Pittsburgh PrideMag 2010

June 4TH—13TH,

2010

Advocacy Rally led by

Cleve Jones

and Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes +plus Amber DJ Randy Bettis Derek Hartley LUXE Pillow Project Sonji Aaron Pfieffer Official Hank and MANY more

Deborah Cox @ Pride in the Street

Wouldn’t it be nice to walk

home

after a night of being

DowntownPittsburgh.com/living

out?

<HL8C@KP @J I<=I<J?@E> © 2008 COORS BREWING COMPANY, GOLDEN, CO OR SHENANDOAH VALLEY, VA * BEER

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to what we have in common

Proud sponsors of Pittsburgh Pride 2010

BY CELEBRATING THE INDIVIDUAL, WE STRENGTHEN THE WHOLE.

At Highmark, we understand the benefit of various life experiences. And we welcome multiple points of view. We are also quick to applaud our individual differences. You see it in the employees we hire. The people we insure. The partners we do business with. Diversity.

It’s not only good for our company’s health. It’s good for our community’s health.

Proud To Support Pittsburgh’s Pride Celebration

love letters Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh Gary A. Van Horn Jr., President

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of the Governor Governor Ed Rendell Dear Friends:

Greetings: It gives me great pleasure to join the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh in welcoming everyone to Pittsburgh Pride 2010.

Over the years I have seen the LGBT community across our commonwealth go through tremendous change and acceptance into society. The cultural fabric of our commonwealth has been woven from the proud histories and traditions of our various citizens, and this diversity makes the freedoms of expression and association that we enjoy as Americans so extraordinary.

By celebrating and embracing our diversity, we uphold the principles and ideals of liberty, equality, and democracy. During this special week I hope you will have the opportunity to enjoy everything this great city has to offer – the goodness of its people, the richness of its historical significance, and its vibrant cultural diversity.

As Governor and on behalf of all Pennsylvanians, I wish to extend my support of Pittsburgh Pride 2010, and again welcome everyone to this year’s festivities. Best wishes for a memorable event.

Sincerely,

Edward G. Rendell Governor - Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

Welcome to Pittsburgh’s Pride Celebration 2010…“You Belong.” This year’s theme is very fitting. “You Belong” in the City of Pittsburgh, in Allegheny County, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and in the United States of America. The LGBT Community has for years fought for Equality.

Five states plus the District of Columbia all now allow gay marriage. But here in Pennsylvania we have yet to pass Hate Crimes, Non-Discrimination and Anti-Bullying legislation. While we have come a long way, there is still a lot of work to do.

We were happy to play a part in the passage of the Allegheny County NonDiscrimination Ordinance. In the City of Pittsburgh as well as in Allegheny County, ALL residents are now protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. This is a huge leap forward, but sadly, less than 30 minutes outside of the city, people can still be discriminated upon in Armstrong, Beaver, Butler and Westmoreland Counties. The Delta Foundation is committed to work with our allies to help these neighboring communities pass legislation that will protect all Pennsylvania Citizens.

People often wonder why LGBT folks feel the need to have a Pride. Seeing 25,000 people out and proud sends a big message that we are here; we are your neighbors, your friends, your co-workers, your relatives, that person that you sit next to on the bus.

So…come out, be proud, support your friends and enjoy Pittsburgh Pride 2010…”You Belong.”

Happy Pride,

Gary A. Van Horn President - The Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh

Thank You Board of Directors Gary A. Van Horn Jr., President Steven R. Herforth, Vice President Peter J. Karlovich, Treasurer Kathleen D. Schneider, Secretary Members Samuel C. Badger, Michael G. Bartley, Daniel M. Catanzaro, Robin L. Godfrey, Louise F. Stutler and Thomas C. Waters Emeritus Board Members Charles W. Honse, William R. Kaelin, Donald R. Thinnes and Charles P. Tierney Christine L. Bryan – Director of Marketing & Development Melanie S. Schall – Administrative Assistant Entertainment Committee Kierra Darshell, Christopher Eckles, Philip Ezzo and Richard Parsakian Creative Design Committee: Jonathan Fobear, Art Director Christine Allan, Samuel C. Badger, Christopher Bocsy, TC Brown, Christine L. Bryan, Chrissy Costa, JJ Cox, CJ Daro, George, Danielle Gerson, Helene Gosslein, Kara Holsopple, Joe King, Becky Klink, Lauren McKenna, Peacer, Michelle Rabe, Lindsay Talbot, Bruce Vilanch, Tom Waters, Amy Whipple, Anastasia Wojda Awareness March Committee Ken Haywood, Heather Krainz, Kelly Kinsey and Mark Thompson

Decorating Committee Matthias Bodnar, Steven Herforth and Bill Volbrecht Operations Committee Paul Block, Art DeCoursey, James Foster, Steven Herforth, Gilbert Jackson, Nancy Johnson, Peter Karlovich, Jimmy McDonald, Michael Powers, Lyndsey Sickler, Debra Van Horn, Gary Van Horn and Glenda & Planned Parenthood Volunteers Vincent Lighting Systems – Lighting Design J4 Event Systems – Sound Design Mountain Productions – Staging/Rigging Partner Organizations 5801, 941 Saloon, ACLU, Black Pride , Blue Moon, Borders Eastside, Brewers, Burgh Bears, Carnegie Mellon University, Cattivo, Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh, Donny’s Place, Dreams of Hope, East Liberty Presbyterian Church, G2H2 Pittsburgh, Gay & Lesbian Community Center, GLEC, Grey Box Theater, Heat, Images, Lez Liquor Hour, New Hazlett Theater, ONEchurch Pittsburgh, Persad Center, PFLAG Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Corporate GLBT Roundtable, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, Pittsburgh Eagle/ Pegasus, Pittsburgh International Lesbian & Gay Film Society, P-Town, Real Luck Café, Renaissance City Choir, Song Whale, Spin, Steel City Stonewall Democrats, There Video Lounge, Three Rivers Arts Festival, Women’s Law Project, WTAE, WQED, WYEP, Yogay and Youth Empowerment Project.

Brockovich, Patty Burk, Joanna Camarda, Charles L. Caputo, Louis F. Caputo Esq., Joe Cecchini, Eric Davis Esq., State Representative Dan Deasey, Rodney Decchis, Nick DiMartino, Mike Edwards, Dana Elmendorf, Kevin Evanto, Barb Feige, State Senator Jim Ferlo, Michael Ferraro, Shawn Fertitta, Sean Fox, State Representative Dan Frankel, Ofc. Christie Gasiorowski, Denise Gaynor, Hollie Geitner, Ofc. Linda Gigliotti, Erin Gill, Michael Griener, Dave Hallewell, Mont Handley, Ed Harkins, Tara Hastings, George Hazimanolis, Andy Henderson, Jennifer Highfield, Betty Hill, Deborah Hughes, Marguerite Jarrett Marks, Christine Kaczkowski, Peter Katz, Miranda Kent, Kevin Kinross, Jim Koch, Melanie Koscelnak, Allison Krawec, Eric Kukura, Tinsy Lipchak, Eddie Lowy, Anthony Lund, Renee’ & Frank Malto, Ralph Marrow, Lori Martin, Rosemary Martinelli, Brian Masters, J. Kevin McMahon, Gary Mitchell, Tony Molnar-Strejcek, Paul Morack, Ralph Morrow, Beverly Morrow-Jones, Ruggero Morselli, Josh Neal, Scott Noxon, County Executive Dan Onorato, Mary Ann Papale, Callie Phillips, Eve Picker, Hollie Plevyak, Nancy Previch, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, Matthew Reisen, Governor Edward G. Rendell, Ron Romano, Chuck Rompala, Gigi Saladna, Jim Sampson, Kristin Schake, Rodney Schwartz, Sgt. Larry Scirotto, Rick Sicilio, Seth Smiley, Darrin Smith, Scott Stegman, Dave Suffrin, Deryk Tines, Amy Tingler, Ryan Tinn, Carol Untch, Sunny Varasso, Jeff Wheeler, David White, Rebecca White, Danika Wukich, Thomas Yargo, Yarone Zober, Allegheny County Council, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh City Council

Special Thanks Deborah Acklin, Amber Alke, Gary Altavilla, Howard Andrew, Duane Ashley, Kristen Baginski, Brandon Baker, Joe Barone, Michael Bartley, Shawn Becket, Lindsay Berdell, Diana Besoiu, Kristin Borgstrom, Lauren Bracey, Nadine Brnilovich, Mary

proud member of Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

love letters County of Allegheny Executive Office County Executive Dan Onorato

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Office of the Mayor Mayor Luke Ravenstahl

Dear Friends:

Dear Friends:

Welcome to Allegheny County for Pride Week 2010. This year’s theme is “You Belong,” which is fitting because Southwestern Pennsylvania is a collage of individuals, ethnicities, cultures and religions. Pride Week is a celebration of the diversity and inclusion that make our community strong and vibrant, as well as a great place to live, work, and play.

On behalf of the residents of the City of Pittsburgh, I am honored to welcome you to Pittsburgh Pride 2010 here in “America’s Most Livable City.”

Last year, I signed historic legislation that established the Allegheny County Human Relations Commission to ensure that all persons are treated equally regardless of gender, race, mental or physical disability, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, educational status – or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. We must stand united in our belief that discrimination is wrong because it damages us as a society.

I am also encouraging elected officials to do the same at the state level. All citizens, including members of the LGBT community, need to know that they are fully protected in employment, housing, and public accommodations everywhere in Pennsylvania in order to make our commonwealth stronger and more economically competitive.

If you are visiting from out of town, I encourage you to enjoy all that our region has to offer and to experience why we have twice earned the title of “America’s Most Livable City.” Allegheny County offers the finest of everything to its residents and visitors from world-class arts and culture to dynamic dining and entertainment to renowned trails and recreation.

Presented by the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh, this celebration for and about the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, just keeps getting better - and bigger - each year. In fact, over the last three years, attendance has jumped from 6,000 to 25,000! And last year’s Pride March set another record for attendance. Whether you make a “Splash” at the pool party, jump on the party bus for the Pub Crawl, dance the night away at Pride in the Street, enjoy quality entertainment at PrideFest, or march in our City’s fabulous Pride March, there is something for everyone during Pride Week.

This year’s theme is “You Belong.” I like this theme a lot. It coincides with my vision for Pittsburgh which is making it a most livable city for everyone.

This year the LGBT Council held our first - and very successful - Leadership Forum. We identified a lot of key issues affecting the LGBT community and I am confident that together we will accomplish great things. I am very proud of the LGBT Council and commend them on their fine work.

I also commend you on the positive influence you have and cultural richness you add to our great city, and look forward to continue working with you to make a better Pittsburgh. Together, we will continue to make a difference and break down the barriers of injustice and inequality.

I’d like to thank the sponsors, partners, community members, and everyone who has worked so hard to make this event one the City’s best of the summer.

Best wishes for a safe and enjoyable time.

I hope you enjoy this year’s Pride Week festivities, and to those of you visiting from out-of-town – Welcome to Pittsburgh!

Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Dan Onorato Allegheny County Executive

Luke Ravenstahl Mayor, City of Pittsburgh

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Table of Contents 6 10 18 26 28 32 34 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 92 94

Love Letters Calendar of events Speaking out on the Steps Gender Benders Baby Blogging Dyke and Trans March hits the streets The Art of Erotica Pride Map Pride Advocacy Rally Splash!

Pub Crawl Liquor Up, Liquor Down Pride in the Street Pride Awareness March Pride Fest Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh One Amber lights up the street What’s in a Name?

Famous Pittsburghers Hostess with the Most-ess Abraham. In. Motion Make it Official Creating change through the power of music It’s a small, small world Club Cox Splash!

Politically speaking All you need is love Soul mates March through time Confidence in me A mother in need Pittsburgh PrideWeek 2010 and Pittsburgh PrideMag are projects of

The Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh 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. We do this through financial support of LGBT organizations, as well as sponsorship and production of our own community events.

Opinions and claims made by advertisers are those of the advertisers ONLY. PrideMag accepts no liability for claims made by advertisers. All rights reserved. ©2010 Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

what? when?

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Monday, May 31

Thursday, June 3

12–6:30 p.m.

8 p.m.

Memorial Day Picnic

Mr. Pittsburgh Pride Drag King contest

Nothing signals the start of summer like the annual LGBT Memorial Day Picnic!

Admission includes a delicious picnic buffet including hot dogs, hamburgers, and an array of side dishes. Coors Light will be serving up icy cold Coors products, and of course, there will be non-alcoholic beverages for the designated drivers. The cocktail bar will be back by popular demand; donations are always welcome.

North Park Lodge Pearce Mill Road Allison Park pittsburghpride.org FREE

Tuesday, June 1

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3–7 p.m.

Persad After School Summer Program

GLCC, 210 Grant St. Downtown glccpgh.org Facebook Group: Youth Service of Persad Center FREE

Wednesday, June 2

7 p.m.

Queer Womens Crafting Circle

Scrap-booking for people of all skill levels welcome. Light refreshments will be served.

GLCC, 210 Grant St., Downtown. glccpgh.org Facebook Page: Queer Women’s Crafting Circle

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

$5. 21 & over.

Sotto Lounge (under Cattivo) 146 44th St. Lawrenceville Facebook Page: Mr. Pittsburgh Pride Drag King Contest FREE

Friday, June 4

6 p.m.

Pride Advocacy Rally

A wonderful and motivational kick-off to 2010 Pride Week. Featured speakers will be Cleve Jones and Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, as well as other politicians and activists.

Steps of the City-County Building, 414 Grant St., Downtown. pittsburghpride.org

Friday, June 4 8 p.m.

Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby! Rennaissance City Choirs Concert

Includes titillating selections that will provide a light-hearted take on everything you always wanted to know about sex (but were afraid to ask). The show will feature some classic naughty bits such as “The Masochism Tango,“ gratuitous nudity from the hit show Naked Boys Singing!, and a hilarious number from Avenue Q that will teach you what the Internet is really for!

Due to the risqué content of some of the performances, you may want to think about getting a sitter for the kids.

Grey Box Theatre 3595 Butler St. Lawrenceville rccpittsburgh.com

Friday, June 4 8 p.m.

