01.31.08 Outlook Weekly - Anniversary of US Constitution by Outlook Weekly

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2 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY OWNERS AND PUBLISHERS Michael Daniels & Chris Hayes EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / ART DIRECTOR Chris Hayes hayes@outlookmedia.com ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR / PHOTOS Robert Trautman traut@outlookmedia.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mette Bach, Danielle Buckius, Wayne R Besen, Chris Crain, Jennifer Vanasco, Tom Moon, Regina Sewell, Leslie Robinson, Gregg Shapiro, Mick Weems, Julianne French, TF Barton, Romeo San Vicente, Jeff Fertig, Simon Sheppard, Tristan Taormino, Dennis Vanke, Mario Pinardi, Rick Kramer, Aaron Drake, Jennie Keplar, Scott Varner, Derrik Chinn, Dan Savage, Felice Newman, Tim Curran, Chris Hughes, Stephen J Fallon, Felice Newman, J. Eric Peters, Crystal Hawkins, Brent Wilder, Matthew Burlingame, Jacob Anderson-Minshall, Matthew Veritas Tsien, Cheri Meyers

SNAPSHOT Dangerous Productions pulled out ALL the stops for their Rewind Revolution show at Wall Street on Saturday, Jan 26. Nearly two dozen drag kings & queens, genderbenders, performance artists, and ladies of burlesque took the stage. Photos by Andrea Haley, Devyne Productions, devyne.net.

BUSINESS & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Michael Daniels mdaniels@outlookmedia.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING Rivendell Media - 212.242.6863 ADVERTISING DEADLINE Each Wednesday 8 days prior to publication. Call us at 614.268.8525. HOW TO REACH US Outlook Media, Inc. 815 N High St, Suite ii Columbus, OH 43215 614.268.8525 phone 614.261.8200 fax www.outlookweekly.net web www.outlookmedia.com business www.myspace.com/outlookweekly friends www.flickr.com/outlookweekly photos SUBSCRIPTIONS Call 614.268.8525

READERSHIP: 210,000 PEOPLE / MONTH Outlook Weekly is published and distributed by Outlook Media, Inc. every Thursday throughout Ohio. Outlook Weekly is a free publication provided solely for the use of our readers. Any person who willfully or knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over copies of Outlook Weekly 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 Weekly 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. Outlook Weekly 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 ©2008 by Outlook Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

JAN 31 - FEB 06 VOLUME 12 NUMBER 31

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

OSU's GLBT student services kicked off their GLBT awareness week with drag and more at Stonewall Columbus on Friday, Jan 25. Performers included Luster de la Version, CC Sweet, Femme Mystique, Noka Davers, Untouchables, Samson, and Miz Ginger Jones. Photos by Michael Daniels.

SNAPSHOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........2 ABOUT TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .....3/26 COMMENTARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........4 OUT BUSINESS NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........6 COMMUNITY CORNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........8 BEYOND 270 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......11 GENERAL GAYETY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......12 TRANSNATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......13 INSIGHTOUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......15 FEATURE: WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS. . . . . . . . . . 16-20 DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......22 ARTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...22/24 MUSIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......23 INTERVIEW : SHELBY LYNNE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......26 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......27 SEXTALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......28 SAVAGE LOVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......29 THE LAST WORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......31 SCOPES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......31 NEXT WEEK: YEAR OF THE RAT!

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 3

ABOUT TOWN by Chris Hayes THURSDAY, JANUARY 31 NO MORE WIRE HANGERS! 35th Annual Roe v. Wade Dinner and Lecture @ The Fawcett Center, The Ohio State University, 2400 Olentangy River Rd, 800.466.2725, FOCOhio@gmail.com: The keynote speaker is Dr. Susan Wicklund, a physician, prochoice pioneer, and author. She will share her harrowing and heart-wrenching experiences as an abortion provider. 6p cash bar, 6:30p dinner, 8:30p lecture - followed by book signing and dessert; $5-$350. THE SECRET TO MY SUCCESS Young Professionals of Columbus January Social @ Scioto Reserve Country Club in the Turn Bar & Grille, 7383 Scioto Parkway, Powell 43065: YPC will be hosting a January social event with a guest speaker from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Please join us for cocktails, appetizers, business card raffles & networking with other young professionals. 6:30p-8:30p; free. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1 WEAR RED Go Red For Women @ everywhere, 800.AHA.USA1, americanheart.org: The American Heart Association’s national call to raise awareness of heart disease as women’s No. 1 killer and empower women with the knowledge they need to take charge of their health. During February, American Heart Month, the American Heart Association is sponsoring activities to raise awareness of women and heart disease, including Wear Red Day today. The American Heart Association is urging everyone to wear red in recognition of family, friends and neighbors who have suffered from heart disease. SHE’S A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY Martina McBride with Lady Antebellum & Jack Ingram @ Nationwide Arena, 200 W Nationwide Blvd, 614.246.3380, www.ticketmaster.com: Country music superstar Martina McBride hits the stage tonight with her “Waking Up Laughing tour. Joining McBride on tour is Texas-born singer/songwriter Jack Ingram, and Nashville newcomers Lady Antebellum. 7:30p; $49.75-$56.75. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2 MEN ALLOWED TONIGHT ONLY Midway To Michigan Party @ Score Bar, 145 N 5th St, 614.262.8257, scorebarcolumbus.com, www.michfest.com: Wonder what the hype is about the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival? Can’t wait until August? Come find out about it or celebrate what you love about it. Score Bar and the Vortex host the Midway to Michigan Party. Wear your favorite festival outfit, bring your favorite photo, bring your questions if you’ve never been before! Open Mic! Share your talents! Raffle!!! Want to help? 7p; donations at the door (fundraiser for lowincome womyn of Columbus). YEE HAAAAAAW! The Virginian, A West-ern Showgirl Tale @ Axis, 775 N High St, 614.291.4008, columbusnightlife.com: Ginny is at it again, this time wrestling her petty coats and rope some steer. Join this cowgirl and her cast of ranchhands for a show John Wayne will turn over for. Features Nina West, Hellin Bedd, Maria Garrison, Sonja Ross, Natasha West, Alexis Stevens, Leena de la Valentine, Miss Beverly Ford, The Columbus Stompers, Ohio Rollergirls, the West Family Dancers and MC June Bug. 8p; Tables: $40-$50, $7 standing. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3 WHERE’S THAT NANCY KERRIGAN? Souper Bowl of Caring @ North Broadway United Methodist Church, 48 E North Broadway, 614.268.8626, www.north-broadway.org: The Local Missions and Issues Ministry Team invites you to join forces with over 12,000 congregations to battle hunger in our neighborhoods. You can contribute cans of soup on Jan 27 and Feb 3 or drop dollars in our soup pots on Feb 3. We challenge you to beat last year’s totals of 333 cans of soup and $300 for hunger relief. SWING LOW, SWEET FANILOW… Ryan Scarlata / Fanilow Night @ Club Diversity, 863 S High St, 614.224.4050, clubdiversity.com: This is going to

be a fun night that also directly benefits Project Open Hand! Ryan Scarlata is performing - he may even throw in some Manilow tunes for you! Plus you could win tickets for Barry Manilow. I hear he writes the songs or something. 7p-10p; free. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 WHO SAID LES FEST? Michelle Malone and the Indigo Girls @ The LC, 391 Neil Ave, 614.224.2430, www.promowestlive.com: Southern singer/songwriter Michelle Malone joins her old friends the Indigo Girls for a performance at the LC Pavilion tonight. Malone kicks off 2008 in support of her critically acclaimed ninth album, Sugarfoot, which has been named a top 10 blues album by BluesCritic.com and Best Americana Album by Indie Acoustic Music Project. She will also showcase new tunes from a forthcoming release yet to be titled. 7, $29. WATCH OUT FOR FLYING VEGGIES Open Mic @ Gressos 961 S High, 614.444.0131, www.gressos.com: Starting tonight, Gressos is turning the mic over to you all…God help us. Hosted by Kenny Mock and Patsy Batdorf it’s open mic night. Come prove me wrong and rock the house. Sign up by 6:30p; free. HUMAN RIGHTS & BALL GOWNS The 25th Anniversary HRC Dinner Committee Meeting @ Union Bar+Food, 782 N High St, 614.421.CAFE (2233), columbusnightlife.com: Don’t worry, you didn’t miss it the first time… they sent out the wrong date. The HRC Dinner Committee will be hosting the first gathering for anyone interested in volunteering to help with the 25th Annual Gala. Would you like to help?Well then, get you butt on down to Union. They will be talking about the dinner and signing up volunteers to serve on committees and would love to see you there! No experience necessary. If you cannot make the event but still wish to help or have any questions about the event, email dinner Co-Chairs Mollie Levin mollielevin@yahoo.com and Ryan Fournier fournier.14@gmail.com. 6-7:30p; free. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6 TRANSNATION TransOhio Transgender, Cross Dressing, Gender Variant, Intersex, FtM and MtF Support Group @ Stonewall Community Center, 1160 N High St, 614.299.7764, www.stonewallcolumbus.org: Peer-led support group. Open to all - FtM, MtF, Cross Dressers, Gender Queer, Intersexed, etc. Facilitated by TransOhio staff. Drop-ins welcome. Email TransOhio@wowway.com for questions or additional information. 7p; free. IT’S ALL WHO YOU KNOW Evening Exchange @ Handke’s Cuisine, 520 S. Front St, www.chefhandke.com: Network while enjoying complimentary appetizers and a cash bar in this 19th century former Schlee Bavarian Brewery building located in the middle of Columbus’s historic Brewery District. Please RSVP to Cindy Hartsook: chartsook@experiencecolumbus.com. 5:30p7:30p; free. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7 IT STARTS WITH YOUR BREATH Workshop on Meditation @ a Quiet Space, 6161 Busch Blvd, suite 60, 614.842.4374, ellen.seigel@gmail.com: Need to relax? This meditation workshop is intended to further your practice at whatever point you presently find yourself. The environment and energy set up is also designed to provide a healing and expanding experience. Come by to bathe in healing energy. For those consciously raising the frequency of your energy vibration, join us for this purpose as well. Call for reservation. 6:30p-8:30p; $40. MAD LOVE CrazySexyCool @ Shadowbox Cabaret, Easton Towne Center, 614.416.7625, shadowboxcabaret.com: Get Crazy Sexy Cool this Winter! Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean the fun has to end. Shadowbox opens CrazySexyCool tonight with all new sketches that explore such intimate issues as dating, romance, and sex…Shadowbox style. Through March 29. Thu 7:30p, Fri & Sat 7:30p & 10:30p; $20-$30.

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

4 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

COMMENTARY

LETTERS

by Jennifer Vanasco

Letter to the Editor

CAMPAIGNING WHILE FEMALE

About a month ago, I was traveling to my mom’s house in Virginia, listening to a liberal political talk show, where the host was encouraging his listeners to call in about the Democratic candidates. In between callers, he said something like, “Now, I’m going to get in trouble for this. I know I’m going to get in trouble. I just think that it’s a serious time for our country – we’re in a war, the economy isn’t great – and we need serious leadership. I just think, you know, that we shouldn’t change horses in midstream. We shouldn’t take risks.” I was sure that he was going to say something like, “We should all just vote Republican, or ‘We should go back to a Clinton, because those were good times for the country.’” Instead, he said, “So I’m just saying that we shouldn’t vote for a woman. The time isn’t right to change to a woman president.” The top of my head almost blew off, I was so angry. The time wasn’t right to vote for a woman? Meaning what? That a woman would be less competent than a man? Yet a lot of people think this, still, even if they don’t say it explicitly. So I wasn’t surprised when gender started to be mentioned as an issue in the media a couple of weeks ago. I was just surprised that it took so long. It’s dangerous to campaign as a female. Politics, as everyone knows, is a dirty business – if a woman is successful at it, some see her as unlikable, cold, a bitch. But many people assume that a woman won’t be a successful leader, because she’s a woman - and women by their nature are emotional, indecisive and irrational. The best thing I learned from attending a women’s college, though, are that women leaders

come in all flavors. There are consensus-building women leaders and dictatorial women leaders. There are kind women leaders and ruthless women leaders. There are women who get by on their looks and women who get by on their connections and women who used the full scope of their intelligence, work ethic and passion. Women, I mean, are a lot like men. But most people unconsciously (or consciously, like our radio talk show host above) still hold a bias against women leaders, according to several studies by researchers Alice H. Eagly and Linda Carli. In their book Through the Labrynth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders, they talk about why this is. (They also come to the conclusion that women are at least as good leaders as men, and perhaps better). The trouble, they say, is that people want women leaders to adhere to two competing standards of behavior simultaneously. On the one hand, because they are female, people want women leaders to act like stereotypical women: nice, affectionate, friendly, soft-spoken. But people also want women leaders to act like leaders: decisive, independent, logical, forceful. And while men who exhibit some of the better female qualities, like empathy and kindness, are well regarded, women who exhibit some male qualities like dominance, are not. This, then, has been the additional burden Hillary Clinton has faced during the long campaign season. Americans worry that women will be too soft to be president – Clinton knew this, and ran a serious campaign based on her expertise and experience. Reporters than derided her as cold. But when her eyes welled up on the campaign

