Metro, Volume 2, Issue 22 by QSaltLake Magazine

Utah’s Gay and Lesbian Biweekly Newspaper Volume 2 ■ Issue 22 October 27–November 9

Provo High’s Gay/Straight Student Club School board considering guidelines for first time

85,000 Pairs of Shoes at City Hall Campaign 2 End AIDS caravan stops in Salt Lake

Lesbians Named to Human Rights Commission Chris Johnson resigns from Stonewall Democrats seat

Kraft, Walgreens Targeted for Gay Games Support Companies not wavering to threats of boycott Jere: What I Learned at Salt Lake Metro In the Box or In Their Boxers? Gay Agenda

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WORLD AND NATIONAL

Kansas High Court Strikes Down Harsher Sentences Against Gays claimed for it,” Luckert wrote. “Moral disapproval of a group cannot be a legitimate state interest.” Limon is expected to soon be released. “As of today, Matthew Limon has already served four years and five months longer than a heterosexual teenager would have received for the same act,” said Lisa Brunner of the ACLU. “He has long since paid his debt to society, and we’re thrilled that he will be going home to his family soon,” said Brunner. “Justice has been a long time coming in this case.” “The Kansas Supreme Court leveled the playing field today,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “We teach our children not to treat people differently but our law does just that. Matthew Limon has served more than his time and we applaud the American Civil Liberties Union and the court for this important victory for equal treatment under the law.”

People with HIV/AIDS Encouraged to Sign up for New Medicare Drug Benefit Washington, D.C.—The AIDS Institute is encouraging the nearly 100,000 people with HIV/AIDS who qualify to sign up for the new Medicare prescription benefit. “Given the importance of taking daily medications for survival and remaining healthy, the new Medicare drug benefit is critically vital to people living with HIV/AIDS,” said Dr. Gene Copello, executive director of the Institute. “Therefore, we urge all people with HIV/AIDS and their caregivers to become familiar with the new Medicare drug coverage, and take the necessary steps to enroll in the plan that best meets their needs. Failure to do so can result in a lapse in medications and severe health consequences.” Enrollment in Medicare’s prescription drug coverage begins on Nov. 15, while actual coverage begins on Jan. 1, 2006. “The good news for people living with HIV/AIDS is that every drug plan will be required to cover all anti-retroviral drugs used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS,” said Copello. “This is recognition of the treatment needs of people living with HIV/ AIDS, who require a specific daily drug regiment and must have the ability to access other drugs, without any interruption, as they develop drug resistance or side effects to their current regiment.” People can learn more about the new coverage by calling 1-800-MEDICARE or visiting www.medicare.gov. During the month of October, all beneficiaries will be receiving the handbook Medicare and You, which details information about coverage in their particular area.

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Topeka, Kansas—The Kansas Supreme Court struck down a law Oct. 21 that requires significantly longer sentences for gays convicted of sex crimes. The case involved Matthew Limon, convicted in 2000 of having sex at the age of 18 with a 14-year-old boy when both were residents of a Paola group home for the developmentally disabled. Limon was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison for violating the state’s anti-sodomy law, having two similar offenses on his juvenile Matthew Limon record. If the other teen had been a female, Limon would have been charged with the lesser offense of unlawful sexual relations and faced a maximum sentence of one year and three months in prison. In a unanimous decision the state Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that had said the state could justify the harsher punishment as protecting children’s traditional development, fighting disease or strengthening traditional values. The Supreme Court justices discounted arguments from Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline who said that the state’s sodomy law must be maintained to stop gay marriage, incest, and sex with children. Kline accused the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents Limon, of attempting to undermine the morality of Kansas citizens. Kline told the justices that the ACLU position was an assault on the state’s prohibition of same-sex marriage and Kansas laws against polygamy, incest, bestiality and sex between adults and children. He said that the ACLU’s position was that all people, no matter their sexual orientation, were protected from discrimination. Kline said that would lead to the legalization of same-sex marriage—as well as marriages with multiple partners, incestuous marriages and bestiality. In its ruling, the high court ordered Limon to be resentenced as if the law treated illegal gay sex and illegal straight sex the same, and it struck language from the law that resulted in the different treatment. Writing for the high court, Justice Marla Luckert said the Kansas law specifying harsher treatment for illegal gay sex is too broad to meet those goals. “The statute inflicts immediate, continuing and real injuries that outrun and belie any legitimate justification that may be

Shepard Visit to Montana College Marred by Phelps by Tony Hobday tony@slmetro.com

NATIONAL BRIEFS

Rights commission member resigns in protest Spokane, Wash.—Mike Kress has resigned his title as vice chairman of Spokane’s Human Rights Commission in protest over the commission’s handling of a sexual harassment complaint against Mayor Jim West for appointing a young gay man, Ryan Oelrich, and pressuring him for sex. In September, the commission ruled West “behaved inappropriately and violated community mores” in interactions with the 24 year-old Oelrich. They didn’t, however, find that Oelrich was discriminated against nor did they call for West’s resignation. Kress’ Oct. 5 resignation letter stated that the commission should have ruled that West violated city policies against sexual harassment. He further said that West had “eroded the heart and effectiveness” of the commission, which is “not the proactive, ‘human rights eyes and ears’ of the community it was when I was appointed.” Kress was appointed by former Spokane Mayor Sheri Barnard in 2002 and his term was due to expire in December. Barnard had created the commission in 1991. Kress also sent a letter to Oelrich, the

director of Quest, a group serving gay and lesbian youth in Spokane, apologizing for the commission’s decision. “Your testimony before the SHRC, the preponderance of available evidence and my experience and knowledge led me to conclude Mayor James E. West sexually harassed you, and thus discriminated against you. I argued this before the commission,” Kress wrote. “It’s also understood that in your personal interview for your Commission appointment the Mayor offered you the position of Commission Chair, which you declined. After you accepted a position on the Commission he offered you trips out of state wherein you’d share a bed and monetary donations to your nonprofit group,” the letter continued. Kress said the mayor violated city policy HR-35 on sexual harassment, defined as “any verbal, non-verbal, or physical behavior of a sexual nature which is unwelcome, uninvited, and offensive to a reasonable person.” West has refused to comment on the resignation.—MA

