New City Council Unlikely To Take Up HERO Right Away
Turner still supports nondiscrimination ordinance, also respects will of voters.
By John Wright
Houston’s New Mayor
On December 12, pro-HERO candidate Sylvester Turner narrowly defeated opponent Bill King for the city’s mayoral seat.
Despite Sylvester Turner’s victory in the mayor’s race, don’t expect Houston’s new City Council to take up an LGBT nondiscrimination ordinance anytime soon.
State Rep. Turner, D-Houston, who supported the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, narrowly defeated businessman and former Kemah mayor Bill King, who opposed HERO, in the December 12 runo .
But two City Council members who voted in favor of HERO and won re-election said they don’t anticipate a rush to revisit the ordinance, which voters repealed by a margin of 61 percent to 39 percent on November 3.
Council Member Ellen Cohen, an LGBT ally who was re-elected to the District C seat, said although she believes a majority of the new council backs nondiscrimination protections, any ordinance likely would be subject to another public vote.
“It’s not a question I think so much as where City Council stands, as much as it is, how do we convey to the general community the importance of equal rights in this city?” Cohen said, adding that a new HERO must be accompanied by “a robust education campaign.”
Cohen stressed the need to “eliminate a false sense of fear and anxiety” among those who voted against HERO, and to “sit down with all parties and see if we can’t start addressing some of their issues.
“I’m not the new mayor, and the new mayor’s going to have to decide what he puts on his agenda, but I would say that if I continue to be granted these four years, then somewhere
along the way I certainly am going to revisit equality,” said Cohen, who’ll be term-limited in 2019.
Turner’s campaign didn’t respond to a message seeking comment. During the runo , Turner repeatedly expressed support for nondiscrimination protections, but also said he respected the will of voters.
“I have always fought against discrimination,” Turner told the Houston Chronicle after winning the runo . “That’s not changing. This is the most diverse city. It needs to be a very welcoming and inclusive city, and I’ve said that repeatedly. Now the question then becomes, ‘What are the mechanics to e ectuate that belief?’ And that’s something we’ll continue to work on.”
Openly gay Council Member Mike Laster, who voted in favor of HERO and defeated antiHERO candidate Jim Bigham in the runo to win a third term in District J, said he was disappointed but not surprised by the voters’ decision to repeal the ordinance, adding that he wished the margin had been closer.
“My anticipation is that there will be a time period of reflection, and I’m hoping that time of reflection will mature into a period of active discussion about what happens next and how that might happen and when it might happen, but I don’t see a current push to rush into any new options at this point in time,” Laster said. Cohen and Laster were among incumbent council members who overcame anti-HERO sentiment among voters to retain their seats.
“We’ve spent four years demonstrating
good customer service, and I’m very proud to have run on that record,” Laster said.
Not all pro-HERO council members were so lucky. Council Member Richard Nguyen, who voted in favor of HERO, fell to anti-HERO candidate Steve Le in the District F runo . But James Lee, president of Houston Stonewall Young Democrats (HSYD), said he believes Lee’s victory was fueled more by local issues than anti-HERO sentiment.
All told, six of the nine candidates endorsed by the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, and four of the seven backed by HSYD, won their runo s. Meanwhile, four of the nine candidates backed by the anti-HERO Campaign for Houston won their runo s.
“I think in the end, the victory’s still ours, as far as having a friendly council,” Lee said. “They may have won HERO, but we still have council and we still have the mayor’s o ce.”
Lee said he’s confident Turner will eventually revisit HERO, but he acknowledged that some council members are still “rattled” by voters’ overwhelming rejection of the ordinance.
“It’s something that I think a lot of council members will really have to take some time to figure out, and I think it’s going to be the responsibility for us, the LGBT community, to really address the issue again—to really address some of the lies that were out there,” Lee said. “It’s our responsibility to make sure we continue democracy, and make sure that we apply pressure on the people that represent us, and I think you’ll see that.” ■
Brief Summary of Patient Information about GENVOYA
Brief Summary of Patient Information about GENVOYA
GENVOYA (jen-VOY-uh) (elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide) tablets
GENVOYA (jen-VOY-uh) (elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide) tablets
Important: Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with GENVOYA.
Important: Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with GENVOYA. There may be new information about GENVOYA. This information is only a summary and does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your medical condition or treatment.
There may be new information about GENVOYA. This information is only a summary and does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your medical condition or treatment.
What is the most important information I should know about GENVOYA?
What is the most important information I should know about GENVOYA?
GENVOYA can cause serious side effects, including:
GENVOYA can cause serious side effects, including:
• Build-up of lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis may happen in some people who take GENVOYA. Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms, which could be signs of lactic acidosis:
• Build-up of lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis may happen in some people who take GENVOYA. Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms, which could be signs of lactic acidosis:
What is GENVOYA?
What is GENVOYA?
GENVOYA is a prescription medicine that is used without other HIV-1 medicines to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years of age and older:
GENVOYA is a prescription medicine that is used without other HIV-1 medicines to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years of age and older:
• who have not received HIV-1 medicines in the past or
• who have not received HIV-1 medicines in the past or
• to replace their current HIV-1 medicines in people who have been on the same HIV-1 medicines for at least 6 months, have an amount of HIV-1 in their blood (“viral load”) that is less than 50 copies/mL, and have never failed past HIV-1 treatment HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.
• to replace their current HIV-1 medicines in people who have been on the same HIV-1 medicines for at least 6 months, have an amount of HIV-1 in their blood (“viral load”) that is less than 50 copies/mL, and have never failed past HIV-1 treatment HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.
GENVOYA contains the prescription medicines elvitegravir (VITEKTA®), cobicistat (TYBOST®), emtricitabine (EMTRIVA®) and tenofovir alafenamide.
GENVOYA contains the prescription medicines elvitegravir (VITEKTA®), cobicistat (TYBOST®), emtricitabine (EMTRIVA®) and tenofovir alafenamide.
It is not known if GENVOYA is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age.
It is not known if GENVOYA is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age.
When used to treat HIV-1 infection, GENVOYA may:
When used to treat HIV-1 infection, GENVOYA may:
• Reduce the amount of HIV-1 in your blood. This is called “viral load”.
• Reduce the amount of HIV-1 in your blood. This is called “viral load”.
• feel very weak or tired
• feel very weak or tired
• have unusual (not normal) muscle pain
• have unusual (not normal) muscle pain
• have trouble breathing
• have trouble breathing
• Increase the number of CD4+ (T) cells in your blood that help ght off other infections.
• Increase the number of CD4+ (T) cells in your blood that help ght off other infections.
Reducing the amount of HIV-1 and increasing the CD4+ (T) cells in your blood may help improve your immune system. This may reduce your risk of death or getting infections that can happen when your immune system is weak (opportunistic infections).
Reducing the amount of HIV-1 and increasing the CD4+ (T) cells in your blood may help improve your immune system. This may reduce your risk of death or getting infections that can happen when your immune system is weak (opportunistic infections).
• have stomach pain with nausea or vomiting
• have stomach pain with nausea or vomiting
• feel cold, especially in your arms and legs
• feel cold, especially in your arms and legs
• feel dizzy or lightheaded
• feel dizzy or lightheaded
• have a fast or irregular heartbeat
• have a fast or irregular heartbeat
• Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems may happen in people who take GENVOYA. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become large and you may develop fat in your liver.
• Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems may happen in people who take GENVOYA. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become large and you may develop fat in your liver.
GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. You must stay on continuous HIV-1 therapy to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIVrelated illnesses.
GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. You must stay on continuous HIV-1 therapy to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIVrelated illnesses.
Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of liver problems:
Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of liver problems:
Avoid doing things that can spread HIV-1 infection to others:
Avoid doing things that can spread HIV-1 infection to others:
• Do not share or re-use needles or other injection equipment.
• Do not share or re-use needles or other injection equipment.
• Do not share personal items that can have blood or body uids on them, like toothbrushes and razor blades.
• Do not share personal items that can have blood or body uids on them, like toothbrushes and razor blades.
• Do not have any kind of sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood. Ask your healthcare provider if you have any questions about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to other people.
• Do not have any kind of sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood. Ask your healthcare provider if you have any questions about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to other people.
• your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice)
• dark “tea-colored” urine
• dark “tea-colored” urine
• your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice)
Who should not take GENVOYA?
Who should not take GENVOYA?
• light-colored bowel movements (stools)
• light-colored bowel movements (stools)
• loss of appetite for several days or longer
• nausea
• nausea
• stomach pain
• stomach pain
• loss of appetite for several days or longer
• You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking GENVOYA for a long time.
• You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking GENVOYA for a long time.
Do not take GENVOYA if you also take a medicine that contains:
• alfuzosin hydrochloride (Uroxatral®)
• alfuzosin hydrochloride (Uroxatral®)
• Worsening of Hepatitis B infection. GENVOYA is not for use to treat chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV). If you have HBV infection and take GENVOYA, your HBV may get worse ( are-up) if you stop taking GENVOYA. A “ are-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before.
• Worsening of Hepatitis B infection. GENVOYA is not for use to treat chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV). If you have HBV infection and take GENVOYA, your HBV may get worse ( are-up) if you stop taking GENVOYA. A “ are-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before.
• Do not run out of GENVOYA. Re ll your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your GENVOYA is all gone.
• Do not run out of GENVOYA. Re ll your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your GENVOYA is all gone.
• Do not stop taking GENVOYA without rst talking to your healthcare provider.
• Do not stop taking GENVOYA without rst talking to your healthcare provider.
• If you stop taking GENVOYA, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking GENVOYA.
• If you stop taking GENVOYA, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking GENVOYA.
Do not take GENVOYA if you also take a medicine that contains:
• sildena l (Revatio®), when used for treating lung problems
• simvastatin (Simcor®, Vytorin®, Zocor®)
• triazolam (Halcion®)
• triazolam (Halcion®)
• simvastatin (Simcor®, Vytorin®, Zocor®)
• sildena l (Revatio®), when used for treating lung problems
• the herb St. John’s wort or a product that contains St. John’s wort
• the herb St. John’s wort or a product that contains St. John’s wort
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking GENVOYA?
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking GENVOYA?
Before taking GENVOYA, tell your healthcare provider if you:
Before taking GENVOYA, tell your healthcare provider if you:
• have liver problems including hepatitis B infection
• have liver problems including hepatitis B infection
• have kidney or bone problems
• have kidney or bone problems
• have any other medical conditions
• have any other medical conditions
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if GENVOYA can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking GENVOYA.
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if GENVOYA can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking GENVOYA.
Pregnancy registry: there is a pregnancy registry for women who take HIV-1 medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry.
Pregnancy registry: there is a pregnancy registry for women who take HIV-1 medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry.
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take GENVOYA.
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take GENVOYA.
What are the possible side effects of GENVOYA?
What are the possible side effects of GENVOYA?
GENVOYA may cause serious side effects, including:
GENVOYA may cause serious side effects, including:
• See “What is the most important information I should know about GENVOYA?”
• See “What is the most important information I should know about GENVOYA?”
• Changes in body fat can happen in people who take HIV-1 medicine. These changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around the middle of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the legs, arms and face may also happen. The exact cause and long-term health effects of these conditions are not known.
• Changes in body fat can happen in people who take HIV-1 medicine. These changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around the middle of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the legs, arms and face may also happen. The exact cause and long-term health effects of these conditions are not known.
• Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to ght infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having any new symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine.
• Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to ght infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having any new symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine.
– You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby.
– You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby.
– At least one of the medicines in GENVOYA can pass to your aby in your breast milk. It is not known if the other medicines in GENVOYA can pass into your breast milk.
– At least one of the medicines in GENVOYA can pass to your baby in your breast milk. It is not known if the other medicines in GENVOYA can pass into your breast milk.
– Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed
• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking GENVOYA. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking GENVOYA if you develop new or worse kidney problems.
• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking GENVOYA. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking GENVOYA if you develop new or worse kidney problems.
– Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Other medicines may affect how GENVOYA works. Some medicines may interact with GENVOYA Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Other medicines may affect how GENVOYA works. Some medicines may interact with GENVOYA. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.
You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that interact with GENVOYA.
• You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that interact with GENVOYA.
Bone problems can happen in some people who take GENVOYA. Bone problems may include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones.
• Bone problems can happen in some people who take GENVOYA. Bone problems may include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones.
The most common side effect of GENVOYA is nausea.
The most common side effect of GENVOYA is nausea.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
How should I take GENVOYA?
How should I take GENVOYA?
• Do not start a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take GENVOYA with other medicines.
Do not start a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take GENVOYA with other medicines.
• Take GENVOYA exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. GENVOYA is taken by itself (not with other HIV-1 medicines) to treat HIV-1 infection.
• GENVOYA is usually taken 1 time each day.
• Take GENVOYA with food.
Take GENVOYA exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. GENVOYA is taken by itself (not with other HIV-1 medicines) to treat HIV-1 infection. GENVOYA is usually taken 1 time each day. Take GENVOYA with food.
If you need to take a medicine for indigestion (antacid) that contains aluminum and magnesium hydroxide or calcium carbonate during treatment with GENVOYA, take it at least 2 hours before or after you take GENVOYA.
• If you need to take a medicine for indigestion (antacid) that contains aluminum and magnesium hydroxide or calcium carbonate during treatment with GENVOYA, take it at least 2 hours before or after you take GENVOYA.
Do not miss a dose of GENVOYA.
• Do not miss a dose of GENVOYA.
• These are not all the possible side effects of GENVOYA. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
• Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
These are not all the possible side effects of GENVOYA. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
General information about the safe and effective use of GENVOYA.
General information about the safe and effective use of GENVOYA.
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Patient Information lea et. Do not use GENVOYA for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give GENVOYA to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them.
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Patient Information lea et. Do not use GENVOYA for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give GENVOYA to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them.
This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about GENVOYA. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about GENVOYA that is written for health professionals. For more information, call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.GENVOYA.com.
This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about GENVOYA. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about GENVOYA that is written for health professionals. For more information, call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.GENVOYA.com.
Do not change your dose or stop taking GENVOYA without rst talking with your healthcare provider. Stay under a healthcare provider’s care when taking GENVOYA.
• Do not change your dose or stop taking GENVOYA without rst talking with your healthcare provider. Stay under a healthcare provider’s care when taking GENVOYA.
• If you take too much GENVOYA, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.
If you take too much GENVOYA, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.
Issued: November 2015
When your GENVOYA supply starts to run low, get more from your healthcare provider or pharmacy. This is very important because the amount of virus in your blood may increase if the medicine is stopped for even a short time. The virus may develop resistance to GENVOYA and become harder to treat.
• When your GENVOYA supply starts to run low, get more from your healthcare provider or pharmacy. This is very important because the amount of virus in your blood may increase if the medicine is stopped for even a short time. The virus may develop resistance to GENVOYA and become harder to treat.
Issued: November 2015
Keep GENVOYA and all medicines out of reach of children.
Keep GENVOYA and all medicines out of reach of children.
EMTRIVA, GENVOYA, the GENVOYA Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, TYBOST, and VITEKTA are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.
EMTRIVA, GENVOYA, the GENVOYA Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, TYBOST, and VITEKTA are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.
Twelve Moments: Experiencing Spiritual and Faith Traditions + Start the year with the cleansing vibrations of bowls. rothkochapel.org
OPrague Shakespeare Company’s Twelfth Night * thru 10th “If music be the food of love, play on . . . .” mainstreettheater.com
ne of the funniest women in comedy comes to Houston at the Wortham Theater Center this month, and this is one funny lady you don’t want to miss. For 25 years she’s been touring the country spreading humor and wit, and she’s now also a panelist on the NPR hit show Wait, Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me. You can also catch her columns in national magazines and newspapers, specials on cable, her book There Is Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say, and comedy CDs. But seeing her in person is awesome.
“No two shows I do are
the same,” she says. “It’s not that I don’t repeat material. I do. My shows, when they’re good—and I like to think they often are—are like a cocktail party. When you first get there, you talk about how badly you got lost and how hard it was to find parking. Then you tell a story about your kids or what you just saw on the news. You meet some new people and ask them about themselves. Then, someone says, ‘Tell that story you used to tell,’ and then someone on the other side of the room spills a drink, and you mock them. No one ever applauds me when I leave a party, though. I think they high-five.”
Although she has a huge gay
following, she doesn’t define herself as gay, but instead as non- or asexual. “I thank my lucky stars I don’t have a partner,” she says. “I happen to have been born into the world a totally asexual human being. I don’t think I’d be a good partner. I don’t want anyone else’s opinion. I’ll talk to friends who are married or are with somebody, and I shudder at the discussions they have.”
She may be on to something . . . —Marene Gustin
Paula Poundstone
January 15 houstonfirsttheaters.com/ wortham-center
over Broadway * last day A whiz-bang musical. broadwayatthehobbycenter.com 121st Anniversary at The Grand + Galveston’s Grand 1894 Opera House celebrates with an open house, free tours, and cake! thegrand.com
The 39 Steps * thru 24th A rollicking homage to Alfred Hitchcock. queensburytheatre.org David Rowlings * One of the hottest string bands comes to Houston. ticketmaster.com
Klutz Amazingly Immature + thru 5th Exhibit encourages multi-generational communication. cmhouston.org Death and Desire A thru 7th An exhibit by artist John Slaby. archwaygallery.com
Bayou City Theatrics * thru 24th Kick off the new year with a fun musical! bayoucitytheatrics.com Charge 2016 +* thru 10th A threeday conference for artists. artleaguehouston.org
MICHAEL SCHWARTZ
Screen on the Green * thru Feb. 4 Movies. discoverygreen.com
Women’s Marathon + Race for women. womensquartermarathon.com
Discovery Green Flea + Vendors & more. discoverygreen.com/flea
Ice Land + last day Two million pounds of ice. moodygardens.org Festival of Lights + last day Holiday lights & more moodygardens.org Somewhere in the Balance A last day Photo exhibit. hcponline.org
Galveston Restaurant Week + thru 23rd Special deals, good eats, and a great cause. galveston.com
Made in Your Mind + thru May 8
You can do it! Anyone can build and create; all you need is a little initiative, teamwork, and a DIY attitude. cmhouston.org
Prague Shakespeare Company’s Venus in Fur * thru 24th Vanda, a wildly talented young actress, is determined to land the lead in a new play based on the classic erotic novel. mainstreettheater.com
20th Annual MLK Peach March + A celebration and educational event at the Children’s Museum of Houston. cmhouston.org
Paula Poundstone * See opposite page. houstonfirsttheaters.com/ wortham-center
Las Ultimas Live! + last day A film and interactive performance. fresharts.org
Transparent * On this day last year, the groundbreaking show won a Golden Globe award. See page 49 for this year’s nominees for the Globes and the Screen Actors Guild awards.
