Out on the Town Publisher/Editor-in-Chief:
Mike Halterman mike@outonthetownmag.com (479) 244-0578 Creative Director: Joshua Beadle Webmaster: Chris Van Epps Writers: Tori Mattison, Pollo Del Mar, Berneta Haynes, Cristina Marrero, Amanda Molé, Joey Amato Photo Credits Kandi Burruss photos courtesy of Ms. Burruss and NBC Universal/Bravo TV. St. Louis photos courtesy of OUTreach Public Relations.
Editor’s Note: Hey, y’all! The long-awaited day has finally come…The Advocate released their May 2012 issue, which featured Out on the Town Magazine and me in their prestigious “Forty Under 40” yearly spread! I was given an advance copy of the spread via e-mail and I couldn’t wait until I could share it with everyone! It took about a week but it has now since been released online and sent out to magazine subscribers via the postal service. Look for me on page 27! We are now in the throes of our annual pride and party seasons! Pollo Del Mar, who has been such an asset to the magazine, interviewed another fabulous pick – this time it was Real Housewives of Atlanta and former Xscape member Kandi Burruss. I’ve always liked Kandi – quite frankly, she seems like the only woman on RHOA who isn’t annoying or a bitch – so I’d like to have a kaikai with her over mint juleps. Kandi, call me! This is the perfect time to advertise in Out on the Town – not only have we just received national attention with thousands of eyes on us not just in our region, but all across the country, but summertime is when the South is the most sultry, hot and happening! Why NOT advertise now? What’s stopping you? It can’t be our prices because they are quite amazing. :) Hope you’ll like what we have coming up for June; I know I was floored when I heard about it! Thank Pollo, everyone!
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Sincerely Yours, Mike Halterman Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
Table of Contents:
Tori Mattison’s Lowdown ........................................................................................ 8-9 COVER STORY: Getting Inside Real Housewives Star Kandi Burruss .................................. 12-13 Travel: Out Destination - St. Louis .......................................................................... 14-15 Pensacola Memorial Day Weekend: Spotlight on The Cabaret ............................................... 16 Jackson’s Bottoms Up Gets a Facelift ....................................................................... 20 Gains for GLBTs in Republicans’ “War on Women” ................................................... 22-23 Kentucky Case Spotlights First Implementation of National Hate Crimes Law ........................ 24 Missouri Gun Owners Are a “Protected Class”…But Not GLBTs ................................. 26 Bars and Clubs Yellow Pages ............................................................................. 30-31 OUT ON THE TOWN MAGAZINE is published by OUT ON THE TOWN PUBLISHING, LLC Copyright 2012 Out on the Town Publishing, LLC
Opinions expressed in the pages of Out on the Town Magazine are not necessarily those held by the owners of Out on the Town Publishing, LLC. or its staff. Publication of the name or photograph of any living person or organization in articles or advertising in Out on the Town Magazine shall not be construed or implication made as any indication of the sexual orientation of such persons or organizations. All copy, text, display, photos and illustrations in the ads are published with the understanding that the advertisers are fully authorized, have secured proper written consent for the use of names, pictures and testimonials of any living person, and Out on the Town Magazine may lawfully publish said ads. The advertiser automatically agrees by submitting said ad to indemnify and hold harmless Out on the Town Publishing, LLC from any and all liability, loss and expense of any nature out of such publication. The deadline for the monthly release of Out on the Town Magazine is the third Friday of the month at 11 a.m. Central Time for advertising submitted from an outside graphics firm and the third Monday of the month for new advertising made and designed in-house by Out on the Town Magazine (extra fees apply). In the event that an ad is accepted after deadline, the advertiser agrees by submitting such an ad to indemnify and hold harmless Out on the Town Publishing, LLC from any and all liability, loss and expense of any nature that may arise from any error that may be made in said ad. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or in whole of this publication without written permission is prohibited.
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Tori Mattison’s LOWD¥WN
Did you miss me? I’m terribly sorry, I had a few things to take care of last month so I was not able to give you the lowdown, but I’m back and roaring for May! I have to admit, I’ve caught a bit of pageant fever this year. Pageants are something that I’ve always had a fascination with. I’ve competed in several small-name pageants in my career and have won every time, so I think I’m feeling confident enough to try a preliminary for a national level pageant. I’m the type of lady who likes to do her research before I jump into anything, so I’ve begun my quest to find the perfect pageant for me!
