CLUB PUSH | JUNE 23 | 9PM - 2AM | 18 & Up
$5.00 Cover (21+) / $8.00 Cover (18+)
SWIMWEAR RECOMMENDED
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, Benjamin Burtt, Ronnie Jordan, Clint Lowrance, Sara Baker Ahaus, Mackenzie Azrael, Joey Amato, Erika Gilliam-Long, Cassie Fambro, Cristina Marrero Photo Credits Nearly all photographs used in the travel spread were licensed via Creative Commons for use in commercial media. Nashville photos by Joey Amato/OUTReach Public Relations. Blue Angel photo originally copyrighted by the US Navy and used under Creative Commons license. Fayetteville sign courtesy of the City of Fayetteville. Special thanks to Project Publicity for the stories on Jonny McGovern and Michael Lucas. Special thanks to the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau for their aid to Joey Amato on his article.
facebook.com/outonthetown
Editor’s Note: Hey, y’all! Pollo del Mar has done it again! This is the third month in a row she has supplied us with a great cover story, and this one definitely doesn’t disappoint! Adam Lambert made history this past month by becoming the first out gay singer to have an album rest atop the Billboard 200. While it’s a great feat, we’re a little disappointed that it took until 2012 for this to occur. As far as singles go, my memory tells me that Elton John has him bested by a good 15 years, but it’s great that Adam’s finally claimed the album charts for the gays. In other news, Out on the Town is going on a road trip this summer to meet all you readers and to nail down more advertising for the magazine. If you notice that the bar or club or other business where you pick up Out on the Town doesn’t advertise with us, be sure to talk to the owner and let them know that you’d like to see them in the pages of Out on the Town. In a perfect world we’d be able to keep on running on all the great feedback you readers give us, but money is the name of the game and it’s those advertising dollars that keep us afloat. Where should we go on our road trip? Be sure to let us know by liking us on facebook at facebook.com/ outonthetown and don’t forget to write to us with your recommendations. Sincerely Yours, Mike Halterman Publisher/Editor-in-Chief P.S. Is it just me or do a lot of readers think the magazine is called “Out of Town”? As I always say, if you’re picking up the magazine and you’re “in town,” it doesn’t make sense for it to be called “Out of Town,” now does it?
Visit Our Website www.outonthetownmag.com
Table of Contents:
Tori Mattison’s Lowdown ............................................................................................ 8-9 Cover Story: Adam Lambert Makes Billboard History ........................................................ 12-13 Jonny McGovern: The Notorious G.A.Y. ........................................................................... 16 Michael Lucas: He Was Porn This Way .......................................................................... 18 Special Supplement: Summer Travel Series ................................................................ 21-31 Obama’s Endorsement of Marriage Equality: What’s It Mean for Him and for Us? ....................... 32-33 Bars and Clubs Listings ........................................................................................... 34-35 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.
6 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
Tori Mattison’s LOWD¥WN
Ugghhh, I can’t believe they cancelled GCB! I mean, really? There is officially nothing to watch on Sundays anymore. Just needed to vent for a second. I hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful weather lately! I’m a little scared because summer has just begun, yet we are already having 80 and 90 degree days. I think this is gonna be a summer for the record books, so I’m gonna enjoy the “cooler” days while I can.
Akasha Royale hails from Springfield, Missouri and can be seen every Thursday at Pla-Mor Lounge in Joplin. With a mere three and a half years tucked in her panties, Akasha has racked up several titles already! She is your current reigning Miss Gay Queen City USofA, Miss Original Springfield Gay Sisterhood, Miss Pla-Mor Merry Christmas, Miss Edge and Miss Greater Ozarks Pride. Girl! Someone with so much talent must be a force on stage, so I had to ask, when she gets a chance to sit out and watch a show, what kind of entertainer does Akasha like to see? “I love to see passion! I would rather see someone who wants to be on the stage than someone who is covered in Swarovski stones looking bored as hell. I respect the entertainers that are thankful for another opportunity to perform!” Yes ma’am. Well, what advice would you give to a newcomer queen? “It is nice to be important, but important to be nice. In this job field performers come and go, but the nice ones go farther and the rude ones get left behind.” Mm-hmm, I know a certain entertainer who needs to TAKE NOTES! Be sure to add Akasha on Facebook, and make it out to see this fierce diva live!
¥ I’ve still got the pageant fever, and I’ve been trying to attend as many pageants as possible to get plenty of research. Bottoms Up was supposed to host their first Miss Bottoms Up pageant last month, but is has been postponed to sometime this month. the date hasn’t been announced yet, but if you’ve had a paid booking at Bottoms Up and are a resident of the Jackson area, keep your eyes on Facebook for the date and theme!
I went to Monroe, Louisiana a few weeks ago to watch the Miss Gay Southern Elegance America Pageant and had a blast! I hadn’t been to Club Pink since it was Rhythms, and I was very impressed with all of the changes that have taken place since then. The atmosphere was friendly, the pageant was awesome, and the bartenders wore Speedos and bow ties. SOLD! Jessica Jade took the title home, and although she lives in Roanoke, Virginia, she’s now representing Louisiana at nationals! Jessica has been entertaining for 13 years and can be seen traveling all over the nation. “Former Miss Virginia Regional America Diondra Dee painted my face and dressed me in female illusion for the first time the summer after graduating high school. I was instantly hooked and have been performing and heavily involved in the world of female impersonation ever since.” Currently Jessica is performing a lot of Whitney Houston songs on stage. “Regardless of the mistakes she made in her life, her voice and talent were God given. In some ways performing her music is my way of honoring her legacy and keeping her memory alive.” I really enjoyed seeing Jessica compete, and I can’t wait to see her entertain without the pressure of judges present.
Eartha Quake is someone who has a soft spot in my heart. Since the very beginning, Eartha has gone out of her way to compliment the magazine and to give me words of encouragement. Eartha hails from Little Rock, Arkansas and can be seen every Saturday at Triniti – which is one of my favorite places to entertain when I tour there. On a regular show night, Triniti packs in more than 300 eager people of all walks of life. Eartha has been entertaining for three years and her favorite song to perform right now is “Please” by Toni Braxton because, as she says, “Toni Braxton is one of my all-time favorite artists, and that song is so sickening to walk around and perform to!” When asked what her favorite aspect of the bar is, she replied “The bartenders, especailly my girl Jamie Allison. Baby, that woman knows how to make a SICKENING DRINK!” Note taken, she will be my personal bitch – I mean bartender, next time. Eartha, thank you so much for being such a classy lady. Your letters mean more to me than you know, and I hope to be seeing you again very soon.
