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UTAH’S GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER AND ALLY
September 2014 Issue 235 GaySaltLake.com FREE
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gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
Please Save The Date and join us for OUTreach Resource Centers
September Soiree Friday September 12, 2014 6:00-8:30pm at the historic Eccles Community Art Center 2580 Jefferson Ave, Ogden, UT 84401, 801-392-6935 Food & beverage splendidly catered by LeCroissant Catering Classical background music and live entertainment Special short keynote speaker—Mr. Sim Gill, S.L. County District Attorney Between December 20, 2013 and January 6, 2014 same-sex marriage was legal in Utah. In those 17 days some 1,360 couples institutionalized their love and commitment in legal matrimony. Salt Lake County, under the legal direction of Mr. Sim Gill led the way. Come hear Mr. Gill share the diverse, compelling, and moving stories of those 17 Days in Utah. For ticketing information, please go to OUTreach Resource Centers FaceBook page, or stay tuned for future articles coming in QSaltLake, The Ogden Standard Examiner, and The Salt Lake Tribune. OUTreach Resource Centers provides numerous and proven programs for LGBT youth; 5 Youth Drop-in Centers, Safe & Sound & Anti-bullying Programs, Education & Employment Program, Life Skills Youth Mentoring Program, Domestic Violence & Suicide Prevention Training, Healthy Sexuality Classes, Trans* & Mental Health Support Groups LGBTQ Safe Zone Training. Won’t you please consider attending and Help Us Grow?
To Purchase Tickets for September Soiree, go to:
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QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 5
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
Register today for Strut Your Mutt! September 13 Liberty Park, Salt Lake City Saving the lives of dogs and cats in animal shelters could be as easy as a walk in the park. Join Best Friends Animal Society for this fundraising fun run, dog walk, and festival.
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Copyright © 2014, Salt Lick Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. No material may be reprinted or reproduced without written permission from the publisher. 15,000 copies of QSaltLake Magazine are distributed free of charge at over 300 locations across the Wasatch Front. Free copies are limited to one per person. For additional copies, contact us at 801-649-6663. It is a crime to destroy or dispose of current issues or otherwise interfere with the distribution of this newsmagazine. Publication of the name or photograph of any individual or organization in articles or advertising in QSaltLake Magazine is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such persons. Printed in the U.S.A. on recycled paper. Please recycle this copy when you are through with it.
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september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
Utah files appeal to U.S. Supreme Court On Aug. 5, the State of Utah filed its Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the Supreme Court of the United States, asking them to reevaluate the decision of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Kitchen v. Herbert. On June 26, the Tenth Circuit upheld the December 20, 2013 ruling of United States Third District Judge Robert Shelby, who struck down Utah’s prohibition against same-sex marriage as unconstitutional. Utah is the first state to make a direct appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court since last year’s Windsor ruling. The arguments offered by the state are the same ones that have been rejected by court after court around the nation in the two years following the U.S. Supreme Court Windsor (DOMA) decision. They boil down to three basic issues: children, chaos and states’ rights. “Because laws shape culture, a court order that requires every state to rewrite its marriage definition to reflect the view that marriage is more about adult emotions than rearing and raising children will likely exacerbate the belief — already accepted by more than half of young adults — that it is no big deal to have a child outside of marriage. Such a belief leads naturally to more out-of-wedlock births, a result that is undeniably harmful to children and society generally. Yet that is one very real possible consequence (among others) of redefining marriage,” the writ said. The three plaintiff couples also wished for the court to review the case, in order to finally determine the issue.
Wyoming same-sex marriage case to go to trial A Wyoming state judge declined to either summarily rule on or suspend a lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. Laramie County District Court Judge Thomas Campbell ruled that a hearing will take place in November. Both sides of the case had argued that federal lawsuits have already resolved the question of same-sex marriage in Wyoming, or soon will. “I think you all assume too much,” Campbell said. Campbell said it’s not certain that the U.S. Supreme Court will consider gay marriage any time soon. Four gay couples and gay-rights advocacy group Wyoming Equality sued Gov. Matt Mead, Laramie County Clerk Debbye
news The top things you should know happened last month
ronment. After speaking with Middletown Township Public Schools Superintendent William O. George III, GSE Executive Director Andrea Bowen announced that the district has agreed to work with the LGBT rights organization in an effort to make their schools welcoming to all students regardless of gender identity.
(Full stories at gaysaltlake.com.) Lathrop and other state and local officials in March, saying that by not being allowed to marry, they are denied basic rights and privileges afforded to straight couples, such as the ability to be included in a family health insurance plan.
BYU rises to 4th most gayunfriendly university in America The Princeton Review released its annual survey results which listed Provo’s Brigham Young University, owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the fourth most gay-unfriendly university in America. BYU claimed the number 6 spot last year. The survey asked 130,000 students from the top 379 colleges and universities to rate their schools and their experiences. According to the survey, an average of 343 students responded per university. The complete list of the top 20 LGBT friendly and unfriendly universities can be found at princetonreview.com/collegerankings.aspx.
N.J. School Reverses Position, Will Let Trans Teen Attend As Girl She Is A middle school in New Jersey reversed course after allegedly telling a 13-yearold trans* girl that she could only attend classes if she dressed and acted like a boy. Rachel Pepe received news that Middletown, New Jersey’s Thorne Middle School will allow the teenager to attend school as herself. Garden State Equality announced it had been working with Pepe’s school to ensure that administrators and staff are able to provide a safe, welcoming educational envi-
Russian Neo-Nazi sentenced to five years in penal colony, but not for antigay attacks A Russian nationalist whose viral videos showed him torturing, assaulting, and verbally abusing gay men has been convicted for “inciting and fomenting cases of extremism,” and sentenced to five years in a penal colony. However, none of the charges Maxim Sergeyevich Martsinkevich was convicted on are related to his alleged torture of young gay men, which Martsinkevich and friends recorded on video and proudly shared on Russian social networking sites. Instead, his conviction was for “inciting and fomenting cases of extremism” based on racial and anti-immigrant activities.
Uganda anti-gay law declared ‘null and void’ Activists in the crowded court room reportedly cheered as the law was pronounced ‘null and void’. The BBC is reporting that the Constitutional Court in Uganda has annulled the anti-gay law. The law, which was introduced this year, has been widely condemned by world leaders, including President Obama, who called it “odious.” The UK’s deputy PM Nick Clegg, said that the anti-gay law, was “abhorrent.” Many overseas aid givers had stopped payments over the laws. The law, which included lesbians for the first time, could see anyone conducting same-sex relationships or promoting homosexuality facing life imprisonment. The gay community in Uganda has suffered huge harassment since the introduction of the anti-gay law, which was introduced by MP David Bahati and signed into law by the country’s president, Yoweri Museveni.
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gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
Utah AG Reyes appeals same-sex marriage ruling to the Supreme Court But there are two predominant and competing visions that have been advanced in state referenda across the country. Those who favor redefining marriage as the union of any two or more persons see the institution from a primarily adultcentered perspective. … Those who wish to retain the opposite-sex marriage model believe that government has no legitimate interest in formally recognizing mere loving relationships, whether opposite-sex or same-sex. They argue that these people are concerned with uniting children with their biological parents, and when that is not possible, with a mother and a father. Yet no evidence is produced to explain how a same-sex Moudi Sbeity, Derek Kitchen, Kody Partridge and Laurie Wood speak in Logan Utah marriage ban creates as plaintiffs in the Utah same-sex marriage case. such an environment, nor why it is a compelling The arguments offered by the state are state interest to do so. the same ones that have been rejected by As with previous filings, the state’s atcourt after court around the nation in the torneys chose to include additional offenyear and a half following the U.S. Supreme sive terminology, “But if the Tenth Circuit Court Windsor (DOMA) decision. They really means that a person’s ‘choice’ is the boil down to three basic issues: children, only marriage limit, then virtually every chaos and states’ rights. line historically drawn around marriage “Because laws shape culture, a court ormust fail. The right to marry whomever der that requires every state to rewrite its one chooses would thus override not only marriage definition to reflect the view that a limitation based upon sexual complemarriage is more about adult emotions mentariness, but also the usual blanket than rearing and raising children will likelimitations based on age, consanguinity, ly exacerbate the belief — already accepted consent, or number of participants.” by more than half of young adults — that The state argues that this case should it is no big deal to have a child outside of be reviewed by the Supreme Court for marriage. Such a belief leads naturally to a couple of reasons. They argue that the more out-of-wedlock births, a result that issue has been “percolating” through the is undeniably harmful to children and courts for over 40 years now, hearkening society generally. Yet that is one very real back to the Baker v. Nelson decision of the possible consequence (among others) of 1970’s. This “percolation,” they assert, comredefining marriage,” the writ reads. bined with dozens of cases and erratic use The state’s attorneys added a new twist, of stays, “has created legal chaos.” essentially polarizing this discussion into They argued that the clarity of this two camps, those who favor retaining the case makes it the perfect vehicle for the opposite-sex model of marriage and those Supreme Court to weigh in on this issue. who believe that marriage should be a “free-for-all.” Unlike other cases, this is limited strictly BY BOB HENLINE
On Aug. 5 the State of Utah filed its Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the Supreme Court of the United States, asking them to reevaluate the decision of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Kitchen v. Herbert. On June 26, the Tenth Circuit upheld the December 20, 2013 ruling of United States Third District Judge Robert Shelby, who struck down Utah’s prohibition against same-sex marriage as unconstitutional. Utah is the first state to make a direct appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court since last year’s Windsor ruling.
to a state (and its voters) enacting laws to define marriage, without other issues involved. The District and Appellate courts both rejected claims of animus in the lawmaking, and there aren’t other issues that would muddy the waters. “In sum,” they argue, “a vast cloud covers this entire area of the law, and only this Court can lift it. This case provides an ideal vehicle to do just that.”