Mississippi’s own Tanisha Foxx is a Miss Gay America girl, who will be competing for her ticket to nationals at Miss Southern Elegance on May 5th. This will be her third year competing with the Miss Gay America system, and last year she made Top Ten! I will be traveling with her to Monroe, Louisiana to watch the pageant and show my support at Club Pink. Also competing for the title will be Bambi Bextor – who was voted Out on the Town fan favorite drag queen for
the state of Louisiana, and Mississippi native Stephanie Lane... along with many others. Speaking of Mississippi, Bottoms Up hosted their first annual Miss Bottoms Up pageant on the 27th of last month, and I was one of the contestants! How did I do? Well, I don’t know yet because I wrote this article a week before the pageant! If you wanna find out, look me up on facebook and see. In my journey of researching the perfect pageant, I went to Memphis on March 10 to view Miss Gay Mid-America at Crossroads. It was an eye-opening experience and showed me that the smallest mistake on stage can cost a lot of points. Six contestants from all over the region tore the stage apart competing for their ticket to nationals. Sally Sparkles from Dallas, Texas won the title and did a wonderful job, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of Sasha Leigh Chambers who is from Enterprise, Alabama. Sasha has been entertaining for 13 years and has won 30 titles, one being a state level and one being regional. When you’re in Dothan, be sure to drive out to Club Imagination and check her
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out. Imagination is the largest club in the Southeast which brings in a crowd of 500 on Fridays and close to 1000 on Saturdays. You can catch Sasha on Fridays and Saturdays. I was very surprised when she didn’t win Miss Gay Mid-America, but the judges are always looking for any reason to take away points, and it just wasn’t meant to be. She gave great advice when we chatted; “When you compete in a competition, you are paying for the opinion of five people who may not be in your favor. You have to respect them for their opinion but you never have to take everything literally.” Well said Sasha! I can’t wait to see you entertain again!
Also while I was in Memphis, I was finally able to see Akasha Cassadine in person! We’ve been friends online for a while and chat fairly often, so I was very excited to see what she brought to the stage! Akasha is native to Memphis and has been doing drag since Halloween of 2001. I sincerely believe that Halloween is the key to all doors of drag being opened. My first time in drag was Halloween as well! Anyway, Akasha was a jewel onstage. Her short talent, creative presentation and evening gown radiated positive energy and her smile was most genuine to me. I enjoyed her talent also because of the way she made herself look so plain when she was so glamorous for all other categories. I had a blast in Memphis and will definitely be going to Spectrum to see her again. She’s there every Friday and Saturday, and also hosts on Saturdays. One phrase of wisdom that Akasha gives from Queen to Queen is “Pads are a must...we don’t wanna see a beat mug with square hips and boy dents!”
Aubrey Synclaire is another Miss Gay America girl who lives in New Orleans. Aubrey is one of my favorite facebook friends because she is always so nice and positive, and she’s a hoot! She keeps me laughing when we chat. Aubrey is the current reigning Miss Gay Central Louisiana America 2011 and this girl is BUSY too. You can catch her all over the state of Louisiana! Her main spot is the Bourbon Pub in New Orleans, but to keep track of her schedule you should add her to your facebook. I asked her about drama, and her response was “Drama unfortunately is always around somewhere. When someone tries to start drama, I either disengage myself from the foolishness or try to reason with the individual in a respectful and appropriate matter to shut down the situation.”
Aside from Miss Gay America, I’m looking into All American Goddess At Large and Miss Gay United States At Large. All three systems seem phenomenal, but each system has different ideals and standards. Honestly, I’m enjoying all the research that I’m putting in; learning about formers, watching talents on YouTube, reading all the sites and forums. It’s been a blast. Hopefully soon I’ll be able to try my hand at one of them. Wish me luck!
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Akasha, Aubrey, Tanisha, Sasha MAY 2012 | 9
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21 N Block St. Fayetteville, AR
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Monday Thru Saturday 9pm - 2am Sunday 5pm - 10pm
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MAY 2012 | 11
COVER STORY
¥ Kandi Burruss
Getting Inside Real Housewives of Atlanta Star
By Pollo Del Mar
From writing Grammy-winning hits for the biggest names in pop music to starring in not one but two Bravo reality shows this year, Kandi Burruss has done it all. And, as fans know, The Real Housewives of Atlanta favorite holds nothing back while doing it! Whether discussing her planned Bravo spin-off The Kandi Factory -- where she’ll mentor music industry hopefuls -- or adult toy line, Bedroom Kandi, Burruss always “keeps it real.” This proves no different when Out on the Town sits down with the singer/songwriter who first shot to fame over a decade ago, penning sassy charttopper’s like “Bills, Bills, Bills” for Destiny’s Child and TLC’s “No Scrubs.” In this sexually-charged interview, Burruss shares about her gay fans, why a new album probably isn’t in the works, and her UStream series Kandi Koated Nights. Find out which of the star’s answers is so frank, it makes even acclaimed celebrity journalist Pollo Del Mar blush!
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Why do you love hosting parties for your gay fans? To be honest, they always throw the best parties! (Laughs.) Whenever I get asked to host a party for the LGBT community, I always do. I'm not sure why that is, but I always have more fun.
not good for my brand.” A lot of people want to make themselves seem like they’re so above what the normal person does or wants to talk about. People relate to people who are just themselves, in my opinion. I’m just going to be myself. If you’re cool with me, cool.