8 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
짜
짜 짜
Akasha, Eartha, Jessica JUNE 2012 | 9
10 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
SUPPORTS
THE LGBT COMMUNITY OF SPRINGFIELD
Visit our website to learn more about our catering service. www.backyardburgers.com
JUNE 2012 | 11
COVER STORY
¥ ADAM LAMBERT Makes (Gay) History
By Pollo Del Mar “I didn’t really have any other options,” says Adam Lambert of the decision to come out when launching his music career. “I’ve been out since I was 18,” the now 30-year-old star reveals, “I have never kept my sexuality a secret.” Though the world was left to speculate about Lambert’s sexual orientation while the overthe-top showman competed on American Idol, the subject was never addressed on-air. Behind-the-scenes, though, that was far from the case. “I was out when I auditioned for American Idol. I was out the whole time,” says Lambert, who finished runner-up to Kris Allen on the eight season of the popular Fox reality singing franchise. “Everybody knew I was gay. That’s
just who I am. That’s my identity.” And, as soon as the decision was his to make, Lambert came out again, this time to the world. Though he acknowledges “it’s been a bit of a hurdle” at times because of “small-minded individuals in the entertainment industry,” Lambert has never looked back. In fact, he’s pushed the envelope at every turn. From making waves with a sexually-charged performance at the 2009 American Music Awards, to defending how gay – or not gay -his early media image was, Lambert’s visibility as a member of the LGBT community – and his career -- have built to a slow boil. Despite selling nearly 200,000 copies its first week, Lambert’s debut For Your Entertainment
12 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
peaked at #3 on Billboard charts, blocked from the top by unusually high holiday sales for albums by Susan Boyle and Andrea Boccelli. Still, with second single “Whataya Want from Me,” Lambert scored a Top 10 smash and Grammy nomination. For three, long years since, Lamberts fans – his “Glamberts” – have clamored for new material. Their wish was granted in December 2011, with “Better Than I Know Myself,” the first single from his much-anticipated sophomore set, Trespassing. Though the moody, atmospheric tour-deforce received overwhelmingly positive critical response during an onslaught of televised promotional appearances which followed, radio support for the track was practically non-existent. “The radio world is tricky, tricky, tricky,” Lambert confesses, “People don’t know!” With pressure building, Lambert’s management pushed back Trespassing’s release date. Though scheduled to include collaborations with a veritable who’s who of hit-making producers, industry sources asserted the set would be a make-it-or-break-it release for the singer. All eyes were on Lambert when Trespassing finally hit retail May 15. When the smoke finally cleared, the San Diego, CA, native rewrote history – not once but twice. With sales in excess of 70,000 copies, Trespassing debuted aloft Billboard album charts, bumping Blown Away, the latest Carrie Underwood release, from #1. This marks the first time one Idol alum has replaced another atop the charts. More importantly, though, it made Lambert the first openly-gay artist to score a #1 album! More than simply a commercial success, the set has gained widespread critical praise as well. “Because of the outlandishness embedded in everything he touches, it’s easy to not take Adam Lambert seriously,” says Billboard of the release, which received an overall “B+” rating, “This, of course, is a mistake…Underestimate him at your own risk.” Packed with infectious dance tracks like the Nile Rogers/Sam Sparro-assisted “Shady” and blazing “Cuckoo” and radio-worthy “Naked Love,” Trespassing runs the gamut of Lambert’s musical influences. Starting off as a party album of electro-flavored dance pop, cuts like “Chokehold” and “Runnin’” infuse a rock edge. Elsewhere, with producer Pharrell Williams, Lambert explores funk to its fullest on the
¥
satisfying title track, which smacks of Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.” (“That was definitely one of the inspirations for the song, for sure,” Lambert confirms.)
Still, no matter how fulfilling the party vibe of the disc’s first half, Lambert gets to the heart and politics of what it means to be an out artist on the wrenching ballads of its latter portion. “They say we’ll rot in hell/Well, I don’t think we will/They’ve branded us enough,” Lambert sings to dramatic affect on “Outlaws of Love.” “I wrote that about the sadness I feel about challenges the gay and lesbian community deals with,” Lambert shared, “Gay marriage issues, bullying and any sort of judgment or discrimination we face because of who we choose to love. To me, that’s so backwards!
¥
“Love is such a positive, beautiful thing,” he says, “And to be ostracized for it, quite frankly, can be very depressing.”
Oddly, while speaking directly to the LGBT community, and etching his place in history as one of its most visible, accomplished and vocal representatives, Lambert admits the core of his fan base falls outside his own community. He speculates past releases might not have resonated as closely as he would like within the LGBT community and hopes that changes with this record.
“I think the music is stronger on this album, and it’s a more akin to the type of artist I want to be and the type of music I want to make,” he says. “I think it reflects the community more closely.” Or, at least, he hopes it does.
“Gay men can tend to be harsh critics,” he says with a laugh, “But I also think gay men tend to have great taste!”
About the Author Dubbed “The (Drag) Queen of All Media” by The Huffington Post, Pollo Del Mar is an award-winning San Francisco-based celebrity journalist, personality and performer. Her recent Out on the Town cover stories include interviews with Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss and Oscar-winning composer Stephen Schwartz. Follow Pollo at www. Twitter.com/TheGlamazonPDM.
JUNE 2012 | 13
14 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
JUNE 2012 | 15
¥
S U O I R O T O N G.A.Y. N OF THE RETUR IMP THE GAY P
By Benjamin Burtt
THE GAYEST OF ALL TIME continues Jonny McGovern’s journey into the fabulous fairyland where queens rule, glamour is celebrated, every street is a fashion runway and every corner a dance club.
dollars for the project. Jonny has used the funds to create music videos for four of the singles featured on the album: "Sexy Nerd", 'Modified", "Dickmatized" and "Man Areas". All can be viewed on Youtube.com.
