a hot boy who reads in SEXY, FLEXIBLE MEN the park (or maybe it’s just us). Do Requiem @ Verne Riffe Center’s Condom Couture @ BOMA , 583 Lt. Dan Choi @ Ohio Union ballsome recon now, find out what’s Capitol Theatre, 77 S High St, E Broad St, 614.233.3000, room, 1739 N High St, 614.469.1045, www.capa.com: A www.barofmodernart.com: www.mcc.osu.edu: The spokesper- hot and who to read. 9p; $25. contemporary dance masterpiece Planned Parenthood of Central son for Knights Out, a group fightabout life, death and man. Ballet Ohio presents this unique, highing against DADT. Choi came out SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16 THE CREATOR OF FUTURAMA IS COMING?? Met puts more shirtless men on energy fashion show / fundraiser. publicly on The Rachel Maddow Matt Groening @ Wexner Center stage than Axis. 8p; $20 - $48. Featuring fashions designed by show, and was only discharged for the Arts, 1871 N. High St, CCAD students out of Planned afterward. His talk at the Ohio 614.292.3535, www.wexarts.org: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2 Parenthood’s “Proper Attire” Union overlaps with National Matt Groening talks about his life ISN’T ‘CHAMBER’ MUSIC AN S&M brand condoms. Feel free to wear Coming Out Day. 7:30p; FREE THING? in comics and television, complecondoms also, just in fashion-ap- (tickets required). menting the Wexner’s talk with Art Chanticleer @ Southern Theatre, propriate places. 7:30p; $45 Spiegelman. Part of the 2010 Fes21 E Main St, $125. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12 tival of Cartoon Art. 7p; FREE www.cmcolumbus.org: Join AN INTERNATIONAL HIT THAT FOUND AN AMERICAN FANBASE THROUGH TWILIGHT (tickets required). Columbus Chamber Music and THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE EUPHEMISM Muse @ Jerome Schottenstein Chanticleer, “the world’s reigning FOR MY HAGS OUTtakes: Fruit Fly @ Gateway Center, 555 Borror Drive, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17 male chorus,” for an evening of Film Center, 1550 N High St, 614.292.2624, www.schottenHAUS OF MAUS works by Monteverdi, Guerrero, www.stonewallcolumbus.org: Join steincenter.com: Mega-hit Muse Art Spiegelman @ Wexner Center Britten and more. How often do the Stonewall Center for their and opening semi-mega-hit Met- for the Arts, 1871 N. High St, you get a chance to see men in tuxes using their throats? 8p; $15 monthly LGBT film screening. This ric will put on the best concert to 614.292.3535, www.wexarts.org: month is Fruit Fly, a musical adhit Columbus this fall. It’s not Spiegelman, one of the most ac- $35 (people under 25 half-off). venture into one woman’s realiza- hard to find something to love claimed graphic novelists of all tion that she is a fag-hag. 8p; $5. about this pairing. 7:30p; $48.50 time, presents a talk as part of his SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3 - $58.50. residency award with the Wexner CHEAP DATE IDEAS Free Gallery Admission Day @ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8 Center. Part of the 2010 Festival of Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 GAY, POLITICALLY-CHARGED VIOLENCE! LINCOLN LOVER AND EXPERT HISTORY Cartoon Art. 3p; $4 - $6. N. High St, 614.292.3535, Stonewall Uprising (2010) @ GEEK www.wexarts.org: You heard right. Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 James L. Swanson @ Columbus MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 Mark Bradford closes on October N. High St, 614.292.3535, Performing Arts Center, 549 THE ANCIENT JAPANESE ART 8, so see it while you can. All day; www.wexarts.org: A new docuFranklin Ave, Pizza, Pints & Karaoke Monday FREE. mentary featuring interviews of www.thurberhouse.org: Author of @ Union Bar+Food, 782 N High those involved in the Stonewall Manhunt and Bloody Crimes de- St, 614.421.CAFE (2233), MONDAY, OCTOBER 4 riots. Examines the attitudes of livers a talk about his latest work. www.columbusnightlife.com: Test SAVE THE TA-TAS the time and the events that folJoin the Thurber House for this your chops at U. $10 pizza and $2 Breast Cancer Benefit Show @ lowed.Discussion following with program in their Evenings with beers all day. Karaoke starts at Rivet, 1200 N High, www.rivetgay rights scholars and Ira Sachs. the Authors series. 7:30p; $18. 10p; No cover. gallery.com: Rivet, the designer 7p; $7. toy and art gallery, is holding a WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19 benefit show that lasts all month SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9 SOMETHING HOMOSEXUAL THIS WAY WHY DOES THIS MARKET REMIND ME OF long. Blind box toys are all the AND WE’RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT COMES… SWIMMING POOLS? rage – probably because the an- LOCAL ‘FLAVOR…’ Network Columbus @ Ohio His- Pearl Market @ Pearl Alley, one ticipation and mystery before you Experience Columbus Days @ torical Society, 1982 Velma Ave, block north of the Statehouse, open them is similar to that feel- Columbus, OH, www.experiwww.networkcolumbus.com: Cele- www.downtowncolumbus.com/pe ing you get staring at a man’s encecolumbusdays.com: Up to brate Gay Ohio History with your arlmarket/: Market shopping for package. Oct 2 – Oct 31; 25% of 50% off attractions and 25% off favorite networkin’ crew of entre- the stylish and local-conscious. all show sales go to the Breast at Dine Originals restaurants preneurs, advisors of all sorts and Also, it’s damn tasty. Impress a Cancer Research Foundation. throughout the city all weekend generally amazing people. Added date, buy raw ingredients. 10:30a long. Take a little time for yourself, bonus: hear a new queer twist on – 2p; FREE. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5 you deserve it. Oct 8 – Oct 11. Ohio. 6p; FREE. DOES THIS MEAN THEY’RE WELL ENWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20 DOWED? SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14 WHEN WILL THE 00’S BE RETRO? Band of Horses @ The Lifestyle IPOD THEATER: THE EVOLUTION OF RADIO 80s Video Dance @ Wall Street, AWARD WINNING TALENT? SUGGESTED Communities Pavilion, 405 Neil DONATION? I’M THERE! DRAMA 144 N High St, 614.464.2800, Ave, 614.461.LIVE (5483), Survival of the Boulevard Singer Susurrus @ Franklin Park Conser- www.wallstreetnightclub.com: www.promowestlive.com: We can’t @ Summit United Methodist vatory, 1777 E Broad St, Music by DJ Michele Chaney with go a month without showing some Church, 82 E 16th Ave: A play 614.645.8733, www.wexarts.org: $3 Long Islands and hot, sweaty indie love. So here, check out written and performed by Debra The Wexner Center brings us a boys. 18 & up; Starts at 10p; no Band of Horses. And it’s at the LC, James Tucker. A family immersed radio drama set to a specific cover with college ID. so you know it’s not ultra-indie, in their church culture carries a walking tour at Franklin Park. Get just indie-with-backing. 7p; $25. strained relationship with their tickets early, very limited availTHURSDAY, OCTOBER 21 brother/son who is HIV+. Debra ability due to the nature of the MY FAVORITE KIND OF PROM James Tucker is the recipient of an solitary walk. This is for the cutZombie Prom @ Club Diversity, Ohio Arts Council Individual Excel- ting edge arts geek in us all. Just 863 S High St, lence Award. 3p; $10 (suggested be sure to make him pull out be- www.clubdiversity.com: Drawing donation). fore you go to the park. Through Room Theater presents a musical October 24. All times; $11. set in the atomic 1950s about Girl x Monster love. It’s like all that FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15 prom drama from high school, but SPEND FRIDAY NIGHT WITH A GOOD BOOK with zombies. Through November Uncorrected Proofs: An Evening 1. 7:30p; $15. with the 2010 Ohioana Award Winners @ Ohioana Library Association, 274 E 1st Avenue, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6 FIND ME AT THE MATINEE, THE DARK OF THE MATINEE Matinee (1993), introduced by Joe Dante @ Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 N. High St, 614.292.3535, www.wexarts.org: Spend an evening with a master of horror. Hey, it’s October after all. And it won’t be anywhere near as frightening as your last date. 7p; $10.

12:00 PM Dollar Days @ Flex 1:00 PM Happy Hour @ Tremont 4:00 PM $2 Bitchy Mondays @ Club D 5:00 PM Happy Hour @ Blazers 8:00 PM Martini Monday @ Havana 8:00 PM Karaoke Monday @ U 8:00 PM Monday Night Football @ 9:00 PM Service Industry Night @ Level 10:00 PM Trivia & Comedy @ Q 10:00 PM Karaoke @ AWOL

12:00 PM Dollar Days @ Flex 1:00 PM Happy Hour @ Tremont 4:00 PM $2 Bitchy Mondays @ Club D 5:00 PM Happy Hour @ Blazers 8:00 PM Monday Night Football @ 8:00 PM Martini Monday @ Havana 8:00 PM Karaoke Monday @ U 9:00 PM Service Industry Night @ Level 10:00 PM Trivia & Comedy @ Q 10:00 PM Karaoke @ AWOL

and 4 more…

12:00 PM Dollar Days @ Flex 1:00 PM Happy Hour @ Tremont 4:00 PM $2 Bitchy Mondays @ Club D 5:00 PM Happy Hour @ Blazers 8:00 PM Martini Monday @ Havana 8:00 PM Karaoke Monday @ U

Columbus Day

National Coming Out Day

and 2 more…

12:00 PM Dollar Days @ Flex 1:00 PM Happy Hour @ Tremont 4:00 PM $2 Bitchy Mondays @ Club D 4:00 PM Breast Cancer Bene Show @ 5:00 PM Happy Hour @ Blazers 8:00 PM Monday Night Football @ 8:00 PM Martini Monday @ Havana 8:00 PM Karaoke Monday @ U 9:00 PM Service Industry Night @ Level

12:00 PM Dollar Days @ Flex 1:00 PM Happy Hour @ Tremont 4:00 PM $2 Bitchy Mondays @ Club D 5:00 PM Happy Hour @ Blazers 7:30 PM Evening with the 8:00 PM Karaoke Monday @ U 8:00 PM Martini Monday @ Havana 9:00 PM Service Industry Night @ Level 10:00 PM Karaoke @ AWOL 10:00 PM Trivia & Comedy @ Q

Monday

Corn Festivals

… Glee & Family Fued @ Score 12:00 PM CMC Lunch Forums @ Ath! letic Club of Columbus 4:00 PM LevelTini Night @ Level 4:00 PM Biker Bear HH @ Tradewinds II 7:00 PM Fiesta Night @ U 7:00 PM Trivia & Karaoke @ Score 9:30 PM Karaoke Bingo @ Exile 10:00 PM Boy Night @ Wall St

… Glee & Family Fued @ Score 12:00 PM CMC Lunch Forums @ Ath! letic Club of Columbus 4:00 PM Biker Bear HH @ Tradewinds II 4:00 PM LevelTini Night @ Level 7:00 PM Fiesta Night @ U 7:00 PM Trivia & Karaoke @ Score 9:30 PM Karaoke Bingo @ Exile 10:00 PM Boy Night @ Wall St

… Glee & Family Fued @ Score 12:00 PM CMC Lunch Forums @ Ath! letic Club of Columbus 4:00 PM LevelTini Night @ Level 4:00 PM Biker Bear HH @ Tradewinds II 6:00 PM Network Columbus 7:00 PM Trivia & Karaoke @ Score 7:00 PM Fiesta Night @ U 9:30 PM Karaoke Bingo @ Exile 10:00 PM Boy Night @ Wall St

… Glee & Family Fued @ Score 12:00 PM CMC Lunch Forums @ Ath! letic Club of Columbus 4:00 PM Biker Bear HH @ Tradewinds II 4:00 PM LevelTini Night @ Level 7:00 PM Trivia & Karaoke @ Score 7:00 PM Fiesta Night @ U 9:30 PM Karaoke Bingo @ Exile 10:00 PM Boy Night @ Wall St

12:00 PM CMC Lunch Forums @ Ath! letic Club of Columbus 4:00 PM Biker Bear HH @ Tradewinds II 4:00 PM LevelTini Night @ Level 7:00 PM Trivia & Karaoke @ Score 7:00 PM Fiesta Night @ U 9:30 PM Karaoke Bingo @ Exile 10:00 PM Boy Night @ Wall St

Wednesday

4:00 PM Leather & Fetish @ Flex 4:00 PM $3 3 Olives Night @ Level 4:00 PM 3 Wise Men @ Exile 8:00 PM CW & HipHop @ Wall St 8:00 PM Disco Night @ Martini Park 8:00 PM Long Island @ U 10:00 PM Karaoke @ Score 10:00 PM Trafik Jam @ Trafik

4:00 PM Leather & Fetish @ Flex 4:00 PM $3 3 Olives Night @ Level 4:00 PM 3 Wise Men @ Exile 8:00 PM CW & HipHop @ Wall St 8:00 PM Disco Night @ Martini Park 8:00 PM Long Island @ U 9:00 PM Rocky Horror Show @ Axis 9:00 PM TRAUMA @ BOMA 10:00 PM Trafik Jam @ Trafik 10:00 PM Karaoke @ Score

4:00 PM Leather & Fetish @ Flex 4:00 PM $3 3 Olives Night @ Level 4:00 PM 3 Wise Men @ Exile 7:30 PM Zombie Prom @ Club Diversity 8:00 PM CW & HipHop @ Wall St 8:00 PM Disco Night @ Martini Park 8:00 PM Long Island @ U 10:00 PM Karaoke @ Score 10:00 PM Trafik Jam @ Trafik

4:00 PM $3 3 Olives Night @ Level 4:00 PM 3 Wise Men @ Exile 4:00 PM Leather & Fetish @ Flex 8:00 PM CW & HipHop @ Wall St 8:00 PM Disco Night @ Martini Park 8:00 PM Long Island @ U 10:00 PM Karaoke @ Score 10:00 PM Trafik Jam @ Trafik

4:00 PM $3 3 Olives Night @ Level 4:00 PM 3 Wise Men @ Exile 4:00 PM Leather & Fetish @ Flex 7:30 PM Comdom Couture @ BOMA 8:00 PM Disco Night @ Martini Park 8:00 PM Long Island @ U 8:00 PM OUTtakes: Fruit Fly @ Gateway 8:00 PM CW & HipHop @ Wall St 10:00 PM Trafik Jam @ Trafik 10:00 PM Karaoke @ Score

30 4:00 PM 3 Wise Men @ Exile 4:00 PM Leather & Fetish @ Flex 4:00 PM $3 3 Olives Night @ Level 6:00 PM Summer Quarter Exhibitions Reception @ OSU Urban Art Space 8:00 PM CW & HipHop @ Wall St 8:00 PM Disco Night @ Martini Park 8:00 PM Long Island @ U 10:00 PM Trafik Jam @ Trafik

Thursday

got gay history?