Divas for Diversity

Fabulous food, cocktails, silent-auction items, and performances by some of Pittsburgh’s finest chanteurs, including pop and dance club sensation (and our master of ceremonies) Ryan Skyy, world-class opera singer Anna Singer, Miss Bunny Bixler, Miss Pittsburgh Pride and Duchess of Pittsburgh Aaron Pfeiffer, Singer and Creator of the Jazz Loft at SPIN Bartini Teddy McKenna, Broadway-bound singer and actor Tania Grubs, and jazz artist and performer Miss Veronica Bleaus.

Pittsburgh Opera 2425 Liberty Ave. Strip District glenda.org FREE

Saturday, June 5

7 p.m.

Last Call with YEP Carnivale Mixer

For Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender young adults between the ages of 18 and 24.

Light food and beverages provided.

GLCC 210 Grant St. Downtown glccpittsburgh.org Facebook page: Last Call w/ YEP

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS Saturday, June 5 Dyke & Trans March FREE

Bloomfield Facebook page: Pittsburgh Dyke

Saturday, June 5 8 p.m.

Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby! Rennaissance City Choirs Concert

Includes titillating selections that will provide a light-hearted take on everything you always wanted to know about sex (but were afraid to ask). The show will feature some classic naughty bits such as “The Masochism Tango,“ gratuitous nudity from the hit show Naked Boys Singing!, and a hilarious number from Avenue Q that will teach you what the Internet is really for! Due to the risqué content of some of the performances, you may want to think about getting a sitter for the kids.

Grey Box Theatre 3595 Butler St. Lawrenceville rccpittsburgh.com FREE

Sunday, June 6

6:30 pm

InterFaith Pride Service All denominations and faiths welcome!

Community House (next to the ER at Allegheny General Hospital) For more information, contact G. Michael Beigay at gm2b@earthlink.net

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

Sunday, June 6 8 p.m.

Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby! Rennaissance City Choirs Concert

Includes titillating selections that will provide a light-hearted take on everything you always wanted to know about sex (but were afraid to ask). The show will feature some classic naughty bits such as “The Masochism Tango,“ gratuitous nudity from the hit show Naked Boys Singing!, and a hilarious number from Avenue Q that will teach you what the Internet is really for! Due to the risqué content of some of the performances, you may want to think about getting a sitter for the kids.

Grey Box Theatre 3595 Butler St. Lawrenceville rccpittsburgh.com FREE

Monday, June 7

6:30 pm

“You Belong: At School, in the Workplace, as a Family, and in Politics”

The Pittsburgh Chapter of the ACLU-PA will present a town hall forum, which will seek to offer issues and answers on law, marriage, money, and family matters. The forum will also feature “The Experts’ Corner” which offers individual and small-group conversations with local legal and policy experts on nondiscrimination protections regarding civil partnerships, legal rights, and tax issues.

CMU University Center Connan Room 5000 Forbes Ave. at Morewood aclupgh.org

Tuesday, June 8 Think Investment FREE

Join area professionals for a seminar discussion on investment and home ownership, retirement, and related tax issues.

Conversations and break-out sessions with the experts will follow the presentation.

Presented by DeAnna Davis and Tookie Smith (Coldwell Banker), Deborah Hughes (Edward Jones), and Kathleen D. Schneider (Attorney/CPA).

For information call 412-363-4000.

FREE

Wednesday June 9

7pm–9pm

You Belong (in your legislator’s office!)

A Town Hall forum and training session

LGBT issues remain a flashpoint at every level of government, but especially at the state and federal level where legislation that would benefit lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and families is stalled. You can play a key role in changing that! Democracy is a participation activity! In this town hall forum learn about the status of pending legislation and the things you can do to assure passage of these critical protections. You will leave with step-by-step ideas about how you can make a noticeable difference towards achieving equality.This event is co-sponsored by The Western PA Advocacy Initiative, thomascwaters.com, Pittsburgh PFLAG, Steel City Stonewall Democrats, Women’s Law Project, and the ACLU. Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh 429 First Avenue, 1st Floor Downtown Pittsburgh

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Proud of our continued support of

Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pride 2010 You Belong

We power dreams in our communities.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Thursday, June 10

FREE

Friday, June 11

7 p.m.

9 p.m. to midnight

Splash!

Queer Teen Dance Party

Join us for Pittsburgh’s most talked about and exclusive party at the fabulous home of Steven Herforth and Peter Karlovich. Located on Mt. Washington with beautiful sweeping views of our Pittsburgh skyline, enjoy an evening complete with a full open bar, picnicstyle food, swimming, and entertainment.

Towels and changing area are provided.

Beverages compliments of an anonymous donor. Must be over 18 to attend.

Herforth / Karlovich Party Palace Mt. Washington 207 Bailey Ave pittsburghpride.org

Friday, June 11 8:00 pm

Pub Crawl

We call it a crawl because, well, we think that’s really sexy, but it’s actually a chauffeured tour of the city’s coolest clubs, bars, and lounges.

There’s something free for you at each stop!

Buses will drop and pick up approximately every 20 minutes from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Tickets are $20 in advance/$25 at the door.

Must be 21 and over. Participating locations include Brewer’s, Donny’s/Leather Central, P-Town, Spin, 5801, Harris Grill, Blue Moon, Cattivo, Images, There Video Lounge, Heat, and Lucky’s. pittsburghpride.org

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

Free event for GLBT and allied youth 18 years old and younger. Music, Open Mic, spotlight performers, dancing and more!

Andy Warhol Museum 117 Sandusky St. North Side.

Facebook Page: Queer Teen Dance Party

Saturday, June 12 7 p.m.

Pride in the Street

We’re pleased to announce that our host for the evening is Derek Hartley, GLAAD award-winning radio show host on Sirius / XM Radio’s OutQ channel. Canada’s top R&B singer-songwriter and actress Deborah Cox will be headlining the night. Deborah’s 1998 song “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” held the record for the longest-running No. 1 single on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart (14 weeks), a record held for nearly eight years. In addition, she has achieved ten #1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart. Opening for Deborah Cox is Luxe, an electronic/organic pop hybrid band from Pittsburgh. Luxe is known for their flamboyant and fabulous visual appearances, and over-the-top live shows. Their debut single “Simple Attraction,” from their debut album “Mirrorball” on Quark Records, is rapidly garnering international attention and climbing the club charts all around the world. Entertainment through the evening will be provided by DJ Randy Bettis. From mega-events of thousands to intimate house parties, DJ/Producer Randy Bettis is among the most sought-after mixmasters in the dance-music industry. Having played in some

of NYC’s most legendary clubs (Limelight, Sound Factory, Stereo), Randy can be heard frequently at clubs such as Splash in New York, Town in DC, Pure in Philadelphia, and Steel in Fort Lauderdale. This is an 18+ event / 21+ to drink.

Liberty Avenue Downtown pittsburghpride.org FREE

Sunday, June 13

10 a.m.

Yogay at the Point

YOGAY is a class for the LGBT community and its supporters. YOGAY is a moderately paced class, focusing on muscle conditioning, flexibility, balance, and strength. No previous experience with yoga is required! Presented through “Yoga Is My Health Insurance” which strives to improve health and wellness through on-site yoga classes, a teachertraining program and educational marketing.

Point State Park Downtown FREE

Sunday, June 13

12–1 p.m.

Pride Awareness March

Show your Pride! The march starts at Grant Street and Blvd. of the Allies, proceeds down Blvd. of Allies and makes a right on Wood Street, then a left on to Fifth Avenue, and finally a right on to Liberty Avenue, ending at the PrideFest entrance at Liberty Avenue and 6th Street. Grandstand will be located at PrideFest Entrance at Liberty Avenue and 6th Street.

Downtown pittsburghpride.org

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Pittsburgh City Council

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in our past, present, and future.

Pittsburgh City Council proudly congratulates the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh and everyone who makes PRIDE WEEK a success.

Thank you for helping us celebrate the DIVERSITY that makes Pittsburgh vibrant!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS FREE

Sunday, June 13

Thursday, June 17

June 26-27

1–6 p.m.

7 p.m.

9 a.m.–7 p.m.

PrideFest

Dreams of Hope Season Finale

Celebrating the Body Erotic Workshop

PrideFest is a day-long free event that will feature continuous entertainment on two stages, more than 100 vendors, street performers, family-friendly carnival games, and inflatable attractions.

Parking is available in many downtown lots, including the Convention Center garage and the 9th Street Garage (must enter from Smithfield St. Side). Enjoy an icy cold Coors Light in our Beer Garden. Must have a valid ID. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Liberty Avenue between 6th and 10th Streets Downtown pittsburghpride.org

Sunday, June 13 2 p.m.

Renaissance City Choirs Concert

The casual concert will feature selections from the choirs’ recent smash 25th anniversary spring concert, The Best of RCC: 25 Years, including “The Caffeine Overload Polka,” “Down In the River To Pray,” “The Gender Polka,” and Leonard Bernstein’s “Make Our Garden Grow.” If you’ve never seen RCC (or you just can’t get enough), now is your chance to hear the magic of music from Pittsburgh’s only GLBT chorus!

Bricolage Theatre 937 Liberty Ave. Downtown rccpittsburgh.com

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

LGBT Youth and Allies present “First Comes Love...”

Kelly-Strayhorn Theater 541 Penn Ave. East Liberty 412.361.2065 dreamsofhope.org

Saturday, June 19 Queer Youth Connections Carnegie Museum Trip FREE

Free museum trip for GLBT & Allied Youth from ages 14 to 24.

Carnegie Museum 4400 Forbes Ave. Oakland lsickler@persadcenter.org 412-441-9786 x220.

FREE

Friday, June 25

3 p.m.

Queer Youth Connections Field Day Picnic

Free food, fun and games for GLBT youth and allies, 14 to 24 years old.

Mellon Park Facebook Page: Queer Youth Connection Events

A full two-day often clothes-off workshop for those who are ready to vigorously explore new levels of feeling, both within themselves and within a community of men. thebodyelectricschool.com FREE

Saturday, June 26

1–5 p.m.

Arts and Crafts Fair

Free to attend, Free to vend! Call to reserve your space today!

GLCC 210 Grant St. Downtown 412.422.0114. glccpittsburgh.org

Sunday, June 27 5 p.m.

All Ages LGBT Pagan Potluck Event

Please bring one dish to share!

GLCC 210 Grant St. Downtown glccpittsburgh.org Facebook Page: GLBT/Queer Pagans Pittsburgh

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SUMMER HOURS Deck Bar Open Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm

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Factivism

Speaking Out on the Steps

By Christopher Bocsy

Activists Cleve Jones and Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes lead Pittsburgh Advocacy Rally The Pride Advocacy Rally will mark the start of this year’s Pride celebrations. Speaking on the steps of the City-County Building, on June 4th, will be Cleve Jones and Reverend Dr. Brent Hawkes. These two voices represent some of the most vocal and potent forces in the fight for quality.

They work not just for the LGBT community, but for all those that have been marginalized in society by ignorance, fear, and hatred.

Many may only know the name Cleve Jones as a character in Milk, portrayed

by Emile Hirsch, but he is much more. Jones’ life is deeply intertwined with history and the future of the gay rights movement. In the ‘70s, as a new arrival in San Francisco, Jones met and worked with early advocate Harvey Milk. At his side during his campaign and serving on Milk’s staff after winning a seat on the San Francisco

Board of Supervisors, Jones was also there just moments after his shocking and tragic assassination.

Spurred by the loss of his friend and facing the onset of

Harvey Milk, Jones and fellow marchers carried placards with the names of those they had lost to AIDS. This showing of solidarity planted the seed for what would become the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial

Francisco Bay area, and the quilt, as a whole, has become an emotional symbol of the lasting effects of the disease.

It results in an expansive testimony of how people can come together to buffer the pain of loss in remembrance.

-----------------------------------------“The summer of 1976 marked a turning point for me and for the gay liberation movement.

Without anyone quite realizing the extent of it, the country was going through a backlash against homosexual rights that crystalized in Anita Bryant’s insidiously named initiative, Save Our Children.” —Cleve Jones ------------------------------------------

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

the AIDS pandemic in the early ‘80s, Jones co-founded the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, one of the most influential advocacy groups for people facing AIDS. In 1984, during the annual march in honor of the memory and goals of

Quilt. With Jones leading the way at the start and sewing the first panel himself, the project has grown to 54 tons of quilting; consisting of 46,000 panels that represent over 91,000 people.

Jones still displays 280 of the original panels around the San

Jones continued as an active voice in the community, serving as a director for the Shanti Foundation of Los Angeles.

Meaning “inner peace” in Sanskrit, the foundation offered support for the everyday and emotional needs of those facing chronic and life-threatening illness. He has also recently worked with UNITE Here, the hospitality and manufacturing workers union, on issues of homophobia within the industry. From this came the Sleep With the Right People initiative, which encourages the LGBT community to stay at hotels that respect the rights of all their employees.

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In 2009, Jones came to the forefront of the movement again as an organizer and promoter, along with fellow activist David Mixner, of the National Equality March. Over 200,000 participants descended on Washington D.C., prompted in great numbers by word of mouth and the grass roots engine that the internet has become. The message of the march, beyond providing continued visibility, was that now is the time to refocus the gay rights movement from small local gains to a push for equality on a national and federal level.

Cleve Jones was there at what some believe to be the start of the modern gay rights movement.

From his early work with Harvey Milk, whose name he strives to keep alive, to the most recent march, Jones pushes forward, despite his own battles with health, death threats, and past attempts on his life. As he has said, he will not stop until we have equal protection under the law in all matters in all 50 states.

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes has been a leader for equality from within his church, while striving to change the hearts, minds, and laws of his fellow Canadians. As pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto for 30 years, he has focused on issues such as homelessness, poverty, and Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

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women’s issues in addition to gay rights, while tending to a congregation of more than 800, 85 percent of which identify as LGBT. The Metropolitan Community Church, considered a liberal mainline church, has been on the forefront on matters of equality since its start in 1968. Central to its mission is

a commitment to support the spiritual needs of all minorities, while standing up for their rights. The denomination’s founder filed suit in California in the ‘70s to have same-sex marriages legally recognized.

Although the lawsuit was lost, this would later lay the ground work for the 6,000 same-sex ceremonies preformed by the MCC annually worldwide.

Taking the lead from his church, Rev. Hawkes has been deeply involved with bringing legal marriage equality to Canada.

He was the driving force behind getting sexual orientation included in both the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act. He is currently on the board of Egale (Equality for Gays And

Lesbians Everywhere) Canada and a former co-chair of the Campaign for Equal Families.