In the past two issues of Outlook Weekly I’ve been completely disappointed by the articles endorsing Barack Obama as “the best candidate” on gay rights written by Chris Crain. It’s astounding to me that Mr. Crain would write not one but two articles touting his feeling for Obama, that is fine but I think our readers should know that his article while somewhat true, is very biased and does not include the work, the experience, and the championing of EQUAL RIGHTS that Hilary Clinton has done. It seems that just because Mr. Obama has a very small section discussing GLBT policies on his website, he is more “gay friendly.” Mr. Obama has not endorsed gay marriage, he went as far as to give speeches with a “reformed gay man” in the early part of his campaign, and has not helped pass any legislation that would help the GLBT community. So what makes him the more qualified candidate? I’m confused. As Mr. Crain goes on in his article he agrees all the candidates are on the same page with GLBT issues that are in line with the Democratic Party, his main issue is he likes Obama the best. Well that is nice but this is an endorsement article not a sorority meeting, we want to pick the candidate who has the political clout, respect, and knowledge to actually get change made, not just talk about it trail as she talked with a circle of women, some commentators questioned whether that was a sign that she wasn’t hard enough – competent enough – to lead. They figured that this show of weakness would turn voters away. (Instead, as we now know, it drew women to her, because they understood those tears of frustration and fatigue for what they were. The common wisdom of the political chattering classes quickly changed. Tears suddenly became a mighty fine idea.) Hillary Clinton has said that “neither race nor gender have any place in this campaign.” I only wish that that were so. Of course race and gender are central in the Democratic campaign, because a woman and a black man are frontrunners for the first time in our history.

and then realize oh wait he doesn’t know where to begin. Hilary Clinton has been a friend and a fighter for equal rights for 35 years, she’s marched in several Gay Pride celebrations, spoken at HRC benefits, and wants sexual orientation discrimination written back into the law books. Not only are her ideas and efforts about the GLBT community spot on she also has 1) an economic stimulus plan that came out weeks before Mr. Obama’s, 2) a plan to end the war in Iraq, 3) a plan to give the opportunity of Healthcare to all Americans, 4) a plan to help our much under funded and neglected schools, and about another 20 issues that we need action on RIGHT NOW. Barack Obama is neither the correct candidate for the GLBT community nor for America because he simply has no record, no plan, and no idea where he is going. I hope the GLBT community and America wake up and realize we’re voting for the next President of the United States and we need more than a Stump Speech and a catchphrase to vote on! Steven Dunn/Alexis Stevens Columbus Instead of pretending that gender isn’t involved in this campaign, we need to admit that it is. We need to celebrate it – because it is wonderful and amazing that we may have a female nominee from a major party – and we also need to make explicit the questions and concerns people have about female leaders, so that they can be addressed. So yes, that talk show host made me furious. But I also wish I could sit down with him for a couple hours – and hand him Eagly and Carli’s book, and talk about women and leadership. Because it’s OK with me if he doesn’t vote for Hillary Clinton – that’s his choice. I just don’t want him to withhold his vote from her because she’s a woman. Jennifer Vanasco is an award-winning, syndicated columnist. Email her at jennifer.vanasco@gmail.com. She writes daily on the gay political site VisibleVote08.com.

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10 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 11

BEYOND 270 ELLEN DEGENERES IS NEW FAVORITE TV PERSONALITY AS OPRAH SLIPS TO NUMBER TWO Ellen DeGeneres has vaulted to the top spot in The Harris Poll’s annual favorite television star list after five years in the bottom five, including last year‘s tie for the number eight position. And, after five years as number one, Oprah Winfrey drops to second place this year. Jay Leno is third, a rise for him from last year when he was number six. Hugh Laurie remains as number four in his second year on the list, and Jon Stewart drops from number two to number five. These are the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 1,171 U.S. adults surveyed online between December 4 and 12, 2007 by Harris Interactive®. Rounding out the top ten, two late night talk show hosts are tied for number six – David Letterman and Stephen Colbert with Bill O’Reilly at number eight. Tied for number nine are two comedians – one real, Ray Romano, and one a cartoon figure, Homer Simpson. While there are two new additions to the list

DNC ELECTS RECORD NUMBER OF LGBT MEMBERS TO 2008 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION STANDING COMMITTEES The Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) unanimously elected DNC Chairman Howard Dean’s nominations for the Chairs and members of the 2008 Democratic National Convention Standing Committees, including a record number of openly LGBT members. Dean’s LGBT appointments include Dr. Marjorie Hill of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis organization in New York, Diego Sanchez from AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, State Representative Patricia Todd of Alabama, and Ingrid Duran of Virginia to serve on the Platform Committee, along with Claire Lucas and Evan Low of California to the Rules Committee and Bob Rogan of Vermont to the Credentials Committee. In addition to appointing a record number of LGBT standing committee members, Dean was also the first DNC chair to appoint a member of the transgender community to a Convention committee. The Executive Committee’s vote took place during the panel’s recent meeting in Denver, site of the four-day Convention in August. The Standing Committees of the Convention are responsible for reviewing Convention business and formulating recommendations for consideration by Convention delegates. The Credentials Committee is charged with coordinating issues around the selection of delegates and alternates to the Convention and will likely meet in the summer. The committee will issue a report that is the first official item of business at the Convention. The Platform Committee is responsible for drafting and recommending a proposed National Platform for approval at the Convention. After conducting hearings and forums to collect testimony on issues and policies to potentially include in the platform, the committee is likely to meet sometime in July. The Rules Committee is responsible for proposing the Permanent Rules for the Convention, adopting the proposed Convention agenda and making recommendations for permanent Convention officers - all addressed as the second official item of business at the Convention. The committee will meet sometime in August, prior to the Convention. “The record turnout and enthusiasm we’ve seen for our Democratic candidates is a clear sign that Americans trust Democrats to bring much needed

this year, Stephen Colbert and Homer Simpson, two others have dropped off - Kiefer Sutherland of 24, and Conan O’Brien. A Breakdown of Your American Idol’s When the ten stars on this list are looked at more closely, a theme emerges. Seven of them have a talk show – either late night (Leno, Stewart, Letterman and Colbert), prime time (O’Reilly) or daytime (DeGeneres and Winfrey). Just two are from sit-

change to our country,” said Governor Dean. “These outstanding leaders reflect the great strength, diversity and energy of the Democratic Party, and I’m confident their efforts will ensure our Convention in Denver is reflective of our shared values and our nominee’s vision for America.” The elections included the Chairs and 25 Party Leader and Elected Official (PLEO) members of the three Convention Standing Committees: Credentials, Platform and Rules. Each committee has a total of 186 members. An additional 161 members elected by each of the states’ and territories’ Convention delegations will join Governor Dean’s appointments to the committees later this spring. For a full list of and biographical information on the Chairs and PLEO members from each Standing Committee, visit www.demconvention.com/a/standingcommittees.pdf.

LAMBDA LEGAL SEEKS TO STRIKE DOWN DECISION DISRESPECTING CANADIAN MARRIAGE OF SAME-SEX COUPLE In oral arguments today, Lambda Legal urged the New York Supreme Court, Second Department, to follow the marriage recognition rule and reverse a lower court ruling denying recognition of Duke Funderburke’s Canadian marriage to his partner of over four decades, Brad Davis. “In the midst of this lawsuit the Department of Civil Service came into line with New York state law by changing its policy and recognizing Mr. Funderburke’s marriage,” said Susan Sommer, Senior Counsel at Lambda Legal. “The lower court’s decision in this case is an outlier, out of synch with other court decisions on the issue and the policies of State and local government officials. For the sake of clarity, and this couple of 45 years, it’s important for the court to reverse the lower court decision in accordance with New York state law and overwhelming public policy respecting out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples.” Governor Spitzer, Comptroller DiNapoli, Attorney General Cuomo and many other state officials and private entities respect marriages of same-sex couples that are validly performed elsewhere in accordance with well-established New York law. Duke Funderburke was a teacher in the Uniondale Union Free School District in Nassau County for 25 years before retiring in 1986. He married his life partner in a ceremony in Ontario, Canada. When

coms, with Homer Simpson probably getting a boost from the summer release of The Simpsons Movie, and the other, Ray Romano, from a show that has been canceled for a few years now. Only one drama star, House’s Hugh Laurie is on the list. Different Strokes for Different Groups Different groups do have different favorites. Men, for example, cite Jay Leno as their favorite television star while women say it’s Ellen DeGeneres. Even among women there is a difference of opinion as single women say Ellen is their favorite while married women pick Oprah. Among age groups

Funderburke requested that his retirement health benefits be extended to his spouse, just as benefits are extended to other married retirees, the school district refused. In 2006 Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit on his behalf arguing that New York law requires government entities to respect valid marriages performed out-of-state, including marriages of same-sex couples performed in Canada. The New York Supreme Court, which is the first level court in New York, ruled against Funderburke. Lambda Legal immediately filed an appeal. During the appeals process, the Department of Civil Service agreed to extend benefits to same-sex spouses of public employees under the New York State Health Insurance Program, citing “legal and policy concerns” with its prior policy denying recognition. Today’s argument seeks to reverse the court’s prior decision against Funderburke because, while the benefits issue has been resolved, the lower court’s decision creates confusion about the status of the couple’s marriage and of State law and should be wiped from the law books. Susan L. Sommer, Senior Counsel, is Lambda Legal’s lead attorney on the case, Funderburke v. The New York Department of Civil Service, Uniondale Union Free School District et al. Jeffrey S. Trachtman and Norman C. Simon of the law firm, Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP are co-counsel on the case.

EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS SAYS LESBIAN, GAY AND BISEXUAL INDIVIDUALS ARE ELIGIBLE TO ADOPT CHILDREN The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights delivered its judgment in a case of E.B. v France and said that exclusion of individuals from the application process for adoption of children simply because of their sexual orientation is discriminatory and is in breach of the European Convention of Human Rights. Ms. E.B. is a lesbian nursery school teacher who has been living with another woman since 1990. She applied for approval as a possible adoptive parent in February 1998, but her application was rejected, essentially because of her sexual orientation. In June 2002, the highest administrative court in France upheld the rejection of her application. ILGA-Europe, FIDH (Fédération Internationale des Ligues des Droits de l’Homme), APGL (Association

there is also a difference. Among Echo Boomers (those aged 18-30) Stephen Colbert is number one and for Generation Xers (those aged 31-42) it’s a tie between Jay Leno and Jon Stewart. Oprah Winfrey is tops among Baby Boomers (those aged 4361) and she’s tied with Bill O’Reilly for the top spot among Matures (those aged 62 and older). And, in this election year, there are also partisan and ideological differences not just for candidates, but also for favorite television star. Republicans say Bill O’Reilly is their favorite while Democrats cite Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey. Don’t look for the Independents as the tie breaker on this one - they say Jay Leno is tops. While one might assume that Bill O’Reilly would also be number one among Conservatives, that’s not the case – Jay Leno actually is. Liberals cite Ellen DeGeneres and Jon Stewart as their favorite while Oprah Winfrey is number one among Moderates.

des Parents et futurs Parents Gays et Lesbiens) and the BAAF (British Association for Adoption and Fostering) were granted permission to take part in the proceedings as third parties. In 2002 in the very similar case of Fretté v France, the European Court of Human Rights ruled by 4 votes to 3 that the exclusion of a gay man from the application process for adoption of children, because of his sexual orientation, did not violate Convention (but only 1 judge in the majority considered the exclusion justifiable; the other 3 rejected the case on technical grounds). Patricia Prendiville, Executive Director of ILGAEurope, said: “We welcome today’s judgement of the European Court of Human Rights. This is a significant change in the Court’s approach towards and interpretation of the rights of LGBT people under the European Convention on Human Rights. Today the Court firmly established a principle that administrative officials cannot discriminate against an individual on the basis of her/his sexual orientation in the process of applying to adopt a child. This builds on the Court’s judgments in Smith & Grady v United Kingdom (1999), that LGBT people must be allowed to serve in the armed forces, and Mouta v Portugal (1999), that the sexual orientation of a parent is irrelevant when determining who should have custody of a child. Until today France permitted administrative officials to exclude openly lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals from applying to adopt children. The European Court of Human Rights has decided that such a practice is discriminatory and violates the European Convention on Human Rights. No one has an automatic right to adopt a child. But what the European Court of Human Rights said today is that European countries can no longer justify exclusion of lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals from applying for a child adoption. The Court has established the principle that ILGA-Europe has long fought for - each individual should be treated equally on the basis of their individual merits as a potential parent when applying to adopt a child. The sexual orientation of the applicant is irrelevant and cannot be used to exclude them from the possibility of adopting a child. It is in the best interest of children in Europe and outside Europe that no potential adoptive parent be excluded from consideration for an irrelevant and discriminatory reason.” JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

12 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

GENERAL GAYETY by Leslie Robinson

BISEXUAL, STAGE RIGHT

I’ve long supposed that some women are truly bisexual. I’ve long known that I’m not one of them. Such matters are on my mind now thanks to a new study of bisexuality in women. The study, sure to generate a lot of chatter, followed 79 non-heterosexual women over 10 years. The key finding is that bisexuality appears to be a distinctive sexual orientation, and not a stage women go through on their way to being lesbians. I do believe that for some women bisexuality isn’t a transitional phase. It’s who they are. For me, bisexuality was indeed a stage. I entered the stage door a bisexual and exited it a homo. Over 15 years ago I was firmly ensconced in therapy, working through, by and around several issues, including my orientation. Though I’d managed to suppress the gay hints over the years, the truth lurked ever closer. But which truth? I knew I was physically attracted to men, and also pulled in some sort of deep, mysterious way to women. What did this make me? Besides addled, of course. Without ever having been involved with a woman, I accepted that I must be bisexual. Then I settled down to do nothing about it, because of my long-term relationship with a guy. Mercifully for us both, we split, and I was free to explore my “other side” as we called it, making me sound like a werewolf. I started attending the local lesbian group, billed as being open to bisexual women. After a few months it seemed to me the group was entirely lesbianfocused, so one evening I screwed up my courage. I raised my hand, outed myself as bi, and said I hoped this group really did welcome everyone. One woman whispered to me she was bi, too, and none of the other members threatened my person, so the effort seemed successful. I’d made the local lesbian group safe for bisexuals. Huzzah. JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