PLAINTIFFS ALSO ASK FOR SCOTUS REVIEW While it is against seeming common sense, the victors in the battle for same-sex marriage in Utah are asking for the U.S. Supreme Court to step in and rule. If the court does not take Utah’s case, samesex marriage in Utah becomes law. But attorneys for three Utah gay and lesbian couples said they also plan to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take Utah’s appeal of a favorable gay marriage ruling. “Because we understand the tremendous importance of this issue, and that the ultimate question can only be finally resolved at the Supreme Court, we agree with attorneys for the state of Utah that the court should take the case and provide a final resolution,” said Kate Kendell, executive director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights. NCLR joined Magleby & Greenwood, P.C in the Kitchen v. Herbert case earlier this year. Virginia has since appealed to the Supreme Court as well. Experts are varied on what they think the court will do with same sex marriage. Most, however, believe the court will take up the issue in the next 24 months, however. “The court could take the Utah case, they could take the Virginia case, they could take a combination of cases,” Kendell said. “What we all want to see is the court determine sooner rather than later whether it’s constitutionally permissible to deny to same-sex couples, and only samesex couples, the rights, protection and security of marriage.” Former U.S. solicitor general Neal Katyal has been tapped to help the plaintiff couples litigate the case. According to his bio, Katyal has handled 19 cases before the Supreme Court in the past five years. The Utah Attorney General’s office hired a three-man team, led by Gene Schaerr of a Washington, D.C., law firm and former Michigan solicitor general John Bursch. Q
NEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 11
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
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gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
‘Transmormon’ short film going viral BY MICHAEL AARON
Eri Hayword was born as Eddy in Orem, Utah to a Mormon family. A 15-minute documentary about her life has received over a million views in the past seven months, most since July when it was featured on People.com. It has also been featured on The Atlantic’s video channel, is a Vimeo staff pick, was featured in New York Times and won the Artistic Vision Award at the 2014 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and won the 2014 Utah Short Film of the year by the Utah Arts Festival. “Transmormon” is a short documentary detailing Eri’s life. Now 25 years old, the film focuses heavily on her childhood and teenage years — before, during and after her physical transition to womanhood in Bangkok. What you will take away from the film is not only her strength but that of her active Mormon parents. Filmmaker Torben Bernhard joined KUER’s VideoWest to produce Transmormon after reading a blog interview with Eri about her life’s story. Bernhard was born and raised in Michigan and came to Utah for a construction job. He converted to Mormonism shortly after and went on a mission in Thailand. Eri mentioned in the interview that she was going to travel to Thailand for sex reassignment surgery. “We had a very small window to film,” Bernhard said. “We came across the article on July 1st [2013] or so. By July 4th we were filming and by the 7th she was on a plane to Thailand.” Bernhard said he was interested in exploring the tension between faith and real life, or what Eri calls in the film, “allowing the picture to come into focus.” “What if the picture that comes into focus jeopardizes your relationship with a religious organization that has loomed so large throughout your life?” wondered Bernhard. “I found the Haywards’ story immediately compelling, because it naturally embodied tensions that provoke questions about spirituality, authenticity, and the struggle of believers trying to reconcile rifts between their faith and their immediate reality.” The film transcends the topic of Eri’s gender. It becomes a story of a family recognizing differences in their child and, rather than try to come to terms with their faith’s disapproval, try to get their faith to come to terms with their reality.
Mormon Church teachings say that a person goes through sex reassignment therapy is no longer eligible for what is called a “a temple recommend,” restricting their involvement in the church. Bernhard says that the film has affected him spiritually as a Mormon. “My own spiritual life has grown increasingly complicated,” he said. “I tend to be more interested in questions than answers and that has posed some difficulty when it comes to my involvement with a particular faith.” The success of the film has affected both Bernhard and Hayword and talk of a sequel are in the early stages. “Honestly, it is all been very humbling,” said Bernhard. “I’ve been both surprised and heartened by the overwhelming response.” Asked why he thought the film has taken off so well, Bernhard points to changes happening in society as well as the family’s approachable nature. “I think the film came out at the right time, when many people throughout the world are becoming increasingly aware of transgender stories and want to learn more,” Bernhard said. “I also feel that the Haywards story is both inspirational and relatable and, as such, has the power to touch hearts and open minds.” Eri is more taking things in stride. “I don’t know if it has affect me that much to be honest. I am just doing my same old thing, working, having fun, trying to be me,” she said. “I do have a lot more messages and emails to answer than normal, and I guess I do get recognized on the street, which is new. [laughs]. The biggest impact is just the overwhelming amounts of positive feedback and support that I have felt. It has been amazing and the support comes from not just one group of people. I have received messages from people who are religious, non-religious, gay, straight, lesbian, trans and everything in between. I really feel that many people have understood our message and have taken it positively.” After Eri’s sex reassignment surgery, she was scheduled for a disciplinary council with her ward leaders. “Discussions with church leaders have been an ongoing process,” she said. “After surgery I did attend a disciplinary counsel with my church leader where we went
over the details of becoming a woman. Most of what we talked about was completely obvious to me, like a woman can’t hold the priesthood. I was not excommunicated for having the surgery. What I am dealing with now is that I am living with my boyfriend which is frowned upon by LDS principles, so I am having to do a lot of soul searching to see what values are really most important to me to uphold. All in all, I trust my bishop and church leaders to continue being as loving and supportive as they have been this far and I have no worries.”
In the film, Eri’s parents are stalwart in their support, even though they are active practicing Mormons. There are several times when her father is talking about Eri’s life when she was living life as Eddy, yet her father continues to use female pronouns, except at one point when he seemed to recognize that the story was not making sense and he pratically air-quoted the term “he.” “My Mom and Dad are both very supportive,” Eri said. “My parents are both active and faithful members of the church so there is very little ‘dealing’ with church leaders. They attend like normal families do and if questions about me or our family come up then they handle it an open communication sort of manner. However, from my understanding, things have been very positive.” Asked what she hoped the film would do, Eri said, “I guess our message is that no one is perfect by any measure of the term. God knows I am a total disaster, even, but that doesn’t change the fact that people can all still get along if we remember to be respectful, patient, and caring of all other humans. Sometimes that means giving inexperienced people the time and space to get the experience they need. Its a message that goes in all directions and fits in almost every persons situation and one that gets forgotten too much in the business of life.” Q The film is available to be viewed free of charge at vimeo. com/82104871
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
NEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 13
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gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
Facebook donates $10,000 to Reyes’ campaign BY BOB HENLINE
According to disclosures filed with the Utah Lieutenant Governor’s office, Facebook, Inc. donated $10,000 to the campaign of Attorney General Sean Reyes on May 13, 2014. Facebook, according to its “diversity” page, “values the impact that every individual can have. We are dedicated to creating an environment where people can be their authentic selves and share their diverse backgrounds, experiences, perspectives and ideas.” When asked about the donation to the person who has arguably become the face of legal opposition to marriage equality in America, a Facebook spokesperson responded with: “Facebook has a strong record on LGBT issues and that will not change, but we make decisions about which candidates to support based on the entire portfolio of issues important to our business, not just one. A contribution to a candidate does not mean that we agree with every policy or position that candidate takes. We made this donation for the same reason we’ve donated
to Attorneys General on the opposite side of this issue – because they are committed to fostering innovation and an open Internet.” The spokesperson also made
note of three pro-equality candidates to whom Facebook has also contributed substantial financial support. When pressed further about which specific issues earned
Reyes Facebook’s support, the reply was a curt, “He’s worked on Internet safety and patent reform.” Requests for specific instances of such work or statements have gone unanswered.