It’s been ten years since McGovern – affectionately known to fans as The Gay Pimp - released his first music album, DIRTY GAY HITS, a collection of hilarious gay themed songs. It included “Soccer Practice”, the song that would make Jonny an international phenomenon after it’s music video was spread virally by e-mail to millions. Youtube didn’t exist at the time.
In the coming months, he plans to produce another three music videos. So sit back and buckle yourselves in for a wild ride. Everyone’s favorite Gay Pimp Daddy, Jonny McGovern, is back, bigger and dirtier than ever.
The music video introduced the world to the colorful antics of Jonny “The Gay Pimp” McGovern and his queer posse, dubbed “Team Pimp”. It was added to MTV Europe and MTV Asia and helped land Jonny a role as a commentary contributor on several VH1 shows including Best Week Ever, Totally Gay, and 40 Dumbest Celebrity Quotes. It also earned him a slot on Comedy Central's all-gay stand-up show Out on the Edge, hosted by Alan Cumming, which brought him to the attention of Rosie O’Donnell, who cast Jonny as a lead player on her LOGO-TV comedy show, The Big Gay Sketch Show. A slew of comedy-music albums followed, including THIS IS NYC, BITCH! THE EAST VILLAGE MIXTAPE, GAYS GONE WILD, KEEP IT FAGGITY: THE GAY PIMP REMIX PROJECT, and last year’s GAY PIMP. His latest, THE GAYEST OF ALL TIME, was made possible by the generous donations of Gay Pimp fans who raised over 13 thousand
You have made a career out of being outrageously gay. I strive to create music that does that expresses gay sexuality and desire in a cheeky, fun and unapologetic way. Some people criticize my songs for being too sexual or making gays look bad but I also get emails from teenagers who tell me my music gave them the confidence to come out and helped them to see gay sexuality as not something to be ashamed of or swept under the rug, but to be celebrated. Does everybody really want to be G.A.Y., as you say on the album? The song "G.A.Y" does have a lot of truth to it. Especially in the last few years, a lot of what is huge in pop culture has been heavily influenced by gay club and ballroom culture. From Tyra inspiring girls to be fierce to Rihanna and, of course, Lady Gaga performing straight up drag queen style to even the Jersey Shore dudes and their obsession with muscles and tans. Gay influence is everywhere. Read the in-depth interview with Jonny McGovern at outonthetownmag.com
16 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
JUNE 2012 | 17
¥
Y A W S I H T PORN LUCAS TAKES MICHAEL THE LEAD
By Ronnie Jordan
Michael Lucas has been called many things: savvy, abrasive, iron-fisted, and a hard ass. RuPaul recently said of him, “Michael Lucas is to gay porn what James Bond is to spy work.” One thing that’s clear: Michael Lucas is a fighter. He is strong, triumphant and the porn industry’s sexiest maverick.
He regularly uses his porn stardom as a platform to speak out against social issues he finds unjust. Problems like child exploitation, anti-Semitism, religious oppression of gays, and more. Many times he faces criticism from the very community he is trying to defend. But it hasn’t hurt his film studio, Lucas Entertainment, from growing into one of the top five gay porn companies in the world. The company produces award-winning blockbusters with famously high production values. While promoting his latest, The Last Day, we sat down with Michael Lucas to get know the titan of porn just a little bit more. Why did you get into porn? I decided to enter adult entertainment right after I moved to Europe in the mid-nineties. I was a tourist on a tourist visa and I couldn’t really work anywhere legally, particularly in a strict country like Germany where you can’t do anything without papers. The adult industry is different. All I had to do was show my Russian passport to prove that I was over 18 and I could get paid. Do you ever wish you had chosen anonymity? Generally, no. Except when I am in a restaurant, having just put a piece of chicken in my mouth and someone comes to tell me that he likes my work. It makes it difficult to respond and I don’t want to come across as rude.
Lucas Entertainment has won its share of awards. Which are you most proud of? I am proud of them all because they represent so many aspects of our production. I am proud when we get awards for best movie of the year because there are so many people involved and the award acknowledges everyone. The individual awards because they honor those people individually: videographers, graphic designers, web developers, screenwriters and actors. I’m so proud that I’ve put together such a great team to work for me and each member of that team is so important. It’s easy to enjoy the accolades. How do you take the personal attacks and criticism? Personal attacks and criticism are two different things. I take constructive criticism well and it is often very useful. Personal attacks I choose to wear as a badge of honor. What do your detractors not understand? That I am exercising my first amendment rights and no one will be able to shut me up, whether they like my point of view or not. Is there a place for bareback in films? Lots of porn films and actors do not use condoms. People who produce these movies are greedy and irresponsible. I care about my community.
Read the in-depth interview with Michael Lucas at outonthetownmag.com, and visit LucasEntertainment.com
18 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
JUNE 2012 | 19
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
¥
¥ ¥
¥
¥¥
OUT ON THE TOWN’S SUMMER TRAVEL GUIDE!
It’s summer, the time for sun, fun and vacations! Gas prices have been going down, knock on wood, and this is a perfect time to see what the gay old South has to offer! We put together primers on 10 cities in our distribution area, so why not mix it up in the coming months with a visit to one of these cities? Hopefully you’ll like what you see, not just in the magazine, but in person as well!
JUNE 2012 | 21
¥ ¥SPRINGFIELD ¥ ¥¥ By Clint Lowrance
S
pringfield is the third largest city in Missouri. Known as the Queen City of the Ozarks and the Birthplace of Route 66, it is home to several universities including Missouri State University. Located along Interstate 44 and Route 66, the city features four distinct seasons and has the most varied weather in the United States according to the National Weather Service.
Springfield prides itself on its parks which include everything from the zoo in Dickerson Park to the tiered fountain in Founders’ Park, to the ice hockey rink in Jordan Valley Park. Springfield also features niche sights and entertainment in addition to the more mainstream amenities. Among them are the independently owned Downtown Clothing Exchange (137 Park Central Square) which specializes in buying, selling, and trading vintage and modern clothing; the Moxie Cinema (431 S. Jefferson), a not-for-profit movie theatre, showing everything from Hollywood classics to current “Indiewood” features and documentaries; and the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Mosque (601 E. St. Louis Street), which hosts the annual “Shrine Circus” and features concerts from artists of nearly every genre and decade. Springfield also features several locally owned Pineapple Whip sorbet stands, (www. pineapplewhip.com), and is the birthplace of Springfield-style cashew chicken. Invented by Chinese immigrant David Leong in 1963, the dish is exceedingly popular in the Springfield area and is often cited as the unofficial “dish of the city”. Though Leong’s restaurant, Leong’s Tea House, closed in 1997, the dish is currently served at over 70 locations in the Springfield area, including Leong’s new restaurant, Leong’s Asian Diner (1540 W Republic Rd), which opened in 2010.