In those early days I ventured to gay bars with new friends. One club had both male and female dancers on display. Well, the woman danced; the man stripped. I didn’t know whom to look at. I was there to check out women, but I still felt a sexual pull toward men. I’d spent a lot of years being hetero-directed; it wasn’t going without a fight. I finally began dating a woman. At one point she said something about the risk she was taking, dating a bisexual. It turned out I’d taken the bigger risk, dating a woman with the emotional knowledge of a frying pan. I did get some important things from that relationship, including the discovery that sex with a woman seemed natural to me. After all those hetero impulses, I feared bedding down with a woman might send me screaming from the room. Instead, I knew I was on the right track. I never diverted from that track. After about a year of being out, I realized I no longer called myself “bisexual.” The word had simply dropped away without any conscious thought. It no longer applied. “Gay” did. So ended my bisexual phase. It was a stage I needed to go through - at age 30 - for the same reason a chicken crosses the road, to get to the other side. I was so mentally and physically entrenched in heterosexuality, and so blooming scared, that I needed this bridge of bisexuality to help get me where I really belonged. I’m not one for making a quick change. Some 15 years ago, this overanalyzing, uptight gal was more likely to become a Hare Krishna overnight than a lesbian. Leslie Robinson is not a werewolf, chicken or Hare Krishna. E-mail her at LesRobinsn@aol.com, and read more columns at www.GeneralGayety.com.

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 13

TRANSNATION by Jacob Anderson-Minshall

The Tao of Trans Activism Zander Keig is the Vice President of FTM International’s board of directors. He’s also a veritable one-man trans activist army, volunteering with a dozen LBGT organizations, while helping other trans men navigate transitioning. “The most common piece of advice I give is: ‘There’s no one way to transition,” It’s hard to believe Keig started out with the U.S. Coast Guard or that he was once an undercover narcotics agent before chucking his day job to go back to school at 30. That move led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in speech, a master’s in conflict analysis and resolution, a M.T.S. in world religion, tackling a year-long internship with National Conference for Community and Justice and earning certificates in massage therapy and holistic nutrition counseling. Now Zeig says he’s dedicated to facilitating change through transformative connections. Providing informal transition coaching services for trans guys around the world - online, face to face and in support groups, the selfdescribed “networking fool,” connects other FTMs to important resources. Keig identifies as a trans man and a man “with a transsexual history [who] grew up to be a man.” A cofounder and community organizer with San Francisco’s Lou Sullivan Society, Keig has been involved with dozens of organizations and events including Lesbian Avengers, Transgender Day of Remembrance, Creating Change and LGBT student associations. He moderates the podcast TransAction, writes the blog Tao of Transition and is an ordained Humanist Celebrant. He’s also on the Executive Advisory Committee for the Triangle Martial Arts Association, a member of San Francisco Transgender Empowerment, Advocacy and Mentorship and a speaker for a handful of groups including Community United Against Violence, Marin Spectrum Center and United Genders. His work for the community was a featured subject in 2007’s trans documentary, Clocked: An Oral History.

As a program associate with Out and Equal, the preeminent national LGBT organization working on workplace advocacy within Fortune 500 companies. For 2007’s annual Out and Equal Workplace Summit, Keig booked entertainers, trained volunteers, set up a Lobby Day - which coincided with the ENDA blowup - and coordinated ENDA briefing updates. But Keig was dissatisfied with what he calls Out and Equal’s inability to place him where his skills could be best utilized, so he’s currently devoting those skills to a host of new projects, including taking his transition coaching professional, branching out into consulting, providing trans-related trainings for schools and businesses and, eventually, opening an international travel company for the transgender market. He’s also planning to become more involved with Trans Youth Family Advocates, a group that provides support and advocacy for trans youth and their parents. “Trans youth aren’t some new trend…these kids are sure of who and what they are…they need us to move beyond limited notions of what it means to be trans, [and] not judge them for being ‘too young to know.’ I love working with trans youth, especially trans children, who are claiming their identities at such a young age. They’re unapologetically trans. They proclaim, I ‘m a boy [or] girl and their families respond affirmatively, which touches me more deeply than I can even describe. “ Keig feels lucky to have similar support from his family. “I’m married to an amazing woman. I’m also very fortunate to have a very supportive family, especially my father, who has been extremely affirming and supportive of my transition, advocacy work and community organizing.“ The trans writer Jacob Anderson-Minshall coauthored Blind Leap, the second installment of the Blind Eye mystery series available now. For more information visit anderson-minshall.com or email jake@trans-nation.org. © 2007 Jacob Anderson-Minshall JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

14 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 15

INSIGHTOUT by Regina Sewell

Living Life with Passion (part 1) In a world where local five and dimes, hardware stores and grocery stores are endangered species due to the invasion of major chains like Walmart, Lowes, and Giant Eagle, and fast food restaurants reign, it’s easy to sink into a robotic existence. We get up, get ready for work, stop by the drive through to get breakfast and/or coffee, go to work, pick up something for dinner or throw something together when we get home, flop on the couch or plant ourselves in front of the computer or video game and tune out for the night until we finally fall asleep, and get up the next morning to start over. We lose touch with our creativity as our passion for living drips away like oil through a leaky oil filter. We lose our passion for life because on one hand, we let ourselves get stuck in roles that are not satisfying, and on the other, we don’t spend enough time and energy engaged in roles that are satisfying and enlivening. If you feel like you’re basically going through life on automatic pilot, I’d like to invite you to explore your satisfaction in the roles that currently play. Make a list of the 5-7 most significant roles you play in your life. If you’re struggling with how to figure out which of the roles you play are the most significant, think about the ones that take up most of your psychic space. They may be the roles you spend the most time doing, the roles you spend the most time wishing you could do, or the roles that you spend the most time wishing you didn’t have to do or complaining about. These roles might be relationship oriented (like partner, daughter/son, mother/father, or friend), work or occupation oriented, (like computer programmer, customer service representative, or student) hobby or sports oriented (like artist, guitar player, actor, stamp collector, softball player, soccer player, martial artist, or yoga instructor). Once you’ve completed your list, think about how you feel in each of these roles. Do you feel alive in that role or does the mere thought of thinking about the role make you want to curl up on the couch or bed and tune out with TV,

drugs or alcohol, or sleep? Note here that it’s likely that your interest in a particular role falls on a continuum. That is, on a scale of one to ten, you might rate your satisfaction or aliveness in a particular role as a five or a seven. You might think of ten as, “I feel totally alive and satisfied in this role,” and zero as, “I think I might have to start shooting (or am shooting) heroin to do this role/job.” It’s also possible to feel fully alive in one aspect of a role and want to run away from another aspect of the same role. For example, as a counselor, I love helping clients connect with their core selves and let go of the old, disempowering messages they’ve gotten along the way. At the same time, I loathe talking to insurance companies. Now that you’ve sort of sorted out how you feel about each of the roles you’ve listed, go through the list and find the role or roles that feel most torturous. If you have any roles on your list that you absolutely hate, ask yourself, “Do I really need to do this role?” If your answer is yes, take a breath and ask yourself again, “Do I really need to do this particular role?” It might be helpful as you are doing this to list why you have chosen to take on and continue with this particular role. If, for example, you are in a job that you don’t like, you might want to list your reasons for doing the particular despicable job. Maybe, for example, you hate your job but it was the only job you could find at the time. Or maybe you hate your job but you like having the paycheck and/or insurance benefits that it offers. Or maybe you like your job but hate having to deal with a coworker or supervisor who’s a pain in the ass. Or maybe you’re bored out of your mind with your job but you like flirting with the cute guy sitting three cubicles away. Or maybe you are really only doing this job because you are trying to please your parents or your partner. If any of these are the case, could you perhaps start looking for another job, either for a different job in the same company or for a different

job entirely? If not, why not? For many people the “No” breaks down to a few core issues: a lack of self-confidence/fear of failure, fear of what others might think, and/or an inability to see other possibilities. These same issues often come up around other less than satisfying roles that people feel stuck in. For example, some people stay in crappy relationships because they believe that not being able to keep a relationship afloat makes them a failure. Some people continue to stay with their partners because they make a lot less money than their partner and worry that people would look down on them if they lost the income. Some people stay in crappy relationships because they can’t imagine that anyone else would ever want to date them. If you are stuck in “no” mode, ask yourself, “Is this really true?” That is, if you assume that you can’t get better job, my bet is that this isn’t really true, at least not in the long run. It’s important to explore the root causes of this belief. Sometimes it’s helpful to do this with a friend, partner or counselor. It can also help to explore what the consequences for leaving a particular role might be and critically asses the absolute merit of that position. For example, if you’re reluctant to leave your job because of the guy you like to flirt with, would it be possible to cut to the chase and ask him out? If your fear of leaving your job is based on income and/or benefits, it is possible that there is another job that pays as well or better in a different department or company? If not, is it possible to take steps towards changing your career, perhaps going back to school to get the degree that will not only help you rise out of the low wage job ghetto but also open doors to more interesting and rewarding jobs? Or, is it possible that you could look into financial downsizing and cutting expenses so that you don’t need to earn as much money as you currently do. For example, as a counselor, I looked at my loathing of dealing with insurance and asked myself if I really had to do it. My first response

was, “If I don’t take insurance, I’ll never get any clients.” But when I really looked into this, I discovered that a lot of counselors don’t take insurance and still manage to make a living. In fact, some of the more successful counselors don’t take insurance. I also factored the impact of the frustration I felt when dealing with insurance and the number of hours I was spending waiting on hold and the hours I spent worrying about whether or not the insurance companies would actually cover the claims. I finally decided that costs, in terms of time, stress and frustration, weren’t worth the checks I stood to get so I no longer take insurance. In the process, I found that I am actually able to charge less and still get by. It is possible that you really aren’t willing to let go of a role that leaves you feeling dead. If this is the case, it’s important to recognize this decision as a choice. In choice there is power and in power there is life. For example, I have a friend who, when her mom lost her job and subsequently her house due to drinking, moved her mom into an apartment for which my friend paid the rent. When I asked why she did this instead of simply walking away, she said, “If my mother drank herself to death and I didn’t even try to save her, I don’t think I could live with myself.” It may be possible, even in this sort of tough role, to make changes so that the role feels less painful. For example, my friend set limits on how much time she was willing to spend with her mother and stuck with those limits. She also refused to talk to her mother when her mother was stinkin’ drunk. Next issue we’ll discuss ways you can reconnect to your passion. Regina Sewell is a mental health counselor with a private practice in Worthington, OH. To ask a question, propose a column topic, read about her approach to counseling, or check out her books and other writing, go to: www.ReginaSewell.com. JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

16 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

FEATURE STORY by Andrea Wood

We hold these truths... In an election year we hear a lot of stump speeches that talk about life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. With an African American and a woman running for the Democratic ticket, we are also hearing a lot of talk about diversity, civil and equal rights. Outlook Weekly asked Equality Ohio to reflect on all those lofty messages. At this point in history Ohio stands as a bell weather state that is a fulcrum for national politics, Equal rights movements grow and change, and so does our movement here in Ohio for full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. In the continuum of equality through the decades, where is Ohio’s LGBT movement now? We are proud to have a diverse spectrum of visionaries with unique perspectives on our Boards of Directors. We thought it best to give them the opportunity to put Ohio’s movement for LGBT equality in the context of the lofty ideals that drive what makes America a great country – and what makes Ohio unique. “We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Thus began the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self evident.” Evident to whom? Slavery abounded, women were denied voice. “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” were rights for only to a few. It’s right to reflect on this vision held by those brave and rebellious few. It was the Constitution that sought to give those words life. The Constitution became our government’s voice: the delicately balanced legislative, executive, and judicial branches to clearly and unequivocally declare their meaning; to make them “evident.” In its original, along with its amendments, the Constitution clarifies that these rights are due to people regardless of sex, race, national origin, or religion. Though it may seem “evident,” it was the task of our government through the Constitution and a patchwork quilt of civil rights laws, to explain what that means. In its amendments, “men” was explained as both men and women, from all nations, of all stripes. “Men,” became simply, “People.” So do we “get it” now? Are these truths finally “evident?” Evidently not. To some, “people” means “straight people,” without differences, who at birth conform to gender boundaries. There are still those who would deny “those” people “life,” by denying them jobs and health care; “liberty,” by restricting where they can live and how they work; and “pursuit of happiness,” by telling them to hide the joy of their love. Do we still need laws to confer equal rights as envisioned by our founders? Evidently so.