Only 1 in 6 Utahns believe court will uphold Amendment 3; most support nondiscrimination law A Zion’s Bank/Utah Policy.com survey conducted by Dan Jones And Associates shows that a majority of Utahns are still opposed to marriage equality and support the state government’s appeal of the Kitchen v. Herbert ruling which struck down Utah’s Amendment 3 last December. The poll, released Aug. 18, asked 400 respondents if they support or oppose same-sex marriage. Twenty four percent responded they said they “completely support” and five percent “somewhat” supported same-sex marriage; 53 percent completely opposed and eight percent “somewhat” opposed. Ten percent were neutral. Roughly the same results were reported for the question of whether or not respondents support or oppose Utah’s deci-
Q mmunity Babs De Lay to be roasted at 60th birthday Babs De Lay is turning 60 and everyone is invited. Sister Dottie S. Dixon will host Babs De Lay’s 60th Birthday Roast & Fundraiser for an evening of bawdy storytelling, entertainment and other surprises. There will be complementary hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. In lieu of gifts, Babs asks that people consider a donation to one or all of her chosen beneficiaries for the evening: The Rape Recovery Center, Utah AIDS Foundation and the V-Day Organization at Westminster College. Repre-
sion to appeal Kitchen v. Herbert to the United States Supreme Court, with 54 percent completely supporting, eight percent “somewhat” supporting, 27 percent completely opposed and four percent somewhat opposed. Seven percent were neutral and one percent undecided. Interestingly enough, however, a majority of Utahns also believe that the Supreme Court will rule that Utah’s Amendment 3 is unconstitutional, thereby allowing samesex marriages to be performed in the state. Of the respondents, 58 percent answered yes, 17 percent said no, and 25% said they didn’t know. On a statewide nondiscrimination law, the poll found that 59 percent of Utahns favor a measure to prohibit employ-
sentatives from these beneficiaries will be at the event to collect your on-site donations. Organizers say it will be an evening you won’t forget (without therapy). WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 6, 7 to 9 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.) WHERE: Pierpont Place, 163 W Pierpont Ave INFO: babsisturning60@gmail.com and bit.ly/babsisturning60
Big Gay Fun Buses resume in October, announce season pass Fall through spring is Big Gay Fun Bus season and they are starting soon. Every 6 weeks from mid October to April, QSaltLake and the Matrons of Mayhem host charity buses to Wendover. A Matron calls bingo for hundreds of dollars worth of prizes, jello shots are
ment and housing discrimination based on sexual orientation with just 29 percent against it. The Utah Legislature is known to be much more conservative than the state at large and attempts by Equality Utah to expand their success at local levels have been thwarted by Republican leaders. Equality Utah has been pushing nondiscrimination messaging and ordinances for several years and it is apparent their efforts have swayed the minds of the general public in Utah. Twenty local governments have similar measures on the books. The poll was conducted statewide between August 12 and 14 and has a margin of error of +/- 4.9%.
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Salt Lake AIDS Walk Reduce Stigma & Prevent AIDS. Register today for Salt Lake AIDS Walk and make a difference in preventing new infections and providing compassionate services to those impacted by HIV/AIDS. The 2.5 mile pledge walk is in downtown Salt Lake City WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 20. COST: Registration is free and fundraising is not required but encouraged. INFO: UtahAids.org
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
Utah files for extension in marriage recognition case In another poorly written motion, the Utah Attorney General’s office has asked for a 30-day extension of the filing deadline for their appeal to the Tenth Circuit Court in the case of Evans v. Herbert. The case, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, seeks to force Utah to recognize the marriages that were legally conducted between Judge Robert Shelby’s ruling of December 20, 2013 and the United States Supreme Court’s stay on that decision, ordered on January 6, 2014. An estimated 1,300 same-sex couples were legally married during that time frame. The motion argues that the
Utah Federal Solicitor and Chief of Staff, Parker Douglas, is just too busy to complete the motion prior to the deadline because he’s “travelling” and the case is complex. The motion further claims that the Kitchen v. Herbert case consumed “more of counsels’ time than expected.” John Mejia of the ACLU of Utah indicated that they were contacted by the Attorney General’s office and oppose the motion to delay. “We feel,” he said, “that further delays are prejudicial to our client.” He indicated that the ACLU intends to file their opposition on the record shortly.
TEA of Utah expands, to host biannual job fair in September The Transgender Education Advocates of Utah announced that it has acquired two transgender support organizations, Trans*Utah and UtahTransMed, and that the programs will continue to operate under the direction of TEA. Trans*Utah is primarily a social network group, formed in 2010. Immediately upon its formation, Trans*Utah merged with TGUtah and has been jointly administered by TGUtah founder Joni Weiss and Grace Liston. Trans*Utah currently boasts approximatly 300 members through their website and Facebook networks. In 2011 Dr. Henry Malus formed UtahTransMed as a comprehensive medical and mental health referral system for transgender individuals. “Both of these groups have become life’s blood to transgender individuals and are of the utmost importance to healthy living and growth for everyone,” said TEA executive
director Connie Anast-Inman. TEA also announced that their biannual LGBTQ Job Fair will take place at the Salt Lake County Government Complex, North Building Atrium, 2100 S. State Street, Thursday, Sept. 4. The “Paint Your Career” fair’s mission is to bring together the most inclusive and diverse employers in the state to help LGBTQ individuals and allies find new careers. The job fair is open to the public, says Anast-Inman, “Many allies in our community prefer to work for companies who share their values of inclusion and diversity.” Following last spring’s job fair, which boasted 12 employers, participant employers requested that fairs be held twice per year. Anast-Inman is hoping for double the employer participation this year. They are also bringing in a resume specialist to help job seekers fine-tune their resumes, in hope of increasing hiring success. Q
NEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 15
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16 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | NEWS
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
Utah man fired for writing about homophones Saying people will think the school is associated with gay sex, the owner of a Utah school that teaches English as a second language was fired from his job as a social media specialist for a blog post he made on homophones. No, not a gay phone, like those in the picture above, but words that sound like another word. Tim Torkildson told Paul Rolly of The Salt Lake Tribune that shortly after his lesson went up, Nomen Global Language Center owner Clarke Woodger fired him, complaining “now our school is going to be associated with homosexuality.” “I’m letting you go because I can’t trust you. This blog about homophones was the last straw. Now our school is going to be associated with homosexuality,” Torkildson said, according to the account he published on his personal blog. “I had to look up the word because I didn’t know what the hell you were talking about. We don’t teach this kind of advanced stuff to our students, and it’s extremely inappropriate. Can you have your desk cleaned out by eleven this
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morning? I’ll have your check ready.” Torkildson’s former employer confirms the incident of homophonia actually happened. “People at this level of English,” Woodger told the Tribune, “may see the ‘homo’ side and think it has something to do with gay sex.” Torkildson says that homophones are “one of the first subjects tackled when
teaching ESL,” and said his piece about them was very straightforward. Nomen actually still has another blog post on the topic written in 2011. Torkildson had only worked at Nomen for three months. He is now seeking a new social media job. People are taking to social media, giving the school bad reviews on such websites as Yelp. Q
Defend ‘traditional marriage’ as disciples of the Lord, BYU grads told BY MICHAEL AARON
Graduates of Brigham Young University were told they were “disciples of the Lord,” and therefore, must defend “traditional” marriage. Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during commencement exercises held in the Marriott Center at Brigham Young University on August 14. “True intimacy, as planned by our Creator, can be experienced only within the sacred union of a husband and wife because it is enriched by truth and ennobled by the honoring of covenants that husband and wife make with each other and with God,” Nelson said. “Wherever we go, you and I as disciples of the Lord bear a solemn responsibility to proclaim the will of God to all people. And one of the more demanding opportunities of our time is to stand up for the truth regarding the sacred nature of marriage.” Nelson warned that this responsibility is getting more demanding in these days of same-sex marriage. “At any hour of any day, we have the privilege of choosing between right and wrong,” he said. “This is an age-old battle that started in a premortal realm. And that battle is becoming more intense every day. Your individual strength of character is needed now more than ever before.” “Male and female are created for what they can do and become, together,” Elder Nelson said. “It takes a man and a woman to bring a child into the world. Mothers and fathers are not interchangeable. Men and women are distinct and complementary. Children deserve a chance to grow up with both a mom and a dad.”
He said, “Marriage was not created by human judges or legislators. It was not created by think tanks or by popular votes or by oft-quoted bloggers or pundits. It was not created by lobbyists. Marriage was created by God.” Nelson did not talk about what the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people should look like, nor did he discuss variations of marriage in the Bible, nor the church’s own history of marriage that was not of “one man and one woman.” In his call to the 2,194 graduates, he said that it is important to love others “with malice toward none, with charity for all,” for “they as children of God are our brothers and sisters. We value their rights and feelings. But we cannot condone efforts to change divine doctrine. It is not for man to change.” “Man simply cannot make moral what God has declared to be immoral. Sin, even if legalized by man, is still sin in the eyes of God.” Many churches across the globe have reviewed their teachings and found that same-sex marriage does, indeed, fall within “divine doctrine.” Nelson’s call to the graduates is similar to the church’s call to California residents to donate money and time to pass Proposition 8, a ballot initiative declaring, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” The proposition was overturned by a district chief judge and the U.S. Supreme Court determined that proponents of Prop. 8 did not have standing, thereby leaving the lower court decision intact and allowing same-sex marriages in the state. Q
NEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 17
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
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For more information visit: www.teaofutah.org
18 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | VIEWS
views
“
Do the right thing Facebook and retract your support of Sean Reyes. You have a chance to send a clear message to those who choose to discriminate against LGBT people.
“ “ “
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
quotes in the news
–Anthony Farnum, Downington, PA
I thought this was a joke at first. How did this happen? Did Facebook think this would stay off the radar? Do they simply not care about LGBTQ Utahns?
–Micah Unice, Salt Lake City, UT
Living in the city that introduced marriage equality, I find it unacceptable FB supports people who would deny this basic right.
–Jan Nieuwenhuis, Amsterdam, Netherlands
You can not support gay rights and fund those that work daily aginest our civil rights. You are funding a man that embraces treating gay people as 2nd class. You are funding a politican that embraces discrimination. Shame on Facebook!!!!!!
“
–Jason Vincent, Louisville, KY
You either believe in equality or you’re a dirty fucking bigot like that pig Zuckerberg. Fuck him with a rusty rake.
