Volume 2
April 14–27 ■ Issue 8
The Cost of Pride Community confronts The Center about plans to charge
Lesbians and Suicide Sugarhouse Park walk to ‘Awaken Utah’ on sucide
Dance for Rights National Center to Lesbian Rights holds fund raiser in Salt Lake City
Fiji Tourist Jailed for Gay Sex ‘Indecent Sex’ can carry a sentence of up to 14 years Gay Singer Sacha Sacket to Perform in Sugar House Ruby is Looking for Old Folks Puppies Fill in for Laurie Eric Offers Songs to Put a Spring in Your Step Gay Agenda
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SALT LAKE METRO ■ APRIL 14, 2005
News INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL BRIEFS
Texas Kissing Contest Celebrates Heterosexuality
San Francisco—The California chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has signed on to a bill that would legalize same-gender marriage statewide, making this the first time the civil rights group has lent its support to the issue. The organization’s decision to support the bill came as early as last fall, when the members of the California State Conference of the NAACP narrowly voted in favor of the then-pending “Religious Freedom and California Civil Marriage Protection Act.” But the NAACP didn’t make its position public until April 5, right before the bill was to receive its first hearing. The measure, AB 19, seeks to amend a 1977 state statute describing marriage as a contract between a man and a woman to read “between two persons.” The Assembly Judiciary Committee will hear the measure on April 26. “In a place like California, you can not possibly work for rights if you don’t work for gay rights,” an Associated Press story quoted California NAACP president Alice A. Huffman as saying. “You either believe in the rights of everyone or you are in the wrong business.” A spokesman for Equality California said his organization was “humbled and gratified” at the chapter’s support. “To have the largest civil rights group in the nation take this important and historic stand is significant in the struggle to achieve full equality for the lesbian and gay community,” said Geoffrey Kors, the group’s executive director. The national NAACP has not yet taken an official position on gay marriage.—JV
Arlington, Texas—Fifteen students from the University of Texas at Arlington participated in a College Republican-sponsored Celebration of Heterosexuality kissing contest at the Central Library mall. Although organizers and participants said they did not intend the contest, which gave movie passes and t-shirts for “best kiss,” “funniest kiss,” and “most romantic kiss,” to be seen as anti-gay. The April 5 event attracted a counter protest, called the Celebration of Human Pride Day, co-sponsored by Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, University Democrats and the Gay, Lesbian and Everybody Else (GLEE) organization. These groups dispensed cupcakes decorated with rainbows and pamphlets about combating racism, sexism and homophobia. A petition for marriage equality was also on the table. While GLEE president Jeremy Serna told campus paper, The Shorthorn, that he thought the kissing contest “maliciously [made] fun of gay pride,” College Republican President Kat Miller said the contest was only for fun. “As a group, we’re not against homosexuals,” she told the paper a day earlier. “We’re not anti-homosexual in any form. We’re just promoting heterosexuality.” Wearing a pink shirt reading “Straight ‘N Proud,” Miller said that a lack of openness about human sexuality was responsible for things such as STDs that effect youth of all orientations. “How can homosexuals expect Americans to accept homosexuality, when we don’t accept sexuality?” she said.—JV
Fiji Jails Tourist for ‘Disgusting’ Sex Act
Connecticut Senate Civil Union Legislation
Nadi, Fiji—A Fiji court sentenced an Australian man and a 23-year-old delivery boy to two years in jail after both pleaded guilty to having gay sex. On April 5, Thomas Maxwell McCoskar, a 55-year-old former lecturer from Victoria, and Dhirendra Nadan, of Tavarau in Ba, were charged with one count of “indecent acts” and with taking nude photographs between March 24 and April 3 in an apartment in Nadi. Presiding Magistrate Syed Muhktar Shah told the men that their action bordered on pedophilia due to the difference in their ages. McCoskar and Nadan countered that the sex was consensual, with McCoskar saying he had only come to Fiji on vacation looking to “have some fun” after retirement. “If you wanted to have fun, you should have stayed in Australia instead of trying to come to Fiji and exploit our young boys,” an April 6 Fiji Times story quoted Shah as saying. “With you being a former lecturer, you should have known that such indecent acts are illegal.” The court sentenced the men to spend time in jail, despite Nadan’s threat to commit suicide if he was sent to prison. Gay sex can carry a jail term of up to 14 years in Fiji.—JV
Hartford, Conn.—A bill seeking to legalize civil unions for same-gender couples cleared the Connecticut Senate on April 6 and now prepares to go to the House of Representatives. Senators across party lines approved the measure in a 27-9 vote despite attempts to amend the bill to define marriage as the union between one man and one woman, and to order a referendum on civil unions for a fall vote. Those who voted in favor of the measure said it would not threaten the religious definition of marriage. And some, such as Sen. Thomas J. Herlihy, R-Simsbury, said the issue came down to “a matter of civil rights.” “My gut tells me it [homosexuality] is not a conscious choice,” a Journal Inquirer story quoted him as saying. He added that if it was a conscious choice, no one would choose to face the ridicule and discrimination that came along with being gay. Although the bill does not use the word “marriage” to describe same-gender unions, it does guarantee gay and lesbian couples the same state rights given to heterosexual married partners. But because federal law doesn’t recognize civil unions, Connecticut
Kansas Passes Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment Topeka, Kan.—Kansas passed a constitutional measure to ban gay marriage in the Sunflower State, making it the 18th state to block same-gender marriage through constitutional amendment. With only Douglas County (home to the University of Kansas) dissenting, over 70% of Kansas voters approved the legislation on April 5, which will affirm an 1867 state statute defining marriage as the union between a man and a woman. Like only a handful of other state bans, however, the Kansas amendment also contains language prohibiting domestic partnerships and civil unions
for gay and lesbian couples. It reads, “No relationship, other than a marriage, shall be recognized by the state as entitling the parties to the rights or incidents of marriage.” Rev. Jerry Johnston, one of the ban’s most vocal supporters, said the successful ban meant the country would soon be “headed to a federal marriage amendment.” “This is very significant,” Johnston, pastor of First Family Church in Overland Park, told the Missouri-based Kansas City Star. “A lot of people wanted to know if there’d been a loss of momentum. We see the exact opposite. We see a polarizing of momentum.” The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay rights group, condemned Tuesday’s decision, calling it “a sad day for Americans who value equal rights.” “The harm done to thousands of Kansas families is incalculable,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “As voters come to understand the real consequences of this amendment, we hope they understand how wrong this amendment is.” He added that the amendment may hurt even heterosexual families, as it may prevent law authorities from protecting unmarried non-gay partners from domestic violence.—JV
APRIL 14, 2005 ■ SALT LAKE METRO ■ 3
California NAACP Backs Gay Marriage Bill
same-gender couples are still ineligible for things such as Social Security benefits and federal pension programs. Additionally, other states would not be required to recognize these unions. If the bill is enacted, Connecticut will become the only state in the country to have legalized same-sex civil unions without court involvement. Vermont became the first to legalize civil unions in 2000.—JV
News LOCAL
by John Wilkes john@slmetro.com
A small group of caring individuals plans to launch an organization to help people with AIDS live with dignity. Angels In Disguise is the vision of Rick Feagans and Riley Richter, co-presidents of the foundation. “Last August I lost a couple of friends to AIDS,” says Feagans. By October he and Richter had formulated a two-part mission: to help homeless persons with HIV/AIDS and provide them with affordable, comfortable housing and medical care. They started small last Christmas, providing clothing for shelter residents and participating in the Sub For Santa program. The plan has grown threefold since. “This first year will concentrate on pediatric care,” said Ariane Collingwood, who joined the two men in March. These three envisioned Our House, a program to provide more comfortable, less clinical hospice care where clients would spend what may be their final days with loved ones. One motto of the organization is “No one dies alone.” Angels staff has recently expanded. Secretary J. Dax Denkers, Treasurer Michael W. Holmes and Director of Operations Jeremy Housekeeper will help raise funds to buy apartments and houses for Our Apartment and Our Cottages, which are programs to assist persons at all stages of HIV infection with independent living and live-in nursing support. Collingwood says the start-up cost for an existing 54-unit apartment building is $2.5 million and $6 million or more for land and construction to build a new complex. Add two or three 4-bedroom
houses at a median price of $200,000 each, over $1 million to build the hospice, then include yearly operating expenses and the project’s need for immediate assistance is quite evident. Feagans, Denkers and Collingwood agree that the organization’s biggest need right now is monetary. Some funding will come from federal grants. Medical staff will be filled through volunteers, interns and some compensated physicians. The group has received encouragement from the only organization in this country that provides the type of care Angels proposes: AIDS Care Ocean State in Rhode Island. A planned trip will allow Angels staff to observe and work with those who run ACOS, then implement similar ideas here. Upcoming fundraisers for the growing organization include “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” April 28 at The Trapp Door. Look for bracelets and t-shirts to purchase and volunteer/donation information at Utah Pride as well. An art show at Club Try-Angles, an August picnic, and monthly car washes are other fundraising ideas in development. As for the most important thing staffers want everyone to know about Angels In Disguise? “We want everyone struggling with HIV/AIDS to know we’re here for them and their families,” Collingwood said. Dax tells everybody, “We want to further community education to erase the stigma of AIDS as ‘a gay men’s disease.’” “This organization will help not only gay and lesbian people,” Feagans said, “but everyone.” To help Angels In Disguise or obtain more information, call 809-5839
Talent Contest to Raise Funds for Charity
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SALT LAKE METRO ■ APRIL 14, 2005
Winner to sing at Utah Pride, compete in regional karaoke contest Get ready to choose a star from Utah’s queer community—idol-style. Beginning the week of May 8, with a grand finale on Friday, May 27, the Salt Lake Men’s Choir teams up with Salt Lake Metro to bring you the Utah Karaoke Star Quest. Half of all proceeds will be donated to the winner’s chosen charity—the other half benefits the Salt Lake Men’s Choir. The winner will also receive a hotel stay in fabulous Las Vegas and will sing onstage at this year’s Utah Pride. Four contestants will be chosen to compete in the regional Talent Quest contest with nationals being held in Laughlin, Nevada in September—one man and one
woman in country/western and one man and one woman in pop/rock/r&b. The audience will choose who progresses to the finale and also the ultimate winner by voting with dollar bills at the end of each contest night. Sorry, no “Simon” will be ripping contestants to shreds and no “Paula” will be licking their wounds. Contestants are asked to sign up online at slmetro.com/starquest or by going to any gay or lesbian karaoke venue for an entry form. Entry fees are $20/$5 limited income—all of which will be donated to the charities. For more information, visit teh special Star Quest website at slmetro.com/starquest.
PHOTO: KIM RUSSO
New Organization Hopes to Provide Housing, Care for Utah AIDS Patients KRCL’s Radio Active host Nick Burns interviews Tala Hani, Kate Kendell and D. Michael Quinn at The Center.
Queer Visionaries on Radio by Mandy Q. Racer mandy@slmetro.com
It was no joke earlier this month when the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgendered Community Center of Utah was transformed, if only for an hour, into a radio station. On April 1, KRCL-FM set up shop in “The Center Space,” where Nick Burns hosted RadioActive’s First Friday Forum. Panelists of the themed “Queer Visionaries” show were Kate Kendell, Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights; Tala Hani, Lesbian Chair of the National Organization for Women Utah Chapter; D. Michael Quinn, former BYU professor, author and Mormon historian; Evelyn Garlington, President of The Center board, and Samantha Harmon, high school senior and activist who caught the spotlight when she was suspended for wearing a Queers Kick Ash t-shirt to Hillcrest High. The seemingly disparate panel was brought together by a vision of future unity for not only the gay community but for all minorities. “We need to respect the differences among all people,” said Quinn, who advocates, like the other panelists, finding a common ground while at the same time embracing differences. “The fight is just one fight,” Hani said. Having moved from Jordan three years ago to attend graduate school, she faces discrimination on a myriad of levels. “Not all Arabs are terrorists ... I’m a lesbian. I’m an Arab.” She sees commonalities in the fight waged by all minority groups, and stresses that the gay community’s efforts should not be limited to queer rights alone: “Our struggle is the struggle of all minorities.” Garlington’s vision for the future is realistic, and haunted by the history of groups that came before. She pointed out that when women won the right to vote, they did not necessarily feel free. “African Americans are not necessarily free,” she continued. The road ahead is long, and, Garlington said, there is “a lot of personal work that will need to come.” Kendell’s view mirrors Garlington’s in that freedom doesn’t necessarily follow the conferment of rights. “San Francisco [Kendell’s home] really is a gay bubble ... a place unto itself.” There, the life she shares with her partner is “really a non-issue.” Her hope is to create that type of space elsewhere, and incite a move beyond the mere toleration of homosexuality, to one of celebration. Harmon, at 18, embodies the future. She, like the other community activists, believes
in fighting for gay marriage and ending homophobia, but faces an additional type of discrimination from within her own community: ageism. “I sometimes don’t get taken seriously by adults,” she said. “Without youth there would be nothing.” Kendell drove Harmon’s point home: “When we’re all tired and done, they are the ones” that will continue the fight.