He supports these efforts despite death threats and grave acts of destruction, such as arson, against the MCC for their shared progressive views.

One of the most lasting effects of Rev. Hawkes’ quest for social justice has been the nation-

-----------------------------------------“We forget today how long we had to operate without any real information about AIDS. The first time I heard of it was in 1981 in a few lines of a UPI press clipping that I had pinned to the wall of my office. Within months it became probable that this little-known disease would engulf a generation in a mass wave of death.” —Cleve Jones ------------------------------------------

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

22

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wide legalization of same-sex marriage in Canada. In 2001, he preformed wedding ceremonies for two same-sex couples using a little known clause in Canadian law. By invoking a common-law procedure called the reading of the banns, where the intent of marriage is published for the congregation for three weeks prior to the ceremony without objections, the resulting marriage is considered legally binding.

While the city clerk’s office refused to register the marriages at the time, the Ontario Superior Court ruled in 2002 that the ceremonies were legal. The ultimate goal was reached in 2003, when the Court of Appeals of Ontario reaffirmed the earlier decision, and in doing so, struck down all remaining barriers to same-sex marriage in all the provinces.

Rev. Hawkes continues to fight for the rights of all, alongside his partner of 27 years, who he married in 2006, while having personally presided over 200 same-sex nuptials. He considers each one of these as contributing to the small and consistent victories that add to the overall goal of equality while keeping hope alive and pushing the movement forward.

See Cleve Jones and Rev. Dr. Hawkes speak at the Pride Advocacy Rally at the City County Building on Friday, June 4. For more information, visit pittsburghpride.org.

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

Advocacy Online Most people know the big names and advocacy groups, like the Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org) and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (glaad.org), but there are many other groups online: The Give a Damn Campaign (wegiveadamn.org) is an online viral PSA project to get straight people to stand up next to their LGBT friends and make their collective voices heard for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender equality. This project is being funded by the True Colors Fund (truecolorsfund.org), the non-profit arm of the True Colors Tour, co-founded by Cyndi Lauper.

Freedom to Marry (freedomtomarry.org), founded in 2003 by Evan Wolfson, acts as a portal for news and issues surrounding marriage equality. It also serves as an organizing and funding point for state and national level legal battles over same-sex marriage.

Sage: Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (sageusa.org), is just that. The goal of Sage is to address the needs of older and mature gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people by helping them overcome the challenges of discrimination in senior service settings.

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender National Hotline (glbtnationalhelpcenter.org | 1-888-THEGLNH) provides telephone and email peer-counseling on all LGBT issues. In addition to being a caring voice, they also maintain a large database of location specific information, such as local support groups, gay-friendly religious organizations, sports leagues, and student groups.

COLAGE (colage.org) is a support and advocacy group made of those with one or more LGBT parents. They provide children of LGBT parents, of all ages, with resources and programs to show that all families are valued, and should be protected and embraced.

Change.org (gayrights.change.org) bills itself as hub for social change. Their gay rights section acts as a clearing house for major news stories, and how they affect our community and goals.

The International Lesbian and Gay Association (ilga.org) is a worldwide federation campaigning for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex rights. Their site provides international news on the gay rights movement, as well as a comprehensive guide to LGBT relevant laws worldwide.

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (sldn.org) provides free legal counseling to those with issues stemming from policies aimed at LGBT members of the military. It also functions as a watchdog and policy organization dedicated to ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and other forms of discrimination and harassment against of all LGBT military personnel.

The Equality Forum (equalityforum.com) is a national and international GLBT civil rights organization with an educational focus.

Some of their projects include Project 1138 (Project1138.com), named for the number of federal benefits tied to marriage, meant to increase public awareness of benefits and protections denied to same-sex couples, and GLBT History Month (glbthistorymonth.com) which annually highlights the achievements of 31 gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender icons.

24

Drag Report

Gender Benders

By JJ Cox

T h e b e s t o f P i t t s b u r g h ’s d r a g s c e n e p e r f o r m a t P r i d e Perhaps you’ve never noticed, but Pride is the only time of year when drag shows are free. Of course, there are occasional events throughout the year when you don’t have to pay an admission fee to witness the fluid bending of gender, but most of the time, free drag shows are like free lunches: They simply do not exist.

Only at Pittsburgh Pride will you see the winners of several pageants — on the same stage — show you why they were chosen to represent Pittsburgh in their reigning year.

Some of the pageant winners include Miss Teen Pittsburgh, Miss Pittsburgh Pride, Mr. Pittsburgh Pride, and Miss Tri-County Pride.

The pageants begin as early as late April and continue until a few weeks before Pittsburgh Pride.

Kierra Darshell, Miss Pittsburgh 1991, is the proud owner (for seventeen years) of the Tri-State All Star Pageant, and she keeps the list of competitors top secret. Each year, new performers boldly enter stages around Pittsburgh to earn the right to entertain you at events for the rest of the year.

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

Marsha Monster Mellow is constantly out on the town. Her monthly show at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts has thrived for more than six months. A self-proclaimed “drag queen terrorist and bully,” Marsha explains that drag performers should “get out there, be visible, make a difference — and be nice to each other!” Lyndsey Sickler is another event promoter and the owner of Lazlo Productions, who works diligently to create a space for gender benders. Most notably, Lazlo produces the Mr. Pittsburgh Pride Drag King Contest, which is now in its eighth year. It is her desire to “help create and support events that are drag specific and/or drag friendly,” she says. Sickler also creates and leads drag workshops, such as the one she did recently called Gender Blender.

“It is so important to find the younger drag stars,” Darshell says, “because they are the ones that will carry on the tradition.”

See drag performers at PrideFest on Sunday, June 13. For more information, visit pittsburghpride.org.

26

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procreation

Baby Blogging

By Christine Allan and Michelle Rabe

T h e A d v e n t u r e s o f Tw o M o m m i e s - To - B e May 10, 2009 HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!

Tomorrow is the day for insemination ;-) We called Debbie (a family friend that works at our gyno’s office) to see which time would be best tomorrow and what office Dr. K is in. I am soo excited!!! The goods came in on Friday in a large box. It kinda feels like an oxygen tank in a box. I wasn’t expecting it to be so large.

Chrissy sent a text saying, “Babys daddy arrived.”

May 26, 2009 First Attempt Failed Well, about 11 days after insemination, I got my period.

I wasn’t as upset as I thought I would be. I was relieved that I wasn’t waiting to know anymore.

As dumb as that sounds, I had a definite answer of what we had to do next. We ordered more sperm the other day because the donor we chose had a limited amount of vials. Knowing this, we wanted to plan ahead just in case it didn’t take.

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

June 23, 2009 Nope, it didn’t work :-( We were shopping in Kohls the other day because I got an additional 30 percent off coupon in the mail. We found several picture frames: one for the house with the definition of “family,” one that we will surprise Amy with that says, “ I love Nana,” and one for my mother that says, “ Grandma and Me.” We also ordered these cute candles that are shaped like buns and come in a little oven box. Each time we attempt to get pregnant, we plan just a little bit more. Now that we have the surprise items, we have to wait to actually get pregnant!

July 21, 2009 3 days late!!

So by now, I’m thinking I’m definately pregnant. For me to be three days late is insane!! I have all these ideas running through my head on how to tell Chrissy!

Originally, we wanted to do the test together, but since I had the doctor take blood, I will find out first and surprise her ;-)

July 28, 2009 MOTHER FUCKER I was waiting a couple days to come on here. I started to spot on Sunday and was totally psyched that I was pregnant. I read up on implantation bleeding, and it was a perfect match. This morning I took a pregnancy test then... my period started. NOT ONLY AM I NOT PREGNANT I’M MISERABLE AND CRAMPY!!! I just want to shoot myself or rip my uterus out!!

October 24, 2009 Twins, Triplets, oh my!

Since attempt No. 4 ended with no success, we’ve decided to try again using the fertility drug Clomid. People we know have used this had had success on their first try. Dr. Krupsky told us there is a 10 percent chance of multiples. In one case, Dr. Krupsky had a patient deliver triplets!

November 22, 2009 Same, Same I’ve been writing less frequently because I feel like it will never change. It is the same conversation over and over again.

I got my period on Tuesday. I was

devastated, like always. I think it was harder because if it were to work, we’d let everyone know for Christmas. Thinking that way just gets me more emotional.

December 3, 2009 Different bowl We are trying again! Today, I got inseminated in the Pleasent Hills office. It feels like a new beginning (hopefully!!!). Different surroundings, different staff, different exam room, and different thawing bowl. It sounds insane, but we’ve been getting our specimen thawed in this 1970s bowl and reading the same check-off sheet of who cleaned the table for the last eight months!!!!

December 16, 2009 First response was not the first response!

We’re PREGNANT!!! I woke up at 3 a.m. to pee and went downstairs to get one of those red plastic cups. (Ironically, we used to play beer pong and flip cup with these.) I dipped the First Response pregnancy test and it was negative. But, since my period hadn’t started full-blown, I 28

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was confident that I was pregnant.

So I reached for the digital Clear Blue Easy test that came with my ovulation sticks, and sure enough, it was POSITIVE!!! Oh, how exciting!!! Going home to tell the family over Christmas!

January 8, 2010 Rice Crispy We had our first doctors appointment, today! Last night, I had nightmares about the number of babies swimming in my uterus.

We finally got relief that there is in fact only one “Rice Crispy” in my tummy.

January 26, 2010 Spending I have indulged in a few baby items: pacifiers that say, “Hatched By 2 Chicks” and “My Mommies Love Me.” I also bought the baby some of its first books. Two of them are about having two mommies, and one is about how its okay to be different — which, of course it is. :)

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

February 3, 2010 We got the beat!

Today was heartbeat day. So awesome. It was a strong healthy beat at 160 beats per minute!

Some say that means boy, some say that means girl, and some say that just means the baby is moving around a lot!

March 8, 2010 Kinder, peekaboo, children’s patch, OH MY!!!

Checking out daycares…

BOOOOOOO! We aren’t sure what we are going to do. Prices range from $218-$270 a week!

Holy hell!

April 2, 2010 Palms down and the Chinese Calendar Predictions We find out what we are having, tomorrow!!! I can hardly wait. My mom is flying in for the event, tonight. It is going to be the most memorable experience Chrissy and I have had in our almost eight-year history. At this moment, I’m really feeling that it is a boy. At first, I didn’t think I’d

ever have a feeling of one gender over the other, and though we’d be completely happy with either gender, I keep having boy dreams.

again. I can finally feel our little man kicking from the outside.

Patiently waiting for it to happen again and again.

April 4, 2010 You know, blue is my favorite color!

Well, good thing we bought the bedding when we did! We get to keep it and keep the blue walls.

We are both so excited that we are going to have a little man in August! We got the ultrasound, and everything was great — except for the fact that the stubborn little guy would not roll over! He stayed on his stomach face down the whole time, as if he was looking at Michelle’s feet.

He also kept his hands in fists and was trying to flex. Near the end of the ultrasound, he looked right at us and opened his mouth. It looked like a smile :)

May 4, 2010 First Mothers Day Is On Its Way! This Sunday, we will technically celebrate our first mothers day!

How exciting! I looked back through our blog, May 10, 2009 is the first time we saw an LH surge. We got inseminated a day or two after. We thought that was going to be the start of our child.

It wasn’t. We tried six more times before becoming pregnant. Now, a year later, I just took Michelle’s six-month picture. Soon the little man who I can feel kicking my hand now will be in our arms! :) This Mother’s Day, we came full circle, and we couldn’t be happier.

April 17, 2010 Lil’ kicker 21 weeks, 4 days, I saw my belly protrude, suddenly. When I put my hand on my stomach, it happened

To read the Baby Allan blog in its entirely, visit babyallan1542.blogspot.com.

30

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gynarchy

It’s Political. It’s Personal.

The Dyke and Trans March hits the streets No, it’s not our separate parade. It’s a march. There’s a difference, and it’s political. On June 5, the streets of Pittsburgh will be flooded for the sixth consecutive year by dyke and trans individuals marching together to render visible a manifestation of diversity. The march, of course, is for all dykes and plays host to those who are either challenging or questioning gender constructs as well as the social definitions of women. We are actively untying the “straightjackets” that heteronormative/patriarchal societies have historically employed to silence us, to place us under their surveillance, and to hide us away. We are reclaiming the rights of our bodies that have been hijacked by male-centered congregations of power both within and beyond the queer community. We have stood under the umbrella of “gay” but Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

also recognize the need for a non-commercial, grass-roots alternative similar to those found at the centers of the dyke marches that take place in multiple cities around the globe since their beginning in Vancouver in 1981.

coming to the Dyke march since the beginning,” Kuti says.

Pittsburgh’s first annual Dyke March took place in 2006 in the streets of Oakland, but got its true start, according to one of its organizer’s, Eli Kuti, more intimately. “Four years ago in my living room, three women were talking and complaining of the lack of Dykes involved with pride and the lack of the political,” Kuti says. “We pretty much started calling people and put a route together and sat on CMU’s lawn and waited for more than 200 people to show up!”

“First, its political,” Kuti says.

“Secondly, it’s in uniform with dyke marches all over the world; the word ‘dyke’ has power behind it.”

This year, organizers decided to include “Trans” in the march’s title. “Trans people have been

So, why the use of the word “dyke”? Why not “lesbian”? — particularly when some women of Pittsburgh have taken issue with the word “dyke’?

“I think it’s pretty clear that the whole point of the dyke march is for dykes to show that they don’t care if they offend mainstream America,” says Joey Murphy, a participant in previous marches.

“Dyke” is a statement about political orientation, much in the same way that “Democrat” is. As a community, we can’t expect all women to have the same political beliefs (or even

By Becky Klink

beliefs on how to spell “wimin”).

The Lesbian/Queer/Bi/Dyke/ Trans community is not a single, unified place. We exist along a wide continuum, and the only commonality we can assume to share is that we are women, who prefer women sexually — and even that is polemical at times.

While we may not necessarily be marching to the same tune, or rather, for the same reasons, the collective and symbolic gathering of strength in numbers is a visual pledge that we promise to foster safety and acceptance of one another while continuing to recognize our individual differences, a sense of safety that many of us may not know in other parts of our lives.

Join the Dyke and Trans March on Saturday, June 5. For more information, visit “Pittsburgh Dyke” on facebook.

32

sexual healing

The Art

of Erotica

BY TC Brown

By TC Brown

Does size matter? Numerous men, whether gay or straight, think so and can appear obsessed with how big they are.

