Equal Issue 1 Nov 2012

Fashion Star

NOV 2012

LGBTaste:

LOCAL BITES SHOW YOUR COLORS and

VOTE 5

Rising stars

in our community

KARA LARICKS rocks Pittsburgh’s runway

MEET THE BEST ALLY WE’VE GOT GAY

PARENTING

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29 Getting to Zero University Club, Oakland 412-624-1895 pamaaetc.org

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1

I Made It! for the Holidays Holiday Market A portion of sales to benefit (PITTSBURGH)RED. from photos with Santa and the Tapped!

Pop Up Holiday Beer Bakery Square, East Side bakery-square.com

25th Annual World AIDS Day Ceremony Sponsored by the Pitt Men’s Study 7:30 PM, Heinz Chapel Reception to follow in Reconciliation Hall 11th Annual Warehouse Sale to benefit Persad Center FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30 Riverside Design Group (thru Dec 2) National House Ball persadcenter.org 8 PM – 2AM Hilton Garden Inn, Oakland (PITTSBURGH)RED/World AIDS Day Candlelight Vigil Project Hope of Beaver County Corner of Forbes Health fair & free HIV testing & Morewood Avenue Blue Violet Café, Rochester pittsburghred.org projecthopeofbeavercounty.org 8th Annual Red Ribbon Gala sponsored by Educating Teens About HIV Omni William Penn Hotel

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7

Cool Yule Holiday Family Dinner First United Methodist Church Shadyside Reservation form deadline is November 30 swconline.org

STAY BUSY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Underwear Karaoke Images 965 Liberty Ave.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2

Cans for Pets (thru Nov. 4)

Sponsored by the Animal Rescue League David L. Lawrence Convention Center animalrescue.org

First Friday’s with Kierra Darshell Cruze Bar cruzebar.com

Madonna

Consol Energy Center consolenergycenter.com THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Pittsburgh Pride LGBT Town Hall Meeting

7-9 PM, Magee-Women’s Hospital of UPMC -Auditorium, Zero Level

Good People (thru Dec. 9)

Pittsburgh Public Theatre ppt.org FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9

G2H2

www.g2h2pittsburgh.com TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3

Don Giovanni pittsburghopera.org

OUTrageous Bingo Rodef Shalom Temple glccpgh.org

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4

Persad 5K Run & Fun Walk persadcenter.org

Puppy Up Cancer Walk Western PA Humane Society North Shore Shelter wpahumane.com TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6

Election Day—Don’t forget to VOTE! 4

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War Horse (thru Nov. 18) Benedum Center trustarts.org

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15

OUT at City with South Side Stories (thru 12/16) City Theatre citytheatrecompany.org

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16

52nd Annual Light-Up Night Gay for Good Volunteers for St. Jude The Mall at Robinson gayforgood.org

Project HOPE of Beaver County Benefit Drag Show Wild Coyote in Follansbee, WV projecthopeofbeavercounty.org FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18

Giving Thanks & Feeding the Homeless Bill Chisnell Productions info@bcpflowers.com

www.downtownpittsburgh.com TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20

Justin Bieber

consolenergycenter.com THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22

Happy Thanksgiving!

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23

Lez Liquor Hour Perlé lezdoitpgh.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29

Getting to Zero pamaaetc.org

25th Annual World AIDS Day Ceremony

Sponsored by the Pitt Men’s Study 7:30 PM, Heinz Chapel Reception to follow in Reconciliation Hall FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30

National House Ball 8 PM – 2 AM Hilton Garden Inn, Oakland

Project Hope of Beaver County Health fair & free HIV testing Blue Violet Café, Rochester projecthopeofbeavercounty.org

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1

I Made It! for the Holidays Holiday Market

Bakery Square, East Side bakery-square.com

(PITTSBURGH)RED/ World AIDS Day Candlelight Vigil

Corner of Forbes & Morewood Avenue pittsburghred.org

8th Annual Red Ribbon Gala sponsored by Educating Teens About HIV Omni William Penn Hotel

11th Annual Warehouse Sale to benefit Persad Center Riverside Design Group (thru Dec 2)

SEND YOUR OWN EVENT’S persadcenter.org LISTINGS TO LISTINGS@ EQUALMAGAZINE.COM

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CONTRIBUTORS Samuel C. Badger is the Special Events Manager for Pittsburgh Opera and a board member of the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh and The Twentieth Century Club.

SCB has been a writer for all five Pittsburgh Pride Mags.

SCB volunteers for Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force, Family House, and Carnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh. SCB enjoys old fashioned correspondence, antiques, reading, and entertaining. Whether a dinner party at home for ten, a drinks party for 40, or a gala event for 300, SCB gets the most satisfaction being in a room full of people having a great time.

T.C. Brown has an M.F.A. in Acting from WVU and acts occasionally around the ‘burgh. His passion, besides spending time with his husband, Victor, is genealogy.

Someday, he hopes to travel to Europe to visit the towns where his ancestors lived.

Bernard Charles: Blogger and active dream pursuer who is spreading the laws of positivity and intuition.

Jessica Ezykowsky: Client Account Manager at CECity.com. I like to eat, drink, be somewhat merry and NAP A LOT. I wrote in college some, but nothing significant — so forgive my unfortunate grammar and punctuation skills.

Kara Holsopple is a Pittsburgh-based freelance writer and radio producer. She’s a regular contributor to the regional environmental radio weekly, The Allegheny Front, and her work in print, includes features for the food and lifestyle focused TABLE Magazine. She loves good coffee, hanging out with her nieces and barking orders from the back of a canoe or kayak.

Shawn Francis is a healthcare professional, and EQUAL is the first publication to feature anything that she’s written.

In her spare time, she likes to make her cats talk back to her in funny voices and throw elaborate dinner parties where everyone gets sloppy drunk.

Alicia Fennell is 27. She lives in Greensburg, in a cute blue house, with her partner, their daughter, and their new puppy, Roxy.

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Ignacio Filippini is a Bikram Yoga Instructor since 2010.

He has a past life in design and marketing strategy. He’s thrilled to be part of Equal.

Mara Rago specializes in portraits, fine art, pets, events, model portfolios, legal, and corporate photography. She has a studio in the East End of Pittsburgh and shoots in studio as well as on location. Photography is Mara’s life.

It’s a passion. Capturing visions in her little black box is a gift... and, every day, she is grateful.

Lauren McKenna: What do you do with a B.A. in English?

Well, if you’re me, you work at a Corporate Relocation company and write anywhere you see fit: napkins, legal pads, coffee shops, bars. I laugh often and love fiercely.

I’m obsessed with latte art. I also have a life’s goal of meeting a koala.

Photographer Adam Milliron’s work has been seen in Elle Decor, Food & Wine, The Wall Street Journal, and on 30 magazine covers. Before he lived life through a lens, Adam was a creative director and a designer, specializing in branding and color therapy. He lives above his studio in Lawrenceville with his Vizsla, Jeek.

Jack Bellas is Partner of Revive Marketing Group and resides in Pittsburgh’s Southside. Jack’s love of the city is rooted in its culture, growing restaurant scene & continuously evolving nightlife.