Queer Arabs in Danger According to the Saudi Arabia Interior Monistry, Ahmed al-Enezi and Shahir al-Roubli were beheaded on March 13 for killing a blackmailer who reportedly threatened to expose their homosexuality. Considered one of the most oppressive countries in the world, homosexuality is a criminal offense in Saudi Arabia. Tala Hani, Lesbian Chair of the National Organization for Women Utah Chapter from Jordan, is organizing an international resource center and website to assist those in Arab countries who face a very real threat. “I know some [individuals] that had to leave the country because they were threatened to be killed by family members,” she said. Hani, herself, was advised to use a different name in connection with this future resource center, “because I might be endangering myself and others.” “It is interesting how much laws differ between Arab countries,” Hani said. “For example, homosexuality is legal in Jordan. However, the society does not accept it at all, and many families commit honor crimes against homosexuals. Honor crimes are means of publicly disowning a family member.” “In Egypt, homosexuals are imprisoned for more than 10 years,” Hani continued. “Interestingly when the Islamic civilization was at its peak in history, homosexuality was considered a prestigious act. Many rulers were known for having homosexual relationships. Arabs were criticized by the west for being too open about sexuality!” Hani’s efforts are sorely needed, the recent beheading being only one example of the danger faced by those in the Middle East. She is collaborating with queer Arabs from Canada, Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, and the Middle East. Hani anticipates that the group will be up and running by the end of 2005. —MQR Tala Hani is at lgbtchair@utahnow.org.
Center Reaches Out to Community Pride admission charge draws fire from local activists by Jere Keys jere@slmetro.com
A flurry of activity over a recent weekend marked the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Community Center’s latest attempts to reach out to the broader community. Between the successful launch of a new monthly gay bingo series and the third biannual Town Hall Meeting, hundreds of people had the opportunity to be part of the life and activities of the organization.
Gay Bingo, which kicked off on April 8 with the Cyber Sluts, will be a regular event for The Center. On the second Friday of each month, people of all ages can come play for prizes and fun. Based on the turnout at the first event, which filled the multicultural room to capacity, Gay Bingo is off to a strong start. The event brought in nearly $900 for The Center, although organizers insist that fundraising is not the primary purpose of Gay Bingo. They stress instead that it’s really about having fun and making The Center welcoming to a different crowd than they normally see. On Sunday, April 10, The Center hosted its third biannual Town Hall Meeting at the Head Start administrative offices. The community gathering gave people an opportunity to speak out about the issues that matter to them and to provide The Center with feedback and ideas. Board President Evelyn Garlington spoke
about the recently formed Community Leadership Round Table Task Force and its goal of providing community-wide leadership on important subjects. Board member Missy Larsen discussed The Center’s new Mental Health Task Force and urged attendees to join in helping to fill the gaps in services for those at risk for self-destructive behavior. “There will be a 24-hour crisis hotline,” Larsen vowed to the community members. The most contentious issue of the day, however, came after Pride Coordinator Sherry Booth announced changes and plans for this year’s Utah Pride. In response to the decision to charge $5 admission to the June 12 festival, several community members expressed concern and even outrage. “This is a tie-myselfto-the-tree issue,” said Gordon Storrs, who opposed the admission price because he thought it would be exclusionary. AIDS activist Stuart Merrill also spoke out against the charge, saying that many people with HIV might not have $5 and it would be embarrassing for them to admit that at the gate. Booth responded by pointing out that there are many aspects of Pride, such as the acoustic stage and the parade, which will not be inside the fenced off areas. Center representatives also said they will waive the admission price to volunteers who sign up in advance for a two-hour shift (go online to www.utahpride.org) and that they are seeking community sponsors to purchase blocks of tickets that can be donated to people with AIDS and other disadvantaged groups. On Thursday, April 28, from 11:30am to 1 pm, The Center will host its monthly Brown Bag Luncheon in The Center Space, another opportunity for community members to meet with and make suggestions to the board and staff of The Center. Jere Keys is a member of the board of directors of The Center. Visit www.glccu.org for Center events.
Filmmakers Seek “Boys of Boise” Stories This year marks the 50th anniversary of the ‘sex scandal’ Ring Seduces 1,000 Boys.” The events gained the most prominence, however, from John Gerassi's 1966 book, The Boys of Boise. The documentary production team, led by Idaho native Seth Randal, has uncovered a number of untold stories about the prosecutions, including compelling first-hand accounts from people who fled Boise to avoid prosecution. The documentary will include a dramatic interview with a now-deceased man imprisoned as part of these events. Still, the team is making a last effort to find people who remember the prosecutions. “I want to tell these stories because it's important to understand what really happened,” Randal said. “This is part of our history.” Randal and the production team hope publicity about the documentary can help draw out more potential interview subjects. “This is the last chance for many of these stories to be told,” he said. “We have already lost so many voices from that era." The production team can be contacted at 208284-0982 or sethrandal@gmail.com. There is a blog at fallof55.blogspot.com
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One of America's most notorious homosexual scandals is the subject of a documentary film now in production. The Fall of ’55 tells the story of men and women touched by the Boise morals drive of 1955. The producers are looking for people who have first-hand knowledge of the scandal—possibly former Boiseans who fled to Utah to avoid prosecution or family members of the men prosecuted. The morals drive started as an investigation of men having sex with teenage boys. But as public outrage grew, the direction of the investigation changed, eventually encompassing consenting adults. In all, 16 men were prosecuted. Countless others lived in fear that each knock at the door could bring the police. Other men, even whole families, fled Boise. The events generated nationwide attention at the time, including articles in such publications as Time Magazine, The Denver Post and Los Angeles Times. In an example of the misinformation during the era, one tabloid greeted readers with the inflammatory and incorrect headline, “Male Pervert
News LOCAL
Queer Activist Andy Wong Speaks in SLC by Kim Burgess kim@slmetro.com
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SALT LAKE METRO ■ APRIL 14, 2005
As part of Asian Pacific American Awareness Week and the National Day of Silence, San Francisco-based activist Andy Wong spoke at the University of Utah on April 13. Wong currently serves as Coalition Manager of Asian Equality and Director of Development and Communications at Community United Against Violence. He is a major figure in the fight to legalize same-gender marriage in California, having assisted with forming an ad hoc coalition of fifty Asian/Pacific-AmeriAndy Wong, Coalition can leaders and Manager of Asian Equality organizations to fight marriage discrimination. Wong’s inspiration for creating the coalition was a rally of nearly 9,000 Christian AsianAmericans against same-gender marriage. “It was really disheartening to me,” Wong says. “In response, I worked with a number of other organizations to put together a rally in support of marriage equality. We’ve done a lot of great work, including organizing a marriage equality float for the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade. This is one of the biggest Chinese New Year parades in the country and it drew more than 200,000 spectators, many of whom were AsianAmerican and supportive of the float.” The experience also strengthened Wong’s mission to teach Asian people about queers and queer people about Asians. “I was upset by the lack of response from the GLBT community and the fact that no GLBT organization was standing behind us and really supporting gay and lesbian Asian-Americans and challenging this [anti-gay marriage] rally. What it indicated to me was that there was a lot of education that needed to be done in the Asian-American community
around homophobia and a lot education that needed to be done within the GLBT community around issues of race.” Many Asian-American queer groups have drawn attention to the cultural intolerance of homosexuality among Asian communities. Of concern to these same groups is the “rice queen” phenomenon–non-Asian guys who only pursue Asian-Americans with an almost fetish-like expectation of behaviors based on stereotypes. “This rally revealed the intersection of racism and homophobia that impacts the lives of Asian gays and lesbians,” said Wong, “I think that our leaders within the gay and lesbian community have really missed the boat in terms of working with communities of color and getting people of color to support not only gays and lesbians within that community of color, but also broader GLBT rights. That’s really disappointing. I think the coalition that I’m part of can broaden awareness of what GLBT people of color deal with. We deal with invisibility not only within our community of color, but also within the GLBT community. I think that has impacted our GLBT civil rights movement.” Wong discussed these views in his University of Utah keynote address titled “Gay, Asian and Mormon: Reflections on Faith, Identity and Empowerment.” He also covered his personal journey converting to the LDS Church in his teens and eventually falling away from it in his first year of college. “I’m hoping that there will be LDS members in the audience and I’ll be able to engage them in a way that will open their minds and increase awareness,” said Wong. “I don’t want to be totally disparaging of the Mormon Church. I know the Church does great work, and at the same time I feel that it has some edges that need to be trimmed. It’s an evolving institution and it can evolve a little faster. It has been behind the times in race issues and also in gay and lesbian issues. I think that the Mormon Church could be in a better place if it were welcoming.”
Neil Glover, Julie Brizzee and Dennis Ullum at the National Center for Lesbian Rights dinner.
PHOTO: KIM RUSSO
National Center for Lesbian Rights Hosts Fundraiser Dance by Mandy Q. Racer mandy@slmetro.com
Over 250 people gathered at the Salt Lake City Hardware Building in support of the National Center for Lesbian Rights on April 1. The $40 per person dance, complimented by the music of the Sister Wives and the belly dancing of the Blue Lotus Egyptian Dancers, was a joint fundraiser for both the NCLR and for Equality Utah, the state’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender political advocacy group. While the crowd was made up mainly of women, several supportive men were present as well. Attendee Jeffrey Sanchez held out his hands and said, “Look at the energy in this!” According to their official website, the NCLR is: “a national legal resource center with a primary commitment to advancing the rights and safety of lesbians and their families through a program of litigation, public policy advocacy, free legal advice and counseling, and public education. In addition, NCLR provides representation and resources to gay men, and bisexual and transgender individuals on key issues that also significantly advance lesbian rights.” Michael Mitchell, executive director of Equality Utah, took the stage and professed his love and admiration for Kate Kendell, executive director of the NCLR, whom Mitchell called “one of my favorite people on the planet.” Kendell spoke of her father, whose recent death she likened to an abbreviated Shiavo ordeal: “Tom DeLay didn’t give a shit about that.” When Kendell left the ACLU of Utah to become the legal director of the NCLR, the Salt Lake Tribune published an article; this was the method in which she was outed to her father, a
man who Kendell said hated the Mormon church. When a client confronted Kendell’s father with the article, her father said, “Well at least she’s not a Mormon.” It was, Kendell said, her father’s way of telling her how proud he was. Kendell’s candidness created an intimate connection with speakers and audience alike. She passed out hugs and kisses on the cheek to many, called Jane Marquardt, attorney and Equality Utah board member, a “mentor,” and acknowledged attendees Senator Scott McCoy and Representative Jackie Biskupski for their “unstinting support.” Speaker Jane Marquardt stressed how fortunate Utah is to have Equality Utah, as well as volunteers and community members such as Michael Mitchell. “You have, in Utah, the kind of organization that most states pine for,” said Marquardt, who is running for the Salt Lake City Council seat in District 3. “Our government is special,” she said, “because it’s based on ‘of the people, by the people.’ That doesn’t work unless government is all of the people.” Marquardt advocates a government with leaders that will not only listen to us, but “leaders who are us.” Speaker Keri Jones, who, along with her partner, Lauren Barros, is involved in a highly publicized custody battle with her ex partner, Cheryl Barlow, described NCLR’s involvement in the battle. “It’s amazing what they can do with just a few attorneys,” she said. “They fight amazing battles for every one of us.” Kendell embraced Jones and said, “The work that we do—it is an honor to do.” The National Center for Lesbian Rights website is www.nclrights.org
Sixth PrideFest Film Festival at USU PrideFest, Utah State University’s gay and lesbian film festival, begins April 22 and runs through the 26th. The event has been running for six years and offers some of the finest queer-themed film programming. “It is an incredible experience to bring films such as these to a small town such as [Logan],” said Tim Keller, PrideFest coordinator. According to festival organizers, this year’s festival includes excellent new films that have never before been seen in Utah, as well as some old favorites. On Friday, April 22 the festival will present Pumping Velvet, an artistic and autobiographical look at the life of Dustin Robertson, a gay man who produced music videos for some of the music industry’s hottest stars. According to Keller, “This film will make you feel uncomfortable, and also make you want to cheer,” no matter whether you are gay or straight. On Saturday, April 23, PrideFest presents the short features selections. These selections include Night Shadows, one of the first gay horror films, and Fairies, described as “one of the best short features I have ever seen” by festival coordinator
and Pride Alliance president Cy Martz. “It actually made me feel warm inside.” To find out more about PrideFest film festival, please visit www.usu.edu/pride/pridefest6.
USU 2005 Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Schedule FRIDAY, APRIL 22 2pm 4pm 7pm 9pm
Out in Nature Scouts Honor April’s Shower Pumping Velvet
SATURDAY, APRIL 23 12pm 2pm 4pm 7pm 9pm
In Good Conscience Short Features Includes: Night Shadows, Fairies, The Nite Life, The Blessing, Running Without Sound Eating Out “Gay But Not Gay” selection … title TBA Straight Jacket
MONDAY, APRIL 25 2pm 4pm 6pm 8pm
It’s Elementary Jim In Bold Last Call at Maud’s “Family Home Evening,” Logan High GSA fundraiser. Short features include The Crush, Fairies, Little Black Boot, He Bop, The Blessing.