Celebrating La Quinceañera + Fundraiser for Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. crafthouston.org
Becky’s New Car * thru Feb. 6
A female protagonist discovers her purpose. mildredsumbrella.com
Next Step Series * & 23rd Emerging choreography showcase. noblemotiondance.com
Bayou City Burlesque & Circus Arts Festival + & 23rd Acrobats and more. bcbcfestival.com
Bridges of Madison County * thru 31st The nation’s best-selling novel and movie is now an irresistible, twotime Tony Award-winning Broadway musical tuts.com
Slavs and Tatars: Mirrors for Princes A thru Mar. 19 Installations and sculpture. blafferartmuseum.org
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis * They sing, promote equality, and they’re just really fun. macklemore.com
The Secret of the Hanging Egg A thru June 19 A Salvador Dali exhibit at The Menil. menil.org
Montrose Trio * Three worldrenowned musicians join forces in this new ensemble making its Houston debut. dacamera.com
Mardi Gras! Galveston + See page 19. mardigrasgalveston.com
The Ice + thru Feb. 7 There’s still time to ice skate at Discovery Green. discoverygreen.com
Houston Creole Heritage Festival + Celebrating Houston’s Creole community. discoverygreen.com
Lunar New Year Bash + Go bananas celebrating the Year of the Monkey! cmhouston.org
In Real Life A last day A site-specific work by artist Kelly O’Connor.
Mark Rothko: A Retrospective A last day More than 60 paintings trace Rothko’s full career arc and highlight milestones in the development of his signature style. mfah.org
The State of the Waters + A series of web meetings to talk about creation. ctkelc.org
Honoring Olivewood A thru May 29 A photo exhibit of Houston’s oldest African-American cemetery. nmfh.org
First Annual Alley All New Festival * thru Feb. 7 Featuring new plays by Karen Hartman, Boo Killebrew, NSangou Njikam (aka Glenn Gordon), and Lawrence Wright. alleytheatre.org
Vision Starts Here
Calendar of Events
continued from page 17
1/16
Bridges of Madison County 19–31
–
The nation’s best-selling novel and movie is now an irresistible two-time Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. The touring company comes to TUTS this month. The Bridges of Madison County has a score by Tony-winner Jason Robert Brown (Parade, Honeymoon in Vegas) and a book by Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winner Marsha Norman (The Secret Garden, ‘Night Mother). Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher (The King and I, South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza) helmed the musical. Tyne Rafaeli will recreate the original staging for the tour. Tom Murray is music supervisor, with Keith Levenson as music director. The road show stars Elizabeth Stanley and Andrew Samonsky. It’s a romantic tearjerker. tuts.com
First Annual Alley All New Festival 28–February 7
–
28-Feb. 7
Featuring new plays by Karen Hartman, Boo Killebrew, NSangou Njikam (aka Glenn Gordon), and Lawrence Wright, this first annual fest has readings and workshop performances of six new plays. All presentations are free and open to the public (yay!), but recommended for mature audiences. Each performance will be followed by a post-show conversation lead by a member of the artistic staff. alleytheatre.org
Mardi Gras! Galveston
29–February 9
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29-Feb. 9 19-31
Go to the island for fun and parties! Can’t get to NOLA for their festivities? No worries, Galveston Island has the largest Mardi Gras party in Texas! Beads? They’ve got three million beads to throw during parades (Mystic Krewe of Aquarius, Krewe Gambrinus, and Knights of Momus Grand Night Parade) and parties. Plus headliner performances, a 5K run, family events, and feasts. Laissez les bons temps rouler! mardigrasgalveston.com
Same-Sex Couples .
and Social Security
For roughly 80 years, many Americans have counted on the “safety net” provided by Social Security. This program has been responsible for keeping numerous individuals and couples out of poverty during their retirement years. But it can actually be so much more.
Although Social Security was never meant to replace all of your income from employment, it is considered to be a retirement staple for many people—and, according to the Social Security Administration, these benefits typically replace about 40 percent of an average wage earner’s income after retiring.
When people think about Social Security, they usually tend to focus only on the retirement benefits that the program provides. But the reality is that Social Security actually offers a number of other nice benefits, too.
For example, if you become injured or too ill to continue working, Social Security provides a monthly disability income to those who qualify. It can also provide benefits to survivors of deceased benefit recipients—including, of course, a deceased worker’s spouse.
Since spousal income and survivor benefits are only available to those in a legally recognized marriage, those benefits were until recently limited to couples in opposite-sex unions. However, as a result of the Marriage Equality Act, that has changed.
Social Security Benefits for Married Same-Sex Couples
In June 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry in all 50 states—and because of this, same-sex spouses will now be recognized as married for the purpose of determining entitlement to Social Security benefits.
Benefits that same-sex couples may now be
eligible for, based on their spouse’s work record, can include:
• Spousal Benefit
Even if a person has never worked and paid taxes into the Social Security system, he or she could still be eligible to receive spousal retirement benefits, provided that they are at least age 62 and their eligible spouse is already receiving Social Security retirement income (or has “filed and suspended” their benefits—see below).
As an eligible spouse, if you are at what Social Security considers to be your full retirement age, then your spousal benefit could be equal to half of your spouse’s full benefit amount. If, however, you are between the age of 62 and your full retirement age, then the amount of your benefit will be reduced.
Full retirement age for Social Security benefits is based on the year of your birth. In the past, it was always 65. However, in order to help ease some of the funding strain on the Social Security system, the full retirement age is gradually being raised. Currently, a person’s full retirement age is as follows:
• Widows/Widowers Benefit
The surviving spouse of a deceased Social Security benefit recipient can also receive a widow’s or widower’s benefit. In fact, according to the Social Security Administration, there are currently about five million widows or widowers who receive monthly Social Security benefits based on their deceased spouse’s earnings record. And now that same-sex spouses are being added to this group, this number will surely increase.
The widow or widower of a Social Security benefit recipient can receive a reduced amount of benefit as early as age 60—or they may receive full benefits by waiting at least until their own full retirement age.
Alternatively, a disabled widow or widower could actually receive these benefits as early as age 50—if a qualified disability began either before or within seven years of the Social Security recipient’s death. With disability benefits, even if the widow or widower remarries after they reach age 60 (or age 50, if they are disabled), they can still continue to receive their monthly checks.
• Divorced Spouse’s Benefit
Many people do not realize that a divorced spouse may also be eligible for Social Security benefits, based upon their ex’s work record. In this case, if you are divorced after being married for 10 years or more, you can receive these benefits—even if your ex-spouse remarried— provided that all of the following apply:
• a e e a e
• a e age 62 e
• e sp se s e g e e e e s e has not actually applied—for either Social Security retirement benefits or Social Security disability benefits, and
• e a e e e s a a e ➝
MONEYSMART
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eligible for based upon your own work record are less than the amount that you would get based on your ex’s work record.
Collecting divorced spouse’s benefits will not impact the amount that your former spouse receives for his or her monthly retirement from Social Security. However, should you remarry, then you will no longer be eligible to collect on these benefits—unless that marriage also ends.
• Disability Benefit
Social Security will also pay out monthly benefits to qualified individuals who aren’t able to work due to an illness or injury that is expected to either last one year, or to result in death. There are also certain family members of a disabled worker who could receive income from Social Security. However, there are fairly strict definitions in terms of how to qualify for the disability benefit.
The Social Security Administration will review a number of criteria, including:
• Your overall medical condition
• How your condition started
• How it limits your activities
• What treatment you are receiving and/or have received
• Whether or not you are currently working, and if so, if you are able to do the type of work that you did previously.
If you qualify, the first monthly disability benefit payment will be made in the sixth full month after the date that your disability began. In other words, if your disability started in mid-February, then your first disability benefit payment will be made in August. Some family members who could also qualify for benefits based upon your work earnings. These include your:
• Spouse—provided that they are at least age 62
• Spouse of any age, provided that they are caring for your child who is either age 16 or under, or who is disabled
• Unmarried child who is age 18 or under (age 19 or younger if in high school)
• Unmarried child of any age who is also disabled (provided that the disability began prior to age 22).
• Survivors Benefit
Social Security also provides various benefits to a recipient’s survivors. For instance, a one-time death benefit of $255 may be paid out to a surviving spouse, provided that the spouse was living with the individual at the time of his or her death.
In addition to a widow/widower and a surviving divorced spouse, there are also other various family members who could be eligible for monthly Social Security survivor’s benefits. These include:
• Stepchildren, grandchildren, step-grandchildren, and/or adopted children
• Parents who are age 62 or over and who had been depending upon the deceased Social ➝
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MONEYSMART
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BRILLIANT
Security recipient for at least half of their financial support.
Maximizing What You Get from Social Security
Although Social Security is a key component in the retirement income plan of many, what a large number of investors don’t realize is that there are ways to strategize your filing in order to maximize your benefit amount.
There are literally thousands of combinations of ways that people can file to receive their retirement benefits from Social Security. The difference between a good and a not-so-good filing decision can sometimes amount to $100,000 or more in benefits over your lifetime.
For example, delaying receipt of your benefits beyond your full retirement age can permanently increase the amount of your monthly benefit going forward. In fact, the longer you wait to receive your benefits, the more “delayed retirement credits” you will receive—until you reach age 70. (You can actually continue to delay the receipt of your benefits beyond age 70, but you will not be able to build up any more delayed retirement credits.) The amount of your benefit increase is 8 percent for every year you delay receiving benefits (for those born after 1942).
So if your full retirement age is 66, and your full Social Security retirement benefit was to be $2,000 per month, you could opt to delay your benefits and factor in an 8 percent increase for each year that you wait. (And this doesn’t include any cost-of-living increases that Social Security also figures in to your payments.)
$2 ,0 00
$2,160
$2,320
$2, 48 0
$2,640
$24 ,0 00
$25,920
$27, 84 0
$29,760
$31, 68 0
Steve, is 62. John’s monthly Social Security retirement benefit at his full retirement age of 66 will be $2,000 per month. However, if he waits until he turns 70 to collect it, the benefit will increase to $2,640 per month.
So, as soon as John turns 66, he applies for his Social Security retirement benefits, and then immediately suspends them. At the same time, Steve applies for his spousal benefits, based on John’s work record.
Four years later, when John turns 70, his monthly amount is increased by 32 percent over what it would have been if he had taken the income at age 66. In the meantime, the couple has been able to take advantage of receiving Steve’s spousal income benefits.
It’s important to note that when using the file-and-suspend strategy, the spouse who is applying for the spousal benefits should typically wait until he or she has reached full retirement age—especially if they are still working. That way, none of the Social Security income limits would apply.
Also, once you reach your full retirement age, you will have the option of taking either your spousal benefits, or the benefits from your own work history.
For retirement-age couples who are currently considering using the file-and-suspend strategy to increase Social Security benefits, it will be important to act fast, as the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 enacted on November 2 will have a major impact on this particular income-boosting method. Through April 30, 2016, anyone who is age 66 or over will still be allowed to file and suspend their benefits in order to allow an eligible spouse to collect via the current rules. After April 30, this will no longer be the case, unless the filer takes a benefit. So after April 30, in order for a spouse to collect their benefit from Social Security, the filer must also collect their own retirement benefits, and thus forgo their delayed retirement credits. If a person opts to suspend his or her benefits, then all spousal benefits will also be suspended.
The Bottom Line on Social Security
For the next few months, married couples who are now at retirement age can also employ a strategy that is commonly referred to as “file and suspend.” Here, at least one of the spouses will need to be at his or her full retirement age. Once this spouse files for their Social Security retirement benefits, they should immediately “suspend” the receipt of those benefits until a later time in the future.
At the same time, the other spouse—provided that he or she is at least age 62 or older—should apply for his or her Social Security spousal benefits. When the first spouse has allowed their benefit to grow by applying the delayed retirement credit, they should then start taking their benefit.
As an example, let’s say that John is age 66—which is his full retirement age. His spouse,
The Social Security benefit landscape can change frequently—especially in light of the many recent changes with marriage equality. When planning your retirement income strategy, it is a good idea to work with a professional who is knowledgeable about how Social Security relates to the LGBT community. This way, you can be more assured of how it all fits together.
Personal finance-related questions may be emailed to grace.yung@lpl.com.
Grace S. Yung, CFP, is a certified financial planner practitioner with experience in helping domestic partners plan their finances since 1994. She is a principal at Midtown Financial LLC in Houston and was recognized as a “Five-Star Wealth Manager” in the 2014 September issue of Texas Monthly
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OUTSMART
TimeOut in Europe
David Bowers and John Nagy took O UTSMART to Sibiu, Romania.
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Take O UT S MART along. Snap a high-res pic of yourself with the magazine and send it to us. Send to: Letters@ O UT S MART M AGAZINE .com.
FOR YOUR CALENDAR
Check out these fabulous events co-sponsored by O UT S MART and our marketing partners.
January 21: Out@TUTS Night presents The Bridges of Madison County, The Broadway Musical. Join us the first Thursday performance of each show. After the performance, mingle with the cast and listen to fabulous cabaret music with your LGBT friends. INFO: tuts.com/out
January 22: Rainbow on Ice at Discovery Green. A holiday celebration of ice skating with the LGBT community. INFO: discoverygreen.com
Montrose Center offers free yoga for beginners every Monday night.
By Megan Smith
Photo by Theresa DiMenno
Balance Mind, Body, and Soul
Instructor Daryl Shorter teaches yoga on the fourth and fifth Mondays of each month at the Montrose Center. Here he practices Vasisthasana, or side plank pose, at Discovery Green Park.
“It’s not just yoga. It’s community coming together and being inclusive of one another.”
- Robin Mack, lead volunteer for yoga at the Montrose Center
Don’t know the difference between child’s pose, downward dog, and chair pose? Well, you’re not alone. Yoga can be intimidating, but with the Montrose Center’s free LGBT-inclusive beginners’ yoga class, you’ll soon be maneuvering your asanas with ease.
The class—held every Monday from 6 to 7 p.m. as part of the Montrose Center’s Wellness Activities program—has been running for the past four years, with a steady increase in participation since its beginning. Each week features a different volunteer instructor, allowing students to experience a variety of yoga styles. Current instructors include Beckie Kirsch, Venita Ray, Darrin Brindle, Daryl Shorter, Robin Mack, and Kathi Crawford.
“We realized that with the boom [in in-
terest] for yoga, there were more people who wanted to volunteer,” explains Robin Mack, lead volunteer for the center’s yoga program and a 12-year yoga veteran. Mack notes that the class also greatly benefits its instructors, as many are required by their teacher-certification program to volunteer at a place that would not otherwise offer yoga.
As with all of its programs, the Montrose Center aims to make its yoga class a safe space for everyone, as well as a healthy, sober atmosphere for people to build community. “One of the cool things about the Montrose Center’s demographic is—because it’s a free class—you get everyone, from someone just wanting to be in community to people who have experienced [a recent] trauma and have nowhere else to go,” Mack says. “So all of our teachers have to be ➝
STRIKE A MINDFUL POSE
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LGBT-friendly and able to accommodate everyone. It’s not just yoga. It’s community coming together and being inclusive and accepting of one another.”
It was that sense of community that first attracted yoga student Zack Mattson to the Monday-night class. After moving to Houston for work following graduation from Purdue University, Mattson sought ways to better himself and to meet new people. He stumbled across the Montrose Center’s yoga class while using the Meetup app and decided to give it a try. A year later, he still attends the class on a regular basis and has met a core group of friends through his practice. “The Montrose Center provides an accepting atmosphere where you can be yourself and practice at your own pace,” Mattson says, noting that even though the class is aimed at beginners, all skill levels attend. “There is no judgment if you need to take a break, slow your pace, or if you need to modify your pose based on your flexibility.
“The stress from work seems to slip away when I begin practicing yoga,” he adds. “After-
wards I feel great, mentally and physically.”
Class instructor Daryl Shorter, who teaches the fourth and fifth Mondays of each month,
Need More Yoga?
Try these other LGBT-friendly classes.
What: Yoga Connection
When: Tuesdays, 7–8 p.m.
Where: Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church, 2025 W 11th St.
Details: Facilitated and founded by community member Darrin Brindle, and co-facilitated by Robin Mack, this free/donation-based, noncompetitive class is suitable for all body types and skill levels. The class is held in a large gym with plenty of space to spread out and be comfortable. Participants focus on their breath and may participate in some or all of the sessions. All are encouraged and reminded to let go of judgments and expectations of themselves and their fellow yogis. Bringing your own mat, towel, and water is recommended, but extra mats are available. Info: resurrectionmcc.org/connect/ events Contact: yoga@resurrectionmcc.org
What: Yoga in the Park
When: Classes resume in March and are traditionally held on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings.
Where: Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney
Details: Head downtown to the park for a free hour of stretching, posing, and breathing. This beautiful outdoor venue provides the perfect way to get the morning started or to wind down from a long day. Info: discoverygreen.com/ ebevents
What: Yoga with Robin Mack
When: Various times available
Where: The Yoga Institute, 3311 Richmond Ave., #307
Details: Robin Mack has a wide range of experience teaching yoga to the LGBT community, 12-step recovery groups, veterans, and beginners. No matter what level you’re on, Mack provides a renewed sense of relaxation, connection, and joy as you practice in community. Info: yogainstitute.com
What: Yoga with Nathan Herrington
When: Various times available
first happened upon yoga during his time as a college student at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine. “I just sort of tripped
Where: Big Power Yoga, 3115 Allen Pkwy.
Details: Whether you are brand-new to yoga or are looking to step into a new level of leadership as a teacher, Big Power Yoga has a variety of programs that will support your growth. Instructor Nathan Herrington provides an LGBTfriendly environment, with content that is accessible and impactful. Info: bigpoweryoga.com
What: Breakfast Yoga Club Houston
When: Once a month on Saturday or Sunday mornings
Where: Various locations
Details: The Breakfast Yoga Club, a grassroots organization run completely by volunteers, meets once every month for donation-based yoga featuring different teachers, studios, guests, and music. Events are held on Saturday or Sunday mornings, and breakfast is provided when possible. Info: breakfastyogaclub houston.com
What: Yoga for Veterans
When: Sunday–Friday
Where: Expedition Balance
Details: Expedition Balance makes it easier for veterans with PTSD to engage in the healing journey that will bring them back home. This treatment program (done outside of the traditional clinical setting) consists of a multi-day expedition with licensed experts and trained yogis in a beautiful natural environment. LGBT veterans are welcome. Info: expeditionbalance.org ■
Yoga for All
The Montrose Center creates an accessible atmosphere that is welcoming to all yoga students, regardless of skill level or background.
Namaste
Yogi Darrin Brindle teaches at both the Montrose Center and Resurrection MCC.
and fell into this studio,” says Shorter, who is also a psychiatrist specializing in addiction at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. “I don’t even remember what brought me there, but I loved it.”
At first, however, Shorter focused purely on the physical aspects of yoga and soon found himself in competition with those around him—the opposite of what yoga is supposed to be about, he notes. It wasn’t until he went through a bad breakup in 2012 that he truly realized the internal power of the practice. While staying with friends (who were also yogis), Shorter decided to buy a $30 Groupon for 30 yoga classes in 90 days. “Because I love a bargain and because I wanted to get my money’s worth, I decided to get as close to my 30 classes in that 90 days as possible.”