Tiff Waskowicz is a Civil Rights Attorney. A large percentage of her practice is representing individuals in employment discrimination, retaliation, sexual discrimination, whistleblower, Family and Medical Leave Act, and sexual harassment cases. Tiff received her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2006 and a B.A. from Amherst College in 2000, where she emphasized her study in creative/persuasive writing. Tiff is a huge Pittsburgh Penguins fan, and, in her spare time, she enjoys cross word puzzles, reading, and jogging.

Ramen Harmon, cover shoot stylist & make-up artist.

A

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REMODELED STOP BY AND CHECK OUT OUR NEW LOOK

1 NOV S AR UR

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KE O A AR

965 Liberty Ave.

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

(412) 391-9990

WITH LOVE

Dear Friends, Though it feels so much like one, to us and probably to you, this is not an inaugural issue. Our team has been populating Crazy Mochas, late into the night, for five years of Pride Magazines. The decision to turn our once-yearly labor of love into an every-month project has been a long time coming, and we couldn’t be more proud or honored to serve as a mouthpiece for a community we respect so much.

We could have branded the cover of our new baby, “The People Issue”: There are so many faces in this magazine! That is because there are so many movers and shakers among us right now — pioneers, pushing for equality; leaders, exciting change. We have dedicated ourselves to telling their stories. They inspire us to build a better community because, alongside these titans, we’re certain we can do anything.

The cover of this issue was one of much debate. We wanted it to “say” EQUAL and also to bleed the pride and patriotism we feel about our right to vote. We shot two beautiful couples, men and women, decked out in their own stylish manifestations of red, white, and blue. The tenderness between the two gentlemen on our cover exalts in us the will to keep fighting the good fight: We will love as equals.

We, as a magazine as well as an extension of the Delta Foundation, cannot endorse any candidate. We only hope to unite the community to go out on November 6 and to VOTE. Your voice has never been more important. Writer (and lawyer) Tiff Waskowicz has expressed her opinion in a well-researched article on page 30. We are moved by the points she has made and appreciate, especially, her diligence in creating a chart for us to compare the views of several candidates (wait until you see the symbols she’s chosen).

I leave you with a confession: I don’t exactly subscribe to the title of this new project.

While I believe in our efforts to achieve equality in this world, to gain rights entitled to us — in the workplace, on marriage licenses, and even in the minds of others — I may never see us as “Equal.” You are too special to be the same as everyone else.

We, together, are too strong to fit in. I promise to fight for you to feel evenly matched and to educate others in seeing you that way, even if only on the pages of this magazine, but in my heart, I’ll always hold you higher. You teach me too much. You are too wonderful. And, for that, I thank you.

With love,

Victoria Bradley-Morris Editor-in-Chief

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On the cover: Friends Brian Redmond and John Javins posed for the cover shot at Photographer Adam Milliron’s studio in Lawrenceville. Feast your eyes on them and more shots from this blushworthy photo shoot in our election feature on page 30.

A special thanks to Stylist Ramen Harmon for making everyone look beautiful (and for making Shawn look like Presidential Barbie) and overwhelming thanks to Adam — for flexibility in his schedule, for his matchless eye, and for shots of tequila before pulling the trigger.

We’ve got the party every weekend at Cruze Bar!

COLLEGE Fabulous Fridays THURSDAYS 18 to party, 21 to drink Dancing starts at 9 PM

Like us on Facebook

$2 drinks + bottles from 8-10 PM Dancing starts at 9 PM

$2Dollar Saturdays $2 drinks + bottles from 8-10 PM Dancing starts at 9 PM

Sunday Funday $4 Long Islands ‘til midnight Happy Hour 6-10 PM

Follow us @cruzebar

1600 Smallman Street • 412.471.1400 • cruzebar.com • Open Tue-Sun 4PM-2AM

Publisher

The Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh

Editor-in-Chief

Victoria Bradley-Morris

Art Director

Jonathan Fobear

Advertising Director Chris Bryan

Emotional Support

MATCHING PEOPLE WITH PETS FOR 138 YEARS. (THAT’S 966 IN DOG YEARS) We have a good nose for finding the right pet for the right person. With our Perfect Match adoption program, we’ll connect you with a canine or feline that fits your unique way of life. To learn more, visit www.wpahumane.org. western pennsylvania

HUMANE SOCIETY 10

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“My gay husband” Jenn Shawn Mark Coffee & wine Vodka Tacos

For questions, comments, and advertising inquiries, please email info@equalmagazine.com EQUAL Magazine, PO Box 100057. Pittsburgh, PA 15233.

The mission of the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh is to increase awareness and understanding of and improve the quality of life for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community in the Pittsburgh region.

Opinions and claims made by advertisers are those of the advertisers ONLY. Equal accepts no liability for claims made by advertisers. All rights reserved. ©2012 Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh.

WHAT PAGE IS THAT ON?

FEATURES

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NOVEMBER

40

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The “It” List: Meet our community’s fiercest frontrunners

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Who’s Your Daddy? What gay parenting looks like today

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Out 2 Vote: Bring on the most important election of our lives

DEPARTMENTS 44 Fitness. Work out with hottie Josh Gilchrist 40 Fashion. Fashion Star Kara Laricks comes to Pittsburgh 12 Food. What we’re hungry for this fall 16 Visibility. Josh Stewart stands out at PNC 18 Arts. Black and White Theatre takes the stage 46 Ally. Sean Oates 28 Animal Print. A girl named Bean and her buddy, the pug 36 Travel. Hit the high seas

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EAT THIS

Fall into Food

(& Drinks!)

By Jessica Ezykowsky Photographed by Adam Milliron The title of this article is a pun, no doubt about it.

It was meant to draw a smile across your mouth, because that is what food is about: your mouth.

All aspects of it — your lips, tongue, and teeth, they all decide whether you like food or not. Sure, sometimes your nose helps out and maybe even your ears — definitely your eyes — but ultimately, your mouth decides whether you love that first bite (or drink!). Make a point to entertain your mouth this fall, and I promise the rest of you will be happy, too. Here are the Cliff’s Notes to what’s good right now. Order any of these, and you won’t feel like an idiot.

Drinks: The Memory-Makers Ruby, Ruby, Ruby.

Industry Public House. Tart and perfectly sweet, if you can imagine.

Vampiro Bloody Mary.

Kaya. Tequila and some SPICE!

Copa de Fuego.

Verde. Cardamom and a bit of jalapeno. Seriously?

Cosmopolitan.

Spin. Sweet and a little bit of sour, with lime on the rim. Makes the lips tingle.

Appetizers: Take a Chance Tartare.

Meat and Potatoes. Salty and melt-in-your-mouth flavors.

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3RIVERS 2COLORS 1CITY REDISCOVER THE CITY THROUGH BLACK-N-GOLD EYES. A COLLECTION OF BLACK-N-GOLD PHOTOS. BLACK-N-GOLD.COM coming in late November 2012 just in time for gift-giving... hint, hint...