TUESDAY, APRIL 26 2pm 4pm 6pm 8pm
Changing Our Minds In the Company of Women The Lost Generation Surge of Power
mandy@slmetro.com
film the Steffensens erased any remaining misconceptions about their being Mormon grandparents. “Homosex,” said Rob, leaning forward on the edge of his seat. “That’s all they see.” This couple is not ruled by the fear and ignorance that some in the queer community feel plagues the LDS church. The Steffensen’s standing as church members opens ears that would otherwise be resistant to the teachings of tolerance. They were once asked to speak to the bishopric, but the latest bishop is, according to Rob, “kind of a homophobe ... We have our job cut out for us all over again.” Kathryn spoke also of the backlash facing the nation at this point, and shares the depression of many that resulted from the last election. However, she called these setbacks “the last death throes,” and quoted Gary Watts: “We will win because we are right.” From the national to the personal, the Steffensens have it covered. When asked by an audience member how to deal with a resistant parent, they stressed, above all else, the importance of being happy, and sharing this happiness and self-acceptance with an unaccepting parent or family member. They advocate a gentle resistance. “Be kind to him,” Rob said to the audience member, “and love him, and don’t shut him out of your life.” The Steffensen’s message of acceptance is one that may be equally applied to and implemented by those who are struggling to come to terms with a gay family member as well as those who are gay themselves. To learn more visit: www.glbtccu.org or www. ldsfamilyfellowship.org
APRIL 22–26 University State University Taggart Student Center Auditorium www.usu.edu/pride
APRIL 14, 2005 ■ SALT LAKE METRO ■ 7
Rob and Kathryn Steffensen are exactly what they appear: an older Mormon couple whose focus rests on family and their LDS community. Why, then, were these fifthgeneration Latter-day Saints at the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgendered Community Center of Utah? The Steffensen’s youngest son, Erik, is gay. This news, delivered by Erik through tears when he was 22, rocked the Steffensens to their devout core. “He came out and we went in,” said Kathryn in the KUED documentary Friends & Neighbors: A Community Divided. “We went into a period of grief.” The documentary, produced by Colleen Casto, was shown at the Center on March 31, the first in a monthly series of documentary viewings and discussions. The Steffensens continued to appear out of context at The Center for the first few moments of the film, until Rob, who was seated next to a rack of gay magazines, said, “He’s the one in the front. There he is again.” Rob was identifying Erik in the family photos shown on screen. The second featured a small boy in high heels. Rob’s voice was that of any father’s, colored with love and pride. The Steffensen’s participation in a film that displays the struggle of Mormons who are either gay or whose family members are gay illustrates the fact that the Steffensens didn’t stay “in” for long. Indeed, these Mormon grandparents are co-founders, along with Gary and Millie Watts, of Family Fellowship, an organization that works to educate and preserve LDS families with homosexual members. During a discussion that followed the
PRIDEFEST 2005 Sixth Annual Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
Community Profiles Rob and Kathryn Steffensen by Mandy Q. Racer
Utah State University Pride Alliance presents
Publisher Michael Aaron Editor Jere Keys Arts Editor Eric J. Tierney
Opinion
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Gays and lesbians raised in the Catholic Church, like this writer, are going through a mixed bag of feelings as the death of Pope John Paul II is plastered on our television sets and the front pages of newspapers and magazines. “His death hit me, even though I don’t like anything he stood for,” Darryl Kalbaugh of “Does Your Mother Know” on Castro Street told Agence France Presse. As local Catholic parishes, in varying degrees, reach out to gay and lesbian worhippers, the Vatican makes statement after statement pushing us away. As groups like Dignity Gay and Lesbian Catholics thrive in parts of the U.S., the words and actions of the Pope cause our faith to wither. Anyone who has followed the Pope’s life knows him to be a good and thoughtful man. He is the most beloved Pope of this generation. I’m sure many gay and lesbian active and estranged Catholics made their way to mass or gave a silent genuflect in respect to the life’s work of the church’s patriarch. The harm he has done to our acceptance, however, will last for many years after his
passing. It is believed that the pontiff stacked the College of Cardinals, of which he appointed nearly all voting members, with conservatives. This means his successor is likely to be at least as conservative as he was on social issues. The Roman Catholic Church may be one of the slowest organizations in the world to embrace change and progress. It is obvious to most that any change will not come from the Vatican, but from the individual congregations as with most accepting religious organizations. To flee the church and abandon hope for it dooms it to remain in the dark ages, just as to leave the state of Utah, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or the Republican Party dooms them to remain in the dark ages. While it may seem to most that working within these groups is a futile exercise, it is an important one. Each person with knuckles bloodied from knocking at the doors closed and locked to them is the true believer. We should learn not to roll our eyes and shake our heads at them. They are our only hope.
’Til We Reach That Day by Jere Keys jere@slmetro.com
In the climatic act one finale of the musical Ragtime, the major characters stand over the body of a young black woman who has been beaten to death and sing, “Why does nobody care? There is blood in the air. We have voices and souls. What is wrong with this country? She was somebody’s child. There are negros out there, there are people out there. Give our people a day of peace, a day of pride, a day of justice we have been denied. Let the new day dawn, oh, Lord, I pray. We’ll never get to heaven ‘til we reach that day!” It’s a piece of music that never fails to give me chills. Nor can I listen to it without seeing the faces of community members who have been taken from us by AIDS, by violent hate attacks, by addiction to dangerous drugs, and by suicide. I wish I had the same eloquence to express my rage, my frustration, and my sorrow that our people are taken from us by the hands of apathy, hate, and intolerance. We’ve all heard the statistics. Queer people are more likely to die of these causes than nearly any other group of people living in the United States of America. There’s a danger in these statistics. Our opponents in the fight for equality, failing in their efforts to hide or dismiss this reality, have turned these studies against us. A few years ago in Nevada, I sat across from an anti-gay activist during a televised debate about same-gender marriage as he started spouting these same facts at me. Queer people are more likely to commit suicide, more likely to be addicted to drugs and alcohol, etc. For a moment, I was dumbfounded, believing that he was making my points for me. Then I realized he was trying to imply that it was being gay that led to these self-destructive behaviors. Wrong! The real culprit here isn’t a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, it’s smallminded people who never stop to think of the harm their disapproval, fear and ignorance is doing to the people around them. I blame Gayle Ruzicka and her ilk for every life lost to suicide, violence, or hate in this state. But I don’t hold them responsible for the work that must be done to solve this problem. That burden, my friends, remains with us. It’s past overdue for us to have a community-wide discussion about what we do and do not find acceptable anymore. I’ll start: I don’t find it acceptable that our schools, our statefunded agencies, and our research agencies are unwilling or incapable of providing verifiable data, assistance, and support for young queer people. As much as I love The Center, it cannot carry the burden of serving these needs for every citizen of Utah. I’ll tell you what else I no longer find acceptable: crystal meth. I’m not one to be overly prudish about a person’s right to choose what chemicals they put into their body, but Tina is a guest that should no longer be welcome in our homes. Crystal methamphetamine is a spreading cancer in the community that will ultimately become more destructive than even AIDS. And so I’m declaring it unacceptable. I certainly won’t put up with it from community leaders, I won’t put up with it in friends, and
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The Pope’s Legacy on Gays
From the Editor
See ‘Jere’ on page 9
Letters Babs Responds: Ben’s History is Off I have just read “The Pam Parson Scandal” in “Lambda Lore” [by Ben Williams, March 31-April 13], and “Lore” is correct since the facts are not. I’m afraid that what was presented as historical had its own editorial bent. The Parsons/Buck story was actually made public first at the University of South Carolina. Sports Illustrated (then Time, Inc.) picked up the story because Parsons was such a famous coach in the U.S. I was told they made further allegations that she traded favors to advance her students and paid to have her star athletes’ tests done by others to keep those athletes in good academic standings. What unraveled was that—male or female—she was practicing unethical academic and coaching standards as well as denying she was a lesbian. I did see the story break on KUTV and was infuriated that Parsons got on the stand, in federal court, and testified that she was not a lesbian and “that lesbians made her sick.” I did not “have a secret that she could not wait to tell” about Parsons or Buck. This is an editorial comment and not factual. Indeed, I never knew they had a secret. I didn’t follow basketball or sports. They were two women who came to Puss N Boots all summer to dance, and ended up being invited to spend the night at friends’ homes, to BBQs and parties. I did however,
Playing God by William Todd Park liam@slmetro.com
See ‘Babs De Lay’ on page 13
for a mere mortal to bring back an ailing person from death’s doorstep to the land of the living. Medical advances have made monumental leaps forward, making modern surgical procedures appear nothing short of miraculous. The medical profession has learned so many of the marvels of our human machinery, improving the quality and the length of our lives. While it’s true that some doctors have the proverbial god-complex, they still prove themselves to be all too human like the rest of us. Meanwhile, the realm of faith continues its role in ministering to the spirit, but more often than not, falling short in the healing department. Religion has had a rough time keeping pace with the fickle leanings of secular society, even more so when it comes to scientific progress. There’s a long legacy of persecuting innovation. Quintessential beautiful minds like Galileo, Copernicus, and Newton are by no means alone. As medical science has developed life-saving procedures, courage and brilliance on the part of these research pioneers have often been met with condemning words and open persecution by those who choose to interpret holy writ literally rather than in the figurative sense. Heart and brain surgery, for example, met with opposition by religious leaders as the heart and mind were considered to be the home of the spirit or soul. Blood transfusions and organ transplants are still on shaky theological grounds with some interpreting these exchanges as cannibalism. With Moral Majority founder Jerry Falwell in critical condition on a respirator, is God telling Falwell that his work on earth is done and bringing him “home,” or are the Reverend Falwell and his disciples shak-
Jere—’Til We Reach That Day continued from page 8
I won’t put up with it in this community. My message to anyone currently using: get help, and quit now. One last thing I declare anathema from this day forward: turning a blind eye to the struggles of our own. As a Unitarian Universalist, I believe in radical inclusiveness and that every single person has an inherent worth and dignity that must be respected. I’m not always great at this. I’ve ignored the signs of depression and possible suicidal behaviors among casual acquaintances. I’ve turned a blind eye to drug dependence and alcoholism in the community. I’ve politely refrained from commenting about the behaviors of my friends that put them at risk. Those were mistakes. It’s time for us to stop worrying about being polite and start sticking our noses into these situations. To act otherwise is to be just as apathetic about the deaths in our community as our most hateful and outspoken opponents. We’re no better than Fred “God Hates Fags” Phelps. We must stand up with one voice and declare that the time has come for our day of peace, our day of pride, our day of justice that has been denied. We will not be victims, we will not be casualties, and we will not have our worth and dignity taken from us. And so I beg you to become a part of this community-wide conversation. It’s time that we expect more of ourselves, and by doing so, can more effectively demand that they treat us with the respect we are owed. ing their collective fist at their Creator by having him on a machine that essentially breathes for him? Suffice to say, even those who claim to speak for God cannot be God. If there is a positive side to the Schiavo story, it is that these sensitive issues are being argued beyond the op. ed. pages and into workplaces, at dinner tables, and in the courts. There clearly is a point where medical ethics, religious dogma, and human decency can agree on the hotbed issues surrounding the end of life. Rationally discussing the unpleasant details is just the beginning of navigating the minefield to a happy middle ground. Non-traditional and same-sex couples should see this as an object lesson. Because a legal marriage existed, Michael Schiavo was able to walk into the hospital room unimpeded (by all but the media) and his rights as the spouse were upheld in court in the face of the numerous appeals lodged by Terri’s parents. It goes without saying that if the Schiavos had not been legally married, the shell that was once a vibrant woman would likely still be kept “alive” artificially. It’s also likely that this story would be a tiny blip on the media radar. A legally executed living will and powers of attorney can often bypass these very real obstacles, and they can be obtained at low or no cost. No one likes to engage in these awkward and unpleasant conversations, but working through the possibilities now will be far easier than allowing your significant other, parents, and children to face the gut-wrenching ambivalence in deciding whether to pull the plug. It will have been your decision and you will not be putting someone else in the unenviable position of having to play God with your life.