In addition, Missouri State University features a student-run organization, Spectrum, which caters to LGBTQ students and their allies. Spectrum hosts numerous events through the school year, as well as maintaining a resource table in the student union. According to their website, Spectrum’s mission is: “To provide community for sexual minorities and their friends and supporters, and to take actions to improve the lives and welfare of the members and persons in the surrounding community through greater positive visibility of non-heterosexual people, by challenging and combating negative, libelous and incorrect depictions of nonheterosexual people, by defending the honor and value of non-heterosexual individuals, and by working with other like-minded organizations to raise the level of public understanding and acceptance of non-heterosexual persons, and the great social roles they have played and continue to play.” For lodging, Springfield features several highly praised hotels including the University Plaza Hotel ( 333 S John Q Hammons Pkwy) and the DoubleTree (2431 N. Glenstone Ave).
Springfield also features a thriving LGBT scene. With bars and clubs such as Club Vibe (2526 S Campbell Ave), The Edge (424 N Boonville Ave), and Martha’s Vineyard (221 W Olive St); the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of the The square on ice. Springfield, MO Ozarks (518 E Commercial St); and the annual Park Central Square Greater Ozarks PrideFest (which will be held January 2007 Ice Storm on June 16th), Springfield stands out among other communities in the “Bible belt”. 22 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
¥
¥ ¥ ¥
¥
FAYETTEVILLE By Sara Baker Ahaus
F
ayetteville is the third largest city in Arkansas, and is home to the University of Arkansas and its Razorbacks. Located on the edge of the Boston Mountains, the city was, at one point, the capital of Arkansas. The region boasts the world headquarters for Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, J.B. Hunt, and Tyson Foods… not to mention the thousands of vendors stationed here who work with them. Thanks to the job stability, small town feel, the university, and Fortune 500 companies, the area has consistently resided on the lists of top places to build businesses, best places to live, work, and play, best college sports towns, and best places to retire. To reach Fayetteville, one can fly in via the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA). Due in large part to Wal-Mart and its vendor offices, XNA boasts direct flights to every major city in the continental United States. If you happen to be afraid of flying, Fayetteville rests on the major north-south thoroughfare of Highway 71. Fifteen years ago, Interstate 540 was added to ease the commute to and from the area. However, if you are up for a beautiful ride on a motorcycle, the “pig trail” (the old main route from Little Rock for game days), offers a quite scenic ride through the Boston Mountains. If you happen to visit Fayetteville on a Game day, you are in for a treat. Without a Professional sports team, the entire state rallies around the Arkansas Razorbacks of the University of Arkansas. Aside for topnotch SEC football and basketball programs, the U of A Track team has won 42 National Championships (forty-two!!!). Or maybe you prefer baseball? Both the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and the Razorback teams offer phenomenal stadiums. Prefer the arts? The Walton Arts Center boasts its fair share of Broadway musicals, and Crystal Bridges, a new, world-renound museum of American art in Bentonville, provides one of the most extensive collections of American art in the world. After your event of choice, Dickson Street is the place to be. It is the entertainment district nestled right next to the University. It offers a bevy of restaurants, clothing shops, bars, nightclubs, and art galleries. The Square, two blocks south of Dickson Street, hosts the Farmer’s Market, the First Thursdays art event, The Lights of the Ozarks, and various town
celebrations. Of the Northwest Arkansas cities, Fayetteville is the liberal sibling. It offers Speakeasy Nightclub & Lounge (509 W. Spring St.) and Club Push (21 N. Block St.) for the GLBT crowd, as well as a Sunday night Club Xanadu (227 W. Dickson St.) drag show. All Out June is the Northwest Arkansas Equality Center’s Pride celebration that lasts an entire month. The crowning events of which, are on the last Saturday of the month: the Pride Parade, and the White Party. However, there are events almost every day in June. They encompass everything from Drag Bingo to a comedy night (see alloutjune.org for specific details). There is also a group called “Out and About” that gathers for Happy Hour every Thursday. Their purpose is to not only have social gatherings, but to invade businesses with a predominantly straight clientele. They do this to force awareness, and to let the world around know GLBT people are normal people too. Thus far, they have managed to forge several straight alliances through cocktails and conversations alone.
¥
Old Main at the University of Arkansas
JUNE 2012 | 23
¥ ¥LITTLE ¥ ROCK ¥ ¥ By Berneta Haynes
I
n 2012, The Advocate listed Little Rock, Arkansas as the 11th gayest city in the country. This should not come as a surprise, considering the surprising amount of diversity the city has to offer. Little Rock, Arkansas’ capital and largest city, boasts a culture as vibrant and diverse as its geography and terrain. Little Rock is home to one of the state’s major universities, University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), and a well-known historically black college, Philander Smith College. These colleges provide a nice amount of variety to the city. Additionally, the corporate headquarters of Dillard’s Stores, a Fortune 500 company, is located on Cantrell Street in Little Rock. Driving north along Cantrell will take one to Pinnacle Mountain, a popular tourist and hiking site just at the edge of Little Rock. From the peak of Pinnacle, one can look out at the river and the hilly and forested terrain of the city.