When did you realize you were amassing an LGBT following?
So, which is your favorite of your Bedroom Kandi toy line?
In the last few years, since I’ve been hosting parties, I guess that’s when I noticed. I do host a lot of parties in the gay community. Also, in the world of Twitter and Facebook, you can definitely tell who follows you. Well, mostly through Twitter, because I'm more of a Twitter person than a Facebook person. I definitely could see through that as well.
I read you might get your own series on Bravo, where you'll guide aspiring musicians?
Yes, it's called The Kandi Factory. They've already announced it. We filmed a special, and audiences responded really well to it, so now they're bringing me back for a whole season. I think we're filming eight episodes, with me working with two performers each episode. I'm really, really excited! They will be doing auditions, so keep checking BravoTV.com or my website. I can't wait!
That begs the question: when will we get new music from you? I don't know. It takes so much time to produce new music on your own, then you have to be on the road promoting it nonstop. All the time I would spend touring to promote new music is time I can't be doing other projects, like filming Housewives, working on my other businesses, and I'm a mother, too, so I need to make sure I have time for that. If I do release new music, it will probably be a single or maybe an EP. I don't think you'll see a new album from me for a while. Also, if I released new music, it would probably be something completely out-of-the-box for me.
Many Real Housewives use their fame outside of TV, but you’ve made some… unusual...business choices. (Laughing.) I get it! I understand what you’re saying. You mean as far as the Bedroom Kandi thing?
Absolutely! And also your Ustream sex and love show Kandi Koated Nights. I would never have expected either.
For me, I think it just happened, and I flowed with it. It was just something I was doing for fun, and it caught on. By doing it for so long, that’s how the idea of doing an adult toy line came into my head. With the adult toy line – and with Kandi Koated Nights, period -- the whole sex talk/conversation, a lot of women who are “celebrities” shy away from that. They want to have this image that they’re so perfect. I’ve actually had women I’m cool with, who are celebrities, be like, “Oh, I can’t do that! It’s
I’d definitely have to say “Happiness & Joy,” because I definitely love dual-stimulating vibes. I love to have the “Happiness” on the inside and “Joy” on the outside! (Laughs.) That’s the best. I mean, if you’re going to stimulate both spots at once, have at it! That’s the way I look at it. That’s my favorite, but then I do love the lipstick (“personal massager”) “Kandi Kisses.” (Laughs again.) I love it because it’s so discreet. You can have it in your purse, and nobody knows what it is!
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I blushed when you mentioned ‘dual stimulation.’ You’re right, many people aren’t comfortable discussing sex!
Yeah, I’m just not really secretive. Don’t get me wrong. I have times where I think, “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.” For the most part, I don’t really care. I know different people will pass judgment on you for different things you’ve said or done. They'll be like, "Did you hear she did that?!" I’m the type of person, I’d rather tell you myself. Let’s be real. Who doesn’t have sex? There are a couple of adults out there who have held onto their virtues… (Laughs loudly.) But there are a lot of us out there having fun, doing our thing. Look at Sex and the City. Millions of women go out and see those movies whenever they come out, and even dress up as their favorite Sex and the City character, and it’s not because they talk about the latest trends, OK? It’s because of the relationship talk and sex talk.
Do you think your openness sexually attracts an LGBT following?
Maybe so? I don’t really know. Some people say, “I’ve loved you since you were in Xscape” or “I love the songs you’ve written for other people!” Or they may love me on The Real Housewives. Maybe they love Kandi Koated Nights or whatever. Different people have different reasons why they like me. Other people don’t like me or don’t like my personality on the show, but they like my toys. This one girl tweeted, “I can’t stand Kandi…But I’m still going to buy me one of those dildos!” (Loud laughter from us both.) I thought that was so funny! For More Information, Follow Kandi: Twitter.com/ Kandi Follow Pollo Del Mar at: Twitter.com/ TheGlamazonPDM Read more of Pollo’s interview with Kandi at outonthetownmag.com.