Some view being well-endowed as a sign of sexual prowess, while others, with whom nature was a bit more modest, can feel selfconscious and even inadequate for not measuring up. And if it isn’t penis size, there is probably another area of his body with which a man feels uncomfortable.

So where might this sense of inadequacy originate?

Perhaps it is that, in western culture, sex really isn’t taught — or even discussed — openly.

We are left on our own to discover what it means to be a man and to be sexual. Collin Brown, a teacher from the Body Electric (BE) School, points out that many men learn about sex from pornography, which objectifies the participants and places the emphasis on size and performance of the male, who always ends in a splashing climax. Porn is about “how big, how hard, and how detached” men can be during sex; but this detachment can leave men Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

feeling empty and longing for something more. Brown suggests that what men need is to learn how to be more erotic, which is where the Body Electric School comes into play.

BE is committed to expanding the understanding of the role that sexuality can play in personal and spiritual lives. On June 26 and 27, Celebrating the Body Erotic, a BE workshop facilitated by Collin Brown, will be held in Pittsburgh’s East End. Local coordinators for this workshop, Jimmi and Timothy Kocher-Hillmer, have participated in a number of BE workshops over the past 17 years. They explain that during the two day workshop, there are no lectures; it is all experiential.

The first day centers on creating a safe environment by building a sense of trust and community between men. The process, which varies from one-on-one to group sharing, is based on yoga principles of breathing, being present in the moment, and allowing the experience and feelings to happen without masking or covering. “We are a 34

There is no ci y more Divine han Bal imore.

Kinda kitschy. Kinda funky. Definitely quirky. And always ready to welcome you with open arms. That’s Baltimore, the town that inspires John Waters—and will absolutely captivate you. Start with the American Visionary Art Museum, where you can gaze upon a larger-than-life statue of Divine, starlet of Hairspray, Polyester and other memorable films. Then explore eclectic neighborhoods like Hampden, Fell’s Point and Federal Hill.

Take in a Broadway show, then hit the town for an evening of dinner and drinks in the chic Mount Vernon District, the heart of Baltimore’s thriving gay community.

To learn more, call 1-877-Bal imore or visit Bal imore.org/lgb .

“Divine” sculpture by Andrew Logan

culture of sub-ventilators,” Jimmi says. “When we breathe more deeply, we begin to feel more deeply, and emotions get stirred up.”

The workshop culminates in Taoist erotic massage, where energy is generated and circulated throughout the body and breathing is coached. This knowledge has long been applied in Eastern cultures, and these techniques elevate awareness in the body to differentiate between ejaculation and orgasm. (There can be orgasmic energy without ejaculation, though for most men in Western culture, both occur simultaneously.)

Jimmi and Timothy explain that the exercises help men to become more present in their

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

lives and to experience sex on a more meaningful and deeper level. “Regardless of working with a partner or alone, using the breathing practices can change perception and awareness and create energy flow in the body.” Techniques learned in the workshop are tools that one can take with him to develop and apply every day. “A man can heighten pleasure in his body by breathing and circulating energy, not only during sex, but even while walking down the street,” Timothy says.

In contrast to our culture’s puritanical attitude that naked bodies and sex, especially between men, are shameful, BE encourages men to feel good about themselves as erotic beings. The class celebrates

the body as sacred and spiritual. As men learn how to be erotic, they undergo a more embodied connection to not only their sexuality, but also to their spirituality. This allows their interactions and relationships with other men to have more depth and significance. BE enables a man to be a whole integrated person, as well as a better lover, both erotically and spiritually.

Jimmi and Timothy have witnessed how the workshop has brought transformation in the lives of the men who have attended.

For more information on the Celebrating the Body Erotic workshop for men in Pittsburgh, email bepgh@yahoo.com. For information on the Body Electric School or additional workshops for men or women visit thebodyelectricschool.com.

So, does size matter? Only if it’s referring to the size of the breath you take. So, what are you waiting for? Take a deep breath and BE erotic!

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y c a c o v d A

Rally

Friday, June 4

6–9 p.m.

Steps of the City/County Building 414 Grant St., Downtown.

Join us as we kick-off the 10-day celebration of Pittsburgh Pride 2010, with the theme, “You Belong.”

It’s time to stand up for our rights. It’s time for EQUALITY in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States of America.

We will rally on the steps of the City-County Building with local activists and advocacy organizations, along with our featured speakers: AIDS activist Cleve Jones and Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, pastor of the MCC of Toronto. Please join us as we welcome our internationally renowned guests and welcome them to our city! Visit pittsburghpride.org for an updated list of speakers.

Following the rally, there will be a reception at the Delta Foundation’s new offices (429 First Ave., Downtown).

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

40

SPLASH Thursday, June 10

7 p.m.

Splash!

Herforth / Karlovich Party Palace 207 Bailey Ave., Mt. Washington.

Tickets available at pittsburghpride.org Join us for Pittsburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most talked about and exclusive party at the fabulous home of Steven Herforth and Peter Karlovich, located on Mt. Washington with beautiful sweeping views of our Pittsburgh skyline. Enjoy an evening complete with a full open bar, picnic-style food, swimming, and entertainment. Towels and changing areas are provided. Beverages compliments of an anonymous donor.

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

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s

If You’re Gay in Western, PA PERSAD! YOU SHOULD KNOW

MUCH MORE THAN A COUNSELING CENTER For over 30 years Persad has earned a reputation as a leader in mental health counseling for the GLBT community. But do you know about the many other ways Persad serves the region? Persad is an advocate for ending discrimination and hate. Persad is reaching young people with programs and events that are fun and supportive. Persad is helping seniors live safer and more satisfying lives. And we’re working to strengthen families. Persad is a comprehensive resource for the GLBT community, and we’re dedicated to serving people at every stage of life. If you’re gay, or know someone who is, you should know about all that Persad has to offer. DISCOVER PERSAD TODAY!

PERSAD CENTER 5150 PENN AVENUE PITTSBURGH, PA 15224 www.persadcenter.org 412-441-9786

Friday, June 11

8 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.

It’s time to go around town and hit the hottest LGBT bars and clubs.

Buses will continually loop around the city all night long. You do the drinking, and we’ll do the driving!

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Buses drop off and pick up St Parker will approximately every 20 minutes (Butler, fromPA) 8 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

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boozling

Liquor Up, Liquor Down

By Lauren McKenna

The Pub Crawl peruses every gay bar in town in one night Everyone can agree that the key to a successful night on the town is the right kind of social lubricant. (No, not that kind — though I’m not writing it off just yet.) I’m talking the hard stuff. The hooch. The Booze.

The Liquor. All of which seem to pump our veins with just enough of that good juju to look back and say, “Oh what a night…”

The best part about this city is certainly the vast population of our out-and-proud LGBT community. With this community comes charm, and with that same charm comes the uncanny ability to turn down just about every main street, back route, or alleyway and to be greeted with the oh-so-subtle presence of a blinking rainbow Coors bottle sign. But who needs subtly on a night like the Pride Pub Crawl? My best advice is to revisit that closet and trade in your subtlety for your fabulous rainbow boa. Tonight is the night where tacky actually works — well.

We all have our haunts, and this night is about embracing the old, the new, and the freaky. Plenty of you ladies have frequented Cattivo, shot some pool, tucked away from your exes, indulged in a tipsy purchase of provolone sticks, and danced to the cleverly nicknamed DJs. You probably all have your drink (mine being an Absolut Pear and Sprite—try it!) and your favorite cutie bartender.

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

Or maybe you like the Shadyside 5801 or Spin scene better, with its hot music, trendy décor, and a Cosmopolitan or Long Island Iced Tea that will keep your hips in rhythm with the Touch Tunes or help you strike a “Vogue” pose with Madonna on the flat screen. And we can’t forget about Harris Grill, which isn’t just famous for its sumptuous bacon and brunches, but also for its fabulous outdoor section for you and yours to drink in the summer breeze.

Maybe you’re into the club scene? Fresh and tanned from your rendezvous in Miami, find a home away from home in the go-go dancing, steamy fantasy land of Heat, where boys and girls alike will surely have their jaws dropping at the scantily clad bartenders.

Likewise, Images’ bartender Trenny reminds us that Pride’s “going to be just as wild as it always is.” I’m thinking your twenty-first birthday. Only a lot gayer.

If all this talk of raucousness makes you want to hibernate instead of hip swing, then maybe you’ll find some comfort in the welcoming arms of Brewer’s Hotel, where Eddie will mix you up the bars’ specialty — Rocket Fuel, which is basically every liquor you can imagine under the sun. But don’t get too cozy; this bar isn’t a commercial inn, but only for permanent residents.

Similarly, Blue Moon has “been around for forever,” says bartender Bill, and provides a relaxed atmosphere that’s open to everyone.

Donny’s, too, is an old-time favorite, and if you feel like taking a trip down memory lane or exploring your penchant for the downstairs, boys-only-leather side of life, then this is your spot.

If you like boys dancing on bars, you’ll probably be at Lucky’s. If you like hot girls in a DJ booth, you’ll be at There Video Lounge (Hi, DJ Tanner!).

Last but not least is the lovely P-Town, whose name is “nothing mysterious,” explains owner Jeff, but houses all of those naughty fantasies of sexy boy toys strutting their stuff Wednesday through Sunday (think of it as like the Bada Bing, only much more fabulous).

Each of these bars eagerly awaits you sexy LGBTs with doors and arms wide open. So throw out all of your inhibitions and head to one of these fabulous places to wet your whistle.

Buses for Pub Crawl will drop off and pick up approximately every 20 minutes from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday, June 11. Tickets are $20 in advance/$25 at the door. For more information, visit pittsburghpride.org.

46

specialized gay vacation packages

TRIPSandCRUISES.com/gaytravel 800.411.8747

We’re shutting down Liberty Avenue for Pittsburgh’s best and hottest street party — Pride in the Street. Come out and join us as we celebrate the diversity in our region with the LGBT community members and our allies.

Saturday, June 12

7p.m.

This year there will be double the bartenders, many roving beer vendors, and a “beer-only bar” for fast service. All drinks are $5.

Food vendors will be on site. This is a 21+ to drink and 18+ to attend

PRIDE IN THE STREET

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

48

Hosted by Derek Hartley, co-host of the Derek and Romaine Show, on Sirius XM Satellite Radio’s OutQ channel.

This year’s featured performer is Deborah Cox, Canada’s top R&B singer-songwriter and actress. Deborah’s 1998 song “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” held the record for the longest-running No. 1 single on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart (14 weeks), a record held for nearly eight years. In addition, she has achieved ten No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart.

Opening for Deborah Cox is Luxe, an electronic/organic pop hybrid band from Pittsburgh. Luxe is known for their flamboyant and fabulous visual appearances, and over-the-top live shows.

Their debut single “Simple Attraction,” from their debut album “Mirrorball” on Quark Records, is rapidly garnering international attention and climbing the club charts all around the world.

Entertainment during the evening will be provided by DJ Randy Bettis.

From mega-events of thousands to intimate house parties, DJ/Producer Randy Bettis is among the most sought-after mixmasters in the dancemusic industry. Having played in some of NYC’s most legendary clubs (Limelight, Sound Factory, Stereo), Randy can be heard frequently at clubs such as Splash in New York, Town in DC, Pure in Philadelphia and Steel in Fort Lauderdale. For more information, visit djrandybettis.com.

Tickets available at pittsburghpride.org

$20 General Admission (Advance Purchase) $100 VIP Admission (Advance Purchase) All proceeds from this event go toward expanding PrideFest on Sunday.

VIP Tickets include a special expanded VIP Tent, special access to our performers, appetizers, and an open bar from 7 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

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The Pride Awareness March and PrideFest are both FREE events.

To purchase tickets to the Beer Garden visit pittsburghpride.org.

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ance by Mr. McFeeley, lots of food, the Coors Light Beer Garden, and so much more!

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Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

IN E

CL V IFF munity groups, politicians, and yes, even a few drag queens, through downtown Pittsburgh PrideFest, is a free, day-long street festival that is held on Liberty Avenue between 6th and10th Streets, with more 100 vendors, continuous entertainment on two stages, children’s activities, including an appear-

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The Pride Awareness March, Pittsburgh’s largest LGBT event, will begin at the corner of Grant Streeet and Blvd. of Allies and end at PrideFest at 6th Street and Liberty Ave. Lead by the Dykes on Bikes contingent, this year’s Grand Marshal’s will be honored to lead a caravan of LGBT organizations, com-

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Show your Pride! The march starts at Grant Street and Blvd. of the Allies, proceeds down Blvd. of Allies and makes a right on Wood Street, then a left on to Fifth Avenue, and finally a right on to Liberty Avenue, ending at the PrideFest entrance at Liberty Avenue and 6th Street.

Grandstand will be located at PrideFest Entrance at Liberty Avenue and 6th Street.

Downtown pittsburghpride.org 50

Pride March Participants Allies @ CMU

Macyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

ALPHA - AIDS Leadership for the Promotion of Health Awareness

One Church

Banner Coin Exchange Barefoot Wines Bigfun

Out Publishing Persad Center Pennsylvania Highlands

BiPGH

Community College Gay Straight Alliance

BNY Mellon

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Allies Club

Burgh Bears Butler County PFLAG Chipotle Mexican Grill

Planned Parenthood Purple Jesus Coalition

Community House

Rainbow Alliance at the University of Pittsburgh

Cue Magazine

Roseland Resort

Dykes on Bikes

The Link

East Liberty Presbyterian Church Eagle/Pegasus/There Video Lounge

Three Rivers Leather Club, Steel City Bondage Club and Leather Central

Ernst & Young

Unitarian Universalists of Greater Pittsburgh

Gertrude Stein Political Club Google

UPMC Center for Inclusion in Health Care

GLENDA

Zipcar

Highmark Keystone Alliance/Gaylife Newsletter

Pride Pittsburgh Magazine | PittsburghPride.org

51

Sunday, June 13, 1–6 p.m.

More than 100 vendors

Street performers

Continuous entertainment on two stages Children’s Area Family-friendly carnival games and inflatable attractions.

Beer Garden Enjoy an icy cold Coors Light in our Beer Garden. Must have a valid ID. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Parking is available in many downtown lots, including the Convention Center garage and the 9th Street Garage (must enter from Smithfield St. Side).

