02.28.08 Outlook Weekly - Bother Outsider: Bayard Rustin by Outlook Weekly

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JECT O R P ITY S R E LL DIV A W E N • STO INTERVIEW : ANI DIFRANCO • KING ARTS

2 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY OWNERS AND PUBLISHERS Michael Daniels & Chris Hayes EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / ART DIRECTOR Chris Hayes hayes@outlookmedia.com

SNAPSHOT

SNBA Annual Meeting Over 120 business owners and managers filled Havana Video Lounge Wednesday evening for the Short North Business Association's Annual Meeting and to celebrate the organization's 25th anniversary of incorporation. Following a tremendous year of accolades from across the country (including articles in the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune and CNNMoney.com; as well as honors from Ohio Magazine heralding Gallery Hop as the "Best Arts Event in the State", and Experience Columbus' 2008 Expy Award), the SNBA announced the Arts District would not be resting on its laurels. With a quarter century of outstanding revitalization under its belt, the District finds itself on the cusp of national stardom... an acclaimed destination with top of mind recognition synonymous with its hometown: a marketing advantage held by only a handful of cities with similar destinations, including: New York's Chelsea and SoHo districts, Seattle's Pike Street Market, and New Orlean's French Market. SNBA Executive Director John Angelo stressed the importance of nurturing the unique flavor that has made the district a sensation. He offered: "Over the years, the Short North has transformed from urban blight, to artistic, bohemian wonder. As our success builds, opportunists will take notice. From now on, when a 'For Lease' sign shows up in a retail space, it will not be a forgone conclusion that a one-of-kind, experiential business will set up shop. Out-of-the-box concepts and non-experiential businesses will want access to the buzz. To remain relevant and vital, we must proactively identify and recruit the businesses of tomorrow... the businesses that will strategically compliment the offerings of the District and keep us in the national spotlight."

PHOTOS BY CHRIS HAYES

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

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FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008 VOLUME 12 NUMBER 35

FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

BRAVO's annual fundraiser, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, packed the Statehouse atrium with guests, more than 65 of whom were then wined and dined at 9 private homes throughout the area. For more details and photos from the event, check out this page in next week's issue!

SNAPSHOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........2 ABOUT TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........3 LETTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......4-7 COMMUNITY CORNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .....8-10 GENERAL GAYETY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......13 TRANSNATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......13 INSIGHT OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......15 FEATURE: RUSTIN . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .16-18 DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......20 ARTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......20 GALLERY HOP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......23 INTERVIEW : ANI DIFRANCO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......24 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......26 SEXTALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......27 SAVAGE LOVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......29 SPOTLIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......30 THE LAST WORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......31 SCOPES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......31 NEXT WEEK: OUT@WEX

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 3

ABOUT TOWN by Chris Hayes THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 WWJD? For the Bible Tells Me So @ Asbury United Methodist Church, 55 W. Lincoln, Delaware, www.dgsca.org: Does God really condemn loving homosexual relationships? Is the chasm separating Christianity from gays and lesbians too wide to cross? Is the Bible an excuse to hate? These questions and more are explored in the award-winning documentary, For the Bible Tells Me So, presented tonight by the Delaware Gay Straight Christian Alliance in partnership with Equality Ohio. A panel discussion follows. 7p; free.

FIXER UPER Home & Garden Show @ Ohio Expo Center, 717 East 17th Avenue, 888.OHO.EXPO, dispatchevents.com: Head to the Expo center and get the latest and greatest in homes and gardens. Check out the storybook garden displays. Plenty of mos everywhere. 12p-9p; $10.

This highly charged comedy of romantic intrigue elegantly examines desire, friendship and identity, including the sexually ambivalent relationship between two same sex people. Filled with deception and disguise, The Labyrinth of Desire explores the greatest of human mysteries Love! 7:30p; $12.

I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPE VINE Raisin in the Sun @ Columbus State Community College, Nester Hall Auditorium, 614.218.9079: Come check out Lorraine Hansberry’s great American Classic. Through Mar 1. 8p; free.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29 GLASS SLIPPERS ARE SO FAIRYTALE Opera Columbus’s Cinderella (La Cenerentola by Rossini) @ The Ohio Theater, 39 E State St, 614.469.0939: Made famous at its world première in 1817, Rossini’s Cinderella, a romantic and comic interpretation of the classic tale, will now captivate audiences in the city of Columbus. Cap off the most romantic month of the year with perhaps the most beloved fairytale of all time. Sung in Italian with English supertitles. WOSU’s Christopher Purdy will be giving pre-curtain talks starting an hour before each show. Tonight 8p, and Mar 2 at 2p; $27.50

PAR RUMP PA PUM PUM Drums Downtown @ Verne Riffe Center’s Capitol Theatre, 77 S High St, 614.469.1045: OSU School of Music’s Percussion Ensemble once again joins forces with the Department of Dance to present a powerful, fifth annual performance of Drums Downtown. The brainchild of percussion faculty members Susan Powell and Joe Krygier, the crowd-pleasing show combines original music, new choreography, 3D animation and more in a show performed by more than 50 music and dance students. 8p; $12-$17.

SUNDAY, MARCH 2 MOMMA WAS A ROLLING STONE Roller Derby @ Ohio Expo Center’s Lausche Building, 717 East 17th Avenue, 888.OHO.EXPO, www.ohiorollergirls.com: Come join the Ohio Roller Girls as season three kicks off when the Sprockettes and Take-Outs line up for a rematch of last season’s Envy Cup while the Bullies square off against the Brawlers. This is sure to be the best roller derby competition Columbus has seen to date. Other bouts are scheduled for April 6, May 11, June 8 and July 6. 5p; $10-$15.

IT’S NOT A TUMOR After-School All-Stars Columbus Celebrity Cocktail Reception Fundraiser @ Hyatt on Capital Square, 614.257.1678, www.asascolumbus.org: AfterSchool All-Stars Columbus, a non-profit organization to benefit year-round comprehensive afterschool programming for Columbus youth, will host the annual Celebrity Cocktail Reception fundraiser tonight. After-School All-Stars is a non-profit program founded by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that operates in 13 cities nationwide. Anticipated guests include California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Honorable Michael B. Coleman, Baseball Great Barry Larkin, and Legendary Champion Frank Zane. 7p-9p; $200. SOUTH OF THE BORDER CoCo Peru @ Q Bar & Nightclub, 205 N. Fifth St, 614.222.2401, www.q-nation.com: Promo Productions presents storyteller and comedian Miss Coco Peru to Columbus for two nights. See page 30 for more details.

SATURDAY, MARCH 1 BROKEN BONES Ultimate Fighting’s UFC 82: Pride Of A Champion Live @ Nationwide Arena, corner of Nationwide and Neil, 614.246.2000, www.NationwideArena.com: In a long-awaited superfight to determine the undisputed king of the middleweight division, Anderson “The Spider” Silva, UFC Middleweight Champion, will take on PRIDE 183-lb. Champion Dan Henderson when the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) makes its third trip to the state of Ohio. 8:15p; $50-$400. ON POINT Dance with the Dancers Disco Party @ Germain Mercedes-Benz of Easton: Boogie back to 1978 with the BalletMet Columbus Company dancers tonight. In addition to food, drinks and dancing, the event, presented in part by Abercrombie & Fitch, features both silent and live auctions. All proceeds benefit artistic, education and community outreach programs of BalletMet. $100-$125; 7p-12a. MY LOVELY LADY LABYRINTH Labyrinth of Desire @ OSU Theater Dept Roy Bowen Theater, Drake Union, www.osuglbt.org/store:

THE BITCH IS BACK Bitch and Company @ The East Village, 630 N High St, 614.228. 3546, columbusnightlife.com: Head to EV where you’ll get to hear Bitch with special guests Revulvas, Luster & The Kings perform in this benefit for the Ohio AIDS Coalition 8p; $10. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5 FU AND YOUR UNTOUCHABLE FACE Ani DiFranco with Over the Rhine @ The Lifestyle Communities Pavilion, 405 Neil Ave, 614.461.LIVE (5483), promowestlive.com: OK Ani is great, but freaking Over the Rhine is playing. Come hear one of my all time favorite bands! 7p; $31-$35. THURSDAY, MARCH 6 FILM NOIR The 32nd Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) @ Tower City Cinemas at Tower City Center, 216.623.FILM (3456), www.clevelandfilm.org: For the past 32 years, the CIFF has been the premier film event in Ohio. Today the CIFF presents a full survey of contemporary international and American Independent filmmaking, with more than 120 features and over 100 short subjects from almost 60 countries. Various times. GAY FOR PAY Out@Wex @ Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 N. High St, 614.292.3535, wexarts.org: The annual three-day festival of queer film returns. See website for times and shows. FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

4 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

LETTERS SUPPORT CINDY To the Editor: I am writing to urge support for Cindy Lazarus for Franklin County Commissioner in the March 4th Democratic primary. Cindy Lazarus has a distinguished record as member and President of Columbus City Council, as a Judge and as Executive Director of the YWCA. Her legal training was mentored by Rhonda Rivera. Her support of equality and justice for the GLBT community has been unwavering throughout her career. She not only supported AIDS funding in the early years of the epidemic, she personally comforted those affected and their families. She will bring that same sensibility and leadership to this position. Cindy Lazarus’ experience and history suggest that she will be a great Franklin County Commissioner.

women and persons of color. Do it because she has decades of experience and is highly connected nationally and internationally. Do it because the Clinton years were the most prosperous in recent memory, leaving the country with no national debt. Do it because she has high ideals, but also pragmatic, published solutions to the many critical problems facing us today. Do it because she will begin to implement those solutions during her first day in office. Lastly do it, because she doesn’t just talk the talk. She walks the walk, just as she did in support of gay pride on that sunny and happy day in New York City. Thank you. Neil Donohoe Boston

WE SUPPORT OBAMA To the Editor:

Sincerely, Steve Shellabarger Columbus

HILARY IS THE RIGHT CHOICE To the Editor: I wanted to write voicing my strong support, as a gay man, for the candidacy of Hillary Rodham Clinton. A number of years ago, I attended the New York Gay Pride Weekend. I believe it was the summer of 2001. Suddenly, my friend and I heard the crowds going wild from blocks away. The roar of the crowd grew stronger and stronger as this celebrity of obvious fanatical appeal drew closer. We couldn’t imagine who it could be. Suddenly appearing before us was Hillary Rodham Clinton dressed in a bright spring colored jacket. She was surrounded by delighted gay men and women. She was waving enthusiastically to the adoring and flabbergasted crowds. We were all overwhelmed on that singular day that a former First Lady and a United States Senator was taking the bold and public step in recognizing and celebrating the gay constituents of her state and of her country. I felt compelled to write to ask my gay brothers and sisters to walk with her now. Do it because she has tirelessly worked to improve conditions for the poor and the working class. Do it because she was the first person to present a universal health care plan to Congress when she was the First Lady. Do it because she and her husband have fiercely supported equal rights for