MAY 2012 | 13
OUT DESTINATION
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ST. LOUIS
By Joey Amato
St. Louis, commonly referred to as “The Gateway to the West” is home to some of the country’s most recognizable corporations including Enterprise Rent-ACar, Edward Jones Investments Energizer, and of course, the city’s most popular company, Anheuser-Busch. The city is also home to three professional sports teams: The St. Louis Cardinals, Blues and Rams and is one of the LGBT capitals of the mid-west. Visitors arriving to St. Louis should take note of the MetroLink. The train system has two routes, is easy to navigate and is an inexpensive way to travel throughout the city. MetroLink connects Lambert-St. Louis International Airport to downtown as well as a host of other neighborhoods worth visiting including my personal favorite, Forest Park. Forest Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. At 1,371 acres, it is approximately 500 acres larger than Central Park in New York City. Forest Park is home to the Art Museum, Science Center, Zoo, Jewel Box Greenhouse and History Museum, as well as a 7.5-mile biking, jogging and skating path. Most of these attractions are free of charge. The St. Louis Zoo is home to 655 species of animals, many of them rare and endangered. Catch a glimpse of the cheetah, African black elephant, lion and penguin habitats while enjoying a leisurely day with friends and family. Later this year the zoo will open Sea Lion Sound, combining a spacious new sea lion habitat with the zoo’s popular Sea Lion Show. A brisk walk through Forest Park will lead you to another great attraction, the St. Louis Art Museum. The museum is among the nation’s leading comprehensive art museums with collections that include works of art throughout history. Most notable are the Chinese, pre-Columbian and 19th & 20th Century Masters galleries. The museum building itself is an architectural masterpiece and a highlight of the park. St. Louis’ most recognizable icon is
without a doubt, The Gateway Arch, the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in downtown St. Louis. The arch was completed in 1965 and at 630 feet, the stainless steel structure is the tallest man-made monument in the country. The view from the top is a site that should not be missed. Don’t forget to bring your camera! After a day of history and culture, head to the Central West End neighborhood, a gay-friendly destination, with numerous sidewalk cafes, small boutiques, and antique stores. The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis is also located in this neighborhood and houses the world’s largest collection of mosaic art. The cathedral, designated a basilica in 1997, was built between 1907 and 1909 and is one of St. Louis’ main attractions. Those looking to stay close to LGBT nightlife should check in at The Cheshire, a boutique hotel reminiscent of a traditional British inn. The hotel contains beautifully appointed rooms with luxury linens, deep soaking whirlpool tubs and complimentary tea service. The Cheshire truly transports visitors to the English countryside and for a while, you forget you are in St. Louis. For a quick snack, stop by Fox & Hounds Tavern and sample traditional British fare. Most of St. Louis’ LGBT culture is centered around The Grove, a growing business and entertainment district along Manchester Avenue about a five minute taxi ride from the hotel. The Grove is home to a variety of independentlyowned restaurants, nightlife options, and retail shops. Stop by Atomic Cowboy for some Mexican cuisine such as shredded pork tacos, fish tacos, or buffalo chicken sliders or head to The Bad Dog Bar & Grill to mingle with the leather and bear crowd and enjoy happy hour cocktails and traditional American fare. Ladies should make an effort to go to Novak’s, regularly voted one of the top lesbian bars in St. Louis. The vibrant bar and grill features weekly karaoke nights and a regular lineup of live entertainment.
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in Vodka Box – a glass-enclosed freezer, which people can gather in to sample dozens of vodkas from around the world. It gets quite cold inside the box, so dress appropriately. St. Louis is also proud to host one of the largest pride festivals in the region. The two-day event held in Tower Grove Park is expected to attract over 60,000 visitors this year and will feature headlining entertainment from Deborah Cox, Christine W and Pandora Boxx. St. Louis Pride will also include an Athlete’s Village and a nondenominational prayer service. Also part of this year’s festivities will be a special performance by Margaret Cho at Lumiere Place.
Gays looking to party St. Louis-style should head to Just John Nightclub located in the heart of Manchester Avenue. Just John offers an upscale environment with high tech lighting, premium sound, flat screen TV’s, private tables and the friendliest staff in town. The focal point of Just John is The Florida Room, an indoor/outdoor area that is climate controlled and features a fireplace, tropical plants and lots of windows overlooking the patio area. While at Just John, find Andy and ask him to pour you his signature Pineapple Upside-down Cake. One of the “coolest spots” to visit in The Grove is Erney’s 32 Degrees. The bar features a large, walk-
A highlight of St. Louis’s LGBT scene is the Gateway Men’s Chorus. The GMC was formed in 1988 with 22 singers and has since grown to encompass approximately 80 talented men, making them one of the most successful male choral arts organizations in the country. St. Louis is also home to numerous gay sports leagues, non-profit organizations and cultural groups, making the city a must-see “out destination.” For more information on St. Louis, please visit www. explorestlouis.com OUT Destinations is part of OUTreach Public Relations, a Nashville-based company specializing in LGBT marketing. Founded by Joey Amato in 2012, OUTreach PR has quickly become one of the most sought after companies for firms looking to target the ever growing and affluent LGBT consumer. For more information, please visit www.outreachpublicrelations.com.
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MAY 2012 | 15
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Pensacola Memorial Day Weekend: Spotlight on The Cabaret By Amanda Molé Looking for something to do over Pensacola’s Memorial Day Weekend? Check out The Cabaret, dubbed Pensacola’s “most progressive bar.” Located in downtown Pensacola next to the historic Saenger Theater, The Cabaret prides itself on friendly service and a neighborhood atmosphere. The bar also features movies, all genres of live music, game nights, karaoke, and comedy, and offers 217 fine liquors, 20 types of bottle beers, and eight draft beers. Voted one of the top reasons to visit Pensacola, there is always something happening at The Cabaret. Check out the schedule of events for Memorial Day Weekend 2012:
Thursday, May 24 Happy Hour from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by karaoke at 8:30 p.m. Too shy to get up and sing? Enjoy the entertainment from other patrons and The Cabaret’s singing staff instead.