9:00 AM SRJNG Tuesday Tune Up @ 4:00 PM Karaoke @ Q 5:00 PM Top Shelf Tuesday @ Havana 7:30 PM 3 Olives with Jazz Mary @ 8:00 PM Team Trivia Tuesdays @ Level 8:00 PM Glee & Family Fued @ Score 8:00 PM Cheap Date Night @ Slam! 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile

Election Day

9:00 AM SRJNG Tuesday Tune Up @ Espresso Yourself Cafe 4:00 PM Karaoke @ Q 5:00 PM Top Shelf Tuesday @ Havana 7:30 PM 3 Olives with Jazz Mary @ Club D 8:00 PM Cheap Date Night @ Slam! 8:00 PM Team Trivia Tuesdays @ Level 8:00 PM Glee & Family Fued @ Score 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile

9:00 AM SRJNG Tuesday Tune Up @ Espresso Yourself Cafe 4:00 PM Karaoke @ Q 5:00 PM Top Shelf Tuesday @ Havana 7:30 PM 3 Olives with Jazz Mary @ Club D 8:00 PM Team Trivia Tuesdays @ Level 8:00 PM Glee & Family Fued @ Score 8:00 PM Cheap Date Night @ Slam! 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile

9:00 AM SRJNG Tuesday Tune Up @ 4:00 PM Karaoke @ Q 5:00 PM Top Shelf Tuesday @ Havana 7:30 PM 3 Olives with Jazz Mary @ 7:30 PM Muse @ The Schott 8:00 PM Glee & Family Fued @ Score 8:00 PM Cheap Date Night @ Slam! 8:00 PM Team Trivia Tuesdays @ Level 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile 10:00 PM Miss Gay Ohio Party @ Score

9:00 AM SRJNG Tuesday Tune Up @ Espresso Yourself Cafe 4:00 PM Karaoke @ Q 5:00 PM Top Shelf Tuesday @ Havana 7:30 PM 3 Olives with Jazz Mary @ Club D 8:00 PM Glee & Family Fued @ Score 8:00 PM Cheap Date Night @ Slam! 8:00 PM Team Trivia Tuesdays @ Level 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile

9:00 AM SRJNG Tuesday Tune Up @ Espresso Yourself Cafe 4:00 PM Karaoke @ Q 5:00 PM Top Shelf Tuesday @ Havana 7:00 PM Gay Night @ Lion's Den! 7:30 PM 3 Olives with Jazz Mary @ 8:00 PM Legally Blonde the Musical 8:00 PM Cheap Date Night @ Slam! 8:00 PM Team Trivia Tuesdays @ Level 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile

Tuesday

F 5

S 6 9 10 11 12 13

… Karaoke @ Score 4:00 PM Get Your Mojo @ Level 7:00 PM First Friday @ Wall St 8:00 PM Flirtinis @ U 9:00 PM Live Bands @ Havana 10:00 PM College Nite @ Wall St 10:00 PM DJ Fierce Tease @ Axis

… Karaoke @ Score 4:00 PM Get Your Mojo @ Level 8:00 PM Flirtinis @ U 8:00 PM Monster Bash @ GV Meeting Haus 9:00 PM Live Bands @ Havana 10:00 PM College Nite @ Wall St

… Karaoke @ Score 4:00 PM Get Your Mojo @ Level 8:00 PM Flirtinis @ U 8:00 PM Cap Pride Band @ King Ave Church 9:00 PM Live Bands @ Havana 10:00 PM College Nite @ Wall St

… Karaoke @ Score 4:00 PM Get Your Mojo @ Level 8:00 PM Flirtinis @ U 9:00 PM Live Bands @ Havana 10:00 PM College Nite @ Wall St 10:00 PM DJ Fierce Tease @ Axis

9:00 AM BNI Group One-to-Ones @ Panera Bread (Bethel) … Karaoke @ Score 4:00 PM Get Your Mojo @ Level 7:00 PM Stonewall Uprising @ Wexner Center 8:00 PM Flirtinis @ U 9:00 PM Live Bands @ Havana 10:00 PM Hellin Bedd's Zodiac Birthday 10:00 PM College Nite @ Wall St

4:00 PM Get Your Mojo @ Level 7:00 PM First Friday @ Wall St 8:00 PM Flirtinis @ U 8:00 PM Requiem @ Verne Ri"e Center 9:00 PM Live Bands @ Havana 10:00 PM College Nite @ Wall St 10:00 PM The Johnson Brother Band @ Score 10:00 PM DJ Fierce Tease @ Axis

Friday

Page 1/1

8:00 PM Margaritas @ U 8:30 PM Best Ass Contest @ Exile 10:00 PM Lesbian Dance Night @ Wall St 10:00 PM DJ Jeremy James @ Level 10:00 PM Dance Your Ass O" @ Axis

6:00 PM Halloween Highball @ Short North 8:00 PM Margaritas @ U 10:00 PM Lesbian Dance Night @ Wall St 10:00 PM DJ Jeremy James @ Level 10:00 PM Dance Your Ass O" @ Axis

7:00 PM Berwick Ball @ Score 7:30 PM America's Got Talent @ Vets Memorial 8:00 PM Margaritas @ U 10:00 PM Lesbian Dance Night @ Wall St 10:00 PM DJ Jeremy James @ Level 10:00 PM Dance Your Ass O" @ Axis

7:00 PM Matt Groening @ The Wex 8:00 PM Margaritas @ U 10:00 PM DJ Jeremy James @ Level 10:00 PM Dance Your Ass O" @ Axis 10:00 PM Lesbian Dance Night @ Wall St

8:00 PM Margaritas @ U 10:00 PM Dance Your Ass O" @ Axis 10:00 PM Lesbian Dance Night @ Wall St 10:00 PM DJ Jeremy James @ Level

Wyandot County … and Corn Festival

8:00 PM Margaritas @ U 8:30 PM Best Ass Contest @ Exile 10:00 PM Dance Your Ass O" @ Axis 10:00 PM Lesbian Dance Night @ Wall St 10:00 PM Retro 90s Show @ Score Bar 10:00 PM DJ Jeremy James @ Level

Saturday

28 29 30

T W

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

November 2010 S M

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

26 27 28 29 30

9 10 11

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

T W

October 2010 S M

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

T W

September 2010 S M

www.outlookcolumbus.com log on to read about a different GLBT icon each day in October!

11:00 AM Brunch & Showtunes @ U 11:00 AM Broadway Brunch @ Level 8:00 PM Sunday Night Players @ Wall St 9:30 PM Strippers @ Score 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile 10:30 PM Strippers @ Havana 11:00 PM Strippers @ Tradewinds II

Halloween

11:00 AM Brunch & Showtunes @ U 11:00 AM Broadway Brunch @ Level 9:30 PM Strippers @ Score 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile 10:30 PM Strippers @ Havana 11:00 PM Strippers @ Tradewinds II

11:00 AM Broadway Brunch @ Level 11:00 AM Brunch & Showtunes @ U 3:00 PM Art Spiegelman @ The Wex 8:00 PM Latin Dance Night @ Wall St 9:30 PM Strippers @ Score 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile 10:30 PM Strippers @ Havana 11:00 PM Strippers @ Tradewinds II

11:00 AM Brunch & Showtunes @ U 11:00 AM Broadway Brunch @ Level 3:00 PM Survival of the BLVD Singer @ 8:00 PM Latin Dance Night @ Wall St 9:30 PM Strippers @ Score 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile 10:30 PM Strippers @ Havana 11:00 PM Strippers @ Tradewinds II

Wyandot County … and Corn Festival

11:00 AM Brunch & Showtunes @ U 11:00 AM Broadway Brunch @ Level 8:00 PM Latin Dance Night @ Wall St 9:30 PM Strippers @ Score 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile 10:30 PM Strippers @ Havana 11:00 PM Strippers @ Tradewinds II

26 11:00 AM Brunch & Showtunes @ U 11:00 AM Broadway Brunch @ Level 8:00 PM Sunday Night Players @ Wall St 9:30 PM Strippers @ Score 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile 10:30 PM Strippers @ Havana 11:00 PM Strippers @ Tradewinds II

Sunday

Bars-Clubs

Networking

Special Events

NAGAAA Softball World Series Event

US Holidays

October 2010

33-33 calendar inside_Calendar 9/26/10 1:04 PM Page 1

and 4 more…

12:00 PM Dollar Days @ Flex 1:00 PM Happy Hour @ Tremont 4:00 PM $2 Bitchy Mondays @ Club D 5:00 PM Happy Hour @ Blazers 8:00 PM Martini Monday @ Havana 8:00 PM Karaoke Monday @ U

Columbus Day

National Coming Out Day

and 2 more…

Monday

Corn Festivals

Wednesday

Thursday

got gay history?

Election Day

Tuesday

F 5

S 6 9 10 11 12 13

… Karaoke @ Score 4:00 PM Get Your Mojo @ Level 7:00 PM First Friday @ Wall St 8:00 PM Flirtinis @ U 9:00 PM Live Bands @ Havana 10:00 PM College Nite @ Wall St 10:00 PM DJ Fierce Tease @ Axis

… Karaoke @ Score 4:00 PM Get Your Mojo @ Level 8:00 PM Flirtinis @ U 8:00 PM Monster Bash @ GV Meeting Haus 9:00 PM Live Bands @ Havana 10:00 PM College Nite @ Wall St

… Karaoke @ Score 4:00 PM Get Your Mojo @ Level 8:00 PM Flirtinis @ U 8:00 PM Cap Pride Band @ King Ave Church 9:00 PM Live Bands @ Havana 10:00 PM College Nite @ Wall St

… Karaoke @ Score 4:00 PM Get Your Mojo @ Level 8:00 PM Flirtinis @ U 9:00 PM Live Bands @ Havana 10:00 PM College Nite @ Wall St 10:00 PM DJ Fierce Tease @ Axis

Friday

Page 1/1

8:00 PM Margaritas @ U 8:30 PM Best Ass Contest @ Exile 10:00 PM Lesbian Dance Night @ Wall St 10:00 PM DJ Jeremy James @ Level 10:00 PM Dance Your Ass O" @ Axis

6:00 PM Halloween Highball @ Short North 8:00 PM Margaritas @ U 10:00 PM Lesbian Dance Night @ Wall St 10:00 PM DJ Jeremy James @ Level 10:00 PM Dance Your Ass O" @ Axis

7:00 PM Matt Groening @ The Wex 8:00 PM Margaritas @ U 10:00 PM DJ Jeremy James @ Level 10:00 PM Dance Your Ass O" @ Axis 10:00 PM Lesbian Dance Night @ Wall St

8:00 PM Margaritas @ U 10:00 PM Dance Your Ass O" @ Axis 10:00 PM Lesbian Dance Night @ Wall St 10:00 PM DJ Jeremy James @ Level

Wyandot County … and Corn Festival

8:00 PM Margaritas @ U 8:30 PM Best Ass Contest @ Exile 10:00 PM Dance Your Ass O" @ Axis 10:00 PM Lesbian Dance Night @ Wall St 10:00 PM Retro 90s Show @ Score Bar 10:00 PM DJ Jeremy James @ Level

Saturday

28 29 30

T W

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

November 2010 S M

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

26 27 28 29 30

9 10 11

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

T W

October 2010 S M

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

T W

September 2010 S M

www.outlookcolumbus.com log on to read about a different GLBT icon each day in October!