He almost made it, too, attending around 27 classes. “I felt horrible because of the breakup, and I found that yoga made me feel more centered, less anxious, and I started experiencing all of these emotional benefits,” Shorter says. “It was on my mat during those 90 days that I realized that I don’t breathe at work. This was my first real breath of the day. And I think a lot of people connect with that.”
Desiring to deepen his own personal practice, Shorter completed yoga teacher training at Svasta Yoga School starting in January 2015. “I needed more,” he explains, but notes that teaching wasn’t really on his radar until his final month of training. “I thought, ‘Maybe I do have something to bring to the table, something to share.’”
Shorter, who has also been on the board of the Montrose Center for the past four years, found the center’s class the perfect place to start sharing his practice with students. “It’s not really important to me to spread my message through a formal yoga studio where people come and pay money,” he says. “At this point in my life, I am able to offer it as a gift to the community. To be able to stop for that 50 to 60 minutes to focus on the breath and to move—hopefully with a little bit of grace and compassion for ourselves—we can begin to see an awareness of our bodies that we don’t always have when we’re rushing through our days.”
And for those who are skeptical newbies, he offers some advice: “Focus on your breath. Being able to breathe while in a pose is the foundation—it’s critical. As long as you’re able to breathe, that’s yoga. Just keep going.”
What: LGBT-inclusive beginners’ yoga
When: Mondays, 6–7 p.m.
Where: The Montrose Center, 401 Branard St. Details: Free and open to the public. No experience required. Mats are provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own. A free meditation session is held after each yoga class for those who want to expand their practice. More info: montrosecenter.org/hub/ introduction-to-yoga ■
MCSHANE
ST. HOPE
Power Up the Fun in Your Fitness
Clutch Crossfit owner
Laura Schmidt takes the intimidation out of exercising.
By Barrett White
Photo by Christine Wright
Lift this. That supplement is good for you. That food is terrible for you. Five days a week. Three days a week—no, seven days.
Are fitness programs intimidating to you? For many, the beginning of a health-andfitness regimen can be incredibly daunting. With gyms on every corner and a GNC store in every strip mall, where does one begin? How do you know you’re doing it right, and who has money for a personal trainer? You head to the gym with no experience and no one to guide you during workouts, only to wind up injuring yourself within the first week.
Fortunately, there’s Laura Schmidt, owner of Clutch CrossFit. With four years of CrossFitting under her belt, this out trainer and her crew transform bodies (and lives) of all types—and at all skill levels—in their Galleriaarea gym.
“It’s striking, the kinds of friendships you see forming here,” Schmidt says of the facility’s camaraderie. “People who may have never spoken otherwise are all over each other’s Facebooks comparing soreness and encouraging each other.”
A graduate of Oklahoma State, Schmidt moved back to Houston in 2007 and opened Clutch in 2011. Standing in her lofty gym space equipped with padded floors, Olympic equipment in all directions, ropes, and even more space outside beyond the roll-up doors, Schmidt spoke fondly about creating a space for “CrossFit 2.0.”
“It’s CrossFit, but it’s fun,” she laughs. Clutch is one of the few LGBT-owned CrossFit gyms in Houston (alongside CrossFit Equality in Jersey Village and CrossFit Kemah). When asked how she created such an
accepting and encouraging environment, she says it comes naturally to her clients. Because they don’t feel the need to project a machismodriven gym persona to fit in, they can relax and instead feel motivated to become a part of this fitness community. Clutch clients—young, old, gay, straight, or otherwise—work out alongside Schmidt and her girlfriend, Sarah, and the gym’s nine CrossFit trainers. The environment gives off an air of familiarity that encourages athletes to come out of their shells, without the superiority vibe found in many franchise gyms.
Another attractive feature of Schmidt’s setup at Clutch is the “On-ramp” beginner’s package. While diehard CrossFitters may join Clutch at any time (after informing the trainers of their skill level), beginners are required to start with the On-ramp option that is designed to ease them into the mix. (That doesn’t mean Schmidt’s On-ramp sessions are easy—beginners will feel broken down and exhausted as they start to grasp correct form and technique, preparing them for the real fun.)
“Our courses cater to your ability,” Schmidt states, noting that while everyone completes the same workouts, they are tailored to your strength and agility. This type of conditioning
Transforming Bodies and Lives Clutch Crossfit is one of the few LGBT-owned crossfit gyms in Houston. Owner Laura Schmidt aims to create an inclusive space for what she calls “Crossfit 2.0.”
prepares the average CrossFitter to be ready for any number of things, from running a marathon to powerlifting.
“No matter what your skill level is, you’re capable of CrossFit. It’s designed to prepare [your body] for the unknown and the unknowable.”
Schmidt’s passion for her craft is undeniable. During a typical full-body workout, she even provides technical explanations about the fundamentals of what makes CrossFit work.
“You’ve got cardio, gymnastics, and Olympic lifting,” she explains, referring to the building blocks of CrossFit. It seems like each session with Schmidt and her dedicated trainers at Clutch could be an exciting new venture in fitness and body tuning.
With membership packages and weekend hours that accommodate a range of budget and time constraints, Schmidt hopes Clutch will meet the needs of anyone looking for some hardcore “fitspiration.”
For more information about memberships at Clutch CrossFit, its members, and Schmidt herself, visit clutchcrossfit.com.
Barrett White is a frequent contributor to OUTSMART magazine.
Vegging Out
Gay fitness expert Jorge Cruise on his new “vegan breakfast” diet book, coming out late in life, and his upcoming marriage to a man 20 years his junior.
By Lawrence Ferber
Jorge Cruise is all about changing one’s life for the better . . . even if it took him a while to find his own best self.
The Mexico City-born celebrity fitness trainer (and New York Times bestselling author of over 20 lifestyle and diet books, including The Belly Fat Cure series) made a major self-improvement move five years ago when he came out of the closet. Today, the San Diegobased 44-year-old is happily engaged to boyfriend Sam Ayers (they met in 2014 and will tie the knot in Capri, Italy, in July), co-parenting two sons from a previous (heterosexual) marriage, and is launching a brand-new “lifestyle makeover” tome, Tiny and Full: Discover Why Eating a Vegan Breakfast Will Keep You Tiny and Full for the Rest of Your Life (BenBella Books).
A regular guest on TV programs like The Dr. Oz Show, Cruise recently spoke with O UTSMART about his vegan-in-the-morning diet program, healthy eating tips, gay parenting, and his soon-to-be hubby . . . and their 20-year age difference.
Lawrence Ferber: How did you discover this vegan breakfast diet?
Jorge Cruise: Well, as many of us know, the vegan diet has taken the world by storm. Beyoncé has tried it, President Clinton has, and many of my clients have. But it’s hard, and not always fun! Most people cannot commit to this type of lifestyle long-term because you have to completely eliminate any animal products— meat, cheese, eggs, even honey. However, the
vegan way of eating is very good for you and has a lot of health benefits.
So with Tiny and Full, I’ve come up with a way to be a part-time vegan and reap the benefits without the 24/7 commitment. You only have to eat a vegan breakfast, then you’re set free to eat animal-based foods [the rest of the day]. I still encourage you to regard meat as a condiment and fill your plate with lots of plant-based foods like leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits. Incorporating animal-based foods is important—in fact, it’s vital not to be a fulltime vegan because you’d miss out on nutrients like B-12 that are only found in animal-based foods and help maintain energy throughout the day.
What about egg addicts? Is there any sort of egg replacement on the market now, or coming up?
You can eat eggs on my plan as long as they’re not for breakfast. If you find that you need to start your day off with protein, I recommend using pea protein, a very new type of protein that is 100 percent vegan and my best-kept secret for feeling full until lunch. It provides
Vegan, on Occasion In his new diet book, Tiny and Full, fitness trainer Jorge Cruise divulges how to be a part-time vegan and reap the benefits without the 24/7 commitment.
you with all the benefits of protein—staying full longer and reducing the drive to eat all day long—without all the problems that come with other protein powders. Plus, it’s delicious, affordable, and available anywhere protein powders are sold. I even have my own pea protein available at tinyandfull.com.
After five years, has coming out made any difference in your career?
I honestly don’t see any differences in my career. I feel that the health and fitness industry has continued to embrace me and my methods. For whatever reason—[maybe because of] all the books I did—the media and everyone I work with have been incredibly supportive. And women, especially, realize that a gay male fitness trainer is not going to really intimidate them or judge them by butts or boobs. It brought me closer!
Do you let your kids eat “bad” foods? What are their dietary habits like?
I have two sons, Parker (11) and Owen (9). Parker is a total health enthusiast and Owen is right on his tail. I always say that the secret ➝
VEGGING OUT
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is being the change you want to see. If you want your kids to eat healthier, then you have to eat healthier as well. Kids will always follow by example, and since my two sons were born, they’ve always seen me eat healthy foods.
What is the craziest thing you’ve heard your kids say lately?
The other day my oldest son asked me, “Is this pepperoni nitrate-free?” It was a bit shocking to hear an 11-year-old asking about processed meat. I’m pretty sure he saw on the news (or heard me talking to Sam) about these new studies on how processed meat is being linked to cancer. I told you, my Parker is a total health enthusiast!
Could you share a few tips for gay couples considering children?
My advice to any couple, straight or gay, is that being a parent is the greatest gift in life—but also the most challenging. Being a parent is the most fulfilling job I’ve ever had. I’d encourage those who are thinking of having kids to start spending time with other couples with kids, and even babysitting them.
Tell me a bit about your fiancé, Sam. Sam really holds down the home base for us as a family. He’s the one who helps balance everything in our life, and I couldn’t do it without him. You might not know this, but Sam [is 20 years younger than I am]. To some, that’s a huge shock, but I truly believe that age is just a number. I’d encourage your readers to not let an age difference stop a couple from making it work.
Name three Jorge Cruise books that are must-reads for newcomers.
There’s only one book that is a must, and that’s Tiny and Full. It is the most profound, life-altering book I’ve ever written. I’ve devised this book to be the only lifestyle plan you will ever have to follow. No crash diets, no starvation, no weird ingredients. You will become the best you. It is not a “diet” book—it truly is a lifestyle makeover. You will be healthier, confident, inspired, and not to mention have abs of steel.
Is there one “villain” food that is actually okay?
One villain food is chocolate-covered bananas. Many of my celebrity clients like to add some chocolate to their diet, and I think that’s totally fine in moderation. I always recommend my go-to, which is carob-chocolate bananas—basically just dipping bananas into melted carob chips and almond milk. This gives you that sweet and savory feeling, but doesn’t throw your entire diet off course.
Tiny and Full was released December 29. See jorgecruise.com for more information.
Joyful Juicing
Just in time for a New Year’s cleanse—what works, what doesn’t, and where to start.
By Venita Ray
Istarted to research the benefits of juicing after an ex suggested that I try it. I bought my first juicer, but I was skeptical about trying it for several reasons. First, I thought, why juice when I can just eat healthy? Second, I thought I had to use lots of fruit, and I have never really liked fruit juice. Third, it seemed like a lot of work for minimal benefit.
I learned that juicing is not a replacement for eating whole fruits and vegetables; it is intended to supplement a healthy, balanced diet. I found out that I could juice mostly vegetables, with just a small amount of fruit added for taste. Although I liked what I was learning, I was still reluctant to start juicing. The turning point came when I couldn’t eat solid foods because of a toothache, and I tried juicing out of desperation. Once I tried it, I was hooked. After juicing almost daily for over five years, I felt so good about doing more for my health that I decided it was worth the extra work. There’s lots of information available on the benefits of juicing, how to juice, and choosing a juicer. I am not an expert on juicing, but I’ve learned through trial and error what works for me.
I prefer juicing veggies over fruits. I juice lots of vegetables, with a small amount of fruit added for sweetness. I discovered you can juice almost anything, but all foods are not created equal. Some contain vitamins that are more easily absorbed when chewed or cooked. Certain vegetables have specific health benefits: blood pressure-lowering beets, inflammation-fighting ginger root, potassiumrich cucumbers, and antibacterial lemons. I like green leafy vegetables such as kale, collards, cilantro, parsley, spinach, and romaine
lettuce. I also use celery, cucumber, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, and ginger. I add fruits like apples or blueberries along with protein powder, flax seeds, chia seeds, and spirulina. It took time to find the right balance between nutrition and taste that was right for me. Juicing allows me to consume a wider variety of vegetables—and in larger amounts—than I would ever be able to eat.
Juicing requires time and commitment. The comment I often hear from people when they find out that I juice is that it takes too much time and requires a lot of work. I agree; it does require time for shopping, preparation, cleanup, and the right equipment. I shop once a week to keep the right food on hand. To save time, I usually prep the night before, which cuts the time I spend actually juicing and cleaning up down to 20 minutes. To get maximum nutritional benefit, it is best to drink the juice immediately after it is prepared. When I am rushed for time, I juice the night before or make enough for several days and put it in the freezer.
I prefer drinking juice to smoothies.
There are pros and cons to both. Juicers separate the juice from the pulp (or insoluble fiber). When you juice, you are extracting up to 70 percent of the nutrition, and without the fiber your body absorbs almost 100 percent of the nutrients. Vegetable juice is low in fat and usually has less sugar and calories than a smoothie. One of the drawbacks of juicing is figuring out how to re-use the pulp to avoid wasting it. The pulp can be used as compost, or in salads, soups, and baking.
Blenders or similar devices pulverize food into a smoothie-like drink that contains the same fiber as whole fruits and vegetables. Fiber keeps your digestive tract healthy and slows down the absorption of sugar, but it also slows down the absorption of nutrients (some of which stay trapped in the fiber). Smoothies can be just as nutritious as juice, but they contain more calories and sugar. Smoothies can be easier to make, require less clean-up time, and—unlike juicing—nothing is wasted.
Venita Ray is the public affairs field specialist at Legacy Community Health.
A Nutritional Delight
Juicing certain vegetables can help lower blood pressure, fight inflammation, and more.
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5 Before 35
Five money-musts for Millenials under 35.
By David Goldberg
Ah, Millennials. Why can’t we get our acts together? And why must we insist that irrelevant things like the post-Bush economy, the environmental wasteland, and this nation’s obesity crisis aren’t actually our generation’s fault? And this insistence on finding career fulfillment? Yeesh. Who do we think we are?
While our parents could graduate from college and then stroll off campus into a cushy corner-office job, many of us now face a grim employment abyss where full-time pay, benefits, and stable hours sound like mythical tales from a distant past.
Master advisors and certified financial planners Richard Dickson and Grace Yung were able to provide me with some user-friendly answers to questions about spending, saving, and the job market for Millennials who may be feeling clueless and hopeless about the economy and their job prospects.
years,” Dickson says. “They had pension plans before the 401k was invented. And now that Millennials are only at a job three or four years, they are always looking for something better.”
Though we may have it tougher out in the real world, the good news is that many of us could be in for a big score from mom and dad. Over the next few decades, Baby Boomers will pass on an estimated $30 trillion dollars to their children.
Planning for retirement isn’t a thing anymore, right?
Apparently, it is. There are several simple ways for Millennials to save for the best future possible. If you work full-time, you’re never too young to invest in your employer’s 401k retirement plan that encourages workers to stay with the company. “I tell people right out of college that if their companies have 401k plans, as a minimum they should always put in what their company matches, because it is free money,” Dickson says. “If you can do this earlier in life, you’re going to be so far ahead, and you can learn right out of the gate to save 15–20 percent of your gross income a year.”
Yung agrees. “You should start saving for retirement as soon as you get your first paycheck. The reason you should start as early as possible is because of the power of compounded interest. Over time, [studies show that] people who start investing and saving early do not need to put as much money in as people who start later in life.”
“Doing things like skipping that latte at Starbucks can really add up.”
Those of us living the charming life of a freelancer (read: taking naps and buying Raisin Bran in bulk) can go for an IRA, or Individual Retirement Account, which allows us to set up a retirement fund at a bank or brokerage firm.
ing. “Our parents have told us this forever, and we never do it,” Dickson says. “It comes down to looking at what’s a necessity and what’s just a want. First of all, make sure you have two to three months’ worth of cash in your savings account in case you have an issue.”
Two to three months? Who does he think we are? Travoltas?
What is this mysterious “good credit” thing? Apparently, maxing out a credit card, paying it all off at once with Hanukkah money, then closing that account to open a new card isn’t the way to prove yourself worthy when applying for a car loan or a home mortgage. Yung and Dickson insist that keeping one card that you are able to pay off regularly is the key. “If you turn off and on credit cards very regularly, that’s going to lower your credit score,” Dickson says. “You need to have that one card that you’ve had forever, and that you’re always paying off on time.” Yung recommends setting up automatic monthly credit card payments with your bank. ➝
What is the biggest difference between my generation and my parents’ generation?
Indeed, the complaining that has defined the Millennials’ generation may be warranted. Ever since that little financial crash a few years back, things aren’t nearly as peachy as they were for our parents’ generation. Yung admits that today’s young bucks may not have a fair shot. “In 2009, when millions of Millennials went into the job market, the youth unemployment rate was 18.5 percent. Your generation had one trillion dollars in student loan debt.”
Both Generation X and the Baby Boomers were able to enter the job market with more cash to spend, and the corporate employment culture was vastly different. “Back then, our parents worked for companies for 20 and 30
How am I supposed to save money if I don’t even know where my next paycheck is coming from?
First, take a long, hard look at yourself (and your finances), and don’t pretend that you’re a saint. Did you treat yourself to guacamole with your Chipotle order this week? And you didn’t fall for the line about upgrading your popcorn from a small to a medium, did you?
“The rule of thumb is to pay yourself first,” Yung says. “Start small and be realistic. If you can figure out how to save by cutting spending—for example, $300 a month throughout 2016—you will have saved $3,600. Doing things like skipping that latte at Starbucks, bringing your lunch to work, and cooking dinner at home instead of dining out can really add up.”
Unfortunately for us, both Yung and Dickson agree on this “tough love” approach to sav-
SPECTACLES
5 BEFORE 35 continued from previous page
Both Dickson and Yung agree that you shouldn’t spend more than 30 percent of your paycheck on rent. Yung concedes that this old rule can be a bit unforgiving. “It really depends on one’s income,” Yung says. “For higher-income earners, this rule makes more sense, but lower-income earners may have a tougher time with this one.”
As for finally being able to get a place of your own, Dickson suggests taking a look at your spending patterns and lifestyle before making the great escape.
“It comes down to being able to budget and figure out what it is that you really want, and if you can afford it or not,” Dickson says. “You may like living in Midtown in a $3,000-amonth apartment with three people, or maybe moving farther out so you can have your own place. But you need to look at how much you get paid every two weeks, how much you spend on food, gas, and electricity, and still feel comfortable.”