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During the past few weeks, morality and the law took another step toward invasion of one of the most intimate parts of life. One man’s struggle to allow his life partner a dignified and peaceful passing became a national circus and a cause célèbre to fundamentalist zealots. The February 1990 tragedy that left Terri Schiavo in a persistent vegetative state was compounded by her parents’ inability to face the reality of her condition and their intransigent refusal to let go. Both sides of the argument have made great points, but at the end of the day, the question remains: Who’s playing God with our lives? Is it playing God to remove feeding tubes, respirators, and other life support machinery or is it playing God to put someone on these systems in the first place? Doctors, lawyers, and family members are all caught in the middle of this damned-ifyou-do damned-if-you-don’t drama. Public-opinion-driven politicians weighed in as demigods and passed a bill to block the withdrawal of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube, but didn’t—pardon the expression—have the stomach to stick it out. Although they think themselves divine, the executive and legislative branches of the government are clearly not fit to play God, especially during election years. For years, doctors were on the business end of the accusing fingers. To the ignorant and insecure, it must have seemed god-like
after seeing the news, call the bar manager and met with her and 6 other women the next day. To my knowledge, all of those 6 women called KUTV after seeing the story and were just as infuriated that Parsons was testifying in federal court that she was not a lesbian and most importantly, saying “that lesbians made her sick.” When the 6 of us got together, we knew that Parsons was breaking the law via her testimony. She wasn’t just saying these statements to the press, this was testimony in federal court and she and her partner were suing for $75,000,000. All of us had been working, in our own ways, for gay rights in Utah. We wanted the laws to respect us, and we wanted hate crimes and hate legislation to disappear in our state. None of the other 6 women were out, but all of us knew someone had to come forth for Utah gays and our queer nation to say that these women were lying. We did not wish to gain our equality, our freedoms, via people who lied in court about their gayness—let alone potentially winning $75 million on the backs of those lies. I was the only one out publicly of the 6 and I agreed to go. The bar manager (who was a manager at a local utilities company and deeply in the closet at work) reviewed the membership log and pointed out Parsons’ and Buck’s signatures. That log, by the way, was only a signature book and had no information like addresses or phone numbers for any person who had walked into the door. I never told the Time attorneys I had a “smoking gun” (i.e. the membership log/ signature book). They interviewed several
Ruby Ridge Living youth, which apparently has been a huge success at other Pride celebrations around the country. Suddenly, I felt my age, bit by Ruby Ridge ruby@slmetro.com my tongue, and in the privacy of my own mind, I rolled my eyes skyward. Hip-hop So kittens, did you make it to the Kinsey culture makes perfect sense in certain cutting edge, urban environments, but Sicks show at the let’s face it petals: Utah isn’t one of them. Grand Theater last As for attracting youth, that has never week? If not, you ever been a problem for Gay Pride. The missed a fabulous youngsters are going to be anywhere there evening of a capella and politically incor- is a party, free music, and eye-candy. If any demographic is under-represented at rect raunch from Pride, it’s the gay men and lesbian women four drag queens who really know how to over the age of 35 (who are often couples work a room! Let me tell you, if those girls homesteading in suburbia), completely received royalties for every time a group disenfranchised from the young and the like the Cyber Sluts lip-synched one of restless target audience of their hysterically funny the festival. songs, they would be Pumpkins, I see more rich, rich, rich. I simply older gay couples at Pumpkins, I adore the Kinsey’s straight events like the warped humor, and see more older auto show, the spring their voices and home and garden show, gay couples at harmonies are really or the Concourse de amazing. I implore you straight events Elegance, than I do at to jump online (www. Gay Pride every year. kinseysicks.com) and like the Auto What’s up with that? Why pick up any of their Show, the Spring isn’t there any outrage CDs. My favorite is “I that the older folks are Want to Be a RepubliHome and excluded from the most can,” where Trixie sings Garden Show, or visible day of gay and an homage to Whitney celebration and Houston called “I Will the Concourse de lesbian community? Where is the Always Love Booze.” programming to attract Elegance, than I It is just so wonderthem? I want to know: fully wrong on so many do at Gay Pride Where are the older, levels that it even made long-term couples who every year. ME cringe! OK, enough have lived together for fawning and shilling years, long before Queer for the Kinseys. Eye and Will & Grace, What was really through sickness and in health, through interesting to me about the Kinsey Sicks religious persecution and REALLY politishow was who was in the audience. It cally intolerant times? Because they are was such a diverse grab bag of lesbians, the tenacious, loving, and truly proud bears, young faglets, couples, straights, role models our youth should be seeing and everything in between—and everyand emulating. Screw hip-hop! one seemed to be having a great time, no questions asked. At a planning meeting Ruby Ridge is one of the more opinionated for Pride 2005 a few days later, I fondly members of the Utah Cyber Sluts, a Camp Drag group of performers who raise funds and supthought about that happy mixture of folks. port local charities. Her opinions are her own The hard-working and diligent organizand fluctuate wildly due to irritability and ers were absolutely tickled to announce a McGriddles blocking her feeding tube. hip-hop dance area that would appeal to
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Proud Marys (Part 1)
AberRant Diplomacy and You are All my Customers” doing meeting with an unelected, myopic, fashion-impaired, white, garments-in-a-knot, nostril-flaring, frightened busybody when he couldn’t be by Laurie Mecham laurie@slmetro.com bothered to respond to 2000 multi-hued people who rallied against another effort This issue is supposed by The Man to mark them as different? I to be about pets, but swear, it makes me want to hack up half jeez, I already wrote a rawhide right here on the couch, which about them recently. I’m not supposed to be on, by the way. Still, the dogs keep Lola: What I really want is to sit in nosing my arm, forcing your lap like I did when I was a puppy my hand off the keyboard, because they while you caress me and let me lick you really, really need some attention and frantically, all over your face, with my have a great desire to be heard right this enormous slobbery tongue. minute! Therefore, given that this is the Maxie: But maybe it’s not even worth Metro’s pet issue, I will grant the puppies all this worrying about the local posome column space, but just this once! litical scene. After all, there is a much And if they ever chew up the deodorant stinkier smell to roll in at the national again, no more column! level. Nobody knows what to do about Lola: I love you. the freakish results of Dubya’s “No Child Maxie: I—just a sec, I need to scratch. Left Standing” program. And that whole Lola: I would like you to pet me a Lassie routine that whole bunch right George and the now. right-wingers just Maxie: I am anxpulled around the ious. Am I in trouble ‘It makes me tired, Terry Shiavo tragedy again? too. Some days I’m was as pitiful as—as Lola: Let me just freshly-neutered rest my chin on your too depressed to even aGreat Dane in a knee and let my lips dig up an expensive tutu. Don’t give me flop down. any Kibbles ‘N Bits Maxie: So the yellperennial.’ bullshit. Let’s talk ing is not about me? about Checks ‘N BalLet me guess—poliances. tics? I know you were Lola: I am going to mad about that Drivsneak upstairs and lie down on the bed. ing Privilege Card Bill, a.k.a. “No Driver’s Maxie: It makes me tired, too. Some License for you, Paco.” You said before days I’m too depressed to even dig up Governor Huntsman signed it into law he another expensive perennial. I know refused to meet with representative mithat we need to keep trying to improve nority groups such as Raz PAC. According the system, but sometimes it seems like to the Salt Lake Tribune, which I frequently shred, Jon’s spokesmodel, Tammy trying to get legislators of either party to freaking do something is about as useless Kikuchi, told folks that the guv simply as yelling, “Here, boy!” at a Labrador in a didn’t have time to meet with everyone. duck pond. I understand the time thing. I am mainly Lola: Well ... I could hump you. a home doggy. When I go out to the dog Maxie: (sighing) Sure. Why not? park, I realize that I probably don’t have time to become intimately acquainted Laurie Mecham spends a fortune on with every breed. But you can bet your interactive pet toys. best dress shoes that I’ll do everything in my power to sniff every last butt. Lola: Watch out, paperboy attack! BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK!!! Maxie: Oh, OK. Bark! So I get it, the governor’s busy, yada, woof. However, in spite of his oppressively hectic schedule, he was able to carve out a little slice of time for certain constituents recently. Before signing all but one of the bills that the LDS-lature passed in the last session, he made sure to meet with landfill developer—not landfill neighbor, not SUWA, not Nature Conservancy president—but LANDFULL DEVELOPER Fraser Bullock. And scratch my hindquarters and call me bitch, but he also made sure to have a meeting with Gayle Ruzicka! Lola: I want to lick you while you pet me. Maxie: What the hell is “Hi, I’m Mr.
Politics Gone to the Dogs
APRIL 14, 2005 ■ SALT LAKE METRO ■ 11
Lambda Lore Of Queens and Founding Fathers by Ben Williams
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ben@slmetro.com
We don’t celebrate April 19 anymore. April 19 is Patriots Day. In New England this is a big deal, but not so in Utah, where Pioneer Day is king of the holidays. Speaking of kings, it’s a little-known fact that after the revolution many of the “founding fathers” wanted to create an American monarchy instead of a presidency. Along with James Monroe, Alexander Hamilton was dissatisfied with the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and contemplated installing a liberal-minded monarch for the position of executive. Hamilton supported Prince Henry of Prussia, the younger brother of King Frederick the Great, for that post and sent diplomatic letters stating such. However, the 1787 Constitutional Convention convened to form a new Constitution before Prince Henry could reply, and the conventioneers rejected the concept of a monarchy. Had events turned out otherwise, America’s first king would have been a queen! Prince Henry, like his brother King Frederick, had never made much effort to hide his interest in young men—a 1789 exposé on the prince even explicitly referred to his “passion for pederasty.” The Prussian Court of King Frederick the Great was rife with “man-on-man” sex. In fact, one such Prussian aide to Frederick the Great, Baron Friedrich Wilhelm Von Steuben, came to America to help train the Continental Army. According to many sources, Von Steuben originally left Prussia under strong political urging because he had taken indecent liberties with various young men of whom he was overly fond. In America, he joined the Continental Army and later became Inspector General under George Washington. Von Steuben and Washington shared the bitter winter at Valley Forge 1777-1778. After the war, Congress voted him a pension and land in his retirement for being “indispensable to the achievement of American Independence.” Another Prussian, not as honored as Von Steuben, was Frederick Gotthold Enslin. In 1778 this lieutenant in George Washington’s army received a dishonorable discharge for attempted sodomy of another soldier. This is the only known case of sodomy in the Continental Army and was found in George Washington’s general orders dated March 10, 1778. “At a General Court Martial whereof Colo. Tupper was President Lieu. Ensiling of Colo. Malcolm’s Regiment tried for attempting Sodomy with John Moonwort, a soldier. Secondly for perjury in swearing to false accounts, found guilty of the charges exhibited against him being breaches of the 5th Article 18th section of the Articles of War and do sentence him to be dismissed from the service with Infamy. His Excellency the Commander and Chief approves the sentence and with abhorrence and Detestation of such infamous crimes orders Lt. Ensiling to be drummed out of Camp tomorrow morning by all the Drummers and Fifers in the army never to return; the Drummers and Fifers to attend on the Grand Parade at Guard mounting for that purpose.” The exposé expose’ on Prince Henry of Prussia noted that “the aristocracy of the army knows that with Prince Henry, the Ganymede’s shall always be in control.” Never heard of Ganymede? Your public school education has failed you. Or perhaps you
just slept through high school. Ganymede, of course, was the Greek youth who was so beautiful that Zeus fell in love with him and brought the teenager to Mount Olympus to serve the king of the gods’ every pleasure. Some historians—okay the gay ones—see Alexander Hamilton as a sort of Ganymede to George Washington, the father of our country! Indeed Hamilton, who was a young, handsome youth, quickly rose to power by flattering powerful older men during the Revolutionary War. Throughout George Washington’s life, he showed little interest in women. As a young, single man, he even told friends that there was only one woman he would ever consider marrying, and she was already married to his friend George William Fairfax. George eventually caved in to pressure, persuaded that it was unseemly for a public figure to remain unmarried. Thus he married a wealthy widow, Martha Cutis. And while known as the father of his country, Washington never actually fathered anyone. Washington’s closest attachments were always young men, particularly Alexander Hamilton. Throughout the Revolution, the young Hamilton served as aide-de-camp to the middle-aged Washington, serving as personal secretary and closest companion. However, Hamilton had his own romantic friendship with John Laurens, a well-heeled aristocrat from a prominent Charleston, South Carolina family. In 1776, at the age of 19, Hamilton became a captain of the American artillery, and in 1777 he joined General Washington’s staff, where he met 24-year-old Laurens. Laurens and Hamilton, both young revolutionaries and part of the close male circle surrounding General Washington, formed an intense and (many say) romantic attachment, which they revealed in letters written from 1779 to 1782. One, written April 1779 by Hamilton to Laurens, stated, “I wish, my Dear Laurens, it might be in my power by action rather than words to convince you that I love you. …You should not have taken advantage of my sensibility to steal into my affections without my consent.” Later in the letter, Hamilton asked Laurens to find him a wife. “To excite their emulation, it will be necessary for you to give an account of the lover—his size, make quality of mind and body, achievements, expectations, fortunes &c. In drawing my picture, you will no doubt be civil to your friend; mind you do justice to the length of my nose and don’t forget [five words are crossed out]. After reviewing what I have written I am ready to ask myself, what could have put it into my head to hazard this jet de follies. Do I want a wife? No—I have plagues enough without desiring to add to the number that greatest of all. And if I were silly enough to do it, I should take care how I employ a proxy … I have gratified my feelings, by lengthening out the only kind of intercourse now in my power with my friend. Adieu” Hamilton remained a trusted confidant of George Washington until they quarreled in February 1781, and on August 27, 1782, in a minor shoot-out with a British foraging party, John Laurens was killed at the age of 28. After the war, Hamilton and Washington renewed their friendship and Washington chose Hamilton to serve as first Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton was a founder of the Federal Party, advocating a strong central government. He was instrumental in securing the victory of Thomas Jefferson, his political foe, over Aaron Burr in the presidential elections of 1800, which led to Hamilton’s death in 1804 in a duel with Burr. Hamilton was 47 years old.
Babs De Lay continued from page 9
of us on the phone and also agreed that I would be the best person to travel to North Carolina—because I was OUT and didn’t have a job that would fire me for being gay. The owner of the bar, Hattie, did not give me the membership log. The attorneys requested the signature log, and the 6 of us agreed I should bring it. The bar manager provided it. It didn’t leave my sight in the 24 hours I was gone to testify and back. What was also important is that ALL the signatures on the page were blacked out EXCEPT Parsons’ and Buck’s (I still have a copy of it) and again, there was no address or phone information on the page. It was a signature log, not membership records. As a matter of fact, the attorneys I met with representing Time, Inc. told me on the way to court that if no one had come forward from Utah to testify of Parsons’ and Buck’s lies in federal court, they would have “turned Salt Lake upside down and subpoenaed the full membership records of not only Puss N Boots but the Sun Tavern and Radio City as well.” Membership records, with addresses, phones, etc. are far more revealing than a signature log. For me, hearing them threaten that potential witch hunt was chilling. Time, Inc. was one of the biggest corporations in the U.S. at that time and they had the money and resources to turn the Utah gay scene upside down and expose hundreds of gays. I don’t like to re-live the hell I went through at the hands of many gays in this community when I returned after the trial. I was banned from all gay bars for years here in Utah. Joe Redburn was the first owner to allow me to come back in any club, about three years after the trial. The Royal Court threw me out as a member of the Royalty and officer of the court. It was my testimony, and mine alone, that caused Parsons and Buck to not only lose their suit against Time, Inc and Sports Illustrated, but caused the federal Judge to find them guilty of federal perjury. On the other side of the coin, I received dozens of letters from judges, attorneys
and community leaders from around the country and Utah applauding my honesty in stepping forward and risking so much to stand up for the truth. And, as the Williams article stated, I received numerous and constant death threats for over two years. My phone was tapped because of the extreme threats I was receiving from local lesbians. I lived to tell about it, yet there are still gays in this community who will not speak to me or even be pleasant to me in social situations because of their judgment and bad information they conjured up about my actions. My 6 other friends who helped make the decision to testify are all great people who, 20 years later, are all out at work and to their families. Some of them even have jobs where their insurance benefits cover their same-sex partners and kids. We’ve come a long way in 20 years, individually and as a community, and it’s my belief we’ve only come this far by telling the truth. One particular letter I received from a California gay activist months after the trial said, “Without the truth, gays will never gain the respect and rights they deserve in this country.” Many have always wondered what would have happened had Parsons and Buck won their $75,000,000 libel suit against Time, Inc. Given that they denied being lesbians and that “lesbians made them sick,” I doubt they would have ever filtered their libel “winnings” down to the gay community. I didn’t receive any money for what I did and never expected to from the get-go. My motive was the truth. I have always worked quietly (usually) in Utah to better the lives of both gays and straights here through volunteerism and donations each and every day of my life and will continue to do so until the day I die. Most importantly, I always tell the truth and am proud to be a lesbian. I hope that Ben Williams, president of a historical society for gays here in Utah, will correct his facts for future generations of gays, lesbians and transgender people.