–Andrew Kinsman, Toronto, Canada
“
People, world wide, should be able to express their authentic selves, thoughts, opinions and ideas and enjoy equal rights without dictation from morally corrupt, biased, bigoted politicians. Equality for all, not just some. Peace out. –Matilda Bear, Sydney, Australia
I am deeply disappointed by Facebook which donates for one who does not accept diversity and equality in this day and age. –Yunyoung Shin, Republic of Korea —Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe
Shocking and disgraceful...makes me feel sick. –Ty Jeffries, London, UK
QSaltLake Magazine welcomes your letters to the editor. Please send your letter of 300 words or less to letters@qsaltlake.com. We reserve the right to edit for length or libel if a letter is chosen for publication.
VIEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 19
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
the straight line
My endorsement of Charles Stormont BY BOB HENLINE
The race
for the Utah Attorney General’s office has picked up quite a bit of press attention in the past week, after QSaltLake broke the story of Facebook, Inc. donating $10,000 to Sean Reyes’ campaign. This race is also very important, as the Attorney General is the electFirst and ed official foremost: Sean who Reyes is a jackass makes the decisions about proceeding with Utah’s defense of Amendment 3 and other similar cases. I have attempted to speak with the three major candidates for this office: current AG Sean Reyes, the Democratic candidate Charles Stormont, and the Libertarian candidate Andrew McCullough. I approached Mr. Reyes in Denver following the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals hearing on the Kitchen v. Herbert case, where he declined to answer my questions. I sat down and interviewed both Mr. Stormont and Mr. McCullough (separately) at length over the summer for different articles in QSaltLake. After my conversations (and attempted conversation), I have a couple of observations to make. First and foremost: Sean Reyes is a jackass who is utterly undeserving of holding elected office in the United States of America. This
goes far beyond his decision to defend Utah’s discriminatory Amendment 3, although that is a big part of it. He has wasted hundreds of thousands of Utah taxpayers’ dollars defending institutionalized bigotry, and he’s done it with remarkable incompetence! Additionally, though, he’s asked for court intervention to invalidate legally-ordered adoptions and create further emotional and financial harm to Utah families. Stormont and McCullough, though, have given us all much to consider in this race. Both have gone on the record with their opposition to the continued defense of Amendment 3, both have expressed a commitment to reforming the Attorney General’s office. McCullough goes further, expressing open opposition to the continued militarization of police and fighting to end the so-called “war on drugs.” Andrew McCullough is a man of integrity, of sincerity, and of passion, and he would make a great Attorney General for the State of Utah. He is not, in his own words, running to win. He is firmly convinced that he and Stormont have the same (zero) chance of beating Reyes in the general election. His point is to elevate the conversation, to bring new ideas to the table and to open voters’ eyes to the reality of life in our GOP-dominated state. I have nothing but respect and admiration for his commitment to justice and his willingness to put himself through another campaign in order to help educate us all.
That, however, was the deciding factor for me. Admittedly, Stormont is at best a long shot, but the optimist in me has to hold out hope that sooner or later the voters in this state will recognize good ideas and a commitment to fairness, equality, and justice. Mr. Stormont has advanced a number of ideas in this campaign, most notably his call for the creation of an independent ethics commission to investigate allegations of impropriety by elected officials and government employees and his call to an end of wasteful litigation such as the defense of Amendment
3 and the suit to take control of lands from the federal government. It is time the Utah Attorney General’s office was managed for what it is: the people’s law firm. For far too long it has been a wretched hive of scum and villainy where dark money and shady deals are the norm. We need an Attorney General who is ready, willing, and able to turn things around and restore the public faith in the office. That is why I have made the decision to support and endorse Charles Stormont for Utah Attorney General in 2014. Q
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gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
queer shift feelings will lead the way. In other words take action along with allowing throughout.
Passion — Shift August
BY CHARLES LYNN FROST
means the dog days of summer. Summer 2014 has been very full, and it is somewhat nice to reduce the fever pitched day-to-day, particularly on weekends. So, passion. There are two strong definitions for the word, and I wish I could write this column about romantic, sexual, lust-filled passion—because with that definition I could write on and on. However I am choosing to focus on passion in life. I recall this past spring, when the season came early; planting flowers, herbs, gardens also occurred almost a month early. The urge to grow, nurture, invest, have passion was flowing. Now, in August everything is coming full circle and plants are also beginning to wane after having produced and grown thus far, this summer. I have been talking to a lot of people lately and they too seem to be resounding with a bit of fatigue, weariness, and feeling overwhelmed. As I inquire—it seems to come down to passion, they just don’t have the life and living passion they had earlier in the year. The recently deceased Nelson Mandela talked of passion when he said, “There is no passion to be found playing small — in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”I totally agree with that, a deliberate, capable life is something everyone needs to create for themselves and everyone deserves. Keeping that passion up is what seems rather difficult to do, at this time of the year. This summer, one long weekend, I ran away. I felt so scared and lost. I told my work colleagues that I would be back after the weekend, and asked my husband Doug to come along, but expect me to be somewhat reflective, alone, and finding answers. He lovingly said — that’s just fine. I just wanted to get focused and experience some peace in my life. Over the mindful weekend eventually I stopped looking for myself. I found it by sitting in stillness and connecting with my feelings, particularly in nature. Nature always recharges my passion, vitality and verve. I paid attention to the patterns around when I disappeared from the present moment and more importantly, what would bring me back. I focusing on cultivating presence, compassion, and courage, things I felt were waning. Focusing enough to eventually
return and format my life around what I love: sharing presence and maintaining passion. Whenever I am in a theatrical production, I constantly have to keep telling myself to get out of my head, and just feel and act! It is fucking hard on stage, even more so in life. Here are some other ideas I have learned over the years—years of vast reading, writing, teaching, parenting, coaching, acting, speaking, and most importantly loving. Ways of getting out of your head and cultivating passion and presence: 1. YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ARE POWERFUL. Everything in your life is a response to your feelings. How you feel about yourself is how you shape your reality. 2. STOP TRYING TO “BE SOMEBODY” AND START OPENING UP. Stop looking so desperately for answers and drop your need to know everything. Give yourself permission to explore and uncover what’s fun for you and what you really love. Stop mimicking other people and pretending to please them, and start opening yourself up to find what you love. 3. CONSTANTLY BE CREATING SOMETHING NEW. Most people are scared of trying and failing because we are told we are supposed to fit in to existing stories created for power and control. Use your imagination to create something new that excites you. 4. BE A MODEL OF TRUTH AND GREAT POSSIBILITIES. Make it your mission to be a model of positive, fun, loving possibilities. The shortest way to get there is to express your deepest truths. When you serve as a model for speaking your truth, you let others know it’s okay for them to do the same. 5. ENCOUNTER YOUR DEEPER STORY. Everyone has a deeper story, something that they fantasize about doing if they could. What’s your deeper story? What do you yearn and long for? Hint: You already know what it is; you just lack the courage to acknowledge it because you don’t think you’re good enough. 6. EXPERIENCE YOUR LONGING. It’s a big leap to go from dreaming to realizing. Take a step to act out your longing and experience its unfolding. If you let them, your
7. RECOGNIZE WHEN AND HOW YOU DISAPPEAR FROM THE PRESENT MOMENT. Know your insecurities and pay attention to your triggers so you can bring yourself back to the present before hurting someone else. It’s your job to maintain your positive space. 8. KNOW WHAT BRINGS YOU BACK. What engenders a feeling of belonging and connection in your life? What stops the obsessive thought looping? Build reference points. That’s how you can always find your way back home. 9. RECOGNIZE THAT FREEDOM IS KNOWING WHAT YOU LOVE AND LETTING IT EMBRACE YOU. You already know enough. Stop looking for guidance and start formatting your life around experiencing what you love. Seek the experience and it will find you. 10. REMEMBER THAT YOUR GIFT IS HOW YOU HANDLE YOUR INSECURITIES. When you do what you love, you’ll act on instinct, without having to put too much thought into the knowledge you don’t yet have. But that thing you love to do—that’s not your only gift. Your other gift is how you handle your insecurities and feelings of inadequacy, when you do get caught up in your head. This is what shapes your life and sense of belonging. 11. TAKE INTENTIONAL ACTIONS. When you set intentions and act on them, you create a natural flow. Directing that flow is how you shape your reality. 12. CONSISTENTLY ASK YOURSELF: WHAT IS MY RELATIONSHIP? Everything is in relationship to everything else. What is your relationship to yourself? Your reality emanates from how you feel about yourself. Hope one more more of these triggered thought, consideration, and possibly some action(s). Talk to someone else you explicitly trust and let them know what you are thinking about, planning, or best actively working on regarding passion and presence. One last thing—passion for life, focusing on being present, knowing and pampering yourself, increases the other type of passion. The other definition of passion. Passion for LIFE makes you horny, and that’s a wonderful and fabulous side effect. “Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate.”—Jon Bon Jovi Grab some, go for it, get it back! Just don’t put it off. Enjoy the remainder of your amazing summer. Q
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
VIEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 21
who’s your daddy? Big Deck
Gay parents make kids happy
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BY CHRISTOPHER KATIS
Recently,
the University of Melbourne released the first official results from its Australian Study of Child Health In Same-Sex Families. The results made news around the world because they showed that kids of same-gender parents not only do as well as their peers with straight parents but in some areas they actually fare better. According to the study, in the areas of mood, behavior, temperament and mental health there is no statistical differences between kids with lesbian or gay parents and those with straight parents. However, when measuring general health and family cohesion, the kids of lesbian and gay parents scored nearly 6 percent higher than the general population. Now, I’m cynical enough to believe you can make a study say whatever you want. Groups opposed to marriage equality have been using research by University of Texas at Austin’s associate professor of sociology Mark Regnerus as proof of their argument. Never mind it was commissioned by a conservative think tank with close ties to the National Organization for Marriage, and only two of his test subjects were raised by same-gender parents from birth. Oh, and they’re doing great—oops! So I asked some experts familiar with the study exactly what it means. According to Colleen R. Logan, Ph.D., a member and past president of the American Counseling Association, and program manager of the Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling master’s program at Walden University, the Australian research is just the latest in a long line of welldocumented research pointing to the same results. Dr. Logan told me, “This exciting research confirms what we already know, kids with same-gender parents not only thrive but they seem to do even better than other kids, especially when it comes to empathy and appreciation for differences, making the world a better and more equitable place.”