David Goldberg is a regular contributor to OUTSMART magazine.
Legally Married Mothers and the Presumption of Parentage
Navigating the legal side of parenthood since the Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling.
By Joshua S. Myers ‹
Congratulations—you are now a married lesbian couple in the State of Texas!
It has been a long road to same-sex marriage recognition, but it’s finally happened. After the Supreme Court of the United States held that all states must grant same-sex couples the right to get married, perhaps you and your life partner ran out a few days later and tied the knot. You could not be more excited, because Texas finally recognizes your relationship as equal to the relationships of opposite-sex couples.
Or does it?
Six months later, you find out your wife is expecting your first child. You could not be more excited, because you have been attempting for months to get pregnant by assisted reproduction, and it has finally happened. Another exciting moment—you are about to become mothers!
Or are you?
I can’t deny the excitement and overwhelming joy I felt when the United States Supreme Court released its decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. Simply put, Obergefell required states to treat same-sex married couples as equal to opposite-sex married couples. Although some may disagree with me, marriage is a great thing. At the same time, my focus as a family-law attorney working closely with the LGBTQ community naturally makes me aware of the legal complexities our community must face on a daily basis. Since the Obergefell
ruling, my legal mind has grown extremely anxious over the future issues that will plague our legal system and LGBT families.
What, exactly, does “marriage” mean, and how is it connected to parentage from a legal standpoint? Marriage is connected to thousands of laws, but many of these laws are not controlled by marriage. How does one know which laws will apply to same-sex marriages versus opposite-sex marriages? It is argued by some that all laws, as currently written, should be applied to opposite-sex marriages and same-sex marriages equally. But when does applying the currently written laws equally actually become an application of inequality? Take for an example my LMMs, or “Legally Married Mothers,” whose legal parental rights are the focus of this article.
A few weeks after the Obergefell opinion was released, my fears were given life when the Texas Department of State Health Services’ Vital Statistics Unit implemented revised policies that, in part, now allow both women in a same-sex marriage to be immediately listed on the birth certificate of a child born to one of the women during their marriage. You may think that listing you and your wife on the
The Texas Department of State Health Services’ Vital Statistics Unit now allows both women in a same-sex marriage to be listed on their child’s birth certificate.
birth certificate of your child is great—seemingly proof that both of you are now the legal parents of your child. After all, isn’t parentage one of the legal privileges that comes with marriage? Well, yes and no.
Being listed as a parent on your child’s birth certificate is a great thing, and can be extremely useful—as long as you actually are a legal parent of your child. Unfortunately, many LMMs believe that simply being listed as a parent on a birth certificate establishes a legal parent-child relationship under Texas law. But this assumption is not supported by the laws of Texas, and can lead to dire repercussions for any LMM who has not legally established her parent-child relationship with the child in accordance with state law.
Texas Family Code section 160.201(a) provides the rules for how a woman becomes a legal mother: “The mother-child relationship is established between a woman and a child by: 1. The woman giving birth to the child; 2. An adjudication of the woman’s maternity; or 3. The adoption of the child by the woman.” Note that there is not a single mention of becoming a legal mother by simply being named on a child’s birth certificate. ➝
The confusion emerges due to the acceptance of a birth certificate as proof of a legal parent-child relationship between a child and an adult listed on the child’s birth certificate by many organizations—schools, agencies, medical facilities, and so on. As long as no one disagrees with your legal parental status, the birth certificate is going to be just what you need. But what happens when someone— such as the LMM who actually gave birth to the child—starts to disagree with her wife’s claimed status of being a legal parent?
In a court of law, a birth certificate is evidence, not confirmation, of a legal parent-child relationship. It may also be used as evidence to show the intentions of the women to both be legal parents of their child. However, if there is a conflict between the LMMs during a legal battle, it will be up to each LMM to prove that she legally established her maternity under Texas law, either by giving birth to the child, by prior court action adjudicating her parentage, or by her prior adoption of the child. In a conservative court, simply being listed on the birth certificate will not be enough to confirm parentage. In short, one LMM may find she is not a legal parent of her child, which can have devastating results.
While the use of a birth certificate as proof of a legal parent-child relationship by various organizations is misleading, the truly misleading part about the birth certificate is that it is an official government identification document issued by the State of Texas. How can a state agency issue a legal document such as a birth certificate listing the LMMs as parents, when one of the women clearly does not fit within the legal definition for having established a legal mother-child relationship? The answer is because it was a departmental policy change based, in part, on the ruling in Obergefell. State agencies operate under policies that in theory should be based on the law. It would seem logical that if the agency has changed its policy, then obviously the law on which the policy is based has changed. But in this instance, it is not true.
The ruling in Obergefell that granted the right of marriage to same-sex couples was broad in nature. The ruling did not specifically address each and every law related to marriage, so the burden of hammering out the specific details of marriage and how it applies for same-sex couples legally is left to the states individually. One of the legal questions currently being discussed across the country focuses on what many people call the “marital presumption of parentage”—which has traditionally referred to married men—and how it should apply to children born during the marriage of two women. (Since men do not actually give birth to their children, this new “marital
presumption”
Currently, as set out in our Texas Family Code, the marital presumption of parentage is gender-specific and only applies to a presumption of paternity, or fatherhood. The code does not contain language related to a presumption of maternity, or motherhood. Under the code, a husband is presumed to be the legal parent of a child born to his wife during their marriage. However, the presumption of paternity can be rebutted, or disproved. To rebut the presumption of paternity, the wife, the husband, or another man claiming to be the biological father of the child can use DNA test results as evidence to prove that the husband is not the biological father of the child. If the presumption of paternity is properly rebutted, then a judge can hold that the husband is not the legal father of a child born to his wife.
The argument has been made that the presumption of paternity should be read as gender-neutral, and therefore applied to children born during the marriage of a lesbian couple. In theory, by applying the presumption in this situation, the wife who did not give birth to the child would presumptively be a legal parent of a child born to her wife during their marriage. However, the problem with simply applying our Texas paternity presumption (as currently written) to married lesbian couples is that it raises the question
of whether we would also have to apply the rebuttal of the paternity presumption based on biology. If Texas courts apply the current law equally, the LMM who gave birth to the child and who is also the biological mother of the child could easily rebut her wife’s presumption of parentage, since the wife did not give birth to the child and is not biologically connected to the child. This would allow a judge to find that the non-biological, non-birth mother of the child is actually not a legal parent of the child, regardless of the fact that she is listed as a parent on the child’s birth certificate.
It is unclear how Texas courts will apply the marital presumption going forward. There has been no Texas case law supporting the application of the marital presumption of parentage to same-sex marriages, and neither has the Texas Legislature amended the law in the Texas Family Code to address this issue. Since the question of parentage through samesex marriage remains unanswered, it creates a trap for many LMMs.
What is the best option for LMMs going forward? While the law is always open to interpretation, you may not be happy dealing with those who will be interpreting and applying the law to your family. The reality is that Texas law is not on your side, and you live in a very conservative state that is hostile to LGBT equality. There has already been litigation dealing with parentage issues for
children born during the marriages of LMMs. Conservative judges are finding reasons to interpret Texas law in unfavorable ways for mothers who have not legally established parental rights to their child in accordance with Texas law.
To protect your family, I strongly encourage LMMs to use the tools available under Texas law to clearly establish a legal parent-child relationship. This is not just the advice of our law firm, but of national organizations such as the National Center for Lesbians Rights (NCLR) and Lambda Legal. Parentage can be established through second-parent adoption after the child is born or, under the right circumstances, through surrogacy laws and parentage orders. It is best to speak with an attorney who is knowledgeable about Texas law and who deals regularly with these issues. Spending some money now to complete your family’s legal connections will cost a lot less than what you could spend fighting for what you thought had already been established by having your name listed on your child’s birth certificate.
Joshua S. Myers is an associate attorney with the law firm Moore & Hunt in Houston, Texas. His legal practice focuses on family law, including dissolution and adoption matters with an emphasis on assisting LGBT clients. Email: Joshua@mooreandhunt.com
Empowering Voices
UH officially launches the Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies major.
By Christina Canales Gorczynski
Last month, for the first time in the institution’s history, a student majoring in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies (WGSS) graduated from the University of Houston. Since the new WGSS major launched in December 2015, Dr. Rachel Afi Quinn, Assistant Professor of Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies and Comparative Cultural Studies, reports that many interested students are packing WGSS intro classes and registrations for this major are surging.
The persistent advocacy of students and faculty prompted UH to add the WGSS major, a significant milestone for this ever-evolving program. Initially founded as a “women’s studies” program in 1991, UH’s WGSS program is now an academic program that o ers an undergraduate major and two minors, as well as a graduate certificate.
The program is now viewed as a necessary part of the college curriculum by students like sophomore Lena Myers, who exclaims, “What would I do without it?!” when asked about the significance of the WGSS launch. “In school and in society, marginalized students are not taught about their histories, bodies, possibilities, positionality, and power,” explains Myers, UH WGSS major and president of the WGSS student group. “We must have these options in higher education. Critical identity studies programs like WGSS are crucial, and need to be uplifted if this university is going to be part of creating change for a di erent world.”
Elizabeth Gregory, director of the WGSS program, agrees. “Since gender and sexuality are defining aspects of everyone’s lives, and at issue constantly, our students need to be able to discuss and contextualize them in an honest and informed environment.”
Professor Rachel Afi Quinn encourages students to apply classroom lessons to the world beyond UH. Quinn aims to develop her students “to become informed and engaged citizens of a transnational world.” The WGSS program inspires students to engage with Houston-based organizations across diverse communities, promote feminist activism, and volunteer. And for Quinn, it’s the support of women throughout the city that makes the UH WGSS program unique.
Indeed, the WGSS program is supported by the UH Friends of Women’s Studies (FWS), a nonprofit organization comprised of women from across the city of Houston. Through fundraising and volunteerism, FWS supports WGSS students through research, teaching, and activities. “Attracting and retaining talented faculty and engaging with students is critical to our mission as Friends of Women’s Studies,” says FWS president Geordie Hrdlicka.
“Table Talk, our annual FWS fundraising event, connects the broader community of Houston women with the WGSS program and inspires continued investment in building
a fair future,” explains Hrdlicka. Table Talk attracts over 500 supporters to a luncheon held at the Hilton Americas each spring. The event features “conversationalists”—dynamic women of various cultures, professions, and experiences—who lead discussions at each table.
Friends of Women’s Studies also supports the Carey Shuart Women’s Archive and Research Collection, a unique collection of documents and oral histories from notable Houston women. A “Living Archives” series is held monthly at the Rockwell Pavilion at UH’s MD Anderson Library. Living Archives events are open to the general public and o er panel discussions on topics such as #BlackWomensLivesMatter, Women and Pleasure, and Transgender 101.
These Living Archives discussions—in addition to the lectures, classes, and activities provided by the WGSS program—push students to think critically about gender, race, and class, according to sophomore Tonya Huynh, UH class of 2018. Huynh was considering transferring out of UH just as the WGSS major was announced during her second semester, ➝
Celebrating Identity
The WGSS program allows students to discuss and contextualize gender and sexuality in an honest and informed environment.
so she happily stayed at UH and joined the WGSS student group. With her newly declared WGSS major, “[Social change] is what I get to study,” she says joyfully. “We dive deeper into an all-encompassing subject that gives us the ability and opportunity to strive towards social change.”
Drawing upon the energy of our international city and the diversity found at the University of Houston, the WGSS program has developed into an intersectional, multidisciplinary force on campus that critically assesses how identities shape society. Guillermo De Los Reyes, an associate professor in the Department of Hispanic Studies and an associate director of the WGSS Program, promises that “our graduates will be strong and empowered voices in the future.”
We wish Tonya, Lena, and all of the new Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies majors, minors, and faculty the best as they pioneer a program that’s changing the University of Houston and our city for the better, encouraging a fairer future for all.
Christina Canales Gorczynski is a community leader and CEO of First Person, a business-consulting firm for socially responsible organizations. Learn more at christinagorczynski.com.
Andy Sassie – Owner
Beam Us Up
Why the next Star Trek series needs an openly gay captain.
By Josh Inocéncio
In November, CBS announced that Star Trek would return to television in 2017, a platform where, as the New York Times joked, it’s boldly been before.
As we watch the sci-fi franchise venture back into familiar territory, I challenge the creators to boldly go where no Star Trek series has gone before: placing an openly gay captain at the helm of the Enterprise. That’s right. A gay captain. Not some expendable red-shirt who’s dead by episode three.
The reason I love Star Trek (even slightly more than Star Wars—yes, I said it!) is because the series has always soared to the final frontier of social-justice issues. During the Civil Rights movement and the Cold War, the original 1966 Star Trek presented us with a diverse crew featuring Sulu, a Japanese helmsman; Chekov, a Russian security officer; and Uhura, an African communications officer. Although 1960s-era sexism did infiltrate the writing, Star Trek projected a future where there is no longer any race or gender discrimination on Earth (as characters in each installment frequently point out). By the 1990s, Deep Space Nine and Voyager even featured an AfricanAmerican captain and a female captain, respectively. Yet despite this longstanding commitment to representing minority groups, the show hasn’t been nearly as progressive with representing LGBT individuals.
To be fair, Star Trek is no stranger to LGBT-themed episodes. There are scarce examples in The Original Series, but The Next Generation, starring Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, pushed the envelope with several episodes, including “The Offspring” where Commander Data creates a genderless android child who chooses to be a woman, and “The Outcast” where Commander Riker falls
in love with Soren, a female-identified member of the androgynous J’naii species that shuns gender binaries and ultimately persecutes Soren. Later, Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Enterprise featured episodes that lightly addressed LGBT-related issues, but none with an openly gay or lesbian character.
As we can see, Star Trek has a history of producing episodes that challenge gender and sexuality norms. But other sci-fi and superhero series are in LGBT warp drive, rapidly leaving Star Trek stuck in the 20th century—the same bygone era that it professes to have evolved beyond. For example, the X-Men films have introduced a pansexual Deadpool, the comics have confirmed a gay Iceman, and CW’s The Flash and Arrow have featured a gay villain and a bisexual superhero. When asked if society is ready for a gay superhero, Arrow actor John Barrowman replied, “Personally, I don’t care if they are or not. It’s time we had one.”
So not only does the prevalence of LGBT characters on television set the stage for a gay captain in Star Trek, but we are also living in an era where our president has repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and has appointed the first openly gay Secretary of the Army. Since Starfleet is a military entity, I’m sure Spock would agree that a gay captain is only logical.
Of course, even with the Supreme Court’s
marriage-equality ruling and the repeal of DADT, our society still hasn’t abandoned homophobia. But since we’re increasingly rejecting strict gender and sexuality roles, a gay captain would further challenge heteronormativity by promoting equal representation. Fans—especially Millennials who are coming out of the closet at younger ages—are ready for a gay man or a lesbian to assume the captain’s chair. In addition, a gay captain (the most authoritative figure on a starship) would absolutely empower young people who are questioning their identities and coming to terms with their sexuality.
And does anyone question the contributions of gay Star Trek actors George Takei and Zachary Quinto? With these two activists rallying Trekkies across the sexuality spectrum, I don’t think fans doubt the ability of a gay captain to explore strange new worlds and face-offs with Klingons.
At the height of the AIDS epidemic in 1992, Mark Altman revealed in the Cinefantastique magazine article “Tackling Gay Rights” that creator Gene Roddenberry told LGBT fans that he’d commit to representing gay characters in The Next Generation. One of the show’s writers, David Gerrold, even wrote an episode called “Blood and Fire” that featured a samesex couple. However, the episode went ➝
Illustration by Caleb Smith
unproduced because Roddenberry and the creative team ultimately weren’t ready to air material that seemed too controversial at the time. Certainly, the writers for the new series can redress this exclusion.
If Star Trek is going to continue envisioning a utopian future with advanced medical technology, peace on Earth, and the Prime Directive that seeks to rectify colonialism, it’s only going to blast itself in the foot by marginalizing queer identities. The show that brought us the first television kiss in U.S. history between a white man and a black woman can’t afford to neglect any demographic without reneging on its continuing mission.
And for goodness’ sake, let’s not forget that the show has been comfortably representing interspecies relationships ever since the 1960s. If Captain Kirk is shacking up with green aliens, I daresay a gay captain pursuing a romance on the Enterprise wouldn’t be out of this galaxy!
Your move, CBS.
Josh Inocéncio is a playwright and freelance writer. A Houston-area native, he finished his master’s in theater studies at Florida State University and produced his first play, Purple Eyes , before returning to Texas last May.
Awarding Diversity
The Golden Globe and the Screen Actors Guild awards cover the queer spectrum.
By Donalevan Maines
Shows about LGBT subjects that have long been taboo in Hollywood are finalists for Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild prizes at televised award shows this month.
The 1950s lesbian romance Carol leads the way at the Globes with five nominations, including Best Motion Picture–Drama. Its out director, Todd Haynes, is a nominee for Best Director, and stars Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara face off for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Best Motion Picture–Drama.
Double-nominees for the same movie is a feat that’s only happened six times before in the Best Actress–Drama category, including Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep in The Hours, in 2003, Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon (Thelma and Louise, 1992), Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger (Terms of Endearment, 1984), Glenda Jackson and Vanessa Redgrave (Mary, Queen of Scots, 1972), Katharine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor (Suddenly, Last Summer, 1960), and Ingrid Bergman and Helen Hayes ( Anastasia, 1957). Three of the Globe winners went on to win the Oscar that year. (Of the 14 women, only Mara and Winger have never won an Academy Award.)
Sylvester Stallone can also claim two Globe nominations, but they’re 39 years apart. After baring all in a 1970 soft-porn movie, Party at Kitty and Stud’s, “the Italian Stallion” was championed as a Best Actor–Drama nominee in 1976’s Rocky, and now he’s the guy to beat as Best Supporting Actor for the same role in Creed
Tomlin’s co-star in Grace and Frankie, two-time Oscar winner Jane Fonda, leads the race for Best Supporting Actress in Paolo Sorrentino’s Youth, but she has stiff competition, including double-nominee Alicia Vikander for her supporting role as a humanoid robot in Ex Machina and for Best Actress–Drama in The Danish Girl
That leads us to the transgender takeover of both the 73rd Annual Golden Globes (hosted by Ricky Gervais) and the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.
In movies, Eddie Redmayne (last year’s Oscar winner as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything) is back in the running, this time as transgender pioneer Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl, at both the Globes and SAG-AFTRA, which awards The Actor prize to its winners. On the TV side, Jeffrey Tambor (last year’s Emmy Award winner as Maura Pfefferman) and his show, Transparent, could reap their second Globes and first Actor prizes.