Little Rock is a five-hour drive east from Dallas along Interstate 40 and a two-hour drive west from Memphis on the same interstate. Interstates 40 and 30 converge and run through the center of the whole city. Most major airlines, including Southwest, service the Little Rock National Airport. The city is easily accessible via taxi or car. Any first-time visitor to Little Rock should plan to visit Vino’s Brewpub in Downtown Little Rock , which has a lively alternative music scene and some of the best pizza to be found in the city. Visitors should plan a stroll through the River Market District, dotted with chic shops and delicious taco stands that rival some of Texas’s best Tex-Mex. But a visit would not be complete without a stroll along the historic and scenic Kavanaugh Street, an area that remains home to Little Rock’s hippy and hipster latte-sipping crowds. Along this street, a visitor is liable to run into everything from a quirky coffeehouse, an independent video store, a poetry performance venue, or live blues music. Of note, Kavanuagh and the River Market District are the most walkable parts of the city. Little Rock’s LGBT scene, however, centers
¥
Little Rock River Market
largely in the River Market District. Most of the business and bars in the District are not specifically LGBT-themed, but they offer a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. There are several gay clubs and bars in the District, including Discovery, Triniti (1021 Jessie Rd.) and Sway (214 Louisiana St.). Older crowds should check out SixTen Center Street Bar (610 Center St.), TraX (415 Main St., North Little Rock), and Miss Kitty’s/Saloon (307 W. 7th St.). Legacy Hotel and Suites, located downtown, offers a LGBT-friendly environment and very reasonable room rates, starting at $89 per night. Additionally, Little Rock hosts an annual Black Gay Pride weekend festival during mid-July (see Arkansas Black Pride on Facebook for more information). Just twenty minutes North, the college town of Conway hosted its 9th annual gay pride festival on June 3 (visit ConwayPride.com for more information). The LGBT community in Little Rock mirrors the general atmosphere of the city itself: somewhat small but packed with excitement, energy, and a certain homeliness and earthiness rarely found in other cities of its size.
24 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
¥ ¥ ¥
¥
SHREVEPORT By Mackenzie Azrael
W
elcome to Shreveport, the third largest city in Louisiana. Shreveport is the commercial and cultural center of the Ark-LaTex, the area where Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas meet. Many people in the community refer to the two cities of Shreveport and Bossier City as “Shreveport-Bossier.” Barksdale Air Force Base is located in the area, and is one of the largest employers for the ShreveportBossier area. Shreveport is also home to eight different colleges, including a theological seminary and one of the largest nursing schools in northern Louisiana, the Northwestern State University College of Nursing. Also be on the lookout for movie stars as Shreveport has the third largest film industry in the country. Shreveport is located in northwestern Louisiana and can be found nestled along the interchange of Interstates 20 and 49. You can also fly in via the Shreveport Regional Airport. To get around there are an abundance of car rentals, or you can take a cab ride. All cabs in the Shreveport area charge an initial pickup fee of $4.00 plus $2.00 per mile. The local public transportation provider, Sportran, provides moderately extensive bus service throughout Shreveport and Bossier City. Sportran operates seven days a week on seventeen bus routes (five night routes) from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., with no night service on Sunday.
Why not take a tour of some film sets and studios? Some well-known films were shot on location in Shreveport including The Guardian, Soul Men, The Longshots, Disaster Movie, W, Mad Money, and Vampires Suck. Shreveport is home to one of the oldest bars in Louisiana, The Korner Lounge, is located at the corner of Cotton and Louisiana Avenue. The Korner Lounge has been continuously operating since 1933 (although not always as a gay bar). They are known for having the best martinis in town. On Marshall Street near the terminus of Cotton Street is the largest of Shreveport’s gay bars, Central Station. This club is located in the Central Railroad Station of Shreveport, built in 1909, and features a country and western bar, a dance club, a video bar, and a drag queen showroom upstairs. If you are traveling through the area this fall make sure to stop in during October as Shreveport celebrates Gay Pride! While in Shreveport there are many hotels you can stay at that are GLBT friendly. All of the casino hotels are GLBT friendly, and the area offers a Holiday Inn, Hilton, and several bed and breakfasts including Twenty Four Thirty Nine Fairfield, offering Victorian elegance with Southe
You will find something for everyone as there are many sights to see while in Shreveport! Shreveport is home to several theatres, museums, and performing arts groups that range from the Peter Pan Players to the Shreveport Opera, the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, and the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet. You will also find a chimp haven, exotic cat sanctuary, and several art galleries. You could also take a river boat ride on the Spirit of the Red River cruise boat, or take a gamble with Lady Luck at one of the local casinos. There are also many festivals held throughout the year such as the Mudbug Madness Crawfish celebration held each May, Let The Good Times Roll Festival held each June, Mardi Gras Parades, and the Louisiana State Fair.
¥
Outside looking in. Shreveport, Louisiana.
JUNE 2012 | 25
¥ ¥JACKSON ¥ ¥¥
¥
Jackson, Mississippi
By Tori Mattison
J
ackson is the capital and the most populous city in Mississippi, and is home to Jackson State University. Jackson is ranked third out of America’s 100 largest metro areas for the best “Bang For Your Buck” according to Forbes magazine. Jackson is located on the Pearl River, and is served by the Ross Barnett Reservoir, which forms a section of the Pearl River and is located northeast of Jackson on the border between Madison and Rankin counties. A tiny portion of the city containing Tougaloo College lies in Madison County, bounded on the west by I-220 and on the east by US 51 and I-55. The bulk of the city is to the west of I-55, while a section of Jackson known as Northeast Jackson is to the east of I-55. In recent years there has been an effort to revitalize downtown Jackson, west Jackson communities, and south Jackson communities. Over $2 billion of revitalization and development monies have been poured into the city from private redevelopment groups and federal and local funding. Metro areas of Jackson provides public busses for those who do not own a vehicle, and for those traveling, Jackson is served by Jackson-Evers International Airport and the AMTRAK train system. For tourists, Jackson offers a lot of fun and interesting things to do; such as shopping at Renaissance, Jackson’s newest outdoor shopping mall that features unique boutiques and shops; museums and historic sites like the Eudora Welty Museum; the Jackson Zoo; the Civil Rights Museum; Mynelle Gardens; and various parks. Jackson is also home to the Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet, which brings forth dancers and voyeurs from all over the world. Unfortunately, the gay community in Jackson is rather small compared to most other big cities. there are only three gay bars in the city: Bottoms Up (3911 Northview Dr.), Club Metro (4670 Hwy. 80 W.), and JC’s (425 N. Mart Plz.). JC’s is the oldest gay bar in Jackson, which has a calm “Cheers” style atmosphere, with a jukebox and friendly faces. Bottoms Up is
the premier bar, with a large dance floor, laser lighting and video music screens, drag shows and high energy dancing. Metro caters primarily to the African-American community and features drag shows, Top 40 hits, dancing and drinks. Metro is also the host bar for several black pageants, which are always amazing to watch! All three bars are very friendly and welcoming to all walks of life, and have great staff. The past several years, Jackson has played host to OUToberfest, which was a gay pride event held for one week in October. Festivities included live entertainment, vendors, food and auctions. OUToberfest was cancelled in 2011 and there was no Gay Pride event for that year. 2012 is supposed to bring Mississippi Gay Pride, which should take place sometime in summer 2012. Festivities for Pride will be the same as previous years with OUToberfest, and there is talk of a big-name celebrity headliner and a Pride pageant. For hotels, the most gay-friendly hotel in Jackson is the Hilton Downtown. Hilton has a very friendly staff with several gay employees.