Friday, May 25 Soaked! begins at 9 p.m. Wear your sexiest swimwear and party the night away with hot music, and maybe a surprise guest or two.
Sunday, May 27 A Beer Bust and BBQ Tea Dance Benefit will begin at 4:30 p.m. $8 will get you unlimited beer until the kegs run dry. $13 will buy you the beer and a barbeque dinner plate. The Armorettes will be back to perform two more shows at 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The shows are scheduled in order to allow people to step next door to the Saenger Theater and check out Leslie Jordan's show, “Fruit Fly,” which will begin at 7:30 p.m. In this autobiographical one-man show, Jordan asks, “Do gay men become their mothers?” and takes the audience back in time as he tells his life story. 100% of all proceeds from the beer tent, food booth, and show members will once again benefit the local Against HIV and AIDS non-profit agency.
Monday, May 28 Happy Hour will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. with The Cabaret’s singing staff members. Monday Night it's Karaoke with Jeremy, who can sing anything from Broadway show tunes to Top 40 hits. Wrap up your weekend with some of the best karaoke in town at The Cabaret!
Saturday, May 26 From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., the Armorettes, also known as the Infamous Camp Drag Queens of the South, will be performing throughout the bar and on the street. For the last 32 years, the Armorettes, based in Atlanta, Georgia, have been putting on shows in an effort to raise $2 million in AIDS support services. Saturday’s show will benefit the local Against HIV and AIDS (AHA) non-profit agency. To date, the Armorettes have raised $1.9 million. Help them reach their goal!
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MAY 2012 | 19
BAR PROFILE
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Makeover! Jackson Bar Bottoms Up Gets a Facelift
By Tori Mattison
After a successful year, Bottoms Up in Jackson is showing their appreciation for the Mississippi community by revamping their look and changing things up for 2012 and 2013! Posters that once lined the walls have been removed and tall mirrors are being lined from wall to wall. New paint and trim is being splashed. We have been told that this is only the beginning! Ray Pados, one of the owners, is more than excited about the new changes and insists it will keep things interesting. "When you keep a bar the same way for too long, people start to get bored. That’s when the drama starts and the fights break out. Changing the environment keeps people interested and focused on things other than starting drama." There have been several issues with tensions and fights breaking out during the evening, usually started by something small and innocent glazed over by alcohol and throbbing bass. "Most of the time things are laid back and smooth, but every once in a while things get a little crucial and hopefully new surroundings will put an end to it." Security has increased and the friendly atmosphere helps deter any tension. Glenda, the friendly blonde who works the door, has listened to customers give suggestions and she said she is taking everything into consideration. "I love hearing constructive criticism and ways to better the bar, as long as it’s constructive and not bashing the bar!" Among the requests listed have been casting more than three entertainers for a drag show, more seating in the patio area, taking the posters on the walls down, and better bathrooms. The bathrooms and cabaret room are the first two areas to see changes, with new plumbing and more sanitary areas for the bathrooms, and a swanky new staging area to appease the drag seekers. There are many more plans to change up the atmosphere, including a new $10,000 lighting purchase for the dance floor. Also in the works are a stage in the dance floor for live musical acts, extending the patio and adding patio furniture, adding a new coat of paint, installing new lighting, instituting better drink specials, and throwing lots more themed parties and events.
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MAY 2012 | 21
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Civil Rights Gains for LGBTs as Republicans Erode Women’s Rights By Berneta Haynes
It would be an understatement to suggest that the GOP has recently decided to turn back the clock on women’s rights. More surprisingly, however, the heartlessness of the GOP’s current display of sexism coincides with unprecedented legal gains in LGBT rights across the United States. Herein lies the true irony of the moment we are living in. First, a brief history lesson. Back in 2004, for the first time, same-sex marriage became a reality when the Massachusetts Supreme Court required equal protection under the Massachusetts constitution for same-sex couples. By the end of 2011, several states had legalized same-sex marriage, either via legislation or court precedent: New York, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont, and the District of Columbia. In February of 2012, Washington’s governor happily signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage.