G AY OWN E D & OP E R AT E D

“I had rather be shut up in a very modest cottage with my books, my family and a few old friends, dining on simple bacon, and letting the world roll on as it liked, than to occupy the most splendid post, which any human power can give.� — Thomas Jefferson 14

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PEI Mussels.

Park Bruges. White wine, spicy Creole, or curry — any flavor was meant be sopped up with bread. To die for.

Bacon Night.

Harris Grill. I said Bacon. Night. C’mon, people.

Hummus.

Remedy. Olives, homemade hummus, and fresh veggies. Ooo la la.

Entrees: Show Stoppers California Lovin’.

BRGR. Turkey burger heaven, with provolone, pesto mayo, avocado, and sprouts.

Carnitas.

Round Corner Cantina. Slow-roasted pork meets cucumber, radish, and cilantro. YO YO YO!

Duck Breast.

Stagioni’s. Kale, pancetta, and beans, oh my!

Black cod with Miso.

Umi. Tastes like butter, but sweeter.

Dessert: Finish Me Molten Chocolate Cake.

Eleven. Rich chocolate cake with a warm, gooey center.

Sweet Mango with Sticky Rice.

Smiling Banana Leaf. Juicy fruit goodness with a bit of coconut.

Strip District Split.

Klavon’s. Banana Split, the way God intended.

Lavender Citrus Crème Brulee.

Cioppino. Lemon, lavender, and heavy cream. What a dream.

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WORKING OUT

Role Model Josh Stewart Brings Diversity to PNC

By Bernard Charles Photographed by Adam Milliron “One of the first items I brought with me when I started at PNC was a picture of my partner and I at dinner in New York City,” says Joshua Stewart, the Diversity and Inclusion Strategies Manager of PNC. Today, his office is filled to the brim with relationship memorabilia as well as event pictures, wristbands, t-shirts, and ads that represent his role of helping others be more open in the workplace.

Stewart shares his insight of being out in Pittsburgh’s corporate world and how being himself has truly paid off.

What’s the impact of being out at work?

STEWART: Being out at work can be both rewarding and challenging. For me, being out at work has helped to define my 16

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One of the first items I brought with me when I started at PNC was a picture of my partner and I at dinner in New York City.” career. Throughout the multiple roles I’ve held at PNC, I have been surrounded by welcoming, encouraging, and engaging managers and colleagues, who recognize the value of diversity in the workplace.

My colleagues support my bringing my entire self to work, including being an “out” member of the LGBT community, and also support my sincere interests in advocating for diversity and inclusion at PNC. Through this inclusive environment, I was given opportunities to connect professional aspirations with personal passions through programs like the LGBTA Employee Business Resource Group, which eventually led to my current role.

What particular challenges have you faced because you were out in a corporate setting, and how have you overcome these?

STEWART: In my professional life, I’ve been fortunate to experience very few challenges specific to being a member of the LGBT community. In fact, there have been many more positive outcomes than negative ones. It is important to acknowledge that not every workplace interaction I’ve encountered has been as welcoming and inclusive as it could be. However, in less inclusive situations, there are always opportunities to learn and to share. I continuously remind myself to always “meet people where they are.” When we do this respectfully, we begin to change hearts and minds.

What advice can you share with new graduates who might not know how to balance their work and personal life?

STEWART: Finding the balance between work and your personal life is

incredibly important. Being LGBTQ or an ally of the LGBT community can be an important part of both your personal and professional life. My best advice for post-graduates, as they navigate the corporate world and seek this balance, would be to remain uncompromisingly true to themselves while acknowledging and respecting the diverse experiences of those around them. Take what you have learned about yourself during school (LGBTQ experiences, academic studies, and otherwise) and allow these discoveries to inform your career choices.

Be proud of who you have become.

What benefits does being out have on the community?

STEWART: Being out in the community gives you a greater opportunity to share your story with others and to increase awareness of the opportunities and challenges the LGBTQ community faces.

That said, the decision to be out is a very personal one and can be motivated by many factors. Regardless of being out, all LGBTQ individuals play an important role in strengthening the LGBTQ community.

“My colleagues support my bringing my entire self to work, including being an “out” member of the LGBT community.”

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THE ARTS Tolerance, redemption, honor and duty, bonding and friendship are some of the themes on which these plays focus — 10 of them, over a threeweek period.

High Contrast The Black and White Festival takes the stage

By TC Brown Illustrated by Victor Capone “I have a part for you in the Black and White Festival,” said the voice on the phone. Since earning a degree in acting in college, theatre has been a big part of my life. I have worked with a number of Pittsburgh theatres, both onstage and off. However, over the past seven years, my involvement in theatre has been less to do with the production process, and more to with happily enjoying as an audience member with my husband, Victor. I venture back onto the stage, every now and then, to make sure that I still can “remember lines and not bump into the furniture.” So when Mark Southers, artistic director for Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company (PPTCO), asked me if 18

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I would be interested in performing in its Black and White Festival, I knew it was time again. I said, “yes.”

PPTCO is one of the rising theatres in the city, entering its 10th year. Southers conceived of the festival from an image he had in mind of a racially diverse audience attending a performance. He pointed out that in Pittsburgh, “audiences at a theatre are mostly white or mostly black.” He thought about what he could do to change the landscape of the audience. From this idea emerged the Black and White Festival, where cast and crew are diversely mixed, and the plays, many written by local playwrights, are directed by the opposite race of the playwright.

And it is fitting that local playwrights are produced on the company’s stage. Southers, himself a playwright, began his theatre to provide a needed outlet for local playwrights.

“A lot of problems can be solved by theatre,” he says. “It can provide a lot of lessons and growth.” It is inspiring to learn from Southers: While he was performing in South Africa, he met August Wilson, one of Pittsburgh’s most prominent playwrights, who encouraged Southers to consider writing plays. Southers had the good fortune of having some of his first plays produced outside of Pittsburgh, but had difficulty getting them staged here in the city. When the Penn Avenue Theatre space in Bloomfield Garfield became available, Southers took over, forming the PPTCO, and has built it into a successful theatre company that now is situated in the Cultural District.

It’s always a unique experience, participating in a play festival. It provides the opportunity to see people I haven’t worked with in a while, and also to meet new people. We forge bonds as we all work toward a common goal. That is especially important when the plays deal with sensitive subject matter, like racism and bigotry. The play that I am has some moments that might make both black and white audiences uncomfortable for different reasons. As actors, we often feel uncomfortable playing characters with a limited view. But as a theatre community we encourage and support each other so that we can portray some of uglier sides of the human experience in the hopes that actor and audience alike can grow and learn from the theatrical experience.

The Black and White Festival runs November 3-17 at 837 Liberty Ave., Downtown. For more information or to buy tickets visit pghplaywrights.com.

The FEATURE

“IT”

List

By Kara Holsopple Photographed by Mara Rago & Adam Milliron

“Tag, you’re it!” For the five movers and shakers on this list, that’s more than a phrase breathlessly called out on the playground. It’s a call to action and a challenge to make service to others seem like the obvious choice. But it’s also an exclamation to, and an embracing of, the LGBT community. Because when it comes to the issues important to us, this diverse group of performers, writers, educators, and activists is not playing games. From living with HIV/AIDS to school bullying, they are taking on some of the the grittiest issues of our times. From creating safe spaces, to beautifying public spaces, they’re changing the way the larger community sees us, and the way we see ourselves. They’re here, they’re queer, and they are making a big difference, in the Pittsburgh area, and beyond.