Halloween

11:00 AM Brunch & Showtunes @ U 11:00 AM Broadway Brunch @ Level 9:30 PM Strippers @ Score 10:00 PM Strippers @ Exile 10:30 PM Strippers @ Havana 11:00 PM Strippers @ Tradewinds II

Wyandot County … and Corn Festival

Sunday

Bars-Clubs

Networking

Special Events

NAGAAA Softball World Series Event

US Holidays

October 2010

33-33 calendar inside_Calendar 9/26/10 1:04 PM Page 1

34-31 calendar outside_Calendar 9/25/10 2:08 PM Page 1

• • • • • • • • • • • about town • • • • • • • • • • •

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11 COME OUT, COME OUT, WHOEVER YOU ARE… National Coming Out Day @ Everywhere: Come out for the first time! Come out to new people! Come out again! Or just come.

30-35_OLW_24in_ODD_ 9/25/10 2:17 PM Page 2

oh dem gays

Big Gay Reapportionment Strickland), Secretary of State (electing Maryellen O’Shaughnessy) and Auditor (electing David Pepper).

will surely die until Ohio experiences another resurgence of support for progressive candidates. Likewise, the repeal of Ohio’s Defense of Marriage Act and same sex marriage ban will not gain traction without support in the legislature.

Truth is, we want to win all three. Democratic wins at the statewide level will ensure fairer, more competitive elections, opening the door for qualified LGBT candidates to run successful campaigns in districts across the state. It’s simple: The more competitive districts we have, the more districts where progressive candidates can win. This includes LGBT candidates. Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, the Democratic candidate for Secretary of State and a longtime supporter of the LGBT community, has taken a pledge to enact fair redistricting upon her election. When chatting with me about the apportionment board, Maryellen said, “We need to reverse the trend of Republican gerrymandering in Ohio. Elections cannot be fair in districts that are drawn to favor one political party.”

by Collin Burton When I’m asked by friends why the 2010 election is so important, I tell them that for me, it boils down to one thing: Reapportionment. Republicans and Democrats are both eyeing the Apportionment Board - the group of elected officials who perform the redrawing of district lines - because both parties know that controlling the board can mean the difference between Democratic or Republican wins for the next decade. The Apportionment Board meets every ten years, following the census year, to redraw the state legislative lines. The board, which will meet next year, includes the Governor, the Secretary of State, the State Auditor and an additional member from each Party. So, to control the Apportionment Board, Democrats must win two out of three of these races: Governor (re-electing Ted outlookcolumbus.com

The Republicans have controlled the Apportionment Board for the past two rounds, which means our state’s legislative districts have been heavily skewed in favor of Republican candidates for the past twenty years. Through demographic shifts and the citizens’ overwhelming belief that it was time for a change, Ohioans turned the tide in 2006, electing a Democratic Governor and a Democratic U.S. Senator and, in 2008, voters elected a Democratic majority in the Ohio House. Our community cannot afford to go back to Republican control of the Governor’s residence or the Ohio House; and if the Republicans control the Apportionment Board for the third consecutive decade, the LGBT community cannot count on any legislative advancement on issues important to our community. We will be faced with a Republican Governor who explained his understanding of our community by saying, “as a man of faith, I [can] tell you there’s behavior I don’t approve of, and I don’t approve of the - of the gay lifestyle.” Under an unsupportive Republican Governor and a Republican-lead house, LGBT legislation such as House Bill 176 - Ohio’s Equal Housing and Employment Act -

I like reapportionment, too, but I also like other Big Gay Things!

Essentially, the fight for LGBT equality in Ohio will screech to a halt if the Democrats do not lead the Apportionment Board in 2011. Democratic victories up and down the ballot this November will benefit the LGBT community in many ways, such as: • Retaining Governor Ted Strickland, a strong ally of the LGBT community • Gaining fair districts that allow strong LGBT candidates to run successful races, • Making legislative gains, and potentially seeing the repeal of Ohio’s DOMA and same-sex marriage ban within the next 10 years. So how do we help the Democrats control the Apportionment Board by winning in November? Simple: plug into the Ohio Democratic Party’s LGBT Caucus and volunteer heavily over the next four weeks. You can go to www.fightforohio.com/lgbt and sign-up as a volunteer. Once you’re signed up, I’ll reach out to you with incredible canvassing, phone banking and visibility opportunities. Also, take a few minutes to review Governor Strickland’s list of actions he has taken in support for the Ohio LGBT community at http://www.tedstrickland.com/content/pages/people_LGBT/. We only have four weeks to make this happen. Now is the time to get involved. Now’s the time to ensure our state has legislative districts that support our community for the next ten years. Join me in the Fight for Ohio’s Future. Collin Burton is the LGBT Caucus Director with the Ohio Democratic Party. Visit www.ohiodems.org/volunteer or email him at lgbt@ohiodems.org to get involved.

oct 2010

36-29_OLW_24in_ODD_ 9/25/10 1:13 PM Page 1

feature

Young People Power Politics Rob Abraham & Rock the Vote by Phillecia Cochran

political event I ever went to.

Growing up, like many teens, I had no interest in politics. My parents never forced their political beliefs on me, nor did my friends or other family so I didn’t grow up leaning one side over another. Though, early on in high school I started realizing that I believed in some very different ideas than my friends and peers from the small town of Pataskala, Ohio. I was liberal (except for that one time I, for some reason, chose the “pro life” side of the abortion argument for an English assignment - I just choose to believe that didn’t actually happen).

Phillecia Cochran: With Rock The Vote having been started 20 years ago, what do you think is its current relevance and importance? Rob Abraham: Over our 20 years at Rock The Vote, we have always used the latest technologies to provide a fresh approach to introducing young people to their place in politics. We graduated from our original 800-number and fax numbers for voter registration to working with nearly 25,000 online partners to register over 2 million people to vote in 2008. After crossing the 52% mark for youth turnout in the last election, this year it is vital that young people vote in the midterms and show that they are engaged and involved and that it’s not a single candidate or issue.

The older I got the more my beliefs became firm and all but set in stone. I wore my “John Kerry is a Rockstar” shirt with pride several days a week in September and October 2004 (I know, you’re thinking I rarely washed it - you’re right). And one of my proudest academic achievements in high school was when I was assigned Dubya in Government class and had to argue whether he had a positive or negative self-image and whether he was an active or passive president, and did so wearing that same Kerry shirt. So when my sister informed me that a couple of Real World and Road Rules alums were coming to Otterbein as part of a Rock The Vote event, I was elated. This was partly because I can’t resist any mild form of celebrity and because it was not just my first time at any type of political event, but it was one aimed at people my age. Kind of: I wasn’t old enough to vote.

PC: Does Rock The Vote, in any state or in general, have a political leaning or platform? RA: No, we are a non-partisan, non-profit organization aimed at building the political power of young people. Today’s young people are concerned with a wide variety of issues, and our job is to open the door and start the conversations. We never take sides with candidates or parties. We are on the side of young people. We just want to make sure someone is watching out for young people.

My fondness for a good (or not so good) celebrity sighting has not gone away. That’s why last year I creepily drove past the Big Lots at Polaris hoping catch a quick glimpse of AC Slater. But my interest in politics has not gone away either.

PC: Do you think there is a certain importance (or difference) placed on getting LGBT people to register? RA: Our approach to getting young people involved in politics is to break down the barriers of voter registration and to help young people identify issues in our political process that have an effect on their own lives. Young people are the most diverse, tolerant, and progressive group of voters, which is huge for LGBT issues.

So I was thrilled when I was presented with the opportunity to speak with Rob Abraham, State Coordinator for Ohio’s chapter of Rock The Vote. The very organization that put together the first

PC: What kind of success has Rock The Vote seen in Ohio compared to the rest of the country? Or, more specifically, in Columbus?

oct 2010

Let’s go for sixty-nine percent!

RA: What’s exciting about Rock The Vote in Columbus, Ohio is that the work we are doing here on the ground contributes to a national youth movement. From 1996 to 2008, the percentage of voters under 30 going to the polls increased 15 points. In midterms, we saw over 2 million more young voters in 2006 over 2002. This year, the experiences we’ve had with volunteers in Columbus in registering young people at concerts, festivals and college campuses reinforces the fact that young people are increasingly engaged and stepping up to vote. PC: Has Rock The Vote placed a focus on the LGBT community in the past? What about in 2010? RA: Rock the vote has registered members of the LGBT community at events such as the Columbus PRIDE Festival, and groups like Queer the Vote use our online voter registration tool to register people digitally. PC: What do you think it is about Rock The Vote and its events that will encourage the younger LGBT community to register to vote? RA: We go where young people are. We are at concerts at the LC, festivals at Goodale Park, on campus at Ohio State and up and down High Street on Friday nights. We are young people speaking to young people about the power of our own vote. Too often, young people of any background can be turned off by the partisan battle. By being a resource for young people, and not for a particular party, younger voters find they can turn to Rock The Vote for valuable information about voter registration and elections. Rock the Vote is not a liberal organization, nor are they conservative. Their aim is to get young people to register to vote. And that’s what we need right now. Philly rocks our world as Editorial Assistant for outlook: columbus. For more info on Rock the Vote, to volunteer or to register to vote: http://rockthevote.com.

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Get crunked for Strickland!

oct 2010

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DISOBEY PINK CAPITALISM By Mackenzie Worrall

Rachel set me straight - Er, queer.

Any first year student at OSU entering Kafe Kerouac for the first time might just be excited to find a used bookstore that doubles as a coffee shop (a damn fine one). Lounging on sofas or deeply engaged in academic conversation is a multifarious collection of students and beyond. But don’t let the fruity Kurt Vonnegut espresso fool you; this establishment is full of radical, sex crazy, family-destroying queers.

“I don’t want to speak for all radical queers,” Leah told me. I nodded. I didn’t get it yet. “We support issues dropped by LGBT rights groups. Prison abolition, sex workers’ rights, HIV/AIDS – the leader of another LGBT group on campus told us that ‘those aren’t queer issues.’ We pick up issues that others have stopped fighting for.” The hot topics right now, marriage That’s what the mainstream wants you to think, and the repeal of DADT, don’t appeal to the group. anyway. Neither cared about marriage, nor wanted to marry. As for fighting openly in the military, Leah Sure, Queer in Flux (OSU and Columbus’s first of- scoffs. It’s not that they don’t want those things ficial radical queer organization) holds their for other LGBTQ people; they just have nothing meetings at the Kafe, but there were students en- personal to gain from it. “What room do these gaged in their studies, a poetry reading in the at- causes have for us?” Rachel says. tached room and a few people playing board games. Not to mention that Leah Walkowski and So yes, get married, go fight a war. They’re not Rachel Lee smiled so much. How could an angry going to stop you. But Queer in Flux rejects those radical be so happy? What do the radical queers institutions for themselves. For them, being a want? radical queer is not about sleeping with someone who has the same plumbing as you and then According to the ever-reliable Internet, Bash replicating a straight, heteronormative fantasy Back! - a more-or-less defunct association of an- with white picket fences and 2.5 kids. A rejection archist queer groups around the country - they of the norm makes you queer. Homosexuality isn’t had four tenets to being a member: the only thing that made someone ‘queer.’ Discarding gender, class, race, etc. Queer is a bit of 1. Fight for liberation. Nothing more, noth- misnomer. Essentially, the radical queer moveing less. State recognition in the form of oppres- ment is rooted in sexuality, but like the movesive institutions such as ment, the idea of ‘queer’ is always growing and marriage and militarism are not steps toward evolving. What makes you a radical is ‘queering’ liberation but rather towards heteronormative as- the lines between identity and refusing marginalsimilation. ization. Radical queers are radical as in radically 2. A rejection of Capitalism, Imperialism, different, (usually) not violent-radical. Though and all forms of State power. Rachel notes, “Columbus has a rich history of di3. Actively oppose oppression both in and rect action. A movement always reciprocates out of the “movement.” All oppressive behavior is what pushes them up against a wall.” See: The not to be tolerated. Stonewall Riots. 4. Respect a diversity of tactics in the struggle for liberation. Do not solely condemn an What’s pushing Queer in Flux right now? They action on the grounds that the don’t like that sexuality is tied to material things State deems it to be illegal. and capitalism. Bars don’t have to be the only social activity for queer people. We need to think The more I thought about it, the more radical more critically about hierarchy - especially LGBT queers just sounded like a bunch of anarchists hierarchy. The Pink Panthers of Montreal have dewho liked to have sex with each other. Leah and cided not to follow the leaders toward shopping

oct 2010

and spending, not to obey. Instead, they “march in the opposite direction.” Their slogan, “Disobey Pink Capitalism,” sounded like the message Queer in Flux is sending. Rachel sees a lot of potential in community building in Columbus. They don’t have a political agenda. The current political composition of the U.S. is a structure they’re critical of, so why be involved? “We’re just not HRC,” Leah clarifies. Queer in Flux is interested in community organizing - working with the SPORE Infoshop, Food not Bombs, and other grass roots groups.

JAC Stringer. Because they believe in community building, Queer in Flux will not turn anyone away just because they can’t pay. In our community, Leah sees Queer in Flux as filling a void. Columbus is really, really gay - but not really queer. “It’s really awesome to feel the support,” Leah says. “It’s been needed for so long. People are behind this. The amount of support we’ve got as this has become bigger and bigger has been really surprising.” These weren’t the angry loners I thought they were going into this. What really made Queer in Flux ‘radical’ was the community support the group has generated. For years, a bunch of small, sexually queer, informal groups have existed in Columbus. But no one had ever organized before. And even within that, there were varying degrees of radicalism. “It’s like in feminism,” Rachel explains. “There’s a 360 degree spectrum. Even Sarah Palin has a feminist website, talking about how being a good housewife and mother is feminist.” Any one of the people in the Kafe could be a queer radical. The poets next door, the intellectual students, even the people just having a good time with their board game. It’s a revolution of ideas. “[It] starts small, but it’s meaningful.” Anybody can challenge the hierarchy.