Queeriscaping Gardener, Heel Thyself by Brandie Balken brandie@slmetro.com
The cold turn this spring has taken may make you feel like the time to plant might never come, but fret not my gardening friends, as there are many things to be done. The general rule around these parts is not to plant until Mothers Day, or mid-May. This is the perfect time to start germinating your seeds indoors as most vegetables and perennials suggest germination indoors six weeks before planting. It’s best to begin with a commercially-prepared potting soil, which is sterilized and has the correct balance of nutrients and soil components. The best mix I’ve found is through Gardens Alive. It’s most convenient to plant a lot of seeds in a flat or a 6” to 8” container. Always follow the planting instructions to the letter—depth is critical! After your seeds are snugly planted, place them in the brightest window you have, preferably west or south. Make sure you water daily, as the top layer of soil will dry out quickly. After the first set of true leaves appear, it’s time to transplant the strongest seedlings into their own containers. Choose the seedlings with the strongest stems and the most vigorous looking leaves and gently transplant them into six packs or 4” grow
pots, discarding the rest. Continue to give them consistent water and as much light as possible and you’ll have wonderful young plants to move into the garden on May 15th. If you ordered potted plants or bare-rooted perennials from a catalogue, you’ll want to take a different approach. If the potted plants are hearty perennials, they can be planted now, but keep an eye on them and cover them if snow is forecast. If they’re not, it’s best to treat them like your seedlings. If you’ve ordered bare rooted perennials, they are currently dormant and should remain dormant until the danger of frost has passed. These plants can safely remain in their packaging for up to 2 weeks, if stored in a cool, shady location (a garage is good) and their roots are moistened every 3 days or so. In my opinion it is easier and healthier for the plants to “heel” them in. This is basically planting them in a temporary location to prevent them from breaking dormancy, and to prevent the roots from either drying out or rotting. Dig a V shaped trench in a protected and shady location. Make sure the area dug is large enough to completely cover the roots and give the plants enough space to breathe. Lay the plants in at an angle, roughly 45 degrees, and thoroughly cover the roots with soil without packing it down. Keep the soil moist, checking it every week or so, and when May 15th comes, you’ll have healthy roots ready to spring to life in your garden. It won’t be long now, blossoms. Spring is truly in the air! Brandie Balken is a horticulturist in Salt Lake City and can be seen at Cactus & Tropicals.
Babs De Lay Salt Lake City, UT
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CITY/STATE
Health SPECIAL FEATURE SECTION
Pets Have Health Benefits By David Samsel
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david@slmetro.com
Want to live a healthier, happier life? Own a pet. There are a lot of things to consider when thinking about getting a pet for yourself or your family. Owning a pet takes a great deal of responsibility, patience, and love. Pets aren’t for everyone—they require a lot of their owners—but they might give back more than you think. Studies have found pet owners to have lower blood pressure, lower triglyceride levels, and lower cholesterol levels than non-owners. People with pets are more active; whether it’s cleaning a fish tank or taking your dog out for a walk, pets require you do more than if you were taking care of only yourself. Studies have found that dog owners are likely to have lower stress levels, and while stress levels tend to rise and fall regularly, those people who owned dogs saw their stress levels come back down faster than those who did not. It’s true that a dog can, at times, be an owner’s greatest stressor. Some dogs do a fairly effective job of destroying furniture. It can be difficult when a dog is taking more prescription drugs than most people, and rarely will you find a dog that doesn’t have the occasional “accident” on the living room carpet. (It’s always the carpet, never the tile or hardwood floor!) Even taking into consideration all the drawbacks of owning a pet, there is one thing a pet gives you that very few human beings can: unconditional love. That’s the idea behind a San Francisco group called Pets Are Wonderful Support, or PAWS. This group offers a variety of different services to people living with
illnesses such as AIDS and cancer. PAWS helps people with diseases enjoy the benefits of a pet while minimizing the risks to health. They also facilitate adoptions. PAWS will also assist those in San Francisco who are too ill or weak to take care of their pets alone. Any person with a compromised immune system, as happens with AIDS, is more susceptible to zoonoses, diseases that spread from animals to humans. The benefits, however, far outweigh the risks of animal companionship. Realizing the risk factors, however, PAWS provides extensive information on their website about how to properly care for animals to avoid caching various zoonoses, particularly for people with compromised immune systems. The PAWS website also offers helpful and informative guidelines about selecting a pet—as well as which one to avoid. Birds, reptiles and non-human primates, for example, are particularly dangerous to people with AIDS as they are the most likely to carry diseases that can be passed on to humans. To learn more about PAWS, visit their website at www.pawssf.org. To learn more about the challenges and joys of pet ownership, ask around. Friends and coworkers will probably be the best source of information about the realities of pet ownership. Please consider the following places to adopt a pet: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, bestfriends.org/ No More Homeless Pets, utahpets.org Humane Society, of Utah, utahhumane.org
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by JoSelle Vanderhooft joselle@slmetro.com
ounselor Sherrie Burch remembers when the threat of suicide hit close to home. One of her relatives, a teenage girl, was having difficulty coming to terms with her lesbian sexual orientation, and her parents’ deep-seated religious convictions made it difficult to find a place to turn. “She was seriously thinking about committing suicide because she didn’t want to tell her parents,” remembers Burch, a suicide and HIV counselor at Las Vegas’ Community Counseling Center, which serves many members of the city’s LGBT community. Although the teenager’s story had a happy ending (she eventually came out with Burch’s support), this is not always the case for young lesbians who experience suicidal feelings. In their 1997 study that examined suicide attempts among 194 lesbian, gay and bisexual 15-21 year-olds in over a dozen queer groups, researchers Scott L. Hershberger and Neil W. Pilkington found that 43% of the surveyed females had tried to commit suicide at least once. Only 23% of the 194 surveyed youth were lesbian or female bisexuals. Just four years earlier, researchers Herdt and Boxer found that over half of the young lesbians attending Horizons, a Chicago social services support agency for gay and lesbian youth, had attempted suicide. Despite these and other studies, the National Institute of Mental Health says that determining the suicide rates of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals can be difficult for a variety of reasons. Despite the oft-quoted statistic that GLBT individuals comprise 10% of any population, the “proportion of the U.S. population that considers themselves gay, lesbian SUICIDE STATISTICS:
More than 321 people commit suicide in Utah every year. Utah ranks 13th in the nation for suicide rates. In Utah, suicide is the third leading cause of death for young men between the ages of 17 and 24, behind accidents and homocide. Suicide is the leading cause of death for males over the age of 85. Since 1956, suicide rates have increased 256 percent in Utah. For each female death by suicide there are 4.1 male deaths by suicide.
the orientation is a big issue because of coming out,” Burch says. “But as [lesbians] get older they’re just like everyone else. They have the same problems. But relationship problems might come out a bit more because when a relationship ends, it’s not like with heterosexuals where the pool of possible mates is huge. So that kind of gets scary. They can wonder, ‘Am I going to be alone for the rest of my life?’ And the end of a relationship sometimes can really make it seem more that [suicide] is a way out.” But suicide, as any clinician or counselor will tell someone, is never a way out. “It’s like the old adage, it’s a perma-
nent solution to a temporary problem,” Burch explains. While there may be few statistics about lesbians and suicide, there are a number or national and local organizations and programs available to gay women who have considered or attempted killing themselves. These include the Trevor Hotline, specializing in gay and lesbian youth suicide prevention at 1-800-850- 8078, and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Helpline at 1-888-340-4528. Although not gay and lesbian specific, Utah’s suicide hotline is listed in the Lavender Book. They can be reached at 261-1442.
Small Steps to Stop Suicide by Darren Tucker darren@slmetro.com
Suicide happens. And when it does, it affects dozens of people. Family, friends, and co-workers all mourn their loss and question the motives of a loved one who completes suicide, and they often do it alone. That’s the heart and soul of “Awakening Utah,” the walk for suicide prevention coming to Sugarhouse Park on Saturday, April 16. “It’s all about healing for people who are survivors or loved ones of people who complete suicide,” said Dr. Mack Gift, Executive Director of the Mental Health Association in Utah. “It has a profound impact on everyone who participates.” Perhaps it is the stigma associated with suicide, or feelings of guilt and anguish, but people do not talk about it, Gift said. “We are in denial about an enormous number of things in Utah.” Lissa Olsen, Executive Assistant for the Association, plans most of the walk. She said the group is making an extra effort to involve members of the queer community because suicide is such an issue for marginalized populations. Gift said suicide studies in Utah so far have never included statistics for homosexuals. “The same thing happened to Native Americans,” he explained. “These issues make it clear that our community has become very depersonalized.” “There is a tremendous amount of homophobia and discrimination,” Gift continues. “People don’t feel safe, protected or accepted. They need a sense of community and of place.” So another goal of the walk is suicide education and prevention. “People are afraid of suicide, there’s a stigma about talking about it. They’re afraid if the do it might be contagious.” But most of all, the walk is about healing.
“The walk helps you know you are not alone,” Olsen said. “They can’t believe the number of people who are involved. Some walk, some jog, but all are healing in their own way.” Sometimes the effects are even more profound. Olsen spoke of a woman who was planning to commit suicide. As she was leaving her home, resolved to end her own life, a friend called and asked if she would participate in the walk. “Meeting people experiencing the same feelings and realizing there was help out there changed her life,” Olsen said. “Today she’s alive, happy, and doing really well.” This is the event’s third year. From about 80 people the first year, to more than 800 people expected this year, the walk is raising suicide awareness one person at a time. Open registration begins at 10:00 am, with an opening ceremony at 11:00. The walk begins at 11:30 with brunch at 1:00 and the closing ceremony at 1:30. All proceeds from the walk benefit suicide prevention efforts by the MHAU. “It’s amazing to see the change that comes about during the walk,” Gift explained. At the beginning, there a lot of tears and sadness ... toward the end it’s happier as people discover the common ties they have.” To find the walk, look for the big “Saturn” dome tent. Community partners for the event include Saturn Car Company, Caring Connections, Clearfield Jobcorp, the Center, Eli Lilly, Inc., IHC Health Plans, Legacy Group, Juvenile Justice Services, M&M Distributing, the University of Utah, Utah Libraries Association, and Westminster College. For more information visit http://www.xmission.com/~mhaut/suicide%20prevention%20 III.htm
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On average, one person will commit suicide in the United States every 17.2 minutes.
or bisexual” is still unknown. Further, “[s]exual orientation is a personal characteristic that people can, and often do choose to hide,” making this part of them difficult to determine. While Burch agrees there is currently no surefire way to know how many lesbians attempt suicide each year, suicide still affects lesbians of all ages. “More women actually attempt suicide,” she explains. “But more men succeed because they use more lethal methods,” such as handguns—a rarer method for women who often attempt to poison themselves or overdose on medication. Despite these dire statistics, Burch still says she sees more gay men than lesbians for suicidal thoughts related to sexual orientation. And even when she does see women, it’s often because a concerned loved one has brought them in for counseling. “You’d think that guys would be more reluctant to come in because of the macho image kind of thing,” she says. “But I think it might be [because] the women, when they do come in, they’re really in desperation. It takes more for them to come in than it does for the men.” Why would it take more? “It’s often women who are the head of the household, the nurturer, [the one] taking care of the kids so it’s a harder drop for them when they can’t do that,” Burch explains. “They might be emotionally dissociating because they’re trying to figure out ‘Who am I? I’m gay, I’m supposed to be the mother, I’m supposed to have children, and I’m supposed to be the nurturing one.’ And in some cases they think they can’t do that.” While suicidal feelings relating to sexual orientation can affect lesbians of all ages, not just youth, Burch says, other problems can also cause lesbians to feel suicidal. These include depression and drug and alcohol abuse. “It’s like which came first the chicken or the egg,” she says. “Did the depression come before the drugs and alcohol or did the drugs and alcohol create the depression? A lot of times it’s because of the depression. They get on the drugs and alcohol and their inhibitions are down. They may commit suicide when they’re high or drunk because they don’t have the common sense to say, ‘Wait a minute! I can do something else besides kill myself.’” For older lesbians, the end of a romantic relationship can also trigger suicidal feelings. “I think maybe when they’re younger
rainforest, from insects to towering plants. The New York Times itself calls the piece “a breath of fresh air.” Coming from a New Yorker, that’s really saying something. 7:30pm through Saturday, Eccles Center for the Performing Arts, 1750 Kearns Blvd., Park City. Tickets $15–50 at 355-2787 or arttix.org
THE GAY AGENDA by Eric Tierney, eric@slmetro.com
14THURSDAY REPERTORY DANCE THEATRE invites you to join them this week on a VOYAGE to places unknown—through dance! Yes, those local modern masters will be taking us on “an excursion to places real and imaginary” without ever leaving the Rose Wagner, largely through the intrepid work of choreographers Molissa Fenley and Stephen Koester. This trip will be more stimulating than a weekend in Wendover, and less costly both financially and morally. 8pm through Saturday, Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 W. Broadway. Tickets $25 at 355-2787 or arttix.org
On a more sober note, Utah AIDS Foundation is bringing in Susan Kingston of Seattle’s Drug Use and HIV Prevention Team for a candid discussion on CRYSTAL METH IN THE GAY MALE COMMUNITY. Kingston is a national trainer and consultant known for her humerous, tell-it-like-it-is presentation style that will get you thinking. 6:30pm, Salt Lake City Main Library, 210 E. 400 South, fourth floor conference room. Free to the public. 487-2323 or utahaids.org
15FRIDAY Spring is pretty much here, but for those of you who require an early foliage fix, I suggest ASFBC-RAINFOREST ODYSSEY, a ballet featuring all the denizens of the
If you’re a dance lover, this is certainly the weekend for you. Yet another company will open a new piece as WASATCH DANCE COLLECTIVE presents the ambitious HUSH. Through a combination of dance, physical theatre and ambient noise, the piece will explore “myths, table manners and what your mother never taught you,” etc. The company hopes that the piece will be “an affirmation of life and an embracing of mortality.” Sounds a little heavy for me. I’ll probably stick to the dancing toucans. 8pm through Saturday, 7pm Sunday, Leona Wagner Black Box Theatre, 138 W. Broadway. Tickets $14 at 355-2787 or arttix.org
Whenever people in the Outside World express shock that Salt Lake has any kind of active gay community at all, I love to tell them about events like LIVE MUSIC AND COMEDY NIGHT WITH LORRAINE AND KATHERINE—comedy from up-and-coming local standup Katherine Bayard followed by music from her partner, acclaimed local musician Leraine Horstmanschoff (g’bless you.) Such a dynamic duo is impressive for any city, but especially for Salt Lake when you consider that Leraine is a virtuosic musician who’s proficient on the didgeridoo. The didg, man! 7:00pm, The Center, 361 N. 300 West. Admission is free, donations welcome. 539-8800.