I believe in love. I believe that we are all born with a longing to feel whole; to cherish and be cherished; to find completion in the intimacy of emotionally and physically bonding with another person. To me, the reality of this innate need lies at the core of our common humanity. Everyone seems to understand this basic truth. We constantly express it in our art and music and literature. We enshrine it in the institution of marriage. And yet, incredibly, our nation still treats a sizeable portion of its citizens as if they were less than human because of who they love. Our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender sisters and brothers are denied their basic civil rights and protections simply because they dare to love people not authorized by their government. As a happily married heterosexual man, I confess I just don’t get it. Our country acts as if love is a zero-sum commodity - something that needs to be regulated by constitutional fiat rather than the holy, magnificent gift to humanity that it is. And I’m forced to wonder: Why would any of us dishonor this gift - and ourselves in the process - by denigrating the love any two people find with each other, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity? In the end, I know these attitudes will change. I can see them evolving now, and I’m not surprised in the least. Amor omnia vincit. Love conquers all. And I believe in love.

would be non-existent, right? It seems as though there is always a group who are thought to be deserving of contempt in every generation. Currently, our community is that group. But here’s the thing: We are on the road to becoming new Americans – this is our movement. At the end of Women’s Suffrage – women become Americans. At the end of the Civil Rights Movement – Blacks became Americans. When all is said and done we, too, will become Americans: enjoying the rights and privileges we have long been denied. So, to answer the question are all men created equal? Well, of course. Do we live by this in our country? Not really. If we did, we would not be made to reach further, as we are made to now, for simple equality. This is why I do what I do for Equality Ohio. Nothing worth having is ever easy to get, so I want to lend a hand. I want to be part of our movement. I believe it is the right thing to do. I am looking forward to becoming an American – it looks like fun. I have every confidence that it will be.

Julie E. VanDyne, Lima

Tony Marconi, Delaware

Kevin Tyler, Columbus

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

I’m intrigued by the phenomenon of “the movement.” The civil rights movement. The women’s suffrage movement. The GLBT movement. When I think about it, I’m not so much intrigued by the result of these efforts as I am by their beginnings. I mean clearly, in our country, if those in power governed as if all men were created equal then the idea of “a movement”

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 17

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

18 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY Let’s truly examine the utility of this document that purports to create equality for all. I believe in a world where all persons are valued no matter who they love, marry, parent or whose gender identity/expression falls outside of the crippling norms promoted through the media and extremist groups. The intersections of my identity influence my work within Equality Ohio because incremental change is no longer the answer. Steps regarding civil rights, miscegenation, gay rights and a woman’s right to vote ultimately proved successful, but the sacrifices were unconscionable. How, as civilized society, can we allow discrimination, death and destruction to continue while claiming equality for all?

Dozens of smaller Ohio companies, like Cooper Tire & Rubber in Findlay, offer benefits to partners of lesbian and gay employees and have anti-discrimination policies in place to protect them. According to National Gay and Lesbian Task Force data, the actions of Dayton and Toledo put Ohio at a respectable fifth when compared to city-level equal rights laws in other states; behind California, New York, Florida, and Michigan. When comparing state-level laws, however, Ohio ranks an abysmal last place, tied with 10 other states including Mississippi and Arkansas. A 2006 Glengariff Group poll of 800 regisJAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

Equality Ohio Education Fund (c3): Equality Ohio (c4): Melanie Falls, Chair, Cleveland Tom Grote, Chair, Columbus Jason Calhoun, Secretary, Columbus Melissa Conroy, V Chair, New Concord Jeff Smith, Treasurer, Columbus Cecil Baughman, Secretary, Toledo James Eller, Cleveland Paul Schwitzgebel, Treasurer, Canton Rev Michael Schuenemeyer, Lakewood Doug Braun, Cleveland Rev Dr. Michael Castle, Centerville Kevin Tyler, Columbus Sally Cooper, Marengo Leslie Morrow, Cincinnati Jim Elliott, Columbus Jenny Caden, Dayton Julie VanDyne, Lima Tony Marconi, Delaware Jack Jackson, Columbus Jordan Peters, Youth Rep, Dayton

Toledo Cincinnati Cleveland Heights Dayton Cleveland Columbus Athens Yellow Springs Lakewood Oberlin Shaker Heights Kent Akron Canton North Olmsted Youngstown Bowling Green Cuyahoga Falls Gahanna Hamilton Mentor Steubenville Upper Arlington Barberton Beavercreek Brunswick Delaware Dublin East Cleveland Elyria Euclid Fairborn Fairfield Findlay Garfield Heights Grove City Hilliard Huber Heights Kettering Lancaster Lima Lorain Mansfield Marion Mason Massillon Medina Middletown Newark North Ridgeville North Royalton Parma Reynoldsburg Sandusky Springfield Stow** Strongsville Trotwood Warren Westerville Westlake Wooster Zanesville

298,446 332,252 47,097 156,771 444,313 733,203 20,896 3,637 52,194 8,239 27,245 27,946 209,704 79,924 32,126 81,520 29,725 50,398 33,080 62,130 51,593 19,199 31,326 27,063 39,366 35,107 32,100 36,565 25,213 55,745 48,717 31,696 42,248 38,173 28,518 31,820 26,812 37,667 54,666 36,507 38,219 70,592 50,212 36,138 29,491 32,315 26,350 51,290 47,242 27,197 29,465 80,009 33,078 26,216 62,844 34,335 43,347 26,403 45,256 34,971 31,025 25,791 25,361

3 2

Climate/Culture

16 1

1 1

14 12 11

2 2

2 2 1 1

1 1

Population Data based on July 1 2006 US Census Bureau Estimates, http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/SUB-EST2006-4.html Physical Community Center data includes: LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland, Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Cincinnati, Akron LGBT Community Center, Stonewall Columbus

Visit Equality Ohio on the web at www.equalityohio.org. Get news, important updates, and opportunities to get involved.

Total

Voted Against Ohio's Marriage Amendment

Openly GLBT Elected Official

1 1

Legislat ion

Physical Community Center

Political or Service 501(c)3 Organization

Domestic Partner Benefits for Municipal Employees

Domestic Partner Registry

Hate Crimes Law Specifying Sexual Orientation

2 3

Relationship Recognition

Hate Crimes Law Without Specifying LGB or T

Hate Crimes

Hate Crimes Law Specifying Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

One or More City Departments Have NonDiscrimination Law Specifying Sexual Orientation

Public Accommodation Non-Discrimination Law Specifying Sexual Orientation

Public Accommodations

Public Accommodation Non-Discrimination Law Specifying Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

Housing

Housing Non-Discrimination Law Specifying Sexual Orientation

City Benefits

Housing Non-Discrimination Law Specifying Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

Employment Non-Discrimination Law Specifying Sexual Orientation

Population (2006 Estimate)

Municipality

tered Ohio voters commissioned by Equality Ohio makes the will of citizens very clear on this issue. Fully 91% of all those polled believe an Ohioan should have the guaranteed right to visit their same-sex partner in the hospital. More than two out of three Ohioans believe discrimination based on sexual orientation should be outlawed. And while only 34% of those Ohioans polled support marriage equality for same-sex couples (mirroring the 2004 vote for a constitutional ban), 64% do believe samesex partners should have inheritance rights. This data is telling, and shows that the supposed fallout for politicians who support equality is not rooted in truth. It is true that Ohio voters aren’t ready for marriage equality, but they do believe LGBT people should be treated with fairness and dignity by the Buckeye State. Lawmakers could and should feel emboldened to take a stand and pass state laws that support equal rights for all Ohioans. In 16 years there has not been one state law or policy enacted by our elected leaders to help LGBT citizens gain equality until this past May, when Governor Strickland signed an Executive Order to protect state employees from workplace discrimination. It’s a step, but the State of Ohio still has no comprehensive hate crimes law protecting LGBT people. In most of the state, unless an employer has an in-house policy banning discrimination, they can fire an Ohioan based solely upon sexual orientation or gender identity. No Ohio law provides committed same-sex couples – even couples together for decades – with any kind of recognition or support (those same rights given to married heterosexual couples by default). It’s clear that Ohio’s state laws are still out of synch with what is economically and morally important to Ohio voters and businesses. At the municipal level, elected officials are making informed choices and honoring their constituents’ commitment to fairness and equality. Dayton’s Mayor Rhine McLin had it right when she said, “it’s time to do the right thing.” Hopefully Ohio’s state lawmakers have the political will to do the right thing, too.

Employment

Employment Non-Discrimination Law Protecting Municipal Employees

OHIO CITIES BRING LAWS IN LINE WITH THE PROMISE THAT “ALL ARE CREATED EQUAL” In the span of a single week in November, officials in two large Ohio cities took significant action to bring their lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) citizens closer to recognizing that all men, indeed all Ohioans, are created equal. State lawmakers should take note. Dayton’s city commission voted 3-1 to add sexual orientation and gender identity to its existing anti-discrimination law. According to a study conducted by Equality Ohio, Dayton joins eight other Ohio cities in protecting 18% of Ohio’s population against job discrimination based on sexual orientation. With a stroke of Mayor Carty Finkbeiner’s pen on November 21, Toledo became the first large Ohio city to create a domestic partnership registry, passed by a city council vote of 10-2. Supporters of the registry said it will help local employers who offer domestic partnership benefits because it provides verification that a committed relationship exists. Cleveland Heights also has such a registry. The domestic partnership registry makes good economic sense for Toledo. Cities face fierce competition to attract businesses, and businesses compete for good people. LGBTfriendly city laws send a strong message to businesses and the employees they are trying to attract. Many of Ohio’s Fortune 500 employers offer health benefits for the domestic partners of employees, including: • Owens Corning (Toledo) • NCR Corp (Dayton) • Procter & Gamble (Cincinnati) • Kroger (Cincinnati) • KeyCorp (Cleveland)

EQUALITY OHIO BOARD MEMBERS

Leslie Morrow, Cincinnati

Employment Non-Discrimination Law Specifying Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

Recently, I spent some time truly reflecting whether or not I enjoy any of the privileges set forth by the US Constitution. The writers’ foresight established seven articles that laid the foundation for the United States governing, legislative and judicial processes. The writers understood the passage of time-engendered change by creating Article 5 of the constitution to reflect the shifting demographics and politics. In my mind, this document has not and should never be used to legislate on the basis of fear or ignorance. I am a proud, lesbian black female. Far too often I have allowed others to select an identity that comforted their sensibility while I suffered in silence and continued oppression. My work with Equality Ohio and within Higher Education seeks to disrupt that notion. Homophobia/heterosexism, racism and sexism continue to ruin lives.

501(c)(3) data includes: Equality Cleveland, Equality Cincinnati, Equality Toledo, Stonewall Akron, BRAVO Voted Against Ohio's Marraige Amendment - Points based on the 2004 vote on Issue 1. # points for jurisdictions that defeated Issue 1 by over 60 percent. 2 points were awarded for jurisdictions between 55 and 60 percent. 1 point was awarded for jurisdictions between 50 and 55 percent.

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 19

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

20 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION RELEASES STATE LEGISLATIVE REPORT FOR 07 “Equality from State to State” Reports 2007 Was Successful Year for Pro-GLBT Legislation Today, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation released “Equality from State to State 2007,” a comprehensive annual review of state legislation affecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans. “2007 was a very positive year for state legislation affecting GLBT Americans,” said Human Rights Campaign Foundation President Joe Solmonese. “For the most part, states passed pro-equality legislation and defeated dangerous anti-GLBT legislation. Four states passed laws protecting GLBT people from employment discrimination, and three passed either civil union or domestic partnership legislation. In several of these states, legislative achievements in 2007 flowed directly from electoral victories in 2006.” In 2007, state legislatures introduced

more than 250 bills involving issues affecting GLBT people, including marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships, discrimination, hate crimes, parenting, and safe schools. Thirty-five of these bills passed— just five of which were anti-equality bills. Some of the highlights: • Iowa: newly elected fair-minded Legislature passed a bill prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. • Massachusetts: Legislature defeated, by a 151-45 vote, a proposed constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage. • New Hampshire: civil unions legislation passed. • Oregon: domestic partnership and antidiscrimination legislation passed. The report also looks ahead to what is on the horizon for 2008. The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/about_us/7071.htm.