The goal of forming Queer in Flux, as an organization, is to continue the dialogue between the academic and the social. After the various supportive spaces that Leah and Rachel had come from, they saw a true lack of a safe space for this dialogue in Columbus. Coming up, they are hosting a radical feminist porn viewing. There, they want to create a space for celebration of all gender expression and continue the discourse on sex positivity. Much like the hierarchies of politics, capitalism and the LGBT community, they oppose a hierarchy of sexual acts represented by porn. Whatever gets you off gets you off, and they don’t want to change that. But for them, traditional porn offers an exaggeration of stereotypes about women and black men, among others. “Do I feel empowered being sexualized in this way?” Even you. Rachel asks. Leah looks over, adding, “Why be atQueer in Flux can be reached via queer.in.flux@gmail.com tracted to people who look imaginary?” All of this comes to a head at Queer in Flux: A Radical Convergence, a conference they are holding November 12-14, open to all. Featuring events such as a screening of Riot Acts, Julia Serano’s keynote speech, Rocco Katastrophe and

Gay + Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles = Radical Queer

with any questions, comments, involvement inquiries or donations. Check out their Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=149445975083630) and their blog (Queerinflux.wordpress.com) for updates, biographies of presenters, schedule for Queer in Flux: A Radical Convergence, and registration.

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Domic Presuttoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mom endorses margaritas!

oct 2010

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They’re Either Horror Films Or Comedy Chase Whiteside of New Left Media by Jon Dunn

ticular.

The people in the films don’t seem very radical. Most of them are seated comfortably in lawn chairs or calmly milling around while the event unfolds in the background. They aren’t looking or even acting like radicals, either. But as Chase Whiteside holds his microphone to them while they speak, sometimes the words can be very alarming. And even more radical is the revelation many of them are saying the same thing: over and over and over.

“I think that the Tea Party is a creation of the conservative media,” he says, “What they are saying about ‘returning the US to us’ sounds good to people and gives them something to rally around. If you listen, most of what they are saying is empty. They’re getting angry at home, watching TV and these events give them a reason to get up off of the couch and ‘participate’. But if you look, most of them aren’t actually participating, they’re sitting in lawn chairs and wandering around while everything is going on somewhere else around them. It’s a social event, like a big cookout” After watching several of the videos, Chase’s point is well taken: many of the subjects look like they are attending Red, White and Boom, rather than a political rally. There is very little urgency or even passion in many of the responses. They are no doubt good-natured responses but they do seem hollow.

“When people ask me what I want to do when I graduate, I tell them I am already doing it,” says Chase Whiteside, the on-screen personality and half of the partnership behind New Left Media (NLM), a YouTube sensation that features video reports from various Tea Party and other conservative gatherings. There is no setup or crew, Chase and his NLM partner and cameraman, Erick Stoll, approach people who are attending and just ask simple, unloaded questions and then record the responses on video. “The scary thing is that the responses began to sound the same,” Chase offers. “I thought “Everybody didn’t just wake up one day with the same thoughts,’ these feelings and words had to be coming from somewhere.” He feels that the Tea Party has helped to galvanize these thoughts and feelings among conservative Americans, and that these thoughts are further fueled by the media, such as Glenn Beck and Fox News in par-

oct 2010

one who lets us!”

At age 22, Chase is tremendously poised and eloquent; his on-air personality is calm and nonjudgmental. His subjects are at ease speaking their minds and Chase seems to just facilitate their thoughts. He might interject a clarifying question or fact, but he never talks down to them. “We generally respect and care for our subjects. We don’t indict individuals,” he explains. It’s my job to ask them questions and accurately show what they are saying.” When asked how he selects the subjects, he replies, “We’ll talk to every-

wealth of information, though,” he explains, “because you can track the number of views, how Chase says that he has always been interested in long people spend watching each video and how government, not necessarily politics. “Around many complete them. It’s very helpful and en2004, I became involved because of the Karl couraging, too. People stick with us!” Rove/Issue 1 controversy regarding gay marriage and civil unions. As a young gay kid growing up in Asked what he likes to do in his free time, Chase rural Fairfield County, I felt I wanted to cover responds, “I don’t have a lot of time off, but I these types of things.” He and his partner in NLM watch tons of movies, I am a huge cinema buff. I (“I’m gay, Erick is straight.”), Erick Stoll, have like films because they are literary, aesthetic and been friends throughout college. “We were the they are inherently political.” He also plans to atbiggest assholes in class, he explains, “and we tend the Dayton LGBT Film Festival (www.daytonlgot along really well. We share some strict aesgbt.com) at the end of September. “It’s the thetic principles and political interests. Erick liked premier LGBT film festival in Ohio,” he advises. that I was able to express a lot of what he felt, that I worded the emotions he was feeling.” While It doesn’t really come as a shock to learn that Erick remains off camera, they compile and edit Chase is finishing his degree in Documentary the films together. Posting them on YouTube Filmmaking at Wright State University in Dayton. made them accessible to anyone. “I sought out their program specifically because (Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker) Julia “We are stretching YouTube to the limit,” he says, Reichert is on staff there; she made the docureferring to the maximum length for videos being mentary The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant posted. “Some of ours are a bit longer than that, (one of her nominated films). I wanted to be able but they haven’t been pulled yet,” he exclaims. to study with her.” How much longer does he have But rather than looking over his shoulder for the until he gets his degree? “I have about a quarter YouTube police, Chase is more concerned that and a half, then I am done.” “getting someone to watch a ten-minute video is an enormous thing to ask: people have a very What does he plan to do after getting his degree? short attention span these days because we live “Well, whenever someone asks me what I want to in a distracted society. You have to challenge their do when I graduate, I tell them I am already doing attention spans because of all the selective infor- it and just happen to be taking classes, now.” mation available.” The videos have been popular, however, and Chase is hopeful that they will be- Check out the New Left Media videos at http://newleftmedia.com/blog/ and on YouTube. come viral on the Web. “YouTube does offer a

Do you think he’s on hold with the electric company or Victoria Secrets?

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What can a Brown do for you?

oct 2010

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feature Be An Outward Ally by Scott Surovjak When I was a kid my oldest sister Krissy left Northern Ohio for Kenyon College, a small liberal arts school tucked away about an hour outside of Columbus. I still remember the drive home from her campus visit; my mom and sister talking about the architecture and ambiance while I practiced drawing the purple and black university coat of arms all over my coloring book. She earned a full-need scholarship and spent the next four years studying music, excelling in sports, making new friends and, most importantly, experiencing life as an openly gay student in a respectful, progressive community. I found out Krissy was gay when I was in fourth grade. My family was traveling to Kenyon to see her play volleyball and we had stopped for lunch when a comment accidentally slipped at the table, opening me to a side of my sister I had never realized. My parents and older siblings had known for a few years, but they decided not to tell me. It wasn’t that my family was ashamed - they are some of the most loving, caring people I know. I think part of them wanted to be sure I was old enough to understand the situation, but another part feared what a ten-year-old kid with an older gay sister might encounter in elementary school in small town Ohio. They were right to assume I wouldn’t immediately understand. As a child, the whole situation didn’t make sense to me. Why hadn’t my parents told me? Why did she have to leave home to be herself? Why would this make people treat her differently? It was at this point - at the tender age of ten - that I became the brother of an openly gay sibling and an ally to the LGBT community. While I wasn’t leading a movement, I still felt like I was doing my own small part to help the cause. Suddenly I found myself combating hateful words on the playground and questioning gender norms in the classroom. At Christmastime, I helped my sister decorate a tree with rainbow lights in our front yard. I volunteered at the local ballet school when they needed male dancers, even though I knew my sexuality would be questioned. When a cashier at the grocery store apologized to me because her malfunctioning scanner was “acting gay,” I asked her if she literally thought the scanner was attracted to another scanner of the same sex. I knew some people didn’t realize their actions and words were hurtful, but I did my best to show them that gender roles were nonsense and that there was nothing strange about being gay. While I always felt like an ally and did my best to support my sister, it wasn’t until recently that I realized I was only seeing the scope of LGBT issues through the eyes of a spectator, still disconnected from the impacts and outcomes. Once I started spending more time with people like my

oct 2010

Surovjak is pronounced just as it is spelled with a Jack at the end just like in a San Francisco massage parlor.

good friend Collin Burton, I realized the important role we all play in the fight for equality. This summer I experienced life through the lens of the community. I felt the knot in my stomach grow as Collin warned me about the off chance of our activism being met with physical violence, but also felt the warmth of hugs from new friends across the state. I witnessed the outward expression of anger and frustration in Youngstown from a community trapped in what they felt was a homophobic city, but also saw the happiness of that community as they celebrated their first Pride festival. I experienced discrimination from a golf course owner when I posed as Collin’s husband, simply to show the owner that we deserved to be able to play at the advertised “married couples discount.” I felt the pride of exposing the owner as he said not even the commitment of a marriage license or a ring would guarantee a discount; and I felt the helplessness set in as I realized this lighthearted social experiment at the golf course for me was an everyday, gut-wrenching reality for Collin and Krissy. I felt the pain and the sadness of an oppressed community, but I also felt the joy and positivity of my first year at Columbus Pride. It was this summer that I witnessed triumph, defeat, and perseverance. It was this summer that I realized that we are all in this fight together. It was this summer that I realized the importance of being an outward ally. Our generation is fortunate because my experiences are not uncommon. Our lives have been full of moments that helped make us inherently more liberal and accepting than those who came before us. To most of us, even some conservatives, inequality doesn’t make sense. But as socially progressive as young people may be, equality has been a back-burner issue for many of us; something that only matters when we witness discrimination or are faced with an equality-based issue on Election Day. Equality has become an issue that remains on our list of priorities, but is relegated to the fights of tomorrow. We are quick to treat it as a ballot initiative that we “grant” to a minority group instead of an inalienable, innate human right. It’s time to focus on equality. It’s time to see equality not as an LGBT issue but as a human issue. It’s time to speak up when someone says, “That’s gay.” It’s time to be ourselves, even if people confuse our identities. It’s time to support and vote for pro-equality candidates. It’s time to talk to our friends and neighbors about who is fighting for all of us. It’s time to be outward allies. We think Scott Surovjak is awesome. Want to know more about being an ally or to share your ally stories, contact him at scott.surovjak@gmail.com.

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Help Equality Ohio fight in BG! Protect our rights in the NW.

oct 2010

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oct 2010

Yellow Springs is the home of Dave Chappelle - Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s David Chappelle, Bee-yotch!

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Travelin’ Thru: Nathan Manske and I’m From Driftwood Embark on 50-State Story Tour by Mikey Rox Nathan Manske, creator of the gay-stories project I’m From Driftwood, is hitting the road. Over the next four months, Manske and his dedicated team will travel to all 50 states in search of the most touching, harrowing and heart-wrenching tales that LGBTs have to offer and they want you to be part of it. If you’ve got a bed to share, a story to tell or funds to donate, Manske wants to hear from you. In the meantime, check out this interview with the ambitious Texan-turned-New Yorker to find out what IFD is all about. MIKEY ROX: To give everyone a little context, we know each other because I participated in a video story for I’m From Driftwood. For me, it was a cathartic experience to finally speak out about a hate incident that I was faced with in high school. Tell me about some of the other terrifying tales you’ve heard. NATHAN MANSKE: Just yesterday we sat down to listen to a story from a college student in Manhattan, Kansas. When he came out, his dad very severely physically abused him, sending him to the emergency room multiple times. After his ultra-religious parents realized physical abuse wouldn’t change his sexuality, they sent him to conversion therapy. What they did to him was nothing short of torture and illegal. It was just heartbreaking. This kid is so optimistic and does so much on his campus to help others, and to imagine someone being so hateful and hurtful to such a good person was so sad. He’s a brave and inspiring person; there’s no doubt he’s going to go on and change the world for the better. You can’t help but smile and be inspired when you’re around him. MR: What are some of the more memorable and uplifting stories your participants have told? NM: I love it when someone comes out to open arms. That happy ending never gets old and is always encouraging. MR: I can attest as a gay journalist - and often a controversial one - that I receive all kinds of mail. Mostly positive e-mails, but every now and then I’ll get a whack job who thinks it’s OK to send me a message - facilitated by an article I’ve written about how he hopes I die of AIDS or something equally offensive. It’s amazing what people think is acceptable to say to strangers. What kind of response - both positive and negative have you received from nonparticipants, those who are simply outlookcolumbus.com

watching the videos or reading the stories on the IFD site? NM: Hands down the best message I’ve received was from a teenager who was really struggling with his sexuality and dealing with the fact that he’s gay. He wrote to me saying that he didn’t know what to do so he turned to the Internet to try to figure some things out. He said he watched all the video stories - which helped him feel much better about himself - and that the stories literally saved his life. It hit the nail on the head of what the purpose of the site is. I also get messages from older folks saying they wished something like this existed when they were kids.