Helena, Mont.—Judy Shepard, whose son Matthew Shepard was brutally slain seven years ago for being a homosexual, appeared at Carroll College Tuesday October 18th to address the students on hate crimes. Her guest appearance drew controversy and idle threats from Fred Phelps’ anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church. But just days before her visit, college officials made a decision to ban the Human Rights Network, a local organization dedicated to equal rights, from setting up an information table during the lecture due to threats of violence and possible picketers. State Rep. Christine Kaufmann, HRN codirector, said the college is “dancing around” the fact that Matthew Shepard was murdered because he was gay. “We thought that it was important [to have an information booth],” she said. “Since they were not willing to say he was gay, there should be something about gay and lesbian equality there.” Nancy Lee, spokesperson for Carroll, said the point of the conference was to promote tolerance for everyone, regardless of their race, sex, religion or sexual orientation. But what concerned her about allowing HRN to set up a table on campus was a threat by a radical anti-gay organization to picket the event. She added that one flier distributed on campus made reference to “improvised explosive devices.” The Westboro Baptist Church faxed fliers to the college, causing Carroll to notify the Helena Police Department. “We are concerned about the Westboro reaction if there are open tables out there, and that causes controversy in the meeting,” Lee said. “We don’t want to engage them and that’s the number one thing.”

Judy Shepard, mother of the slain Matthew Shepard of Laramie, Wyoming

In a press release, Westboro planned to picket “the sodomite whorehouse masquerading as Carroll College” for bringing Judy Shepard to the campus. However, according to the Helena Independent Record—which also commented on Westboro as a “deity of hate”—the “showdown” with Westboro didn’t materialize; members of the group were not visible Tuesday night. Shepard’s lecture drew a crowd of 500 who sat quietly as she recounted the day she found out her son was left for dead, bound to a barbed-wire fence for “$20 and some twisted reason known only to the killers.” Shepard also spoke on issues of same-sex marriage and discrimination. “Until marriage, financial and workplace biases are made illegal, why would anyone come out?” she asked. Judy Shepard recently called on Congress to enact legislation adding sexuality to hate crimes laws. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Local Law Enhancement Act last month. The hate crime legislation now moves to the Senate.

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Boycott Threatened Against Kraft, Walgreens for Gay Games Support Chicago—Two conservative Christian groups are targeting Kraft Foods Inc., Harris Bank and Walgreens for their sponsorship of Gay Games VII, a gay and lesbian sporting event to be held in Chicago next summer. The American Family Association and the Illinois Family Institute say sponsorship of the Gay Games promotes the “immoral homosexual lifestyle.” The organizations are urging members to call and write sponsors, asking them to withdraw support. They threaten further action, such as product boycotts and picketing, if the sponsors don’t withdraw. Kraft Foods, headquartered in Northfield, Ill., and Chicago-based Harris Bank both say they will continue to support the Gay Games. They have each donated $25,000. For their participation, Walgreens officials are unapologetic about their $100,000 contribution. They told the Chicago Tribune they are participating in the Games to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS. The

company’s pharmacists have been serving HIV-positive patients since the early 1980s, said a Walgreens spokesman, and the sponsorship is a way of giving back to the community. The protest is the latest example of how conservative religious organizations are stepping up the pressure on corporations that support gay-related activities or issues. “The Gay Games are about homosexuality, and I think it’s wrong for Walgreens to sponsor it,” said Peter LaBarbera, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute. “If they want to donate HIV drugs, that’s one thing,” LaBarbera said. “Homosexual behavior itself is a leading cause of HIV.” LaBarbera’s group wants the company to rescind its funding; otherwise, he will encourage members of his group to consider boycotting the drugstore chain. The Gay Games will be an eight-day event held throughout Chicago in July 2006. More than 10,000 athletes are expected to compete. Chicago officials expect about 100,000 spectators to attend.—MA