The Actor award could also go to Queen Latifah in the title role of Bessie; Kevin Spacey in House of Cards; Ty Burrell, Eric Stonestreet, and out actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson in Modern Family; another out actor, former Houstonian Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory); Uzo Aduba, as lesbian Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren, and trans actress Laverne Cox, plus out actresses Lea DeLaria, Ruby Rose, Samara Wiley, and others playing lesbian inmates in Orange Is the New Black; Robert James-Collier as sad/gay Thomas Barrow in the ensemble of Downton Abbey; along with out actors Carrie Brownstein and Cherry Jones in the cast of Transparent.
The 1950s lesbian romance Carol leads the way at the Globes with five nominations.
Also a hit at the Globes: Empire, created by openly gay Lee Daniels (Precious, The Butler), and starring out actor Jussie Smollett as gay character Jamal Lyon.
ing’s on the Wall,” is up for Best Song at the Globes; and Lady Gaga, who leads the cartel for American Horror Story: Hotel as a nominee for Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television.
The Globes and SAG-AFTRA are boozy preludes to the Oscars, which will be handed out live on ABC on Sunday, February 28.
In fact, the movie awards season began November 30 with the aforementioned Haynes treated to a special tribute at the 25th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards, where Spotlight was named Best Picture and its top cast members—Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Brian d’Arcy James, Liev ➝
Lily Tomlin is a Globe double-nominee for two projects—as best actress in a comedy or musical for Grandma, and as best actress in a TV comedy or musical for Grace and Frankie, her Netflix TV series.
Before each awards show, there will be a red-carpet special that we’ll need to watch as a primer on who many of these nominees are. Rami Malek? Sarah Hay? Tobias Menzies? I feel like Cloris Leachman at the Comedy Central roast of Bob Saget, when she cried, “For the love of God, will somebody please punch me in the face so I can see some stars?”
At least we know Sam Smith, whose theme song for the James Bond film Spectre, “Writ-
of Nominees
A Rainbow
From top left: Rooney Mara (l) and Cate Blanchett in Carol; Lily Tomlin in Grandma; Uzo Aduba in Orange Is the New Black; Jim Parsons in The Big Bang Theory; Queen Latifah in Bessie; Jeffrey Tambor in Transparent; and Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl
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Schreiber, and Billy Crudup—were honored with the Special Jury Award for their ensemble performance. Spotlight is about reporters at The Boston Globe newspaper who, in 2001, blew the lid off the Roman Catholic Church for allegedly covering up a priest’s sexual abuse of more than 80 boys.
The next day, the National Board of Review muddied the water by naming an action movie, Mad Max: Fury Road, the year’s top movie, and giving acting nods to leading actors Matt Damon in The Martian and Brie Larson for Room, and supporting players Stallone and Jennifer Jason Leigh in Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight. Best Ensemble went to The Big Short.
A day later, the prestigious New York Film Critics Circle chimed in with four awards for Carol, including Best Picture, Best Director,
He’s a Winner
Openly gay director
Todd Haynes has a hit with Carol—he recently received the Best Director award from the New York Film Critics Circle, and he and his film and cast are nominated for a slew of awards. He is obviously in the running for an Oscar nomination.
Best Cinematography, and Best Screenplay for Phyllis Nagy’s adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 underground cult novel, The Price of Salt, which the late Strangers on a Train/ The Talented Mr. Ripley author published under the pseudonym Claire Morgan. Carol has been on Oscar’s radar since last spring’s 68th annual Cannes Film Festival, when the main competition jury, led by Joel and Ethan Coen, hailed Mara as Best Actress in a split with foreign actress Emmanuelle Bercot in Mon Roi. However, to spread the wealth and avoid a conflict with Blanchett as Best Actress, the film’s distributors are campaigning for Mara as a supporting actress, which is the category she competes in at SAG-AFTRA.
At least one “Carol”—Burnett—is guaranteed a win that night, as the San Antonio native will be fêted with the 52nd Annual SAG Life Achievement Award. Its equivalent at the Globes, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, will be presented to Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington.
What: 73rd Annual Golden Globes
When: 7 p.m., Sunday, January 10
Where: NBC
What: 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
When: 7 p.m., Saturday, January 30
Where: simulcast live on TNT and TBS
Donalevan Maines also writes about the Ensemble Theatre in this issue of OUTSMART
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Don’t Fence Him In
Texan Mirron Willis is part of Ensemble’s 10-Play Cycle by August Wilson
By Donalevan Maines
Photo by Kevin McIntyre
Aranch in Crockett, Texas, is the place to be for Mirron Willis. “It’s very Green Acres,” he says, crowing the imagined headline, “Hollywood actor moves to the country.” (Green Acres was a popular ’60s TV sitcom from Willis’ childhood, with Eddie Albert as Oliver Wendell Douglas and Eva Gabor as his glam wife Lisa, who said goodbye to city life in Manhattan for fresh air and farm livin’ near the fictional Petticoat Junction.)
Willis is a veteran stage and screen actor who studied theater at Prairie View A&M University before moving to New York City, then Los Angeles, and appearing in films that include Independence Day and Fracture.
His ranch in Crockett puts him closer to Houston. Two years ago, he played Malcolm X in Jeff Stetson’s The Meeting at the Ensemble Theatre and will return in May to direct the staged reading of the late August Wilson’s Jitney.
It’s part of the Ensemble’s ambitious 10-month project celebrating scripts that Wilson set in each decade of the 20th century, known collectively as The 10-Play Cycle
For example, December’s reading was of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, in which a 1920s lady sang the blues to “her gal.” (Oscar winner Mo’Nique played Ma Rainey in the recent HBO movie Bessie.) Willis says he liked how Wilson presented Ma Rainey as a lesbian “without beating the audience on the head with it. The two women are constantly together. It’s very implied. They are just two women going about their everyday lives.”
Ma Rainey is a rare instance of Wilson writing about gays or lesbians, but Willis says, “Art speaks to all cultures. It is the great equal-
izer. Getting an audience of all ethnicities into a space to experience a play is very magical.”
Ma Rainey won the 1982 Tony Award for Best Play. Wilson followed it with Fences in 1987, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and four Tony Awards, including Best Play. Willis saw that production on Broadway, with James Earl Jones as a garbage man in Pittsburgh who once was a Negro League baseball star. “It was a great experience,” says Willis.
Houston theater fans will soon get the opportunity to see fully staged productions of both Fences and Wilson’s other Pulitzer Prizewinner, The Piano Lesson Fences begins previews January 23 at the Ensemble, prior to its opening on January 28, the night before The Piano Lesson opens at the Pearl Theatre. Both plays will also be presented as staged readings in the 10-Play Cycle project, with The Piano Lesson on January 25
Actor/Director/ Rancher
Mirron Willis lives on a ranch in Crockett, Texas, and will travel the short distance to Houston to direct Jitney at the Ensemble Theatre.
and Fences on March 28.
While working at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which also performs contemporary plays, Willis understudied the role of Avery in The Piano Lesson and met Wilson when the author attended a performance. “He was standing at the bar, writing his last play on cocktail napkins,” recalls Willis. “I asked him what it was about and he said, ‘Something about golf.’” Sure enough, those napkin notes became Radio Golf, which Wilson set in the 1990s and concluded his 10-Play Cycle
The Ensemble’s project began last October with one play read each month, in the order in which they take place, not the order in which they were written. Gem of the Ocean, which takes place in the 1900s, was followed by Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, which is set in the 1910s.
Willis says that Jitney, which takes place in the 1970s, “is about change. Not just ➝
CLEAR LAKE
DON’T FENCE HIM IN continued from previous page
change, but the apex of change, in neighborhoods and in individual lives.”
Willis was born in 1965 in the City of Gaithersburg in Montgomery County, Maryland. When his father died in 1977, Willis and his mother moved to Texarkana, Texas.
“I never was really in the closet,” he says. “My introduction to the gay lifestyle came during my formative years,” including visits to Houston while at Prairie View.
Tipping into Montrose, which he had heard was “a gay mecca,” says Willis, “my first gay bar was JR’s. It was scary. I was terrified. It was all white! I wasn’t drinking then, and I couldn’t have stayed long because I had to take the bus back to campus.”
Willis returned to the gayborhood for frequent visits to Studio 13, a gay bar on Westheimer that had a mainly black clientele.
“The lack of diversity in our community has been a constant everywhere I go since I’ve been on the scene,” bemoans Willis. “It was the same in L.A., with Latin bars and Asian bars. I think it’s very unfortunate. We feel separated enough without separating from each other.”
In New York, he says, “I found my tribe at Gay Men’s Health Crisis, involved in AIDS activities. In New York, we were very vocal. It was the ’80s, people were dying left and right. Everywhere you looked, there was a funeral, someone was going into the hospital, and on and on and on. Ed Koch was the mayor and Ronald Reagan was president, so we felt like it was up to us to conquer this thing.”
After earning his Actors’ Equity card, Willis moved to Los Angeles and worked in movies and television, including his roles as a Klingon guard in the fourth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation and as Rettik, one of the Kazons in episodes of Star Trek: Voyager
A strapping 6’2” with a deep, sultry voice, Willis was cast in the title role of William Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1 in 2014’s Houston Shakespeare Festival, and he narrated Lincoln Portrait in a presentation by the Houston Symphony last summer at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park. “I definitely hope to work more in Houston,” he says. “There are lots more opportunities to explore.”
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Willis converted a part of one structure into a sound booth that he calls his “treasure box.”
“It’s how I generate my money,” says Willis, describing his success as a voice-over actor. For example, he was honored for his recording of Larry Karp’s mystery-suspense book, The King of Ragtime, and he gave voice to the cosmos in Space Chronicles: Facing the Final Frontier, a New York Times bestseller by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Donalevan Maines is a regular contributor to OUTSMART magazine.
Things to Leave in 2015
Kissing
Kim Davis, Campaign for Houston, and Caitlyn Jenner goodbye.
By Ryan Leach
Now that the books have officially closed on 2015, most of us are looking forward to the New Year with new resolutions. Looking forward is great, but if we learned anything in grade school it was that remembering our history is important . . . “For those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” (George Santayana, Spanish philosopher)
And girl, there were parts of 2015 that I for sure do not want to repeat!
Let’s take one last look back as we ponder my inaugural list of the Top Ten Things to Leave in 2015:
1. Kim Davis – The colloquialism “Bye, Felicia!” has never been more apropos than with this idiot. We should have known that Kim Davis was down for a hard fight when she walked out in that denim overall dress and declined to issue marriage licenses to gay Kentucky couples after the June marriageequality ruling. (Anyone brave enough to leave their house in a denim overall dress is not to be messed with.) After her myriad attempts (and failures) to have the courts rule that her religious beliefs should allow her the right to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples, Kim Davis moved into the Halloween costume hall of fame (and waste bin)—forever, we hope. However, I will miss the parody Twitter handle @NextToKimDavis. Classic Kim.
2. Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore – Before the Supreme Court ruling declaring same-sex marriage bans unconstitutional, several states acquired marriage equality by default. Alabama was one of
That Was the Year That Was Rowan County, Kentucky, clerk Kim Davis, Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, State Senator Kelly Hancock (one of many antigay Texas legislators), mayoral candidate Ben Hall, Campaign for Houston advertising, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, and Caitlyn Jenner.
those states. And in the state of Alabama lives an old bigot named Roy Moore, the Alabama Supreme Court justice who still thinks that his state shouldn’t issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. (In some counties, they still don’t.) Roy Moore is a fantastic dinosaur, reminiscent of the villainous old racists of the ’60s—old white guys in power who just weren’t gonna tolerate changing their ways. If these folks didn’t still exist in high volume, Roy Moore would be considered a caricature of the Old South and its infamous past. I hope when Alabamans vote for their next Supreme Court Justice, they vote this Foghorn Leghorn of intolerance back to Dark Ages where he came from.
3. #AllLivesMatter – Let’s file this under the category of “You’re Doing It Wrong.” This misguided hashtag went viral in response to #BlackLivesMatter, a movement created in response to systemic racism in our justice and penal system that has resulted in the murder and disproportionate incarceration of AfricanAmericans. What #AllLivesMatter failed to comprehend when #AllWhitePeopleSaidIt was that the #BlackLivesMatter movement was not asserting that black lives mattered more, but that in America in 2015 black lives appeared to matter less. Democrats and Republicans alike fell into this well-meaning white-privilege quagmire. Our own Harris
County Sherriff Ron Hickman shoved one foot in his mouth and the other foot into rough political waters when he invoked this tone-deaf response after the tragic murder of deputy Darren Goforth.
4. Religious Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRA) – Indiana managed to severely harm their brand of “Hoosier hospitality” when their legislature and Governor Mike Pence decided that passing a law that would allow people to discriminate against others, based on “a deeply held religious belief,” was a good idea. It turns out that it wasn’t. The national backlash created by the tidal wave of disapproval of the law so harmed the state that the Indianapolis Star had a front-page image that read simply “Fix This Now.” And fix it they tried, but the damage was done. Governor Pence is in a hard race for re-election. I hope the deeply held religious beliefs of Indianans guide them to vote for anyone other than Mike Pence. My thoughts and prayers are with them.
5. Ignoring the Transgender Experience – It isn’t 2009 anymore. The world and the LGB community can no longer ask the T contingent to wait their turn. (Not that it was ever acceptable in the first place.) While the transgender community waits for their turn, the murder rate for transgender people—specifically women of color—continues to climb ➝
CHOCOLATE
THINGS TO LEAVE IN 2015
continued from previous page along with their rates of poverty, unemployment, homelessness, and discrimination. There is no excuse for us to make compromises that further marginalize members of our community, and we need to start taking action. If only we had a local ordinance in place to help prevent and punish this behavior . . .
6. Caitlyn Jenner – The word I think of, when I think of Caitlyn Jenner, is “polarizing.” If I identified as transgender, I don’t know how I would feel about this lady being my new and unelected spokesperson. On one hand, she is woefully under-educated about the experiences of the transgender community, and she is politically aligned with a party that fights every day to suppress the rights of her community. And yet, on the other hand, she has been able to introduce the whole world to a life experience most people have never attempted to understand. I guess the reason we need to leave Caitlyn in 2015, despite her efforts to do the community some good, is that I’m not sure a rich old white lady living in a Malibu mansion sitting on millions of dollars is a suitable representative for an increasingly marginalized faction of the LGBT community. Especially while she is still voting against them and herself.
7. HERO-ic Mistakes – The failure of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) cast a long shadow over what was a largely positive and historic year for the American LGBT community. Perhaps electing the first openly gay mayor of a major American city made us lazy. But HERO’s loss may be the ass kickin’ we need to make a better Houston. First step: acknowledge that there is a difference between being diverse and segregated versus diverse and integrated—to quote Sylvester Turner. If Houston were a high-school cafeteria, we would all be sitting at our own lunch tables talking about our own problems and not learning anything new. Let’s start by reaching out to those in our community who live at the intersection of being LGBT and a person of color. Then let’s buy the world a Coke.
8. Campaign for Houston – Unfortunately, my Christmas wish that the barrel full of jerks who led the successful campaign to take down HERO would fall over the edge of a waterfall did not come true. But maybe I just need an attitude adjustment. I should pray to their version of Jesus and ask Him to send me some evidence that these folks are actually human beings and not egg-hatched monsters. I mainly hate them for making our city look bad compared to Dallas. DALLAS!
9. Antigay Texas Legislators – There are a lot of them, almost too many to name, and they tried to cause a lot of trouble for the gay community in 2015. Thanks to the hard work of groups like Equality Texas, the HRC,
GAYRIB
the GLBT Political Caucus, The Victory Fund, etc., it was a little harder than usual for them to succeed. Effectively none of the antigay legislation got to the governor’s desk in the 2015 session. We can thank, in small part, the Indiana backlash and the cool timing of the Supreme Court marriage ruling after the Texas session ended for that. Sometimes timing is everything.
10. Mayoral Candidate Ben Hall – Dear Ben, in 2013 you had a float in the Pride parade and tried to brand yourself as a slightly more conservative and better choice for Houston mayor. You failed in that campaign and wasted millions of your own dollars doing it. Then, like herpes, you came back in 2015 and used your platform as a mayoral candidate to demagogue about bathrooms. You were again unsuccessful at persuading voters your way. Some Houston voters may have been fooled by the bathroom lie, but they weren’t stupid enough to vote for you. Do us all a favor and move back to Piney Point Village—and take Dave Wilson, Steve Hotze, Jared Woodfill, and the rest of the Campaign for Houston with you.
Ryan Leach is a community activist who currently serves on the board of Equality Texas. He is dedicated to the social and political advancement of the LGBT community.
2016 ASTROCAST
Tby Lilly Roddy | Illustrations by David Eduardo Flores Perez
here are changes ahead as the planets continue to move and change their positions in the Zodiac. Since 2008, two planets—Uranus, the independent and the rebel; and Pluto, the detoxer and the power-monger—have been in harsh alignment and have essentially created the world of people that we have been living through. The combination of these two planets creates an irascible energy, which defies any reasonable solution and thwarts attempts to find common ground. As we get into 2016, these two planets finally begin to separate and the intensity of their effects will begin to diminish, especially after April. Uranus and Pluto have been affecting the cardinal signs—Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. So people with key planets in those signs have been faced with the most severe
emotional challenges to change and grow.
• In 2016 we’re going to be dealing with the alignment of two different planets, Saturn and Neptune. These two planets will be affecting the mutable signs of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. Saturn always reminds us that we need to be conscious of our future and that we need to continue to work on our long-term security, while Neptune wants more from our lives than just pushing that rock uphill every day. • For those of us here in Houston, this alignment between Saturn and Neptune will keep the price of gasoline low until after September 2016. This may have a noticeable impact on the Houston economy because of our reliance on the oil and gas industry.
Lilly Roddy has been an astrologer for the last 32 years. She counsels individuals in personal, business, and fi nancial matters, as well as teaches classes in astrology. Her original interest in astrology, like most people’s, was to come to a better understanding of who she was and how to make the most of her life. She continues to study all areas of astrology and metaphysics to expand her base of knowledge. Roddy’s approach is to bring together a mental, physical, and spiritual combination that has real application in the world. Roddy can be contacted at 713.529.5842 or lillycath@aol.com. continued
Photo of Lilly Roddy by John Conroy
ARIES
(March 21– April 19)
Career energies continue to be very active and in a state of rapid change and growth. The company that you work for is going through a downsizing and cleaning-out process. You can be either an agent of the change or part of the debris swept away by the change. You are definitely looking to improve your power position and status. If you’re feeling stronger, this is a good time to consider looking at starting your own business. Your relationship patterns are also going through a time of change and renewal. You will want your relationships to have a sense of fun and enthusiasm, as boredom is the real enemy in your relationship—especially until August. Your overall relationship pattern improves after August, so that should be an especially positive
time for your relationships, both business and personal.
After August, you should see an improvement in work conditions and a potential new office locale that may even generate a lot more business than you are used to. This is such a good time to work on health, diet, and exercise.