The way it works is, our route is created based on suggestions people add to our interactive map. All you do is add a marker to the map (available on the IFD site) and tell us why we should visit. When we’re about to visit your state, we look at the map and choose the town based on suggestions. We want the whole tour to feel very interactive. We’re going to get video stories from as many different people as we can. Just in the first week we’ve collected stories from gay farmers, lesbian poker players, student activists and gender-identity-defying drag queens.

I haven’t received much intelligent, negative e-mail. There have been some “gays burn in hell”-type comments posted on YouTube, but I’m assuming those are just bored kids and there’s no real thought behind it. You can’t take comments like that too seriously. I just delete them and move on. IFD isn’t too prone for negativity and hate. It’s very apolitical, and by its very nature of being true stories, the only way it can really ruffle feathers is if someone just truly hates LGBT people - and if they do, they probably aren’t Googling “true gay stories.”

MR: To travel to all 50 states you’re going to need a boatload of cash. How much have you raised so far? NM: We’ve raised a total of $25,000, but that’s not nearly the total amount we need to raise. It’s enough to get us started but we have to raise more money along the way or we won’t be able to finish the tour. We’re going to have small fundraisers along the way, but we’re also hoping for some generous individual donors to help us out. The problem is finding them while we’re on the road. So if anyone knows anyone who wants to throw some cash towards a good cause, let us know.

MR: In your opinion, what makes this project necessary? Why did you start it? NM: I started it because I know what it’s like to feel alone. What it’s like to feel like I’m the only person to go through what I’m going through and think there’s no one out there who understands. I don’t have any research or facts or numbers to support the need, I just have a gut feeling that sharing our true stories will help people out there realize they’re not alone. And based on the feedback I talked about earlier, it’s true and it’s working.

MR: How are you traveling, and how long do you expect this journey will take you? NM: We bought a used, full-size Ford E-150 van. It’s red, and we named it The Barn. It seems very Driftwood-y. My straight brother is driving us, and Marquise, the director and editor of the video stories, and myself are the travelers. Hitting all 50 states is going to take us just over four months. We could do it in less time, but we don’t want to rush it. We really want to take the time to meet the folks in these towns and get their stories and get a feeling for what it’s like to be LGBT in all sorts of places.

MR: What is your ultimate goal with this project? NM: I’m just going to throw it down here: LGBT youth still attempt suicide four times more than straight youth. I think by helping them realize they’re not alone, that number could drastically decrease. So the ultimate goal of the project is for there to be no difference in the suicide rate of LGBT and straight youth. That sounds morbid, but there’s no excuse for that large of a difference. MR: IFD is steadily gaining in popularity, especially now that you’re embarking on the 50-State Story Tour. Tell me more. NM: We’re going to the smallest towns and biggest cities across America to show that LGBT people really are everywhere. And the exciting part about exactly where we’re going is… we don’t know! Looks like someone needs some Head & Shoulders.

MR: Once you’ve covered all 50 states, what’s next for IFD? Is that the end of the project or will it continue? NM: IFD is a never-ending project. As long as there are LGBT stories to share, IFD will exist. I’m planning on expanding it to include any way one can tell a story – books, TV shows, shorts, films, graphic novels, podcasts, etc. I want these stories to be in front of as many people as possible, so I’ve got to utilize as many different media as possible. After the Story Tour, that will be our focus. Lots of stuff is planned, so stay tuned. To participate in the I’m From Driftwood 50-State Story Tour, visit www.imfromdriftwood.com. Stories, donations and places for Manske and crew to crash are welcome.

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23 frames per second

Is there a market for gay films anymore? by Adam Lippe Is there a market for gay films anymore? Obviously there’s an audience for it, but how does that audience find the material to satiate their desires? This year’s sparsely attended Philadelphia QFest housed a glut of mediocre films (such as BearCity, which I reviewed in outlook back in the July issue) all basically following a few well-worn issues, coming-out stories, finding your identity documentaries, and love stories that dealt primarily with sex. But to be even more reductive, they still fell under the category of exploiting gaydom, instead of just being movies that happened to have gay characters in them and not making the sexuality the most important element on screen. Case in point was a centerpiece interview with Kelly McGillis, star of Top Gun, Witness, The Accused, and… not much else in the past 22 years. Ms. McGillis was being given an artistic achievement award, but the award seemed to be primarily offered because she came out of the closet last year, she was available, and she lived nearby. That may sound cynical, but with the low attendance numbers at the festival, and the fawning by the small crowd (in a theater that holds 500), made up of about 40 butch lesbians (a fair assessment, specifically reinforced by one of the questions from the crowd), ten or so people from Ms. McGillis’ current home in Collingswood, NJ, and myself and another film critic, the intimate enthusiasm seemed to surprise even Ms. McGillis. And the questions from the crowd that followed the awkward Q&A with Philadelphia Inquirer critic Carrie Rickey supported the notion that there is an audience out there, starved for material and trying desperately to cling on to any morsel of validation. The questions went from idiotic (“can you tell us what an ensemble is?”) to fawning (“you are pretty and sexy”) to I don’t know what (“if you could kiss anyone in Hollywood...”). The fact that no one even seemed to notice the juxtaposition of the very emotional moments where Ms. McGillis discussed her rape with the inanity of the questions from the audience added another layer of strangeness to the proceedings. At one point, I whispered to the critic next to me, “Did that really just happen?”

going away, which is sad because it means filmmakers won’t have a reason to shoot on film anymore, but also that distributors will just throw another screener on the pile (I have an equally intimidating screener pile) instead of seeing how an audience reacts to a movie. And it makes it harder for critics to find out about films to give them a fair shot, since they’ll almost never see a film by accident; they’ll have to seek them out. Distributors are so starved for critical word that the blurbs that plaster DVDs sometimes don’t actually come from reviews, but rather from enthusiastic descriptions from festival programmers. These descriptions don’t reflect a point of view; they’re just a way to entice you to buy a ticket [to a festival that happened well before the DVD was released]. So how can you find out about new gay films and support them, especially if they don’t have studio backing or marketing money behind them? Video-on-demand isn’t much of an answer especially as there’s almost no incentive for the filmmaker to provide it to the distributors. It costs $1,000 to simply prepare the movie for on-demand download, and the producers only get money at the back end, frequently no more than $2 per download. Payments are also sporadic and success stories few. And besides, would you spend $6-15 for a compressed version of a movie you’ve never heard of and know nothing about? So if theaters and VOD aren’t an option (both of which lead to DVD distribution), how does one get the word out? It’s going to have to be done on an individual basis such as with Twitter, Facebook, and email. So if you want to know where to find out about some hidden gay gems, you’ll need to keep your ear to the ground and learn to have the patience to read press releases. Feel free to pass some on to me if you find something worthy of being reviewed (Adam@RegrettableSincerity.com, @AdamLippe on Twitter) so I no longer have to fearfully reach into my screener pile hoping to avoid cringing for the next 90 minutes. Cringing gives me wrinkles on my forehead. You can read more of Adam’s reviews at his site RegrettableSincerity.com, where you’ll also find the audio for the entire Q+A with Kelly McGillis, proof that he didn’t dream the entire thing.

It all hints at the fact that film festivals are

oct 2010

Lord, I hope thats butter on the seat next to me.

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We support those who support us; Vote for Boyce as State Treasurer.

oct 2010

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Arthur: Living and Leading in Cape Town by Marcus Morris If you read my article in the August issue of our fine publication, you will know that I spent the first 6 months of 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, simply because I was able to have an experience that a kid from a small town in Ohio can only dream about. During my adventure, I managed to meet a wonderful person who has helped in shaping my life. He taught me a great deal by just living. His name is Arthur. Arthur is a man I met via a colleague of my husband, Jason. Jason met a fellow American named Kate in his academic department, who lived with her boyfriend Petr from the Czech Republic and their friend Arthur. They invited us over for a Braai, (Afrikaans for barbeque), and we became fast friends. Arthur, who is gay, began to relate his life to us, and I thought it would be good for the outlook readers to hear his story. I think the main reason I felt so compelled for our editors to publish my snapshot of Arthur’s life is because I know that some of our American ideas of what it means to be gay and living in Africa, are in fact, extremely far from the reality. We are lucky to live in Columbus, yes, but we share so many ideas, hopes, and similarities to those of other gays and lesbians around the world who are just trying to be themselves and not necessarily with the luxury or freedoms that are exemplified in the U.S. Arthur is originally from Zimbabwe and was born in the capital, Harare. His big family, who regularly hosts the holidays, consists of his mother, two sisters, brother and numerous ex-

oct 2010

tended family members. He attended an AGrade primary government school, and attended an all-boy Catholic high school. After high school, he went to college to study graphic design for two years.

According to Arthur, in Zimbabwe homosexuality is an “unspoken truth,” in that it does exist there. But homosexuality is illegal in Zimbabwe, and the President, Robert Mugabe, says that gays and lesbians are “lower than dogs and pigs.” In fact, the offices of Gays and Lesbians Arthur remembers that he always knew he was of Zimbabwe (GALZ), was raided this year and gay, noting that he would regularly attend tradi- two people were charged with possessing “indetional social as opposed to traditional events cent material,” and “insulting the President.” It with his mother, instead of with his father. His is also reported that they were tortured while first account of being attracted to boys was being detained for six days. around the age of eight and when he subsequently reached puberty, the ‘outside world’ no- However, it is possible to be ‘out’ in Zimbabwe. ticed he too was ‘different.’ However, he chose to In fact, GALZ has operated for 20 years, having remain himself rather than trying to ‘butch-up’ had only two altercations with the government. in order to avoid being taunted from his peers These said altercations usually only happen (In case you were wondering, the word for ‘fag- when there is a constitutional change. got’ in one of the various Bantu languages (chiShona) is Ngochani, pronounced ‘Gor-Che- Arthur feels like he can be fairly ‘out’ in Zimnie.’). babwe, and is out to his siblings, but not his mother. He feels that telling his mother would be In spite of a minimal amount of ridicule endured akin to telling her he was someone else. When like any ‘ordinary’ pupil, he was popular in high he was recently home for a visit, his mother said school. After graduating from college, Arthur did to him that gays have always existed but you freelance design work, helped with student tu- just do not talk of it. There is an oral history of toring, started a company with his boyfriend and homosexuality in Africa, according to Arthur. The helped an ex-boyfriend establish an entertainrise of colonialism made homosexuality taboo ment studio. In 2007, his brother and sister within the African nations, and now ‘Western’ sponsored him to move to Cape Town, where he social acceptance of homosexuality in the mainstarted his South African experience living in the stream creates confusion. However, in South YMCA dorms of the coastal metropolis. His first Africa, the law writes that homosexuals have lefriend in South Africa was a man from Namibia, galities that even the majority of GLBTQ Amerinamed Gabriel. During his first year in the new cans do not have, but discrimination is still real. country, Arthur avoided the ‘gay scene’ and fo- In fact, South Africa became the fifth country, cused on planting his feet firmly in Cape Town. the first in Africa, the second outside Europe and He says the first year was horrible, but exciting; the first republic to legalize same-sex marriage. as anyone can imagine the first year away from ‘home’ in a new country could be both exhilarat- After being in Cape Town nearly four years now, ing and terrifying. Arthur is loving life, doing wonderfully and enjoying his work. He works for an organization The Republic of South Africa has 11 officially recognized languages.

called, Out In Africa (www.oia.co.za/), as a festival programmer. They have a big festival coming up in Cape Town and Johannesburg this October, and satellite festivals in five other South African cities. So if you are thinking about heading to South Africa soon, check out some great festival events, some cute boys and girls, and share some of your pride. Someday Arthur hopes to return to Zimbabwe and establish a media company and maybe even direct a musical. Arthur, who is in his early twenties, is a lot like the boys and girls of the Short North. He is young and represents the changing face of the GLBTQ community worldwide. He loves Kelly Rowland and Trey Songz, and would love to come to America to visit someday. He always has a place at Casa Morris-Giancola. I forgot to mention that Arthur is an awesome charades player, and basically has the same measurements as Naomi Campbell. He can even give a little runway. Work it out. This is the political issue, so I ask you to not only consider the GLBTQ population at home, but also around the world by understanding that our struggles and achievements are parallel. Our streets and homes may look quite different but our hopes and dreams are very similar. We all look for freedom and love, and the freedom to love. We may be harassed in all corners of the globe, but we fight for the right to be heard, and to be accepted. I hope that hearing a small slice of Arthur’s story will inspire you to consider your role in the community. The oceans that separate us geographically cannot not divide us in the quest to be proud of who we are and to live our lives to the fullest. So live your life. outlookcolumbus.com

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Covergirl, put the bass in your walk, head to toe; let your whole body talk.

oct 2010

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VETERANS USE WAR EXPERIENCES AS CREATIVE FUEL FOR ART by Brianna Dance War. That three-letter word, even when standing alone, carries a heavy weight, saturated with politics, opinions, imagery, history, violence and controversy. It breeds strong opinions that rarely play a passive role. The subject is one that we, the majority of Americans, never experience directly. We watch from our televisions or listen from our radios, see photographs on the covers of newspapers or magazines, but only soldiers know the real experience. And, from what one can easily tell, it is something that does not leave them once they are home, unlike the majority of us that can escape by changing the channel with one click of the remote. So how do soldiers reconcile their experience and transition to normal living? Most Americans are unaware of the initiatives created by ordinary civilians or veterans driven for that exact purpose. Furthermore, most Americans are unaware that art is fueling the process. Visualizing the Experiences of War is just

oct 2010

one of the projects using art to articulate veterans’ first-person experience to the public. Organized by Ash Woolson and Erica Slone, OSU students and veterans, the exhibition, on display at the OSU Urban Arts Space, pairs 20 artists and veterans together to create artwork inspired by the veterans’ experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. The exhibition delivers an honest and raw account that dives into the veterans’ psyche to expose a personal, yet elusive, narrative through video, photographs, performance, sculpture, painting, poetry and audio. Amongst the exhibited works, the exhibition features two paintings from Matt Mitchell’s 100 Faces of War project, a series of hyperrealistic veteran portraiture accompanied by a biography and a statement written by the portrait sitter. Mitchell’s paintings put a real face to the anonymity of the term “soldier,” a word often thought of with faceless men dressed in camouflage uniform. The written text displayed with the portrait expresses varied emotions, opinions, and stories of the portrait-sitter’s time in Iraq or Afghanistan. The statement on the placard exists like a transcript to the static mouth of the painted veteran, intimately detailing what could not otherwise be depicted through the silence of the painting and stoic expression of the veteran.