LOCAL NEWS

Love Your Body Day Sponsored by NOW by Kim Burgess kim@slmetro.com

Be proud of how you look, whatever your shape or size. That was the message of the eighth annual Love Your Body Day, an event sponsored by the National Organization for Women. Held Oct. 19, the goal of LYBD is to encourage acceptance of all body types and to combat offensive advertising, particularly directed at women. Bonnie Rice, national LYBD coordinator, wrote that the event works to change “the unrealistic vision of Hollywood, fashion advertising and diet industries,” as well as to speak out against the risks of silicone breast implants and tobacco products. To spread the word about LYBD, The NOW Young Feminist Task Force set up a booth at the University of Utah Union Building. NOW volunteers gave away LYBD posters, calendars showing famous women, and hand-made buttons with slogans such as “Pretty” and “I Am Beautiful.” Meghan Jobson, founder of the NOW Young Feminist Task Force, said she views LYBD as an important reminder to view ads critically. “Mothers should ask their daughters, ‘What does this ad make you think of?’” Jobson said. “We need to focus on education. Body education for young children is necessary so they can be aware of what is normal. When my mom was in school, there was no discussion of what

was normal. Everyone threw up their food and no one said it was bad for you.” The Social Issues Research Centre reported that 80 percent of fourth grade girls have been on a fad diet, and 5 to 10 million American females have anorexia or bulimia. The death rate for eating disorders is about 20 percent. While LYBD is directed mainly at women, Utah NOW board member Veronica Argyle said its message is also pertinent to men. Eating disorders and cosmetic surgery are rapidly growing among males, and shows like “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” are placing more emphasis on looks. “Body image is affecting men much more in the media. It’s definitely there,” Argyle said. “Men are invited to love their bodies as well.” Thomas Nelson, co-president of the University of Utah’s LGBT Resource Center and a NOW Young Feminist Task Force volunteer, said he feels queer males face pressures about appearance. “If you look at any issue of Out or The Advocate, you’ll see images of men who are objectified in a feminine way, a way that women are usually objectified,” he said. “It’s a complex issue because there are overlying issues of masculinity and sexuality. We have to be men but also be pretty.” To get involved with the NOW Young Feminist Task Force, visit utahnow.org/youngfeminist/ or write to utahyftf@gmail.com.

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LOCAL AND REGIONAL

Participants at the GLBT Community Center of Utah’s biannual town hall meeting break into discussion groups.

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Unheard Voices Get Heard at Center Town Hall Mtg. by Jere Keys Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson may have hit the nail on the head when he quoted a famous remark by Cesar Chavez at the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Community Center’s biannual Town Hall Meeting. “We don’t need a perfect political system; we need perfect participation.” About 80 people attended the gathering at the Episcopal Jubilee Center to participate in shaping the queer community as the Center reached out to hear the “Unheard Voices.” For the first half of the program, participants learned about programs at the Center and heard from Mayor Anderson and Salt Lake County Deputy Mayor Karen SuzukiOkabe. In the second hour of the Meeting, small break-out groups discussed their wishes and hopes for a better community. Mayor Anderson’s speech focused on the economic advantages of a diverse community. As he spoke about his unwavering support of queer rights, he related a story about how the diversity of Salt Lake City, and especially the visibility and strength of our queer community, were instrumental in convincing AlphaGraphics to relocate their world headquarters to the valley. “I may have bought them a few drinks on the city tab, too,” he quipped. Anderson also pointed out that AlphaGraphics was able to renovate the historic Brooks Arcade Building, a contribution the whole city can be proud of. Anderson stressed the need for queer people to help get more gay-friendly people elected to city council—specifically encouraging support for District 3 challenger Janneke House.

“That should be the most liberal district in the city,” said Rocky, “but it’s got one of the most conservative councilmen.” He was referring to incumbent Eric Jergensen. Deputy Mayor Suzuki-Okabe focused her remarks on the diversity initiatives of the County government, particularly the newly formed Council on Diversity Affairs, which has been meeting since June. She also urged the community to support gay-friendly candidates. She said that she has learned, in conversation with Councilwoman Jenny Wilson, that domestic partner benefits legislation will likely be introduced again next year, and it will pass if they can tip the balance of power in the 5-4 Republican-controlled body. Small group discussion focused on a variety of topics ranging from the practical to the silly. “We need dancing girls,” joked actor Alexis Baigue. “Everything is better with dancing girls.” Serious discussion was given to matters such as the diminishing support for AIDS issues from within the queer community, the availability of access to information about resources, and concerns about healthy interaction between queer adults and youth. A free-flowing forum for ideas, other areas of concern which were brought up included racy ads in Salt Lake Metro, Little Lavender Book, and the Pillar; the need for a larger and better-located community center; the need for more bisexual support services; and ways of identifying queer-friendly businesses. Support for the Center’s Town Hall Meeting came from Lavender Catering, Cactus & Tropicals and the Episcopal Church Jubilee Center.

JOSELLE VANDERHOOFT

Utah Gay Rodeo Association donated dozens of pairs of shoes in memory of their members who have died of AIDS.

85,000 Pairs of Shoes Displayed at Campaign to End AIDS Rally

Visit the Campaign to End AIDS on the web at campaigntoendaids.org.

Cootchiesnortcher Wins the Bee Again “Master, can you please use the word queerly in the form of a sentence or statement?” That question was just one of the requirements for all “queertestants” in the second annual Queer Spelling Bee. Another was to say all words with a lisp. The event, which was a fundraiser for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource Center at the University of Utah, was held Oct. 15 at the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Utah as part of the University’s PRIDE 2005 celebration. Queertestants were asked to spell such words as consommé, prepuce, and kumquat. Utah State Valley College student Anastasia Niedrich (spell THAT correctly!) won the event, spelling the word cootchiesnortcher from the Vagina Monologues, as in, “I am tired of her cootchiesnortcher getting in my way.” She was joined by two other prize winners in doing the “Hokey Pokey” in celebration while losers were shunned to the “Corner of Shame.” Kellie Foreman, admissions counselor and diversity programs coordinator at the University, facilitated the game under the title of “Master.” The game is her brainchild from the rules to coming up with the words. Brandie Balken (bedecked in hardcore feminine dominatrix boots) and Jim Rengstorf, board members of The Center, along with Mike Thompson, executive director of Equality Utah, judged the event.—MA