The 2008 election is about change: Change America can believe in, and change that includes every LGBT American. Voters who care about LGBT equality are no longer willing to settle for mere promises. They want a demonstrated commitment to equality. Senator Barack Obama is the candidate who has shown that commitment. Among all the candidates in this race, only Senator Obama included gays and lesbians as participants in the American Dream when announcing his decision to run for President. It was a first in American politics for the LGBT community and reflected the Senator’s long-standing commitment to our equal rights. That commitment is manifested by Obama’s record of accomplishment on LGBT rights, a record that extends throughout his 11 years in public office on every issue of concern to our community. From relationships and families to workplace discrimination to bold policies on HIV/AIDS, the Senator has proven that he has the character to stand up for principle even when the going gets tough. Barack Obama sponsored a fully inclusive antidiscrimination law in Illinois that prohibited discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity. A later version of that bill was enacted as the Illinois Human Rights Act, now one of the most progressive laws of its kind in the country. While congressional leaders weren’t able to pass a bill that included gender identity, Obama made it happen in Illinois. Fighting the spread of HIV and securing fully funded, accessible treatment for people with HIV or AIDS have always been top priorities for Barack

Obama. He understands that the fight against HIV/AIDS requires an approach that is bold enough to set national standards and benchmarks for progress and deep enough to address the forces of poverty, racism, homophobia and unequal access to health care that all contribute to the spread of the disease. Obama sponsored the Microbicide Development Act which would fund the research that is so critical to efforts to combat HIV/AIDS in the United States and around the world. He spoke out on World AIDS Day to an audience of evangelical leaders at Saddleback Church, promoted greater investment in the global AIDS battle and publicly disagreed with the leaders in attendance who opposed condom distribution. He has the strength to speak to audiences that disagree with him. Barack Obama has always insisted that our approach to HIV/AIDS be guided by the expertise of scientists, health care professionals and direct service providers who know what works, rather than by politics and ideology. In Illinois, Obama worked to enact a law to authorize licensed pharmacists to provide clean needles in small, controlled numbers, a reform that is now credited with achieving dramatic declines in the spread of HIV among intravenous drug users. In Congress, he has supported efforts to lift the ban on federal funding for regulated needle exchange programs that are proven to work in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Experience demonstrates that these programs save lives and protect the public without promoting illegal drug use, but getting them passed requires political courage. Barack Obama has shown that courage. Senator Obama has supported the complete, unqualified repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act since he was a candidate for Senate. He has taken stronger positions on dismantling “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and enacting fully inclusive workplace protections than any candidate in this race, and he is either a co-sponsor or a strong supporter of every major piece of LGBT legislation in Congress today, from fair tax treatment and equal immigration rights to domestic partner benefits for federal workers. Senator Obama’s record on LGBT issues, and the clarity with which he articulates his positions on LGBT equality, stand in contrast to Senator Clinton. Clinton continues to argue that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and DOMA were good policies when they were enacted, and she con-

The Reader Poll Last week we asked:

Who will you be voting for in the primary election Tuesday, March 4? Sen Hillary Clinton (D-NY) Sen Jon McCain (R-AZ) Sen Barack Obama (D-IL) Gov Mike Huckabee (R-AR) I don’t vote

57% 3% 34% 0% 6%

Why? Those Voting for Sen Barack Obama (D-IL) - Change is needed! - Why not - I heard his dick is bigger than Hillary’s - I hate Hillary as much as I love Obama. - Best chance to beat McCain - Individuality - Don’t want Hillary - Backing a winner - I want to feel happy about a political candidate again - I need hope Those Voting for Sen Hillary Clinton (D-NY) - She will do the most for gay rights - She has real solutions for America - Experienced leader / Known “commodity”. - I would like to see a female in office for a change of pace.... - She has a plan and the best first lady option! - I trust Hillary’s knowledge. Obama is too superficial; the ability to make a good speech doesn’t mean you know what you’re doing. - Just because - She explains her positions and policies thoroughly. - Toss up. A Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ticket is very appealing. - Proven, Consistent, Youth Advocate - Because I don’t believe in amnesty for illegal immigrants like McCain does and I’m not voting for any Terroristic Black Muslim (Obama). GO HILLARY!!!

continued on page 7

Log on to: www.outlookweekly.net to take this week’s poll.

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FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

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FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

10 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

COMMUNITY CORNER BAYARD RUSTIN AWARD TO HONOR SCHOLARLY WORK ON BLACK LGBT PARTICIPATION IN ELECTORAL POLITICS

Bayard Rustin in Trafalgar Square, London, 1983 Credit: Walter Naegle

VOLUNTEER IN YOUR AREA MARCH 4 AND HELP END DISCRIMINATION During the Ohio Primary on March 4th, we’re asking volunteers across Ohio to help Equality Ohio with its largest grassroots action ever. Can you help us reach our 10,000 postcard goal? All total, we’re hoping to deliver those 10,000 FIRED postcards to legislators demanding an end to LGBT workplace discrimination. We haven’t gotten enough postcards from the cities listed below, and March 4th is a prime opportunity to collect the last postcards we need from each and every legislative district in Ohio. Help us Tuesday, March 4th and you will help outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression in Ohio. No one should ever be fired from a job because of who they are or who they love. Pick a shift: 6a-10a, 10a-2p, or 4p-8p. Volunteer Locations: Akron, Athens, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo & Bowling Green. Once you arrive for your shift you’ll get everything you need then head out in teams of two to polling places in targeted districts. Once there, you’ll gather postcards from politically-motivated primary voters, just the type of people who care about equal rights. We need your help in these areas to reach our 10,000 goal! We haven’t reached our postcard goal yet, so click on a city above and be one of the people that helps us reach our goal and move forward toward an Ohio where everyone feels at home. Please visit www.equalityohio.org for more info.

CLINTON CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCES OHIO LGBT STEERING COMMITTEE Ohio for Hillary announced the formation of its statewide Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Steering Committee for Hillary which consists of dozens of LGBT leaders and allies throughout the Buckeye State. The steering committee will host a kick-off diner this evening Monday, February 25 in Columbus. Committee members will work through March 4 holding events across Ohio to moFEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

The National Conference of Black Political Scientists (NCOBPS) and the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute (GLLI) today jointly announced the establishment of the Bayard Rustin Award. The award honors outstanding contributions to the field of political science on the topic of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender African-Americans in electoral politics. NCOBPS will administer a cash prize to the award’s recipient, to be presented at the group’s annual conference in 2009. Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of GLLI, said he hoped the award would foster research that could lead to more openly gay AfricanAmericans seeking leadership roles in their communities. “More than 400 openly gay officials are serving their communities across America, but just a handful of these individuals are African-American. We hope to change that. The strength of our democracy depends on leadership that reflects all Americans,” Wolfe said. Dr. Desiree Selma Pedescleaux, president of NCOBPS, stated that the work of political scientists is vital to equalizing governmental representation: “Acquiring quality data is always the first step in solving complex issues. We hope this award leads to scholarship that helps the African-American LGBT community realize its leadership potential

bilize the community and get out the vote for Hillary on Election Day. The list of supporters reflects the diversity of the LGBT community which includes elected officials, community leaders, educators, healthcare professional, union members and business owners. “The LGBT community needs and deserves a President who will fight for us,” said Bo Shuff, National Clinton LGBT Steering Committee member. “Hillary Clinton has a proven track record of doing that. Whether it was working with LGBT groups to develop the smart strategy that defeated the Federal Marriage Amendment or authoring the Early Treatment for HIV Act, Hillary has fought for us and I’m proud to be fighting for her in Ohio” “I am proud to stand with Hillary Clinton,” said Mary Jo Hudson, Director of the Ohio Department of Insurance. Whether it’s fighting to defeat the FMA or marching in our gay pride parades as First Lady and as US Senator, Hillary has stood with our community and fought for LGBT equality. I know Hillary will do the same thing as our President.” “I am honored to have the support of these distinguished leaders in the Ohio LGBT community,” Clinton said. “Together, we can end the divisive politics of the current administration and renew the promise of fairness and equality for all Americans.” Hillary has been a longtime ally of the LGBT community. She fought against the Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) both times and has worked on legislation that would promote equality for LGBT Americans. As President, Hillary will work to make sure that gay and lesbian couples in committed relationships have the same legal rights and responsibilities as all Americans. She will also work to end discrimination in adoption laws, sign hate crimes legislation and ENDA into law, and put an end to the failed policy of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Ohio LGBT Steering Committee Members include Sandy Anderson, Columbus; Karen Aronoff, Cincinnati; Rob Beattey, Columbus; Jeff Caywood, Cincinnati; Michael Chanak, Cincinnati; Michael Council Columbus; Chris Cozad, Columbus; John Cummings, Springboro; Jay Dascenzo, Columbus; Brigit Elizando, Lancaster ; Brian Endicott, Columbus; Louis Escobar, Toledo; Rose Fini, Cleveland; Michael Fogle, Massilon; Don Geiner, Columbus; Randy

in electoral politics.” The award is named after Bayard Rustin, the openly gay, AfricanAmerican civil rights pioneer who organized the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, at which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Rustin was an influential organizer and adviser to Dr. King, and is said to have counseled King on non-violent resistance. In his later years, Rustin advocated for gay and lesbian rights. GLLI is a non-partisan, non-profit training and executive development organization aimed at equipping openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender leaders for success. Each year GLLI trains hundreds of elected and appointed officials and community leaders. The group will conduct one of its renowned Candidate and Campaign Trainings specifically for candidates of color April 24-27 in Baltimore, Maryland. NCOBPS is a professional organization, with a membership of more than 300 political science faculty, students, elected politicians, and policy analysts. Formed in 1969 at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, its members are committed to the study and practice of black politics, both here and abroad.

Goodman, Avon Lake; Lynn Greer, Columbus; Sarah Hamilton, Columbus; Matt Hicks, Columbus; Ron Hirth, Cincinnati; Mary Jo Hudson, Columbus; Leslye Huff, Cleveland; Mollie Levin, Columbus; Jerry Mallicott, Springboro; Jaime Miracle, Columbus; Martha Pontoni, Cleveland; Greg Rivera, Cleveland; Cheryl Rose Mack, Cleveland; Karla Rothan, Columbus; Joe Santiago, Cleveland; Chris Seelbach, Cincinnati; Bo Shuff, Columbus; Jason Smith, Columbus; Marianne Steger, Columbus ; Lynne Teismann, Cincinnati; Tim Walker, Cleveland; Kim Welter, Toledo; and Lisa Zellner, Columbus.

ELECTION OFFICIALS REMINDING VOTERS OF PRIMARY, GENERAL ELECTION DIFFERENCES The Franklin County Board of Elections is reminding voters of the differences between a primary and general election including the choices they’ll have to make before they can cast a vote for the March 4th primary. “Voting in a primary is unlike voting in a general election where you are free to split your ballot and select Democrats and Republicans for various offices”, said board of elections Director Matt Damschroder. “Primary voters will need to first request a Democratic or Republican party ballot to vote for a candidate and your choices will be limited to candidates competing for the nomination of one party or the other.” “Voters also should not be alarmed when they don’t see the words, ‘For President of the United States’ on their ballot,” added Deputy Director Dennis White. “Under rules established by each political party, you are not voting for presidential candidates directly, but choosing the delegates and alternate delegates to the Democratic and Republican national conventions.” Ohio voters become Democrats and Republicans by requesting a partisan ballot in a primary election and are free to change parties regardless of how they’ve voted before. Voters who do not want to vote for the nomination of partisan candidates by requesting a Democratic or Republican Party ballot, but still want to vote for or against ballot issues and tax levies, are eligible to vote using an “issues-only” ballot that contains no party’s candidates.