Wesley Davidson, author of the blog straightparentgaykid.blogspot.com, who has joined forces with a psychiatrist to cowrite an advice book for straight parents of gay and lesbian children, agrees. She said the study puts to rest the notion that happy, emotionally stable children are the exclusive result of being raised by a straight mother and father. What I found interesting were Davidson’s thoughts on why the study produced these findings: “Because same-sex marriages are more equitable and not based on outdated stereotypes, the byproducts are children, who are happier and reap the rewards of happily married parents.” The fact that gay and lesbian couples are more likely to share the everyday tasks related to raising their kids, as well as more equitably divide household responsibilities based on skill sets rather than gender seems to help provide more stable, happy homes for kids. Clearly I’ve always known that raising happy, emotionally healthy kids has nothing to do with the sexuality of their parents. It has to do with providing them with a loving, stable home life. It’s nice, however to have legitimate, respected research to back me up. It’s important to mention that the study did show one downside: kids raised by same-gender parents can face discrimination by those who believe having two moms or two dads is wrong. It’s the same stigma that comes with any type of ignorance and hatred, and equally as unfair for kids to have to face. The good news, however, is that even that is changing. As Dr. Logan told me, “Frankly, I was not surprised by the results of this study. I think we should know this to be the case by now.” You can see more about the study at achess.org.au. And if you’d like to read about happy, well-adjusted kids with two dads, you can always read my blog, christopher-whosyourdaddy.blogspot.com. Q
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gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
lambda lore
Sodomy in the City of Joseph BY BEN WILLIAMS
Unless one
is a student of Mormon history, the name John C. Bennett won’t ring a bell. His place in Mormon history has been swept under the rug. Illinois Gov. Thomas Ford said of him, “This Bennett was probably the greatest scamp in the western country.” Nevertheless from 1840 to 1842, Bennett was the second most powerful man in the Mormon Church. Prior to joining the Church, “General Bennett” was a noted physician, surgeon, Quarter Master General for the Illinois Militia and a successful legislature lobbyist. During the two years he was a Mormon, Bennett was Nauvoo’s first mayor, first chief justice, first chancellor of the University of Nauvoo, the first major general of the Nauvoo Legion and also an assistant to Joseph Smith in the office of the First Presidency. What a resume! Upon arriving in Nauvoo, the handsome and charismatic Bennett immediately became Smith’s best friend and his most trusted confidante. The Mormon Prophet even moved Bennett into his home. There, he became Smith’s hero when he got the Illinois legislature basically to set up Nauvoo as an independent city-state. Especially exciting for the prophet was Nauvoo’s municipal court. It was granted the powers of habeas corpus. This allowed the Mormon Prophet to flip-off the authorities in Missouri who wanted to haul his fugitive butt back to that state to be tried for treason. Bennett was the toast of Nauvoo and popular with both the ladies and the gents. As mayor, he was considered an eligible catch for the ladies and as major general, he was popular with young men hoping to make rank in the city’s army. However, Bennett had some baggage of which most of the Saints were unaware. As a doctor he was an abortionist, he still had a wife who left him, and he was a “homo-libertine.” In Nauvoo, gossip surrounding the doctor’s sexual antics began to worry the Mormon Prophet fearing that it might spill over onto his own secret sexual antics, “spiritual wifery.” For some time Smith had heard rumors that Bennett was advancing young Nauvoo Legionnaires in exchange for sexual favors. Smith also probably heard Nauvoo tongues a-wagging about Colonel
Frank Higbee’s meteoric rise within the ranks of the city’s militia appointed by the major general. Smith eventually felt his buddy was getting too big for his britches. He decided he needed some dirt on the mayor to reel him in. Smith got the scoop on Bennett in the form of two letters revealing he had deserted his wife and kids, but that all paled in comparison to the shenanigans the Prophet witnessed firsthand on July 4, 1842. He caught fireworks going off between the 37-year-old doctor and 21-year-old Col. Higbee. Bennet’s influence within Nauvoo that day came to a screeching halt. Higbee’s daddy was church historian, recorder and an old Missouri Danite so he came from a “good family.” However, Higbee seemed mostly interested in “dipping his wick” at the local whore house that Bennett had had built in Nauvoo. He was a “sport” and well, when you play you pay, and Higbee soon caught the Clap. The young Higbee, discovering his wang burned when he peed, did what every Mormon boy does having the Clap: get a priesthood blessing and go see a doctor. The Mormon Prophet gave the colonel a blessing (on which head not sure, but he did say it was “irksome”) and then Bennett, as a physician, provided the young lothario some 19th-century remedy. So back to Independence Day, 1841, Smith, with the blackmail letter in hand, went seeking Bennett, thinking probably, “I got you now, you old rascal.” However, when the Prophet found Bennett, he and Col. Higbee were canoodling. Well the way the Mormon Prophet put it was slightly different. He said he found Higbee on a bed on the floor in an act that was deemed “too indelicate for the public eye or ear” and “so revolting, corrupt and disgusting.” In 19thcentury parlance, “canoodling” between men was a “revolting” crime. The very thought of men engaging in butt sex was considered so loathsome, it was often called an “unspeakable crime.” Some silly historians refuse to believe that Bennett committed sodomy in Nauvoo. Their logic is that since Bennett was accused of seducing the “Sisters” of Nauvoo, he could not possibly be a homosexual. Don’t fall down laughing. I put it to you
that it is not unreasonable to assume that butt sex was in the mix. Especially later when Bennett was on the outs, he would be accused of “buggery” by those in the know. Well you can’t have your mayor, chancellor, chief justice, major general, and your assistant president to the Church buggering a kid. It doesn’t look right. And Smith now had the goods on Bennett, having witnessed him in “flagrante delicto,” to do something about humbling the major general. Bennett begged Smith not to shame him in front of his peers, but the resolute Prophet said, “forget it.” Not wishing to be humiliated and disgraced before a church court, Nauvoo’s mayor took poison. However he blotched it. Smith claimed the shot at suicide was real and that Bennett “very much resisted” the antidote administered to save the mayor’s life. Less generous folks claim that as a physician, the good doctor knew exactly how much poison to take to get sick but not to kill him, and that Bennett was playing for sympathy. Whatever. The taking of poison by Nauvoo’s mayor is confirmation that the “abominable” act in which he was caught was so disgraceful and shameful to him that the ensuing dishonor and humiliation warranted suicide. “While fornication was frowned on, it was at least understood. For 19th-century Americans— especially religious ones —homosexual behavior was beyond the pale.” Bennett and his young colonel were dragged before a secret church court for censure. Neither one denied the charges but was “filled with shame and remorse.” Brigham Young noted “When I came into the room, Frank Higbee rather recoiled and wished to withdraw; he went out and sat upon a pile of wood. He said it is all true, I am sorry for it, I wish it had never happened…” Not so strange, the 1841 ecclesiastical trial of Bennett is absent from Mormon Church records. Obviously the church court proceedings were handled quietly and discreetly. Some believe Smith did not dare make a record of “accusations of sodomy against Bennett for fear of destroying the reputations of the other young men.” A scandal of that magnitude would give fodder to the enemies of the Saints. A more compelling case for why the trial was secrecy is that the Mormon prophet did not want it publicly gossiped that he had put a “sodomite” in such a high position within the Church. That the “Frank Higbee Affair” was not a one-time fling comes from Brigham Young, who stated Bennett “was seducing young women, and leading young men into difficulty … if he had let young men and women alone it would have been better for him.”. Q
NEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 23
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
creep of the week
Michele Bachmann BY D’ANNE WITKOWSKI
Okay
folks, let’s get a couple of things out of the way here. First, Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota) is still a member of the United States House of Representatives, no matter how many times I close my eyes and wish she would go away. Second, she did not say that immigrant children should be forced into work camps. It’s a story that originated on a poorly done satire website and progressive sites such as Think Progress got a little too excited and published it as fact. In their defense, however, Bachmann says a lot of crazy shit. And the tenor of the Republican immigration debate is perfectly suited to include an argument that we should round these kids up and make ‘em work to teach them “about the American way of life.” So sorry, not sorry, Michele Bachmann. Especially since Bachmann really did say some incredibly awful things during a July 23 appearance on the Filth and Liberty radio show. Bachmann and host Dave Garrison were having a sad discussion about how mean gays are to people “with a Christian world view” and how gays want “to punish people who don’t agree with [their] viewpoint.” Because of how Christians are a persecuted minority in “God we trust” America. “This is their ultimate goal, is to not allow for diversity of opinion on this issue, because they don’t want to be celebrated, they want to force everyone to not only agree with them but also have to finance their agenda,” Bachmann wailed. First of all, it’s cute that Bachmann thinks that gays agree with each other about everything. Because, you know, homos aren’t individual people with unique points of views and life experiences or anything. Nope. Just a bunch of dyke clones on motorcycles and identical muscled guys
wearing thongs on a rainbow parade float forcing everyone to worship their cocks. After all, if you don’t eat your meat you can’t have any pudding. Sorry, I think I was just channeling a Marcus Bachmann fever dream … My point is, As for financing the gay agenda, well, she’s right about that. For example, my gay agenda currently is to buy a house and I need a mortgage. Voila, my gay agenda is being financed. Of course, right-wing loons like Bachmann prefer to make up totally crazy shit that they claim is the “gay agenda.” “I believe that we’re going to see coming an effort for, uh, multiples in marriage, not just two, but multiples in marriage,” she says. “I think they wanna legalize that. I think also they want to abolish age of consent laws, which means children, uh, we will do away with statutory rape laws so that adults will be able to freely prey on little children sexually. That’s the deviance that we’re seeing embraced in our culture today.” Uh, no. There is not a cultural embrace of polygamy or kid fucking and anyone who claims such a thing is an idiot. “We need to stand up and as believers not be afraid to speak the truth,” she says to her fellow anti-gay Christians. “Don’t be intimidated, there’s no reason to be.” Unfortunately, Bachmann’s relationship to “truth” and facts is pretty rocky. But that’s never stopped her before. Which is why so many people believed it when they read that Bachmann favored Americanization labor camps for immigrant kids. Because she’s a fountain of bad and hateful and stupid ideas. Q D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet who reviews rock and roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister.