Liberty Avenue between 6th and 10th Streets Downtown pittsburghpride.org

Pride

P r i de F est V endors 5801 Video Lounge ACLU of Pennsylvania AGH Positive Health Clinic Allegheny County Health Department Ameriprise Financial Animal Advocates Animal Rescue League of Western PA Barefoot Wines Bet Tikvah Blumedia Burgh Bears Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Cattivo Center for Inquiry Pittsburgh Chipotle Mexican Grill Cindy’s Munchies City Paper Classic Travel & Tours CLO Cabaret

Club Pittsburgh Cue Magazine Community House Cory’s Deli Dignity Pittsburgh Dreams of Hope East Liberty Presbyterian Church Family Grill Gay Naturists International (GNI) GLENDA GLSEN Pittsburgh Grandma’s Fries Harris Grill Hello Bully Highmark Human Rights Campaign James Manzella LCSW, MA Julies Passion Parties Main Street Ink Nationwide Insurance

Pride Pittsburgh Magazine | PittsburghPride.org

One Church Out Publishing Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty Persad Center PFLAG Pittsburgh Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership Pittsburgh Frontrunners Pittsburgh Irish Festival Pittsburgh Opera Pittsburgh Post Gazette Pittsburgh Public Theater Planned Parenthood Red Bull Renewal by Andersen St. Andrew Lutheran Church/ Lutherans Concerned Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) Steel City Bowling League

Steel City Softball League Steel City Volleyball League Steel-City Stonewall Democrats Super Dawg’s Tails of the Tundra Siberian Husky Rescue TLA Entertainment Group T.R.E.A.T. Tribune Review Treehug Trading Co. Unitarian-Universalist Churches University of Pittsburgh Clinical Research Site UPMC Center for Inclusion in Health Care Womansplace WQED Multimedia WTAE Zipcar

52

eFest

PERFORMANCE LINEUP

Aaron & Sonji

Jazz::::::Pittsburgh

Zafira Dance Company

ADAM 8*1*2

Vintage Bellydance & Vaudeville Theatre Pittsburgh

Dreams of Hope

Pop::::::NYC

Pop/Dance::::::Los Angeles Performance Youth Group Pittsburgh

Drag Performances Pittsburgh

LALA

Electronic/Dance::::::NYC

Ethnicities

Electric Violin + Keyboard duo Winchester, VA

Michael Walsh

Contemporary Dance Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

Shara

Chad D

NEO POP::::::Pittsburgh

Ronda

Vanessa German

Pandora Scooter

Sister Funk

SONiA & disappear fear

Jeremiah Clark

Amber

Spoken-Word, Pittsburgh Pop/Rock, New Haven, CT Singer/Songwriter Pittsburgh

Kyle Abraham

Pop/Rock::::::Pittsburgh

Contemporary Dance NYC

Nancy Hammond

KnotDance

Angie Marie

Official Hank

Singer/Songwriter Pittsburgh Country Rock

Contemporary Dance Pittsburgh

Spoken-Word::::::NYC

Americana/Blues::::::Baltimore Headliner::::::Dance Diva

The Pillow Project Contemporary Dance Pittsburgh

Renaissance City Choirs Bricolage Theater 937 Liberty Avenue

Pop/Dance::::::NYC

Drag Performances Pittsburgh

53

Pride

What’s the “Delta Foundation?”

The organization responsible for Pittsburgh Pride, revealed

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All three events were such a great success and they highlighted what the group had believed all along: that the Pittsburgh LGBT community

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Liberty Avenue. More than 3,000 people attended in June of 2007.

Splash – A summer pool party on Mt. Washington that raised $10,000 for the Persad Center

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Pride in the Street – A Pride Week Celebration on Liberty Avenue that was hosted by Hollywood Square’s Bruce Vilanch and featured 80’s pop star Tiffany, nationally known DJs, dancing, food, liquor and beer on

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Pride Pittsburgh Magazine | PittsburghPride.org

Spark! – A holiday party/fundraiser that netted over $20,000 for the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Pittsburgh.

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went dormant for several years and in 2006, a different group of interested LGBT business owners and citizens came together with the idea of energizing Pittsburgh’s LGBT social scene and raising some funds for a good cause to boot. This original group organized three major events from December 2006 to June 2007, including:

SP

Originally incorporated on July 17, 1996 as a spin-off of the Lambda Foundation, the Delta Foundation was created as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of uniting and fostering good fellowship and social interaction among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents in the metropolitan Pittsburgh area. After hosting a number of Memorial Day picnics in North Park, the organization

54

ae: Kboyle

is not only ready but also has a pent-up demand for more and bigger social and community events that generate excitement, compete with other cities and help the community financially as well.

the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh, and they were off and running!

The new leadership of the Delta Foundation will be producing events every year to make the Pittsburgh LGBT community a vibrant and exciting place to be. Annual events will include Pride Week Celebrations (such as Pride in the Street, PrideFest, PrideMarch and Splash!), (Pittsburgh) RED on World AIDS Day, a Memorial Day Picnic and fundraising events (such as Spark). The organization will also be raising money to support LGBT community organizations and causes in the region through a granting program.

Based on this vision, the group began to explore the formation of a 501(c)3 non-profit organization to provide the framework to continue to produce events, as well as from which to raise and grant funds to other LGBT social and service organizations. In August 2007, having observed their success and their desire to form their own non-profit organization, the founding members of the dormant Delta Foundation offered to cede their organization to the new organizers. New board members were elected, the name was changed to

The Delta Foundation is located at 429 First Avenue, 1st Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. For more information, call 412-246-4451.

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Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

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big names

One More Night One Amber lights up the Street It’s like a rainbow New Year’s Eve in June, an explosion of confetti lighting up the sky, glow necklaces and bracelets embellishing the crowd and music shaking the block. At this year’s performance on Liberty Avenue, Amber will rock the mic.

Even if you don’t instantly recognize her first name, you will undoubtedly recognize her lyrics: “This is your night/dancing free until the morning light/Together forever ‘cause this is your night.”

Never about hate, often about love, and always good to dance to, Amber’s music gets the crowd moving.

Amber began performing at Prides worldwide in the late ‘90s, and she always expresses gratitude for her loyal gay following. “I support the system of equality,” she says.

“With all the wars that are being fought worldwide, why are we fighting love?” Amber believes that music should be a positive outlet that inspires the community The artist has offered a spicy selection of chart-toppers like “Stars on 54,” “One More Night,” and “Sexual (Li Da Di),” but don’t get it twisted — she isn’t just about the dance genre. She’s been a dedicated songwriter long before Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

her ubiquitous club anthems were released. The Netherlands native never really considered specific genres when she began singing, but after signing a contract, Amber felt pigeon-holed into the dance genre. She wanted to take control of her destiny, so in 2003, Amber expressed her independence and started her own record label, JMCA Enterprises. Now she has the freedom to quench her creative hunger.

Her latest single “I don’t believe in hate (drip drop)” — with its powerful lyrics and harmonious rhythm — is proof that she has stepped away from the conventional dance genre. Amber covered this song because it spoke to her, and she felt the need to share its universal message with the world. “Hate creates hate, violence creates violence. We just all have to stop for a minute and think about what we are doing here with each other on this planet,” she says. She’s co-written songs for Bette Midler and even Cher, whose rendition of “Love One Another” landed Amber a Grammy nomination in 2004.

By Danielle Gerson

Amber finds inspiration across a myriad of genres. But if the lyrics glorify violence and materialism or degrade women, she’s definitely tuning it out. She is all about the love, baby. Amber says this year Pittsburgh can expect just that from her performance, and lots of colors and fun, too.

See Amber perform at Pride in the Street on Sunday, June 13. For more information, visit pittsburghpride.org.

Growing up with an opera-singing father and song-writing mother, music surrounded Amber. From Barbara Streisand to India Arie, 56

Dignity and respect are crucial to building and sustaining an environment in which everyone feels included, valued, and appreciated. The Campaign was developed to encourage community unity, dignity, and respect in everyday behaviors. Sometimes itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the smallest things that have the biggest impact. Join us in our Dignity and Respect Campaign by making sure that inclusion is at the core of what you do every day.

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Pittsburgh Pride 2010

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From bartenders to writers, bus drivers to lawyers, artist to athletes, construction workers to bankers; we all identify as something other than simple humans. We are all composed of many different unique elements that make us individuals. Strong or weak, shy or outgoing, leader or follower, whatever it may be, I believe if it’s true and it’s you, then be proud. Show it. Wear it.

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Pride Pittsburgh Magazine | PittsburghPride.org

I guess what I am trying to get to is this: challenge yourself today with something.

Anything. Change something or someone today. Even if it’s your route to work or the person you say hello to. I’ve learned that sometimes the simplest things are the most rewarding. Recognize who you are, show it to someone, and watch how tremendous the affects can be.

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I understand that not every person is ready to come out of the closet or jump up and yell “I’m here! I’m queer! Get used to it!” I know that there are many different situations along with many different opinions or types of people. I know that sometimes the BUTCH is quieted at the work place. I realize that being FEMME can mean being surprisingly ignored by your peers. Being a BOTTOM doesn’t

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Sometimes changing a stereotype can do wonders to a community even if it’s only one person at a time. Being a minority can be difficult, and as a lesbian, I have crossed paths that were more challenging simply because I was gay. But I’ve also smoothed over some paths for the next little lez to cross. Have you stepped out or stood up?

Have you made an impact or changed a mind? Have you made our community or hidden from it?

necessary mean that you’re submissive, nor does it necessarily point to a physical position. Sometimes you may prefer CHAPSTCK, and other times you might prefer LIPSTICK, whether we’re talking about what is in your pocket, your purse, or Bot just who you are! t

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The gay community has “come out” immensely within the past few years. From Prop 8 to legit marriages in our nation’s capital, our community has been put through the ringer and came out on TOP. Now, more than ever, we self identify and show the everyday person passing in the streets exactly who we are.

By Lindsay Talbot

Bu tc Bear Twink Poz h

Musings by Linz the Lez

Twink

Bear

Bear

What’s in a Name?

Bottom

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Lipstick

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Queeny

Bottom

Top

Bear Poz

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Femme

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Lezzon Learned

Bruce Vilanch

Famous Pittsburghers.

A “selective” list.

F. Murray Abraham – actor who played the guy who wasn’t Mozart in AMADEUS. Won the Oscar and disappeared from sight.

Christina Aguilera – and you thought she was from Miami.

Muddy Ali Gheny – champion mud and sauerkraut wrestler, retired in Las Vegas.

Carl Betz – DILF on the old Donna Reed Show.

Charles Bronson – cold-blooded killer of hundreds of teenagers in DEATH WISH I-XXXIII. Iwana Ballya – very demanding neighbor lady with armpit hair.

Lou Christie – high-pitched singer who got that way because his nuts were being held by Iwana Ballya.

Perry Como – laid-back singer who once fell asleep while performing AVE MARIA on an Easter special.

Ethel Cloride – invented the kerchief-to-rent.

John Davidson – singer whose hair has just returned from visiting relatives on Taiwan.

Bindi Dundat – the woman who answers the phone in New Delhi when you call US Airways in Squirrel Hill.

Billy Eckstine – forgot so many lyrics that he invented scat singing.

Barbara Feldon – 99 Anita Felch – 69 Stephen Foster – much beloved writer of songs that black folk refuse to sing.

Jeff Goldblum – latest movie star to become the lead on a LAW & ORDER show.

Agnes Gooch – Auntie Mame’s secretary.

Martha Graham – legendary choreographer, now 112, whose leg got stuck around her head in the late 40s, curtailing a brilliant career.

Earl “Fatha” Hines – great jazz musician.

Mary “Motha” Phuqua-Heinz – the reason Earl changed the spelling of his last name.

Gaby Hoffman – daughter of Viva. An actual product of The Factory.

Holly Hunter – actress everyone loved when she didn’t speak Pittsburgh PittsburghPrideMag PrideMag| |PittsburghPride.org PittsburghPride.org

in THE PIANO. Now she’s on some cable show with angels, for Christ’s sake.

Shirley Jones – actress who actually diapered David, Sean, and Patrick Cassidy. Married to Marty Ingels, who still tries to diaper them every chance he gets.

Gene Kelly – the butchest dancer on the planet. Still makes Baryshnikov look swish.

Halter Kronkite – long-time anchor of the CBS Evening Drag News Rush Limbaugh – oxycontinmoron Dean Martin – at least he only drank, not like the guy we just mentioned Dennis Miller – RightWingNutJobILF Joe Namath – stocking model David Newell – Mr. McFeely on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Iona Nutsack – Mr. McFeely’s social worker.

Beth Ostrosky – woman who enjoys Howard Stern’s tiny penis.

Zachary Quinto – don’t point those ears at me.

George A. Romero – Pennsylvania’s greatest living filmmaker.

Take that, M. Night.

Lillian Russell – the first blonde bombshell. Look her up.

David O. Selznick – produced GONE WITH THE WIND and spent the rest of his life compulsively making gowns out of the drapes.

Gertrude Stein – poet, feminist, expatriate and later model for Jabba the Hutt Billy Strayhorn – wonderful jazz musician with a fondness for reed instruments.

Regis Toomey – actor with one of the funniest names in Academy history.

Bobby Vinton – they actually wanted us to believe Ann-Margret was humping him in BYE BYE BIRDIE Andy Warhol – man who said we’d all be famous for fifteen minutes, which has made him famous for fifty years. Oh yeah, and there’s the soup cans. But what did you expect? He’s from Pittsburgh. We got 57 varieties of those!

60 60

Hospitalitaay

Hostess with the Most-ess How to Plan Your Own Pride Party

Pittsburgh has its fair share of fabulous party givers: Bob Sendall, Steven Totter, Craig McDonald, Peter Karlovich, Steven Herforth — and of course I, myself — have been known to be Perle Mestas in our own rights. I’ve always believed gratuitous hosts and hostesses are born, not made, but in this, the most prideful month of the year, I encourage one and all to throw their own pride soiree at home!

When planning the perfect festive occasion, why not go “gayly forward” to an expert for advice?

You don’t need a ton of money

By Samuel C. Badger

or a degree in culinary arts to host a great gathering — just some planning, a little creativity, and a fun, relaxed attitude. (I also prefer to add scotch, glitter, and a costume, but I’m old fashioned…)

Sam Badger’s Dos and Don’ts for successful PRIDE entertaining:

DO make sure people know exactly who is invited. Let your guests play eye spy with the The List using a facebook or evite invitation.