BOOKMARKS by Marcia M. Gallo, PhD

Activist, educator, writer, public relations professional – former Daughters of Bilitis leader Ruth Simpson has packed a lot of living into the last four decades, and she gives us the benefit of her experiences and insights in From the Closet to the Courts, 30th Anniversary Edition (Take RootMedia 2007). First published in 1977 by The Viking Press, JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

New Jersey California DC Massachusetts Vermont Connecticut Minnesota Iowa Maine Oregon Rhode Island Maryland New Mexico Washington Hawaii Illinois New Hampshire Colorado New York Pennsylvania Delaware Nevada Arizona Louisiana Wisconsin Alaska Indiana Missouri Texas Florida Kansas West Virginia Alabama Kentucky Michigan Montana North Carolina Oklahoma Tennessee Virginia Arkansas Georgia Idaho Mississippi Nebraska North Dakota South Carolina South Dakota Utah Wyoming Ohio

8,698,879 35,893,799 553,523

2,954,451 1,317,253 3,594,586 1,080,632

6,203,788 12,713,634

3 3 3 3 3

4,601,403 19,227,088

3 3

1 1

1 2 2 2 2 2

1 1 2 1 1

1 1 1 1 2 1

2 2 2

1 1 1

1,815,354 4,530,182

1 1 1 1

4,145,922

1 1

1 1 1 1

8,541,221 3,523,553

5,900,962

7,459,827 2,752,629 8,829,383

1 1

1,393,262 2,902,966

1 1 1 1 1 1

634,366

4,198,068

1 1

770,883 2,389,039

506,529 11,459,011

From the Closet to the Courts

Simpson’s updated first-person account of “The Lesbian Transition” from the late 1960s through the 1970s is bracketed and embraced by commentary showing its continuing relevance. Heralded both by past pathbreaking lesbian and feminist leaders Ti-Grace Atkinson, Bella Abzug and Kate Millett, as well as current people’s journalist Amy Goodman and gay advocate Cheryl Jacques, Simpson charts a course for lesbian liberation that situates our struggles within the broader context of progressive international human rights, and she is unsparing in her criticism of any person or institution whom she believes holds any of us “minorities” – sexual nonconformists, women, people of color, immigrants, civil rights and peace activists – back. “How do we fight the battles we must wage against the burgeoning tide of right-wing nuttery, the apathy and seeming disinterest of political moderates, and the un-invigorated complacency of way too many ‘others?’” she asks. Her response, in part, is central to our LGBT movement, now as in the past: “…what works best is never accepting others’ negative image of you and rather, with pride and minority smarts, show people what a good person you are.” But that’s not all. Simpson has never been one to rely solely on individual personal responses to institutional and political issues. As leader of the New York Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), she helped mobilize the homophile-era women’s social and educational network during the fiery days of lesbian and gay militancy in the

early 1970s. Although DOB always saw its mission as inclusive of social change, its tactics and strategies changed over time from its inception as a small secret club in San Francisco in 1955 to its growth as a national lesbian rights organization with more than a dozen chapters throughout the U.S. by the late 1960s. DOB New York, founded by legendary gay rights activist Barbara Gittings along with Marion Glass in 1958, usually was one of the most action-oriented of DOB’s local groups during its two decades of lesbian organizing; under Simpson’s leadership, however, DOB New York became part of the upsurge of street actions, protests, and media confrontations that followed the queer Stonewall Inn anti-police riots in Greenwich Village in June, 1969. Her book – a primer on lesbianism, emphasizing the many myths masquerading as homophobic “facts” that surround female same-sex love – came at a time when women who loved other women – or thought they might — had very few reliable, reaffirming sources of information available to them. Lesbian activists’ first-person accounts were rarer still; founding Daughters Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon had written Lesbian/Woman in 1972, and New York DOB leader Kay (Tobin) Lahusen edited The Gay Crusaders with Randy Wicker the same year. Both of these works wove personal “coming-out” stories and tales of early gay movement organizing into a narrative of lesbian and gay – and, for Martin and Lyon, feminist — liberation. Five years later, despite the huge increase by 1977 in lesbian publications, books like From the

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 2

-1 1

3 2 2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

-1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1

-1

1 2

1 1 1 1 1 1 -1 1 1 1 -1

-1

-1 -1

-1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1

-1

-1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1

Total Score

Constitutional Amendment Banning Marriage Equality

Legislative "Defense" of Marriage Act

Civil Unions

Domestic Partner Registry

Marriage Equality

2nd Parent Adoption Banned

2nd Parent Adoption Allowed 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1

1,747,214

Birth Certificate Correction Allowed

School Non-Discrimination Policy with some protections soecifying LGB or T

School Bully Bill Without Specifying LGB or T

School Bully Bill Specifying Sexual Orientation

School Bully Bill Specifying Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

17,397,161

926,865

Hate Crimes Law Without Specifying LGB or T

Hate Crimes Law Specifying Sexual Orientation 2

22,490,022

10,112,620

1 1 1

3 2

5,754,618

2,735,502

2 2

4,515,770

6,237,569

2 2

5,743,834

655,435

1 2

830,364

5,509,026

Hate Crimes Law Specifying Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

2 2

12,406,292 2,334,771

3 3 3

3 3

1,299,500

2 2 2

3 3 3

1,262,840

3 3 3

2 2

5,558,058 1,903,289

3 3

3,503,604 5,100,958

Non-Discrimination - Executive Order Protecting State Employees

3 3 3

6,416,505 621,394

Non Discrimination Law Specifying Sexual Orientation

Non Discrimination Law Specifying Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

Population

State

EQUALITY OHIO’S STATE BY STATE CHART

13 12 11 11 11 10 10 9 9 9 9 8 8 8 7 7 7 6 6 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

by Ruth Simpson

Closet to the Courts were still unique. In addition to telling her own story, Simpson was courageous in publishing a scathing critique of societal bigotry against gay people and women that extended to racial and ethnic minorities. She also did not hesitate to expose government interference – from name-and-badge-number accounts of harassment on the part of the New York Police Department to disruptive techniques that were traced to the highest levels of the F.B.I. and other federal agencies. Her political sensibility is that of a lifelong activist with a worldview expanded by decades of struggles with the powers-that-be: “(W)hen DOB began to transform from a social gathering place into a politically active organization, it became the target of intensified harassment, especially when it organized activity in conjunction with other groups,” she observes; she then applies this essential lesson to progressive political activism in general. “As a homosexual I am obligated to my own people; as a woman I am responsible to feminist principles; as a human being I am dedicated to the basic right of human dignity,” she began her book in 1977. In 2007, she concludes, “(A)s was true more than thirty years ago, achieving dignity and justice is still up to us, So let’s do it.” I can only hope that, for decades more, Ruth Simpson will be fighting the good fight – on as many fronts as necessary – and spurring us all onward. Marcia M. Gallo, Ph.D. is author of Different Daughters: A History of the Daughters of Bilitis and The Rise of the Lesbian Rights Movement (Carroll and Graf, 2006), and Assistant Professor of History, Lehman College, Bronx NY

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 21

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

22 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD by Romeo San Vicente

JESSICA BIEL TAKES IT EASY

BIG HUGS FOR PENELOPE CRUZ

HERE WANTS MORE LESBIAN SEX

Jessica Biel is going to England for her next role, but she won’t be required to fake a British accent. In Easy Virtue, she’ll play an American woman who travels to France, meets an Englishman, marries him, and then has to return with him to the U.K. to meet his parents. Ben Barnes will play the husband, and Colin Firth and Kristin Scott Thomas star as mom and dad. And as hetero as it all sounds, it has queer roots. The film is based on the play by Noel Coward (brought to the screen by Alfred Hitchcock in 1928), and Stephan Elliott, gay director of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, will helm the project. Shooting is underway in London for a late 2008 release.

Having already worked together on three acclaimed films, Live Flesh, All About My Mother, and Volver, gay director Pedro Almodovar and his muse, Penelope Cruz, seem to be the peanut butter and jelly of Spanish cinema. And though they’d planned on a fourth venture, a revenge drama called The Skin I’m In, it’s now been back-burnered in favor of a noir called Broken Hugs. Weird name for a noir, perhaps, but it sounds great as Abrazos Rotos, the Spanish title. Plot details are still in the hushed-up stage, yet the drama is, according to Almodovar, the longest script he’s ever written. No matter the eventual running time, there’s no reason to expect that the fourth collaboration - due out sometime in 2009 - won’t be as charmed as the first three.

There’s more to lesbians than what you see on The L Word, the show that seems to spend its entire clothing budget on Marc Jacobs tops. How about a dose of lesbian reality? That’s where Here TV’s documentary series, the plainly titled Lesbian Sex and Sexuality, steps in. The show spent its first season hanging out with lesbian academics in sex-toy shops, but for the recently greenlighted second season, the party is on, as the filmmakers travel to the Dinah Shore Weekend (or “The Dinah,” as it’s known), the hugely popular annual lesbian event in Palm Springs. What better way, outside of actually attending, to see how reallife queer girls hook up? The answers will unfold this summer.

THE BUZZ ON QUEEN LATIFAH AND JENNIFER HUDSON Blame her truly convincing portrayal of a butch bank robber in Set It Off or the lesbian prison matron in Chicago, or blame the tabloids for running endless photos of her in the company of her female trainer, then printing stories of an impending lesbian union, but Queen Latifah has definitely entered the “is she or isn’t she” phase of her career. No matter what the truth is, the talented actor remains a subject of fascination for gay audiences. And now she’s teaming up with Jennifer Hudson, a recent addition to the gay diva-worship camp, for the film The Secret Life of Bees. Along with Sophie Okonedo, they’ll star as three siblings who adopt a little girl (played by Dakota Fanning). The period drama (and potential weepie) is shooting now for a 2009 release, so fans have plenty of time to stock up on travelsize packets of tissue.

Romeo San Vicente has enjoyed the professional services of many personal trainers, but always outside the gym. He can be reached care of this publication or at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com.

ARTS

BalletMet Performance Offers Old School Romance by Jennifer Sciantarelli

Two weeks from today, florists prepare for one of the busiest workdays of their career. Jewelry store clerks line up in wait for the crowd of last-minute big-spenders. Couples prepare to be bombarded with stuffed puppy dogs that say “I ruff you,” more chocolate hearts than any diet would allow and a greeting card that says all the right things average men and women could never articulate. This year, give your sweetheart a Valentine they’ll never forget with a BalletMet performance opening next week at the Capitol Theatre. And if you’re single like so many of us in this season dedicated to lovers, treat yourself and your single friends to a night on the town. BalletMet does decadence the calorie free way with Lovestruck: Ravel to Sinatra, a program of thrilling and passionate dances that runs the musical gamut from Maurice Ravel’s classical masterpiece Bolero to the swingin’ sounds of Ol’ Blue Eyes. First up is Sinatra Suite, by award-winning choreographer Twyla Tharp. Sinatra Suite is an intimate duet set to classic songs sung by Frank Sinatra. With a soundtrack of classic American standards like Strangers in the Night, My Way and That’s Life, the emotional piece reveals aspects of one couple in a host of relationship milestones. The original cast was Mikhail Baryshnikov and Elaine Kudo; Ms. Kudo visited Columbus in January to stage the piece for BalletMet. Heinz Poll’s Bolero is a passionate mix of Indian JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

and modern dance styles inspired by Poll’s travels to India. As Maurice Ravel’s compelling score builds, so does the action. Though palpable, the strong emotional current in Bolero remains under the surface. The simple severity of the set and costumes focuses attention on the dancers’ strong and clear movements. Henry David Thoreau once said, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears the beat of a different drummer.” Taking inspiration from that and other Thoreau musings is internationally renowned choreographer Alexander SchneiderRossmy with a world premiere work.

Schneider-Rossmy’s moving A Different Drummer is set to the percussive sounds of Steve Reich. Rounding out the delectable Lovestruck palette of flavors are highlights from BalletMet’s groundbreaking 30x30. Randy Duncan’s rousing solo Everyday People wowed crowds with Company dancer Jeff Wolfe’s performance. In addition to Frank, another Sinatra Nancy, that is - makes a musical appearance in the program with Company dancer Adam Hundt’s visually poignant pas de deux, Bang, Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down). Ma Cong presents a playful collection of conversations between two dancers in Two of Us. David Shimotakahara creates a sensual dance for lovers to the unique vocal stylings of Bobby McFerrin in Sweet. Finally, Maquillage, choreographed by New

York City Ballet’s Tom Gold, delivers sophistication and drama. For those dance lovers in the mood for an appetizer before the main course, BalletMet offers several free activities in the theatre lobby before performances. Dabble in a ballroom lesson, be wooed by romantic poetry readings and live piano or have your photo taken by BalletMet’s strolling photographer. For full details, visit www.balletmet.org. Lovestruck: Ravel to Sinatra is sure to you leave you in a sentimental mood. After all, according to Strangers in the Night, love will be “just a glance away, a warm embracing dance away.” Celebrate this amorous season with Lovestruck, a delicious assortment of nostalgic charm and a host of sensational dance performances. BalletMet’s Lovestruck: Ravel to Sinatra runs Feb. 8-16 at the Capitol Theatre, 77 South High Street 3rd Floor. Showtimes are as follows: Fri, Feb 8, 8p, Sat, Feb 9, 8p, Sun, Feb 10, 2p, Thu, Feb 14, 7:30p, Fri, Feb 15, 8p, & Sat, Feb 16, 8p. Tickets: $25-$44 MetPass Member tickets: $13-$22.50. Purchase tickets through the BalletMet Box Office (614.229.4848), www.balletmet.org,CAPA (614.469.0939) or Ticketmaster (614.431.3600) .

Jennifer Sciantarelli is Communications Manager for BalletMet, a member organization of the Columbus Arts Marketing Association. For more information, visit www.camaonline.org.