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Jared Pascoe Writer/Do-Gooder

Jared Pascoe and friends had a dream for Pittsburgh: gay and trans men and women ,spilling out of the bars and clubs and into the streets … where they would proceed to pick up trash and plant trees. And so the Pittsburgh chapter of Gay for Good was born. Pascoe’s worked on both coasts with models and Hollywood types, but the Point Park University graduate is casting himself in a new role, now. For him, nonprofits are where it’s at. And Gay for Good: Pittsburgh’s first year was encouraging. More than 3,000 volunteer hours were logged at monthly community service projects, benefiting groups such as Tree Pittsburgh and the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Pascoe once got this advice from a Los Angeles casting director: “Make sure you listen to what they need.” He listened, and Pascoe says Gay for Good fills a void in the LGBT community. It provides young people, especially, a way to socialize outside of the bar scene, and an opportunity to be seen in a new way by the community. And it works. “I get there, we’re doing it, and everytime I leave, I get really excited that it happened,” Pascoe beams. It’s not the soap opera writing he dreamed of as a kid (though he is writing a play), but it beats having shoes thrown in his direction like at his first job in New York. It’s just the kind of work he’s been looking for.

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FEATURE

JJ Cox

Drag King/Social Transformer If drag queens are fierce, what are drag kings? If you’re talking about JJ Cox — original, inventive, and intense fit the bill.

The hardworking cofounder of the genderqueer performance group Hot Metal Hardware holds down a full time gig as a web developer while pursuing pageant titles (he’s held four) and producing monthly shows, such as the now legendary holiday Spanksgiving show at Cattivo. Cox started to wonder about drag before he’d even seen a show. Once he witnessed performer Dante DiFranco in action, there was no going back.

But there has been giving back — lots of it. Cox and fellow artists have made a point to donate proceeds from shows to organizations like Pittsburgh Action Against Rape(PAAR), Habitat for Humanity, and the Wounded Warriors Project. That’s more than generous considering drag king shows don’t bank as much cash as more culturally celebrated drag queens. But that may be changing as the artform evolves, says Cox. He’s doing his part to push the genre forward — ever seen drag mime?

— and turning his success into empowerment for future drag kings, or masculine females looking for role models. “It’s easier to accept who you are if there are visible people, who you can relate to,” he says.

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You’re invited to the

LGBT Town Hall Meeting THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2012, 7-9 PM Magee-Women’s Hospital of UPMC -Auditorium, Zero Level.

Attendance in Thousands

In 2007, the Delta Foundation took over the planning & execution of Pittsburgh Pride. Since then…

81,000 78,000 75,000 72,000 69,000 66,000 63,000 60,000 57,000 54,000 51,000 48,000 45,000 42,000 39,000 36,000 33,000 30,000 27,000 24,000 21,000 18,000 15,000 12,000 9,000 6,000 3,000 0 3,000

Join us

for a discussion about Pittsburgh Pride and share ideas about what Pride means to the Pittsburgh LGBT community.

Bring your ideas, suggestions, and constructive criticism as we work together to strengthen our LGBT community together!

81,000 67,000

Sponsored in part by: 35,000 25,000

6,000

2007* 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Source: City of Pittsburgh Estimates and ticket sales *indicates data for Pride in the Street only

FEATURE

Ashlie Prioleau Grad Student/Community Connector She does math problems for fun, and admits to being just a little bit nerdy. But former chemistry undergrad Ashlie Prioleau had a different kind of experiment in mind: find out what the LGBT campus community needs. As the LGBT Resources Intern at Carnegie Mellon University, the answer sent off sparks for her personally and professionally. She set up a mentoring program. With the help of advisor Meg Evans, Prioleau’s already signed up sixteen mentors, and twelve mentees. The idea is similar to the “It Gets Better” Project — only up close and personal. And continual. Prioleau says she wishes she’d had more LGBT people of color to look up to, and hopes a mix of community members and partners will give participating students the resources they need. She gets credit for her internship as part of a Masters in Higher Education degree she’s studying for at the University of Pittsburgh, but Prioleau says she’d do it anyway. “It’s like having a baby. You need to deliver it, raise it, make it healthy, make sure it’s being raised well. Makes you happy, makes other people happy. You never know what impact it could have until you see it in people’s lives — watching it grow,” she says. Though at 23, the lifelong Pittsburgher doesn’t know where life will take her, she’d like to keep working to make the LGBT community feel welcomed and prepared for the college experience.

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FEATURE

Adam Pribila Actor/Advocate

It shouldn’t be surprising that actors wear many hats. Costumes are their stock and trade. Adam Pribila wears many of his hats offstage, however.

In fact, the actor, director, writer, PR pro and general manager at the Industry Public House in Lawrenceville is something of a Renaissance man. He’s taken that spirit to his volunteer work at the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network(GLSEN). Pribila is the Volunteer Coordinator, and chair of the People- to -People Committee at GLSEN Pittsburgh. Which is really a misnomer. The organization serves 11 counties.

Pribila’s doubled the volunteer base, aimed at keeping schools safe for kids regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. And he has his hand in GLSEN’s marketing and outreach — literally. Pribila created the GLSEN Oath, an ad and educational campaign where hands are painted and photographed. Participants are then asked how they will help to stop the cycle of bullying. It’s one of the things he’s most proud of, and it stems directly from the luck he feels for not being bullied himself as a teenager who was out in high school. He’s turning that luck into more opportunities for LGBT youth and allies to volunteer and come together, like at this year’s Pittsburgh Youth Pride Prom. And the response has been overwhelming. “It’s incredibly satisfying to see not only the LGBT community rally behind us, but also the community at large.

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FEATURE

Tom Viola

Executive Director/Hometown Boy Makes Great “At first, it sprang from a great emotional response to what was going on around us. People were dying all around us,” remembers Tom Viola, of the HIV/AIDS epidemic that was ravaging the New York theater scene in the 1980s. Viola’s the executive director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and has been at the helm of the organization for more than 20 years. He even received a special Tony Award for his work. He’s also a native of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and the two facets of his life are connected in meaningful ways.

Since 1988, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has raised more than $195 million for its own programs and hundreds of grantee groups across the US, including Shepherd Wellness Community and the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force. Viola says, in the early days, a modest bake sale outside of the musical Cats on Broadway would generate funds for the stunning lack of basic health services available to those living with HIV/AIDS. Now, the organization has a bigger reach from directly asking audiences for funds — even here in Pittsburgh, at the Benedum Center — to special performances and produced events, like Broadway Barks and the Easter Bonnet Competition. And the money goes farther, too. It supports food banks and housing services that speak to the complexities of living with HIV/AIDS over a longer period of time. Viola visits family in the Pittsburgh area every year, and nonprofits who benefit from Broadway Cares. “To see these places, again, and to know that from my desk at 46th and 7th [in New York City], I can have an effect on them ... I like that,” he says. And he never imagined, as a kid in Bethel Park, that this area would be so welcoming to him as a grown up gay man, living with HIV.