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health care—in which 45 million Americans by JoSelle Vanderhooft joselle@slmetro.com currently lack health insurance—“a crime”. “If we had [the money from] one week in Salt Lake City HIV/AIDS activists and supIraq, we would be able to fully fund AIDS porters attended a half-hour rally capping prevention,” he said to cheers and apthe Pair Up 2 Fight AIDS project on the plause from attendees. evening of October 22. The rally was held Several members of the Portland caravan to welcome a caravan of Portland, Ore. also addressed the crowd, including Lowen AIDS/HIV activists with the Campaign Berman, Program Manager for Ecumenical to End AIDS trekking through the Rocky Ministries of Oregon HIV Services. Mountains on their way to a rally in Wash“At the HIV Day Center in Portland over ington, DC. the past five years we’ve seen our numbers Local politicians and HIV/AIDS activists more than double, and yet the funding addressed the 100-member crowd, many of has gone down,” he said, adding that three whom had turned out to look at the Pair Up Portland-based AIDS service organizations 2 Fight AIDS shoe display before the rally. Consisting of 85,000 pairs of shoes, one pair for each person worldwide who dies of AIDS every day, the display lined the plaza of Library Square from noon to 6:30 pm. Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon welcomed the caravan, who had just arrived from Boise, Idaho. In doing so, he called the empty pairs of shoes “a sobering reminder of AIDS”. “Over a short time, I hope our nation itself will conduct a war on this deadly infection. It’s a war that must be won,” he said. Corroon added that over 16,000 Utah residents currently live Ricky Casias, Lowen Berman and Christopher Robinson of the Portland with AIDS. contingent of the Campaign 2 End AIDS. Jim Pickett, the Illinois-coorwere recently closed due to budget cuts while dinator for the Campaign to End AIDS and other programs have seen their funding drop. a caravan member, spoke next. He called Berman urged attendees to write to their his organization a “brand new massive congressional representatives about fully grass-roots organization” primed to engage funding the Ryan White CARE Act, federal state and municipal governments, as well legislation that funds primary health care as individual citizens, in fighting the AIDS and support services for people living with epidemic. HIV/AIDS, particularly for those without “We have the tools, we have what it takes health insurance or the means to pay for to end this disease,” said Pickett, referring medication. In the past few years, said to education and to recent medicines that Berman, the CARE Act has received flat can lengthen the lives of people living with funding from the government, even as the HIV and the AIDS virus. number of AIDS and HIV cases has risen. Pickett also called the state of American

“Year after year in Utah we’ve had to cut service after service until nothing remains to be cut but the people, especially the working poor,” said Stuart Merrill, a Utahbased AIDS activist. Like Merrill, State Sen. Scott McCoy, formerly of Equality Utah, said he wanted the Utah legislature to get serious about preventing the epidemic. He called the current lack of statewide funding for HIV/AIDS prevention “a tragedy”. “There is a perception in this state that HIV is a gay disease,” he said. “Unfortunately in this state if it’s classified as gay it gets pushed to the back of the line.” Though McCoy said he has made it his job to talk to his fellow lawmakers about the epidemic and the need for funding, he said legislators’ constituents could actually play a more important role. “What legislators will really respond to is if you people come up and talk to them in January, February and March as the session is letting out,” he said. The rally closed with the introduction of a contingent of Utah activists who would join the Portland caravan on its way to Laramie, Wyoming the next morning. According to Merrill, Utah has more people joining Campaign to End AIDS caravans than any other state. On Nov. 5 this caravan will join nine others in the nation’s capitol for Five Days of Action to End AIDS, a week-long event including an interfaith prayer service, meetings with national law makers and a culminating rally in Anacostia, a section of the city hit hard by the epidemic.

LOCAL

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Johnson Appointed to Human Rights Commission, Quits Stonewall Demos The Mayor and Salt Lake City Council have begun the process of filling the nine seats of the Human Rights Commission established earlier this year. Mayor Rocky Anderson forwarded seven names for ratification by the council. Commission members are chosen one from each of the seven city districts and two at-large that “represent the diversity of the community.” Anderson recommended Orin Howell, District 1; Adrian Comollo, District 3; Jim Teall, District 4; Chris Johnson, District 5; Christina Carver, District 7; Patrick Leary, District 5, and Francisca Blanc, at-large. Chris Johnson, board member of Equality Utah and Vice Chair of Utah Stonewall Democrats, was approved by the council Oct. 18. “I consider this a high honor and most serious responsibility to represent the LGBT population in this capacity,” said Johnson in a letter sent a letter to members of the Stonewall Democrats the next morning. “I feel I must resign as Vice-Chair of the Stonewall Democrats. I appreciate the opportunity to serve the LGBT and ally delegates from Utah as a Stonewall board member, but feel my efforts must focus more closely on the Human Rights Commission in upcoming years.” “The Commission, having just formed, will require a great deal of time to initiate, create policy and protocol for its administration. In addition, the educational outreach aspect of this appointment will require great focus, detail and time,” she continued. Johnson was elected at the Utah State Democratic Convention last May in a contentious caucus meeting where two political factions seemed to be colliding in the room: the ‘grassroots’ activists vs. the ‘suit and tie’ activists. In an interesting turn of events, each faction won a top seat of the organization: the grassroots Mike Picardi as chair and Johnson as vice chair. “Chris had great promise for the Stonewall Democrats,” said Picardi. “I’d hoped that she could bring great things to the board and great ideas.” Also resigning from the Stonewall board is Jan Lovett, former candidate for Utah State Democratic Party Chair. Picardi said that she resigned for family reasons. Picardi has two names as replacements for the outgoing board members: Katie Thompson, a new business development manager at the Summit Group, and Jonell Evans, artist and mediation specialist at TURN Community Services. He will put these names before the Stonewall board at their next meeting in November. The city council also approved Blanc, a Romanian immigrant, student and certified nursing assistant for Rocky Mountain