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 23

MUSIC by Gregg Shapiro

VALENTINES GAY The guys from American Music Club, led by out front-man Mark Eitzel, are back with The Golden Age (Merge), their radiant, but restrained, new album. Transplanted to Los Angeles from San Francisco (after Eitzel’s brief Chicago stint), with two new band members in tow, American Music Club polishes up a baker’s dozen songs for your listening pleasure. One can’t help but wonder if the relocation had anything to do with the Beach Boys-like harmonies on “The Victory Choir.” And what about the electrified twang on “The Decibels and the Little Pills” or the waltz of “I Know That’s Not Really You”? The disc’s generally mellow tone forays into feedback territory on “The Windows on the World,” a song about the World Trade Center. Of course, AMC haven’t abandoned their homeland entirely, as you can hear on “All the Lost Souls Welcome You to San Francisco” and “The Grand Duchess of San Francisco.” Speaking of San Francisco, if Pansy Division played Americana they might sound something like queer trio The Winsome Griffles on their folksy debut disc Meet The Girffles (winsomegriffles.com). Led by Larry-bob (of Holy Titclamps fame), The Winsome Griffles focus their fierce attention on frightful entertainment and its long-lasting impact (“Birthday Party Clown”), a low time on the high seas (“Gay Cruise”), changes in friendships (“Your Stupid New Boyfriend”), a religious reality check (“Atheist Gospel Song”), and bullies and willing victims (“Crush Me”), and more. Reverie (jannklose.com) is a suitable name for the new full-length Jann Klose disc. From the photo of Klose in repose on the cover to the languorous mood of songs such as “Give In To This Life,” “Beautiful Dream,” “Hold Me Down,” and “Ithaca.” But if you keep your eyes (and ears) open, you will also be rewarded by the splendor of the brassy “Clouds,” the pure pop of the stringladen “Watching You Go,” and the album’s most wondrous track, “Mother Said, Father Said.” Static is reigning on the radio,” Ron Morris sings in “Boyfriend,” the opening track to his Boyfriend and Other Sides of Love (ronmorrismusic.com) EP. The retro-rooted composition makes reference to “My Boyfriend’s Back,” not only by weaving the line into the song but also through the girl-group shoo-bops in the background. Morris’s reading of the classic “Frankie and Johnny” takes advantage of the inherent queerness suggested by the song’s

title. A cover of “We All Sleep Alone” (a Cher hit co-penned by out singer/songwriter Desmond Child and Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora) and the original “Masterpiece of Why” maintain the vintage spirit. The disc closes with four remixes of “Boyfriend,” all of which, in their own ways, find new ways of allowing the listener to experience the song. Queer rocker Ariel Aparicio has never sounded more like Bono than he does on “Heaven” from his latest album All These Brilliant Things (arielaparicio.com). On the other hand “The New World” has a distinctive David Bowie edge to it. In fact, throughout the disc Aparicio slips in and out various rock styles like a runway model. A gay dad, Aparicio is dedicating all the proceeds from the sale of his single “I’m The One,” to the Paul Chester Children’s Hope Foundation. Other notable tracks include the hard rocking “Jameson & Cocaine,” the Latintinged “Down In Tijuana,” and the rhythmic “Hang Around.” The thing about the girls-with-guitars club is that it would seem that there will never be a shortage for the foreseeable future. Emily White sounds as though she’s been studying the best on her terrific new CD 12 Ways To Live (emily-white.com). For instance, White sounds as though she’s emulating Melissa Ferrick on “Believe In Me,” while making her own wholly original statement. “Omaha” sounds like it could be from the Jonatha Brooke songbook. Comparisons aside, White never fails to be captivating on this lively disc, particularly on the songs “7th & A,” “Every Pulse,” “Georgia,” and the disc’s most unshakable track, “Good Enough Reason.” Jana Losey takes a more straightforward pop approach to the performance of her material on Bittersweet (janalosey.com), beginning with the title track, sung “in the key of me.” “London Holiday” is a musical postcard fantasy and “(S)He Loves Me” is a new twist on an old game. “Messy Little Happiness” and “The Rest of You” are neat little numbers about love’s disarray and “Little Sister” definitely sounds like Losey would count Patty Griffin as an influence on her work. While you’re at it, don’t miss Saving Graces (tanyapluth.com) by Tanya Pluth. The dozen tracks rock (“Inside Out”), sway (“Go On, Be Kind”), swing (“Traveling Home”), step lively (“Hard Place”), swoon (“Don’t Leave Here So Broken”), and stand up for what’s right (“Would You Try”), and they do it all with grace. JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

24 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

Gallery Hop: Saturday, February 2, 2008 COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS: EAST VILLAGE 630 N High St / 614.228.3546, columbusnightlife.com Exhibit Title: Photography del Mondo / “Photography of the World” Artist(s): Claudia Turro & Mary B Relotto Art Media: Photography Artist Reception: Thursday, Jan 31, 6p8p About the Exhibit: Photography del Mondo offers unique visions from around the world, as seen & captured by the artists. Born in Biella, Italy, Mary B believes there are surprises the camera captures that make photographers prized for their ability to picture scenes in which to escape or by which to dream. She is one of the lucky few. If it

weren’t for 2 of her friends who gave her the confidence to share her visions, stacks and stacks of photos would fill drawers and hard drives. All of her photos and works of art are signed, limited edition prints. Mary’s work comes to life

ECHOES ART & ANTIQUES 24 East Lincoln St / 614.291.9101 Exhibit Title: Smoky Brown Artist(s): Grandpa Smoky Brown Art Media: Acrylic on Board About the Exhibit: Collection of 11 original paintings from private collections all for sale. His pieces have been favorites at the last three Art For Life events affiliated with the Columbus Museum of Art.

KATHRYN GALLERY 642 N. High Street / 614.222.6801 JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

when mounted on antiquated windows, giving viewers an opportunity to look beyond the frame and into a world worth escaping. Claudia was born in Argentina and her family lived in Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, China, and the US. During her travels abroad she tried to capture the essence of everyday life, the majesty of ancient ruins, as well as the beauty hidden deep in the rainforest. She hopes that her photographs will inspire the feelings and reactions in the viewers that she experienced herself.

With over 20 years of tradition, the Short North is renowned for the excitement and robustness of its “Gallery Hops.” The first Saturday of every month, thousands of visitors converge on the strip, the epicenter of the High Street Experience. They come to celebrate art and partake in an evening of fabulous sights, dynamic sounds, great food, unparalleled

614.291.1666 Exhibit Title: Contemporary Prints Artist(s): Ed Baynard, James Coignard, David Shapiro, William Wiley, Pat Sreir Art Media: Limited Edition Prints About the Exhibit: Contemporary Prints

LINDSAY GALLERY 986 N High St / 614.291.1973 Exhibit Title: “four artists, four walls” Artist(s): Robert Falcone, Kendall Polster, Chad Sines, Bart Powers Art Media: various About the Exhibit: Self Taught Artists From Ohio, Indiana, + Wisconsin displaying art from paintings to scrap metal sculptures

LEMONGRASS 641 N High St Exhibit Title: BRJ Artist(s): Brian Reaume Art Media: Painting About the Exhibit: Abstract painting from eveyone’s favorite Havana bartender. kathryngallery.com Exhibit Title: Fiona Hoop & Carol Redmond Artist(s): Fiona Hoop & Carol Redmond Art Media: Encaustic/Oil on Board About the Exhibit: The collaborative encaustic works of professional artists Michele Woodey and Mary Kennedy are nom de plume Fiona Hoop. Carol Redmond’s influences have been both historic renaissance-era dimensional frames and contemporary textiles.Encaustic (hot wax painting) mostly portraying landscapes - but recently the work is moving towards more non-objective. Oil on dimensional wooden supports to create a grid format of a single piece.

L’ANTIBES 772 North High St. - Suite 106 /

MAHAN GALLERY 717 N High St / 614.294.3278 www.mahangallery.com Exhibit Title: Electric Lady Land Artist(s): Kime Buzzelli and Liz Markus Art Media: paintings About the Exhibit: The exhibition poses questions about the importance of definitive cultural standards. Since the work is contemporary and unhindered by the cultural stereotypes of the sixties,it analyzes generalities used by history to flatten the decade.

MARCIA EVANS GALLERY 8 East Lincoln St. / 614.298.8847 Exhibit Title: Retrospective Artist(s): Andrew Lidgus Art Media: Mixed Media Collages & Totems Artist Reception: Friday, February 01, 2008 About the Exhibit: Using handmade papers, oil pastels, wax pencils and paint, Andrew crafts his collages from simple geometric forms into fascinating vignettes from ancient history & mythology. NORTH MARKET 59 Spruce Street / 614.463.9664 Exhibit Title: Columbus is the Indie Art

shopping, and cosmopolitan fun. Though many shops are open earlier, the Gallery Hop officially starts at 4p and runs to 10p with restaurants and bars staying open considerably later. Following is a sneak preview of what’s on tap for the next Gallery Hop...

Capital of the World Artist(s): Indie Artists of Columbus Art Media: Mixed About the Exhibit: A show curated by Mike Reed.

OHIO ART LEAGUE 954 N High St / 614.299.8225 Exhibit Title: Sunbonnet Sue in Trouble Artist(s): Melissa Vogley Woods Art Media: Paintings, quilts, prints Artist Reception: Saturday, Feb 2 About the Exhibit: Vogley Woods’ new series of paintings, quilts, and prints are inspired by Sunbonnet Sue quilts. She uses and re-uses old quilts and adds a contemporary twist to Sunbonnet Sue, making her a participant in a troubled modern society. PALNIK STUDIOS 14 East Lincoln Street / 614.298.8496 Exhibit Title: What You Need Is A Good Cartoon. Artist(s): Paul Palnik Art Media: The Fine Art of The Cartoon / Drawings and Prints About the Exhibit: Light up your inmost soul with a Palnik Cartoon. Great Palnik cartoons are being made available to the cartoonless of our society. Don’t turn away from the cartoonless; give ‘em a Palnik Cartoon. You’ll be glad you did. pm gallery 726 N High St / 614.299.0860 pmgallery.com Exhibit Title: Hearts of Glass Artist(s): Glass Eye Studios Art Media: glass About the Exhibit: A selection of hanging glass hearts and glass paperweights by Glass Eye Studios from Seattle, Washington

RIVET 1200 N High St / 614.294.8697 Exhibit Title: Heartland Artist(s): 23 Ohio artists Art Media: Paintings, Illustrations, Sculpture Artist Reception: Saturday, Feb 2 About the Exhibit: February is not all about confection hearts and flowers. Rivet is pulling back the skin from Ohio’s beating heart of underground art this month to present work from 23 Ohio artists.

SHERRIE GALLERIE 694 N High St / 614.221.8580 www.sherriegallerie.com Exhibit Title: New Horizon Artist(s): Hiroshi Hayakawa Art Media: photography About the Exhibit: Photographic works of female nudes. Each piece is a photo emulsion on the surface of oxidized sheet metal. SUBSTANCE FOR FASHION CONSCIOUS PEOPLE 783 North High St / 614.299.2910 www.shopsubstance.com Exhibit Title: Images of New York Artist(s): Mark Bair Art Media: Photography Artist Reception: Friday, Feb 1 About the Exhibit: I have been enthused about photography for over thirty years. My dad nurtured my interest in an ideal setting: the San Francisco Bay area and the Sierra Nevada mountains. These days, my vision is to capture the interplay of people and architecture in urban settings.

Take 2 Apparel 668 N. High Street / 614.299.9820 Exhibit Title: Hollywood Legends Artist(s): Various Art Media: Black & White and Color Photographs About the Exhibit: Take a trip back in time with Take 2 Apparel! Presented in both Black & White and color photographs, your favorite icons from the past century are displayed throughout the store as part of Take 2 Apparel’s homage to the entertainment industry.

ZENGENIUS GALLERY 44 East Prescott / 614.220.9040 www.zengenius.com Exhibit Title: Eve Warnock Artist(s): Eve Warnock Art Media: Fabric and Dye Artist Reception: Saturday, Feb 2 About the Exhibit: Please Join eve and her imaginary friends for an art exhibit at the Zengenius gallery. eve will be presenting a new series of artwork using fabric, dyes, and glue. This exhibit is exploring childhood characters that have grown up with her.

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 25

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

26 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

INTERVIEW by Peter Gavin

SHELBY LYNNE TALKS ABOUT HER NEW ALBUM “JUST A LITTLE LOVIN’,” AN HOMAGE TO DUSTY SPRINGFIELD On January 29, Lost Highway Records released Just A Little Lovin’, the extraordinary new album from acclaimed, Grammy-winning artist Shelby Lynne. An homage to legendary vocalist Dusty Springfield, the album shows off Lynne’s remarkable ability to honor one of her musical idols while at the same time making each song her own. “Dusty Springfield was a soulful singer,” says Lynne, who won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2001 after the release of her landmark album, I Am Shelby Lynne. “You can’t ever fill Dusty’s shoes. So I just set out to sing songs we all want to hear again.” To help her realize her musical vision, Lynne took her time finding “perfect producer.” When the name Phil Ramone came up, the singer picked up the phone and called the celebrated studio wizard, who’s worked with everyone from Aretha Franklin to Ray Charles to Elton John to Billy Joel. “I knew this was the guy who would understand me,” says Shelby. “He would allow me more room in the studio, so I could be more than just the girl singer.” Lynne has been fascinating fans with her singular style and attitude since the early 90s when she first burst onto the music scene as the duet partner of none other than George Jones. Fearlessly tackling multiple genres over the years, Lynne is known as one of today’s few musical renegades, a singer who answers solely to her own inner muse. Here, Lynne talks about her appreciation for Dusty’s music, taking some good advice from JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

her friend Barry Manilow, and her distaste for labels of any kind. Peter Gavin: How did the idea for this album come about? Shelby Lynne: It was a suggestion from my friend Barry Manilow. He asked me if I’ve ever thought of doing the Dusty thing. I hadn’t. It took me about a year to decide to finally do it. I let the idea sit for a while before I could really wrap my head around it. PG: Were you a fan of Dusty’s music? SL: Yeah, I was definitely a fan. I first discovered the Dusty in Memphis album years ago. After I decided to do the record, I did a lot of research, which made me love her even more. I watched old tapes and videos to get a better sense of her. I love the voice, the spirit - she’s the epitome of what a singer should be, so honest and dramatic. And when she moved onstage, she had these really long arms and big hands, which made her seem even more larger-than-life. PG: You’ve become a celebrated songwriter in your own right. How did it feel to sing someone else’s songs rather than your own? SL: Cover records can really be suicide if you don’t do it right. The record is ultimately about reminding people how great these songs are, instead of being “Shelby does Dusty.” PG: Well, those records, particularly Dusty in