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Abuse and pain.

Just another day for Lily.

Lily lived in fear. Chained up outside.

Left without food or water for days.

Yelled at constantly.

A concerned neighbor brought her to the Animal Rescue League. We gave her medicine to heal her body. Food to build her strength. Love to soothe her spirit.

But so many other animals just like Lily are suffering. They need your help.

Help us come to their rescue.

Make a gift to the Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania at animalrescue.org today.

Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania Scan with your phone using a QR code reader app to learn more about Lily’s story.

ANIMAL PRINT

LOVE PUG Bean and Kahlo

By Alicia Fennel Photographed by Mara Rago It was love at first sight when Bean Brown came across a photo of a little “fuzz ball” on a bulletin board while shopping at her local grocery store. He was the only puppy left in a litter, and she had to have him. Bean got her a pug when he was 8 weeks old. He fit perfectly in the palm of her hand. Since then, the two have been inseparable. He is a handsome boy, who she named her pug, Kahlo, after the artist Frida Kahlo. This dynamic duo can be found running and playing in Highland Park or taking walks to Tazza D’oro Café for a hot latte. The puppy is 2 years old now, and he loves to play fetch on the tennis courts and to meet new furry friends while walking through the park. He is exceptionally good at high-fiving, snuggling, and snoozing. (Lots and lots of snoozing.) Bean and Kahlo both agree that fall is their favorite season: They both love to wear vests while playing in the leaves.

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FEATURE

Show Your True Colors and

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By Tiff Waskowicz Photographed Adam Milliron

This election is crucial because it showcases two Presidential candidates with diametrically opposed notions of who LGBT people are.

President Obama believes we are equals. Governor Romney does not.

On May 9, 2012, President Obama publically supported same-sex marriage, and, in doing so, stated:

“I want everyone treated fairly in this country. We have never gone wrong when we’ve extended rights and responsibilities to everybody.”

I agree with our President.

Then, the very next day, on May 10, 2012, the following report surfaced: When Governor Romney was in high school, he pinned a fellow class-mate, John Lauber, whom Governor Romney taunted and referred to as “girl” because Mr. Lauber had long hair, to the ground. Then, while Mr. Lauber screamed for help, his eyes filled with tears, Mr. Romney repeatedly clipped his hair. This behavior is hateful and typifies how bullies behave towards people who are not like them.

Notably, Governor Romney has not explicitly denied the incident’s occurrence. Rather, he stated:

“...You know, I don’t remember that particular incident [laughs] ... I participated in a lot of high jinks and pranks during high school, and some might have gone too far, and for that I apologize ...”

Such a response is alarming. Who could ever forget such a horrific incident? I doubt Mr.

Lauber did. Moreover, this incident is neither a “prank” nor a laughing matter.

relief. I was not alone. I felt as though I had been given a voice.

Not surprisingly, Governor Romney rejects same-sex marriage.

On May 9, 2012, when the news spread that President Obama publically supported same-sex marriage, I was filled with the same sense of hope and relief that I felt that night, so many years ago, watching Desert Hearts all alone. I cannot even begin to imagine how much hope and relief President Obama’s support of same-sex marriage has provided to hundreds, thousand, millions of today’s LGBT youth; indeed, I wonder how many lives his support of our equality will ultimately save.

However, the importance of this election even transcends the critical same-sex marriage issue. This election is a matter of life or death.

Research shows that LGBT youth (ages 1524) are approximately three to four times more likely than heterosexual youth to attempt suicide.4 Among the reasons cited for this disparity is societal rejection. I can relate. Who among us does not have a story about confronting societal rejection and/or grappling with the unsettling thought, “I’m so very different” in our youth? Some of us make it; some of us take our own lives; and some of us die a slower spiritual/psychological death by pretending to be someone we are not.

As strange as this sounds, I credit the movie Desert Hearts as one reason why I was one of the lucky ones who “made it.”5 When I was seventeen-years old and trying to wrap my adolescent, muddled mind around being gay, I read The Celluloid Closet, a fascinating book that chronicles the evolution of homosexuality in film.6 The Celluloid Closet lauded Desert Hearts as one of the first movies to diverge from the depiction of homosexuals as “psychotic” and/or “murderers,” etc. So, of course, that night, after everyone went to bed, I drove to blockbuster and sheepishly rented Desert Hearts (in retrospect, I am shocked Blockbuster carried the movie). I watched it in my basement with the volume low. I could not believe what I was witnessing — a story about two women falling in love. It was the first lesbian image I had ever seen. While watching, I felt a euphoric sense of hope and

“I want everyone treated fairly in this country. We have never gone wrong when we’ve extended rights and responsibilities to everybody.”

During President Obama’s first term as President, he proposed and enacted legislation that protects LGBT equality, reminded us we are equal, recorded an “It Gets Better Video,” appointed and nominated gay/lesbian Federal Judges, hosted a pride party; and viewed our country not in terms of “us verses them,” but rather, in terms of ‘’we are all in this together.” What could be more empowering to a LGBT youth than a President who has given him or her a voice?

That is why this election and re-electing President Obama are so crucial.

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FEATURE During his first term as President, Barack Obama spoke for us in the following ways:

to the Presidential Boards and Commissions ________________________ Appointed approximately LGBT individuals to the judiciary ________________________ Awarded the highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom, to Billie Jean and Harvey Milk ________________________

Enacted was The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to ensure equal pay for woman. (Great news for families with two moms:) ________________________

Created a National Resource Center for LGBT elders ________________________

Hosted the first-ever White House LGBT Pride Reception ________________________

Signed the Matthew Shephard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act into law, a measure which extended the definition of hate crime to include crimes motivated by a victim’s

Appointed more than 250 LGBT individuals, including approximately 40 to the Executive Office of the President and approximately 30

actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability ________________________

Allowed transgendered Americans to receive true gender passports without surgery ________________________

Banned discrimination in federal workplaces based on gender identity ________________________ Lifted the ban that prohibited people with HIV/AIDS from entering the United States, and in doing so, said he was lifting a 22-year-old ban that was “rooted in fear rather than fact” ________________________

Clarified the Family and Medical leave Act to ensure leave for LGBT employees ________________________

Ensured hospital visitation and medical decision-making rights for gay and lesbian patients

Released America’s first comprehensive plan to prevent and end homelessness, ________________________ President Obama’s victories for equal rights/LGBT rights are outlined on his website at http:// www.barackobama.com/equalrights/

vote...

vote!

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Awarded a grant to the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Services Center to work with LGBT youth ________________________ Recorded “It Gets Better” video to support LGBT youth experiencing bullying.

In his video, President Obama stated: ...I don’t know what it’s like to be picked on for being gay. But I do know what it’s like to grow up feeling that sometimes you don’t belong. It’s tough.

And for a lot of kids, the sense of being alone or apart — I know can just wear on you...

But what I want to say is this: You are not alone. You didn’t do anything wrong. You didn’t deserve being bullied.

And there is a whole world waiting for you, filled with possibilities ...