26 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
¥ ¥ ¥
¥
BILOXI
By Mackenzie Azrael
W
elcome to Biloxi. Settled along the coast of Mississippi, Biloxi was once the third largest city in the state. However, following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the city is now ranked fifth. Biloxi is also home to Keesler Air Force Base and many major casinos. While many people may associate Biloxi with the devastation of Katrina, local officials say Biloxi is coming back stronger than ever. Biloxi’s economy rests on the three industries of seafood, tourism and gaming. Nestled along the Gulf Coast, Biloxi is only 62 miles from Mobile and 85 miles from New Orleans. Biloxi is served by the GulfportBiloxi International Airport in Gulfport.Biloxi’s main highway is U.S. Highway 90 (Beach Boulevard), which runs along the beach and by the casinos. Interstate 10 also passes through the northern sections of the city. Biloxi is known around the world for its seafood industry. While they were affected by the Gulf oil spill, this year is better than ever. While in Biloxi you can take advantage of a shrimping tour, where you see firsthand how the industry is run. You can find out more information about it at the newly constructed Lighthouse Park Visitors Center located across from the Biloxi Lighthouse and Pier. Here you can also visit their museum and learn about the history of Biloxi. While at the visitors center you can find hundreds of local sites, tours, and areas of interest which are suitable for all ages.
mansions and landscapes is a good spot to meet locals and tourists in the area. It’s open 24-7 on weekends, offers dancing to local DJs, and stages fun drag shows. The crowd varies depending on the night but generally includes a mix of men and women across a broad age range. Also just a block from the beaches of Biloxi is Club Veaux. Located at 834 Howard Ave., they are just blocks from the Hard Rock Casino. They have a unique atmosphere which pool tables, jukebox, beer pong setups, and drag shows alternating every other weekend. They also have some of the best food on the coast! There are numerous hotels along the coast, but according to locals they suggest the Super 8 off I-10 Exit 50 and the Hard Rock Hotel. At this time Mississippi last held an annual gay pride celebration in Jackson in October 2010. However GLBT residents along the coast are working on planning a Mississippi Costal Pride celebration to be held during the summer, so keep an eye out for future announcements!
One of the sites you must take time to see is a world famous landmark. Biloxi Beach runs from the Biloxi Bay to the Bay of St. Louis, and is the longest man made beach in the world – running 26 miles. Along the beaches are dozens of casinos where you can see shows, gamble the night away, relax at the spa, try a round of golf, or simply relax on the beach. There are only two gay nightlife options along the Gulf Coast between Mobile and the New Orleans area: the popular Just Us Lounge (906 Division St.) is handily located just off I-110, midway between the Back Bay of Biloxi (and the IP Casino Resort) and the Gulf of Mexico (and Beau Rivage Casino Resort). The festive hangout with an exterior painted with an elaborate landscape of Southern
¥
Biloxi, Mississippi
JUNE 2012 | 27
¥ ¥NASHVILLE ¥ ¥¥
¥
Nashville Ballet
By Joey Amato
A
s the largest city in Tennessee, Nashville is home to dozens of arts organizations, historical landmarks, James Beard awardwinning restaurants and fabulous entertainment and nightlife venues. Nashville is also the headquarters of the state’s largest HIV/AIDS organization, Nashville CARES, numerous gay sports leagues, the Nashville GLBT Chamber of Commerce and the Oasis Center, an organization designed to support and educate LGBT youth. While in Nashville be sure to visit some of the city’s premier LGBT-friendly cultural attractions, most notably the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. This summer, the museum will premiere “Creation Story: Gees Bend Quilts and the Art of Thornton Dial.” History buffs should head straight to the Parthenon in Centennial Park. This exact replica of the Athens original, also houses a 42-foot tall statue of goddess Athena, the tallest indoor statue in the Western Hemisphere. If you desire, try to catch a performance by the Nashville Ballet. Since its founding in 1986, the group has grown to become the largest professional ballet company in Tennessee, presenting a varied repertoire of classical ballet and contemporary works. Another LGBT-friendly highlight is the glorious Cheekwood Botanical Gardens & Museum, a 55-acre botanical garden and art museum located on the historic Cheek estate. Enjoy a brisk Nashville morning strolling with your partner through Cheekwood’s beautifully manicured gardens and admiring the culture and heritage of one of Nashville’s most prominent families. Those yearning for music history should head to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum located in the heart of downtown Nashville. The $37 million facility features more than 40,000 square feet of country music artifacts and archives in addition to a full service restaurant. The Hall of Fame is currently exhibiting The Bakersfield Sound: Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and California Country
which tells the story of the stars, sidemen and songwriters who created and popularized a new kind of country music in mid-20th century America. A vacation to Nashville would not be complete without a visit to the Grand Ole Opry, country music’s longest running show. The show brings together an incredible mix of talent to a live audience three times per week. Superstars including Vince Gill, Keith Urban, and Reba McEntire as well as new acts such as The Band Perry and Luke Bryan have all graced the Opry stage. Say hello to Top Chef Arnold Myint at one of his wonderful dining establishments which include PM, Cha Chah, and Suzy Wong’s House of Yum, the latter conveniently located on Church Street, adjacent to one of Nashville hippest gay bars, Tribe. In recent years, Church Street has become Nashville’s gay mecca. In addition to Tribe and Suzy Wong’s, the street is also home to Play Dance Bar, Canvas and Blue Gene’s as well as Out Central, Nashville’s LGBT community center. Just across the bridge from downtown, the neighborhood of East Nashville has been known as “the gayborhood” and offers tons of dining and nightlife venues to fit every taste. After a long day of sightseeing, check into the beautiful Hutton Hotel. Located in Midtown, this swanky property features an urban-chic sophistication not seen at many hotels in the city. Nashville is truly a magical place that people can’t comprehend until they see for themselves. So put on your favorite pair of cowboy boots and head on down to Music City USA.