Memphis, are truly iconic. I would think you would want to stay away from messing with that formula. SL: Yeah, there was such a trend at that time, not just on Dusty’s records - you had these huge vocals, and the rhythm section, the strings, and the horns were all turned up to 11. It would be silly to try to do that again. We have some amazing musicians on this record, but when we all went into the studio, I didn’t know what was going to happen. When we got on a roll, it was clear that this record was going to be really laid-back. PG: Do you have a favorite song? SL: You know, I love the whole damn record. It’s has a very fluid sound, and there’s a common thread that runs through it - me. I really love Randy Newman’s “I Don’t Want to Hear It Anymore.” That song kills me. It’s one of those great story songs. As a singer, you just love singing those beautiful, painful love songs. PG: You’ve sung many different styles of music in your career - country, swing, rock, pop. I think people find you hard to categorize. That’s probably a good thing for an artist, right? SL: It makes it easy to do what I want to do. I’m just doing what I feel and what I need to do musically. I’ve spent a lot of years getting my ass on the map. At this point, I’m kind of known for that. I don’t have to try so hard to prove that I’m different. I can do the big

“Phew!” PG: I know that I Am Shelby Lynne had a lot of fans in the gay community. Are you conscious of having gay fans? SL: Yeah. I hope that every artist is lucky enough to have gay fans, if that’s even what they should be called. PG: What would you call them? SL: Just fans. I think any kind of label is kind of a cheap shot. It’s kind of disgusting. It’s just not the way things ought to be. What is gay anyway? The desire to be with one sex? Or being with all sexes? People can call themselves what they want, but people shouldn’t be labeling other people. PG: And what do you think about gay people getting married? SL: Well, I think that’s more of a political thing. I don’t think politics and music mix. But people should be able to love who they want. PG: Has anyone ever tried to label you? SL: Yeah, but I’m free to do what I want with whoever I want to. Honey, I’ve done it all - I go where the love is. That’s not any kind of news. I’ve never hidden anything. No need to read between the lines. Love comes in all kinds of flavors, doesn’t it? Shelby Lynne can also be read in this month’s The Advocate and heard on The Tonight Show Jan 31.

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 27

CLASSIFIEDS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

tion of men’s underwear/swimwear line. FLORAL BUSINESS Must be able to produce vol70-year-old family-run floral ume efficiently with excelbusiness for sale. Establent quality. Pay is per piece. lished clients, great locaInterested persons should tion. Please call Mary email wildmant@yellowMcCarthy at Sunbelt Busi- puppy.com. ness Brokers, 614.734.8338, for more in- HOUSING/FOR RENT formation. DOWNTOWN HELP WANTED Near Franklin Park, 3BR townhouse, all new hardDENTIST wood floors, kitchen, bathWe seek personable, quality- rooms, and appliances. oriented associate for busy Storage space and extras. family practice. Daily salary. $950/month. US-OH ProperDr. Michael Mann, 7043 ties 614.218.4987. Pearl Rd, Ste 210, Cleveland, OH 44130. DOWNTOWN 1BR condo with amazing PART-TIME WORK downtown views, balcony, ESCORTING upgraded appliances, douMale to male. Must have car ble vanity, digital shower, and phone number. original refurbished hard614.448.0198. wood floors, parking garage, lots of extras. SEEKING TALENTED $1,385/month. US-OH PropCOSMETOLOGISTS erties 614.218.4987. Positive environment, competitive commissions, flexi- OLDE TOWNE EAST ble schedules. Email 1096 & 1104 Bryden Rd, 1 salonjob@yahoo.com for BR apartments available, more information. new kitchen, wd flrs, vaulted ceiling, $450/mo. More OTE SEAMSTRESS / TAILOR rentals available. Call BeaNEEDED con Property Mgmt. at Experienced seamstress/tai- 614.228.6700. lor needed for mass produc-

OLDE TOWNE EAST Two bedroom, gas heat, C/A, $650/month; also available, one-bedroom apartment in historic Four Square home. Pets ok with deposit. $370/month. 614.258.2298. SCHUMACHER PLACE 489 Stanley Ave. - This 2 bdrm exudes charm & character, yet is nicely updated for modern living. Huge fully applianced kit w/ tons of cabinets, ceramic tile & island, plus a great sunroom. Distressed wood floors down, new wood floors up, bonus room/den off master bedroom, 1st floor laundry, & so much more! $895/mo – Jeff Wood – Coldwell Banker King Thompson – 614.324.8014. SHORT NORTH Yukon Studio. One bedroom. Newly remodeled. Great location on High Street by Cap. $995/month. Call 614.252.8545. MOVING SALE FOR SALE King size bed, excellent shape. King size mattresses (2), excellent shape. Call and make best offer! 614.755.9976.

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

28 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

SEX TALK by Simon Sheppard

SPEAKING OF

ERECTION ENHANCERS

Limp dick? Perhaps science can help. Few things are more demoralizing to the average male ego than an inability to get it up and keep it hard. It was once thought that most impotence was a mental problem, but modern medicine tells us it’s usually due to lack of blood flow. See, the love muscle’s not a muscle at all it’s more of a spongy balloon that, given the right stimulus, fills up with arterial blood. But sometimes, particularly in older fellows, those blood vessels don’t open up the way they’re supposed to, and the sausage stays soft. Sure, everybody experiences an occasional failure to launch, but some guys’ penile problems are peskily persistent. Many men try cockrings that constrict the base of the shaft, keeping that old tent pole upright. And over the centuries, erection-seekers have used - with varying degrees of success - a medicine-chestful of often-dubious nostrums designed to be eaten or rubbed on. There are, for example, oysters. But now there’s something to swallow that’s close to surefire. By inhibiting production of a specific enzyme, this drug causes the arteries’ walls to relax, and voila - an erection. Since 1998, Viagra and its younger siblings, Cialis and Levitra - which all work by slowing down that enzyme - have been putting starch into stiffies and smiles on men’s faces. Especially for older guys, the drugs have been a blessing. “It’s not that I love my partner any less now,” says a middle-aged man in a male/male marriage. “But I just can’t get hard the way I used to...not without a little help. No matter how often my honey said, ‘It’s OK, it happens,’ I decided to seek advice from my doctor and my dick, my boyfriend, and I are all glad I did.” Unsurprisingly, use of the drugs has gone way beyond medically defined cases of erectile dysfunction. “I don’t usually have any problems getting a hard-on, but I decided to try my first Viagra when I was heading out to a sex party, “ says one pill-popping fellow, “and I stayed really, really stiff all night.” Indeed, the effects of Cialis can last a day and a half, making for some lust-drenched weekends. But is the recreational use of erection-enhancing drugs safe and smart? Most side effects - things like headaches, backaches, and upset stomach - are fortunately mild and brief. There are also more serious potential downsides, from temporary changes in color perception to

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

heart attacks. One deadly possibility is an interaction with organic nitrates, including poppers inhaled amyl nitrite and its relatives. Mixing penis pills and poppers can cause life-threatening low blood pressure, a case of getting hard leading to becoming a stiff. Some experts worry that habitual use of the drugs, especially among younger guys who take them recreationally, may eventually lead to dependency, making men unable to get hard without them. And there’s also a trend among amphetamine users to take enhancers to counteract the shaft-softening side effects of speed, thereby facilitating over-the-top, unwisely exhausting orgies. As one skeptic notes, “A soft cock is nature’s way of telling you to slow down.” On the other hand, there’s a risk of med-sparked erections of the “if you’ve been stiff for a week or longer, be sure to get your doctor’s help” variety. For such reasons, Viagra-class drugs are available by prescription only. That hasn’t halted a flourishing gray market in the stuff, as a quick check of your e-mail will demonstrate. But beware of spammed offers of sexual bliss. It’s estimated that at least half of the erection enhancers sold online are fake, leaving purchasers screwed - and not in a good way. Still, such qualms are ignored by legions of libidinous lads. “Hell,” says one, “I try to be a good scout and use a condom every time. But unrolling the damn thing deflates me, so Viagra is a godsend.” And, as our pill-popping partygoer says, “I know that Americans are notorious for taking pills for everything. I try to avoid doing that. But, hey, I’m a sexhound who likes to play for hours, so this is one medicine I’m quite happy to take.” Clearly, taking powerful meds without a doctor’s supervision is risky. But in the real world, as long as discreetly swallowed pills will prop up pricks, there will be a swelling demand for erection-enhancers. Got a reluctant rod? If you’re so inclined, check with your doc and get a prescription, and you, too, can partake of the penisplumping blessings of a modern medical miracle. Simon Sheppard is the editor of Homosex: Sixty Years of Gay Erotica, and the author of Sex Parties 101, Kinkorama, and In Deep: Erotic Stories, and can be reached at SexTalk@qsyndicate.com. Visit Simon at www.simonsheppard.com.

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 29

SAVAGE LOVE by Dan Savage

I’m a 25-year-old male. I’m a zoophile and always have been. I’m a longtime reader (I’m sure you’re thrilled), so I know my interests aren’t on your approved list of sexual activities. Not trying to argue that point. However, it’s clear what turns my head when I walk down the street and it’s never the person holding the leash. I know from your column and many other sources that once your brain is “wired” a certain way, “rewiring” it is unlikely (snowball’s chance in hell), so this isn’t going to go away. My question is what do I do? Currently, I don’t date. I was married once, briefly, never had sex, marriage quickly annulled. I currently have no sexual attraction to any human, male or female, so I don’t feel the need to date. Also, sharing this information with anyone I attempted to date would probably end in horror, tears, and my needing to move out of state. However, a lifetime without a relationship (two-legged or fourlegged) seems unappealing. Here are the options I see: 1. Get a shrink (who I can talk to about this) and a girlfriend or boyfriend (who I can’t talk to about it) and, in terms of the sex, master giving head since my dick won’t want to join the party. 2. Buy a house with a big yard and… well, you know. I don’t care if you print this. I’d just like another opinion. I mean, honestly, who else would answer this anonymously, for free, and I actually have some faith in his judgment? Really Unsure For Future In short… my advice… which is really going to annoy Mike “Man and Animal” Huckabee… is… um… to buy that big house, RUFF, one with a nice, big yard… and do what you gotta do. Inside, please, shades drawn. Bestiality is wrong, wrong, wrong, because an animal cannot give its consent. But… uh… anyone who’s ever actually owned a boy

dog knows that most would be only too delighted to… um… well, you know. I’m assuming that you want to be fucked by dogs, of course, as that’s almost always the case with dudes into dogs. Man-on-dog is a whole lot wronger than dog-on-man, if I may use a certain former senator’s formulation, most importantly for reasons of safety for the animal, so I don’t smile on man-on-dog. (Actually, I don’t smile on the dog-on-man, either it’s more like “grimace, cover eyes, look away,” but, hey, that’s the reaction I have to cunnilingus.) Take a torn-up girl dog to the vet, RUFF, and you’re going to wind up talking with the police and having to cross a PETA picket line to get back into your house - and it’ll serve you right. For the record, I’m con bestiality (and very much pro cunnilingus). I think fucking dogs is wrong, wrong, wrong. But I had pork and beef and chicken at dinner last night - all 100 percent factory-farmed meat, derived from animals that were cruelly tortured every second of their brief and miserable existence - and my particular strain of Tourette’s syndrome commands me to say this: If I were an animal, I’d much rather be screwed than stewed. We murder animals for their flesh, skins, fur, and just for the fuck of it. Those of us that eat meat; wear fur; run around in leather pants, jackets, shoes, restraints, etc.; and kill animals for sport don’t have much moral authority when it comes time to lecture those of you who wanna smooch the pooch. Finally, RUFF, build a nice, tall fence around that yard, okay? And seeing a shrink probably won’t make you wanna screw humans but, hey, it couldn’t hurt. You helped take out Rick Santorum by naming a sex-related term after him and now the time has come for you to do the same for GOP hopeful Mike Huckabee. He has compared homosexuality to bestiality in an interview, just like Santorum, and more than once. Huckabee most recently came out

against changing “the definition of marriage so that it can mean two men, two women, a man and three women, a man and a child, a man and animal.” So what do you think, Dan? Isn’t it time for a contest to name a sex act The Huckabee? Dave In Olympia Every time someone says something idiotic in public - myself included - I get letters from readers angrily demanding that Ann Coulter, Stephen Harper, Dick Cheney, Antonin Scalia, myself, et al., get the “santorum treatment” (which sounds almost as disgusting as the substance itself). Honestly, this is the first time I can say that I’ve been tempted. But Huckabee remains a long shot for the GOP nomination, DIO, so it’s entirely possible that we’ll be rid of Huckabee in a few weeks’ time hell, he could be out of it before this column gets printed. But just in case Huckabee is the nominee hey, you can’t be too careful - I’m going to invite my readers to send their suggested definitions for The Huckabee to huckabee@savagelove.net. On my 21st birthday, my mother got so shitty drunk that she had to buy a pair of pants off a gas-station attendant after she pissed her own. She dropped her giant bag of pot in the limo. We put her to bed and she got up and tried to screw my roommate. Then she fell out of the top bunk of his bed and hurt herself so bad she grabbed her car keys and left. She got a DWI on the way to the hospital where they found out she broke her rib. What does all of this do to my psyche? Please Answer Me Nothing good, PAM. But I can’t imagine that your mother’s behavior on your 21st birthday did more damage to your psyche than your mother seeing her behavior recounted in a na-

tionally syndicated sex-advice column is going to do to hers. So you’re your mother’s daughter after all, PAM. Loads of gay men read your column. This makes you a good person to spread the word about the crazy “flesh-eating” MRSA strain that is running rampant in communities of gay men in Boston and San Francisco. According to the studies reported in the New York Times, gay men in SF are 13 times more likely to have this nasty staph bacteria than the rest of the population in the area. Infection results in gross and horrible problems like abscesses and ulcers (usually on the buttocks and genitalia). The bacteria is resistant to not only first-line antibiotics but also two of the three other medications recommended by the CDC. Maybe you could help inform people and keep them from getting infected with ass-and-genital-flesh-eating bacteria? Keep It Clean Not all gay men listen to me - things wouldn’t look so grim for us on the STI front if more did - but for what it’s worth: Gay men can easily protect themselves from this new strain of MRSA. According to docs, it’s as simple as scrubbing with soap and water after skin-to-skin contact. Gay men should also reduce the number of our sex partners. Here’s some good advice we got at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic: “Have more sex with fewer people.” That was an effective health strategy back in the day - guys who took it to heart tended to live - and it would be nice to see today’s gay men adopt/readopt the more-sex/fewer-people strategy before the infectious shit hits the epidemiological fan. Again. Download Savage Lovecast (my weekly podcast) every Tuesday at www.thestranger.com/savage. JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