More information on Ohio’s party rules governing the selection of delegates and alternate delegates to the Democratic and Republican National Convention and the nomination of presidential candidates, go to http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/PublicAffairs/ePresGuide07.pdf.

REPUBLICAN POLL WORKERS NEEDED The Franklin County Board of Elections appealed today for Republican voters to serve as poll workers for the March 4 Primary Election. “Election law says that neither major political party can have a majority of poll workers in any given precinct. Democrats and unaffiliated voters have responded strongly to our earlier invitations to work the polls, but we still need more than 200 Republicans to serve in several areas throughout the county,” said board of elections Director Matt Damschroder. Precincts most in need of Republican poll workers are in Bexley, Gahanna, Dublin, New Albany, and Reynoldsburg, as well as central and northeast Columbus. A smaller number of Democrats are also needed, primarily in suburban precincts outside of I-270. “It is important for prospective poll workers to view this as a community service,” added Deputy Director Dennis White. “While we make every effort to place poll workers as close to home as possible, sometimes it is necessary to travel outside of their own neighborhood to make sure that we have all of the vacancies filled.” Poll workers are paid $110 per day or more depending upon their assignment. They’re required to attend a two hour training course, work from 5:30 a.m. to at least 8:00 p.m. on Election Day and must have their own transportation to the polls. Poll workers who have not voted in a partisan primary election in the last two years are unaffiliated voters and are also eligible to be poll workers. Anyone interested in working the polls should call the board of elections at 614.462.5393 or register online at http://vote.franklincountyohio.gov.

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 11

FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

12 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 13

GENERAL GAYETY by Leslie Robinson

Athlete Auction Action I read on Advocate.com that the Los Angeles Rebellion, described as “a straight-inclusive gay rugby team,” was recently due to hold its Third Annual Bachelor Auction Fundraiser. Naturally, this led me to imagine two prospective bidders in the audience that night at the gay bar. CHARLIE: Another? SIMON: I’m nervous. CHARLIE: One more of those martinis and you’ll be bidding on the busboy. SIMON: What am I doing here? I don’t do this kind of stuff. I’m . . . shy. CHARLIE: Not tonight. Tonight you’re a tiger. SIMON: Meow. CHARLIE: What time is it? SIMON: 8:45. CHARLIE: 15 minutes to zero hour. SIMON: We still have time to see Atonement. Again. CHARLIE: We’re staying right here, and we’re going to bid. You need a date, and I need to get up close and personal with a jock. SIMON: God, what if he wants to talk about rugby? I don’t know anything about it! How do you play? CHARLIE: I don’t know and I don’t care. What I do know is they wear short shorts and throw them-

selves at each other. How can that be bad? SIMON: There’s something about a scrum . . . CHARLIE: Yeah, a scrumptious butt in those shorts. SIMON: Do they wear their uniforms on the date? CHARLIE: If you pay enough. SIMON: Rugby shirts! I had one in high school. CHARLIE: I’m pretty sure you can’t build a conversation around that. Look, just ask him how to play. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to explain it all to you. SIMON: I guess. We runners wear short shorts, y’know. CHARLIE: Honey, it just isn’t the same. SIMON: Why not? I look good in mine. CHARLIE: I’m sorry, Simon. I didn’t mean to insult you. You have a beautiful ass. Let’s concentrate on getting you off it. SIMON: One date. CHARLIE: Who knows? The date could actually be on Valentine’s Day. A little romance, a little wine, you two might hit it off. You could be washing his uniform for the rest of your days. SIMON: Hmm. CHARLIE: I just want to roll around on the field. SIMON: What if all you get out of this is dinner? CHARLIE: The food better be damn good. God, it’s crowded in here. I wonder how many of these guys are actually going to bid?

SIMON: I just had a horrible thought. CHARLIE: There’s a surprise. SIMON: Didn’t you say there are straight guys on this team? What if I get one of them? What if it’s a set-up? What if I find myself on some reality show? CHARLIE: I really doubt the straight guys would be willing to go out with gay men. Talk about taking one for the team. SIMON: Or maybe women bid on the straight guys. I see one or two females. CHARLIE: All will become clear in a few minutes. SIMON: Will you be crushed if you don’t win a date? CHARLIE: No. I’ll just go to the next auction on the calendar. Bid for gay basketball players, or swimmers, or soccer players. SIMON: There are more dating auctions? CHARLIE: There should be. In fact, why do they all have to be jocks? You could hold an auction at your work. SIMON: Yeah, right. Gay accountants. CHARLIE: With your lovely rear end, you’d fetch a pretty penny. Leslie Robinson owned a rugby shirt in junior high. E-mail her at LesRobinsn@aol.com, and read more columns at www.GeneralGayety.com.

TRANSNATION by Jacob Anderson-Minshall

Sex and the City and The Nature of His Package

Imagine flipping on the TV and finding a debate about what’s in your pants. That’s what happened to former drag king Cooper Lee Bombardier, when an episode of Sex and the City opened with the cast discussing the nature of his package. “It was bizarre,” says the trans artist, performer, musician and writer.

Bombardier initially garnered attention in the late 1990s when he shouted punk lyrics, spit mad rhymes, displayed his art and warbled country in a myriad of San Francisco locales. He even scored a spot on the original Sister Spit tour and was featured on subsequent albums, I Spit On Your Country and Greatest Spits. “I still really feel a bond with the people from those tours,” he reminisces. “It was such an eye opening and life-changing experience. It really was a shoestring operation and it’s hard to imagine touring like that now. Back then, it seemed like this fun adventure my friends had created. Now it’s kind of crazy to hear people talk about how influential Sister Spit was.” Bombardier identifies as “a blue-collar, book reading, art-making, story-writing, queer transgender man who likes women but doesn’t freak out when he thinks a guy is hot. I’m a guy who values his past as a woman.” He’s been featured in a number of anthologies including the FTM collection, From The Inside Out. He’s taught creative writing to San Francisco youth and fronted bands like Dirt Bike Gang and Whiskey Dick. Early drag king performances garnered Bombardier appearances on the covers of the Diesel Fuel and The Drag King Book, which led spots on Maury Povich Show, Strange Universe - and Sex and the City. “[I] wasn’t on Sex and the City,” Bombardier clarifies. “But a larger than life portrait of me was.

The show’s producers approached Del La Grace Volcano about using his Drag King Book photos for an episode. They blew them up larger than life, hung them in a gallery and featured them in the beginning of the episode called ‘Boy Girl Boy.’ I didn’t even know Del had let them use the photos.” Bombardier also starred in several independent films, including the award-winning The Ride, and Blue Yodel, which he recalls, “was like the whole film was suspended in a jar of honey, kind of slow and amber and all wistful.” For three years ending in 2007, Bombardier organized, produced, publicized and emceed the monthly, Santa Fe, New Mexico queer cabaret, LISP, which featured an eclectic line up of performers. While he’s dabbled in nearly every medium, Bombardier (myspace.com/cooperleeb) insists, “I feel

lucky that people had faith in me or responded to my art in some way that made them want to include me in their own projects. ” He believes that people find trans artists both fascinating and repulsive because they defy societal mores about gender. “Gender is such a given for most folks…and when something or someone causes a disruption in that little halcyon dream, it’s like, ‘Holy Fuck!’ The rest of us, who think about gender all of the time, we…never take for granted what’s in somebody’s pants! Trans artists often play this tension like a violin. The blurring of the expected is our medium.” Bombardier remembers daytime talk shows as, “incredibly draining. One hopes they’ll be an opportunity for understanding…or even just that bored housewives may find us sexy for a minute. But really it’s more like middle-aged and elderly tourists screaming, ‘It’s a man! No, it’s a woman!’ at you at the top of their lungs.” Today, Bombardier admits, “I go in and out of cycles with my creative pursuits.” Now, he’s silk screening, sewing and hoping to finish a novel in 2008. He promises, “I’ll be out on the road again…[performing] and [singing] karaoke with the fine queers all over America!” Trans author Jacob Anderson-Minshall examines his transition from lesbian feminist to straight white guy in the anthology, Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power. © 2008 Jacob Anderson-Minshall

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OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 15

INSIGHTOUT by Regina Sewell

Beyond Stigma’s Scars Promise Song I described her own nature and temperament. Told how they needed a larger life for their expression. I pointed out that in lieu of proper channels, her emotions had overflowed into paths that dissipated them. I talked, beautifully I thought, about an art that would be born, an art that would open the way for women the likes of her. I asked her to hope, and build up an inner life against the coming of that day…. I sang, with a strange quiver in my voice, a promise song. Jean Toomer, speaking to a prostitute in Cane I wish that someone had spoken words like these to me when I was twelve. I needed someone who could really see me and not try to change me. I needed to hear someone tell me that I was fundamentally OK in order to counteract the fact that my peers would have annihilated me if they had known my secrets. Perhaps I could have curled up in the acceptance Toomer’s lines express and not gotten lost in a labyrinth of self-hatred. And maybe I would have been able to breathe into the hope that someday the world would embrace my differences rather than obsessing on ways to destroy myself. Even in the best of circumstances, it’s hard to forget the power of the stigma attached to being gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgendered. To grow up queer is to grow up different. And in junior high or middle school, different is definitely not good. Even though things have changed for more recent GLBT teens, I still hear horror stories about the way GLBT kids

are treated. One student, for example, had to have a friend check the bathroom and make sure that it was empty before going in because his peers threatened to beat him up if he went in when they were there. The administration’s “helpful” response was, “hold it until you get home.” Another student told me that she’d been followed into the girls’ room and humiliated by a teacher for using the “wrong” bathroom because the teacher thought she was a boy. Other students have told me that they felt like they always had to look over their shoulders least a neighbor or classmate decided that it would be great fun to “smear the queer.” For those of us who, in addition to being queer, bore other stigmas such as being poor, non-white, or being a sexual abuse survivor, the pain of adolescence was even worse. Most people translate the stigma(s) they bore in childhood and adolescence into a toxic form of shame. As a result, given the fact that most of us picked up more than our share of shame, many of us feel like we are fatally flawed and react to ourselves with a sense of self-loathing. Most of us have used a number of strategies to push down or ignore this toxic shame. Denial is often top of the list: “Who me? Lesbian? You’ve got to be kidding! I just get stupid every time I try to talk to the girl who sits next to me in history class because the fluorescent lights in the classroom make me dizzy.” When our truth snaps us out of denial, many of us, at least at some point, took evasive ac-