16SATURDAY In the highly sophisticated world of cultural stereotypes, lesbians are typically regarded as about as light-hearted as Pol-Pot and only slightly less militant. As those of us who’ve actually interacted with lesbians can tell you, this is not so. If you know anyone who needs proof, invite them to the Center tonight as SWERVE, a group of lesbian social activists, presents CLUB SWANG, where all who attend will learn Latin dances. Bring your ID to prove you’re over 21 and you can even hit the sauce!
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8pm, The Center, 361 N. 300 West. Admission is free, donations welcome. 539-8800.
At General Conference earlier this week, LDS Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley spoke out against gambling and said, “The pursuit of a game of chance may seem like harmless fun. But there attaches to it an intensity that actually shows on the faces of those who are playing. And in all too many cases this practice, which appears innocent, can lead to an actual addiction. The Church has been and is now opposed to this practice.” Well, within days of that announcement, we sold out our first METRO FABULOUS FUN BUS TO WENDOVER WITH THE CYBER SLUTS. Missed the opportunity to go? The next Fun Bus leaves in May, so watch closely for announcements. Leaves Club Try-Angles (a private club for members) at 1pm and returns by 11pm. slmetro.com/funbus
As part of their pride week activities, Salt Lake Community College is hosting a prom-like dance themed “IMAGINE.” They promise a DJ, a photographer for those who want to have a reminder of their horrible outfit and chintzy corsage, refreshments, and raffle prizes. 8:30pm, Salt Lake Community College Redwood Campus Student Events Center, 4600 S. Redwood Road. Tickets $5 at the door.
17SUNDAY Whenever I find myself with nothing to do with myself on a Sunday afternoon, which is typically when I’ve run out of mimosas and it’s too early for mojitos, I stumble over to the Golden Braid bookstore for their fabulous arts talks. This Sunday’s event is called MISADVENTURES OF A RECKLESS RECLUSE and is described as “a true story about a real man as told by a fictional character. An unauthorized biography.” That’s all the information I could find, and it doesn’t mean much to me, but I should be just sauced enough that it shouldn’t matter. See you there! 4pm, Golden Braid Bookstore, 151 S. 500 East. Admission is free. 521-0055.
19TUESDAY Seems these days that fewer and fewer of my younger gay contemporaries are listening to Ani or Erasure, but more and more are getting into Fifty and his ilk. Which is why I think it would behoove me to mention, although it is contrary to everything in my nature, that SNOOP DOGG will play da’SLC tonight, bringing along THE GAME, who is by all accounts a fine young man. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather come over and listen to an Indigo Girls record with me? No? I’m a stranger in a strange land. 7:30pm, E Center, 3200 S. Decker Lake Drive. Tickets $37 at 800-888-8499 or smithstix.com.
20WEDNESDAY You know, when I was sixteen or so and saw THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE for the first time, I was enchanted. The sight of Carol Channing nose-diving in that plane, her raspy little voice screeching “Raspberries!” was ... well, very, very funny. “You know,” I thought, “someone you should put that show on stage. The universe was listening, and now you may bask in my karmic largesse. The toe-tapping flapper musical sets up shop in Salt Lake this week. No Mary Tyler Moore, no Julie Andrews, but the same catchy tunes. 7:30pm through Thursday, 2pm matinee Thursday, 8pm Friday, Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South. Tickets $30–52.50 at 355-ARTS.
21THURSDAY As the winner of the 1988 Hillcrest Elementary School Spelling Bee, I can vouch for spelling as a corker of a good time. Only thing that could make it better would be homos. Hey, what’s that? Why, it’s the QUEER SPELLING BEE, sponsored by the University of Utah’s GLBT Resource Center. In addition to spelling queer
words, they’ll be eating yummy appetizers. Sounds like F–U ... you get the idea. 7pm, Panini Restaurant, 299 S. Main Street. Suggested donation $5. 587-7973.
22FRIDAY My very first day in New York City was Pride Day 1999, when I had just turned 20. That day was a sacred day, for I saw MARGARET CHO in the flesh, atop a glitzy float, surrounded by half-naked young men. Tonight the Goddess of the Gays will reveal herself to us at MoDiggity’s. Come worship. 7 and 10pm, MoDiggity’s—a private club for members, 3424 S State Street. Tickets $30 in advance, $40 at the door, at 832-9000 or modiggitys.com.
KINGS OF LEON is a really, really good band and you would do well to go see their show. I’ll bet they’d like me just to leave it at that. 7pm, In the Venue, 219 S. 600 West. Tickets $16 in advance or $20 day of show, at 359-3219 or smithstix.com
23SATURDAY If you read our article on artist SACHA SACKET this week (page 19), then you know how good he is and why you should go to his show at Barnes and Noble tonight. The show also happens to be a benefit for the University of Utah’s LGBT Resource Center Library because a percentage of all B&N sales for the event will go to the library. Good music, good deed. 7:30pm, Barnes and Noble Sugarhouse, 1104 E. 2100 South. Admission is free, donations welcome. Sales from 6–10pm count toward donation. 587-7973.
25MONDAY If you disagree with me that VELVET REVOLVER is the worst band name in the history of music, then you might be interested to know that very band is playing Salt Lake tonight. The rest of us will just sit here and quietly judge your taste. 8pm, E Center, 3200 S. Decker Lake Drive. Tickets $25–35 at 800-888-8499 or smithstix.com.
27WEDNESDAY MOBY. Some have said, perhaps hyperbolically, that he may well be the Mozart of the Revolution. The one who will not be televised. But hopefully, if Moby composes the soundtrack, broadcast. Come see the man tonight and hear it for yourself. You’ll get it. 7pm, In the Venue, 219 S. 600 West. Tickets $22 at 359-3219 or smithstix.com
7:30pm through Thursday, Marriott Center for Dance at the University of Utah, 330 S. 1500 East. Tickets $7–10 at 581-7100 or arttix.org
connection.” In addition, Bam Bam & Celeste, a movie written by Cho is currently in argaret Cho is back on the production. Principal photography concert stage this spring, has wrapped and a late 2005 release is slaying audiences nationexpected. wide with her brand new Bam Bam and Celeste is the first one-woman show Assassin. Assassin fiction screenplay written by Margaret features fresh doses of Cho’s always Cho and stars Cho and Bruce Dangroundbreaking, controversial and iels (Margaret’s friend and opening hilarious brand of humor. act for whom she wrote the part of Says Margaret, “It’s a raw interpretaBam Bam), and is directed by Lorene tion of what’s happening daily in our Machado, Margaret’s longtime creative ever-evolving or devolving state of the collaborator on her concert films. Adunion.” ditional cast includes Alan Cumming, Indeed, the show itself will change John Cho, Kathy Najimy, Jane Lynch, as events of the day unfold but it will and Danny Hoch. include some of the crowd pleasing In Bam Bam and Celeste, Celeste routines from her critically acclaimed, (Cho) and Bam Bam (Daniels) escape Fall 2004, State of Emergency Tour, that their Midwest hometown on an epic kicked off at The Apollo Theatre (The road trip to New York City. There they New York Times called it “Murderously take on their high-school nemeses— Funny!”) then visited swing states prior now the dictators of the world-famous to the election. Salon Mirage—and discover that true Cho is as political as ever on her beauty lies within. Along with Celeste, tour, wearing a beret and posing like Margaret also plays Mommy, Patty Hearst after she was the impersonation of her own kidnapped and became a MARGARET CHO mother cherished by Margaret’s terrorist known as Tanya. 7 and 10pm, April 22 fans. “I love Patty Hearst; MoDiggity’s “The movie is a bit autobioshe’s so hot,” Cho told the 3424 S State Street. graphical, like everything I do,” Zap2it.com, although she $30 in advance, $40 Cho said. “It’s about my wild hasn’t met the heiress who’s at the door. days in the ’80s and my best now a mom and appears in 832-9000 or buddy.” John Waters films. “That’s modiggitys.com. In 1999, Margaret’s groundwhen terrorism was cute. breaking smash-hit oneIt’s a nostalgia thing.” woman show I’m The One That Cho will be making a I Want played off Broadway, toured stop in Salt Lake on April 22, appearing the country, and became a best selling at MoDiggity’s Sports and Music Club book and a feature film that grossed for Women (a private club for memmore per print than any film in history bers). Cho has been long beloved by ($1.4 million with only nine prints). the queer community. Having grown 2001 marked the launch of a 37 city up in San Francisco, she remains an tour for Cho’s second show, Notorious outspoken advocate of queer equalC.H.O. Notorious C.H.O. culminated ity—although she doesn’t hesitate to with a concert at Carnegie Hall which poke fun at the community either. was taped for a double-sided CD Still, it’s done in good spirits, unlike release in 2002 and a second feature her frequent outbursts about the Bush film. In 2003, Margaret’s Revolution presidency. tour grossed over 4 million in ticket “Face it, people can’t find comfort sales, played in over 60 cities. The CD with government and the administraversion was nominated for a Grammy tion,” said Cho. “I think a show like and the DVD sold 100,000 units within mine is important to give people a 2 months of release. sense of levity about everything. To offer hope, maybe, and some kind of by Jere Keys
jere@slmetro.com
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By now, you all know the UNIVERSITY OF UTAH’S MODERN DANCE PROGRAM is amongst the finest in the nation and that their work is always astounding. So you’ll know how cool it is that tonight the department presents its first-ever ALUMNI CONCERT, featuring graduates from as far back as 1970 and as recent as 2004. Thirtyfour years of fine dancin’ ladies and gentlemen. Go see what you’ve been missing.
CHO down at Mo’s
EarPiece Songs for Spring by Eric J. Tierney eric@slmetro.com
Like the character played by the immortal Jack Black in High Fidelity, I am prone to making lists of my favorite music, books, movies, etc. (The physical resemblance is becoming all too close as well—observe the photo to the upper left. It’s not as bad in person, I assure you!) With daylight savings time upon us, I have begun spending the golden hours on my front porch, listening to my favorite springy tunes. That extra hour of sunlight brings with it a multitude of joys, and chief amongst for me is sitting in my rocking chair with a glass of something summery—a nice pinot grigio is best—and letting the twilight and some nice sounds enfold me. It also brings bees, though. Man, I hate bees. To help you have your own gloaming full of musical bliss, I’ve decided to share a list of Ten Great Songs for a Spring Evening. Not my top ten, mind you, which is an important distinction, but ten suggestions to add some ambience to your afternoon:
amazing harmonies and dense instrumentation will send you into ecstasies. 4. “LULLABY,” Ben Folds Five. Sweet, gentle and oh-so-very-lovely. You’ll want to cuddle up with whoever is nearest, and the sunset will never have looked so beautiful. I’m saying that with a straight face, believe it or not. 3. “STAY,” Dave Matthews Band. I know it is no longer fashionable to like “DMB,” but those guys write fantastic songs. “Stay” makes you wanna ... makes you wanna ... well, it makes me wanna waste some time in the sun and convince myself that winter is gone for good. 2. “MOTORCYCLE DRIVE BY,” Third Eye Blind. Not the greatest band, to be sure, but this is one hell of a great song. Best for a warm and slightly rainy twilight, it calls to mind all the warm and slightly rainy twilights of your life and is guaranteed to make you feel better about anything and everything. 1.“GHOST,” Indigo Girls. This is the Holy Grail of spring/summer evening songs. Wait until just about sunset to put it on, so it begins in the sunlight and ends in
10. “PASSENGER SEAT,” Death Cab for Cutie. Listen to this one, think of your late nights with a high-school sweetheart and try, just try, not to get all misty. 9. “GET OUT THE MAP,” Indigo Girls. You will find yourself fighting off an urge to jump into the car and just drive man ... just drive. 8. “CAR,” Built to Spill. Maybe the best song ever by one of the world’s most under-appreciated bands, and although I don’t espouse the use of illegal psychotropic substances, I love the lyric, “I wanna see it when you get stoned on a clouded, breezy desert afternoon.”