You will want to pay particular attention to your ruling planet, Mars, going retrograde from March 26 through June 29. You may not feel on your game at that time, and you may feel that your timing is just off. Make sure that you focus on doing what you like during that time, and all should go well. Definitely don’t start any new projects during that time.
After August, you will be more upbeat and busier than you have been in the first eight months of the year. Make sure you don’t overload yourself this year, because that will be very easy to do.
TAURUS
(April 20 – May 20)
Taureans continue on their stable growth path for most of 2016. You are in a creative and expansive time that is very good for taking classes to reinforce your skill set. This outgoing energy is strong through August.
2016 is going to be an excellent year for you to pay attention to long-term finances, security, and retirement plans. You will want to get yourself out from under debt or other obligations that keep you emotionally dragged down. You will also be much more conscious about your boundaries and how well you’re respected for the knowledge and wisdom that you have. If you’re not getting the respect that you deserve, you may find yourself looking for other places to work.
Friendships and group associations are also going
through a period of reevaluation. You are certainly looking for your friends to step up and be more mature— otherwise, you may not want to hang around them.
This year you are expecting more from your relationships. You will want to break through some of the barriers that have not allowed you to be as open and as intimate with your partner as you may have liked. Mars, planet of action and confrontation, is in your relationship sector from January until August. If you’re single, Mars can give you plenty of energy and determination to look for a potential mate. In existing relationships, Mars needs some sense of renewal, and you may want to put some fire back into your primary personal relationship. You may want to set up new goals for relationships at work.
If your relationship is not going so well, Mars will help bring those problems to the surface so that they can be addressed. The new direction you seek may mean going elsewhere to look for a potential new mate. Mars is a planet that requires physical expression, and it really helps to go to the gym or go for a walk. Some of the most intense time will be between March 26 and June 29.
GEMINI
(May 21– June 21)
This is a more decisive and forward-moving year than you have been experiencing during the last couple of years. Overall, you are undertaking a clearer plan of action to improve not only your security and career sector, but also (and especially) your relationship sector. You are looking at all of your activities in a much more black-and-white way, trying to determine if they are useful and serve a purpose in your life. With your occupation, this can be a time to move upward on the career ladder. You’re definitely looking for a place where you can be appreciated and make your mark as part of the team.
This year, relationships are going through a huge reevaluation, whether they are business or personal.
You are just trying to make sure that both you and your partner have a goal and that you are both pulling in the same direction. For many of you, this can be a year of real commitment, which could mean cohabitation or marriage. And for a few of you, this will mark the end of the relationship and a time for you to look for new ports of call. Whatever the actual outcome may be for you, you are definitely restructuring your current relationships so that there’s more quality and more long-term security.
Don’t be surprised if some career opportunities open up for you in March and September of this year. March through June is a good time to pay attention to health, diet, and exercise regimens. During that same time, relationships among coworkers may be testy.
Your career energies are finally stabilizing some this year. You may have felt rudderless over the last couple of years and are now more ready to make a decision rather than waiting for that perfect thing. You may feel that you’re in the doldrums during the middle of June and the early part of September. Try not to push yourself so hard and overthink situations in those months. Things are getting better, and you can feel it.
CANCER
(June 22– July 22)
Moon Children continue to be on the very busy and active path of growth that most of them have been on since 2008. The growth and change has been coming so quickly that it has been very difficult for you Crabs to adapt before you have something else to react to. The intensity of this growth will lessen as we get past the spring of 2016. You will still be on a growth cycle, but you will have more time to acclimate.
In the career arena, you will be looking for new and inventive ways to do your work, and you may even consider starting your own business. If you are happy where you are working, this is a good time to be taking on new projects or even creating some new projects on your own. You will have new and inventive ways to open up the business to potential new resources. At the same
time, there is a reorganization going on in how the business functions. This could be a time when your office moves, or you get new office equipment, or you get a promotion. Try to be the agent of change and don’t resist the energies.
Health, diet, and other chronic problems resurface all through 2016 and through most of 2017. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to start that brand-new health regimen, this is the year to do it. You are instinctively taking more time for yourself and standing up to people, rather than operating in your usual passiveaggressive way. It’s not to say that passive-aggressive doesn’t work, it just takes longer than a direct approach. Just like your career sector, relationships are also in a time of rapid growth and change. Try to go with the energy and it will reap great benefits. In some cases, it may be that the relationship has finally ended and it’s time to move on. Remember, it’s you that’s changing, not your partner!
LEO
(July 23 – August 22)
With two outer planets in fire signs, this should be a much better year for Leos. You are feeling creative and innovative without the pressure that you have to perform, but only that you want to.
In your career, you can easily take a leadership role and feel very confident with your ability to lead and inspire other people. This is also an excellent year to be extending your education or taking some classes to bolster your existing skill set. You can easily sell yourself and your services this year, because you will naturally exude a strong sense of confidence.
If you have children, this can be a year where you see your children taking on a more adult point of view. For those whose children are older, this can be a time of marriage for them—and grandchildren for you.
One area in which you are continuing to work and improve is your current living environment and your physical health. You are starting to rid your home and work of the piles of stuff you have been collecting. You are also starting to take a harder look at your health and eating regimens. It will be much easier to break bad habits and eliminate negative foods and behaviors in 2016.
Your finances are still a little foggy, but you are working harder than ever to get that part of your life in order. If your investments and/or career are connected to the oil and gas industry, this could be a year where you feel a pinch financially. You may want to spend conservatively and make sure your investments are sound. Keep your schedule open and flexible between March and June, as you may have to respond to a family issue that demands your attention. Do what you need to do to satisfy yourself, rather than just to please others. After August, you are much more social and are looking for distractions and entertainment. It will be a good time for travel until August 2017.
VIRGO
(August 23 –September 22)
This is going to be a very significant year for Virgoans. Three planets are influencing you, each with a different agenda. Let’s look at each one, from the fastest-moving to the slowest-moving.
Jupiter, planet of growth, social activity, expansion, and travel, has been in the sign of Virgo since August 2015. Jupiter will remain in Virgo until August 2016. Typically Jupiter represents a positive and optimistic time in your life, making you more open to new ideas and different points of view, while enhancing your magnetic personality. It’s easier to sell yourself or services associated with your business. Jupiter likes to be busy, and this should keep all Virgoans especially active. Relationships are improved, and if you are single, this is an especially good time to be out there trying to connect with other people.
Saturn, planet of reevaluation, repair, and long-term security, is moving through the home and family sector. Saturn likes to be safe. She wants to plan ahead and work out every strategy so that nothing can go wrong. She can make you think things to death. With every action Jupiter wants to take, Saturn wants to know if that action is really going to benefit you! Psychologically, this is a time of working on your emotional and family foundations. You are feeling older and noticing the passing of time. Saturn wants to make sure that investments of your time, love, money, and talents have a good return.
The last planet, Neptune, which activates your need for a spiritual retreat, has also been affecting Virgoans since 2011. This is the part of you that wants more from life than just the basic necessities. Neptune has made you more sensitive and more careful about the company that you choose to keep.
All of these planets have an influence on you, and each will have a say about what goes on in your life. You shouldn’t choose one over the other. Let Jupiter the optimist, Saturn the builder, and Neptune the dreamer find a way to pool their energies for your best benefit. More ASTROCAST on page 79
Aggies in Love
Brides Tiffany Dixon (l) and Claire Partin met as students at Texas A&M University. The pair surprised each other with not one, but two proposals.
OutSmartWeddingGuide
Claire Partin and Ti any Dixon Married Their Way
By Henry V. Thiel
Photo by Emily Rene emilyrene.com
Claire and Ti any met in College Station in 2010 while attending Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College (a ectionately referred to as Texas A&M). It was Claire’s smile that Ti any noticed first. They were each in long-term relationships when they met, so in the beginning (as with most perfect unions) they began their relationship as friends. The two couples double-dated, hanging out together with easy frequency. When their respective relationships ended shortly thereafter, they would meet,
bonding as they comforted and supported each other through those breakups. They took their time getting to know each other, and connected through music, friends, and playing guitar. Tiffany found Claire both comforting and genuine. Four years later, Claire would reveal herself to be quite surprising as well.
On Valentine’s Day in 2014, Claire invited Ti any to a beautiful park where they hiked through the picturesque scenery. Later in the day, Claire gave Ti any a box. Inside was a video of Claire’s rendition of Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are.” The video was filled with various images of the two of them, a photographic chronology of their four-year relationship. When the video ended, Claire was beside Ti any, down on one knee. Ti any, of course, said yes.
A few months later, in an equally (if not more) surprising scenario, Ti any evened up the score by proposing to Claire. (Yes, it seems that two
heads and two proposals actually are better than one.) Ti any’s location was outdoors as well, with the added gravitas of being under the canopy of the famed Century Tree at Texas A&M, their alma mater. While they have both been teased mercilessly about needing to get engaged not just once but twice, they believe this double proposal shows their relationship is a two-way street, and they are equals. This duet of proposals is a fantastic example of the revisionist aesthetic that the LGBT community can bring to the marriage ritual. After fighting so long and hard to get the right to marry, the queer community seems to be giving ancient customs a new spin, making the entire process a uniquely tailored experience. It shows both a respect for the tradition and an interest in adapting it for the 21st century—each wedding branded, so to speak, to be both time-
continued
Finalist
BEST WEDDING VENUE
LGBT FRIENDLY WEDDING VENUES
WEDDING GUIDE
continued from page 62
honored and of-the-moment, but most of all a reflection of that couple’s unique experience.
Claire and Ti any chose to get married at the Zilker Clubhouse in Austin. The state capital was the place where they first said “I love you,” and where they return every year with friends to Austin City Limits. They eventually hope to call Austin home, as they are still enamored with the city’s skyline and its outdoorsy feeling.
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When it came to planning the wedding itself, Claire and Ti any knew they wanted to ensure that they were using vendors who were not only comfortable with, but happy about doing a wedding for two women. For their ociant, they chose one of LGBT’s own, actor and musician Kenny Peters. Peters was selected due to his enthusiasm, understanding, and excitement about the prospect of same-sex marriages becoming legal in Texas.
“Choosing Kenny Peters as our o ciant was an amazing decision, and the ceremony reflected the deeper bond we had with him because of our shared identity,” states Tiffany. “We got so many compliments about Kenny after the ceremony, and I know that was because he was family, and understood how amazing it is that we could get married legally,” Claire adds.
The independent women threw a few traditional details by the wayside for their wedding. Claire and Ti any paid for it, planned it, and set up the wedding venue without the use of a wedding planner. However, they could not have done it without their amazing family and friends who worked incredibly hard throughout the morning of their special day to ensure that the venue looked exactly as they dreamed it would.
“Doing it ourselves gave our wedding a very personal and ‘us’ feel,” explains Ti any.
Adds Claire, “Every single decoration was picked out by both of us, and every second of the wedding was planned by both of us. We chose to leave out things that we’ve found to be boring at weddings. We wanted it to be a fun, relaxing, and happy celebration. We did use Ti any’s mom’s ring pillow, and my mom insisted that we cut a cake, but other than that we wanted to be original and start our own traditions.”
“Both of our parents had church weddings,” Ti any recalls. “And we were constantly told, ‘Back when I got married, nobody did all this stu !’ ”
And in case you were wondering, yes, the Aggie War Hymn was sung at the reception!
Henry V. Thiel is a principal at The Epicurean Publicist.
RETREAT FOR THE NEW YEAR IN STYLE.
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Bruno Gagliasso and João Vicente de Castro
( The Huffington Post, 11/30/15, Curtis M. Wong)
Brazilian actors Bruno Gagliasso and João Vicente de Castro, who are straight, surprised fans by sharing an impassioned smooch at an awards ceremony. Gagliasso shared a snapshot of the lip-lock (pictured), which took place at Brazil’s GQ Men of the Year awards in Rio de Janeiro, on his Instagram account. The men were presenters at the televised event. Gagliasso, who played a gay character on the Brazilian soap opera América, wrote in the caption that the kiss was aimed at “card-carrying macho” men as well as all “hypercritical and prejudiced” people, in an e ort to show that there was nothing wrong with two men expressing “our a ection and our love,” according to translations provided by The Hu ngton Post. The 33-year-old described the move as “a kiss of hope, of love” in an interview with Quem, and added, “[It was] to show that we are working against intolerance, small-mindedness, and hypocrisy.”
Danny Pintauro
( Plus, Jan/Feb/16, Jase Peeples)
On the criticism he has received for his advocacy and saying he contracted HIV through oral sex: The part that frustrates me is I’ve had very little negativity coming from anywhere except from within my community and specifically from other HIV activists. I don’t want to change how brutally honest I’m being, and I can’t apologize for what I consider to be my truth. I’m sorry if that doesn’t fit the PR mold for being an HIV activist. But in talking about the idea since then, [I’ll admit] I don’t know 100 percent . . . I was doing drugs. But that’s my truth. I’m not going to lie to tell a better story or to make it fit the story I’m trying to tell.
•
EDITOR’S NOTE: read the full interview at hivplusmag.com. •
‹
Who’s the Boss Now?
Danny Pintauro (seen here on the recent cover of Plus magazine): what is his truth? INSET: Pintauro (l) with costars Tony Danza and Alyssa Milano on the ’80s sitcom Who’s the Boss?
Holland Taylor
(The Huffington Post, 11/30/15, Curtis M. Wong)
Already Out?
Holland Taylor (pictured here at the 67th Annual Emmy Awards this past September): is she talkative about her relationships? INSET: Taylor as Peggy Peabody (here with Jennifer Beals) on Showtime’s famous lesbian series The L Word
Queer Quotes
Compiled by Blase DiStefano
Holland Taylor (73 years old this month), who played a bisexual on the TV series Two and a Half Men , and who nabbed a 2013 Tony Award nomination for her solo Broadway play, Ann (based on Texas’ own Ann Richards), “came out” when asked about marriage in an interview with WNYC’s Anna Sale.
Lady Gaga
( Billboard, 12/3/15, Chris Martins)
Kids become depressed when they are born with a creative instinct but are not taught how to express it. Can you imagine having to come, and someone says, “I’m so sorry, but you can never ejaculate in this life”? If you don’t teach someone how to release that energy, it gets blocked up, and it’s painful. Kids need to learn how to express who they are and seek value in it.
My relationship is with a woman. Given my generation, [marriage] would not be something that would automatically occur to me. ‹
Lady Gaga (seen here performing at the Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert in Las Vegas): what does she think kids need to learn? Inset: Lady Gaga on the cover of Billboard magazine as their Woman of the Year 2015.
Most of my relationships have been with women, and I don’t like talking about them, because I don’t like talking about the politics of it all. It’s awkward, because if I talk about relationships in my life, I’d like to be able to just say that, without having to stop and say, “So have you come out?” No, I haven’t come out, because I am out. I live out.
Releasing Energy
By David Goldberg
‘The Girl King’
of Sweden.
This award-winning film follows two young brothers in search of their birth father across the colorful landscape of Greece. Dany (Kostas Nikouli), 16, leaves Crete to find his 18-year-old brother, Odysseus (Nikos Gelia), who lives in Athens, and they journey to Thessaloniki, where they think their father is living. When the handsome Odysseus isn’t protecting his day-dreaming gay younger brother, he auditions for the television talent show Greek Star, where he pursues his fantasy of becoming a singing star. A comic and touching road trip of two brothers connecting and searching for their dreams.
• Greek and Albanian with English subtitles. Strand Releasing (strandreleasing.com).
—Troy Carrington
When it comes to screen queens of the literal variety, what is it that really makes the celluloid crown jewels shimmer: romance, or rule? Finnish director Mika Kaurismäki struggles to balance palace lust with fierce politics in The Girl King, a splashy, herkyjerky biopic of one of history’s most uncelebrated lone-wolf lady lieges, Kristina of Sweden.
In 1632, at the age of six, Kristina (Malin Buska) inherits the Swedish throne, and at age 18 embarks on a bold and controversial decade-long rule. Provided with an education befitting a man, the renegade royal disavows the traditional femininity of her time and seeks to make her kingdom a bastion of peace and learning. She directs military campaigns and tricky negotiations, and attempts to handle a bitter divide between Lutherans and Catholics across Europe.
But for a movie about a female firebrand who would eventually die a virgin at age 62, too much of The Girl King is fixated on Kristina’s love life. She obsesses over her lady-in-waiting and “bed companion” Belle (Sarah Gadon), a cherubic beauty with nothing interesting to say. Though sweet and earnest as it first blossoms, the affair quickly becomes repetitive fluff, and leaves
other storylines not fully fleshed out. The queen’s intense relationship with philosopher René Descartes gets capped quickly and mysteriously, and her contentious choices to abdicate her throne and convert to Roman Catholicism flash by so fast that they appear to be scenes from an upcoming sequel.
Why must female monarchs give up so much of their precious screen time to chronicle dull love affairs? Any gay man or lesbian of the ’90s can quote Cate Blanchett’s volcanic monologues from Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, but who even remembers her exhausting dalliances with Joseph Fiennes and Clive Owen? Masterpiece Theatre miniseries have hours to spare on surreptitious kisses in court; can’t big-screen queens use their 90 minutes to yell at subjects, eat cake, and win wars without losing their minds over crushes?
Fortunately, pop culture’s most beloved monarch doesn’t have much time for trysts. Game of Thrones has expanded the political challenges that its Khaleesi, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) must face as she attempts to impose rule on the fictional city of Mereen. Sure, she still gets a hot piece on the side, but viewers prefer to return for dragons and conquest, not kiss-
es from consorts. If only her sister screen-queens could follow suit.
Admittedly, it is good fun to see illicit palace lust consummated by two women, but the real treat of The Girl King is to see Malin Buska strut around in leather breeches and fabulous fur menswear, shaggy hair ruffled as she likes, kicking her riding boots up on the table during royal council. Buska delights in chewing scenery and ripping her advisors and suitors apart with a bold ruthlessness that isn’t played to be sexy or likeable. The Girl King may not be the most lavish or expensive period piece of the year, but as evidenced by a spitfire showdown between Kristina and her deranged mother (Martina Gedeck), high camp doesn’t require a high budget.
Buska attacks the role and does the historical badass justice, further cementing her place in the pantheon of legendary women on the throne. Hopefully, the virgin queen’s next shot at cinematic glory will allow her to live onscreen as she did in life: without silly distractions. Available from Wolfe Video (wolfevideo.com) and many major retailers.
David Goldberg is a regular contributor to O UTSMART magazine.
Xenia
Great Chemistry
Malin Buska (r) and Sarah Gadon star in Mika Kaurismäki’s The Girl King
Soul Sisters
Janet Jackson, Andra Day, Tamar Braxton, and Lizz Wright.