tion to keep this truth under wraps. We latched onto partners of the opposite sex to prove our normalcy. We shrouded our relationships in secret, stumbled over pronouns and avoided holding hands with our partners in order to keep strangers from attacking us and/or friends, family, and/or co-workers from rejecting us. We wore gender appropriate clothes and adopted gender appropriate ways of walking to hide our gender transgressions. This toxic shame has even led some of us to disavow parts of ourselves and put down others who reminded us of those parts of ourselves that we reject. As a consequence, we judged other LGBT folks for not acting “straight” enough. Some of us even participated in gay bashing to either keep others from guessing our secret or to act out our selfhatred. Like a cancer, the toxic shame that many of us picked up in childhood or adolescence about being different spreads through our whole system, leaving us feeling, at a core level, that we are somehow flawed, rotten, or just somehow “wrong.” Lost in this spin, we believe that we are unworthy. We struggle with intimacy because, we think, “If people really knew me, they’d dump me in a heart beat.” We put a great deal of energy into hiding our true selves in order to avoid that kind of rejection. Guided by an internal self-repeating tape that chants, “If only I made enough money/had enough success/looked good enough, I could prove my worthiness.” Many of us work our asses off because of this tape to prove our

worth. Unfortunately, to quote Melissa Etheridge, “It’s never enough,” so we drink, use drugs, shop, work out excessively, seek sexual encounters, and/or engage in a hundred other less than healthy endeavors in order to distract ourselves from the pain of feeling like we just don’t measure up. But what if we understood, not just with our heads but with our hearts, that the cultural conserve that leads others to reject us is flawed? What if we truly believed that we could find a place in the world where we could be our true selves? What if we lived as if the day that Toomer spoke of so eloquently already existed? What if we lived the promise song? No matter how the people who make up your world react to you, you are absolutely and completely acceptable, even if some of the ways you act your pain are not. The more you can accept yourself, the more you can live in a world that accepts your true self. There are people who, if given the chance, can accept you as you truly are. And at least when the people who can’t move past their own fear and baggage reject you, you can put your energy into people who do accept you. 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.

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FEATURE STORY by J. Lee Cooper-Giles and Lyn Logan-Grimes

A 20th Century Unsung American Hero The King Arts Complex, the Soul of the City, in collaboration with Outlook Media Inc. presents a documentary film chronicling the life and times of Bayard Rustin, a frequently dismissed and forgotten American hero of 20th Century America. From the advent of its modern period, Rustin was one of the most prominent leaders and organizers of the American Civil and Human Rights movements during the 1950s and into the 1980s, who because of his own deliberate choices, oftentimes worked out-of-sight and behind the scenes. And there are those names which are much more readily associated with this mid-century movement than Rustin’s, mainly because he received comparatively minimal press or media attention at that time; however, today fairness demands that we recognize his many contributions and honor him with this public reception. This commemoration of the legacy and the work of Rustin will take place Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 7p in The King Arts Complex theater with a discussion panel made up of current gay rights and political and social activists. In 1956, while on leave from the War Resisters League, quite often Rustin was in Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama advising Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who at that time had not wholeheartedly embraced the principles of nonviolence into the civil rights struggle that he was waging. Although Rustin was a proud, out-of-the closet gay man, who endured much unwarranted ridicule during his lifetime, he was nevertheless able to provide King with much needed practical advice on how to implement Gandhian principles of nonviolence into the public transportation boycott organization being formed in Montgomery after Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

man. Thus, Rustin helped to mold King into an international symbol of peace and nonviolence. Rustin’s name is not well known and is seldom mentioned publicly regarding the movement; nevertheless, within the ranks of the movement, Rustin is best remembered as an important force and organizer because he was the chief architect of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which is arguably the high point of his political activist career. This March on Washington is still one of the largest recorded nonviolent demonstrations to ever take place in the USA, and it was at this demonstration, August 28, 1963 that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his renowned world-famous speech, I Have a Dream! During his formative years, Rustin’s grandmother impressed upon him and the other children she raised with certain Quaker principles: the equality of all human beings before God, the importance of dealing with everyone with love and respect, and the vital need for nonviolence. Regardless that these moral values were ingrained into the person of Rustin, and despite his many achievements over the years, he was often arrested, beaten, threatened, imprisoned and fired from leadership positions because he lived as an openly gay man in a very racist and an intolerable homophobic American society during his lifetime. Although often faced with vicious racism and sexual harassment, Rustin nevertheless confronted frequent displays of cruelty toward himself with an honorable courage and complete nonviolent resistance. Rustin’s Quakerism formed his personal philosophy and was the unifying force in his life that was the central principle to the core of his being, which

allowed him to believe that each and every person is entitled to an appropriately decent and dignified life without violence because there is God in everyone… This movie screening is one of four films that are being shown during the King Arts Complex’s inaugural season of Reel-ality to Rap film series. Reelality to Rap is a component of the Complex’s First Thursday Program. It began on January 4, 2008 with the award winning film, 500 Years Later. 500 Years Later was a timeless compelling journey infused with the spirit and music of liberation that chronicled the struggle of a people who have fought and continue to fight for the most essential human right…Freedom. The screening was followed by a brief discussion that was facilitated by community activist and Master drummer, Tony West. Mr. West initiated a poignant and intriguing discussion that piqued the interest of the youngest audience member, 11 year old Kenya Shaheed. The second film shown on February 7 during the Reel-ality to Rap series was a powerful film, entitled Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives. Through this film the audience was able to relive the turmoil of the Great Depression, from 1936 to 1938. During this time there were more than 2000 interviews with one-time slaves conducted for the Work Projects Administration via its Federal Writers’ Project. The transcripts from the interviews formed a unique firsthand record of slave life. This film presented dramatic selections from the extensive Slave narrative collection through on camera readings by over a dozen actors, interspersed with archival photographs, music, film and period images. Though no discussion followed this movie…the audience was visibly moved from the ancestral stories.

The final film that will be shown during the Reelality to Rap series will be From Swastika to Jim Crow on April 3, and it will chronicle Black-Jewish relations in the United States. The story is a long and complex one. In this film it will tell about African American newspapers being the first in the U.S. to denounce Nazism. In addition it illustrates the fact that members of the Jewish community were among those who worked to establish the NAACP in 1909. Panel discussions follow immediately after the screening of the film in the King Arts Complex Theater. What makes this film series exciting and unique is the critical engagement of panelists and audience on topics of current interest regarding diversity in our communities, and in the nation. The wide-ranging perspectives brought out by a diversified panel and audience participation provide those moments of edge that make out panel discussions lively, exciting and thought provoking. Featured panelists for Brother Outsider will be Michael Daniels, Business Director and co-owner of Outlook Weekly, Rob Berger, Investigative Attorney for the Ohio Supreme Court, Jim Arter, Associate Artist Community Arts Education for the Greater Columbus Arts Council, and Kevin Tyler. The panel will be introduced by Lyn Grimes and moderator TBA. The Reel-ality to Rap, first Thursday Arts Video/Film Series is a program designed to bring issues of diversity to the forefront. This seasons’ series has embraced, reviewed and acknowledged the power of American films on the cultural and social patterns of our society. The following companies/organizations provided generous support for this program: Outlook Media Inc., Abercrombie & Fitch, American Electric Power and the Heschel Foundation.

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FEATURE STORY Photos by Associated Press & UPI/Corbis-Bettmann

Brother Outsider: Life of Bayard Rustin

The King Arts Complex, the Soul of the City, in collaboration with Outlook Weekly presents a documentary film on the life and times of Bayard Rustin, an often dismissed and unforgotten American hero, who was one of the most prominent leaders and organizers of the American civil rights movement from the 1950s into the 1980s. This event will take place Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 7p in The King Arts Complex theater with a discussion panel made up of community activists. In 1956, while on leave from the War Resisters League, sometimes Rustin was in Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama advis-

ing Martin Luther King, Jr. who at that time had not wholeheartedly embraced the principles of nonviolence into the civil rights struggle. Nevertheless, Rustin was able to provide King with much needed practical advice on how to implement Ghandian principles of nonviolence into the public transportation boycott organization being formed in Montgomery after Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to white man. Thus, Rustin helped to mold King into an international symbol of peace and nonviolence. Although Rustin’s name is not well known and is seldom mentioned regarding the move-

ment, he is best remembered as an important force and organizer, i.e. he was the chief architect of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which is still one of the largest recorded nonviolent demonstrations to ever take place in the USA. It was at this demonstration, August 28, 1963 that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his world-famous speech, I Have a Dream! From their formative years, Rustin’s mother impressed upon him and the other children she raised with certain Quaker principles: the equality of all human beings before God, the importance of dealing with everyone with love

and respect, and the vital need for nonviolence. Regardless that these moral values were ingrained into the person of Rustin, and despite his many achievements over the years, he was often arrested, beaten, threatened, imprisoned and fired from leadership positions because he lived as an openly gay man in a very racist and an intolerable homophobic society during his lifetime. Although often faced with vicious racism and sexual harassment, Rustin nevertheless confronted frequent displays of cruelty toward himself with an honorable courage and complete nonviolent resistance.

BOOKMARKS

How Close Are We to Dr. King’s Mountaintop? Black History Month has an added poignancy this year, as it is almost 40 years to the day, since Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have Been to the Mountaintop” speech. In the four decades since that momentous occasion, there have been great strides in civil rights and racial relations – the fact that there is a Black History Month at all would have been unthinkable in 1968. Some of the progress includes Senator Barack Obama winning a presidential caucus in a predominately ‘White’ state like Iowa. Conversely, there have been recent reminders of America’s deep racial divide with cases like the Jena 6 in Louisiana. So how far has America really come since MLK declared on April 3, 1968; “I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land”? “I was 19 when Dr. King made that speech,” recalls Willie Alexander, former NFL Cornerback and author of Entering the Promise Land. “Three years later I was in the NFL and I thought I’d escaped discrimination. Turns out I was wrong.” Raised in segregation-era Montgomery, Alabama, Willie had first-hand experience of the problems caused by racial strife. Being a Houston Oilers Defensive Back brought about stardom, but re-entering the ‘real world’ as a black business owner made Alexander realize a lot of work needed to be done before African-Americans could realize the dream of Dr. King’s ‘Promised Land.’ Since his retirement from the NFL in 1980 he has concentrated on building his own business in HousFEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

ton. Through his own experiences, Alexander found most African-American businesses struggle to do commerce in a predominantly white-business marketplace, and thus struggle to turn a profit. “At first I was just a young man dealing with experienced executives, so I didn’t expect it to be easy,” says Alexander. “But what I do find troubling is that even though I’m now an experienced businessman and company chairman in my late 50s, when I deal with less experienced managers I am still having to swim against the tide because I’m a black businessman.” Alexander is using his book Entering the Promised Land and Black History Month to encourage Black Americans to embrace Rev. Martin Luther King’s economic blue print, which called for spending money with institutions that supported the Black Community, thereby creating a stronger Black economic base. The night before his assassination, Dr. King’s final words spoke about his hope for America’s future, “He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land.”