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7. “MIAMI,” Counting Crows. This one has it all: Rock song. Ballad. Joy. Sorrow. The imagery is fantastic, the melody intoxicating, the arrangement awing; a great song from a great band. 6. “KNOXVILLE: SUMMER, 1915,” Samuel Barber. Y’all need a bit more culture, don’t ya? Barber, maybe the twentieth century’s best composer, set a prose poem about a child’s summer evening with his parents to heartbreaking melodies. Look for the version sung by superdiva soprano Kathleen Battle. 5. “LET DOWN,” Radiohead. I could not make a list of anything musical without including a song by The Best Band of All Time. If you don’t listen too carefully to the lyrics, which aren’t exactly heartwarming (this is Radiohead, after all), the
Indigo Girls
the gloaming. You’ll feel absolutely connected to everything around you, you’ll ache for lost love, you’ll feel the thrill of new love, and you’ll need another glass of wine when it’s over. Oh what the hell, here’s a bonus: “ACROSS THE UNIVERSE,” the Beatles. The Fiona Apple version is perhaps superior. In a pinch, you can use the Rufus Wainwright cover. But whoever does it, this is the kind of song that makes you turn to the person sitting next to you and say, “This is what it’s all about, man.” Yes. Yes it is. That should be enough to get you going. If you have suggestions for other great tunes for a spring or summer evening, pass them along and I’ll be happy to share them with the mass of people who read every week. So until next time, if you need me, I’ll be on the front porch with my headphones on, screaming like a girl at the bees swarming the tulips.
Who Is This Sacha Sacket? loitering in the periphery of pride festivals where he has performed, he can’t recall a moment where it has been a predicament. When I first heard that Sacha Sacket was Finding an audience to listen hasn’t coming to Salt Lake, I’ll admit I had no seemed much of an issue, either. It’s been idea who he was. Despite a recent flurry even less a problem at college campuses, of press attention, I was unfamiliar with where venues are likely to be in areas his music or his career. readily accessible to the student body. Thank Al Gore for the internet. Before Thanks to a decent amount of public speaking with the touring Sacket, I had a chance to look around his website and get relations, word gets out quickly in smaller a better idea of both Sacket and his music. towns and Sacket says there always seems to be an audience. The website is mostly centered on the lat“I’ve played in L.A. and San Francisco est of his two albums, Shadowed. where there is a certain feeling of apathy,” Among other things, the website lists he admits. “The smaller towns usually the different tracks off his latest album, get ignored, so when performers travel and is set up so that you can listen to the through, they are much more appreciasongs and read brief descriptions of them tive. It’s actually pretty fun.” as well. After a quick listen to a few tracks, Now is the time to mark your calendars: it was easy to establish that while indeed Sacket will be rolling into Salt Lake on he may be another pretty face, there is Saturday, April 23, performing plenty of musical talent to back at the Sugarhouse Barnes and it up; the boy has been singSACHA SACKET Noble. The show, which starts at ing and playing the piano for 7:30pm, April 23 7:30 p.m., is free of charge and twenty years, and it shows. Sugarhouse Barnes benefits the University of Utah and Noble A read-through of the omi1104 E. 2100 South LGBT Resource Center Library. nous lyrics is the first clue to the Free of charge. A portion of book sales from theme of this album: acute Donations benefit that night will be donated to the heartache and heartbreak. the University of Utah University program. Despite the broad notion of LGBT Recource Cetner Sacket will be performing brooding melancholy preLibrary “bistro” style next to the café in sented in his music, in talking the back of the store. For those with the openly gay Sacket, he not familiar with the setting of the bookseems cheerful, realistically balanced, and store or its café, it would be prudent to extremely nice. When pressed about the show up and order your sugar free skinny psychology behind the lyrics of Shadowed, vanilla lattes early, as the area is prone to he offered nothing short of the truth. filling up quickly. “My first album, Alabaster Flesh, was After the performance, Sacket will be more intellectual. It had a lot of walls, and signing copies of his albums—the good was about me having to be right all the folks over at the Sugarhouse Barnes and time,” he said. “With Shadowed, I’d had Noble have assured me that copies are a bad breakup with an addict, and I was confronting myself on my issues. I needed already on hand and for sale in the music section. to be emotionally open ... more vulnerThough his tour has centered on the able. It was like therapy.” release of Shadowed, Sacket confessed Since the release of Shadowed, the that he feels ready to move on. twenty-six year-old singer has been “I’ve done a lot of driving, seen a lot touring, everywhere from the west coast of things, and feel like I’ve been able to to college campuses of red-state middle grow,” he said, now at the tail-end of his America, where, Sacket says, the receptour. “It will be nice to get home and work tion has been, for the most part, positive. on new material.” The fact that he is open about his sexuality hasn’t seemed to pose any problems. For more information on Sacha Sacket, visit Other than the usual plague of protesters his website at www.sachasacket.com by Brendan Shumway brendan@slmetro.com
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Di ing Guide Dining de SALT LAKE CITY, UT
Fiddler’s Elbow
Café Med
1063 E. 2100 S. / 463-9393
420 E. 3300 S. / 493-0100 HOURS: SU-TH 11AM-9PM F-SA 11AM-10PM CUISINE: MEDITERRANEAN PRICE: $ CARDS: TC AE D MC V
M-TH 11AM-11PM F-SA 11AM-12AM SU 9AM-10PM CUISINE: AMERICAN PRICE: $ CARDS: TC AE D MC V
fiddlerselbowslc.com HOURS:
Persian, Greek, Italian, Turkish 32 beers to choose from, inand Vegetarian in a warm, cluding Utah’s best selection relaxing atmosphere. of microbrews.
Coffee Garden
Michelangelo Ristorante
898 S 900 E / 355-3425 HOURS: SU-TH 6AM-11PM F-SA 6AM-12AM CUISINE: COFFEEHOUSE PRICE: ¢ CARDS: AE D MC V
2156 S, HIGHLAND DR./ 466-0961
michelangeloristorante.com HOURS: CUISINE: PRICE: CARDS:
TU-SA 11:30AM-1:30PM 5:45-9PM ITALIAN $$ AE D MC V
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SLC’s buzzing java shop with Begun by childr\hood friends a diverse crowd. Sandwiches, Paulo Celeste and Marco desserts, sidewalk dining. Gabrielli of Tuscany.
Nick-N-Willy’s Pizza
Panini
4538 S, HIGHLAND DR./ 273-8282
299 S. MAIN ST. / 535-4300
nicknwillyspizza.com
panini.us
SU-TH 11AM-10PM F-SA 11AM-12PM CUISINE: PIZZA PRICE: $ CARDS: AE D MC V HOURS:
HOURS:
CUISINE: RESERV.:
M-F 11:30AM-3PM M-TH 5-9PM F-SA 5-10PM ITALIAN, SEAFOOD SUGGESTED $$$ TC AE D MC V
Dine in or take-out. Call PRICE: ahead and we’ll have it ready. CARDS: Albertsons Shopping Ctr. Robust Italian fare in an elegant atmosphere with a Orbit Cafe tasteful, contemporary vibe. 540 W. 200 S. / 322-3808
orbitslc.com
Salt Lake Pizza & Pasta
SU-TH 11AM-10PM F-SA 11AM-3AM CUISINE: AMERICAN ECLECTIC PRICE: $ CARDS: TC AE D MC V
1063 E. 2100 S. / 484-1804
HOURS:
saltlakepizzaandpasta.com M-SA 11AM-11PM SU 11AM-10PM CUISINE: ITALIAN PRICE: $ CARDS: TC AE D MC V HOURS:
Open late nights on Fridays and Saturdays with DJs and a special menu. Voted as Utah’s Best Pizza two years in a row! Great beer selection. Sugarhouse.
Red Iguana by Vanessa Chang Vanessa@slmetro.com
ADDRESS: 736 W. North Temple, SLC PHONE: (801) 322-1489 HOURS: Monday-Thursday 11:00am-10:00pm Friday-Saturday 11:00am-11:00pm Sunday 10:00am-9:00pm All credit cards accepted Reservations taken for parties of 6 or more
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Go to Red Iguana on a Saturday night and you’ll encounter massive hordes waiting for a coveted floral vinyl-topped table. Try your luck on a Thursday or Monday night and it’s the same. You’ll have to wait in the margins of the main dining room, pretending not to stare at the lucky bastards who already have platters of nightly specials and Ramon’s fish tacos. This place is always packed. Yet, the suffering doesn’t last very long—you usually never end up waiting for more than half an hour before sitting down to possibly some of the best Mexican food in the region. For those whose palate for Mexican food formed from drive-thru windows and insistence on mild everything, this may be a literal culture shock. But the Cardenas family rewards you with satisfying creations carrying the self-branded title of “imperial Aztec cuisine.” Though flashy and exotic to eyes, ears, and mind, it bears no resemblance to haute cuisine and all its trappings. It is the humblest of culinary pleasures—celebratory eats for some, unequivocal comfort food for others. To sit in the dining room is to submerge in the cacophony that is uniquely Red Iguana. Like being in the middle of huge bubbling pot of posole, you churn in the energy of diverse patrons, the crack and sizzle of plates hot from the line, and the efficient-but-frantic pace of the servers. Visually, the interior is as much a feast as the food. There’s nary a white wall in sight; they’re all covered with intense hues, regional Mexican craftsmanship, autographical graffiti of celebrity diners, and photos of the late Ramon Cardenas, Jr. A combination of low-lighting, red walls, and pierced-tin
votives make for an almost transcendental experience, a color-saturated mellow acid trip that’s highlighted with the incredible cuisine the kitchen manages to churn out each and every night. A lot of the menu is familiar for those who enjoy Mexican food. The real gems, however, are in items lesser known to the average diner s repertoire. Bites of cochinita pibil (shredded roasted pork basted with achiote) and pescado a la Veracruzana (a fish of the day sprinkled with sesame seeds, paprika, sautéed and served with a tomato-based sauce of chile guero, garlic, oregano, and green olives) attest to the title imperial Aztec cuisine. If you re mole-curious, ask for a sampler and you ll get a smattering of each in a lovely color wheel. From there you can gather how much spice you can handle with chicken, pork, or turkey. Amarillo is a spice-freak s delight with enough potency to induce sweating with one whiff. On the other end of the spectrum, the red pipian is delightfully sweet, redolent with peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and chiles. The negro is a favorite, imbued with smoky chiles, fennel seeds, and Mexican chocolate, especially when doused over pockets of refried beans and corn tortillas as in the enmoladas. If history had a flavor, surely this would be it. My dining companion is a champion of the enchiladas suizas that boasts a beautiful texture and flirtatious play between the sweet heat of the mole poblano and the cooling kiss of sour cream and avocado. And it would be sacrilege to pass a meal without a cold Dos Equis or Modelo. For dessert, flan is dense and rich in a pool of thin caramel sauce. The addictive tres leches cake looks unassuming, but the sweet condensed milk in its crumbs elevate to ethereal standards. The only drawback (other than everyone wanting to eat here at the same time, all the time) is that the service can sometimes be harried. Turnover is key here. But with polite words (“No, I am not done, thank you.”) or a passive-aggressive look (“Bitch, don’t touch my mole!”), you can re-set the pace and savor the food.
Red,White Bubbly Bloggy Goodness by Beau Jarvis beau@slmetro.com
Web logs, or “blogs,” are slowly oozing into the mainstream. If you are not an ultramega-geek like me, chances are you’ve never heard the word “blog,” let alone actually seen one. Blogs are simply online journals kept by web denizens on a variety of topics. Many are incredibly inane; a few are quite interesting. Personal and political blogs have been the kings and queens of blogdom for some time. Yet, lucky for us hedonists, wine and food blogs are multiplying like rabbits. There are literally thousands of culinary blogs now hopping down the information highway. If you are a blog virgin, it’s easy to get lost in all the fluff (Had enough bunny analogies yet?). Allow me to present you with a mini-guide of my favorite food and wine blog offerings.
FOOD BLOGS Accidental Hedonist (www.accidentalhedonist.com)—Managed by Kate in Seattle. This blog is part cookbook, part culinary history textbook, and part social commentary. Aside from offering mouthwatering recipes such as Pollo Trifolata, Kate explains the history behind each recipe. The Hedonist also offers commentary and links for those interested in being socially conscious while stuffing their pie holes.
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Chocolate & Zucchini (chocolateandzucchini.com)—C&Z is named after the author’s two favorite baking ingredients. It’s a blog written by Clotilde, a young Parisian, and it is offered in both English and French. Not only does it offer a window into the kitchen of a French foodie, but it also provides lovely photographs of Clotilde’s culinary creations. Too Many Chefs (www.toomanychefs. net)—Too Many Chefs is a group food blog. Six amateur chefs from around the world contribute several recipes each week. Healthy vegetarian folk should visit this blog. One of the contributors, Barrett in Chicago, is a veggie. If your diet consists mainly of rice, beans, and tofu, his recipes will definitely spice up your kitchen. Who Wants Seconds? (whowantsseconds.typepad.com)—This blog is more food photo art gallery than recipe journal. Moira, the host and resident artiste, offers sublime photos of such kitchen standards as pancakes and bagels. She also serves up bizarre, yet tasty, creations such as a Twinkie Torte and Black-bottomed Cupcakes.