Meanwhile, during the same month, New Jersey’s Republican governor, Chris Christie, vetoed a bill that would have legalized samesex marriage. Yet many individuals in power are challenging the regressive Christies of politics. In February, The Advocate reported that Tonya Parker, an African-American lesbian judge in Texas, has vowed not to marry any heterosexual couples until Texas legalizes same-sex marriage. Additionally, a federal appeals court ruled that California’s proposition 8 was unconstitutional. The Pew Center, an organization that conducts sociological studies and polls, reported in February that popular support for samesex marriage continues to increase. In fact, for the first time in 15 years, the public has split evenly on the issue, with about 46% of people in favor of samesex marriage, and 45% in opposition. The same-sex marriage issue has been a
relatively recent concern in American politics and in the LBGT movement. Nevertheless, in the decade or so that this issue has permeated politics, we have gained enormous support and made amazing strides. If the beginning of 2012 is any indication, we can expect more gains and progress. At this same moment of brilliant civil rights achievement for the LGBT community, we are witnessing a serious regression in women’s rights. Unlike the same-sex marriage issue, women’s rights are not a recent concern in American politics. Women’s rights have been central in our politics for more than a century, from suffrage and fair wages in the early twentieth century to contraception, abortion, and fair hiring practices towards the middle and late twentieth century. For some reason, the men (and numerous Republican women) in politics simply refuse to
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grant women the right to be autonomous persons. More coarsely, they refuse to keep their noses out of our vaginas. The anti-woman initiatives appearing in the last few months hark back to the nineteenth and twentieth century in their sheer backwards logic. For instance, congress is currently debating the Blunt Amendment to the Affordable Healthcare Act, which would allow employers to refuse to cover any medical service they deem “morally objectionable.” In fact, congress had the audacity to invite only men to testify on this issue and immediately silenced one congresswoman who dared to speak up. As a result, several women Democrats walked out in protest. Virginia’s House passed a controversial bill, SB 484, which would require women seeking abortions to have transvaginal ultrasounds. Fortunately, the state senate killed the bill in midFebruary and cannot vote on it again until 2013. Oklahoma is currently debating a personhood bill that gives rights to fertilized eggs and stipulates that life begins at conception. Fourteen states this year have considered similar “personhood bills.” In 2011, three states, including Arkansas, enacted laws prohibiting organizations from receiving state funds for counseling or for referring women for abortion services. Five other states, including Texas and Louisiana, passed laws requiring biased anti-abortion counseling in order to delay and prevent abortions. At least ten other states, mostly in the South and Midwest, enacted laws prohibiting private insurance companies from covering
abortion, prohibiting abortion coverage under state insurance programs, and prohibiting abortion coverage for state employees. Along with Kansas and Arizona, Florida had the highest number of anti-choice bills in 2011. Yet the medal for extreme ridiculousness goes to Arizona. Arizona’s House proposed a bill, HB 2625, that not only allows employers to refuse to cover contraception but also allows any employer to fire women for using contraception to prevent pregnancy. In order for a woman’s employee insurance (that she pays the premium for!) to cover birth control the woman must provide an affidavit from her physician stating that she is not using the medicine to prevent pregnancy. In summary, it appears that we now have our very own Taliban here in the United States.
introduced a bill restricting men’s access to Viagra—the bill would require men to undergo extensive counseling and to get a notarized affidavit from their sexual partner. Thus, we haven’t yet won the battle for women’s rights, just as we haven’t yet won the battle for same-sex marriage. Perhaps many of we women had been lulled into a false sense of security in terms of women’s rights. Yet we are currently losing ground in women’s rights just as we gain ground in LGBT rights. We must seek to understand the connection between these two movements, in order for us to discern the impetus behind the laws that seek to block our progress on both fronts. After all, it is certainly no coincidence that we are witnessing such progress and such regression simultaneously in 2012.
However, not all is lost yet. Many women are standing up. An African-American senator, Judy Eason McIntyre, attended and spoke at a women’s rights protest in Oklahoma. Photographers snapped a picture of her holding a protester’s sign that read, “If I wanted the government in my womb, I’d fuck a Senator.” In Georgia, Yasmin Neal, an AfricanAmerican woman representative, recently drafted and introduced a bill, HB 1116, that would criminalize vasectomies. The bill is her response to an anti-abortion bill currently on the floor of the Georgia House. Representative Stacey Newman in Missouri has also just introduced an anti-vasectomy bill, co-sponsored by nine other women. Most famously, another African-American woman senator in Ohio MAY 2012 | 23
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The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act Finally in Action! By Cristina Marrero
According to the United States Department of Justice, on April 4, 2011, Kevin Pennington was lured into a truck occupied by two Harlan County, Kentucky women, and two other Harlan County men. Ray Jenkins and David Jason Jenkins, along with, 19-yearold Mable Ashley Jenkins and 19-year-old Alexis LeeAnn Jenkins, took Pennington to an Eastern Kentucky state park, where the male defendants then allegedly assaulted Pennington. LGBTQ Nation Reports that Pennington had asked to be returned home, but was convinced that after visiting an ironically named Kingdom Come park, the group would return him home. Court records show that David Jenkins demanded Pennington to perform oral sex on him, but the victim refused, and was threatened with violent rape if he did not comply. The truck stopped, and the two men proceeded to beat Pennington while the group shouted homophobic slurs. The DOJ released a statement on April 12, 2012, reporting that a federal grand jury in Kentucky returned a three-count indictment on the two men charged. David Jason Jenkins, 37, and Anthony Ray Jenkins, 20 will be charged for the kidnapping, assault and conspiring to kidnap. The men will be indicted with committing a hate crime under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
The President of the Kentucky Equality Federation told the Washington Blade that they had sent letters to Justice Department officials back in 2011, calling for involvement in the case. President Jordan Palmer said, “Kentucky Equality Federation requested that the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice federalize the case because local judges must keep the bulk of the population happy in order to remain in office.” Palmer’s quote continued, “Prosecuting a gay hate crime in the Southern District of the Commonwealth would definitely damage their chances for re-election.” Regardless of whether or not this case will damage anyone’s chances of re-election, the fact that it is being prosecuted under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is a victory and sign of justice for a not-always-protected American GLBTQ community.