Over the span of his unique life, Willie Alexander has personally seen how far up ‘the mountain’ Black Americans have been. But he hopes that the 40th anniversary of that speech and the embracing of Dr. King’s message will finally mark the conquering of the summit thereby helping all Americans with dreams of ‘Entering the Promised Land.’ About Willie Alexander Willie Alexander is best known as a Houston Oilers Defensive Back, a position he played for nine seasons. He founded W.J. Alexander & Associates in 1980, a full-service employee benefits consulting and insurance brokerage firm in Houston, Texas. Willie also serves on public and private sector boards, including the Amegy Bank of Texas, Greater Houston Partnership and the Texas Children’s Hospital, and has been a prime activist in numerous charities throughout his sporting and business career. Born in Montgomery, Alabama during the segregation era, Willie witnessed firsthand the rise and success of the civil rights movement, which had a lasting impact upon him. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Alcorn State University in Mississippi and he lives in Houston with

his wife of 36 years. He has three children. Willie Alexander’s website can be found at www.enteringthepromisedland.com.

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DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD by Romeo San Vicente

COOGAN AND KEENER TAKE HAMLET TO HIGH SCHOOL

DANCING WITH THE STARS GOES GAY(ISH)

JOHANSSON AND CRUZ GET NAKED FOR WOODY

AMERICAN IDOL AND DISNEY: A MARRIAGE IN KARAOKE HEAVEN

If you remember the bisexual love triangle comedy Threesome, then you know the work of gay director Andrew Fleming. Since then he’s directed Nancy Drew and an ill-advised remake of The In-Laws. But now the filmmaker has returned to his oddball roots with the Steve Coogan/Catherine Keener comedy Hamlet 2. Coogan plays a delusional former actor turned high school drama teacher who decides that what Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy really needs is a sequel - never mind that every character in the first play dies at the end. The indie feature which co-stars Amy Poehler and David Arquette was the toast of the Sundance Film Festival (where distributors are anxious to find the next Juno or Little Miss Sunshine) and has just been acquired by Focus Features for release later this year. Now all it has to do is make back its $10 million purchase price.

Queer fans of Dancing with the Stars will have more than a few reasons to catch next season’s choreographed dance-battle. The cast has just been announced, and it’s as gay-friendly a round-up as one should be able to expect from a show revolving around ballroom dancing. Queeradjacent celebrity steppers will include Will & Grace‘s Sean Hayes, Oscar winner Marlee Matlin (currently spicing up The L-Word by teaching audiences naughty lesbian sex words in American Sign Language), and the ebullient Tony Awardwinning Marissa Jaret Winokur, who tore up the stage as the original Tracy Turnblad in Broadway’s Hairspray. Now all that needs to happen is for Harvey Fierstein and Elton John to come in and be guest judges.

Woody Allen’s probably not the first director you think of when steamy love scenes come to mind. But since Allen, like 95 percent of the heterosexual male movie-going public, probably entertains vivid fantasies about seeing Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz having girl-on-girl action, it will be interesting to see how he directs that very thing in his upcoming film, Vicky Christina Barcelona. Johansson plays a tourist in Spain who winds up having a steamy moment with Cruz in a darkroom; later, the two of them have a three-way with Cruz’s character’s husband, played by Javier Bardem (presumably no longer sporting his No Country for Old Men haircut). See them all get their “ole” on when the film hits theaters at the end of the year.

What’s so gay about American Idol? If you’ve ever seen the show, then you know that what’s not gay is the more difficult question to answer. From the sheer overwhelming numbers of visibly gay young men who audition each year in the cattle-call rounds, to the ongoing saga of one of its big success stories continuing to dodge questions about his sexuality, Idol is a show for every queer kid who dreams of fame as the ultimate revenge. And now it will be accessible to those kids anytime they go to Walt Disney World, as a competition-based, Idol-themed, tie-in attraction gets installed down Florida way. The miniature karaoke contest will feed into the actual show, with winners getting guaranteed audition slots in the upcoming season. In other words, here’s a way to get around waiting in one of those pesky 10,000-person-strong stadium lines. The attraction is set to open later this year.

Romeo San Vicente only sees animated movies late at night, the better to avoid sharing a theater with children. He can be reached care of this publication or at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com.

ARTS

Opera Columbus Presents Cinderella (La Cenerentola by Rossini) Opera Columbus is excited to announce the upcoming production of Cinderella (La Cenerentola by Rossini) on February 29 and March 2 at the Ohio Theatre. Made famous at its world première in 1817, Rossini’s Cinderella, a romantic and comic interpretation of the classic tale, will now captivate audiences in the city of Columbus. Told through different mediums across many languages, the tale of Cinderella is one that never grows old. Rossini’s version in two acts of the traditional fairy tale lives on as one of the 20 most performed operas in North America with no final curtain call in sight. Playing the title role is Jennifer Rivera who returns to the Opera Columbus after last being seen as Hansel in Hansel and Gretel. Also returning for repeat performances with Opera Columbus are Brian Downen as Don Ramiro, Kevin Glavin as Don Magnifico, Diana McVey as Clorinda, Elise DesChamps as Tisbe and Kristopher Irmiter as Alidoro. John Packard will be making his Opera Columbus debut in the role of Dandini. Kay Walker Castaldo, also making her Opera Columbus debut, will direct the production and Opera Columbus Artistic Director William Boggs will conduct The Columbus Symphony Orchestra. Cap off the most romantic month of the year FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

with perhaps the most beloved fairytale of all time. Sung in Italian with English supertitles, Opera Columbus will perform two shows of Cinderella, February 29 at 8p and March 2 at 2p in the Ohio Theatre located at 31 East State St. WOSU’s Christopher Purdy will be giving pre-curtain talks starting an hour before each show. Ticket prices begin at $27.50 with special discounts available for students, children, and groups. To reserve your seat, call the CAPA ticket office at 614- 469-0939 or purchase them on the Web at Ticketmaster.com. OPERA COLUMBUS 2007-2008 SEASON La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini Ohio Theatre • October 5 and 7, 2007 The Secret Garden by Simon and Norman Southern Theatre • November 15, 16, 17 &18, 2007 (A collaboration with The Phoenix Theatre, CAPA & Opera Columbus) Cinderella (La Cenerentola) by Gioacchino Rossini Ohio Theatre • February 29 and March 2, 2008 H.M.S Pinafore by Gilbert & Sullivan Southern Theatre • April 19 & 20, 2008

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ARTS

Gallery Hop: Saturday, Mar 1

Art Exchange, LTD, The 17 E. Brickel St. / 614.464.4611 Exhibit Title: Urban Scapes Artist(s): Featuring of Ken Coons, Michael Sheets, Curtis Goldstein, Phyllis Seltzer, Sandy Kessler, Lambertus Van Boekle, Dante Romano and more. Art Media: Painting, Sculpture and Works on Paper About the Exhibit: Mid-career & well established Columbus and regional artists show a colorful collection of “Urban Scapes” representative from around Columbus and other regions.

Benevolence Cafe 41 W. Swan Street / 614.221.9330 www.benevolencecafe.com Exhibit Title: Ristiina Artist(s): Angelia Tolliver Art Media: Graphics Art About the Exhibit: This exhibit showcases works depicting interpretation of the slaves being freed to an Ode to Morrow County and other obscure pieces.

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. Elements of Art / Art Space 507 N. High St. / 614.324.9030 www.elementsofart.net Exhibit Title: Human Forms Artist(s): Roman Czech Art Media: Mixed Media About the Exhibit: Collation of original work and international artists.

Image Optical 846 North High St. / 614.299.8388 Exhibit Title: Stillness in Line Artist(s): Marc Lincewicz Art Media: Pen and Ink Artist Reception: Saturday, Mar 1 About the Exhibit: Marc’s current medium is pen and ink. Simple and classic it allows a certain amount of immediacy. This provides the ability to change direction - but it is also flexible enough to allow a return if a particular piece requires more time to develop.

Kathryn Gallery 642 N. High Street / 614.222.6801 kathryngallery.com Exhibit Title: French Landscape Painters Artist(s): JalinePol & Patrice Marchal Art Media: oil on canvas About the Exhibit: JalinePol’s rich, bold flower petals seem to burst from the canvas creating a minimal French landscape. Marchal’s French landscapes sharply contrasts JalinePol’s paintings with amazing detail work creating wisping flower meadows. L’ANTIBES 772 North High St. - Suite 106 / 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: A Pictorial History of Wishful Thinking Artist(s): Harry Underwood Art Media: Paintings on wood Artist Reception: Friday, Feb 29 About the Exhibit: His vision is so consistent that one might think the world Harry longs for must surely have existed somewhere besides his imagination.

Mahan Gallery 717 N High St / 614.294.3278 www.mahangallery.com Exhibit Title: Art on the Path

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

Artist(s): members of Columbus’ Pathway Clubhouse art therapy sessions Art Media: painting, drawing, collage Artist Reception: Friday, Feb 29 About the Exhibit: The inviting and honest artworks have been created during art therapy group sessions and speak volumes about the importance of expression. Part of all proceeds from Art on the Path will be donated to Columbus Area Inc.’s, Pathway Clubhouse.

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.

Ohio Art League 954 N High St / 614.299.8225 Exhibit Title: Paying Attention Artist(s): Kathleen Pepicello Art Media: Oil and resin Artist Reception: Saturday, Mar 1 About the Exhibit: Pepicello’s paintings have a sensual and meditative quality, but can also be rather haunting. The repeated use of the spiral in her works is used as a portal into a multi-dimensional reality that draws the viewer in to discern semi-abstract or hidden images, ultimately incorporating the viewer’s reflection in the resin and challenging their sense of separation. Rebecca Ibel Gallery 1055 N High St / 614.291.2555 Exhibit Title: Dan McCleary: Etchings Artist(s): Dan McCleary Art Media: Etching About the Exhibit: McCleary’s etchings were created with master printer Fernando Sandoval at the Taller de Grabado in Oaxaca City, Mexico. The stillness of the portraits and still life reward the

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...

viewer with the richness of the textures of the etching and aquatints.

Rivet 1200 N High St / 614.294.8697 Exhibit Title: This Time It’s Personal Artist(s): Scott Radke, Andrew Bell, Doktor A, Joe Ledbetter, Jenna Colby, and more Art Media: painting, sculpture, vinyl Artist Reception: Saturday, Mar 1 About the Exhibit: Collector’s Exhibition. Columbus area collectors showcase pieces from their private collections that have never been shown in Columbus.

Roy G Biv Gallery 997 N High St / 614.297.7694 Artist(s): Annette Gaspers and Lori Kella Art Media: Installation and photography Artist Reception: Saturday, Mar 1 About the Exhibit: Large scale installation sculpture by Annette Gaspers and photography by Lori Kella.

Sherrie Gallerie 694 N High St / 614.221.8580 www.sherriegallerie.com Exhibit Title: New Gallery Artists Artist(s): Jocelyn Braxton Armstrong, Ron Johnson, Tom Marino, Justin Teilhet Art Media: ceramics and paintings Artist Reception: Saturday, Mar 1 About the Exhibit: Jocelyn Braxton Armstrong, porcelain sculpture, Ron Johnson, Mixed-media paintings, Tom Marino, ceramic, vessels, Justin Teilhet, ceramic vessels Studios on High Gallery 686 North High Street / 614.461.6487 Exhibit Title: Felines and Flowers Artist(s): Helen Neumann Art Media: Watercolor About the Exhibit: “”I love the ocean and color and the creation”. My art is whimsical and light. If it makes you smile,

mission accomplished.” 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.