Home Care, to the commission. Blanc revealed in her interview with the council that she is a lesbian. According to city ordinance, the Human Rights Commission was created to make recommendations to the mayor and city council regarding educational resources on issues of discrimination and equal treatment. Commissioners will review complaints of discrimination involving city departments or services to identify possible sources. They will review legislation, policies or other actions by the city designed to further eliminate prejudice and discrimination. They will also review pending legislation, policy changes or other city action that may impact human rights. And lastly, the commission is charged with working in partnership to foster positive inter-group relations through educational programs. Also confirmed by the city council last week were Orin Howell, human resources specialist at Veterans Health Care System, Adrian Comollo, director of the Italian Center of Utah, and Patrick Leary, chief administrator of the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office. In their next meeting, the council will consider Christina Carver, associate accountant at the University of Utah, and Jim Teall, preacher at the First Presbyterian Church. Mark Alvarez, Salt Lake City Administrator of Minority Affairs, provides staff support for the commission. He said that the group will begin meeting once all nine members have been appointed.

Thanksgiving Volunteers Many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals have experienced rejection by family members and may not have a welcoming place to celebrate the holidays and be themselves. Last year two volunteers organized a pot-luck Thanksgiving dinner at the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Utah to help fill this need. It was well attended and appreciated. The Center wishes to provide this service again this year and is calling for volunteers. Being a volunteer for this event would mean helping to publicize the event, making calls to ensure that certain dishes are prepared and brought, opening the Center, supervising the meal, cleaning up and closing down. There will be no cooking on site, so all dishes must be made in advance and brought ready to serve. The Center will open the Multi-purpose Room for the dinner, the Youth Activities Center for games and movies and the kitchen for clean up. If you are interested in being involved, call or email Jennifer Nuttall, 539-8800 ext. 13 or jennifer@glbtccu.org

JOEL SHOEMAKER

Utah Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, could only utter the words, “The gay?” when asked by The Salt Lake Tribune for comment on former No on 3 Campaign chairman Scott McCoy’s mid-term appointment to replace Utah Sen. Paula Julander. But after Utah recently approved the word “gay” on Utah license plates following action from Utah’s ACLU, Sen. McCoy now owns Buttars’ disparaging remark on his own license plate. —JS

Provo School District Grapples with Gay/Straight Alliance Club

OCTOBER 27, 2005 ■ SALT LAKE METRO ■ 9

Many consider Provo, Utah to be the most sion after two lawsuits were filed. conservative city in the United States, so Since that time, over 3,000 GSAs have when Provo High School senior Kaisha been formed in U.S. high schools. According Medford applied to create a Gay-Straight to Stan Burnett, Director of Youth Programs Alliance student club at her school, it made at the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender headlines nationwide. Community Center of Utah, 14 GSAs have The group first met Oct. 13 and Director existed in Utah high schools, though as few of Student Services for the Provo City School as seven may currently be active. District Greg Hudnall said the club was “Many schools require that a club get given the thumbs up Oct 14. reapproved every year, so if a club loses its The Provo City School District Board of leadership to graduation, sometimes a club Education, however, may yet rain on the loses its status,” he expained. students’ parade. The board is considering a Medford said she started the club after policy that would require parental permistalking to many gay and lesbian students sion and otherwise regulate school clubs. and found a lot of harassment happening They may even consider banning all student at the school. She attended a Gay Lesbian clubs altogether. The next board meeting is Straight Education Network summit in Salt Nov. 8 where many parents and students are Lake City over the summer to learn how to expected to air their opinions. start the club and submitted the application Interestingly, this controversy started in in September. Utah nearly ten years ago when student The club is “half-way between a support Kelli Petersen asked for and was denied the group and social group, a place where we can right to create a Gay/Straight Alliance at just hang out and talk, not necessarily about East High School. The gay, lesbian, bi-sexual GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCES IN UTAH Salt Lake City School and transgender issues, Bountiful High Layton High Park City High District banned all but about everything,” (Lancers Opening Brighton High Understanding Doors- Rowland Hall St non-curricular clubs she told the media. Copper Hills High Loud) Marks School in an attempt to keep East High She sees the club as “a Mt Logan Middle (Amnesty Intl) (Environmntl Club) West High the group out of the place where you can Hillcrest High school, but years later Hunter High go to know that you’re Northridge High Source: Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education (The Community reversed their deciaccepted.”—MA Logan High Network Justice Council)