The following day, the United States Department of Justice and The United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Kentucky released a statement declaring that the two women charged in the case had waved their indictment and pled guilty. Mable Ashley Jenkins and Alexis LeeAnn Jenkins admitted that they assisted in kidnapping and assaulting a man based on his sexual orientation. The two women will appear for sentencing in August, and could face a sentence as life imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by the big guns: Assistant U.S. Attorney Hydee Hawkins with the U.S. Attorney Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Trial Attorney Angie Cha with the Civil Rights Division. This officially marks the first time a federal hate crimes case will be prosecuted under the sexual orientation prevision of the statutes.
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Missouri House Votes to Protect Gun Owners, But Not the GLBT Population By Cristina Marrero
In Missouri, citizens are protected from employee discrimination on the basis of race, gender or religion. According to reports Out on the Town read from KOLRTV in Springfield, the Missouri House of Representatives approved H.B. 1621, which would extend protection to gun owners. What is rather disturbing is the fact that Missouri would first extend protection from employee discrimination to individuals owning guns, rather than extend the protections to the GLBTQ population. News from St. Louis (part of the NPR digital network) reported that Mike Colonna, a Democrat from St. Louis, expressed outrage that sexual orientation discrimination protection came second to the protection of gun owners. As it stands, the democrat from St. Louis and his constituents can easily be fired for their sexual orientation. Colonna remarked, “What this body has done is put protecting gun ownership above discriminating against somebody because of their sexual orientation, and I just don’t think that’s right.” In the same article, it was revealed that a remarkable 20 or so Democrats sided with the GOP by voting yes to H.B. 1621. Opposing Views revealed that State Rep. Wanda Brown (R-Cole Camp) seemed to have based her support with H.B. 1621 because of an incident in a meat packing plant in Kansas City. She claims it was a “bad neighborhood,” and the owner the plant would carry his firearm with him to work. The USDA did not seem to feel comfortable with this, and told the owner that if he did not quit carrying his gun to work, they would not inspect his plant’s meat. The senator viewed this as a violation of the man’s rights. But what of the rights of the GLBTQ community who still wait for some sort of housing and employment protection?
for a shift in priorities on the floor stating the discrimination based on sexual orientation was more commonly found in the workplace and in housing situations than discrimination based on gun ownership. Eventually Talboy was gaveled down and told the two issues were unrelated to the H.B. 1621 discussions. The bill is now headed to the state Senate, and the GLBTQ community is left wondering if their right to a discrimination-free workplace will ever be protected.
What this body has done is put protecting gun ownership above discriminating against somebody because of their sexual orientation, and I just don’t think that’s right.”