Wexner Center For The Arts 1871 N. High St. / 614.292.3535 wexarts.org Artist(s): Lee Lozano, Sylvia Plimack Mangold, Kerry James Marshall, Adi Nes Art Media: Painting, Photography and Multimedia About the Exhibit: Kerry James Marshall: Every Beat of My Heart, an exhibition based on narrative of inner-city life, with puppet sculptures and drawings. Adi Nes: Biblical Stories, a poignant photographic recasting of Old Testament figures as a new class of “homeless.”; Solitaire: Lee Lozano, Sylvia Plimack Mangold, Joan Semmel, A singular exhibition featuring the work of three remarkable (and highly individual) New York painters. Note: Solitaire is intended for mature audiences.

ZenGenius Gallery 44 East Prescott / 614.220.9040 www.zengenius.com Exhibit Title: Volcano Artist(s): Dan Olsen Art Media: Mixed Media Artist Reception: Saturday, Mar 1 About the Exhibit: Come and see what Dan Olsen has up his sleeve, in his latest exhibit, Volcano. You are sure to be surprised and delighted Zeta European Emporium 751 N. High St. / 614.421.7122 Artist(s): James Strickland Art Media: Stained Glass About the Exhibit: Stained glass panels FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

24 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

INTERVIEW by Steph Gauchel

Ani Difranco: Like She Said As I was preparing for my interview with Ani, I put in her new retrospective album, Canon, and pulled out some of her older CDs. I ended up finding myself on an introspective journey of my own. I am about to turn 35 and I have been listening to Ani’s music since my early 20’s. Her music has certainly served as a canon, as an education of sorts, in my own life, especially during my twenties. Her music has helped me grapple with ideas of feminism, identity, politics, race, class, and love, all the issues she articulates so well. Ani’s music is an essential canon of both the personal and political that everyone should study and sing. Politically, we are at a critical and historical moment with the current race for the Democratic Party’s nominee. In a few short days, Ohio will get its turn to speak. As we prepare for this vote, I can’t imagine a time more perfect to listen to Ani’s words. We are being presented with two possibilities: a candidate who speaks of change and an experienced, feminist candidate. The problem is that no “electable” politician, no matter how eloquent or bravely outspoken, can really speak the truth. But, Ani can and she does. She has been stomping the ground since she was 15 and has spent her entire career speaking the real truth and talking about real change. She speaks of the real consequences of misogyny and speaks of the urgent need for a feminist movement. And, she has been doing this long before presidential candidates tried to make it cool. But, you don’t have to listen to me. Read her words below, and then come hear her lyrics live on March 5 at Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. Steph Gauchel: With Canon, you’ve mentioned artistic and chronological reasons for new renditions and the selection of certain songs for the album. I imagine as your relationship with your songs has changed artistically that they have also changed for you personally. With songs like “Grey” and “Marrow” that are so emotionally charged, how has your personal relationship with these songs changed over time? Ani DiFranco: Yeah, those are good examples. I like those tunes and I think I would still play them more if I was in that emotional place still. But, luckily I am not. (laughing) It’s funny, every now and then I put those songs and others on a set list and then I get to sound check and we run through them and I’m like, “no, I’m not feeling that sad today.” So, it rarely makes it to the show. SG: I have always respected your music for its open examination of self over time and in relation to family, lovers, the music industry, and the world. How has parenthood affected your process of self-examination? AD: I have definitely experienced a change, especially in reflecting on my mother. I was just joking with a friend yesterday saying, “Well, maybe everything I can remember about her I hate, but there was all this stuff from before my memory, where there were years of giving and loving and sacrificing that she must have done before I started keeping score.” (laughing) And I should really be nice to my mom. It definitely sinks in. Especially when you are parenting an infant and you’re just starting out, it’s amazing how much time and energy and love you give, and it’s all pre-memory. I guess my relationship with my mother falls into fairly typical mother/ daughter excruciating territory. So, I have this great fear now that I have a daughter that she’ll end up feeling all those things towards me. SG: In your songs, particularly thinking back to “In or Out,” you often speak to what I have read as a belief in the fluidity of identity, or at least fluidity within your own. The media and unfortunately some fans as well, seemed to spend a lot of time trying to put you into a box, and perhaps, eventually, wrote you off as “straight” when you married a man. Do you feel a need to identify as anything at this point in your life? Do you still see the fluidity in identity that I have always read in your music?

FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

AD: Yeah, that putting people into a box and dividing the human race into two sexual camps and making it all very simple and black and white, you know, “us and them,” is sad. It’s sad in the patriarchal dominant culture and it’s sad in the queer subculture, it’s even sadder wouldn’t you say? But, that type of reaction to me getting married or something, doesn’t really affect me deeply because I know it’s just silly. One couldn’t possibly dictate who they fall in love with in order to not betray a community, whether it be gay or straight. That’s what any queer person should understand inherently. It’s interesting that you bring up that topic because at the time of my marriage, I read a lot. You know, magazines saying that my dyke fans felt betrayed, that they were outraged, and getting off the boat or something. I read that all over the place, but I didn’t really experience that. My experience was really overwhelmingly support; “we’re happy, you’re happy” vibe. I don’t know, (laughing) maybe those conversations are still happening in overly-thinking college campuses, but it happily didn’t really intersect with me much. SG: I have spent a lot of time on the academic side of feminism and have always wanted the academic and activist sides to work more cooperatively. What thoughts do you have on the tension that exists between the activist and academic queer and feminist communities? AD: As you were talking, I was thinking that I sure would love for the activists and the academics to unite with the rest of the feminist population. What really strikes me is that we use the word feminist in this day and age to mean some kind of select group, made up of the kind of people you were talking about; at least we know it includes them, the thinkers and the doers. But meanwhile, I think the term feminist should apply to all of us in a society where women are considered people too and have basic rights and opportunities. I baulk at the idea that the term “feminist” is only used in these very exclusive communities to begin with, which disturbs me more than the rift you were talking about. SG: Feminism has been defined in so many ways. Are you saying that feminist rights are human rights that feminism is about everyone? AD: Every few years, I do the exercise of looking up “feminism” in the dictionary. (laughing) Like, “Am I crazy here?” And it says something like the belief that women should have equal rights and opportunities to men. It’s a very simple definition for a simple little word, really. I look around me and most of the people driving down the street, even a guy in a pick up truck in 21st century America, pretty much believe that women should have rights and opportunities equal to men. So, why doesn’t he call himself a feminist? He is actually a feminist. If you look around the world and compare societies globally, this is a feminist society. Unless you are a steadfast misogynist, people hold basic feminist principles. I think we should acknowledge that the word “feminist” literally applies. If we can’t speak the word, we can’t embody the concept. Accepting the word and identifying as such appropriately is the necessary first step to growing our understanding of feminism. I think the basic definition of feminism is a good springing off point, but at this stage of feminist development in this culture, I would image that we would have evolved the concept. In an ideal world, we would be identifying as feminists and would have evolved the concept beyond the basics like, equal pay for equal work or owning the organs in your own body. And we would have moved on to the concept that feminism is not just for women, that the true emancipation and empowerment of women and involvement of women’s

“cause I know the biggest crime is just to throw up your hands say this has nothing to do with me I just want to live as comfortably as I can you got to look outside your eyes you got to think outside your brain you got to walk outside you life to where the neighborhood changes” - from “Willing to Fight “

consciousness in structures in society such as government, the media, and culture means peace on earth, which is really good for men. (laughing) Things like war and the plundering of the environment; anything that is the manifestation of hierarchal thinking and too much aggression; anything without enough emphasis on relationship is basically the results of patriarchy. All of our social diseases, I believe, stem from the fundamental imbalance that governs all of human society. I understand feminism to be for all of human kind and I think we need to start collectively acknowledging the importance of it so that guys don’t end up in a dessert with an oozy in their hands, wondering what the fuck happened to their life. SG: So, the question then is, how do you get that person in the truck to then be ok with this word that’s been demonized? AD: My way is to just keep talking about it, keep inserting the word feminism into conversations, daily. I’ve moved beyond “feminism” and now I am trying to insert “patriarchy” into everyday conversation, just to see how that goes over. It’s all about educating ourselves. SG: Another area everyone still needs educating on is the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the collapse of the levees, which resulted in the internal displacement of a large portion of American residents and citizens, particularly in New Orleans, where you are now a resident. Could you talk about the use or misuse of the word refugees after the hurricane as well as the issues of racism and poverty that you have witnessed in the handling of Hurricane Katrina? AD: I have used the word “refugee” myself and I know some have taken offense to it. But, for me, it kind of rings true because the people who aren’t able to come home still, it’s as though they were never citizens of this country. Our government displayed that during the storm and the flooding. The people displaced were treated as if they don’t count, they are not considered full-fledged citizens with full-fledged rights. So, it seems to me that they are very much refugees in their own country. I hope that we will continue to talk about and do more than talk about what continues to happen down here [in New Orleans]. I am hoping that if we have a democratic infusion in Washington that the subject of New Orleans will not die. There are certainly people, as you say, that are still not home and others who are here, but are still suffering terribly. Even those who

had enough left to gut and rebuild their lives are doing so under the exact same conditions; the levees are the same except for some patches on a few holes. It’s simultaneously very inspiring to see people come back, slowly but surely, to rebuild this city with their own hands with no help from above. And, its also devastating and maddening to see it happening knowing that people are doing what they have to do, while the government continues to disregard the peril that they live under. SG: I know you have been a Kucinich supporter, and I am not sure if you have spoken out for Obama or Clinton. I would love to hear your thoughts on the current race in general, but specifically, I wonder where your misogyny meter is at with some of the pundit speak and things like election t-shirts that say, “If only Hillary had married O.J.”? AD: (laughing) Whoa!! I missed that! Well, it really looks from this vantage point that the possibility of an African American male gaining the oval office is greater then a female. These candidates are obviously more then a gender and race. Not to disregard the individual or how they are connecting with voters. But, I don’t find it surprising in so much as African American men got the right to vote before women. When we see dramas like this presidential election being played out before us, we can’t divorce ourselves from those basic power plays in human society. It really does show how deep and wide sexism really is. For myself, I try to look at this election and try to think really positively of it. Neither of the candidates vying for nomination right now is completely satisfying to me. I see them as both being somewhat centrist and definitely not as progressive as I would like to see in the white house. But, if either of them gets elected, it will be a great, great day for America. Period. Hands down. The hopeful way of looking at it is that we have the choice between a great thing and a great thing. SG: Your pairing up with Over the Rhine is a dream concert for a lot of people from Ohio, including myself. How did you learn of their music? AD: Oh cool! Well, this is my first meeting with them. I heard one of their CD’s and I thought it sounded really great. I heard of them through Sean O’Connell whose done radio promotion for me over the years and he’s been working with them. He gave me the CD and said I should check them out and have them open for me. So, I was like, cool! I am new to their music, but I always try to get people that I think are worth the half hour. Ani DiFranco will be performing with Over the Rhine at Lifestyle Communities Pavilion Wed, Mar 5. General admission, all ages. Doors 7p; $31 advance, $34 day of show. See www.promowestlive.com.