WDerek Mayo Dayglo Nightlight
Houston artist and former O UTS MART coverboy
Derek Mayo has released his latest album, Dayglo Nightlight, in conjunction with his YouTube paper-puppet NSFW cartoon web series, High Drawma! The songs on the album are in the genre of what’s known as West Coast music. The cartoon series mirrors his experiences with LMS (Leiomysarcoma, a rare form of cancer), the emotional impact it has, as well as the loss of his mother in October 2015. “I plan to tell/ show my story through the series,” he says, “and bring enlightenment, hope, and still entertain”—which is reflected in the album. You can see High Drawma! on YouTube at thederekmayochannel. Dayglo Nightlight is available at Soundwaves in Houston and on iTunes, Google Play, Tidal, Spotify, and Amazon. Details: derekmayo.bandcamp .com. Blase DiStefano
hen Janet Jackson says “Hello, it’s been a while . . . I’m glad you’re still here” on the title track to Unbreakable (Rhythm Nation/BMG), her first studio album in seven (!) years, she sounds like she means it. Separated into two “sides,” Unbreakable is one of the great comebacks of 2015. The hot and suitably titled “Burnitup,” featuring Jackson’s close personal friend Missy Elliott, is a scorcher. “Great Forever” is a sweet pop tune, and “Shoulda Known Better” updates Jackson’s sound with ease. The back-to-back dance joy of “Broken Hearts Heal” and “Night” will keep us moving through the winter months and beyond. The ’80s echo of “Take Me Away” is a pleasing reminder of when Jackson first crossed our paths, while “After You Fall” is among the best ballads she has ever recorded. Jackson, who has demonstrated her admiration for Joni Mitchell in the past, includes a pair of tunes, “Lessons Learned” and “Well Traveled,” that hint at Mitchell’s influence. The Sly & The Family Stone-esque album closer “Gon’ B Alright” is so effective that you have no choice but to take her word for it.
Cheers to the Fall (WB/ Buskin), the stellar debut by Andra Day, couldn’t have come out at a better time. With the gap left by Amy Winehouse remaining unfilled, and Adele taking her sweet time releasing her third studio album (which was finally released to great acclaim and record-breaking sales tallies in November 2015), Day has arrived to, well, save the day. Aside from a fabulous look and style (drag queens, take note), here’s
what Day has going for her: a voice that not only conjures the best qualities of Adele and Winehouse, but also influential predecessors such as Nina Simone and Billie Holiday. Day has a firm grasp on the concept of drama— as she demonstrates on “Not Today,” “Red Flag,” and “City Burns.” Day is also a good fit for the retro revival via such knockout numbers as “Gold,” “Only Love,” “Forever Mine,” and “Honey or Fire.” Let the cheering for Andra Day commence.
Almost 20 years ago, Tamar Braxton (and sisters Trina and Tawanda) debuted as the R&B trio The Braxtons, attempting to follow in older sister Toni’s footsteps. Since that time, Tamar has
appeared in the WE network “reality” series Braxton Family Values, co-hosted the syndicated daytime talk show The Real, and launched a solo career. On the deluxe version of her new disc Calling All Lovers (Streamline/ Epic), which includes two bonus tracks, Braxton (who co-wrote all of the songs) sounds strong on the single “Catfish,” which might be the most exciting and interesting song on the disc. Other tunes calling out to be heard include the updated vintage soul of “Simple Things,” the retro disco of “Must Be Good to You,” and the power ballad “King.”
One of the first things that queer listeners might notice about Freedom & Surrender (Concord), the new album by Lizz Wright, is that it opens with “Freedom” (written by legendary lesbian singer/songwriter Toshi Reagon) and closes with “Surrender” (a song co-written by Wright and Reagon). In addition to making for a good album title, the songs beautifully bracket the 11 songs between them. Wright originals such as the uplifting “The New Game” (co-written with producer Larry Klein and David Batteau), the lovely Gregory Porter duet “Right Where You Are” (co-written with Klein and J.D. Souther), and the gorgeous “Real Life Painting” (co-written with lesbian singer/ songwriter Maia Sharp), as well as the covers of Nick Drake’s “River Man” and the Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody,” make this a disc to which listeners will willingly surrender.
Gregg Shapiro is a regular contributor to O UTSMART magazine.
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
‘And Then I Danced’
A pioneer in the gay rights movement, Mark Segal travels the road to LGBT equality.
Goodbye Heiko, Goodbye Berlin
Owen Levy
This astonishing saga is set in Cold War Berlin before and after German reunification. As a resident alien, Levy witnessed the nearovernight “Wende,” or changeover. His insider’s view reveals seldomdescribed alternative lifestyles and a cultural underground that existed in the German Democratic Republic even in the grip of Soviet domination—not to mention the nascent anticommunist sentiment that eventually led to East Germany’s unceremonious demise. Levy (also the author of the acclaimed 1982 novel A Brother’s Touch) spent over a decade living in West Berlin covering film and music for industry trades Variety and Billboard, among others. Goodbye Heiko, issued under the book locker.com publishing imprint, is available in hardcover, trade paperback, and e-Book, and is also sold through traditional wholesalers and online retailers. —Troy Carrington
Been there, done that. Yep, you’ve had the experience and you’re willing to talk about it. And why not? Someone could learn from the things you did. Mistakes can be avoided. Or at least, as in the new memoir And Then I Danced by Mark Segal, people will be entertained.
Not long after his birth in 1951, Mark Segal’s parents were snatched from the middle class and shunted off to “the other side of the tracks” with the loss of their bodega. They became “the only Jewish family in a South Philadelphia housing project,” which set the tone for Segal’s outspokenness.
Indeed, when he was in grade school, he committed his “first political action” by refusing to sing a Christian song. When he was 13, his beloved Grandmom took him to his first civil-rights event. By then, Segal knew that other boys peeped at ads for women’s underwear, but he preferred studying the men’s clothing pages. He
And Then I Danced by Mark Segal 2015, Open Lens/Akashic Books (akashicbooks.com)
302 pages • $16.95
knew he was different—but he also knew that he absolutely couldn’t talk about it.
After learning that there were gay men in New York City, Segal convinced his parents to send him there following his high school graduation. Having “no idea where to go” as he settled in, he began exploring his new city—and “after a few days of looking around,” he came across the Stonewall bar and a man who “was creating an organization called the Action Group.”
Organized activism suited Segal, and it became a job of sorts for him. He worked on behalf of gay-pride marches and parades, a gay youth organization, and a gay alliance. He became politically active. He and his friends interrupted live broadcasts with what they called “zaps,” which gained media attention. That got them on camera—and arrested. It was a different world by
the mid-’70s, but there was still much to do. A friend asked why Segal didn’t start a gay newspaper in Philadelphia. And so, “Meet publisher Mark Segal.”
You’ll find all of this in the first half of And Then I Danced. Yep, there’s more: Segal’s “second life,” of sorts, which is every bit as enjoyable to read.
With gentle humor and the slightest touch of sardonicism, Segal writes further about people he’s known, his newspaper, and a different kind of activism. That in-the-trenches stuff is great to read, partly because his narrative is indicative of the times in which it all happened. Readers (myself included) may be impressed with the creativity that was used to help gain LGBT equality.
But there’s more. Segal lets readers into his personal life— his loves, losses, and (SPOILER A LERT!) a very happy ending. “Drama seems to follow me,” he writes—and readers will be glad for it.
It was nice to see this memoir cross my desk. I was getting tired of Big-Star Bios, and while there’s name-dropping in this book, it’s not egregious. No, it’s kinda fun and worth picking up.
So you’ve been there and done that? Be there with And Then I Danced. You’ll be glad you done that.
Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was three years old, and she lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 11,000 books.
Mark Segal
Photos by Dalton DeHart
LIBRA
(September 23 – October 23)
Libra is experiencing a real mixed bag of energies for 2016. Home and family energies are very active, as well as the relationship sector. You’re also trying to put yourself back on a reasonable schedule, which may have been missing for the last three or four years.
The home and family sector has been especially active. A part of you is letting go and cutting the umbilical cord of your past. You are also attempting to regenerate connections within the family to establish a whole new set of personal traditions. The reasons for all this change could be just the natural process of aging and beginning to understand your position in the family in a different way. You are also going through a process of personal downsizing. You may be letting go of fears and beliefs that always drove you unconsciously. You are seeing
yourself in a whole new light.
Relationships continue to be an unsettled topic because the universe is pushing you to be more selforiented and to pay a lot more attention to your boundaries and your personal freedoms. You have learned that you need a lot more personal space and that you want both a good, solid, reliable relationship and a partnership that doesn’t cramp your style. You are changing your relationship patterns, and you will want both more closeness and more distance in your relationships.
Nevertheless, you are definitely making some decisions and setting your priorities. You will find that it’s much easier for you to say no and recognize your own needs for boundaries and space.
Getting from place to place this year may be more difficult than usual. You may need a new car—or you may want to find a new way to get to work and run your errands.
After August, your life gets a little busier and a little easier. You will feel better and more optimistic about your future. This positive boost will be in effect from August 2016 through August 2017. Get out and have a good time!
SCORPIO
(October 24 – November 21)
This year you’re paying particular attention to your finances, resources, and work skills. Any type of activity that you’re involved in—whether it’s work, relationships, business organizations, or diet and exercise—you will want to feel that your time counts and your efforts have purpose and meaning.
This is an excellent year to get your financial picture in shape and do some conservative investing that can really make you feel safer and secure.
You are in a more creative time, which can be good for teaching or writing. But even that activity still has to have a return on your investment or you may not attempt it.
You are in a restless phase, where you are looking to change your habits, patterns, and routines. If you’re
older, you are looking for more personal time and will want to cut back on your work hours. Regardless of your age, you are looking for something that stimulates you and makes you feel connected to what you’re doing, instead of rolling the rock uphill every day because you’re good at it.
Being involved in community organizations and business groups, as well as being more connected to your friends, can really give your life a whole lot more meaning this year.
You will have plenty of energy to put into whatever projects interest you as Mars, the planet that makes everything personal, enters your sign of Scorpio in January 2016 and doesn’t leave until August 2. Normally Mars spends about 45 days in each sign, but this year it will be retrograde in Scorpio from the end of March until the end of June. You will not be able to filter and control your feelings as well as usual, because Mars wants you to be more authentic and less controlled. This can be a great time for getting in shape, starting a new project, or really enjoying some sort of competition. Don’t try to hold it in—find yourself a healthy outlet!
SAGITTARIUS
(November 22– December 21)
For the next two years, Saturn (planet of career, long-term future security, and priorities) will be visiting your sign. This will certainly help to bring some stability and decisive action into your life.
For the last couple of years, you’ve just been doing what’s necessary. You haven’t been as social and as passionate about your life as you normally are. With Saturn visiting your sign, you are reestablishing new goals—particularly those associated with your career and your long-term security. You’re concerned with making the best use of your resources.
In your relationships, both business and personal, you will need to reestablish new long-term goals so that you are both pulling in the same direction. You are wanting your partner to participate more in the relation-
ship. Normally with Saturn, she wants the relationship to continue because of what she’s already invested. But Saturn is also the cut-your-losses-and-move-on planet. If you can’t find common ground or feel that you’re not being appreciated, you will be bringing the relationship to an end.
This is also an excellent time to pay attention to your health, your physical body, and how you look to other people.
Career opportunities are especially good this year through August. If you are looking for a new position or wanting to take on a greater level of responsibility at your current location, this is an excellent time to be doing that. This same energy is also very good for any type of travel.
Lastly, you will still need plenty of time to yourself this year. Your psychic sensitivity continues to be strong. A good time to get away from the daily grind would be in June and in September. You will really need time to yourself then! If you can engage in some creative activities during those months, it would be especially good for your soul.
More ASTROCAST on page 81
Photos by Dalton DeHart
CAPRICORN
(December 22– January 19)
For Capricorns, this continues to be a big year of growth and personal discovery. It means letting go of a lot of old ideas and views about yourself that you have outgrown, or maybe that weren’t really a true part of your being.
With this focus on self-discovery, you have not been as focused on your long-term career and security goals. This is because you are confronting some deep internal fears about yourself that have always kept you limited and safe. You are rejecting those notions and possibly looking at starting a whole new career—or retiring to do exactly what you want to do.
You might also feel lost and without a purpose as you let go of your past, but are unsure of what to expect from your future. As you go through this process, you
are not the same person. You don’t have the same needs and desires, and it is noticeable to others.
This can have a very dramatic impact on your romantic relationship. As you open up more, you are wanting to generate a greater feeling of trust and intimacy with your partner. If that relationship hasn’t been built on trust and communication, this can be the perfect time for therapy or marriage counseling.
One thing is very obvious, and that is that you are letting go of some of the responsibilities you have always carried. This will be easily seen through the interaction with your family. You’re a lot more direct and certainly don’t seem to have the same patience with family gatherings as you did in the past.
If you own real estate, you may want to be rid of that responsibility and just find a place to rent. During this time, you will have to be drawn to something; you can’t just make a commitment to it and follow through as you used to.
Your career energies are definitely more active starting in August. This will help to bring you out of this extreme self-focused time that you have been in since 2008. Look for new opportunities for advancement after August.
AQUARIUS
(January 20 – February 18)
Aquarians are generally humanity-driven individuals who seek freedom and acceptance for all people. This year you’re taking a very hard look at any groups or organizations that you belong to. You will want to make sure that these organizations satisfy your needs and have a place for you in a leadership role. If you don’t feel that you’re getting what you need from your business or community organization, you will simply stop participating. Friends and friendships will be falling under this very same evaluative process. This can be a very trying time for all friendships. You may simply set different priorities and not have time for certain people in your life. This is pretty drastic action, as friendship is very important to Aquarians. You just won’t want to
waste your time on people with whom you have nothing in common.
This year, Mars, planet of action and initiation, goes retrograde in the career sector of your horoscope. Normally Mars would spend about 45 days in this area, but this year it will hang around for seven months, from January through early August. Mars fires things up! Mars wants us to feel inspired and courageous and willing to take chances. With Mars being so long in your career sector, you may be considering starting your own business, or you may invest yourself in a particular project that you are really passionate about. In your work environment, you’re more likely to want to take a leadership role. If that path is blocked, you may feel stimulated to do something more on your own. Chronic problems at work will come to the surface. If the problems aren’t corrected, people may feel defensive and distant.
And one last thing: you’re working on lightening up your list of household chores and routines. It’s not that you can’t do it—it’s just that you don’t want to. You’re looking to have more free time so your life doesn’t feel so structured and demanding. All you have to do is just do what you like!
PISCES
(February 19 – March 20)
For the past few years, you Mermaids and Mermen have been taking time for yourselves. You’ve been in a period of retreat, even if you didn’t want to be there. Since 2011, you’ve been reminded of how sensitive a person you actually are. In some cases, you may have been forced into putting yourself first. The universe required you to rescue yourself. You weren’t as social, and you learned to choose your company carefully.
Now that you have that working for you, the universe is ready for you to take your show back into the public realm and use those boundaries you developed. In terms of career, this is a much-improved time for you. You are ready to step into a leadership position. People will notice your leadership skills. This could also
be a time for you to go back to school to improve your résumé and long-term career options.
In June and September, you will feel a need to retreat and give yourself a time of peace and quiet. This feeling will be especially strong in September. Try to keep your agenda flexible and light during those months.
Your relationship energies are very positive this year. If you’re in a relationship, you and your partner are getting along very well. Your partner could also be experiencing good energies, especially related to career or travel options. You will want to do something to formalize and set new goals for the relationship. If you are single and looking for a partner, this is an especially good time to put yourself out there. You’re more magnetic and can draw more people into your life. Your confidence level is better, and it shows.
These positive relationship energies, which will remain strong until August, are also very good for improving social and business connections, publishing, or travel. This should be a good year for you because you will see recognizable gains in many areas of your life!
AU TO MOTIVE REPAIR S Tech Auto Maintenance 37 Waugh .......................................713/863-8244
AU TO M OTIVE SALE S Advantage BMW/Midtown 2101 San Jacinto @ Gray. .............713/289-1200 Clear Lake Fiat 15695 Gulf Freeway .......................281/617-4923 Momentum Mini 10000 S.W. Fwy .............................800/557-5574 Stewart Cadillac 2520 Main St ..................................855/207-9849
BAKERIE S /C USTO M CAKE S Acadian Bakers 604 W. Alabama.............................713/520-1484
B EAUT Y/COSM ETI C S ERVI CES Beauty Spa 54 13020 FM 529 ...............................832/288-3226 Beauty Techniques Houstonpermanentmakeup.com.832/654-4595
C ATERING S ERVI CES Catering by Benno BennosOfGalveston.com ............409/762-3666
David Alcorta Catering davidalcorta.net ............................832/439-0224
Jim Benton of Houston Catering 2811 Eastman ................................713/802-2860
CHURCHES /S PIRIT UAL CENTER S Humanists of Houston humanistsofhouston.org.............901/609-4464 Living Mosaic Church 4920 Cullen ....................................832/659-0686
Resurrection MCC
2025 W 11th ....................................713/861-9149
St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church 8915 Timberside Dr ....................Stlukespres.org
St Paul’s United Methodist Church 5501 Main .......................................713/528-0527
CLEANING SERVI CES
Perfection Plus ...........................................................713/664-9911
F ITNE SS CLUBS/PER SONAL TRAIN ER S Club Houston 2205 Fannin ..................................713/659-4998 F3 Cross Training 2012 Center St .............................. 832/654-7933
Fit Athletic Club FitHouston.com ...............................713/STAYFIT Houston Fit Pro/Chris Bradley HouFitPro.com. .............................713/489-0447 Houston Gym 1501 Durham ..................................713/880-9191 The Gym 1950 W. Gray St. ............................713/527-8000
F LORI STS Downtown Blooms downtownblooms.com ................409/974-4294
FOOD /SPEC IALT Y & SPIRIT S Bud Light ............................................................Budlight.com Spec’s specsonline.com ...........................888/526-8787
FU NERAL S ERVI CES
Leslie Bonnie/Dignity Memorial ..........................................................713/725-2006
HAIR/NAIL/ M AKE-U P SALON S NU-Cuts Hair Salon 515 Westheimer .............................713/524-7858
HEALTH C ARE –CHIRO PRAC TI C
Kirby Health & Wellness/Kenneth W. Lester, D.C. 1603 Shepherd ...............................713/526-5252
HEALTH CARE–COUNSELING/THERAPY
Tony Carroll, LMSW-ACP 1006 Missouri ................................713/527-0000
FIT Counseling, LLC fitcounselingllc.com .....................832/919-6497
Ken McLeod, LCSW, ACSW 5909 W Loop S, Ste 480 ..............713/628-1776 The Montrose Center 401 Branard ...................................713/529-0037
HEALTH C ARE - P ODIATRI STS CALO Foot & Ankle Specialists, PLLC 6565 West Loop South, Ste 101...713/987-7791
HEALTH C ARE –PH YS IC IAN S Octavio Barrios, MD 507 West Gray ................................713/942-7546 7106 Spencer Highway ................281/542-9400
Carroll Clinic/James M. Carroll MD, AAHIVS Donnie Harvey, MPAS, PA-C 4101 Greenbriar, Set 208 .............713/520-6360
McClung Clinic/Tony S. McClung, MD 1213 Hermann, Ste 520 ................713/528-3444 M. Sandra Scurria, MD 6565 West Loop South, Ste 300 ..281/661-5901
HEALTH C ARE –PLA STI C SU RGERY Body Affirming Surgeries 6655 Travis St. ................................713/524-4538 Camille G. Cash M.D. Camillecashmd.com .....................713/571-0600 Facial Plastic Surgery Associates 6655 Travis St ................................713/526-5665
HEALTH C ARE –SERVI CES For Free Help to Quit Smoking
YesQuit.org. ...................................877/YES-QUIT Houston Area Community Services/HACS 2150 W 18th St. ..............................713/426-0027
Legacy Community Health Services 215 Westheimer ............................713/830-3000
Research Access Network 4101 Greenbriar Dr #200 ...........713/526-7736
Catering by Benno BennosOfGalveston.com ..........409/762-3666
David Alcorta Catering davidalcorta.net ............................832/439-0224
Jim Benton of Houston Catering 2811 Eastman ................................713/802-2860
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WEDDING SERVICES – FLORISTS
Downtown Blooms
DowntownBlooms.com ...............409/974-4294
WEDDING SERVICES - OFFICIANTS
Gary Horenkamp houston-weddingoffi ciant.com....832/797.1616
WEDDING SERVICES - PLANNERS
WEDDING SERVICES - SERVICES
Bradley David Entertainment
BradleyDavidEntertainment.com.