28 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
¥ ¥ ¥
¥
BIRMINGHAM By Erika Gilliam-Long
B
irmingham is the largest city in Alabama, and is home to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Birmingham is known for the part that it played in the Civil Rights Movement, namely the black community’s nonviolent protests in 1963. Birmingham has been given the nicknames The Magic City and The Pittsburgh of the South. Birmingham serves as the home of the Fortune 500 company Regions Bank. Red Mountain lies directly south of downtown Birmingham. Birmingham’s climate is typified by hot summers and mild winters. Birmingham has a very extensive interstate system. The interstate system in the Birmingham metro consists of Interstates 20, 22, 59, 65, and a spur route, Interstate 459. Interstate 22 will be fully functional by 2014 but now stretches into suburban Jefferson County. For flying, Birmingham is served by the Birmingham –Shuttlesworth International Airport. They serve more than 3 million passengers each year! Birmingham also has the option for traveling into the city via Amtrak Railways. Traveling the city by car is the best option; however there is public transportation in parts of the city.
June 3rd – June 10th. There will be bowling, bingo, parade, music, skating, a pride dance, and more! PrideFest will take place on the last day at Sloss Furnace and is a huge day-long celebration. Visit www.centralalabamapride.org to see the full schedule of events. Central Alabama Pride also offers lots of different resources to the GLBT community in Birmingham. They offer counseling, resources for HIV testing, and support for the community in many ways. The GLBT community also holds pride benefits at The Quest, Al’s on Seventh, and Our Place to raise money to continue helping the community.
Birmingham is a wonderful place to travel to. There are so many things that can be done from visiting historic sights to partaking in family activities. The historic Alabama Theater hosts film screenings, concerts, and performances. If you are looking for something for your family – there is the McWane Science Center and IMAX. The Birmingham Public Library also offers shows for adults and children. The Verizon Wireless Music Center is a large outdoor venue that offers concerts of many kinds. Among other museums, the Southern Museum of Flight is a wonderful place to visit as well as the Birmingham Museum of Art. At the Birmingham Museum of Art, there are many different exhibits that come in from around the world. If you like the outdoors, you should visit the Birmingham Zoo or the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The GLBT scene in Birmingham is very strong. Birmingham offers The Quest (416 24th St. S.), Al’s on Seventh (2627 7th Ave. S.), and Our Place (2115 7th Ave. S.). Central Alabama Pride’s Eight Days of Pride will take place
¥
Birmingham, Alabama
JUNE 2012 | 29
¥ ¥MOBILE ¥ ¥¥
¥
Mobile, Alabama
By Cassie Fambro
M
obile, Alabama is a humid coastal town with a port that mimics New Orleans in both culture and business. Home to several universities including the University of South Alabama, Mobile combines a reputation for its community-oriented focus, southern flare and tradition to fuse into what it’s become today. With options for public transport including Mobile’s bus company The Wave, the city offers easy travel to and from destination including all academic institutions, downtown hotspots as well as the mall. Interstates 65 and 10 find their way through Mobile and millions of dollars’ worth of goods and services are transported on Mobile roads every day. Mobile’s Airport welcomes travelers home to a facility where at least ten people ask you if you need anything before you reach the gate. Eager to help people find transport, accommodations as well as other services, the airport is a rare remnant of the aviation service-industry’s original passion for customer service. When people visit Mobile, they’re going to want to see the USS Alabama, an actual battleship that symbolizes both Alabama’s commitment to the armed forces as well as our economical focus on marine technology. From the skyline with major businesses calling Mobile their central southern hub, to the streets where a coffee shop owned by John Serda has transformed from a coffee shop to a place where John knows everyone’s name even when it’s packed to the brim. Serving gelato, coffee-ice-cubes as well as alcohol selections, it features local music and a strong sense of Mobile community in the area of Mobile that has been dubbed “Little New Orleans.” Unique seafood restaurants are famous in Mobile, such as Felix’s, Wintzell’s, Blue Gill, and dozens of others all winning awards every year for the perfection in seafood cuisine. Besides food, friends and accommodations, Mobile hosts a Pride Fest in late April each year with corporate sponsors such as Budweiser intermingling with local sponsors such as Midtown Backlot entertainment to bring the community together for Pride Fest. A
member of interpride.org, Mobile Pride Fest has secured a member of the Mobile City Council to participate in the Fest, as well as making sure that even with city-wide budget cuts, the Fest still rolls. Popular bars include the extremely wellrenowned B-Bob’s (213 Conti St.), with a computer generated lit dance floor, drag shows, and much more. Gabriel’s Downtown (55 S. Joachim St.) has been named “the place to be” for the gay community since 1992, according to Mobile Bay Monthly. Right around the corner from B-Bob’s and Gabriel’s is Bacchus (54 S. Conception St.), which draws a mixed crowd with a focus on a large video screen featuring music and comedy. In the deep South, cities like Mobile have a long-way to go to integrating LGBT culture into a heavily-laden conservative culture, but they are making progress and there are places to go, things to see, and fun to have in Mobile, Alabama. After a long day of sightseeing, check into the beautiful Hutton Hotel. Located in Midtown, this swanky property features an urban-chic sophistication not seen at many hotels in the city. Nashville is truly a magical place that people can’t comprehend until they see for themselves. So put on your favorite pair of cowboy boots and head on down to Music City USA.