The other thing you need to know is, things will get better.

As a nation we’re founded on the belief that all of are equal and each of us deserves the freedom to pursue our own version of happiness, to make the most of our talents, to speak our minds, to not fit in, most of all to be true to ourselves. That’s the freedom that enriches all of us. That’s what America is all about.” ________________________ Led a United Nations measure to restore “sexual orientation” to the definition of human rights ________________________ Declared the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) unconstitutional

Hosted the first-ever White House Conference on Bullying Prevention in America’s schools ________________________

Supported lesbian widow, Edith Windsor, in her suit against DOMA ________________________

Completed an Institute of Medicine Study on LGBT health ________________________

Ended Social Security Administration’s practice of sending notification to employers when the gender marked on an employee’s W-2 did not match the employee’s Social Security “gender” ________________________

Issued guidance to foster safer working environments for transgender federal employees ________________________ Endorsed the Respect for Marriage Act, a legislative effort to repeal DOMA ________________________ Clarified the meaning of family to include LGBT relationships

Repealed and implemented the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ________________________ Permitted military chaplains to office same-sex marriages where legal

vote?

VOTE.

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FEATURE Addressed the annual Human Rights Campaign dinner and stated:

— on the kind of society we engender, the kind of future we build... ________________________

We’re pushing hard to pass an inclusive employee nondiscrimination bill ... Nobody in America should be fired because they’re gay, despite doing a great job and meeting their responsibilities. It’s not fair...”

Awarded Citizens’ medal to Janice Langbehn, who paved way for hospital visitation rights for same-sex couples ________________________

Is your Candidate...

Friend

or

Frenemy?

Called for equal treatment of same-sex adoptive parents

Announced HUD’s new rule protecting against housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity Announced White House LGBT Conference series to address such issue as health, housing, and safety ________________________ Promoted equal access to quality health care by enabling search for health plans with same-sex partner benefits on Healthcare.

Same-sex Marriage

Civil Unions

Same-Sex Adoption Equal Treatment at Work for LGBT Employees Protection against hate crimes for LGBT individuals

overall rainbow rating

Candidate appears to be supportive

Candidate appears to be opposed

Candidate appears to be on-the-fence, silent, or indifferent to the issue 34

Ensured transgendered veterans receive respectful care according to their true gender through Veterans Health Administration ________________________ Appointed openly gay Michael Fitzgerald to the Federal bench ________________________ Announced support for same-sex marriage ________________________ Launched the “Let’s Stop HIV Together” campaign to fight HIV stigma ________________________ Honored six LGBT Champions of change

BA R Pr ACK e O De side BAM mo ntia A cra l c t and ida te MI TT Pr RO e M Re side NE pu ntia Y bli l c ca an n did ate BO BC Se AS n De ator EY mo ial cra Ca t ndid ate TO M Se SM n I Re ator TH pu ial bli Ca ca nd n ida te LA RR Co Y M n Ca gres AGG nd sio I De ida na mo te D l cra ist t 18 TIM Co MU n R Ca gres PHY nd sio Re ida na pu te l bli Di ca st n 18 MI KE Co DO n Ca gres YLE nd sio De ida na mo te D l cra ist t 14 HA NS Co L n E Ca gres SSM n si A Re dida onal N pu te D bli is ca t 1 n/T 4 ea Pa rty

Tonight, somewhere in America, a young person, let’s say a young man, will struggle to fall to sleep, wrestling alone with a secret he’s held as long as he can remember. Soon, perhaps, he will decide it’s time to let that secret out. What happens next depends on him, his family, as well as his friends and his teachers and his community. But it also depends on us

Included specific data on health needs of lesbian and bisexual women in the Health Resources and Service Administration’s “Women’s Health USA 2011” federal report ________________________

Created first-ever U.S. government strategy dedicated to combating human rights abuses against LGBT persons abroad

E q u a l M a g a z i n e. o rg

BRINGING THE BIGGEST NAMES IN MUSIC TO A ONE OF A KIND INDOOR / OUTDOOR CONCERT EXPERIENCE

400 NORTH SHORE DRIVE â&#x20AC;˘ RIGHT NEXT TO HEINZ FIELD

Featuring...

Girl Talk Avicii The Avett Brothers Lucinda Williams Train Young The Giant Gavin DeGraw Third Eye Blind Sara Bareilles Fiona Apple Counting Crows Trace Adkins Rise Against Evanescence All American Rejects Needtobreathe The Clarks O.A.R Goo Goo Dolls Pretty Lights The Cult Against Me! Bassnectar Santigold Duran Duran Heart Hall and Oates My Morning Jacket Janes Addiction and more!

TRAVEL

At Sea

A 10-Day Cruise on the Celebrity Equinox

By Jack Bellas An “Airline Baby.” That’s what I was called as a child, the son of a flight attendant. From the early age of, well, before I was born, I was already flying high. So it’s no surprise that, as an adult, I’ve caught the travel bug with no hope of shaking it! From flying to Boston for an afternoon to have lunch with my mother when I was 9, to taking any opportunity to sneak away for a long weekend now, traveling is not something I enjoy — it is a part of who I am.

My most recent getaway took me overseas on a 10-day cruise on the Celebrity Equinox, 3 6

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a trip through Atlantis Events. Catering to a primarily gay male audience (but not leaving anyone out), the cruise exceeded ALL expectations. I left from Rome (technically Civitavecchia) and made stops in Mykonos and Santorini in Greece, Kusadasi and Turkey in Istanbul, Malta, and finally Palermo before arriving back in Rome. It was 10 days of perfection.

Many people may think that a gay cruise can be overwhelming: There are more entertainment elements, fascinating people, and cultural experiences packed into those 10 days than most people could experience in a lifetime. From a live surprise

performance by Andy Bell of Erasure, to The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, I only found myself asking: What’s next?!

The beauty of this cruise was the amount of time I got to spend in the ports. Without question, Istanbul made an impression on me that will last the rest of my life. Fashion, nightlife, and a rich history left me wanting more (and laying in plans for a dedicated return trip). The highlight was the most fabulous cocktail bar that anyone could stumble upon. Munferit, Istanbul was the place to be in this sprawling city! Each person I met was more interesting than the next: a writer from the Associated Press,

This guy lives a hell of a life and has Hell to pay for it.

Mozart’s

who lives in New York; two actresses, who live in Los Angeles and are in Amy Poehler’s comedy troupe (and may be the two funniest women I have ever met); and a woman who owns one of the largest ad agencies in Istanbul. I was intoxicated on interesting people.

I discovered wine cellars in Rome, shopped at the base of the Spanish Steps, took in sunsets in the Greek Isles, and spent the night of my life in Istanbul. And I can’t wait to do it all again.

Nov. 3, 6, 9, 11 • Benedum Center

English texts projected above the stage Tickets start at just $10 412-456-6666 • www.pittsburghopera.org

For more information, visit atlantisevents.com.

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FEATURE FEATURE

Who’s your Daddy?