The exhibition also features abstract works such as 200 Rounds by artist Jeff Aldridge and veteran Brian Rogge. The sculpture comprises a horizontally oriented plank of wood (approximately 7’ x 1’ x 2”), installed on the wall slightly below eye level. A hole, a couple inches in diameter, interrupts the center of the plank; the area around the hole is marred with splintered wood jarring in all directions, exposing the wood’s internal core. The sculpture, as a whole, is in tact, yet mangled - a violent act of destruction depicting what seems to be the impact of a single central blow, maiming the wood’s smooth, yet raw, skin. It is quiet but not subtle, violent but not threatening. It exists as a victim.

process to bring the veteran community together and create artwork inspired by their experience overseas. The Combat Paper Project and the Warrior Writers, both national programs, are two initiatives that Woolson and Slone partnered with to provide additional opportunities for veterans to use art as a means of therapy and prompt for discussion. The Combat Paper Project transforms veterans’ uniforms into paper, in order to create an art piece based on their experiences of war. The Warrior Writers brings recent veterans and current service members in a creative environment to express themselves through writing, drawing, photography and music. Art.

For being an exhibition derived from war, 200 Rounds, like a few other works in the exhibition, has the unexpected quality of being politically neutral. The art lives as a testament to the personal experience of the veteran alone, without a propaganda motive. The exhibition presents a personal account of veterans’ war experiences, expelling and creatively-directing those memories, and serving as an initiative for public discussion.

Art articulates what words cannot express. I cannot fathom a better solution to express the intricacies of war than through art. Visualizing the Experiences of War is on display from July 29, 2010 to October 23, 2010 at the OSU Urban Arts Space, 50 W Town St, downtown Columbus. Free and open to all. For more information, visit www.uas.osu.edu. Brianna Dance is with OSU Urban Art Space, a member organization of the Columbus Arts Marketing Association. For more information, visit www.camaonline.org.

In addition to Visualizing the Experiences of War, other projects are using the art making

Call your every politician you know and tell them to help repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Do it. Right now.

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Don’t miss Dr. Walker’s Open House, October 21st from 4p to 8p.

oct 2010

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deep inside hollywood

by Romeo San Vicente SCHUMACHER RETEAMS WITH CAGE AND KIDMAN FOR TRESPASS Gay director Joel Schumacher didn’t exactly set the world on fire with his rich-kids-on-drugs melodrama Twelve this year – even if it did get him his first invitation to Sundance. But the filmmaker is back on familiar ground in his next project, working with big stars on what sounds like a standard-issue thriller (hey, you’re good at what you’re good at). Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman are set to star in Schumacher’s Trespass as a married couple who gets taken hostage and who discover that the situation reveals hidden cracks in their relationship. It’s a reunion, of sorts; Schumacher previously directed Cage in 8MM and Kidman in Batman Forever. With shooting under way in Louisiana - the cast also features Twilight heartthrob Cam Gigandet, and breakout indie guy Ben Mendelsohn from Animal Kingdom - Trespass is set to break and enter into theaters next year. VAN HANSIS VACATES DAYTIME FOR OCCUPANT The recent cancellation of As the World Turns has meant the loss of one of daytime TV’s most incident-prone gay characters, Luke Synder, played by actor Van Hansis. He survived “exgay” therapy, the loss of a boyfriend in a train accident, expulsion from school for trying to rig a student election and several dozen other moments of soapy intrigue, all the while becoming half of a super couple with Noah Mayer (played by Jake Silbermann, part of the pair collectively known as “Nuke” by hardcore fans). But with ATWT just a memory, Hansis is moving on to other challenges, namely the starring role in a new indie film, Occupant. He plays the inheritor of a spacious New York apartment who, by the terms of the will, has to lock himself in for 12

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days. But is he alone in there? And does it really matter that it’s a piece of primo Manhattan real estate if he has to share it with a demon or psychotic person? Also starring Jamie Harrold (Erin Brockovich), Occupant could move into theaters as early as this winter. HILARY SWANK FACES LIFE AFTER WARTIME Hard-working lesbian producer Christine Vachon (I’m Not There, Boys Don’t Cry) always keeps a full dance card, and it looks like one of the more notable projects coming from her is Dreams of a Dying Heart, the directorial debut of writer Shawn Lawrence Otto (House of Sand and Fog). This suspenseful drama stars Hilary Swank as an Iraq war veteran who returns home to her husband (Josh Brolin) and daughter with her body in one piece but her mind shaken by the experience. Almost as soon as she arrives at the airport, she starts having visions of a ghostly boy in blue. Soon, she’s waking up screaming and covered in blood, pictures of her are missing from the wall, and there’s a strange Middle Eastern man in her house - who seems to have designs on her daughter. Sounds chilling - and Swank is always at her best in a short haircut. Shooting starts in October, with Dreams set to haunt the big screen in 2012. GLEE GETS CLOSER TO ROCKY It’s full steam ahead for the televised mashup machine that is Glee. The appropriation of every single music reference of the past several decades - well, the ones they can get the rights too anyway, a task that’s getting easier and easier with each passing moment - has become the show’s real star. And now it’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s turn to become… family friendly? Yes, the transgendered, pansexual, orgy-in-a-swimming-pool, “Time Warp”-linedancing template for weirdo queer culture will

be introduced to a new generation of Gleeks and their moms as Hairspray director, choreographer and So You Think You Can Dance judge Adam Shankman takes over directing duties for Glee’s all-Rocky episode, coming this season. Guesting so far? Barry Bostwick and Meat Loaf. Tim Curry said no. But how much do you want to bet that Susan Sarandon is game? BARON COHEN TO PLAY KILLER QUEEN MERCURY Borat proved that Sacha Baron Cohen could grow a killer mustache; Brüno showed us he was comfortable with on-screen flamboyant gay excess; and Sweeney Todd revealed that he could sing. So now Baron Cohen is putting all three of those things together to play Freddie Mercury, the legendary lead singer of Queen, in what promises to be a memorable biopic. Mercury’s own story is a fascinating one - born of Parsi Iranians and raised in Zanzibar and India, he became one of the world’s leading rock vocalists; when Mercury became HIV-positive, he kept it a secret from the media, despite being visibly worn down by AIDS complications. Only 24 hours before his death in 1991 did Mercury go public about his condition. The film, which will be written by Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon), will focus on Queen’s preparations for Live Aid in 1985. Shooting starts next year, which should give Cohen time to work on his high notes. PUSHING DAISIES CREATOR BRINGS PINOCCHIO BACK TO LIFE In recent years, no one has done darkly magical whimsy like Bryan Fuller, the gay TV creator behind the cult series Wonderfalls (inanimate objects give important advice to cynical slacker) and Pushing Daisies (piemaker can reanimate the dead, but only for a minute). While neither show got the viewership it deserved, they both

Gimme fierce, bitch! Give Me More Fierce!

captured Fuller’s bizarre sense of the otherworldly, which contrasts with a wonderfully weird candy-colored visual sense. All of which is to say that Romeo is very excited to see what Fuller does with a live-action version of Pinocchio, which he’s currently writing for gay producer Dan Jinks (American Beauty). Unlike the creepy man-child vibe that Roberto Benigni (remember him?) brought to his recent take on the Carlo Collodi tale, Fuller’s version promises to be both dark and eye-popping, and sweet without being sappy. Look for the puppet boy to come clomping into theaters in 2012. CHER, STARRING SOMEONE ELSE AS CHER Andy Fickman, gay director of the new comedy You Again, isn’t waiting around for his next job. He’s hard at work on a theatrical piece based on the life and career of Oscar-winning actress and pop-music icon Cher. Now, stop for a minute and think about what that’s going to mean. All those songs. All those costumes. All those wigs, headdresses and chainmail. All that career drama, Sonny drama, Gregg Allman drama. All that roller disco. And don’t forget Chastity/Chaz. It practically writes itself. But who, WHO, will they find to even come close to approximating the one-of-a-kindness that Cherilyn Sarkisian, the single most powerful Armenian woman in the world, has brought to the last four decades of entertainment? It’s going to be a tall order. But there has to be a singing, dancing actress out there with the impersonation skills necessary to pull it off. Right? This can only get more interesting as it develops. Romeo San Vicente used to watch the “If I Could Turn Back Time” video just for the sailors. He can be reached care of this publication or at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com.

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Again, a HUGE thanks to Columbus for all their efforts in making GSWS a HUGE success!

oct 2010

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A History Lesson That Reads Like Our Own Stories by Mackenzie Worrall

unfortunately, puppies are the red shirts of children’s literature. Eventually, Davy must confront “He must have called me “sir” about twenty all of the issues he’s been avoiding - the deprestimes so far this morning. Maybe I’ll get used to it sion over the loss of his grandmother, his feelings later. Maybe when I’m fourteen. I doubt it.” (I’ll for Altschuler and his lack of trust in his parents Get There. It Better Be Worth The Trip by John and he must do it alone. Donovan, Flux, 228 pages, $9.95 paperback) I’ll Get There is a superbly written novel that capIt’s Gay History Month - and I’m not talking about tures the voice of a lost and emotionally confused the ex you’re still friends with. I mean that acteen. Rather than being a novel about coming tivism-filled, National-Coming-Out-Day-sandout, it is a coming of age story about growing up wiching, beginning-of-Argyle-sweater-season in spite of the difficulties, where one of those difmonth. That gay thing between Pride and Mardi ficulties happens to be liking a fellow boy. While Gras. So let me put on my sexy librarian glasses Davy isn’t the most reliable narrator, and makes a and let’s learn something, shall we? lot of mistakes that have you almost shouting at the book because you’ve been there and seen We have a tendency to talk about new books here, where that road goes, his character reels you in but this month we’re looking at a new edition of as he begins the ‘trip’ to adulthood. After all, it’s an old book. I’ll Get There. It Better Be Worth The not about finishing that journey, but getting Trip is a milestone of both LGBT books and Chil- started. dren’s literature. It was the very first Young Adult novel published to address homosexuality. This I was able to chat with Stacey Donovan, the late new release from Flux is the 40th anniversary edi- John Donovan’s niece and fellow book lover. tion. To put that in context, it was published just a few months before Stonewall. Telling kids it’s okay Mackenzie Worrall: You have a very personal to be gay was a big deal. As his publisher, Ursula relationship with this book. Your father left you Nordstrom, told author John Donovan in an under- his book collection and then you received your stated letter: “We’re going to meet a lot of resist- uncle’s. Did you feel especially empathetic beance to this book and we will be eager to fight cause you knew John? that resistance as intelligently and gracefully as Stacey Donovan: Piles of my father’s books were possible.” stored in the basement or the den and John’s arrived via post office. My dad (John’s only brother) The plot concerns Davy Ross, a quiet and emohad been an academic and a teacher before his tionally shut down thirteen-year-old whose business career and my uncle was the President mother is an alcoholic, his father is distant, and of the Children’s Book Council for 25 years. I felt they are (unsurprisingly) divorced. He grew up in lucky to realize so early in life that books held a a quiet town with his grandmother, who dies right special meaning for me, too. When I’ll Get There before the story opens. The question his whole was published, I was 10. It was John’s first novel family is asking at the funeral is “whom will Davy and I was already a devoted reader. It seemed to live with?” They are reluctant to let his mother me a very grown-up book because the voice of take him to New York with her, but no one else is narrator was so quiet, so certain - like the other eager to take him. So Davy and Fred (the dachs- grown-up books I’d read, and I felt that Davy was hund given to him by his grandmother) move to real enough to live inside my head. the big city and start school at an expensive, private establishment for boys. There he meets MW: Is this novel still relevant? Is it a part of Altschuler, a loner who brings out strange feelings LGBT History, or LGBT Now? from the otherwise unexpressive Davy. SD: Enormously relevant. It created a genre, and as such is part of LGBT History, and LGBT now. Fred is the foil to Davy. He barks, runs around and gets so excited to meet new people that he pees a MW: John writes with a quiet intensity about the bit. His dog is the only outlet Davy has for exmundane moments of life. Unlike other novels pressing emotions in his institutional world. But where that can feel like filler or characteriza-

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tion at best, those moments make up the plot of I’ll Get There. Is this also a glimpse into how he viewed life? SD: More like how he experienced it. John was a very private man whose absorption and pleasure in life’s sensual, artistic and intellectual aspects was obvious and enviable. He was that immersed, that keen and clever about whatever it was, he made everything seem extraordinary. Plus, he had a subtly twisted, sometimes wicked sense of humor which made our times together even more memorable.

dialogue with himself. The breakthrough is that now he is speaking his thoughts and feelings aloud. The ending seems not to be about arriving at any definitive sexuality, but about reaching beyond the experience of oneself to a shared experience with another.