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gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
guest editorial
Gay Games 9 — What Were They Thinking: Keep it Gay BY BOB ABELMAN
The speed
with which public attitudes have shifted towards greater acceptance of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has left many marketers scrambling to tap this sizable segment of influential consumers. How influential? National surveys have put the collective buying power of the LGBT community at over $800 billion annually. Gay households, in particular, have a 23 percent higher median income than straight households and – while it is important not to treat any community as a group with monolithic preferences and perceptions – they tend to be more brandspecific and brand-loyal in their purchases. Which marketers love. The 2014 Gay Games, and the estimated $40 million worth of consumption the
event is bringing to Cleveland and Akron, has created a wonderful opportunity for local businesses to support and court the LGBT community. And because both positive and negative purchasing decisions are often made on the basis of a business’ perceived inclusionary practices, many local businesses
attended training on cultural competency from The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio. Local theater companies need no such training, nor do they have to devise marketing strategies to bring in members of the LBGT community. “They have always been there,” suggests Bill Rudman, artistic director of the Cleveland-based Musical Theater Project. “Without gays and lesbians on stage, behind the scenes and in the audience, there would be no Broadway. Or us.” One reason is that the stage is often the first place to reflect social progress. In fact, a new breed of plays about life in the LBGT community is currently replacing the explicitly political and exclusively tragic plot points found in such groundbreaking 1980s and 1990s dramas as “The Normal Heart,” “Torch Song Trilogy” and “Angels in America.” Shows like the recent Broadway production of Geoffrey Nauffs’ “Next Fall” simply place the everyday concerns of Americans in a queer context. With approximately 7,000 Gay Games participants and 20,000 spectators coming to town, several local theaters purposefully offered LGBT-centric plays during the week of August 9 – 16. Did these productions experience a bump in attendance? “We did,” says Rudman, whose “I Am What I Am: Gays, Lesbians and the American Musical” – a live, multi-media concert with commentary – was performed at the
Cleveland Public Theatre the opening weekend of the games. “We played to capacity crowds,” he adds, “which were larger and more vocal than we normally get for our productions. Although evidence is anecdotal, it is clear that we had many game-related out-of-towners in the house.” “’Virginia Woolf’s Orlando’ had soldout performances,” notes James Sloviak, co-artistic director of Akron’s New World Performance Laboratory, “and with many same-sex couples in attendance. But it is unclear whether this was due to the games or the buzz created by Sarah Ruhl’s passionate and poetic rendering of Woolf’s gender-bending novel.” The theater’s mission centers on inclusivity and diversity, which its audiences typically reflect, so any direct impact of the games is hard to measure. Tremont’s convergence-continuum, spearheaded by Clyde Simon, is the area’s most prolific producer of LGBT-relevant plays. For its production of “Amazons and Their Men,” the box office noticed significantly more reservations made from out of state but no noticeable increase in tickets sold during the games. “We did get listed as one of the area’s arts/entertainment options on the official website,” says Simon, “but with so much going on, there was a lot more competition than usual.” Actors’ Summit in Akron re-staged its 2012 offering of the musical comedy “My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wed-
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
ding.” According to artistic director Neil Thackaberry, “attendance was substantially ahead of where we were on the first run. The fact that most of our audience during the Gay Games was straight, and coming out to learn from and be entertained by this production, is evidence that the games were effective at making everyone feel welcome.”
Bump or no bump, the Gay Games have shown that good, diverse and progressive theater fare will find an audience. Whether this past week’s productions were merely preaching to the choir or actually raising consciousness, the games’ sense of inclusion was contagious and, perhaps, something sustainable beyond the proscenium arch. Q
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VIEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 25
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26 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | INTERVIEW
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
PANIC! AT THE DISCO: OUT TO WIN
Frontman Brendon Urie takes on Westboro, talks ‘gay’ past and lapsed Mormonism
Panic!
at the Disco frontman Brendon Urie is on the Westboro Baptist Church’s shit list– who isn’t? — and he couldn’t be happier about it. Laughing off the recent protest that took place during a Kansas City stop on the band’s “Gospel Tour,” Urie, who revealed in our interview late last year that he’s a “straight dabbler,” high-fives me as I greet him. I mention the tweet the troll-y “church” sent out just hours before the trio relayed a message of love and unity to a Detroit crowd, condemning both of us for our “fag sins.” “We fucking did it!” he says, elated that his outspokenness regarding LGBT issues–and his own sexuality–has reached far enough to get a rise out of the WBC. “Whatever gets them pissed off, I love.” Just wait till they read what he has to say about having the hots for Ryan Gosling. How did you hear that Westboro was going to picket your Kansas City show? We saw a couple (of tweets). For a couple of weeks before the Kansas City show they were threatening us. I mean, they’ve come to shows before but have never been that present. Not that present? Only 13 people showed up outside your Kansas City show. You mean to tell me there were less than that at other
protests? Yeah. Seriously, there were like five people or something. You haven’t made a statement regarding this protest… No… And I know some celebrities have confronted them… … which is great. Foo Fighters did. The whole band got on the back of a semi-truck and played some country songs, which was brilliant. How did you guys decide you’d respond to them by donating $20 to the Human Rights Campaign for each protester that came to your show? When I heard that they were showing up, I mean, I can’t lie–I was instantly a little upset. I was like, “Oh, man, I don’t like these people,” but then I started to be like, “I don’t wanna be in that mood anymore. I don’t wanna feel that way. I don’t want them to have that kind of control, so we’ll try to turn it around.” Because what would make them more mad than being a part of something charitable? And I thought we were gonna make a huge donation! But 13 people showed up for 20 minutes, and then they left. That was weak. It was pathetic. So, we’re gonna throw in a little more [money], because that was stupid. [Panic! at the Disco pledged to donate a total of $1,000 to HRC.] What if they show up at more shows? If they do, we’ll just donate way more! (Laughs) Does that kind of hate galvanize you to fight harder for gay rights? It shows me a world that I am blind to all the time. Living in L.A., everybody’s open to everything, which is awesome, so I’m kind of living in a paradise of open-mindedness all the time. You go out on the road and visit differ-
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Within a year I was a full-on atheist. It was so liberating, and it really just made me ent cities and you see that that’s not how it is everywhere; there are smaller, concentrated groups of people who love to hate. It makes me wanna fight harder for the things I believe in. Having grown up Mormon, this condemnation of your beliefs must feel familiar. You left the Mormon Church at a young age, right? Yeah, I thought, “I don’t believe in any of this,” when I was 12. I remember looking around the church — it was during sacrament meeting on Sunday — and I was like, “Oh my god, I don’t think I believe in this.” I started doubting. Within a year I was a full-on atheist. It was so liberating, and it really just made me feel more honest, more like myself. And I love that. But yeah, I’ve definitely been in a world where I was doing things that were seen as complete evil by the church that I was a part of. It just made me so upset for the longest time. I was really angry when I first left the church at 17. I was totally an angry atheist, but then I just got tired of being that. Last time we chatted, you opened up about same-sex experiences you had early in your life. Did those experiences have anything to do with why you left the church? That was definitely part of it. Most of it was about the doctrine. After a while I realized if I’m going to believe in a god, I don’t want him to hate people that I love. I don’t want him to hate his children. If he’s saying that black people can’t have the priesthood until 1978, that doesn’t make sense to me; if being gay is an evil thing, that doesn’t make sense to me. All of these things didn’t add up. If that’s the club that I have to be in to feel exclusive and important, I don’t wanna be a part of it. So that was really it. It just didn’t coincide with the things that I believed in, and it was as simple as that. I still consider myself spiritual, and it’s a weird thing too. I know for a lot of people God is a great answer to a lot of things, and
feel more honest, more like myself. And I love that.