From the Editor Listening

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Vote November 8—For the One Vote Just one vote on the Salt Lake County Commission would have changed the outcome of Jenny Wilson’s attempt to add domestic partner benefits to employees of the county. Just one vote would have given funeral leave and health, life, and dental insurance to domestic partners in long-term relationships. Salt Lake County employs over 6,000 people. How many gay and lesbian employees are struggling with health insurance because we were unable to convince just one person to vote in favor of the proposal? On November 8, residents of Salt Lake City and other municipalities around the state will go to the polls to elect their representatives. As we reported Oct. 13, several candidates for Salt Lake City Council are in favor of domestic partner benefits for city employees, as well as forcing companies doing business with the city to abide by nondiscriminatory practices in regards to sexual orientation and gender identity. We think that is a huge development. Voter turnout at municipal races is generally low. It is amazing that those who represent our most basic needs—roads, police and fire departments, economic development—get the least interest at the polls. This means your vote is at its most powerful. We invite you to look at three Salt Lake City Council races. If you live in these districts, we are going to ask you to get off the couch or away from the computer and get yourself to your voting place. We also ask you to call your friends in the districts and get them to do the same. If you have the means or time, get out and help these people get elected. District 1—Northwest Salt Lake, bounded by North Temple and 900 West. Leslie Reynolds-Benns has been a long-time supporter of our community. She is a firecracker and she will work hard on our issues. Vote for her. Walk her district with her. Help her win. Her opponent is one of the staunchest conservatives on the council. Christensen is one of those who rescinded the ordinance that prohibited discrimination “against an otherwise qualified employee or applicant based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation or disability.” Show him we remember and we care.

District 3—Capitol Hill and Avenues, bounded on the west by 900 West and the south by South Temple. Janneke House is young, energetic and extremely well-spoken. Her background is in city planning, open space and she is the interim program manager of the Salt Lake County Zoo Arts and Parks Program. Her opponent, the incumbent Eric Jergensen, while a social moderate, scoffs at Mayor Rocky Anderson’s contention that a healthy gay and lesbian community is needed to create a vibrant and healthy city. He is one of Anderson’s most outspoken detractors and this race is being considered by some to be a shootout between the two. District 7—Sugar House and Liberty Wells, southeast Salt Lake City below 2100 South and east of 500 East, along with a section below 1700 South between 600 East and 1300 East. Soren Simonsen returned to us easily the most thoughtful, well-articulated responses to the questionnaire we sent all council candidates. His opponent, incumbent Dale Lambert, didn’t bother to respond at all. When asked if he believes Salt Lake City should force those it does business with to protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, Simonsen responded, “I believe that the city should require similar equitable hiring practices from companies it contracts with. My company is a contractor who has provided services to Salt Lake City in the past, and we follow this practice, even though not currently required. Furthermore, I support the development of a policy and ordinance that would allow for domestic partner registry that would allow businesses in Salt Lake City the right to extend benefits to households where they cannot currently. As an employer, I would be among the first such business to extend such benefits to employees who are not presently eligible for benefits to their households.” Wouldn’t he be a great councilmember? All three of these candidates tout equal treatment and equal benefits as one of their key three issues. How refreshing is that? Salt Lake Metro heartily endorses these three candidates. Equality Utah has also endorsed these candidates. Take some time out of your Tuesday and vote. Take some time out of your weekend and help them walk their districts. It may well make that one vote difference.

I had a small window of opportunity to attend last week’s National Gay Men’s Health Summit so I chose to go to a session titled “Listening to Crystal without Prejudice.” Gay men’s health guru Eric Rofes moderated the session as two other panelists read from articles they had written on the topic. Psychotherapist Jean Malpas read vignettes of three men’s lives with meth, but then dug deeper to get at the root of ‘why’ they became addicted. The easy answer that most cling to and never progress beyond, he says, is escapism and gratification. Malpas asks if there is also an element of homophobia at work. Social attitudes shape our self-esteem, self-respect and self-worth. “Few talk about how external and internalized homophobia, with its ‘stigma-shame-acting out’ nexus, might be the catalyst to crystal addiction and to risk-taking behaviors leading to HIV infection,” he writes. For one of the men, “doing crystal was a way of adhering to the norms of the group he wanted to be part of. [He] found in the ‘rituals’ of sex parties and circuit parties an environment that supports his identity as a gay man.” The other panelist, Tony Valenzuela, read from an article so powerful that each word seemed to plunge through my heart like a saw-toothed blade. “Ours is a culture of death beautified. Our organizations’ boardrooms and community fundraisers are rife with professional mourners eliciting the gay plague with every new predicament we face. It takes a strong will to believe in longevity, even in defiance of the HIV that may run through your veins. It takes a discerning mind to filter the bombardment of frightful messages concerning our sexual choices; a mind that resists the perpetual reminders from many of our activists, our health organizations, that peril is everywhere … This paradigm of terror always looming over our intimate lives is an inescapable reality. But it is worth noting that in the gay community, the sky is always falling — because it did once, because we fear it might again, and so we shouldn’t be shocked when an alarming number of us respond to endemic fatalism by practicing nihilism by rote.” “One doesn’t have to have a problem with drugs or be infected with HIV to feel the painful legacy of AIDS or to know the slow suffocation of homophobia. These cataclysms reside beneath the surface of our skins and come up as boils every time another state writes anti-gay discrimination into its constitution, another school board erases us from textbooks, or more parents teach their children to revile us. The future of drug addiction is all but guaranteed in a population of gay kids growing up in today’s savagely anti-gay, Constitution-hating age of hyperbole.” We talked in the session about how many gay men feel very isolated, that they don’t belong to the community. They, in turn, join the ‘cland’ of PnP parties or alcholism or über-sex. Don’t we all look pretty great when we’re high or drunk or in the hormone-miasma that permeates through hot sex? Society is forever feeding us that we are not worthwhile human beings. The name-calling, the institutionalized hate, the “love the sinner, hate the sin.” The sin is part of us. It is an important part of us. Valenzuela continued about a panelist at a West Hollywood event. “[He] held his head down when asked to pose a solution to the “crystal pandemic,” as one panelist called it. For a moment, I thought he was about to cry. Finally, he looked up and said, ‘I’m not sure what the answers are.’” We didn’t get to answers in the session either, but it gave us all a great deal to think about. And I only had an hour and a half.