MW: Many children, whether they end up straight, gay, or anywhere in-between, do experience flirting romantic encounters with the same sex. It feels like the story here is about that moment, not whatever the future holds for the boys. MW: Davy’s father tells him that he “shouldn’t SD: It seems to me that this story is, in large part, get involved in some special way of life which about a very long moment between two early adowill close off other ways of life.” Critics of the lescents of the same sex, with both eventually exbook have cited this as a major downfall - that pressing a desire to continue their relationship in it says being gay is a choice. Yet it’s also imthe future, as Davy says, with “respect” for each plied that Davy just hopes this is true and that other. The word feels like an umbrella for several it’s not a choice. Do you think I’ll Get There falls potent but inexpressible emotions, which both apone way or another? pear to understand. SD: In the preceding line, he tells his son that he understands a lot of boys his age “play around in MW: Are we “There” yet? a lot of ways when they are growing up.” I think SD: I believe we are here, there, and everywhere. it’s important to remember that the novel was Making it (ourselves and our experiences) worth published the same year the Stonewall Riots oc- the trip is what I think I’ll Get There is about. curred, and that John’s book was the first to address homosexuality in Young Adult literature. I MW: Plugs, book recommendations and fashion would not expect Davy’s father, given his rather advice? conservative character, and during the time SD: My Plugs and book recommendations come to frame of the story, to be capable of embracing his you courtesy of those I respect - I’ll Get There’s son’s experience more than he does. agent and publicist. From the Agent: “The Popularity Papers by Amy Ignatow: It (hilariously) feaMW: In some ways, it feels like there’s little de- tures a character with two gay dads, and it’s nouement at the end of the novel. The ending is totally a non-issue in the book. Kind of a nice provery real for me because there is no fairy tale gression of how kids books are evolving.” From romance, there are no unforgivable words spo- the Publicist: “Be sure to check out Flux for other ken. Like so many thwarted sexual experiences, LGBT titles including the upcoming Love Drugged Davy is non-committal and his ‘big moment’ written by James Klise. Thought-provoking and with Altschuler is understated for its emotional funny, Love Drugged tells the story of a closeted and developmental significance. Does it end gay teen who hopes to change his sexuality by well for the boys? Whatever that entails? using an experimental drug.” As for fashion adSD: To my mind the end of the novel begins with vice, comfortable clothing is a must when settling Davy’s narrative: “For the first time in my life I in for a good read. Caveat from said agent: Do not talk about some of the things I am afraid of that I mix plaids and pinstripes. think about.” One is the “peculiar” night he spent with Altschuler, who he wants to make underThe author of the young adult novel, Dive, Stacey Donovan is a novelist, editor, writing coach and ghostwriter. She also writes stand was the first of its kind; another is his and specializes in Social Media. Visit her at until-now unspoken guilt that Fred’s demise was nonfiction www.donovanedits.com. a result of their actions; another is his fear that if he finds a girl to make out with, she will not laugh at him. Long has Davy carried on his inner

For our Sapphic Sisters, let us also declare this to be HERstory month.

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COMMUNITY RESOURCES SPONSORED BY MALCOLM RIGGLE & CMR INC.

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Once again, thank you to Malcolm for supporting the community.

oct 2010

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fashion fwd

Fashion Week - New York, Milan, Paris…Columbus? by Ryan Harris Yes, that’s right my darling fashionistas, Fashion Week is coming to Columbus!! Why Columbus? Well Columbus has been named the emerging “Fashion Capital of the Midwest” by The New York Times, and I couldn’t agree with them more. Columbus has always been on the cutting edge of fashion, producing designers on Project Runway, trendy boutiques, high end designer stores and sensations such as Victoria’s Secret, Express and Abercrombie & Fitch just to name a few. Plus all of the fabulous photographers, make up artists, hair stylists and fashion stylists work hand in hand with designers, large and small, to make Columbus truly fashionable. So whom can we thank for bringing the vision of Fashion Week Columbus to a reality? Why, none other than co-founders Dont’e J. Young of Gotham PR and Thomas McClure, Director and Co-Owner of Heyman Talent. The idea behind Fashion Week Columbus is to showcase the talents of local designers, models, and artists and to connect them with local and national marketers and buyers. Fashion Week Columbus is also committed in the promotion and development of the Columbus Community by increasing awareness of local talent. Another goal is to promote economic growth and development in Columbus by incorporating local, national and international fashion brands.

oct 2010

Fashion Week Columbus 2010 will feature designer collections, exhibitions, musical performances, exclusive galas, industry education, and of course…Celebrities! Not sure who, but I guess we will all just wait and see who shows up. FWC10 will certainly grab the attention of the community one way or another, and hopefully be fully embraced. In my opinion, this is a step in the right direction in bringing Columbus the notoriety it deserves in the fashion world, and I for one feel it is long over due! Can you imagine an entire week of exciting fashion activities right here in our own Short North District? It all begins on October 8, 2010 with the first High Fashion High Tea. This totally chic event, inspired by the Bekeley’s take on afternoon fashion tea, will be held at Sushi Rock, and is a great way to kick off the week. You can sample a full array of cakes, edible hats, vanilla and raspberry mousse and unique chocolates inspired by the catwalk trends debuting during FWC10. And what would High Tea be without tea…well a Pink Choo Martini anyway…. I’ll take two please! The rest of the week continues with fashion shows featuring everything from Denim to Bridal, wine tastings and champagne toasts, a Short North boutique crawl and a Fall 2010 Trend showing at the Social Room, all leading up to the final two nights. Rounding out Fashion Week Columbus 2010 is the Capital Chic Cocktail Gala held at the Ath-

letic Club of Columbus. This cocktail gala will be held the night before the final runway event. Susan Mater from the reality show “She’s Got The Look”, as well as Angela An of WBNS, will be in attendance to serve as the Fashion Week Columbus 2010 Pink Dress Ambassadors to bring awareness to National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And because Fashion Week Columbus is committed to the promotion of Industry Health and Awareness all ticketed events during the week will support the Stefanie Spielman Fund, Central Ohio Men Against Prostate Cancer, and the Fashion Week Columbus Foundation. From what I hear you really don’t want to miss this totally Chic Gala, as all attendees will receive not only preferred seating at the final runway event, but will also receive a FWC10 Swag Bag valued at $150!! I’ll certainly be there to get mine because there is nothing better than Chic Swag to make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The final runway event of Fashion Week Columbus will be a high-energy runway show also held at the Athletic Club of Columbus. This is an open event for all to attend and is sure to be a who’s who of Columbus fashion event, filled with models, journalists, editors, buyers, celebrities and social types of all kinds. And most importantly, the designers themselves! The Fashion Week Columbus 2010 Headline De-

I want to be a runway model for FWC just like Carrie.

signer will be Women’s Designer - Tad Boetcher. The remaining line up will consist of Women’s Designer - Aaron J. Hunter; Women’s and Men’s Designer - Pamela Truemper; Women’s and Men’s Designer - Brandee Bailous; Women’s Designer - Akili Versace; Women’s Designer - Laurie Allen; Women’s and Men’s Designer - Jermaine Jenkins; Women’s Designer - Crys Lappie; Women’s Designer - Arthlene LeGair; Accessory Designer- Danielle Benson and Accessory Designer - Linda Miller. Now I know this is the first year, and it is nonseasonal, meaning what would typically be a Spring 2011 showing this time of year, will instead be showcasing any season of the designers choice. I’m sure as this evolves we could see shows for every season throughout the year… possibly designers from around the world. Wishful thinking? A boy can dream, right? Let’s face it, I love fashion, you love fashion. So what are you waiting for? Open the wardrobe and start pulling out your season’s best, and meet me at Fashion Week Columbus 2010! Make Every Day a Runway! Ryan Harris is a fashion consultant/stylist for Wardrobe Therapy LLC and the owner of RH Model Mentor. Contact him at rhmodelmentor@yahoo.com, or for more style info log onto www.wardrobetherapyllc.com. For a full schedule of events, ticketing information, and all the stuff Ryan left out, visit the official Fashion Week Columbus 2010 website at www.fashionweekcolumbus.com.

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Aire Flo is my drag name.

oct 2010

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oct 2010

Chad Frye has his own personal gaycation in his desk, its called Gin.

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trippin’ out

Pristine Beaches And Live Test Fires by Chad Paul Frye Pride is hard. That’s sort of the first rule of outlook. When you commit to being not only gay, but also “gay for pay” as we say around the office, you rather commit to losing about seventy-two hours of your life in late June. The Pride holiday for outlook is a hurly-burly of tents, and cornhole boards, cocktails and branded marketing materials, kissing hands and shaking babies. In some cases, you even make a grown man at a rental truck office cry, and then draft some interns into building a parade float last minute in the parking lot of your father’s office. That’s a story for another time. The point is, Pride is WORK for us, and so after Pride this year, the boys of outlook decided that for all of our hard work, one week after the blessed day, we would flee to the west coast Laguna Beach to be exact. Laguna was a delight: beautiful weather, fantastic food, incredible accommodations, a lovely young lady named “Durrell” (get out the oceans, gurrrrl) and two solid days of rainy drizzle brought on by a thick and soupy marine layer. Ahem. This thickness in no way ruined our vacation, but we don’t get all that many sunny-and-65 days in C-bus, and I craved the sunshine. So, one rainy afternoon I put down my Danielle Steele novel, grabbed my personal assistant and life-partner James, rented the hell out of a compact car (they were out of everything else, otherwise I would have done a convertible and a long, trailing white scarf), and made my way down the Pacific Coast Highway to San Diego. Here, we were assured, the pesky marine layer didn’t exist. San Diego is a very old city, originally founded by the Spanish as a military base just prior to the outlookcolumbus.com

turn of the 17th century. The originally very tiny settlement quickly grew into one of the cultural, commercial and military hubs of Spanish California, bringing wealth, people, and culture to the area. The city has played host to International Cultural Exhibitions, groundbreaking labor riots, and has been kind enough to host the US Navy since 1901 (apparently the Spanish had the right idea). Culturally, the city is a blend of Asian and Spanish influences with a hearty dose of frontier America thrown in for flavor. Our first stop was in the city’s historic Gas lamp district, which boasted some great restaurants and some pretty killer shopping - all of the old favorites are in SD, but as we were looking for something very authentic and very San Diegan, we decided to do some exploring. We saw the naval yards (www.sdmaritime.org) and the USS Midway museum (www.midway.org), but as we rounded Balboa Park, we were rather delighted to come across a small but very dense neighborhood called Hillcrest (www.hillquest.com). This tiny area immediately reminded me of Columbus’ own Short North; galleries, boutiques, upscale restaurants, and perhaps most importantly, gay bars were everywhere. Hillcrest isn’t quite as far along in its gentrification as our beloved Short North, being still slightly “rugged” in areas, but there is something very charming about it not being entirely developed. The occasional pawnshop and carry-out store seem to inconveniently pop up on nearly every block, giving a very authentic and sort of natural character to the place. As we wandered, we came across Chef Jeff Rossman’s Terra (www.terrasd.com), one of San Diego’s culinary hotspots. Terra specializes in what they call “Innovative American.” The character of the menu was very San Diegan, with heavy Spanish and Asian influences, and a focus on the freshest available protein - seafood. Jim and I settled in for a few appetizers and ended up eating our

way through four courses. Highlights included the Mushroom Gnocchi, which were fantastically savory little earthy morsels, and the unusual Local Yellowtail, which was finished with a sweet and fragrant macadamia nut and mango sauce, and a spicy curried carrot puree. Properly fed, we embarked on our next adventure. Jim and I both enjoy film immensely, so we decided that a trip to San Diego wouldn’t but complete without crossing the San Diego bay bridge to Coronado Island, home to the Del Coronado Hotel (www.hoteldel.com), made famous in the Marilyn Monroe film, “Some Like it Hot.” The Del Coronado (“The Del” to San Diegans) was built in 1888, and billed as the largest hotel in the world. While no longer the largest hotel and resort, the entirely wooden Del continues to be a truly impressive architectural feat, and a first class hotel. Situated on a fantastic piece of beachfront property, The Del offers first-rate rooms, and slightly pricier (and more private) oceanfront cottages. Jim and I settled in nicely at the Del’s bar overlooking the beach, Babcock & Story. Here we drank martini’s, took in the ocean breeze…and saw a live weapons test fire conducted about a mile out in the pacific by the fine men and women of the United States Navy. I’m not kidding. While snacking on tiny pieces of calamari, and discussing the ridiculousness of my beardline, Jim and I were interrupted by a muted “pop” emanating from an Arleigh-Burke class Destroyer parked about a mile out from the hotels beach. I assumed the offending weapon was a BAE systems 5-inch/54 caliber MK 45 lightweight gun (Though I wish this was actually a joke, Chad Frye is sort of naval armaments enthusiast. Ask me about some of my other hobbies…). I know that weapons, seafood and martinis don’t necessarily sound very fun or relaxing, but I must confess that Jim and I rather enjoyed eating, drinking, and watching smoke plumes dissipate over the Pacific.