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 25

FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

26 â&#x20AC;˘ OUTLOOK WEEKLY

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FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

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OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 27

SEX TALK by Simon Sheppard

AVERAGE GUYS

SPEAKING OF

The biggest cock. The most ripped abs. The prettiest face. Sometimes the whole gay world seems fixated on physical fabulousness. But not everyone is in pursuit of the Impossible Dream. Says one man who’d easily qualify as “very good-looking” himself, “Give me an average guy every time.” Sure, many men want a boy just like the boys they see on the Internet: buff, handsome, and hung as big as Texas. But there are others who are turned on by dudes who look like they’ve been around the block. Paunchy, maybe. Not so gorgeous. Small-to-average endowment. There can be much to like about the ordinary. Says one fellow who fetishizes the less-than-fashionable, “Perfection is boring. Flaws are hot. Just about the best sex I ever had was with a guy who, in his 20s, still had acne.” Gay men - with their oft-deserved reputation for placing an overwhelming emphasis on good looks - are bombarded with gay-media images of gorgeous gym rats. That’s who we should want, goes the implied message, and that’s who we should want to be. As one longtime observer of the gay scene says, “There’s nothing wrong with aspiring to be conventionally attractive. It’s just when it becomes an obsession that things get dangerous, leading to eating disorders, steroids, the feeling that you can never be good enough. Or the conviction that you’re so damn hot that you can treat others with contempt.” A big part of the pecking-order problem is the notion that the “quality” of your sex partners proves your own worth. As one mid-20s hunk says, “I work really hard at keeping myself looking good. Why should I settle for second best?” But do you remember that cliche about beauty only being skin deep? Our fetishizer of the unfashionable recalls, “When I was younger, I managed to seduce this amazinglooking man. He had a killer body, a stunning face, the works. It was only after I got finished thinking How was I lucky enough to score with him? that I noticed he was really, really boring sex, totally passive and self-involved. Now, I’m not saying that every super-hot guy is that way, but...” Even plug-ugly guys can be narcissists, of course. But choosing someone who’s not obsessed with hair gel decreases your chances

of ending up with Mr. I’m-too-sexy. If you’re on the ordinary end of things yourself, running after unattainable guys can be a form of emotional masochism. Aiming for the fuckable, though, can help you feel attractive, maybe even that you’re the hotter one. “I generally only play with men a lot older than me,” a cute, chubby fellow in his early 30s says. “Not only are they usually experienced and considerate, but they really do make me feel desirable. Maybe it’s a midlife crisis thing, but I like being with guys who treat me like I’m sexy, even when I don’t feel it myself.” In other instances, such erotic equilibrium may be beside the point. For whatever reason, a man can be turned on by beer bellies, eyeglasses, homely faces, or funky physiques. Maybe it has to do with an early crush on the Maytag repairman, maybe something darker and more complex. But guys like what they like. As long as the sex involved is consensual and kind, the thought police have no business in your bed. And then there’s the “fat boys are easy” syndrome. That may sound cruel, but our verygood-looking guy has a more generous spin on things. “Listen, I’m kind of lazy, or at least laidback,” he says. “Why should I bust my balls running after somebody who’s trying to decide if I measure up to him? Better that I should get together with an ordinary dude who’s only too happy to engage in some mutual pleasure. Vulnerability makes me horny. Attitude doesn’t even if it’s just attitude that I unfairly project onto some hot guy.” When you grow up gay in a still-homophobic world, feelings of self-worth can be hard to come by, and not everyone can be a rock star or a high-tech billionaire. Small wonder that we tend to focus in on superficialities, especially when male lust is so visually oriented. But if you’re just a Plain Joe - and, buddy, most of us are - take heart. You need not necessarily shell out for Pilates, skin peels, or dubious dick-enlargement methods in order to find happiness. “I may not be an Adonis,” says a non-Adonis, “but when I see myself reflected in my boyfriend’s eyes, I’m beautiful. And him? He’s gorgeous, too.” 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.

FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

28 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 29

SAVAGE LOVE by Dan Savage

At first glance, I am the guy your mother wants you to marry. Successful, sweet, clean shaven. Below the surface, I am the guy your mother warned you about: pierced tongue, tattoos, a ton of kinks. A couple of months ago, I met a woman who wanted to be a sex slave. We talked about relationship expectations and because of a few deal breakers (she is older than me, she has kids from a past marriage, our career goals differ) we said that this wasn’t going anywhere beyond a temporary fling. Now she comes to my house a couple of times a week, puts on lingerie, blows me, does my dishes, blows me, gets tied up/spanked, picks up my dirty laundry, blows me again, and then leaves. Needless to say, I am quite happy with the situation. Now I have met a great woman who I like and am looking to start a “normal” relationship with (read: still hot kinky sex, just no need for her to crawl on all fours when she enters my house, as fun as that is to watch). She has been hurt before and wants to spend a long time “getting to know each other” before we move toward anything physical. We have both acknowledged that we are interested in pursuing a relationship, just not yet. Given my situation, i.e., all those blowjobs from the submissive, I have no problems waiting as long as girlfriend material wants before we start something physical. My question is on Dom/sub slave etiquette. Assuming things with this new woman work out, at what point should I break up with my sub? Should I tell her about the other woman? Should I tell her in advance we are ending (“Your next visit will be our last”) or should I just ask her to come over and break up then (“We both knew this was only going to last so long”)? Do I help her find a new Dom? This isn’t a regular breakup, so I’m not really sure how to do it. My sub loves to serve, so would it be cheating on my next girlfriend if I let her keep doing domestic tasks for me, but nothing sexual? Should I tell my next girlfriend that I had a sex slave for a while? Deciding On Method Hm. My mother never warned me about guys with piercings, tattoos, or kinks. My mother did, however, warn me about guys who think a hidden tattoo or a discreet piercing somehow makes them more interesting than they actually are. “Those guys are always douchebags,” my mother used to say. Still does. But, hey, my mom isn’t the guest expert you need.

“The fact that you’re having a dominant/submissive relationship with this older woman is immaterial,” says Mistress Matisse, a pro Dom, expert flogger, and prolific blogger (mistressmatisse.blogspot.com). “It’s an intimate sexual relationship, so forget d/s in your handling of this. It’s clear that you’d be happy to continue on with them both, at least for a while, so the question is more polyamory skills than BDSM etiquette.” So what does Matisse think you should do? “Tell both women exactly what’s going on, immediately,” Matisse continues. “Your girlfriend-to-be wants to get to know you? Well, if she can’t handle the fact that you’ve been having a d/s relationship, you better find that out now. Her response will certainly give you a clue as to how kinky your future sex life with her might be. But full disclosure, pronto, is best. Anyone who has been ‘hurt before’ is apt to be touchy about discovering perceived dishonesty down the road.” And what about your sub? “Your submissive is also deserving of your honesty,” says Matisse. “She may decide she wants to end your relationship, or she may be willing to continue in a nonsexual arrangement if that’s offered her. If you are extremely lucky, your submissive and your GF-to-be may decide they can coexist in some fashion, at least for now. God knows I’ve dated men who really needed someone to pick up after them, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to do it.” And how does one properly break up with a submissive, if it comes to that? “Make a date with your submissive and respectfully inform her that you are ending the relationship,” says Matisse. “Wish her well and say good-bye, no last blowjobs for the road. And do not offer to find her a new Dominant - trust me, she’ll have no trouble at all finding another Dominant to accept an arrangement like the one you’ve described.” I’m trying to figure out how to do a “Santorum” down here in New Orleans, where a repulsive state senator named Steve Scalise is making a bid for the U.S. House of Representatives. The most recent occupants of this particular seat are Bobby Jindal, who was just sworn in as our new Republican governor, and David Vitter, now better known as the diaper-wearing, hooker-lovin’ U.S. sinator. So historically, the First District is a pretty good stepping stone for ambitious homophobes. And Scalise (www.stevescalise.com) may be the worst of the lot. He pushed through an anti– gay marriage and civil union amendment a few

years back, and he’s really playing up his fagbashing, fetus- and gun-lovin,’ anti-immigrant cred in his campaign ads. My question is: What can I do to help derail this train? I think you deserve a lot of credit for helping unseat Rick Santorum, and I’d love to see what’s showing up in Kandiss Crone’s mailbox right about now. But I don’t have a legion of readers to mobilize. As unappetizing as it sounds, I’d be willing to give Scalise a sacrifice blowjob if I thought we could trap him in a men’s room tryst, à la Larry Craig. Short of that, though, any ideas about what one concerned citizen can do to help stop this creep? Please Unseat Steve Scalise Yesterday Whereas a great many gay-bashing Republicans have turned out to be closeted homos (Craig, Haggard, Allen, Murphy, et al.), and whereas spreading rumors of homosexuality is an old Karl Rove trick that has been used to derail many a political career (see “Richards, Ann”), and whereas this Scalise person is a Republican homophobe, and whereas turnabout is fair play, and whereas you have access to the internets, PUSSY, be it resolved that you don’t have to give Scalise that sacrifice blowjob. All you have to do is claim to have blown this Scalise person - or, more believably, to have been blown by this Scalise person, as all closeted Republicans are oral bottoms. Since gay sex is no longer illegal (thank you, Lawrence v. Texas), I’m not sure if it’s libel or defamation or anything if you ran around claiming you blew this guy. But I could be wrong, PUSSY, so please check with your lawyer before you register www.SteveScaliseSuckedMyDick.com. Oh, and speaking of Kandiss Crone, lots of Savage Love readers wrote to the Jackson, Mississippi, teeveenewz reporter about her idiotic, sex-phobic “sting” of a sex-toy shop, and many were kind enough to CC me. A sampling of Savage Love readers’ letters to Crone can be found at www.thestranger.com/savage/crone. In other sex-toys news, last week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that Texas’s ban on sex toys was unconstitutional. (The ruling cited Lawrence v. Texas, a gift that just keeps on giving.) And since Mississippi is under the Fifth Circuit’s jurisdiction, it would seem that sex toys even three-dimensional, vibrating ones - are now legal in Jackson, Mississippi. Someone alert Kandiss, please? Kandiss@wlbt.net. Download Savage Lovecast (my weekly podcast) every Tuesday at www.thestranger.com/savage. mail@savagelove.net

FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

30 • OUTLOOK WEEKLY

It’s Coco Peru at Q This Weekend! ABOUT TOWN

Promo Productions presents storyteller and comedian Miss Coco Peru to Columbus for an exclusive performance Feb 29th and March 1st at 10 pm at The Q Bar & Nightclub, located at 205 North Fifth St, corner of Fifth and Spring streets. Miss Coco Peru is best known for her screen roles in Trick and Girls Will Be Girls. Where Coco shared best actress award with his co-stars at the HBO Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen as well as best actor award at Outfest, L.A.’s Gay and Lesbian film festival. Other film appearances include To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar, Nick and Jane, and Straight-Jacket. Coco can also be heard in the Disney feature film THE WILD as

Mamma Hippo! Miss Coco Peru has also appeared on TV in Arrested Development, Will & Grace, New York Undercover, Showtime’s Rude Awakening, Bravo’s Boy meets Boy and Bravo’s Sexiest Moments in film just to name a few. In 2005 Coco taped her very own half hour comedy special for LOGO. The special, part of the Wisecrack series, airs regularly on LOGO. “Hilarious, inebriating and elegant all at the same time…If there were an award for most girlish and glamorous, funniest, mouthiest diva/icon/trannie/comedian, the inimitable Miss Coco Peru would win hands down,” says L.A. Weekly. Storyteller and comedian Miss Coco Peru at

The Q Bar & Nightclub Fri Feb 29th and Sat March 1st show starts at 10pm, cocktails at 9pm. Tickets are on sale now $15 in advance and $18 at the door. For further information check out www.qnation.com or www.misscoco.com.