that’s totally fair. To me, I believe it’s bigger than that. To me, the universe is greater than it just being on one bearded man in the clouds who maybe created everything. I think it’s cheapening the experience. I’ve done countless trips–psychedelic trips–and that has opened up my mind, and I don’t think I know that much. And the more I experience, the less that I know. I just realized I am so ignorant to what’s possibly out there, so I don’t want to limit myself to believing in one singular god. I’d like to think that it’s greater than that, that there is some mystery out there that I haven’t solved yet, and maybe never will. But I love pursuing that. That’s what “spiritual” is to me. Just being spiritual makes me feel deep, and I just love the way it warms me up. What did you and the rest of the band think when you heard Westboro’s remake of your song, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” which they rewrote as a gay-bashing anthem called “You Love Sin What a Tragedy”? Here was my first thought: “Man, couldn’t they have gotten a guy who can actually sing?” (Laughs) That made me mad. I was 17 when I recorded that and I didn’t consider myself a great singer, but if you’re gonna parody something, at least get a guy who can sing. Like, what a terrible voice. Right? If anything’s a sin, it’s the AutoTune on the track. (Laughs) That was my exact thought. It’s such a bad version. Honestly, we were dying. We were laughing. We thought it was hilarious. We actually thought about changing a couple of the lyrics to what they had for one of our songs, but I was like, “Ah, that gives
them too much credit.” We thought it was funny. I look at them as a joke. To me, they’re harmless. I realize they’re trying to hurt people’s feelings, and they do harm when they show up at, like, a gay soldier’s funeral. That’s really fucked up. That’s crossing a line. What do you think of the new name they’ve given you: “fag pimp”? How great is that? Hey, so, if anyone’s looking for money… How long do you think it took them to find that photo of you pointing to your crotch? (Laughs) Not long. It might’ve been the first thing on Google. What’s been your most fag pimpin’ moment on stage? More pimpin’ than gay. (Laughs) Honestly, I’m constantly running around the stage humping the air, humping my bandmates–so yeah, it gets a little sexy. I watched a montage of you humping stuff the other day. It really says something when there’s enough material for a whole gay montage. It’s so funny, when we had our first lineup I used to do it to the other guys in the band, and sometimes it would make then uncomfortable. I was like, “Oh, this is gonna be so much fun.” I love pushing buttons. Have you ever felt like you’ve crossed the line? Umm... I don’t think I’ve gone too far. I mean, in my opinion. But I don’t know. I’ve never really asked them! (Laughs) You’ve kissed bandmates… Oh, sure. I haven’t done it lately. I’ve just been locked in my own sweaty world. I think I feel bad putting my sweat on somebody else. I’m way too gross now. (Laughs) How do you feel people responded to your “coming out”? I don’t think that mine necessarily was a coming out because I never had a problem [admitting it] if anyone would ask, but nobody ever asked me
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I can just appreciate when a dude is attractive. Paul Newman is just a goodif I had ever made out with a guy. To me, it doesn’t really matter who you love or what you do with your personal life, but it made me happy to see that reflected in people’s comments and reactions to it — that most people who are smart and wise and openminded can realize that, yeah, that doesn’t matter. At the time, you told me it was a big deal for you to come out. Because I had never been asked. I had never talked about it. It really was. I don’t ever wanna feel ashamed to be honest. I don’t ever wanna feel ashamed to just tell people who I am. It only helps to be honest because you can take example from people and realize, “Oh, I can totally be myself and just be proud of who I am.” Do you and your wife, Sarah, have the same taste in men? God, I just honestly find some dudes straight up attractive.
So yeah, we talk about Ryan Gosling. We talk about Charlie Hunnam, because he’s a beautiful man. And I’m into old school too. I used to watch movies and be like, “That’s a good looking dude.” I can just appreciate
looking dude. I mean, Cool Hand Luke!
when a dude is attractive. Paul Newman is just a good-looking dude. I mean, Cool Hand Luke! What is it about Ryan Gosling? The attitude. When I was trying to have sex with all these girls in high school, I would watch The Notebook just to be like, “All right, let’s watch this movie … so we can have sex. So we can make out during this entire movie!” In Crazy, Stupid, Love. when he ripped his shirt off, I was like, “That dude is ripped.” I want the Ken body! If only I could get his body on my body… Is he someone you would commit a “fag sin” for? (Laughs) You were just waiting to pull that shit out. You know, it’s so funny, because, honestly, when I was younger I was just curious. I wanted to try everything. I was 13–14 and I wanted to try it. I was like, “I wonder, am I gay? I don’t know.” Between 13 and 15, that was a big experimental time for me. I lost my virginity when I was 13. To a girl? To a girl. I was just attracted to girls, but after messing around, I was just curious. I’m like, “I don’t know what I am or who I am yet. I wanna see what I’m into.” I didn’t really know. I spent a year or two seeing what works–a couple of tries [with guys] seeing what I like, what I don’t, and then after a while I realized, “Yeah, I’m straight. I like girls. But I can find a dude attractive.” I didn’t really know. I’m just a horny individual. I was seriously six years old when I tried making out with a girl for the first time just because I saw it in movies and I was like, “I wanna do that. That looks awesome.” I was just really into girls, and it was a forbidden thing in my house--that
you can’t date until you’re 16, so I would sneak out and go to parties. That made me want to try everything out even more. The restrictions made me want to try stuff. Maybe I wouldn’t have experimented so much if the world was open to me and it wasn’t so strict, but I don’t regret it at all. I definitely think that was my path. If I need to know something, I need to experience it for myself. And I’m still 16 up here (points to head). The hormones are still there; the horniness is still there. Sinéad O’Connor recently told me in regard to her sexuality, “It’s not about what gets my dick hard.” That’s great. Well, it’s not about what gets my pussy wet… (Laughs) So, considering how “busy” you were, did you ever see The Notebook in full? (Laughs) Oh yeah, of course. That’s just a good movie. You know what’s funny, I was like, (deepens voice) “Oh, no way, that’s so stupid, that’s so girly,” but now I’m like, “That movie’s awesome.” I love romantic comedies. Love Actually is one of my favorite movies. Are you a crier? Oh yeah. The Notebook definitely got me. At the end when she forgets the husband again when they’re older — shit, that’s beautiful and tragic. That kind of stuff just gets to me. It pierces my heart. How he stuck by her–that’s a cool message. What does the cover of your latest album, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!, represent? For this last record, it really was just about times I had growing up in Vegas. I wanted to create that character. The person I am on the cover is not who I am. Even the smoking cigarettes–I’ve quit since then. But when I was a kid, that was the guy who ran around Vegas and owned it. He had a Liberace jacket and he was smoking a cigarette. He was owning the desert, he didn’t give a fuck, and the smoke was colored — that to me was the quintessential Vegas guy.
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You know, it’s so funny, because, honestly, when I was younger I was just curious. I wanted to try everything. I was 13–14 and I wanted to
Is that shit out of try it. I was like, “I wonder, you living me, which out a would am I gay? I don’t know.” childhood happen fantasy? I once in a wanted to while. I be what I think havcouldn’t ing people have. around What was forbidden. To me, me that were stronger and The Strip was forbidden. more supportive just helped Living there, there’s a huge me overcome that essentially… Mormon community, but it’s because fuck a bully! mostly just trying to convert How do you respond to everybody. And most of it bullies now, like Westboro, is just business-minded — I compared to when you were mean, Mormons are just busia kid? Honestly, I do get that nessmen, straight up, which is initial anger. I’ve gotten a lot kind of crazy. But yeah, it was better as time has gone on and out of my curiosity as a kid. as I’ve gotten older. I used to I really saw Vegas as this dejust lash out when I was a kid. baucherous gangster town, and I’d go home and hit the punchI loved that fantastical view of ing bag until my knuckles were thinking, “Who runs this city?” bloody and be like, “I hate You’d hear rumors of the my life.” But then I realized mob owning it, all these mafia I don’t have it that bad. I’m ties, and it was like, “I wanna getting beat up because there’s be in that world. I wanna something wrong with them. I have those ties. I wanna be didn’t do anything wrong. And a ‘goodfella.’ I wanna be the it’s not easy, but in time you Ray Liotta to the fucking Paul realize it’s not your fault. It’s Sorvino.” I always wanted to be definitely their problem and it in that world, and now I have just makes more sense to be a it in the music world. I’ve got better example. That’s such a my closest friends. We’ve got better victory. It’s more selfish a gang. too, for me, because I’m like, This fantasy you had as kid, “I wanna be the victor right where you imagined yourself now.” as a hotshot, was it because With Westboro, maybe it you weren’t one as a kid? could change their mind. I Were you bullied? Oh yeah. just think it would be a good idea to include Westboro, you So you idealized yourself know? Bring them into the as something bigger than picnic. We’re gonna go to the you felt? Oh, sure. It came gay picnic and have some cake. somewhat from the bullying, You guys want some cake? Q but the bullying — I never let them take it too far. I couldn’t Chris Azzopardi is the editor of Q Syndistop them from kicking the cate, and chris-azzopardi.com.