Letters

Salt Lake Metro welcomes letters from our readers. Please email letters@slmetro.com or fax 801-323-9986. We reserve the right to edit for length, suitability and libel.

Consequences Editor’s note: We received many responses about the “From the Editor” column in the October 13 issue of this newspaper. Many had personal stories of how friends and family on meth have affected their lives. We have chosen to run the following letters withholding the identities of the writers. Editor, My heart throbbed and ached as I read your story. WOW! I can relate. I took in someone who was an addict, also trying to help. I ended up being a victim of identity theft. It has destroyed my credit, and will probably take years to correct. I am right on this with you. I am sorry you guys had to go through this. Thank you for sharing your story. Thank you for being bold to speak out against drugs.

Name Withheld Salt Lake City

Name Withheld Salt Lake City Editor, I’m so relieved to hear that you and your partner are physically fine. I know the mental aspect of your terrifying ordeal will take time to heal. Sharing your terrifying experience with others will really make a difference. I too have had a bad experience with a friend that is into meth. At one point I really feared for my safety and have since completely severed all ties in order to protect my physical and mental well being. I have lost a good friend. Soulless is what he has become. He is in my prayers, but not my life. I sometimes wonder what to do when he has his funeral—do I go to it and remember who he was? Or not? I have deep feelings of guilt for leaving him to this hell. His choices have had terrible consequences. He has lost his health, job, friends, three homes, vehicles and his family is now a huge mess. He started experimenting with meth and ecstasy for fun. Zero-to-addicted in no time flat! He has taught me that just experimenting with that stuff is dangerous and I don’t plan on ever doing it. Maybe he was in my life to help me see what can happen, a cautionary tale, so to speak.

Let Statement Stand

Editor, Your articles on the Evergreen International conference [“Evergreen Holds 15th Conference,” “Mason: Sexuality Not a Choice,” Oct. 13, 2005] simply allowed the hateful group to spew their venom to the very people they prey upon. I could not believe you used precious newsprint space to pass on their lies and deceit. Weren’t there two other stories about the positive things Utah’s gay community did that news cycle? Let the right wing promote their agenda in their own publications. Keep ours free of their malevolence.

Editor, I agree with your editorial about some members of the Salt Lake City Council wanting to “overshadow” [Mayor Rocky] Anderson’s executive order on health benefits for domestic partners [“Anderson on Tack. Council is Not,” Sept. 29]. The mayor’s action made a statement about how the city wants to treat its gay and lesbian employees. The council members who want to extend benefits to anyone and everyone who lives with a person are making apologies where none need to be made. Let Rocky’s statement stand. Leave the issue alone.

Jonathan Fontaine

Elizabeth Rowley

Midvale

Salt Lake City

Name Withheld Salt Lake City Editor, I recently had to cut someone out of my life because his meth use was making him crazy. It broke my heart because he was like a brother to me in many ways and we’d known each other a very long time. It still stabs at my heart. He’s making his choices and I’m making mine. Thank you for sharing your story. It’s incredibly important that you share it.

Name Withheld Washington, D.C. Editor, Wow! I really appreciate your column about your experience. I don’t use drugs nor know anyone who does, but I can honestly say I’ve thought about it. This story is horrifying and more than merits attention by the media. As a society we are thick and callused. We need repetition of those important messages! This story would have meant nearly nothing to me if it were a third person’s account or about a straight couple. But since you share my lifestyle, my ideals, and the same kinds of friends, it really rang home to me! It is my life too and other people’s choices do affect it. Thank you for helping me realize that!

Name Withheld Murray.

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OCTOBER 27, 2005 ■ SALT LAKE METRO ■ 11

Editor, I just read your column regarding this most vile and offensive intrusion into your and your partner’s private lives. I just wanted to tell you I am eternally grateful to the spiritual power(s), your lives were spared. I am also incredibly moved by your courage to divulge something so terrifying and personal—as a way of alerting our community to such horrible consequences resulting from the use of meth and other drugs within our society, that could only be minutes away from happening to any of us. I sincerely hope you will not allow this awful event to color your world and keep you from remaining a good-hearted person. Your hospitality, although offered in honesty, was grossly maligned. But, know there are people out there who are worth your generosity and giving nature. I applaud your caring and know that “karma” will prevail in some reward for you, somewhere, sometime. I have always believed the good are the victims and never the victors. However, try to realize these individuals, who put you in the shadow of death, are ill and their illness is created by a society of haves and have-nots. The path they have taken is sick and wrong, but it is because they were never given the opportunities to live without some sort of “crutch.” I don’t know if it is childhood or adult situations that causes a person to turn to drugs. But, I do believe it happens because they are not prepared for life and drug delusions are the only answer for them. I am not making excuses, I am as vehemently against drugs as anyone. I have lost a brother and a sister to drugs. I have watched drugs take down the mighty to their own deaths. I am just saying our society is responsible for why drugs are rampant. It is an easy way out of responsibility for some and a necessary tool for survival for others. In a country so great in freedom causes, we can not even help our own to establish and maintain healthy, productive lives. It is a nation of classes and casts and a nation of hiding our poor and hungry. It is why apathy is running amok and it will be the final undoing of our great nation. Police departments nationwide can not fix a problem that is without borders and laws and resources. And, it is the reason why we must always be able to take care of

what is ours—our loved ones, our property and our lives. Because, no one else will. We need to take back our country and stop policing the other country’s, when we are so sick at home. Again, I am so glad you and your partner were spared and we still have you within our grasps. So, here is a hug sent to you and a tear of gratitude you are safe. We can’t lose more of our community to statistics. Besides, we are possibly our only hope for a better world.