DO have a theme for your party, and play games. Don’t make it too structured or organized, but let the tone of the party help you decide how to start a game. (Mark Plocki and Michael Rudman are famous for their annual color-themed August event.)

DO plan wisely. A cocktail party should have 10 to 15 appetizers and three to four libations per person. It’s in poor taste to run out of anything.

DO hire servers or bartenders if you’re having a large party. This will free you up to enjoy yourself.

(It’s always fun to have hired help!)

DO space out your tasks. Two days before your party, clean your house (or hire someone to do it!), plan your menu, make a detailed shopping list, and shop for everything. The day before the party, make all the food and assemble dishes. The day of the party, run the vacuum, get your hair set, and choose the best costume for the day!

DON’T let your pets get in the way.

Put the dog, cat, and last night’s trick away for the party.

DO play music to set the mood. There’s nothing more grim than a silent party. (I always have a Doris Day record handy!)

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DON’T serve food that is black, brown, or muddy, no matter how good it tastes.

DO use everyday items you have around the house for serving. Put breadsticks in a vase, use a basket for crackers, and place a glass plate on top of a drinking glass for a pedestal serving plate. Stack books under the tablecloth for a tiered effect, placing food at different levels on the table.

DON’T try to please every person with every dish when planning the menu.

Just because one person is a vegetarian doesn’t mean you can’t include meat in your menu. Caviar, Champagne,

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

and desserts are easy and top-drawer choices.

DO serve your guests. Pour each guest their first drink, and then let them know how to help themselves after that.

DON’T use your party guests as guinea pigs: If you’re trying out a new recipe, make it ahead of time to see if it’ll work. Leave nothing to chance. (Can you imagine?)

DO support local gay businesses by purchasing their goods for your party:

Sendall’s Toffee Taboo, Dozen’s cupcakes, and flowers from K.S.Kennedy or Michael Whitlinger Designs are always on my list!

DON’T feel obligated to serve food or wine gifts that are handed to you as a guest walks in the door. It may not fit with your menu, and you may not want to take the time to prepare it for serving. After all, it’s a gift for you! (I once received a plate of giant pink marshmallows — devastating, simply devastating!)

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DO create a comfortable, pleasant atmosphere with soft lighting. Dim the lights and use candles. (Think funeral parlor chic!)

DON’T steer conversation toward controversial subjects: religion, politics, or the regular bar-fly that no one likes.

DO invite Joe King for some society page coverage. (He’d attend the opening of an envelope, so I’m sure he could pencil in your soiree!)

friendly, not a showcase. But, polish your silver! You don’t want people to think you live like a gypsy! (No judgments here, Jacqueline.)

DO give guests party favors; today’s selection of trendy favors is greater than ever. A thoughtful goodie bag goes a long way in leaving a great impression on your guests.

DO be yourself. Everyone has his/her own personal styles and tastes! Share yours! (Tragic is sometimes charming.)

DON’T use your party to impress your guests with how beautiful your house is. Rather, change it to make it party-

DON’T overreact if someone spills food or a drink. Do a quick wipe up, and get back to the party.

You can tackle it later.

(There’s no use crying over spilled Johnnie Walker!’)

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

65

DDR

Abraham.In.Motion

By CJ Daro

World-renowned dancer and choreographer Kyle Abraham has roots in Pittsburgh OUT Magazine says Kyle Abraham is one of the “best and brightest creative talents to emerge in New York City in the age of Obama.” The Village Voice exclaims, “his rippling arms, hips, and shoulders reach back to Africa and forward to hip-hop.” Steve Sucato, from The Pittsburgh City Paper, says “his talent is just too big to ignore.”And Dance Magazine put Abraham on its prestigious “25 to Watch” list. Abraham says, “I don’t know if I can claim being called a celebrity, but hopefully, I’ll have the respect and accolades garnered by Pittsburgh dance artists like (Gene) Kelly and (Martha) Graham.”

Abraham is a professional dancer, teacher, and choreographer. He’s also an educated gay black man with an agenda “to create an evocative interdisciplinary body of work,” he says.

Abraham is a storyteller. He uses dance as a vocabulary to tell stories about life. It’s all about movement. This is a man who has an artistic upbringing in classical cello, piano, French horn, and the visual arts. This is a man who has his own dance company: Abraham.In.Motion.

Kyle grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and graduated from Schenley High School. While at Schenley, someone noticed his talent.

Abraham got an opportunity to learn more at the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) High School in Pittsburgh. After that, he trained at the Civic Light Opera Academy, then continued his dance studies in New York. He has a BFA from SUNY Purchase and an MFA from NYU Tisch

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

School of the Arts. His choreography has been presented in the United States and abroad.

Moreover, Abraham has worked with acclaimed modern dance companies: David Dorfman Dance, Nathan Trice/Rituals, Mimi Garrard Dance Theater, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, Dance Alloy, the Kevin Wynn Collection, and Attack Theatre. As a consequence, he’s modern dance; he’s hip-hop; he’s contemporary ballet, and he’s a well blended sea of technique.

He spends his time between Pittsburgh, New York City, and the rest of the world.

His recent Pittsburgh production at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, The Radio Show, took excerpts from past projects and blended 66

them to pay tribute to loss: loss of voice (his father’s physical loss of voice due to Alzheimer’s disease) and the loss of community voice (when Pittsburgh urban radio station WAMO went off the air).

“It is inevitable that the work of any choreographer will come from a place where their journey began,” Abraham says. A reviewer of The Radio Show called the choreography “rippling, poetically arranged with moments of perfect stillness that arrive amid splashes of expression.”

It’s an expression he hopes to pass on to gay youth.

“Gay youth today are growing up in such a more open time,” Abraham says. “With TV shows like Glee and openly gay actors, like Neil Patrick Harris and TR Knight being so successful in mainstream media, I’m interested to see the influences on the next generation. There are still so many strides to be made, so I just hope that the next generation continues to recognize injustice and makes work with a purpose and with passion.”

He dances what he knows. “I think it’s best to always show my best side — and I own my identity as a black gay man. My choreography is created through the lens of those labels and, hopefully, it defies the stereotypes therein.”

See Kyle Abraham perform at PrideFest on Sunday, June 13. For more information, visit pittsburghpride.org and abrahaminmotion.org.

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

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gayz gone gaga

Make it Official

By Anastasia Wojda

Official Hank brings his Gaga groove to Pittsburgh’s Pride Look for the tall man with the deep bass working the room, the leading-man type with the Midwest charm and East coast savvy. His name is Hank, and he’s coming to Pittsburgh.

This brat pack look-alike is bringing his feel-good dance groove to Sunday’s PrideFest, along with a sound that’s a cross between the deep guttural call of Prince and a George Michael hook that had us all dancing in the ‘80s. Some would even call him Gaga’esque.

Born and raised in Massachusetts to a family that supported him, Hank never shied away from performing. Now he’s putting all of his efforts into the “Official Hank” tour on a national level. Paired with backup dancers and a rhythmic groove, he makes you want to sing along and move to a whole new beat as you watch his sexy and scintillating swagger across the stage.

With the guidance of Heather Holley, a New York-based multiplatinum songwriter, arranger, and producer, who is well known for launching the career of Pittsburgh’s own Christina Aguilera, Hank was gifted with his Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

first song as a birthday surprise.

Heather saw Hank’s potential and booked club gigs with his first single as a calling card.

PrideMag got the skinny on what makes Hank so “official”: PM: What has you most excited about performing at PrideFest 2010 in Pittsburgh?

OH: I think it’s fun because it’s such a large collection of people from all different walks of life with one thing in common — Pride!

I am extremely excited to have my music reach a new audience.

And, I must thank Richard Parsakian for the performance opportunity; I am so thankful.

PM: How do you describe your music to people?

OH: I am the bastard child of Prince and Gaga! I know I bring life to any party. All of my performances are highenergy and will make you want to dance. I want to bring joy.

Music really changes moods; my music makes you build inner confidence, cheers you up, and makes you want to sing it out loud.

PM: From where do you draw your influences?

OH: It’s all over the spectrum: I love music from the legendary Billie Holiday, but then I’ll jam to Alicia Keys’ Empire State of Mind. My iPod is so random; it has musicals, ‘80s, top hits, ‘40s jazz, tons of club music…

Judy Garland. I am influenced by good, solid music with a story and a hook.

PM: What are your music career goals?

OH: Live performances worldwide and more music! I’d love to be touring and visiting the best clubs and venues and audiences. I’d also really like to start a foundation to help kids who feel closeted and are afraid of being themselves. I want them to have someone tell them it’s okay and to allow them to see their inner beauty. Success, to me, is making a life being surrounded by the things you love. You have one shot at life; you need to live it at your fullest and enjoy every moment.

See Official Hank perform at PrideFest on Sunday, June 13. For more information, visit pittsburghpride.org and officialhank.com.

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voices

Creating Change Through the Power of Music

By George F. Kacenga

The Renaissance City Choirs Take the Stage A diverse harmony is brought together for Pride Week 2010 by the Renaissance City Choirs (RCC), who have been singing the right notes in the Pittsburgh region for 25 years. The RCC includes gay, lesbian, heterosexual, and transgender members as well as supporters from every part of the

community. Its mission is to be a leading artistic organization and interactive contributor to cultural life, building on a history of artistry, involvement, and pride. RCC fulfills its mission by presenting innovative programming of the highest quality and visibly participating in the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural life. The programming combines challenging, contemporary music with an ambitious, traditional repertoire. It also

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issues related to human equality and justice is represented at all concerts.

This year, RCC will sponsor its first-ever float, titled “Make Our Garden Grow,” in the Pride Awareness March. And this energy will set the stage for the special ensemble called Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby! with Andres Cladera as music director. includes music from various world cultures.

RCC focuses on a wide variety of choral music from all time periods and presents styles that aim to educate, challenge and enlighten both the audiences and the singing membership. Additionally, the choirs continue to affirm, by example and through song, the worth and dignity of sexual minorities. Music that is gay-positive and openly supports

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

More than a performance, this experience aims to provide a light-hearted take on “everything you always wanted to know about sex but were afraid to ask,” including songs such as the “Masochism Tango” and “Sex is a Wonderful Habit.” The RCC hopes to raise awareness within the LGBT and other communities, concerning sexual health and safe sex practices.

This year’s Pride celebration focuses on our common ground by declaring “You Belong,” a critical message of support to our closeted peers as well as a reminder to those standing out proud. With all that makes our community members different, it is the compatibility of our opinions and actions that gives our message harmony.

See the Renaissance City Choir in the Pride Awareness March on Sunday, June 13. Afterward, join them at Bricolage for a complimentary concert at 2 p.m. For more information, visit pittsburghpride.org.

See Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby! at the Grey Box Theater in Lawrenceville June 4-6.

For tickets, visit rccpittsburgh.org, or call 412.362.9484.

71

Smallburgh

It’s a Small, Small World What Do You Do When You’ve Dated All of Gay Pittsburgh

By Chrissy Costa A warm mist fills the air. Marigolds are in full bloom. A prostitute passes a clove cigarette to her friend. Ah, the sweet scent of an impending summer. Mix that with the sweat of hot bodies, unclad men and women, and fashionably overdressed drag queens filling the streets of downtown Pittsburgh, and you’ve guessed it: Pride has returned.

As you ponder where to go and what to wear to the many Pride festivities this year, you may also have a few woes plaguing your mind. Among the long bathroom lines, lost drink tickets, and jawbreakers flying from over zealous parade floats, you’re probably also a little anxious over that inevitable and often uncomfortable run-in with your ex.

If you’re like most people, you have an ex that, to avoid, you would trample over some inept toddlers and hurdle strollers (we gays can be so dramatic). And if you’re like me, you’ve a few. Let’s face it, you can’t shake a glow stick on Liberty Avenue without hitting some homosexual you once shared a feline and a box of condoms with.

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Here’s a chart of what it feels like*

You look in the distance and notice a wry smile. You smile back, seductively, because, of course, you’re wearing your new pants.

Then you look closer and realize, “I know her. And her. And her.

What the?! — I dated them all. Why are they hanging out? When did they all meet?” And then your friend says, “Is that the girl she left you for?” You can’t even distinguish the “she” she’s referring to because there’s so many, and they’ve all formed a posse and are now blocking the entrance to the french fry stand you want to hide under. That’s when it hits you that they’ve all moved on.

(And now all you have is your new pants.)

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Play it cool. You have a few options here. This could be your cue to bend down, “tie” your sandal, and head toward the exit. But I’m not one to back down from confrontation, so I’d suggest something a little more mature — like kissing the first person who walks by. With any luck, it could be the mayor. (Or me.)

If you’re feeling more confident you could go for the assertive approach: Walk up to all of them and greet them with a handshake and a penis-shaped cookie. I urge you to make sure your assertiveness is succeeded with sincerity and a smile. And on an even lesser “evolved” note, make sure you look better than the person they’re now dating. Each and every one of them.

Break-ups are hard. (I hear the first eight minutes after a breakup are the hardest.) And the only thing harder than a break-up is when you’re dumped for someone else. So, toughen up because your exes are probably watching you read this right now, wishing they had another chance.

— Or they’re all smiling because you never understood them anyway, and now they have someone who does (eye roll). So, forget about them. Keep your chin up, and relish in the fact that you’ll never have to deal with all of their annoying habits, smells, or lack of attention to certain, um, areas anymore either. Focus on the few you haven’t yet dated. Your next ex is just around the corner. Literally.

It’s What’s GoInG on!

Check out these sites for more information: www.pghcitypaper.com www.pghgrassroots.com www.myspace.com/pghcitypaper www.twitter.com/pghcitypaper www.facebook.com/pittsburghcitypaper

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

73

Main Event

Club Cox R&Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reigning queen, Deborah Cox, headlines Pride

By Danielle Gerson

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

74

Pride in the Street never fails to entertain. Big names, like Tiffany, Kimberly Locke, and Jennifer Holliday, have graced the stage with their breath-taking vocals.

And each year, it just gets better.

This year’s performer is a mother, a singer-songwriter, an actress, and a philanthropist: Deborah Cox will shut it down at Pittsburgh’s Pride in the Street on June 12.

Cox knew by age six that she was destined to sing. As a child, she won a local TV singing contest, sang in commercials, and by the time she was 12, she was singing backup for Celine Dion.