Not-So-Straight Methods of Parenting

By Lauren McKenna There they are again, those two beautiful men walking down the street. Maybe you notice the “deep v” of the cute blond on the right, or the awesome Ray Bans of his partner, but more striking — there’s no missing that melodious rift of a giggle

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from the beautiful children flanking their sides, with scuffed up little Chuck Taylors and rolled up Gap Kids denim. Even if their giggles weren’t peppered with adoring shouts of, “Dad! Daddy! Look what I can do,” those little gaybies make up a huge part of one fabulous family.

Trendy adorableness aside, this scene is becoming one that isn’t resigned to the stylishly fictional lives of The New Normal or Modern Family. Nor are these sights a mere urge to merge into mainstream life. They’re heartwarming — not because they look like they fell out of the latest JC Penney ad, but because they embody love in a way that

isn’t always so easily attained.

Through the rapidly shifting definition of family from the standard heterosexual model to the evolving one-, two-, and three-parent households, same-sex parenting definitely has its work cut out for it. There are no accidental gaybies, in truth. It takes planning and legwork, and making sure that all of the legal bells and whistles are rung so that everything is in order.

The first step is: How are you planning on having a baby? If you’re a lesbian, are you going to find a donor? Who’s going to carry it? If you’re a man, will you find a surrogate? How about the adoption process?

To someone not actively searching for that perfect bundle to add to their families, this may seem intangible or something best suited for someone on the same caliber as fictional characters. And while it may not be as simple for same-sex parents as it is for heterosexual couples, it definitely is not entirely out of grasp.

But it all comes with work.

Beth and Camellia took ten times to conceive, and know what it is like to truly want a baby.

Camellia wanted to carry a baby, a lifelong dream. They wanted a child that would look like them, which is why they consulted one of Beth’s family members for sperm.

When he backed out at the last minute, they were devastated. But they found a donor in a serendipitous twist of fate: A kind acquaintance who didn’t share the same desire for procreation but was more than happy to lend a crucial part for Beth and Camellia’s family.

Even with a sperm donor, it’s not like every attempt is a guaranteed success. More

importantly, it’s emotionally exhausting. I had the pleasure of speaking to Kelly and Heather, another couple expecting a baby, who explained (along with Beth and Camellia) that the hardest part was knowing that the sperm didn’t take. That stress coupled with the stress of hoping it would take the next time, is a cataclysmic combination.

Relying on the womb of a kind stranger can have its upsides, but it’s expensive ($20,000$80,000).

The cost of clinical insemination depends on your insurance plan. The typical qualifier for insurance coverage is “the inability to get pregnant after a year of unprotected intercourse,” so gay couples consistently have a problem. The year clinical inseminations cost between $350 and $900 per cycle. Both Beth and Camellia and Kelly and Heather chose inhome insemination, significantly reducing their costs and increasing their privacy, of course.

And what happens after the baby is born?

Second-parent adoptions, which were originally created to help step-parents gain custody, are thankfully legal in Pennsylvania (because of the efforts of attorney Chris Biancheria). This allows the same-sex parent who is not physically carrying the baby to have the same parental rights. This is different than adopting a baby together, and the process can’t be started until the baby is actually born, with a timeframe of up to two months until everything is valid.

In Pennsylvania, same-sex adoptions are more or less streamlined with heterosexual adoptions. Granted, you and your honey can’t stroll into a Catholic Charities and adopt a baby, but private adoption is A-OK. And what about guys who want a baby?

The decision to have a child is a bit more biologically complex. Relying on the womb of a kind stranger can have its upsides, but it’s expensive ($20,000-$80,000). Mark and David, two fathers in the Pittsburgh area, know about the difficulties of adoption. It’s a waiting game, and discrimination can rear its ugly head when birth mothers select parents from a binder full of photo-resumes, deciding would suitable to raise their children, delaying the process for upwards of a year per child.

Once the baby is in this world, how will he/ she be regarded? While those of you reading this article would probably not bat an eyelash at two moms attending their 2nd grader’s warbly Christmas concert, there are people that despise it. (And not just the ones making the chicken sandwiches, folks. We’re talking about those that are possibly going to be running this country.) As mothers-to-be, Beth and Camellia and Kelly and Heather hope that the shift in attitudes will be enough to combat intolerance. Beth said it best to me during our phone interview: We will teach our children to love and tolerate the intolerance.

Questions, comments, stories about parenting?

Write them on our facebook page: facebook.com/ EqualMagazine.com.

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FASHION

Fashion Star

Kara Laricks comes out on TV (and that’s not even the coolest thing about her)

By Shawn Ellen Francis Photos courtesy of NBC and Kara Laricks Design I was not one of the 8.6 million people that watched the finale of NBC’s Fashion Star, so when I sat down to interview Kara Laricks, the first-ever winner of the show, I wasn’t prepared for the disarmingly open woman with the killer pompadour and the amazing blue eyes. In town during Pittsburgh’s 40

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Fashion Week to host a runway show, the former fourth grade teacher-turned-fashion designer sat down with EQUAL magazine to discuss her decision to be out on the show, what inspired her collection, and how the love of her girlfriend, Melissa, gave her the freedom to pursue her dreams.

EQUAL: Your coming out on TV was really pivotal, even for people in our community.

Were you politically motivated, given the

climate in our country right now?

Kara Laricks: No, you know what’s so funny is that I spent 10 years as a teacher and felt relatively closeted. I wasn’t in my personal life, and I wasn’t with the staff, but there was always that unspoken boundary, like is it appropriate to discuss in the classroom with kids? Is it appropriate with parents? But, it just wasn’t one of those things that I felt comfortable broadcasting.

Once I went back to school for fashion, where, you know, I think straight people are the minority, that was a blast and felt very freeing. Then, I made the move to New York, where I lived in the Castro in a rainbow bubble, which was amazing…

EQ: So, was coming out part of the impetus to change careers?

KL: Um, maybe so. I mean, looking back, it was probably a stronger need to feel whole and be exactly who I am, personally and professionally. Then the opportunity for Fashion Star came up. And, I have to say, shame on me for ever being worried. It has been nothing but, 100 percent “YOU GO , GIRL! CONGRATULTIONS!” And, the best part of it is that people are focusing on my passion for design and clothing — and, yes,

I get these great emails and tweets from gay people and gay youth, but for the most part, it has just been about the design, and that’s how it should be.

Nothing that I make, to me, is risky. It’s just all a different option for how I’m feeling. Risky is if I’m having an insecure day, and I try to put myself into something sleeveless, then that’s risky.

EQ: Your stuff is so edgy! What kinds of confidence do you have in regular women to wear this stuff?

KL: I feel like sometimes fashion is taken a little too seriously. I believe in that freedom, if I’m feeling a bit more masculine, I’m entitled to wear a more masculine piece. Or, if I’m feeling like wearing something that looks more like a piece of art as opposed to a piece of clothing, why not? Why not take a little risk? I think people would be surprised at the response to something a little bit different and fresh and new.

EQ: What do you think is the riskiest piece in your collection?

KL: Nothing that I make, to me, is risky. It’s just all a different option for how I’m feeling.

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Risky is if I’m having an insecure day, and I try to put myself into something sleeveless, then that’s risky. But, in terms of just a garment, nothing seems risky.