30 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
¥ ¥ ¥
¥
PENSACOLA By Cristina Marrero
P
ensacola is the second oldest city in the United States, and is home to the University of West Florida, the Blue Angels and the Saenger Theatre. The city also contains the most beautiful white sand beaches the state of Florida has to offer. With a fresh gulf breeze, a historic richness and small city feel, Pensacola has something for everyone. The local tourist information center is located at 1401 E. Gregory Street, and travelers can make their way to the city via I-10. If vacationers are flying, they will experience the Pensacola International Airport. While not as large as other international airports, Pensacola International is more navigable. Once in the city, tourist can get around via a variety of taxi services including Yellow Cab and Pensacola Taxi. If public transport is more your thing, Escambia County Area Transit can take you most anywhere you need. If you are looking to hitch a ride around the beach, The ECAT also provides colorful free Beach Trolleys that run May 25 through Labor Day. If visitors are looking for great food, you don’t have to travel far to find it. From the old time pub feel of McGuire’s Irish Pub to the Vegetarian/Vegan cuisine of Sluggo’s Vegetarian restaurant, great food and fantastic entertainment are guaranteed. McGuire’s has both recorded and live performances of traditional Irish tunes along with an infamous green Irish Wake (limited three per person due to potency). Sluggo’s is home to local performers and a spoken word open mic night.
city is home to both the Pensacola Historical Museum and Pensacola Museum of Art. For those interested in smaller collections, the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum offers a more intimate experience of history. The GLBT Scene in Pensacola is unmatched! Emerald City (406 E. Wright St.) and Top of the Town (15 E. Intendencia St.) are great for the younger GLBT night club crowds, while The Round Up (560 E. Heinberg St.) and The Cabaret (101 S. Jefferson St.) have more of a bar like feel. June visitors to Pensacola will have the pleasure of experiencing Pensacola Pride, which host several events between the 8th and 16th. While most pride events cost, Festival in the Park is an all-day FREE event with live entertainment, arts & crafts, and food vendors located in the Seville Square. For ticket/event info, go towww.Facebook.com/ PensacolaPRIDE. Gay friendly hotels for your stay include Skinny Dip Inn and the Pensacola Grand Hotel. Visit Pensacola! With so many sights, you’ll be glad you came!
More tourist eat hot spots include Joe’s Crab Shack and Flounder’s. Both homes to great sea food, but if you’re looking for a drink with a bang, Flounder’s is the originator of the Diesel Fuel. This drink is guaranteed to knock your socks off. Free live music can sometimes be found on the Pensacola boardwalk housing several souvenir business and restaurants including an ice cream shop that is a must try! History lovers will fall for Pensacola’s collection of Museums. For aviation enthusiasts, Pensacola offers the National Museum of Aviation, and for art and history buffs, the
¥
Pensacola Beach
JUNE 2012 | 31
¥ ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S “PERSONAL” SUPPORT OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY By Berneta Haynes Should I seek to marry a woman I love, my home state of Arkansas would not permit me to do so. President Obama’s announcement of his support for marriage equality does not change this fact. Nor does it change this fact for millions of other LGBT individuals and couples across the nation, who reside outside the District of Columbia and the other six states that have marriage equality. No, I am not trying to be cynical about the state of affairs for LGBT people in this country. Rather, I am suggesting that it is important to be optimistic while remaining realistic about the magnitude of the situation facing us in this nation. This is a moment, not of victory, but rather it is a moment of opportunity for LGBT people. For the first time in United States history, a president affirmed our unions and essentially our very existence. On May 12, 2012, President Obama stated during an interview on ABC, “At a certain point, I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.” He also added, “I’ve stood on the side of broader equality for the LGBT community. I hesitated on gay marriage in part because I thought civil unions would be sufficient.” President Obama, whether or not he realizes it, implicitly made a pact with LGBT people when he announced his support of marriage equality. However, this is not a
victory. He offered us a rope, an opportunity, and now we must tug at it more forcefully than we have ever done in the past. Notably, President Obama arranged the ABC interview hastily just days after Vice President Joe Biden announced his support of marriage equality on NBC’s Meet the Press, in his hallmark forthright manner: “I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women, and heterosexual men and women marrying another are entitled to the same exact rights, all the civil rights, all the civil liberties. And quite frankly, I don’t see much of a distinction -- beyond that.” At once, LGBT people and progressive organizations began to wonder when the President would endorse marriage equality as Biden had done. To deal with this scrutiny, Biden’s office and the Obama campaign immediately qualified and played down Biden’s statement and instead suggested that Biden’s views on marriage equality, like those of the President, were “evolving.” The goal was to assure LGBT people that Biden and Obama did not differ on marriage equality. Fortunately, many Americans were not gullible enough to believe this rhetoric, and President Obama, therefore, received a great deal of criticism from journalists, bloggers, LGBT organizations and progressive organizations. As a result, President Obama swiftly announced his support of
32 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
marriage equality. Yet we should not celebrate too boisterously. President Obama stated that he “personally” supports marriage for LGBT couples. He did not state that he would like to see a federal statute legalizing marriage for LGBT couples. On the contrary, he specifically noted that he believes marriage equality is a state issue. Essentially, he parroted Dick Cheney’s position given at the National Press Club in 2009, where Cheney stated, “I think that freedom means freedom for everyone.” Cheney went on to say, “I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish. Any kind of arrangement they wish. The question of whether or not there ought to be a federal statute to protect this, I don’t support. I do believe that historically the way marriage has been regulated is at the state level. It has always been a state issue and I think that is the way it ought to be handled, on a state-by-state basis. ...” What does this mean for us? It means that the President and his administration are unwilling to push for federal legislation mandating marriage equality. It means that we will be stuck with a confusing soup of state laws, some supporting marriage equality, some supporting civil unions only, and others outright banning same-sex marriages. It means that we will be stuck with the possibility of our marriages in liberal states likely remaining unrecognized in states without marriage
equality. In other words, the President’s refusal to recognize the importance of federal statutory protection on this issue will leave us with a complete mess of laws that vary from state to state. Certainly, it is reaffirming and important that President Obama verbalized on national television his support of our relationships. He recognized that we love like all human beings and that that is something worth valuing, celebrating, and appreciating. I can imagine what this affirmation means to younger LGBT people who face bullying and constant disapproval of their identity from their peers, parents, and other authority figures. I can imagine what it means to older LGBT people and those LGBT activists who have fought for decades to escape the invisibility borne of and perpetuated by inequality. I know what it means for me. It means that we are now in a unique position, historically, to put pressure on the President and his administration to push for a federal statute mandating marriage equality and a host of other protections currently denied LGBT people—such as EEOC protection. President Obama made history on May 12th, and now it is our responsibility to force this president to further broaden his views, to push for federal protections so that we can feel comfortable in every state rather than just a handful of states. This is our opportunity to make history.
JUNE 2012 | 33
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
34 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE
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
NOTES: ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________
JUNE 2012 | 35
For an attractions and visitors guide call 866-947-4387 or visit www.eurekasprings.org
36 | OUT ON THE TOWN | THE DEEP AND MID-SOUTH’S HOTTEST GLBT MAGAZINE