Cox attended the Claude Watson School for the Performing Arts in Toronto, where she began singing in the jazz choir. Jazz influenced her hugely, so much so that she released the album Destination Moon in 2007, a tribute to her childhood idol, Dinah Washington.

Her biggest hit, “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here,” was released in 1998 on her second album, One Wish. It held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard’s Hot R&B/ Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart for a record-breaking 14 weeks.

But she didn’t stop there.

Deborah Cox has performed not only as a singer, but also as an actress. She’s made appearances on the silver screen in Love Come Down and A Good Man is Hard to Find. In 2004, she performed her Broadway debut in Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida. And Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

if she’s not on the stage, she’s working behind the scenes. Cox has recorded singles for several soundtracks including Hotel Rwanda and Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns.

The Grammy-nominated, platinum singer also has a heart for charitable and pro-social movements. She’s collaborated with soul singers Tamia and Kelly Price to start The Queen Project, an initiative that aims to empower women and encourage them to get involved in activism.

“The power to move the world begins with a single voice, and a single voice can be the match to light the fire of hope, love, and progress for women and the world,” says the Queen Project’s mission statement.

Cox has released seven albums.

Her latest, The Promise, was released in 2008 and includes the hit single, “Beautiful U R,” an encouraging track with an up-tempo beat. In addition to performing around the world, the powerhouse singer Tweets to her fans regularly. She’s busy raising two beautiful children, and of course, she still makes time to perform at Pittsburgh’s Pride in the Street.

See Deborah Cox perform at Pride in the Street on Saturday, June 12. For more information, visit pittsburghpride.org.

SAVE the DATE:

Monday, June 7TH, 2010 at 6:30pm University Center, CMU Campus* You Belong At School, in the Workplace, as a Family, and in Politics Issues and Answers on Law, Marriage, Money and Family Matters

Featuring “the Experts’ Corners” individual and small group conversations with local legal and policy experts on non-discrimination protections at school and in the workplace, civil partnerships, legal rights and tax issues.

The ACLU has fought for LGBT equality for over 70 years. Join the fight for freedom.

Become a member of the ACLU today.

*For directions or other questions, email: info@aclupgh.org, call: 412-681-7736 or visit: www.aclupa.org/pittsburgh.

75

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Think MTV’s Beach House meets Cribs. SPLASH, The Delta Foundation’s annual kick-off to summer brings visitors from near and far for the — “view.”

overlooking the City of Pittsburgh and offering one of the most beautiful vantage points of the downtown skyline and best place to soak up some Pride.

The summer party has been a staple of hosts “Peter & Steve” and takes place at their Mt. Washington home,

But the breathtaking views are unmatched by the show going on inside the modern party compound. Guests are invited to

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

By

explore the expansive home and experience a one-of-a-kind party that shows the world Pittsburgh knows how to celebrate. The event, now in its fourth year, welcomes a truly diverse group of people: muscled men in short shorts, women in suits, queens in dresses, and twinks in the pool. Thanks to a professional

sound system, you won’t miss a beat as the whole house vibrates the high-energy music from the dance floor to the rooftop decks.

And when the sun sets over the city, there are plenty of places to cozy up to your someone special.

Why not share a kiss on one of the many balconies, or warm up

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near one of the fire pits? Snuggle under a blanket in the grass, or lounge poolside? The unique design of the home came from the homeowners who imagined a showplace to entertain their extended family and friends for parties, fundraisers, and cabarets.

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

The home has hosted celebrities, singers, politicians, comedians and some of the hottest talent around, including Sharon Stone, Blair Underwood, Howard Dean, Sharon Gless, and cast members from Queer as Folk. Comedian Bruce Vilanch has invited himself back every year since he hosted Pittsburgh’s Pride festivities

years ago and is now a staple of the house for many events.

Dance club diva Kristine W. was impressed with the home’s professional sound and lighting system, including the fog and snow machines over the dance floor.

splashy kick-off. And, it’s really hot. (So, let’s get wet!)

Splash is on Thursday, June 10.

To purchase tickets visit pittsburghpride.org

It’s an exclusive party. It’s a

77

Pennsylgaynia

Politically Speaking

By Thomas C. Waters

How important is your voice?

Last spring, Allegheny County took the historic step to become one of only three counties across Pennsylvania to offer full protections from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons.

The Delta Foundation began to look for ways to change this.

The Western PA Advocacy Initiative (WPAI) was born to encourage members of our diverse communities and allies to get involved in the legislative process. The first step was to invite most of the leading LGBT organizations across Western Pennsylvania to form a coalition, called the Western PA Advocacy Alliance (WPAA). Then, a process was put into place to hire a full-time LGBT field organizer to spearhead

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However, throughout most of the state, the fear of being fired, denied housing, or being refused a seat in a restaurant is a real and everyday fear. Why is this? What is stopping our state-elected officials

from making these protections statewide? Arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t these civil rights?

Frequently, legislators say that, on matters important to the LGBT community, they do not hear from supporters about these issues.

They get tons of emails and calls for opponents of these measures, but few LGBT voters voice their stances. Some legislators go so far as to say that there are no gays in their district, even though we know we are everywhere.

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issue advocacy efforts in the 23 counties that make up Western PA and account for 72 State House districts.

Three primary factors influence increasing advocacy of this type: finding individuals who are interested in engaging with their elected officials, providing adequate training on how to be effective at issue advocacy, and providing adequate follow up and support to individuals who become engaged in advocacy efforts. In addition,

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the development of a strong and effective network of organizations and individuals throughout Western PA needs to be developed, so that groups may work cooperatively, and individuals can feel connected to a larger effort, especially those in a rural area who may feel isolated.

This type of work is already being done by a number of groups, such as the Steel City Stonewall Democrats and the ACLU, but these are generally reliant entirely on volunteers, and the amount of organizing is limited by the amount of time volunteers can provide. The full-time field organizer position allows for a greater level of overall organizing and allows volunteers to do the actual advocacy work more effectively and accomplish more.

Through this project we aim to: • Develop a strong and effective network of LGBT and supportive ally organizations and individuals throughout Western PA. • Identify individuals throughout the 19 counties that make up Western PA who have an interest and can become engaged in issue advocacy.

• Provide training and resources to individuals and organizations on methods of issue advocacy.

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

• Provide follow-up and support to individuals and organizations so that they can apply these methods of issue advocacy so that there is an increase in constituent engagement.

Some may wonder if issue advocacy work is worth it, and the answer is a resounding “yes!”

Legislators say that if they get as few as three people visiting them on an issue, they know it is important and are more likely to take it extremely seriously. Our goal through the WPAI is to find those three or four people in each legislative district who will meet with their representative. Actions like this can propel all sorts of LGBT legislation moving through our state government toward final passage.

Success won’t come because of the work of one field organizer or one alliance or organizations or even because of one advocacy initiative. Success will be the result of LGBT and straight allies working together across all of Western Pennsylvania, with each person and organization bringing something to the whole endeavor, synergistically allowing the whole to be greater than the sum of the parts.

See Cleve Jones and Rev. Dr. Hawkes speak at the Pride Advocacy Rally at the City County Building on Friday, June 4. For more information, visit pittsburghpride.org.

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words & rhythm

All You Need is The spoken word of Vanessa German unites us all

By Amy Whipple Spoken word artist Vanessa German has been in Pittsburgh for a decade, and if you don’t know her work yet, now would be a good time. You seriously cannot live another minute without introducing yourself to a woman whose work is almost pure inspiration.

To begin with, spoken word doesn’t even begin to cover German’s work. While she does do traditional visual art, there is also the visual art of her person. When German opens her mouth, her body follows, everything connecting with the people listening. She commands the very air that surrounds her. She also makes most of her own clothes and isn’t afraid to admit that she loves getting made-up for a performance.

“I look like an artist,” German says. People stop her on the bus or chase after her in the street to tell her about an exhibit Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

Love

or a play. “That’s what happens when you look like an artist,” she says. Then, she corrects herself: “I don’t look like an artist; I am.” If that happens on the regular, just imagine how she’ll be for her performance at Pittsburgh’s Pride. “Pride is a wonderful opportunity for me to be completely outlandish and ridiculous.”

You can find German around the city, performing her poetry to the beat of many social causes, from sustainability of the environment to equal pay rights. German is always “thinking about the people, people who are really living.”

When she’s working toward a poem, German asks, “What’s at the root of this?” and then “How can I make this as personal as possible?”

No matter the subject, “this is about recognizing that we are here together, and we’re all pretty much working with the

same things. All the extra stuff that we put on each other to keep people down or to make ourselves bigger, stronger, more powerful – those are lies. Let’s get to the truth.”

Heavy matters aside, there are the fun things about performing for German, too, especially at PrideFest. “I’m an amplification whore,” she says. “When you hear your voice out in the street, it’s amazing. I love that shit.”

She also loves the essence of sound and what it does to both her and her audience.

On a physical level, you know when people are speaking the truth, which German takes into consideration when creating.

“I’m going to intentionally say something with the sounds as opposed to just with words.

“I put all these different love spells and love riddles into how my voice sounds,” German

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says of her seven years of Pride performances. “If HIV is infectious through blood, love is infectious through sound and intention.” She leans her entire self into the words as if she can physically back up what she’s saying. “I really, truly believe in the power of love. I believe that love makes itself known.”

One year, after German says she read a poem, and people were dancing around the streets, hugging each other and cheering. “Even talking about love, it just changes the air,” she says. Then she made everyone hold hands, bringing everyone together. “That’s what Pride

needs to be,” German says. “It’s a chance to put those things into work that I believe in. It’s just such a good feeling.”

When those good feelings become sparse, German always seems to find a way around. “Let me work with love,” she says.

“Please, God, just let me do that.”

See Vanessa German perform at PrideFest on Sunday, June 13. For more information, visit pittsburghpride.org.

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Quarterly Newsletter • Advertize • GLBT articles

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Facilities • Meeting space • Office space • Health Screenings

Web Services • E-Blast events/news • Online calendar

Library • Over 5,000 books • GLBT authors/topics

Youth Group • Meet & socialize • Youth 14-18 only

Mission Statement

The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Pittsburgh (GLCC) provides the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) individuals, their families and supporters in Western Pennsylvania with resources and opportunities to promote visibility, understanding and equality within the GLBT communities and the community-at-large. The GLCC will work toward these goals through education, social support, networking and advocacy.

Hours of Operation:

Tuesday-Thursday 6:00pm—9:00pm Saturday 12:00pm—9:00pm Sunday 12:00pm—6:00pm Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Pittsburgh

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jazz it up

Soul Mates

Sonji joins musical forces with Aaron Pfeiffer Would you agree to sing with your stalker?

Maybe “stalker” is a bit strong. How about someone who keeps calling, with no encouragement, and bumps into you accidentally —on purpose? What if he had an angelic face, was your biggest fan, and had an incredibly soulful R&B voice to boot?

Pittsburgh Pride goers will feel lucky that local songstress Sonji finally took Aaron Pfeiffer’s call. The newly formed duo will be taking their organically produced pop vocals to the street with Sonji on guitar, backed up by drum and bass. Those in the know will recognize original songs by Sonji — her MySpace music page boasts an impressive list, like “Waterfall,” a sultry song with a back beat you can’t deny. It highlights her earthy voice, reminiscent of a softer Nina Simone. But fans will also hear new covers and a fresh influence brought by Pfeiffer. “We’re just feeling it out,” he says.

Pfeiffer is feeling and belting it out every Thursday night at Spin on Ellsworth Avenue. He and his band take on jazz standards, as well as less traditional jazz fare, like versions of Rhianna hits. It’s hard to believe the recent Duquesne University grad and bartender took up performing just a few years ago. Since singing his heart out in a college production of the Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

By Kara Holsopple

musical Once on This Island, he has rarely looked back on the time when karaoke was his only outlet.

Between Sonji and Pfeiffer, there seems to be a point of connection almost everywhere. Like many new friends, they stumble onto stories about each other that continually make them feel like their union is meant to be. For example, Pfeiffer speaks German, while Sonji once toured in Germany with the Backstreet Boys. Her ten-year career in music has taken her all over the world, twice performing at San Francisco Pride. Sonji shares with Pfeiffer an excitement for Pittsburgh’s big event.

“To me there’s nothing like Pittsburgh,” Sonji says. “It’s like the next New York.”

Pfeiffer agrees. He sees the city’s potential sprouting up on every corner, and wants to contribute.

The two will be contributing to each other’s musical potential in their new Lawrenceville apartment. There, they can make as much noise as they want while tapping their creativity together. On tap for the future is the introduction of JackLucy, Sonji’s alter ego/record label concept.

She says it may someday be a multimedia experience, a play off of celebrity-driven labels with the works, including a clothing line.

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For now, Sonji just slips on her sunglasses and let’s JackLucy take over. Her more relaxed attitude reflects a renewed interest in musical fun, and she credits Pfeiffer with some of that. “He kind of pulled me out of my shell,” she admits.

As they riff about musical influences, it is easy to see how their casual, playful way with one another will translate onstage. Sonji’s gospel-only past quickly gave way to Nirvana, Radiohead, and Joan Armatrading. Sade is at least one place where her influences cross with Pfeiffer’s, where acid jazz, Jamiroquoi, and Jill Scott mingle. So how does it all come

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

together? Sitting in a Bloomfield coffee shop, the two try to sum up their musical alchemy with an apt food metaphor.

“How about hot chocolate with whipped cream on top?” Sonji offers. Pfeiffer muses. “That’s hot.”

See Sonji and Pfeiffer perform at PrideFest on Sunday, June 13. For more information, visit pittsburghpride.org.

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pastburgh

March Through Time A Historical Record of Prides Past

Since 1991, the humid dog days of Pittsburgh’s summers have harbingered an annual LGBT Pride Parade. While many marchers think of the Pride Parade as a recent star in Pittsburgh’s queer constellation, the pride parades actually have a venerable, albeit somewhat checkered history, varying in attendance and visibility but touching many East End neighborhoods, from Downtown to Point Breeze.

Pittsburgh’s first Pride Parade occurred on June 17, 1973, only four years after Stonewall. About 150 hardy marchers trekked uphill from Market Square in Downtown to Flagstaff Hill in Oakland.

On June 16, 1973, the day before the first-ever Pittsburgh gay pride parade, Gay Alternatives Pittsburgh (GAP) chartered a “mod painted” streetcar as part of “Gay Trolley Day.” The queer street car traveled from Market Square, through Castle Shannon, Dormont, Beechview and back to downtown. That evening a dance was held at the Unitarian Church.