EQ: Can you talk about your creative process? What is this collection about for you? What inspired you?

KL: I love a Japanese aesthetic, Yohji Yamamoto , Comme des Garçons. It’s without regard for trend. I happened to be wandering by the Japan Society in New York, and there was an art deco exhibit.

There were these incredible matchbox covers from the late 1920s — they’re very graphic and have very cool shapes and cool color palettes. So the collection is a little bit ‘20s, an amazing time of androgynous change, an amazing revolution in women’s dressing, You see a lot of menswear

detailing from the ‘20s — cumberbunds, and long tails on different pieces — and the color palette of the matchbox covers.

EQ: What three pieces do you think are must-haves from this collection?

KL: Without a doubt, the tails short. I mean, throw it on with a tee shirt and cute little Converse to run around , and it would be so style-y, or throw it on with tights and a buttoned up tux shirt and heels: It’s hot.

You can wear it in so many ways. Secondly, I love the cocktail dress. I mean, such a statement. It’s also available in black. And then, I love this tux blouse that looks like half of a bow tie around the neck, and it’s something easy that you can throw on under a suit or alone with the tail short.

EQUAL: We watched all of that feedback

The Twenty-Fifth Annual

  Thursday, November 29, 2012

7:30 pm at Heinz Chapel (next to the Cathedral of Learning) Reception to follow at the Community of Reconciliation Sponsored by the Pitt Men’s Study

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on the show, but who gives you the most feedback now?

KL: Melissa. She knows me well enough to affirm what I feel confident with and then encourages me in a different direction if she can see that I don’t feel confident. She’s the best. She’s absolutely the best. I feel so lucky. She’s never been anything but,” Go for it, do it! If we can’t afford rent next month, it doesn’t matter. Keep going. One foot in front of the other. We’ll figure out health insurance somehow!” [laughs] To view the entire Spring/Summer Collection 2013, visit KaraLaricks.com.

BENEFITS PERSAD’S LGBTQ YOUTH PROGRAMS

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2012 • NORTH PARK BOAT HOUSE Register or donate at persad5k.org • Registration 8 am • Run begins 9 am Contact: rmcdonough@persadcenter.org or 412-441-9786 x 224

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FITNESS

Staying Active Creating the Ultimate YOU

By Ignacio Filippini Photographed by Adam Milliron Josh Gilchrist was born into an active family. In high school, he was always playing a team sport, always on the go. When he started college, he traded in team sports for outdoor sports, like rock-climbing and snowboarding. By junior year, he had to shift focus to his business degree. In order to maintain his fitness, he started going to the gym. Three days after graduation from West Virginia University, he moved to Pittsburgh to start his career.

His first job out of school was unfulfilling. “It was a bad job. The only thing that kept me sane was going for a run.” At the same time, he started training his best friend at the gym. Suddenly, something clicked, and Josh found his path. He realized he could combine his passion for helping others with his love of fitness and his degree in marketing. He took a job in sales at LA Fitness, where he has developed a successful career ever since.

Josh helps people every day by evaluating their fitness goals and getting to the reason behind each individual’s desire for change. “I absolutely love interacting with people and helping them to evaluate and accomplish their goals.” Josh helps his clients connect emotionally to a fitness goal to promote a sense of self-worth and motivate long-lasting change from within. “It’s about creating the ultimate YOU. It goes beyond looking good. It’s about improving quality of life.”

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Josh’s Fitness Advice Keep yourself active. Try to reserve at least 15 minutes every morning before breakfast for some form of physical activity. Doing three repetitions of twenty pushups and twenty-five crunches, followed by fifty jumping jacks every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, go for a run to wake up your body. It sets the pace for the rest of the day.

Food for Thought “It’s important to eat something one hour after waking up and continue eating small meals through the day. Your metabolism is like a camp fire. It burns hotter and faster if you put smaller sticks on it. Big logs slow it down.”

Uh Oh. What about Thanksgiving day? “Start the day off with a light breakfast, high in protein and fiber, and have a smaller lunch, like a protein bar.

You don’t want to be starving for the main event.

When the turkey hits the table, take a look at the whole spread before filling your plate. That way you can plan your meal, paying attention to portion size.

Then you won’t feel guilty about having that piece of pumpkin pie. You deserve it!”

For more information on training, contact Josh at fab.fitness.pgh@gmail.com

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ALLY

Landmark Friend

By Samuel Badger Photographed by Mara Rago Sean Oates is an ally and friend of the LGBT community in Western Pennsylvania, and has been since an early age.

He is Landmark Event Staffing’s assistant branch manager. His contracts include Heinz Field, Stage AE, Petersen Events Center, AJ Palumbo Center, First Niagara Pavilion., and even The Super Bowl, Final Four and NHL. He also helps with Pittsburgh Pride. And he is proud that Landmark, as a company, is LGBT friendly.

In Sean’s opinion, being an ally is leading by example. “As a business partner with Delta and Pride, it means bringing our skill set on Pride weekend, keeping some great folks safe and secure and advising on concerns and issues that may arise so that moving forward, it can continue to grow and be a positive force in the fight for LGBT rights.”

The single father of two grew up “in a very liberal and open-minded family in Charleroi, Pa.,” Sean says. “For as long as I can remember, my parents had, and continue to have, many gay friends. I realize, now, just how extraordinary this was for the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Tolerance was not exactly en vogue at the time, and sadly, many in the community could not openly live their lives as they saw fit. My sister, Erin, and I are blessed 46

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that we were brought up by parents who not only talked the talk, but also walked the walk. In our home, the content of ones character was truly more important than sexual orientation.”

Sean’s cousin, Bobby, died of AIDS in January 1999. “Bobby was an amazing man, a model and actor who was incredibly witty and talented. My mom and Bobby were very close, and it’s a loss I know she experiences to this day. All of this has helped to shape and influence my feelings about the LGBT community.”

Sean talks about how he has seen the struggles that family and friends have gone through just to be happy. “This provides inspiration and a very strong desire to do what I can to help,” he says.

When asked what the most inspirational part of his involvement with Pittsburgh Pride, Sean Oates says, “This one’s easy: the dedication and commitment of so many in the community. Just experiencing Pride weekend here in Pittsburgh, knowing that my company, at least in a small way, is helping people to just BE, be who they choose, live how they choose, and love who they choose.”

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Riverside Design Group’s 11th annual warehouse sale to benefit Persad Center December 1 & 2 JUST IN TIME FOR HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING AND GIFT GIVING! • 50% OF SALES BENEFIT PERSAD • SATURDAY, DEC. 1st 9am - 4pm • SUNDAY, DEC. 2nd 9am - 1pm AT RIVERSIDE DESIGN GROUP’S WAREHOUSE • 3441 BUTLER STREET, PITTSBURGH, PA 15201

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for being proud of who you are.

At PNC Bank, diversity is one of our core values. From our hiring practices and employee programs to the communities and sponsorships we invest in, we’ve developed a keen appreciation for our collective strengths. But it’s not just deeply ingrained in our corporate culture; we’re helping the communities we serve achieve great things. See how we’re doing this at pnc.com/lgbt

©2012 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC

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