Please remember to tell them you saw their ad in OutSmart!
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BAR & CLUB GUIDE
Houston
13 ENTERTAINMENT
This comfortable club located in the Heights is a convenient alternate to inner-Montrose haunts. Patrons journey past the comfy seating and romantic lighting to find a spacious patio where they sometimes fire up the barbecue grill. 1537 N. Shepherd • 713.426.1313.
BAYOU
CITY
BAR & GRILL
This cozy bar is the home for the famous Breakfast Club (which dates back to 1986), opens at 7am, and continues throughout the day with a full kitchen and menu along with late-night dancing! Known for Drag Bingo on Tues., Steak Night on Wed., and Wing Night Thurs. DJs nightly. 7 days a week. 2409 Grant St. • bayoucitybar.com.
BLUR
This multi-level dance club features a patio upstairs lounge and balconies that overlook Pacific St. Ladies enjoy Wet and Wild Wed., 18-year-olds are welcome on Thurs., resident DJ Lorenzo spins Wed.–Sat. nights, DJ Pollo spins Karumba Latin night on Sun. Happy hour 8–10pm; free cover before 11pm. 710 Pacific St. • blurbar.com.
CLUB 2020
Located downtown, this urban club features Clubbers Friday with male and female dancers. Its 6,400 square feet also offers theater-sized viewing screens and VIP rooms. 2020 Leeland • 713.227. 9667 • club2020houston.com.
CLUB CRYSTAL
If you miss the now-closed Inergy, you’ll find many of its former staff, management, and décor at this two-room Latin/hip-hop club. Sunday evening drag shows rule the roost. 6680 Southwest Frwy, next to Colorado • 713.278.2582 • crystaltheclub.com.
CROCKER BAR
Resident DJ Johnny spins on Fri. and Sat. nights at this comfortably remodeled Montrose nightspot that also offers karaoke on Tuesdays and Thursdays and extended happy-hour prices throughout the week. 2312 Crocker • 713.529.3355.
THE EAGLE
The Eagle has landed at its new location in
the heart of Montrose, and it looks great. Sexy bartenders, lots of outdoor deck space, and even a gift shop to check out. Mon.–Sat., 4pm–2am; Sun, noon–2am. 611 Hyde Park • eagle houston.com.
F BAR
Award-winning DJs spin nightly at this “boutique nightclub” that offers elegance without arrogance and features a stage, dance floor, VIP area, glass-encased quiet bar, and attractive patio. Tues. and Sun. drag shows feature frequent special guests. 202 Tuam St. • fbarhouston.com • 713.522.3227.
GEORGE
Regulars rule at this comfortable neighborhood sports bar, just like most other neighborhood sports bars in town. But George’s occasional benefit drag show makes it a wonderful, campy alternative. Sports Saturdays start at 3pm with dart and pool tournaments; Steak Night is Sun., 3–7pm. 617 Fairview • 713.528.8102.
GUAVA LAMP
This trendy and friendly video and cruise bar gets busy during happy hour and stays busy ‘til closing. Karaoke on Wed. and Sun., sometimes offering prizes, always packs the place. 570 Waugh Dr. • 713.524.3359 • guavalamphouston.com.
JR’S BAR & GRILL
With house emcee Kofi, O UT S MART ’s Gayest and Greatest reigning drag champion, this Montrose standard offers drag and strip shows throughout the week, karaoke Thurs. and Sun., plus pool tables, male dancers, and award-winning cocktails. 808 Pacific St. • jrsbarandgrill.com • 713.521.2519.
METEOR
The men of Manwatch and Muscles in Action rinse down in the “Meteor Shower” stall in this posh but comfy lounge on the downtown edge of Montrose, accompanied by DJ Athena on Friday and award-winning DJ Eddie E on Saturday. Open Thurs.–Sat. 2306 Genesee St. • meteorhouston.com • 713.521.0123.
MICHAEL’S OUTPOST
Jerry Atwood, Clay Howell, Neil Massey, Steve Wheaton, and Roger Woest take turns at the keys at this comfortable neighborhood piano bar. 1419 Richmond Ave. • 713.520.8446.
WHAT’S UP: Ripcord is proudly celebrating 35 years in business, making them the longest-lasting gay bar in Houston! Don’t miss RIPCORD REWIND on Fridays for great music from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s. “Geeks Who Drink” trivia is every Wednesday night. Ripcord is excited they are now using TabbedOut, the mobile bar tab app.
MONTROSE MINING COMPANY
Studly male dancers bump and grind every night at this leather/denim spot, offering Montrose’s lowest vodka drinks with Trash Disco Sundays. The two-tier back patio bar provides a perch for viewing the Pacific Street scenery. 805 Pacific St. • themine houston.com • 713.529.7488.
NEON BOOTS
DANCEHALL & SALOON
Houston’s only LGBT country dancehall is located in the historic Esquire Ballroom and opens Wednesday–Sunday. The new outside patio and stage are open. Wednesday features Steak Night and Bingo. Free dance classes on Thursdays and Karaoke. Saturday night the dance floor fills with the best C&W . . . check their website for all specials, events and times. 11410 Hempstead Hwy • neonbootsclub.com • 713.677.0828.
PEARL BAR
This LGBT-friendly lounge is open under “familiar” management in the Washington corridor. Daily highlights range from open mic night to steak night to appearances by DJ Kittie and DJ Ben Phoenix from KRBE. Drink specials and more. 4216 Washington • pearlhouston.com.
THE RIPCORD
This well-kept, multi-roomed leather bar for men and their friends boasts a busy patio, especially on the weekends. The Black Hawk Leather shop is located inside the club, providing BDSM essentials. 715 Fairview Ave. • 713.521.2792.
RUDYARD’S
The eclectic British pub is known for its craft beers as well as for the burgers. Most weekends you’ll find up-and-coming local bands rocking the house. 2010 Waugh Dr. • rudyardspub.com • 713.521.0521.
SOUTH BEACH
This mega-dance club is a frequent winner of O UT S MART ‘s Gayest and Greatest awards, with DJ Eddie E spinning on Fri., and DJ Joe Ross playing pop & dance music videos on Sat. No cover before 11pm. 810 Pacific St. • sobehouston.com • 713.529.SOBE.
TC’S SHOWBAR
With the longest daily happy hours in Montrose (8am–10pm), it’s no wonder this neighborhood watering hole is so popular. Owner Tim Pugh says TC’s has built quite a reputation as the perfect spot to celebrate special occasions. Other big draws are the
This comfortable club located close to downtown has one of the friendliest bar staffs in town, both inside & outside at its patio bar. The raised stage where local charities perform also features an amateur dance contest each Thurs., Fri., & Sat. at 11pm. Opens daily at noon. 817 W. Dallas • 713.571.7870 • tonyscornerpocketbar.com.
VIVIANA’S
This club, in a new location, appeals to fans of Latino music and drag alike. 4624 Dacoma • 713.681.4104.
Beaumont
ORLEANS STREET PUB AND PATIO
The place to hang for food, fun, and booze in a newly renovated pub, in good weather or bad. Open every night from 7pm–2am. 650 Orleans • 409.835.4243.
Bryan/College Station
HALO VIDEO BAR
The only LGBT dance club in Bryan/College station, this sleek spot is open Thurs.–Sat. Smack in the middle of Aggieland, “our venue is always packed with the hotties,” the owners promise. 121 North Main • 979.823.6174 • halobcs.com.
Galveston
23RD ST. STATION
A new face on the Island bar scene is here. The bar features a neighborhood-bar feel with octane. Drink specials daily and the weekend is filled with pulsing music, hot dancers, drag shows, and a Sunday Tea Dance. 1706 23rd St. • 409.621.1808.
ROBERT’S LAFITTE
A neighborhood bar, the Island institution attracts a colorful crowd of regulars and travelers. The private patio includes a swimming pool. On Sat. and Sun. nights, the Ladies of Lafitte show takes the stage. 2501 Avenue Q (at 25th) • 409.765.9092.
THIRD COAST DOWNTOWN BAR
The newest and largest dance club in Galveston features the best shows on the island Friday and Saturday nights hosted by KiKi Dion Van Wales. Sunday Fun Day features Drag Bingo, followed by The Chat—an hour of humor and topical discussions. Then there’s the Texas Hold ’Em tournament, and finish the night with karaoke hosted by Taylor L. Much more Monday through Thursday. Doors open at 4 p.m. Mon.–Sat., and at 3 p.m. Sun. 4216 Postoffice St. • 409/765-6911.
Spring
RANCH HILL SALOON
With its two pool tables, 52-inch plasma televisions, and large dance floor, this popular northside spot also offers DJs Thursday–Saturday. 247041 I-45N Suite 103 • 281.298.9035 • ranchhill.com.
THE ROOM BAR AND LOUNGE
One of only two LGBT hangouts in North Houston/Spring, this bar and video lounge has a laidback atmosphere where everyone is welcome and everyone is friendly to each other. The Room Bar and Lounge offers something for everyone, including daily drink specials, karaoke, free pool, drag shows, and live DJs several nights a week. 4915 FM 2920 • roombarspring.com • 281.907.6866. ■
By Lilly Roddy
Resolutions
. . . put them in action later.
We start our 2016 off with Mercury retrograde for the entire month of January. Make your list of New Year’s resolutions, but don’t put them into action until February 1 in order to ensure their success. You can revive existing resolutions from previous years and work on those during this January retrograde!
ARIES (March 21–April 19). As we start the month, your career and long-term security are uppermost in your mind. With Mercury retrograde for the entire month in your career sector, it would be a very good time to look at your options and give yourself plenty of time to think about what you want to do. February should be the month you target to start your new ventures. Your relationship energies are tense as well, but those stem from the trouble you are having at work. Try to find some time for yourself so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
TAURUS (April 20–May 20). Relationships will be the main focus for this month (and possibly for the next seven months) as Mars, planet of action, reaction, and response, visits your relationship sector. With Mars so strong, you will be responding to situations more quickly than usual. Mars can easily make us feel defensive and on guard, even if there’s nothing wrong. If your relationship is doing well, this is a time for renewing and reconfirming the relationship. If it’s not doing well, Mars will push the issues to the surface so that both of you can deal with them. Take the lead in solving the problems, and don’t wait for your partner to initiate it.
GEMINI (May 21–June 21). This month you are taking a realistic look at what you’re doing and where you’re going—which will only be intensified with your ruling planet, Mercury, being retrograde all month. In January you are paying attention to your financial situation, looking for ways to rid yourself of debt and create some long-term security. You are feeling more decisive than usual, and are ready to do what it takes to get your life in order. Make sure that you get out and enjoy some physical activity in January. You will need a release for some of the built-up intensity, and you don’t want to be angry at the wrong person. Life will be calmer in February.
CANCER (June 22–July 22). With most of the planets (including Mercury retrograde) spending time in your relationship sector, this is an ideal time for you to spend with your partner, looking at new long-term plans and goals for your relationship. This will apply to personal and business relationships as well. Mercury retrograde will bring the problems to the surface so that they
can be talked about and possibly resolved. If resolution can’t be found, this may indicate the end of those partnerships. Remember, don’t put your new plans into action until February.
LEO (July 23–August 22). This month the planets are focused on your work and health sector in your horoscope. With Mercury retrograding there as well, this is an excellent time to get back into any kind of exercise or diet regimen. You will be working very hard to get both your home and workplace organized and cleaned up. Home and family responsibilities will play a big role in your life over the next six months. Be prepared to take some action, because you will have to respond even if you’re not ready. And don’t be afraid to put yourself first. You will gain some clarity by the end of the month.
VIRGO (August 23–September 22). With your ruling planet, Mercury, being retrograde, this is a good time for you to be in a period of review, waiting until February before you put any new plans or resolutions into play in your life. This is a very creative month for you, and you should be able to revive some projects that you had put aside because you didn’t have enough time. A big focus for you this whole year will be getting your home in better shape. For some, this can also be a time for purchasing a new home. Overall, you continue to be more decisive than you have been for a couple of years.
LIBRA (September 23–October 23). This month you are still focused on home and family. You’re holding on to some of the traditions and emotional connections you experienced during the holidays. Don’t be surprised if you give your home a spring cleaning this month. You are also working on improving your schedule and making the best use of your time. You are finding it easier to tell people no. Toward the latter part of the month, you are feeling more playful and less tense. Try to find some time to get away with your partner or a special friend, and find some sense of relief from your responsibilities.
SCORPIO (October 24–November 21). This month, Mars, planet of action and response, enters the sign of Scorpio for the next seven months. With Mars so prominent, you will want to face your problems, find a resolution, and move on to the next project. Mars does increase your energy, so it may be harder than usual to sleep. Since Mercury is retrograde, don’t put any new plans into action until February or you may find yourself having to change your mind. This is a very adventuresome time, and you will certainly want to step out of your normal routines. This is a time of review and potential renewal in all of your relationships. There could be some transportation problems during January, but those clear up as we get into February.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22–December 21). This entire year is a big time of personal reevaluation as you establish new long-term goals and plans for your life. In January you will be focused on improving your financial situation. Essentially you are looking at your own sense of self-worth
and how to make yourself more marketable. It is a good time to be thinking about asking for a raise or increasing your fees, but don’t act on that until February. There are plenty of opportunities out there for you, especially if you’re trying to improve your career or social status. You will lighten up some in February.
CAPRICORN (December 22–January 19). With Mercury, planet of communication and transportation, retrograding in your sign, you will feel that this Mercury retrograde is just for you! January could be the perfect month for you to take time to reorganize yourself, your work, your relationship, and your home. You will want to make sure that everyone you’re connected with is working with the same agenda that you have. An easy resolution to make for this month would be to get yourself back to the gym, make time for yourself, and learn to use your boundaries to give yourself more freedom. Friends can be especially helpful with new ideas or different points of view. You do relax some by the end of the month, but not much.
AQUARIUS (January 20–February 18). With most of the planets in your spiritual-retreat sector, you will want to take a break from the holiday activities. Although Mars, planet of action, is going to spend several months in your career sector, you are not ready to act on any new projects until February. You are going to be more reactive with Mars being so strong in your horoscope. Mars always does better with a physical response (such as exercise or working in the garden) rather than trying to hold it in. You are trying to change your daily responsibilities and chores so that you don’t have to do them as much. You are challenging the responsibilities you learned as a child that still demand a response from you, even if those notions are useless. Make the break into freedom in February.
PISCES (February 19–March 20). Friendships and community organizations are highlighted this month. January is an excellent month for you to reconnect with people you haven’t seen in a while. You are also reviewing your participation in organizations to determine if it’s worth your time and investment. You continue to feel more decisive about your future career plans than you have in a couple of years. Hold off until February before you put any of those plans into action. Partnerships are improving through the end of August. If you’re involved, this improves what you have. If single, this opens the door for an improved social life and possible relationships. In February, you will want some time to retreat from the action.
Read Lilly Roddy’s 2016 forecast on page 57 and at O UTSMARTMAGAZINE.com. For more astro-insight, log on to lillyroddy.com.
e Coolest 70 Year Olds Ever!
On
On December 5, the Cheer Holiday party was held at Winter Street Studios. Pictured are John de la Cruz , Patrick Palmer, Dominick D’Aunno, John Lopez ,
The Bayou City Women’s Chorus, The Gay Men’s Chorus of Houston, and the Houston Heights Orchestra presented their “A Merry Midwinter’s Air” holiday concert on December 6 at Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church. Pictured are Nadine Greene,
On December 9, Legacy Community Health held its ”Celebrate the Brightest Night of the Year” event at the home of Jim Reeder and Eric Nevil . Pictured are Reeder, Chree Boydstun, Katy Caldwell, Renita Cooksey, and Nevil.
December 12, the Houston Pride Band held its “Stocking Stuffers” holiday concert at Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church. Pictured are Lupe Ybarra, Kevin Taylor, Adrian Leyva, and Lisa Mace
The Diana Foundation held its 2015 holiday party on December 12 at the home of Frank Staggs. Pictured are membership chair Michael Broderick , president Tanner Williams, and the group’s new members.
Event organizers and attendees smile at the Houston Transgender Day of Remembrance held on November 21 at the A.D. Bruce Religion Center.
On November 29, the Andrew Christian Fashion Show with Pablo Hernandez was held at JR’s. Pictured are Roxanne Collins and Hernandez with the show’s models.
The AIDS Foundation Houston World AIDS Day Luncheon was held on December 1 at the Post Oak Hilton. Pictured are Bill Baldwin, Laura Gibson, and Ernie Manouse
On December 6, Jim Sikorski held his 2015 Share Our Bounty Holiday Brunch at Gloria’s Latin Cuisine. Pictured are Sikorski, Lily Young , Carlos Fuentes, Andres Perez , Katy Caldwell, and Chree Boydstun .
The OUT@TUTS performance of A Christmas Story was held on December 10. Pictured are Eric Bradley and Wanderson Resende
On December 15, EPAH held its December 2015 social holiday party at the home of Ned Gizinski and Steve Netemeyer. Pictured are Michele Laprade, Gizinski, Carlos Reyes, Cindy Cuellar, and Netemeyer.
Randy S. Young hosted his 2015 Holiday Ball Red Ribbon Toy Drive on December 16 at Riva’s Italian Restaurant. Pictured are DJ Awesome, Lorita Andrea, Taz Loving Lyfe White, Ms. Dena Page, Strangé, Luis Rivera, Michael Sibouyeh, and Alex Rivera.
Honored being chosen Gayest & Greatest again this year