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In 1974, the second lesbian and gay pride parade was held on June 23rd, followed by a picnic in South Park.

Organizers truncated the route by 1975. That year, on June 22, an undetermined number of community members and supporters jaunted downhill from the Civic Arena to Point State Park.

The next year, 1976, a militant troupe wended a serpentine way from the Civic Arena to

the Federal Building, where they made demands of the federal government. The group continued to crisscross the Triangle, issuing rights demands at the City-County Building, the Catholic Diocese Building and Point State Park.

In 1979 and 1980, queers hit the asphalt in more residential settings. On June 24, 1979, 120 participants marched through Shadyside and Bellefield, from Ellsworth Avenue to Flagstaff Hill. On

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June 22, 1980, marchers again trooped across Shadyside, this time from Morewood and Fifth to Mellon Park on the Point Breeze border.

Pride marches then plunged into a Dark Ages in the 1980s, and no parades occurred until a renaissance trek in May 1991.

However, Pride events took place throughout the 1980’s and perhaps the busiest Pride weeks occurred during the years 1988-1990. There were no parades, but many remember Karen Thompson’s visit in 1988 and the gay days at Kennywood Park (1989 and 1990) complete with CRY OUT!’s airplane banner ad announcing lesbian and gay pride to all at Kennywood.

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The parades returned in 1991 when almost 500 queers and friends traveled to the Point from the Civic Arena. The next year marked a parade apex: Nearly 1,000 marchers regained the Civic ArenaPoint trail! Unfortunately, rain dampened the success of the 1993 Civic Arena Point march, and attendance was down to 400.

In 1994, attendance fell further when the Pride committee was stymied by the City’s insistence that the march proceed along Smallman Street in the Strip District to avoid the mythical “construction” occurring on Fifth Avenue. Determined marchers followed the route to Market Square, which crossed over a deserted and unobstructed Fifth Avenue.

In 1995, the downward trend was broken when about 700 participated in a parade through Shadyside with some 1,100 festival participants at Mellon Park. From 1996 to 2000 participation in the Shadyside/Mellon Park event edged higher, breaking the 2,000 mark in ‘99 and ‘00 But more important than the number of people who attend was the diversity of our annual community gathering.

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

Pride festival stage producer Ted Hoover said the following about the 1999 event: “Whatever else I’ll remember from Pride Fest ‘99, the top of the list would be the little corner of Mellon Park that the Asian & Friends people made their own. It was five or six pagoda roofs, one suspended from the next, each covered with a glittering color of the rainbow. It was truly stunning, and I loved the way it combined groovy symbols of both queer and Pacific Rim culture. And with a strap here and some Velcro there, it would make a dress the likes of which Patti O’Fernicher can only dream about.”

The June 17, 2000 Pride Parade and festival continued the tradition of a Shadyside march and a Mellon Park festival and was the final Pride event organized by the Three Rivers Pride Committee, which formed to produce the 1994 events.

Beginning in 2001, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center (GLCC) took over the local LGBT Pride, organizing and moving the event away from Mellon Park. The new Pride Committee’s choice of Flagstaff Hill did not materialize, and it settled for Schenley Meadow.

t

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But, it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the permit snafu that caused a dampening effect. Heavy rains soaked the city for much of the morning and only stopped when the Squirrel Hill parade arrived in Schenley Park. However, the stage line-up of singers, poets, and speakers was one of the best ever.

Undeterred by the misfortunes of 2001, the GLCC Pride committee returned the parade to Shadyside, but chose Ellsworth Avenue over Mellon Park as the site for the festival. Ample participation in the parade pushed the crowd size to an estimated 1,000 people beforeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;once againâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a drenching rain soaked the festival.

Pittsburgh marked 30 years of celebrating Pride in 2003 with a parade and street festival in Shadyside. Marchers followed a route through Shadyside which ended at the 5800 block of Ellsworth Avenue. The theme of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parade and festival was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Peace Through Pride.â&#x20AC;? Leading up to PrideFest were a series of activities including the Unity Ball, an all-ages sweetheart dance aboard the Gateway Clipper, the 2nd annual Mr. Pittsburgh Drag King Pageant, a Pride Run/Walk, and a performance by the gay/lesbian sketch comedy/cabaret trio Unitard.

In 2004, PrideFest took the theme â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stand Up! Stand Proud! Stand Together!â&#x20AC;? More than 2,100 people and 50 vendors attended the festival on the North Shoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Great Lawn, and 600 people and 43 units

participating in the parade. Responding to requests to move the event to a more visible location, the Pride Parade started downtown and wound around through the Three Rivers Arts Festival, ending on the North Shore.

There was a wide range of activities throughout the month including Stand Up and Yell! Bingo, held in the parking lot off Ellsworth Avenue; a special performance of Varla Jean Merman, under a Big Top, at the City Theatre; Standing Together with Pride, a pageant of diversity benefiting The Seven Project; a parade and festival, as well as a Pride Day at PNC Park, as the Pirates played the Seattle Mariners.

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Building off the momentum from 2004’s event, the 2005 Pride Committee chose the theme “Equal Rights — No More. No Less” and reached out to LGBT organizations in Erie, Butler, Wheeling, Johnstown, Altoona, and Morgantown among others, and invited them to join the festivities. The parade, with Grand Marshalls Jim Huggins and Randy Forrester at the helm, snaked through downtown, across the Allegheny River to Riverfront Park on the North Shore.

PFLAG Pittsburgh carried the 100-foot Rainbow Flag, and new to the parade was the Doggie Drag Creative Costume Contest, which benefitted the Western PA Humane Society.

Stacy Lee Lucas, numerous drag kings and queens, and the high-energy band Bootlickers. In addition, a children’s activity area was added for the first time and Pride Night at PNC Park was held the prior week.

“Pride, Not Prejudice” was the theme for 2006’s PrideFest. The Pride Awareness March kicked off downtown and included PA Governor Ed Rendell. Led by the Dykes on Bikes contingent and grand marshall Susan Haugh, the parade once again started downtown and finished at Riverfront Park on the North Shore. The Steel City Softball League held the honor of carrying the Rainbow Flag in recognition of their 25th anniversary.

Entertainment included The Renaissance City Choirs, Dreams of Hope, Patrick Arena, Proudly Presents Productions,

Performances included Lenora Nemitz, Renaissance City Choirs, Cindy Shaffer, Kierra Darshell, Lisa Ferraro, Diamond, Jonathan, and Brad Yoder. New this year was the addition of a 2nd stage, which was a Dance Stage, a recommendation by the Youth Liaisons Committee.

Capping the days festivities was Pride Night at PNC Park, with a portion of the ticket sales benefitting the GLCC. There was a pre-game Pride Picnic before the group saw the Pirates play the Minnesota Twins. New this year was the Friends of Pride campaign, which gave individuals the ability to be a sponsor.

The international theme “United for Equality” was chosen as the theme for the 2007 Pride Celebration. Mayor Luke

If You’re Wondering If Anyone Understands, We’re Here.

“Oh, Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.” Psalm 139

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Ravenstahl was the first Pittsburgh Mayor to ever grace our stage, and Governor Ed Rendell was on hand for the second year to kick off the Pride Awareness March, led by grand marshal and local businessman Herb Beatty. The Shepherd Wellness Center carried the Rainbow Flag in the march which started downtown and ended in Riverfront Park, where 65 vendors welcomed the crowd.

Headlining the entertainment was Poppy Champlin, an LAbased comedian. Other acts included Eric Himan, Cindy Shaffer, Sasha, Jezebel, The

Rennaissance City Choirs, Sarah Claire Morton, Tracy Drach, and Dreams of Hope.

Community pre-events included Kick-Start your Pride-Women’s Dance and the first ever Pride in the Street with Emmy award winner Bruce Vilanch, singing sensation Tiffany, DJ Juklian Marsh, and DJ DeMarko.

Pride Week was held June 16-22, 2008 with the theme “Live, Love, Liberty.” The week kicked off with a Bowling Extravaganza at Forward Lanes in Squirrel Hill and included workshops and lectures throughout the week on topics

Are you coming out, or has someone you love just come out to you? Looking for support or help finding resources?

such as LGBT Foster Care & Adoption and performances of “Take Me Out,” a play set in the locker room of a professional baseball team, which explored themes of homophobia, racism, class, and masculinity in sport.

Thursday night included SPLASH!, a pool party at the home of Steve Hereforth and Peter Karlovich on Mt. Washington. Hundreds participated in Friday night’s Bar Crawl.

Pride in the Street on Saturday was hosted by Frank DeCarpo and featured American Idol finalist Kimberley Locke,

Fredrick Ford, Global Groove Tour, and DJ Escape.

Sunday’s Pride March and Pride Fest featured Frank DeCaro, Reina, The Cliks, comedian Eddie Sarfaty, Jacob Retain, and Mary Lou Wallner. The Beer Garden made its debut, along with the Queer Café.

Pride Week 2009 was held June 8-14 with the theme “Your Rights, Our Rights, Human Rights.”

Throughout the week were numerous events including “GLTBQ Civil rights: How you can change government for

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your rights,” “Your Rights, Our Rights, Human Rights: An ACLU Forum Issues and Answers on Law, Marriage, Money and Family Matters” Opening at Pride in the Street were hip-hop honeys Goddes and She who ably set the stage for Grammy and Tony Award winner Jennifer Holliday, who treated the crowd with her belt-out ballads and sky-high serenades. San Francisco’s internationally renowned DJ Phil B spun the tunes late into the night.

The annual Pride Awareness Walk wound its way through

the Boulevard of the Allies to Liberty Avenue, and featured Grand Marshals State Rep Dan Frankel, advocate Wendi Miller, and musician Thea Austin. Organizers said this year’s parade was the largest ever with 25 floats and 50 groups representing LGBT organizations throughout the city, from athletic leagues, to bars, to health organizations, to entertainment, to support groups, and more.

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spirituality

Confidence in Me The Faith and Pride of a Radical Faerie When I was growing up, faith and pride were a dichotomy for me. People of faith were taught to be humble and often fearful, trembling servants of a distant Father-God figure. It would be considered blasphemous to be full of pride.

And yet at the age of six or seven or eight, I heartily sang along with Julie Andrews as the vinyl soundtrack recording of The Sound of Music blared from my

parents’ Sony turntable. Together we boldly declared: I have confidence in sunshine.

I have confidence in rain.

I have confidence that spring will come again.

Besides which you see, I have confidence in ME! I sensed none of my school friends would understand if they knew I had memorized the words and movements from this scene

 

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It wasn’t until years later, when I learned of people who identified as “Radical Faeries” that I realized how important those words

by Richard Rogers were to my

independently developing faith. To boldly connect to an inner-wisdom and declare “I have confidence in ME” was deeply watering my roots as a future member of Queer society.

Faeries are known to say things just for attention or to “stir up the cauldron.” Generally, though, faeries simply declare the truth as they see it. Onlookers are sometimes scandalized, scared, or offended.

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in the movie — and rehearsed them. But I didn’t care. Actually, I couldn’t help myself! There was something mesmerizing, even magical, about the music and words. I was practicing standing up for myself. I was learning to believe in ME!

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The LGBT community reflects back to the world the importance of being true to one’s greatest self, even if that is shocking or unfashionable. It may seem like a preposterous statement, but I believe we are here to save the world. Dykes and queens, trannies and clones, outcasts and misfits (by some viewpoints), all have a purpose. I believe that we queer folk have a role and a responsibility these days.

We have a mission: to help the human species remember and reconnect with their radical, magical roots.

And how do we do this? Being faithful to one’s truest self is an example of living fully. Being proud of the depths of one’s being is a model for creating

a more beautiful and healthy society. We offer “salvation” to “non-believers” by being firmly rooted in our commonalities while celebrating our unique and magical diversity. By celebrating our dichotomies, we are role models for radical change and transformation.

Like singing along with Julie Andrews, this all takes practice. It takes practice to get along amidst the dichotomies life brings us. It takes practice to play well with others in the face of an unknown future. We might not agree on definitions and spellings, but we need to continue living our lives honestly and fully. And play well together.

I am very pleased to join the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh to celebrate PRIDE 2010.

I am committed to stand with the LGBT community to protect the rights of all Americans and continue my work.

I support and have supported:

• Passing the Employment Non Discrimination Act • Providing Necessary Funding for HIV/AIDS Treatment and Research • Passing the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act • Repealing DADT • Repealing DOMA • Passing the Uniting American Families Act

Proud to have the endorsements of: President Obama Vice President Biden Gov. Rendell Sen. Casey Steel City Stonewall Democrats Liberty City Democratic Club

—U.S. Senator Arlen Specter Paid for for by Citizens for Arlen Specter

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

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rural roots

A Mother in Need

By Helene Gosslein

PFLAG establishes in Butler When our two gay sons came out to us 10 years ago, I was shocked, devastated, and terrified. I needed help. That is when I found PFLAG in Pittsburgh. My monthly trip there was a lifeline for me, but I felt extremely isolated when I returned home. PFLAG was needed in Butler and, for the past few months, meetings have been well attended by LGBT people and allies, enthusiastic about making a difference. It is happening, at long last!

In a small, conservative community like Butler, the isolation of the closet is severe.

In high school, my son believed he was the only gay kid in his class of 620. My two gay sons didn’t even know about one another’s orientation. The miserable loneliness, shame, self-loathing, and fear that young teenagers endure can have devastating consequences with long-lasting wounds — all unnecessary suffering.

The closet is toxic. Yet, the pressure to stay in it is great.

How hostile is the community?

Pittsburgh PrideMag | PittsburghPride.org

In school, the teachers might ignore the daily taunting, such as “faggot.” Even the letters to the editor published in our local newspaper frequently amounted to vicious verbal assaults against gay people. In Butler, we have no gay role models, no support organizations like the ones found in Pittsburgh, no openly gay friendly churches. In that kind of environment, should a young gay person even risk coming out to his own family?

I owe my own education to my sons’ coming out. I thank them and PFLAG for opening my mind and softening my heart. I finally understood that homosexuality is not a choice, not a sin, not a defect, but a gift of diversity. I was cured of my homophobia. I like the change in me. I am forever grateful for that gift. And now, PFLAG Butler is available to support and educate many others and make Butler a better place where to raise all children — gay or straight.

For more information visit pflag.org 94

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