Bringing the Hot to the Stage: Live Rap Gender-Bending Hip-Hop Fun by Mickey Weems

You think you know Queer? Feel again, baby! There’s a whole new generation of performers who are kicking Gay people’s stereotypes to the curb. Case in point: “Fo’ Dem Ladeez,” a show that brings together multiple musical styles, sexual orientations, and performance genres from the rich mix of aesthetic culture generated by Gay Black America. I went to see the show a few days ago at East Village, a women’s bar in Columbus, Ohio. Now, I had been forewarned, so I was ready to see a drag king perform with 2 rappers and a live singer. I was also prepared for a Straight man rapping on stage with a Lesbian or two or three. Nevertheless, it was still a treat to see a Straight man and a Gay woman rapping together in a Lesbian hang-out about how much they both loved women. Now that’s Queer! I never thought I’d see the day that such a thing would be acceptable. “Ladeez” was delightful, a rare combination of drag kingmanship, rhyme-spitting, and exquisitely professional singing. The crew consists of DaLyrical, Luster Dela Virgion, and the sibling duet known as UntouchablE (Unecc and E). These folks went from number to number, mixing it up as they went along. You never knew what they would do next. There were all kinds of booty-shaking, sexy grinding, lyrics that go from the romantic to the hilarious to the scan-

dalous. At some point in the evening, the women in the audience sang along and even danced with them. It’s a Hip-Hop, soulful Vaudeville revue turned house-party. “With most shows, you see the drag king, then you may see a couple of acts in the middle,” said Unecc (pronounced “Unique”), who is a rapper, on-stage sexual healer, and E’s older sister. “I thought it would give us an edge to perform it like a Hip-Hop musical.” “It’s very hard to do an 80 minute show and not be exhausted at the end,” Unecc added. “But it’s great fun being on that stage. I love how we just took drag to a whole different level. It’s hard to mix Hip-Hop with anything nowadays and people not be fearful, so it’s great to see the reactions as the show flows on. People really don’t know what to expect.” No surprise, then, that the audience is caught off guard by their shenanigans. “At first, folks just can’t believe what is going on,” said drag king icon Luster Dela Virgion, co-founder of Fast Friday Productions. Many folks associate Hip-Hop with negativity and violence. Not so “Fo’ Dem Ladeez,” said Luster: “Our shit isn’t about a whole bunch of ‘Hate you!’ and ‘I am going to have you killed while I am driving in my $200,000 car with my sexed up hoes and 10 pound platinum

jewelry!’ Hey, I am not saying I wouldn’t mind the car, the hoes and the jewelry, but in these times there are more important things in life.” When it comes to verbal boots-knocking, the crew is definitely not PG; they are more like XXX: “Folks are happy that we get sexy with it,” said Luster, “that we are bringing the hot to the stage, that we interact with the audience and they are just loving the love we bring.” “Fo’ Dem Ladeez” is a lesson in the ethics of laughter and appreciation over the current message of fear and division that we all too often hear. Too many of us live apart from whole portions of America for our own self-protection. But the biggest danger to us all is if we become too separated, if we no longer try to cross the barriers that separate us. No, let me be point-blank: if we no longer try to dismantle those barriers, not simply cross them, we risk our own destruction as individuals, communities, and even species. Separation leads to isolation, which, in a world that is becoming progressively more and more triggerhappy, is one short step away from extinction. Performers like DaLyrical, E, Luster, and Unecc are absolutely necessary for our survival, as well as plain good fun.

COLUMBUS NEXT MEETING: MARCH 11, 6P-8P; LOCATION: East Village (630 N High St): Rock, drag, & network • www.networkcolumbus.com FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008

OUTLOOK WEEKLY • 31

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THE LAST WORD by Chris Crain

Rethinking the ‘Gay Agenda’ If the election results in a gay-friendly Congress and White House, we need to reconsider the legislative priorities for the movement. This year’s presidential primaries have been so exciting that it’s important that those who care about the gay rights movement remember to focus on what exactly we want from the new president and Congress next year. Disenchantment with President Bush has greatly improved the odds that either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton will beat John McCain in November. The Democrats are also very likely to solidify their control of Congress, since a remarkably high number of Republican members of the House are retiring this year and the one-third of the Senate up for re-election includes many more GOP seats. But if all goes well for the Democrats in November, what will be the top items on their “gay agenda”? It’s critically important that we – gay and lesbian Americans – set that agenda, rather than having it dictated to us by the Democratic Party. Politics is by nature self-serving, and politicians from both parties will always reach for the low-hanging fruit unless pressured to actually risk some political capital. That’s actually been the strategy of the movement’s leaders as well, at least since 1996. That’s when they scrapped legislation

seeking to add “sexual orientation” to existing civil rights laws that cover employment, housing and public accommodation. They replaced that broad bill with the narrow Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The idea was that polls showed the public most sympathetic to someone being fired for being lesbian or gay, and it was important to get some – any – federal gay rights law on the books. And it almost worked. The Senate came within a vote of passing ENDA, and Bill Clinton was certainly ready to sign it. More than a decade later, it’s past time to reexamine whether ENDA should still be at the top of the gay agenda for Congress. For one thing, states and local governments have gone a long way to bridge the gap. Today, more than half the U.S. population lives in areas where non-discrimination laws include “sexual orientation,” and the dramatic changes in the culture in the last 10 years have made discrimination far less common in the other half of the country as well. In addition, the growing influence of transgender activists and their allies within the movement opened up a difficult and divisive debate last fall about what to do if the votes aren’t there for including “gender identity” in ENDA as well – do we go forward with the gayonly ENDA that has been introduced every year

until 2007, or wait until there’s enough support for transgender protections as well? As a result of that division, ENDA is no longer the most likely legislation to break the barrier on federal gay rights legislation. The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, which includes gay and transgender protections and has already passed both houses of Congress in different forms, and in terms of popularity is really “the new ENDA.” With a gay friendlier Congress and White House, the hate crimes bill should become law fairly quickly and without much controversy. But a divisive and risky ENDA shouldn’t be next on the list. The highest legislative priorities of the movement ought to be redressing where the government itself is discriminating against lesbian and gay Americans – especially when that unequal treatment is widespread, affecting almost all of us and in a significant way. Measured that way, the next priority ought to be repealing the Defense of Marriage Act – at least the portion that blocks federal recognition of valid marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples by the states. Repealing DOMA should be accompanied by a bill that treats state-issued civil unions and domestic partnerships like marriages under federal law as well. Two-thirds of the public already sup-

ports gay marriage or civil unions, so the support is already there. Marriage is certainly more universal than job discrimination. More than 90 percent of Americans get married at some point in their lives, and given the hefty number of gays in that remaining 10 percent, it’s safe to say almost all of us will enter into a committed, long-term relationship at some point in our lives. Workplace regulation, however justifiable, faces non-bigoted objections about the government intruding into the private sector. Even libertarians who are broadly supportive of gay rights object to ENDA on this ground. It’s also true that many more gay and lesbian Americans would marry, if they could, than are fired from their jobs due to their sexual orientation. And while it’s relatively easy to get another job in the diverse U.S. economy – or move to a state that has gay workplace protections – the hundreds of legal rights that come from federal recognition of our relationships are irreplaceable.

LIBRA (Sep 23 - Oct 22): Remember your manners, dear! Although you’re quite famous for them, an odd combination of aggressive outspokenness and eager playfulness has you acting out. There’s a time and a place for everything. Make the time, find the place, and go wild!

CAPRICORN (Dec 21 - Jan 19): Don’t get too clever with your finances right now. Nothing beats old-fashioned work. Adaptability is good, but think ahead carefully before making any changes. Confiding in a colleague could be helpful, but choose your confidante very carefully!

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

ARIES (Mar 20 - Apr 19): You could listen, learning a lot that could sharpen your perspective on goals and coming events, or you could tell the world what you already know and hope for. Can you provoke discussion with a few words and then listen and learn?

CANCER (Jun 21 - Jul 22): Your seductive gifts are evident, perhaps a bit too much so. Dithering makes it worse. Decide quickly what and whom you want. Approach them gently, and hold some of what you offer in reserve. An aura of secrets and surprises will help!

TAURUS (Apr 20 - May 20): Thinking the boss loves you and that you can do anything may be correct. Don’t take that as an excuse for fancy spending. You’ll gain much greater favor by exercising due economy and finding new ways to save.

LEO (Jul 23 - Aug 22): Your energy for social action is admirable, although your efforts to recruit comrades to the cause may scare off more people than it attracts. Let your efforts speak for themselves, and you may draw more friends by example than by persuasion.

GEMINI (May 21 - Jun 20): Your daring new perspectives are indeed brilliant, and you have the wit to get them across. Your ego, however, could get in the way. Have a good run, and work off that energy before any important conversation.

SCORPIO (Oct 23 - Nov 21): Efforts to soothe family situations can backfire horribly. Your choices are few and simple: Home could feel either like a “bawdy house” or like the unlucky family from Greek tragedy, the House of Atreus. Go for the fun; keep family connections VIRGO (Aug 23 - Sep 22): Your efforts at terse, upbeat, and at arm’s length. collaboration can be very fruitful, but SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 - Dec 20): Fun might make the boss nervous. If you’re and flirtation is just part of who you are. organizing a union, be very careful. If you’re simply doing your job, make sure Your partner should accept that, but now it’s a sore point. Are you overdoing it, or to connect through normal channels, and welcome constructive criticism from is Baby just being cranky? Either way, remember who comes first in your life, and above. be accommodating!

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 - Feb 18): Can your fabulosity possibly be excessive? Sometimes less is more. Your competitive streak in any game can also be over the top. It should be more about fun than victory - and what’s winning a game worth if it alienates your friends? PISCES (Feb 19 - Mar 19): Your psychic gifts are a bit stronger, but that’s a mixed blessing, perhaps exposing more family secrets than you really want to deal with. Cleaning out closets and storage can draw your energy in an easier direction.

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.

FEB 28 - MAR 5 2008