In an article from KOLR-TV in Springfield, House Minority Leader Mike Talboy, D-Kansas City, semi-sarcastically stated, “So all gay people should carry guns, and therefore they can’t be fired.” Talboy fought
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LAUREN E. RUFF ATTORNEY AT LAW
479-799-1355 28 S. College Ave., Ste. #4 Fayetteville, AR 72701 leruff09@yahoo.com
Family Law - Divorce, Custody, Adoption Criminal Defense MAY 2012 | 29
YELLOW PAGES Florida: The Cabaret 101 S. Jefferson St. Pensacola, FL 32502 (850) 607-2020 The Roundup 560 E. Heinberg St. Pensacola, FL 32502 (850) 433-8482 Emerald City/The Other Side 406 E. Wright St. Pensacola, FL 32501 (850) 433-9491 Top of the Town 15 E. Intendencia St. Pensacola, FL 32502 (850) 434-8779 Fiesta Room La Royale Lounge 100 Harrison Ave. Panama City, FL 32401 (850) 763-1755 Splash Bar Florida 6520 Thomas Dr. Panama City Beach, FL (850) 236-3450 Alabama: B-Bob’s 213 Conti St. Mobile, AL 36602 (251) 433-2262 Gabriel’s Downtown 55 S. Joachim St. Mobile, AL 36602 (251) 432-4900 The Midtown Pub 153 S. Florida St. Mobile, AL 36606 (251) 471-5090
Bacchus 455 Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36602 (251) 445-4099 Club Imagination 4129 Ross Clark Cir. Dothan, AL 36303 (334) 792-6579 Dothan Dance Club 2563 Ross Clark Cir. Dothan, AL 36301 (334) 792-5166 Club 322 322 N. Lawrence St. Montgomery, AL 36104 (334) 263-4322 Icon 516 Greensboro Ave. Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 (205) 345-3820 Al’s on Seventh 2627 7th Ave. S. Birmingham, AL 35233 (205) 321-2812 Our Place 2115 7th Ave. S. Birmingham, AL 35233 (205) 715-0077 Quest Club 416 24th St. S. Birmingham, AL 35233 (205) 251-4313 Partners Bar and Grill 631 Meridian St. N. Huntsville, AL 35801 (256) 539-0975 Vieux Carré 1204 Posey St. Huntsville, AL 35816
(256) 534-5970 Mississippi: Just Us Lounge 906 Division St. Biloxi, MS 39530 (228) 374-1007 Club Veaux 834 Howard Ave. Biloxi, MS 39530 (228) 207-3271 Bottoms Up 3911 Northview Dr. Jackson, MS 39206 (601) 981-2188 JC’s 425 North Mart Plaza Jackson, MS 39206 (601) 362-3108 Arkansas: Discovery/Triniti 1021 Jessie Rd. Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 664-4784 (501) 664-2744 Six Ten Center 612 Center St. Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 374-4678 Miss Kitty’s & The Saloon 307 W. 7th St. Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 374-4699 Trax 415 Main St. North Little Rock, AR 72114 (501) 244-0444 Jester’s 1010 E. Grand Ave. Hot Springs, AR 71901 (501) 624-5455 Kinkead’s 1004 1/2 Garrison Ave. Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 226-3144 The Chute 714 Laurel St. Texarkana, AR 71854 (870) 772-6900
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Club Push 21 N. Block Ave. Fayetteville, AR 72701 (479) 381-8090
Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St. Lake Charles, LA 70601 (337) 433-5457
Speakeasy 509 W. Spring St. Fayetteville, AR 72701 (479) 443-3279
The Drama Club 126 and 124 N. Hollywood Rd. Houma, LA 70364 (985) 580-2582 (985) 872-9997
Henri’s Just One More 19 1/2 Spring St. Eureka Springs, AR 72632 (479) 253-5795 Eureka Live 35 1/2 Main St. Eureka Springs, AR 72632 (479) 253-7020 Lumberyard Bar & Grill 105 E. Van Buren St. Eureka Springs, AR 72632 (479) 253-0400 Louisiana: Central Station 1025 Marshall St. Shreveport, LA 71101 (318) 222-2216 The Korner Lounge 800 Louisiana Ave. Shreveport, LA 71101 (318) 222-9796 Corner Bar 512 N. 3rd St. Monroe, LA 71201 (318) 329-0046 Club Pink 1914 Roselawn Ave. Monroe, LA 71201 (318) 654-7030 Uniques Bar 3217 Industrial St. Alexandria, LA 71301 (318) 448-0555 Olympus 86 Bolton Ave. Alexandria, LA 71301 (318) 442-6735
Club LAX 2301 N. Causeway Blvd. Metairie, LA 70001 (504) 834-7979 4 Seasons/The Out Back Bar 3229 N. Causeway Blvd. Metairie, LA 70002 (504) 832-0659 Billy’s 2600 Hwy. 190 W. Slidell, LA 70460 (985) 847-1921 Anything Geauxs 1540 W. Lindberg Dr. Slidell, LA 70458 (985) 643-2191 Tennessee: Tribe 1517-A Church St. Nashville, TN 37203 (615) 329-2912 Play Dance Bar 1519 Church St. Nashville, TN 37203 (615) 322-9627 Blue Gene’s 1715 Church St. Nashville, TN 37203 (615) 329-3508 Stirrup 1529 4th Ave. S. Nashville, TN 37210 (615) 782-0043 Canvas Lounge 1707 Church St. Nashville, TN 37203 (615) 320-8656
Missouri: Pla-Mor Lounge 532 S. Joplin Ave. Joplin, MO 64801 (417) 624-2722 Martha’s Vineyard 219 W. Olive St. Springfield, MO 65806 (417) 864-4572 Club Vibe 2526 S. Campbell Ave. Springfield, MO 65807 (417) 501-1041 The Edge 424 N. Boonville Ave. Springfield, MO 65802 (417) 831-4700
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Over 50 gay-owned and friendly businesses World class art community • Victorian architecture Energetic nightlife • Beautiful panoramic views Crystal clear lakes • Domestic partner registry Diversity Weekends & GLBT events year-round!
For an attractions and visitors guide call 866-947-4387 or visit www.eurekasprings.org
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