Food Porn Watch (foodpornwatch.arrr. net)—It’s not what you think, so get your mind out of the gutter! FPW is a handydandy food blog aggregator. It links to dozens of blogs from all over the planet. In addition to offering links, it indicates the date of each blog’s most recent entry. Think of this site as a food blog freshness indicator
WINE BLOGS The Caveman’s Wine Blog (thecaveman. blogspot.com)—Bill has to be the most sophisticated caveman around. He owns a hoity-toity French restaurant in Montreal, Canada. He’s also a Sommelier, with vast wine knowledge. The blog is written in a down-to-earth style. You’ll read about wine and food pairings that will make you want to sprint north of the border just to get a taste. Turn the Screw (www.lechai.com/weblog/)—This blog hails from a “wine gallery” in Savannah, Georgia. In addition to wine reviews and tasting notes, Turn the Screw offers blunt, well-written criticism of much of the silliness that abounds in the wine industry. I guarantee you will never find wine writing this good and this honest in any glossy wine magazine. Lenndevors (lennthompson.typepad. com)—Lenn is a wine writer from Long Island. He writes almost exclusively about Long Island wine. Were you aware there is a bustling wine industry right next to Manhattan? Perhaps this blog will inspire the wine folks at the DABC to offer a few L.I. wines (hint, hint). Spittoon (www.spittoon.biz) - Are you a fan of British humour? Perhaps Monty Python is your thing. Spittoon is a U.K. wine blog that doesn’t take itself too seriously. You’ll be able to read about wine and bone up on your Brit slang. Any idea what the word “naff” means? Hop on Spittoon to find out. Basic Juice (basicjuice.blogs.com)—This is quite possibly the world’s best wine blog. Ok, it’s quite possibly Utah’s best (and only) wine blog hosted by little old me. Here you can read independent wine reviews about wine you will actually be able to find in state liquor stores. The blog also offers recipes and, occasionally, the odd bit of enticing errata drifting through cyberspace. Pick a blog, any blog. Discover recipes and wine reviews written by friendly web citizens. Like me, you probably surf the Internet daily. Now you’ll be able to surf with a full belly and glass of wine. Cheers to wine and food blogging. Beau Jarvis is a sommelier and wine educator. He operates basicjuice.com, an independent wine review and information website. He also manages basicjuice.blogs.com, a weblog of entertainment and culture.
Bar Guide Club 161* 161 S. Pueblo St (1440 W.) 363-8161 / club161.com HOURS: M&W 7pm-2am TH–SU 2pm-2am CLOSED TUES GAY: Every Day AGE: 21+ / COVER: No Levi, Leather, Fetish. M Fetish Night, TH Underwear Night, F Leather/Bear
Club Panini* 299 S. Main Street 535-4300 / panini.us HOURS: M–TH 11am-10pm F–SA 11am-12am GAY: Mondays AGE: 21+ / COVER: No Speed dating first Mondays of the month.
Club Try-Angles* 251 W. 900 South 364-3203 clubtry-angles.com HOURS: 2pm-2am daily GAY: Every day AGE: 21+ / COVER: No FR-SA DJ Boy Toy. MO “MorMondays.” TU, FR, SA–$1 drafts. SU afternoons–Buffet.
Heads Up* 163 W. Pierpont Ave. (240 S) / 359-2161 headsupslc.com HOURS: 4pm-2am daily GAY: Every day AGE: 21+ COVER: $2 / Members free Salt Lake’s newest club. MO & TH Karaoke. TU 50¢ drafts. FR, SA High NRG.
MoDiggity’s*
Trapp*
3424 S. State St. 832-9000 modiggitys.com HOURS: M–TH 4pm-12am F–SA 4pm-2am SU 11-2am GAY: Every day / AGE: 21+ COVER: $4/members free Sports & music club for women. Football & mimosa brunch Sundays.
102 S 600 W 531-8727 / thetrapp.com HOURS: 10am-2am daily GAY: Every day / AGE: 21+ COVER: $3/members free Really gay every day. SU Buffet, NFL, M & W Karaoke.
Paper Moon* 3737 S. State / 713-0678 HOURS: M–F 3pm-1am SA 7pm-1am SU Noon-1am GAY: Every day / AGE: 21+ COVER: varies SL’s premier women’s club. TU Karaoke, WE 80¢ drafts. FR & SA hip hop/dance
Todd’s Bar & Grill* 1051 S 300 W / 328-8650 toddsbarandgrill.com HOURS: W 10am-2am GAY: Wednesday / AGE: 21+ Gay Weds w/ DJ Ebenflow and Brent B. Free parking
Trapp Door* 102 S. 600 W. 533-0173 / trappdoor.com HOURS: 10am-2am daily GAY: Every day / AGE: 21+ COVER: $3/Members free New Ownership. Dance, show club. Hot men & hot music. SU Latin night.
W Lounge* 358 S W Temple 359-0637 HOURS: 9pm-2am daily GAY: n/a / AGE: 21+ COVER: varies Voted “Best Place to Meet Friendly Straight Folks” by readers of the Metro.
Support Salt Lake Metro Advertisers. Mention Where You Saw Their Ad!
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Service Guide ATTORNEYS MARLIN G. CRIDDLE, P.C. Serving Utah’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. Estate Planning, Probate, Criminal Law, Bankruptcy, Corporations/Business. 474-2299. marlincriddle.com EXCEPTIONAL LEGAL work done at reaonable prices. Living Wills $75. Reasonable rates for standard wills and Living Trusts. Diamond Law Firm 801-879-6411
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES APPLE ONE Employment is seeking qualified people in many skills. Apply and begin your qualification today. Employers, let us fill your staffing needs. Call Steven Whittaker at 801-463-4828.
ESTATE PLANNING JANE MARQUARDT & DOUG FADEL Attorneys at Law, providing comprehensive estate planning services, custom designed to your unique family situation. Trusts, wills, partnership agreements, estate admin. 294-7777
FINANCIAL SERVICES HAVE FINANCIAL Difficulties? Good, bad, or no credit! Bankruptcy is not a problem, fast approvals. Contact All American Loans at 1-888330-5360 We can Help!
HEALTH CARE EXTRAORDINARY SKIN CARE Chemical Free Skin Care Line with powerful ingredients that are clinically proven to nourish, revive, and refine. http:// brian.whyskincare.com or brian@whyskincare.com
HOME REPAIR HOMO IMPROVEMENT? Home repair and remodeling. Fast, friendly, professional service. No job too small. Kevin 815-4016
JEWELERS
MASSAGE UNBELIEVABLE MASSAGE Athletic Male Therapists, 440-5851 Contact 801641-4009 MASSAGE WORKS: 801-450-4144 LORRAINE, Convenient Location RELAX #109063
BEST THERAPISTS, best price, best place, best hours, call 486-5500 Pride Massage 1800 S. West Temple Ste A224 WWW.DENNISMASSAGE.COM A Man’s Man. 598-8344. “For Men” Model/Massage. LMT#98212332470
#5608006
PET CARE HAPPY PAWS Pet Sitting Plus 205-4491 Libbie Neale. Pet sitting in your home for your pets’ comfort and peace of mind. Providing vital home care services while you are away.
RESOURCES CAMP PINECLIFF Weekend, Annual retreat for people with HIV/AIDS and their care providers c/o Dick Dotson, Coordinator P. O. Box 608, Magna, Utah 84044-0608 or call (801) 518-8733 ARE YOU a single lesbian? Wondering how to meet other single lesbians for friendship and social events? If so, you are invited to sign up for the LEsbian Singles Social Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/ group/lesbian_singles/ WANT A HOT summer body? Queer Utah Aquatic Club (QUAC) invites swimmers and water polo players of ANY skill level-including beginners- to join the team. Visit QuacQuac.org for more info. KUED BROADCASTS the entire PBS schedule as well as locally produced programs. In addition, KUED sponsors a variety of community events, including monthly screenings at the City Library and Sam Weller's Bookstore. For more visit www.kued.org or call KUED Viewer Services at 581-3064. THE SALT Lake County Division of Youth Services provides youth and families in crisis with immediate and safe intervention, including 24-hour 7-day a week crisis counseling. Most services are provided free of charge. For more information please call 269-7500.Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons. members.aol.com/wasatchweb/: Sunday meetings 534-8693 QVINUM.COM IS a fabulous group of wine lovers who hold winetastings at members’ homes, travel to wineries and hold special fund raisers for the community. qVinum.com ENGENDERED SPECIES 801.320.0551. A social/support group resources for transgender people. www. engenderedspecies.com BI MEN of Utah groups. yahoo.com/group/Bi-GayMen-Utah. Social and support group for bi/gay men of Utah. UTAH GAY Rodeo Association ugra.net PO Box 511255 SLC, UT 84151-1255 A social & Rodeo Sport Organization
GAY RM’S–SOCIAL group for return missionaries of the LDS Church. Regular parties and group activities more info. at www.gayRMs.com
ADAM AND ANDY by James Asal
UTAH MALE Naturists meets through the summer for naked lunches, has clothing optional outings and overnight camping trips in a sex-free environment. groups.yahoo.com/group/ utahmalenaurists ROYAL COURT of the Golden Spike Empire. rcgse. org Membership meetings held twice monthly. Help support your community! AMERICAN CIVIL Liberties Union. Fighting for individual freedoms since 1958. www. acluutah.org GAY MENS HEALTH SUMMIT. Gay men’s health is more than just HIV. visit us at utahgaymenshealth.com CODE PINK. A womeninitiated peace and social justice movement by positive social change via creative protest and nonviolent direct action. www. codepinkalert.com
A COUPLE OF GUYS by Dave Brousseau
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE is a Feminist Issue: NOW’s mission is to promote equality for ALL women. NOW has fought for gay and lesbian rights, and we won’t stop until we achieve equality for all. Join us utahnow.org FIRST NATIONAL Conference on Methamphetamine, HIV and Hepatitis: Science & Reponses 2005 August 19th–20th in Salt Lake City Visit us www.harmredux.org
ADVERTISE in the Service Guide Classifieds for as little BITTER GIRL by Joan Hilty as $15 per issue! Call 323-9500 today or visit our website at slmetro. com.
APRIL 14, 2005 ■ SALT LAKE METRO ■ 25
CUSTOM DESIGN JEWELRY. Relaxed atmosphere. All types of stone settings. Commitment rings, wedding rings, earrings, pendants. Repairs welcome. Charley Hafen Jewelers. Trolley Square. 521-7711
STIMULATE YOUR SENSES or feel deep peace with a relaxing full body massage. Call Therron at 879-3583 for $5 off mention this ad. LMT
Comics
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Classifieds FOR SALE AVENUES 4 bed, 2 bath, 2-story. New kitchen, walk to stores and restaurants. $268,500 Brad at Stonebrook Realty 550-0330.
FOR RENT AVENUES, 2BDRM, 1 bath, W/D, 2 car garage, completely remodeled new tile, new carpet, available end of April, No Smoke/Pets $825.00 - 186 N T St., Call Rodger 859-4037 AVENUES, 3BDRM, 1 bath, Lrg. Rooms, New paint, New carpet, HRDWD Floors and W/D, w/2 Car Garage and a Hot Tub, No Smoke/Pets $1050.00 - 186 N T St. Call Rodger 859-4037 CAPITOL HILL/WALL Street Lg Studio, AC, W/D, Microwave, garage, murphy bed, decks/view, No PETS/SMOKING $575.00 Call 201-5638 BOUNTIFUL EAST Bench, 3bdrm house w/ 1 bdrm mother-in-law apt., seperate entrances, 2 kitchens, 2 laundries, 2 fireplaces, seperate driveways, double garage, two car carport, 500 Sq. Ft. Shop, R.V. parking, huge yard, new basement $1350.00 - call 209-6670 SUGARHOUSE, LARGE 2 bdrm, new remodel, spacious, in location to everything, covered parking, $650.00, small pet okay, 1705 S 600 E call 801-2096670
SALT LAKE, Cozy Studio 325.00 + Electric, contact 209-6670 SUGARHOUSE APT., 1 bdrm, 1000 Sq. Ft., laundry, $600.00 w/washer and Dryer, landlord pays utilities except electric, close to downtown, 1723 S. 600 E contact 801-209-6670 DOWNTOWN, 335 E Broadway, Clean/Quiet, hrdwd, heat included, security, parking, 1bdrm 500.00/ Studio 400.00 322-2478 or www. oxfordplace.50megs.com DONT RENT—BUY! All credit accepted, Connie 801-347-2956
ROOMMATES WANTED MIDVALE PRIVATE bedroom w/ private bath, $350/ month includes utils. $150 deposit. No drinking! Smoking ok. Prefer gay male. Call Darrin 801-352-2800. $350.00 WEST Valley includes utilities, internet service, and basic cable. Call 801-792-6099 AIRPORT/DOWNTOWN. Male to share large furnished home. No smoking, no pets. $350/month Call 631-8110
HELP WANTED WANT TO START a new life in Phoenix, Arizona? Simgle male needed to share home rent free for helping in my software company, plus full-time job. E-mail me at azhomedog@yahoo.com
DISPLAY AD SALES. Salt
TIRED OF THE BAR LIFE?
Lake Metro is seeking a full
Pride Counseling is offering a Gay Men’s Therapy/Support Group. Gay men often find that their options to socialize limited to clubs and bars. This group seeks to bridge the gap of isolation and help gay men safely explore personal issues unique to their circumstances. Gay men regardless of “coming out” status, or life circumstance are welcome to this group. Most insurance companies billed, sliding fee scale. For information please call Jerry Buie LCSW at 801-595-0666.
time display ad sales person. Previous sales is helpful but not required. Must be available to work full time. Call or email Steven for details at 323-9500 or steven@slmetro.com APPLE ONE Employment Services is seeking qualified call center experienced in sales. Can earn $12+/hr plus commission. Apply today. Employers, let us fill your staffing needs. Call Steven Whittaker at 463-4828 for an appointment.
MISC. STUFF ARE YOU HIV+? Pride Counseling is restarting a Therapy/Support Group for men who are HIV infected and seeking support from others in similar situations. Men who have participated in this group report a sense of connection and the permission to safely explore their uniqueness in a safe and affirming environment. We are able to bill most insurance companies, Ryan White and sliding fee scale available. For information please call Jerry Buie LCSW at 801-595-0666
SPECIAL NEW SECTION beginning next issue:
YARD SALES Place your yard sale ad today for just $5 in this introductory offer! Call 323-9500 or go to slmetro.com
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