In the Navy, you can sail the seven seas... In the Navy, you can put your mind at ease... and get laid.

It was after spending a few hours at the Del sipping martini’s and watching live weapons fire, that we decided that the proverbial Rubicon had been crossed; all this feeding and watering had left both of us just slightly tipsy - accommodations would need to be found. Remembering that my friend and former Columbus native Scott Clay lived in the area, I called him and asked for hotel recommendations. He gave us several options, but Jim and I went with Park Manor Suites (www.parkmanorsuites.com), which was a great choice. The views of Balboa Park were stunning, and if we had to abandon our oceanfront Laguna hotel for a day, this would do. After we were settled, we called Scott, and made our way back into Hillcrest, where he took us on a whirlwind tour of GLBT Hillcrest, including a very fun leather bar (www.pecsbar.com) and a really fun lesbian bar (www.thegossipgrill.com). We ended our night in Hillcrest proper at Urban Mo’s (www.urbanmos). This place was like walking into my favorite neighborhood gay bar in Columbus. Bright young faces serving up gigantic cocktails, show tunes playing loudly in the background, a loud transvesticle (drag queen) repeating the words “gurrrrrl” and “you dirty bitch.” Business as usual. As we sat around drinking cocktails, having seen the beach, a museum, an incredible and historic hotel, and eaten our weight in food, I turned to my Jimmy to tell him something funny and noticed his face was melting from liquor and he was babbling about moving here. For Jim, that’s pretty much the gold-seal stamp of approval. Well done. You stay classy, San Diego. Chad Frye is Sales Manager for outlook: columbus and occasionally a drag queen.

oct 2010t

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oct 2010

Oh, Nate, why is it when I look into your eyes that I love you?

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savage love

by Dan Savage I’m a gay male and have been seeing a terrific guy for a couple of months. Two years ago, during an uncharacteristically wild few months in my life, I had a threesome with a couple, and as it turns out, my boyfriend is very good friends with them. We see them socially and have even all had dinner together. Nothing has been mentioned by anyone, and I’ve never told my BF. I feel guilty - not because I slept with his friends, but rather because a threesome is inconsistent with his perception of me. I don’t view threesomes as morally wrong, but I’m worried he does. Should I tell him? Threesome Complications Yes, TC, you should tell him. He’s going to find out eventually - this isn’t the kind of secret that keeps - and the revelation will be much more damaging if he finds out about it from the couple or from a malicious third (fourth?) party. And while a threesome may be inconsistent with his current impression of you, TC, that’s something he might be able to get over. He’s much less likely to get over the realization that you were keeping this secret from him or that you’re so stupid as to think that this kind of secret can be kept. And why are you so sure he would have a problem with it? Right now he’s operating under the assumption that his boyfriend isn’t the sort of guy who has threesomes. And you’re operating under the assumption that your boyfriend thinks threesomes are morally wrong. We know that his assumptions about you are wrong—you are the sort of person who has threesomes—so it outlookcolumbus.com

stands to reason that your assumptions about him could be wrong. He may not have any problem with threesomes. Or foursomes. At a certain point in a new relationship, we have to bring our new partner’s perceptions of who we are in line with who we actually are. You’re the kind of person who can have a threesome and remain on good terms with the couple involved, TC, and that’s a selling point, something in your favor, and nothing you should be ashamed of. If your boyfriend regards these facts about you— can have a threesome, can remain on good terms—as negatives, well, then you need to DTMFA. The time has come for you to use your influence to pick a day between now and the November election, and declare it Masturbate to Christine O’Donnell Day in either the state of Delaware or the entire United States of America. This needs to happen, and you’re the only guy who can do it. Hiding At The Elusive Fuzz Under Christine’s Knockers For Savage Love readers who don’t read anything else: Christine O’Donnell is the Tea Party wacko who won the Republican nomination for a U.S. Senate seat in Delaware. She is famous for three things: getting her loony ass endorsed by Sarah Palin, viciously gay-baiting her straight primary opponent, and opposing masturbation because it makes the baby Jesus cry. I’m all for masturbating to Christine O’Donnell, HATEFUCK, but why limit it to one day? So I hereby declare every day between now and November 2 - when O’Donnell’s nomination costs the GOP a Senate seat - to be Masturbate to Christine O’Donnell Day. Rub one out for freedom, people!

I just read about a gay teenager in Indiana Billy Lucas - who killed himself after being taunted by his classmates. Now people posting homophobic comments are defacing his Facebook memorial page. It’s just heartbreaking and sickening. What the hell can we do? Gay Bullying Victim Who Survived Another gay teenager in another small town has killed himself - hope you’re pleased with yourselves, Tony Perkins and all the other “Christians” out there who oppose anti-bullying programs (and give actual Christians a bad name). Billy Lucas was just 15 when he hanged himself in a barn on his grandmother’s property. He reportedly endured intense bullying at the hands of his classmates—classmates who called him a fag and told him to kill himself. His mother found his body. 9 out of 10 gay teenagers experience bullying and harassment at school, and gay teens are four times likelier to attempt suicide. Many LGBT kids who do kill themselves live in rural areas, exurbs, and suburban areas, places with no gay organizations or services for queer kids. “My heart breaks for the pain and torment you went through, Billy Lucas,” a reader wrote after I posted about Billy Lucas to my blog. “I wish I could have told you that things get better.” I had the same reaction: I wish I could have talked to this kid for five minutes. I wish I could have told Billy that it gets better. I wish I could have told him that, however bad things were, however isolated and alone he was, it gets better.

You can land an airplane in that hanger, damn!

But gay adults aren’t allowed to talk to these kids. Schools and churches don’t bring us in to talk to teenagers who are being bullied. Many of these kids have homophobic parents who believe that they can prevent their gay children from growing up to be gay—or from ever coming out—by depriving them of information, resources, and positive role models. Why are we waiting for permission to talk to these kids? We have the ability to talk directly to them right now. We don’t have to wait for permission to let them know that it gets better. We can reach these kids. So here’s what you can do, GBVWS: Make a video. Tell them it gets better. I’ve launched a channel on YouTube www.youtube.com/itgetsbetterproject - to host these videos. My normally camera-shy husband and I already posted one. We both went to Christian schools and we were both bullied - he had it a lot worse than I did - and we are living proof that it gets better. We don’t dwell too much on the past. Instead, we talk mostly about all the meaningful things in our lives now - our families, our friends (gay and straight), the places we’ve gone and things we’ve experienced - that we would’ve missed out on if we’d killed ourselves then. “You gotta give ’em hope,” Harvey Milk said. Find the Savage Lovecast (my weekly podcast) at thestranger.com/savage. mail@savagelove.net

oct 2010

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by Jack Fertig

a d n Li

by Chris Hayes

der individuals (MTF & FTM), as well as, their families. Linda is the If you don’t know Linda Cox, you support person for those that email haven’t been around much… and in through the website you’re definitely not trans. (http://www.thecrystalclub.org). Always ready to answer questions or Born and raised in Columbus, this lend an open ear, Mademoiselle month’s local celebrity is not only a Cox will find a safe place to meet trans activist and educator, but anyone who needs help on their also one hell of a sweet gal. Hailing journey, meeting with people 2-3 from our south end in the Partimes a week. She is also always at sons/Groveport area, The Lady Cox the club’s weekly weekend gatherknew growing up something was ing, which happens at Club Diverdifferent about herself, but didn’t sity or Slammers. understand what it meant. Heading to CTI (Columbus Technical InstiEver trying to make things easier tute - now loving know as Colum- for those trans persons that will bus State) Linda majored in come after her, Linda also is, or electronics (for a career) and psy- has been, involved with BRAVO, chology (to find out why she felt Equality Ohio, PFLAG, TransOhio, the way she did). Higher education church educations, and our fagranted her - then living as a him - vorite, Network Columbus. “Any access to libraries and volumes of chance I get to educate people on information on gender, transsexu- trans issues, I take it!” says Linda. als and human sexuality. Before “It isn’t easy to decide to be trans. long, she realized that feeling like You have everything to lose includa woman trapped inside a man’s ing your family, friends and job! I body wasn’t freakish. Before long want to help trans people keep as she realized she was normal. much as their lives together as I can.” But even with the realization that she was transgender, her journey When not being a do-gooder for to transition was long, and still the cause, LC actually works as a continues today. Born in 1955, Miss Jane-of-all-trades, if you will. You Cox started her transition in 1986, can hire this lady to clean your but lived mostly as a man till 2000. house, do your yard work, work on She was married two times, for 10 your electrical or plumbing, or and 14 years respectively, and even do some mild construction! from those marriages she became a parent to three children - two Linda’s favorite thing about Columblood, one step. After the dissolu- bus is how accepting the city is. “I tion of her last marriage, and while love that I’ve got to see Columbus driving truck for a supportive com- change from a non-accepting to a pany, Linda was ready to have the more and more accepting commusurgery that would complete her nity.” She hopes that her newfound transition. Unfortunately, the com- celeb status will help make Cbus pany folded before her nip/tuck, an even better place for trans peobut that didn’t keep this good ple. “I want to use this to reach woman down. Linda made the deci- new people, to keep me out there sion to live full time as a female in public educating and making it and has ever since. You go girl! easier for the next gen, preventing suicides, and keep families toAs an out and proud MTF (male-together.” female) most people know our fabulous celeb from the Crystal Club, I think that altruism deserves a a support group for transgender drink. If you see our celeb tooling people regardless of where they around on her name-branded are on their journey. This non-profit black Honda Helix scooter, flag her support group encompasses cross down and buy her a drink for all dressers, transsexuals, female im- she does. She’ll take a Michelob, a personators, and other transgen- coke or even a nice chardonnay.

oct 2010

Linda is one of the sweetest, most gentle people we ever met.

“Reconsider your ambitions, Taurus!”

tagonize your partnership. How much of that really matters? Make a quiet escape together Mercury in Virgo opposing and focus on more personal isJupiter and Pisces helps to sues, or help out together at a Bring In Terrific Critically Help- charity event. ful Insights Needing Grounding. Check that acronym and moni- ARIES (March 20 – April 19): tor your own attitude. Mars is Using sex or credit cards as a aggravating the situation, and release valve for anxiety and Neptune offers little help. Dou- stress does nothing about the ble-check your motives and causes, only staving off and think ahead before speaking! building up the problem. Confide in a good friend or a counLIBRA (September 23 – Octoselor to get to the root of your ber 22): Mental stress can problems. make you physically ill, but if that happens take it as a warn- TAURUS (April 20 – May 20): Efing, a blessing in disguise. forts to amuse your partner Rather than worry over money, are likely to backfire. Focus focus on what’s important. A your wit on analyzing probplayful, creative approach will lems, not necessarily solving point to new solutions. them. Also, reconsider your ambitions. You won’t like your SCORPIO (October 23 – Nofriends’ suggestions, but use vember 21): Watch out for the them as a springboard to enline between confidence and tirely new ideas. arrogance. If you don’t see it, your friends will be quick to tell GEMINI (May 21- June 20): Little you. Thank them for it! Look at satisfaction at home means how dreams and ideals from lots of room for improvement. your childhood still influence Do what you can as a step toyour view of the future. ward further amelioration later. New opportunities at work are SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – there but well hidden. Trust December 20): Whatever you your intuition to help find them. hate about your career or your boss will get out, so spill it to a CANCER (June 21- July 22): Your friend you can trust. Finding in- mouth may be getting ahead of spiration and freedom at home you, and well-intentioned jest can strengthen your ambitions. can come off pretty hard and Poetry and music can help. mean. Be careful! There’s a time and place for talking CAPRICORN (December 21 – nasty and rough. Find it and January 19): Although your crit- you can be very popular! ical acuity is razor sharp, people will accept your insights LEO (July 23 – August 22): Face more if they are phrased gen- problems in domestic finances, tly. What good is being right if it but don’t push for solutions only alienates people? There’s now. A loan is not the answer. more than one way to be right. Pooling resources with your Pay attention to others’ opinpartner or a close friend may ions. be, but approach that very slowly and carefully. AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18): Financial changes can VIRGO (August 23 – September be rough, but don’t get swept 22): Virgos are supposed to be up in the drama! Mediation can shy and sensible. Well, maybe hone your instincts, bringing next week. Remember to think out your best. Move quickly if before speaking. Be careful you must, but take at least not to reveal confidences or enough time to look ahead. otherwise humiliate yourself and your friends. Look for quiet PISCES (February 19 – March ways to be helpful. Just being 19): Grand issues of politics, quiet may be enough. religion or philosophy can anJack Fertig, a professional astrologer since 1977 teaches at the International Academy of Astrology www.astrocollege.com. He can be reached for personal or business consultations at www.starjack.com,

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outlookcolumbus.com

BOBO is having a Ho Show, Shirley Feeney would star but sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s getting hitched to Dr. Braun in October.

oct 2010

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