Don’t Provide the Enemy Space in Our Publications

AberRant Ore-Goner by Laurie Mecham laurie@slmetro.com

Lately, I’ve noticed the strangest thing. Apparently, I LIVE IN PORTLAND now. How did I get here? Where did my house go? Where are all the places, and how do you get there? Where do you go for food? How do you get money if you don’t have a job? You can see how all these questions have captured my attention, and the whole thing is wearing me out. Here we are in this little apartment, which leads to even more questions. Exactly what are the people upstairs doing each night at 2:00 a.m.? Who the hell is smoking outside our window? There’s no place to stand outside our window. How are you supposed to get your clean laundry from the laundry room back to your apartment without dropping a pair of thong underwear on the sidewalk? And, most importantly, was that woman really having that great a time in the sack for forty minutes? Forty minutes? She must be a lesbian. Why won’t the dogs pee when they’re on a leash? Why won’t they pee on the ivy? There is no grass outside, just cement and stones and ivy, because apparently WE LIVE IN AN APARTMENT IN OREGON now. I think I have an answer to the money question, and to all of the apartment questions. See, right off the bat, Ann got herself a job. She goes there five days a week, bada boom, bada bing, they pay her money. What we need to do is get me one a’ them jobs, and then we’ll have more money, and then we’ll buy the first house we see, as long as it is more than two rooms and it has a square foot of grass. Actually, I have had a couple of interviews and I have a couple more lined up. One of them is a callback. But speaking of job interviews, why does my weight always change? Why do I always have to buy a new suit? Why do suits cost so much? Communist China has it right, man. Uniforms for everyone. It would be so simple. To help you understand my fractured frame of mind, you might like to know a little about our neighborhood. To get to our apartment, you drive pass the disturbingly-named “Golden Touch Family Restaurant.” Continue past “Tobacco Town.” Cross the overpass and look for the tiny house that says, “G Girls Private Adult Entertainment.” Just past that, you will see a sign for a restaurant that has no name, it just says, “Szechwan Food.” I’m not sure there really is a restaurant there, because most of that building is actually taken up

by the “Boom Boom Room.” The sign has red and yellow flames licking up into the black lettering. That’s how you find our street. Turn at the Boom Boom Room. If you miss that and go too far, you will see what is probably a sister business, “The Big Bang.” It has the same flames and black lettering. Make a U-turn, which is OK everywhere here because the streets are so odd anyway. Go back past “Baby Dolls Modeling and Lingerie” and look again for “The Boom Boom Room.” I told all of this to my niece, who is a half-proper Mormon mom but also my blood kin. She is thinking about borrowing the Boom Boom’s font to stencil Love at Home or Families Are Forever. Someone suggested a new town motto: “Portland: Come for the woods, stay for the woodies.” Here are some things I’ve learned about Portland. It has: many white people with dreads; aging hippies; new-millenium hippies; medical marijuana; many, many people on bikes, going up mountains, for chrissakes. (Note: People on bikes don’t necessarily look to see if it is safe to cross the street. Apparently they just use The Force.) Portland has polite drivers. It is so bizarre. I’ll be at a stop sign on a hopeless intersection where there is no way that I will ever be able to get into the traffic stream, and someone will just stop to let me in. This has happened time and again. Nobody ever does that in Utah. In the last two decades in Salt Lake County, I was the only person who ever stopped to let someone into traffic. And this politeness seems to come without a hidden agenda. Can you believe it? They don’t want you to join their religion or anything. They just want you to recycle. Although there are a million cool things to do here, we have not done much—OK, any—fun stuff yet. For Ann’s birthday, we ran some errands, picked up some food from Wendy’s and came home to have a coma. A coma that gets to be interrupted by getting up, getting dressed, leashing the dogs, taking them outside to consider if they might like eventually to pee, or not, or maybe they were just thirsty, or they heard a sound, like the people upstairs or the 40-minute lady. Hopefully by the time you hear from me next, I will have an exciting new job. And then, we will get a house. It will be a goodsized house that was built in the 70s and has avocado shag carpeting and Calvin Klein soft-porn faux-wood paneling. There will be a fenced yard for the dogs and plenty of room to gather in the kitchen and make merry with our friends—the friends that we’re going to have. When we both have jobs. When we both have jobs.

■

SALT LAKE METRO ■ OCTOBER 27, 2005

How are you supposed to get your clean laundry from the laundry room back to your apartment without dropping a pair of thong underwear on the sidewalk?

Laurie Mecham has noticed, Toto, that we’re not in Kansas any more.

Jere Keys is the former editor of Salt Lake Metro.

West Valley Village Inn this afternoon.

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