30 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

ABOUT TOWN HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES HANG WITH SHADOWBOX CAST FOR BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA Tanya Michelle Jones, 1998 Playboy Playmate of the Year-turned model-turned Heiress to the JHB Oil fortune celebrated her 30th birthday last Tuesday (January 22) at the Easton Town Center. With her usual entourage in tow, Jones, along with several Shadowbox cast members, and pop-singer Bethany Styles partied the night away at Adobe Gilas and Bar Louie. The two were in Columbus promoting Styles’ new CD Atomic, due out in stores this March. Dressed to the nines Jones, Styles et al made quite a scene at the two bars where fans and paparazzi alike mobbed the celebs for photographs and photo ops. The group celebrated until the early morning hours until Styles manager whisked her and Jones away in a white Navigator limo. A spokesperson for Shadowbox said, “Anytime Bethany and Tanya Michelle want to have a good time, they can call Shadowbox! We’ll party with them all night long!!” Among the Shadowbox cast present at the birthday party were Stev Guyer (executive producer and CEO), Jimmy Mak (head writer), David Whitehouse (chief video editor), Julie Klein (marketing director), and Katy Psenicka (general manager and media relations director). “Shadowbox extends and open invitation to Bethany and Tanya Michelle,” said Psenicka. “We’re at their beck and call whenever they visit Columbus.” For more information about Tanya Michelle Jones or Bethany Styles visit www.myspace.com/tanyamichellejones, www.myspeace.com/bethanystylesmusic, or www.myspace.com/popnewsnetwork or Google: Tabloid The Musical. Part of the entourage, our own Noka Davers was on hand, and grabbed this little quickie with Tanya … Noka Davers: You are naturally so beautiful and are in such demand. Every major designer from Dolce & Gabbana to LAMB is seeking you. What inspired you to model, and how were you discovered? What are your beauty secrets – we’ve heard everything from placenta facials to goat bile enemas – which are true? Tanya Michelle Jones: First of all, flattery will get you totally in my pants! But seriously, I did

Playboy when I was 18 and then like everything took off. People were asking me to model everything!!! Jewelry, watches, swimsuits and this one butter company that wanted me to like “wear” butter. But I just modeled stuff I liked, you know? And then Wonder Jeans happened and … well, you know the rest. As far as my beauty secrets – vodka and tequila! And they don’t just make me beautiful, they make everyone beautiful! ND: Tabloids are always running stories about you. From eating disorders to partying too

party Toby Maguire was throwing. God, this was like 10 years ago. I really thought she was talented and stuff. And I don’t remember how we got around to it but we started talking about that old Katharine Hepburn movie The Philadelphia Story. That’s when I found out she loved old movies as much as me. OH! Cary Grant was in that movie too. My one regret in life is that I didn’t get to do Cary Grant. ND: Entertainment reporter Ronnie Rexy seems so bitter toward you. Whenever Pop News Network interviews you, he seems so condescending. Why is he so jealous of you? TMJ: Oh don’t let him fool you, Ronnie’s a teddy bear. He totally wants me. Everybody does. ND: You are always putting yourself on the front line for charity whether it’s obese llamas to dyslexic cougars… What is your latest charity and why is it so important to you? TMJ: Well I read this study in People that said that like out of all the homeless people in the world a giant number of them have dogs! I think that is so sad! So I’m going to see what I can do to help the homeless dogs. ND: I’ve heard you were also fighting for bulimic Chihuahuas. What do you think would be the best message to all those owners who suffer with their pet? TMJ: I don’t think people should eat their Chihuahuas no matter how hungry they are! Is that what you mean?

much… What do you say to them about the ones that aren’t true? And which ones ARE true? TMJ: Oh jeez, it’s like a love / hate thing with the tabloids. I like them because they let people out there know what I’m doing. But when I don’t want people to know what I’m doing, I don’t like the Tabloids. My agents always try to talk me into suing but that bores me. Who cares what they say? And “party too much?” I don’t think anyone can party too much. If I wake up in a strange room covered in banana peels and silly string that just means I had a lot of fun even if I can’t remember it.

ND: How is the lawsuit with Meredith [your very old, very rich ex-husband’s daughter] going? What a wretched woman. You were so in love with her father, why can’t she just accept that! TMJ: Because she’s a bitch! (Can you print that?)

ND: You and pop sensation Bethany Styles have been friends forever. Where did you meet? And what projects do you two have coming up? TMJ: I’m planning on being in Bethany’s next video for her song “U Didn’t Text Me Back.” We’ve been best friends ever since we met at a

ND: If you were given a choice between Napoleon ice cream and moon pies, which would you choose, and what would you do with it? TMJ: I would pick moon pies stuffed with Napoleon ice cream. What would I do with it? That depends – are you free Friday? (giggles)

COLUMBUS NEXT MEETING: FEB 13, 6P-8P; LOCATION: JAMES CLUB 88, 55 W LONG ST ; SPEAKER:: MARY B FROM DAMES BOND • WWW.NETWORKCOLUMBUS.COM

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 31

fin

THE LAST WORD by Chris Crain

Déjà AIDS All Over Again Once again and without any evidence, a complacent medical community points the finger at infectious gay male sex. “FLESH EATING SUPER BUG SPREADS AMONG GAYS” That headline and variations of it appeared around the world this past week as the mainstream media went into panic overdrive in response to research showing gay men in San Francisco and several other urban areas were at a higher risk of infection from a drug-resistant form of staph infection. Staph infection is common in hospital settings and small outbreaks can occur in any intimate environment, including among athletes using the same shower and training facilities. This virulent strain, known as MRSA, is particularly gruesome and resistant to treatment; it can even flesh as it embeds deep into the skin, causing disfiguration and even death. The headlines were the result of new research from the University of California at San Francisco concluding that MRSA had leapt the bounds of hospitals and gymnasiums and was putting gay men in several major U.S. cities at 13 times the risk of infection as their heterosexual neighbors. The hysteria to follow was completely predictable, at least for anyone familiar with the early days of “the gay cancer” later known as HIV/AIDS. One London tabloid even dubbed MRSA “the new HIV.” The first leap, of course, was to point the finger at gay men for infecting each other with

MRSA the same way we infect everything else – through sex. “We think that it’s spread through sexual activity,” Binh Diep, the UCSF researcher, was widely reporting as saying. “Once this reaches the general population, it will be truly unstoppable.” The only problem is that Diep’s conclusion about how this staph is spreading was totally unsupported by the actual UCSF research. “Specific sexual behaviors were not assessed or documented in clinic charts,” concludes the UCSF research report, “we therefore cannot comment on the association between [MRSA] infection and specific male - male sexual practices.” The fact is that MRSA has infected women, children and heterosexual men and can be spread through any form of direct skin contact, especially involving an open sore or cut. UCSF later issued a release apologizing for the linkage between MRSA and gay sex, but the damage was already done. Anti-gay groups responded much the way they did back in the 1980s – or, in the case of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, as late as 1992. You remember that Huckabee, now the evangelicals’ darling in the GOP presidential contest, caught flak for cynically using the horrors of HIV to declare in his 1992 campaign for the U.S. Senate that homosexuality “poses

a dangerous public health risk.” Well, fast-forward 16 years and the hysteria surrounding MRSA, and cue Matt Barber of the Concerned Women of America. “The medical community has known for years that homosexual conduct, especially among males, creates a breeding ground for often deadly disease,” Barber said, blaming television shows like “Will & Grace” for “glorifying the homosexual lifestyle.” Ditto Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, which said the report was proof that “homosexual behavior is unhealthy.” “Why aren’t all schoolchildren being taught that there are special health risks associated with homosexual behavior and that they should ‘just say no’ to homosexuality?” You can perhaps excuse, Binh Diep, the UCSF research who linked gay sex with MRSA, since at 29 he’s too young to remember the lethal mix of political blame and scientific complacency that characterized the early AIDS years. But the same can’t be said for the Bush administration and its Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Ironically, Barber wasn’t too far off the mark in pointing the finger at “the medical community” for reacting too slowly to public health threats that are originally associated with gay men. We saw it during Reagan and Bush I with HIV/AIDS, and we’ve already

seen it under Bush II with the return of syphilis. Now comes staph infection, which despite last week’s media firestorm is not “new” at all. The gay press was reporting initial outbreaks of drug-resistant staph among gay men in San Francisco, New York and Washington, D.C., as far back as January 2003 – a full five years before the UCSF report. What exactly has the Bush administration and the CDC spent the last five years doing about MRSA? Where were the public health warnings and aggressive prevention efforts within the gay community? Why don’t we know more about how MRSA is spread and, even more crucially, how it can be prevented? Is the CDC so cowered by the Bush administration’s abstinence-only attitude that it covered its eyes hoping MRSA would simply go away? Those are the questions the media should be asking – rather than feeding a fresh round of public hysteria about infectious gay men. Chris Crain is former editor of the Washington Blade and five other gay publications and now edits GayNewsWatch.com. He can be reached via his blog at www.citizencrain.com.

HOROSCOPES by Jack Fertig

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 - Feb 18): A big birthday party should be fun, but a quiet retreat with a few people who are really important to you offers deeper satisfaction. Listen to your inner voices, especially when shopping for “new” clothes at thrift shops.

TAURUS (Apr 20 - May 20): New ideas that recently seemed radical and crazy begin to make sense. Before committing to any of them, discuss them with an expert. If at work, talk them over with your boss. You are onto something big, but it needs work.

LEO (Jul 23 - Aug 22): Work on making your colleagues sparkle, and you’ll shine all the more brightly. You may be feeling absolutely marvelous, but if anyone, especially your partner, makes any suggestions for your health, diet, or exercise, pay close attention!

SCORPIO (Oct 23 - Nov 21): Contact with your family can provide new information that’s surprising and even profoundly healing. It is unusually easy now to heal old rifts and disagreements. It’s also an excellent time to broach difficult issues with roommates.

PISCES (Feb 19 - Mar 19): It’s an old cliche that charity does more for the giver than the receiver. Get some pals together to work on a project that will do good for everyone involved. This could lead to bigger and better things, so think ahead to the next one!

GEMINI (May 21 - Jun 20): New sexual adventures are impacting your libido and also the way you think. In such cases, listening to new ideas is better than expounding on new halfbaked notions. And if it was the sex that got you thinking, keep that up, too!

VIRGO (Aug 23 - Sep 22): Staying healthy can be fun. Asian martial arts, dance classes, or any kind of sports activity can do wonders for your well-being, both physical and mental. Think of it more as a hobby than an exercise.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 - Dec 20): Small, spontaneous acts of generosity will be amply rewarded. However, having that as your motivation jinxes it, so be sure you give in ways that reflect your heart’s desire and your best wishes for others.

ARIES (Mar 20 - Apr 19): Like the lead dog in a sled team, you may have to curb your enthusiasm and work better with others to get ahead more effectively. It will help to review or even revise your goals in consultation with your colleagues.

CANCER (Jun 21 - Jul 22): Any couple’s sexual harmony is always evolving; yours is due for a Pleistocene event. Be open to big changes, but treat them as explorative - at least at first - and keep talking! Single? You’re also up for experimentation, but with a wider choice of lab partners.

LIBRA (Sep 23 - Oct 22): If you’re looking for a new hobby or entertainment, try an old one. Follow the example of elder (preferably female) relatives, or look to them for inspiration. Your creative verve could start something great in your community.

CAPRICORN (Dec 21 - Jan 19): Take a good, long look in the mirror. What does your look say about your values and your aims? A friend’s input should be helpful. New attire for the fashion statement you want to make can be an excellent investment.

Jack Fertig, a professional astrologer since 1977, is a founding member of the Association for Astrological Networking. He can be reached for consultations at 415.864.8302, www.starjack.com, and by e-mail at QScopes@qsyndicate.com.

JAN 31 - FEB 6 2008