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30 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | FALL ARTS
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
fall arts
Utah has a wonderful arts scene. Make sure to get out there and experience the riches our arts organizations have to offer.
THEATER
THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE ABRIDGED CenterPoint Theatre, Centerville Sept. 19–Oct. 11 Three guys, one dead playwright, and 37 plays, all in under two hours! This irreverent and unapologetic comedy will teach you everything you never knew about The Bard in some very unconventional ways as three actors attempt to introduce you to the Complete Works of William Shakespeare.
The depth of her love is tested and she must choose between love and honor. With opulent costumes and sets and stunning music, Puccini’s masterpiece captures the mysterious and tragic beauty of love itself
storybooks of quirky characters who want to get even, including Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs. After hearing the evidence, it’s up to the audience – was the Big Bad Wolf born a criminal or made one?
ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
BELT CANTO
Peery’s Egyptian Theater, Park City Oct. 24 Continuing its annual celebration of all things campy, the Egyptian will present The Rocky Horror Picture Show this Halloween.
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW Pioneer Theatre Company at Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, University of Utah Oct 24–25 A fun-loving tribute to horror and science fiction B-movies of years ago, The Rocky Horror Show tells the wacky tale of innocent couple Brad and Janet. Newly engaged, their car breaks down in the woods on the proverbial dark-and-stormy night. They soon meet Dr. Frank N. Furter, the “Sweet Transvestite” mad scientist about to reveal his latest Frankenstein-esque creation. With a little help from drive-in...
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Plan-B Theatre Company at Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center Oct. 15 “The Nixie of the Mill-Pond” performed as live radio drama in all their original Grimm-ness. Also broadcast live on KUER’s RadioWest.
The Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan Oct 29–30 This classic tale of love and loss is set to the music of Tchaikovsky by Emmy Award-winning choreographer Robert Sund. The virtuoso performance by State Street Ballet has delighted audiences worldwide. State Street Ballet is a innovative professional company in Santa Barbara, Calif.
MADAME BUTTERFLY
THE BIG BAD MUSICAL
Utah Opera at Capitol Theatre Oct 11–19 Butterfly sits alone, waiting for the beautiful day when a naval ship returns with her beloved. Three years have passed, but her hope has never wavered.
Kingsbury Hall, University of Utah Nov. 7–8 This hilarious courtroom comedy casts the audience as jury to decide the fate of the Big Bad Wolf. He’s been slapped with a class-action lawsuit by
RADIO HOUR EPISODE 9: GRIMM
The Salty Cricket Composer’s Collective at Ladies Literary Club Bdg Nov. 13 Formerly known as “Broadway Bound?”, Belt Canto is a collage of opera and musical theatre scenes of shows by Utah composers. With fully featured stage props and costumes, see the future of musical theatre here in Utah.
THE THREE PENNY OPERA Univ. of Utah College of Fine Arts at Babcock Theatre Nov. 7–23 Mack is back. This brilliant musical is a political and social satire about the corruption of humanity and a sharp critique of Capitalism. Brutal, scandalous, yet humorous and with a happy ending, The Threepenny Opera is a landmark of modern drama that inspired such subsequent hits as Cabaret and Chicago, and includes one of the most popular songs of the century, “The Ballad of Mack the Knife.”
DANCE PORTAL
Repertory Dance Theatre at Jeanne Wagner Theatre Oct. 2–4 In the season opener RDT presents three works, including the world premiere of the RDT commission, By The Snake, by the Israeli creative team Noa Zuk and Ohad Fishof, former artists with Tel Aviv’s Batsheva Dance Company and practitioners of the famed Gaga Movement Language. Also on the concert is another RDT commission from 2006, Fever Sleep by local choreographer Stephen Koester.
THRILLER! Odyssey Dance Theatre Egyptian Theatre - Park City Sept 26–Oct. 5 Enjoy this thrilling Halloween tradition with a ghoulish cast of characters, spooks and zombies. It’s a gruesome dance of monsters and maniacs, creeps and clowns; at once mystifying, mesmerizing and morbid! An annual sell-out show. *Use parental discretion when bringing children. Some characters and images are more scary than others.
CARRIE LEE MILES PRESENTS “GATHERINGS: AN EVENING OF DANCE” Peery’s Egyptian Theater Ogden and Imagine Ballet Theatre Oct. 11 Winner of the 2014 Rocky Mountain Choreography Festival, Carrie Miles “Gatherings” will consist of dances that have been choreographed over a 3 year period. Dealing with the relationships and struggles, comings and goings of our personal, work and daily lives through the eyes of dancer, choreographer.
THE MITCH SHOW Repertory Dance Theatre at Jeanne Wagner Theatre Nov. 21–22 Dance and dance video from Mitchell Rose, a former choreographer and performance artist, and now a prize-winning filmmaker. Manically funny, often poignant and always surprising, this interactive one-man show appeals equally to fans of film, theater, dance and comedy.
SURPRISE PACKAGES Repertory Dance Theatre at Jeanne Wagner Theatre Nov. 22 RDT’s family-friendly show Surprise Packages is a concert created by choreographer Tim Hadel which will delight audiences ages 3 to 103 featuring rhythms, games, puzzles and hijinks as dancers build mazes and towers with cardboard boxes, show their ballroom dance skills
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
and puzzle over a Rubik’s cube.
ART
BORDERS AND MIGRATIONS Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake Through Sept. 27 In Motion: Borders and Migrations, examines different manifestations of the Mexico and United States border in the visual arts.
ART IS 100 AFTER HOURS PARTY Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah Oct. 3 Celebrate Art is 100 and the premiere of American Sculptor Tony Feher’s work with snacks, cocktails and music.
ROBERT SMITHSON: HOTEL PALENQUE Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake Through Oct. 4 Hotel Palenque, a slideshow of Robert Smithson’s photographs, reveals an unfinished hotel on the Mayan architectural site of Palenque, Mexico.
KRISHNA: LORD OF VRINDAVAN Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Universit of Utah Through Nov. 20 A companion exhibition to Moksha: Photography by Fazal Sheikh, Krishna: Lord of Vrindavan explores the Hindu god Krishna through sacred and secular artworks, dating from the 11th century to the 20th, from the Museum’s Asian art collection. Krishna promised
FALL ARTS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 31
followers that through bhakti (devotion) to him, one could gain moksha (salvation). The exhibition will be presented in the Museum’s Emma Eccles Jones Education Gallery.
MOKSHA: PHOTOGRAPHY BY FAZAL SHEIKH Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Universit of Utah Through Nov. 30 Weaving together the artistactivist’s portraits and the stories of a community of widows in the Hindu pilgrimage site of Vrindavan. A marginalized segment of Hindu society since ancient times, widows, many of them dispossessed of home and family, have few places of sanctuary. In Vrindavan, a city holy to the Hindu god Krishna, these women chant and pray every day in the hopes of obtaining mok-
sha, release from the constant cycle of death and rebirth.
WILLIAM LAMSON: HYDROLOGIES Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake Oct. 17–Jan. 3
MUSIC
LOST IN THE WOODS Salt Lake Men’s Choir at the Salt Lake Masonic Temple Sept. 26–27 Collaborating with the Flying Bobcat Theatrical Laboratory, this is a production of theatre and song, both familiar and commissioned new pieces.
after-hours party Celebrate Art is 100 and the premiere of American sculptor Tony Feher’s new Great Hall installation. Yummy snacks, bright cocktails, music by DJ Chaseone 2. CALL 801.585.0464 OR VISIT umfa.utah.edu MARCIA AND JOHN PRICE MUSEUM BUILDING
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3 | 8–11 pm Tickets: $30 | UMFA members $40 | non-members
VIP lounge 7-8:30 pm VIP tickets are $65 for members, $75 for non-members.
32 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | FALL ARTS
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
Arts funding is on this year’s ballot
Salt Lake
County’s Zoo Arts and Parks funding is up for a vote again this year. It has survived the ballot box twice since its inception in 1997 and has provided a tremendous help to the county’s arts and other organizations. On November 4, the voters of Salt Lake County will have another opportunity to renew their ZAP program for the same 1/10th of 1 percent sales tax, exactly what the rate is today. Since 1997, ZAP funding has supported
over 160 arts, cultural, and zoological organizations, 13 parks and trails and 17 recreation centers. Over 7 million people participate in a ZAP-funded cultural activity each year with member organizations. Nearly 4 million of those receive free admission to a ZAP-funded event.
HOW IT WORKS When you pay sales tax on an item within the couinty, 1 penny for every $10 purchase benefits Salt Lake County’s cultural
organizations and recreational sites. The initiative comes up for a vote for renewal every 10 years. Salt Lake Men’s Choir is among the beneficiaries of the annual grants administered by the initiative, making up about a fourth of the organization’s income. This allows the organization to purchase new music, new risers as the group grows and travel to more events in the area to further help support the community. Community member John Becker be-
Salt Lake Men’s Choir gets ‘Lost in the Woods’
What do
you do when two roads diverge in a yellow wood, and you may or may not have taken a wrong turn on the yellow brick road? This September, the Salt Lake Men’s Choir and Flying Bobcat Theatrical Laboratory will present Lost in the Woods under the starry dome of the Salt Lake Masonic Temple. The story is based around a young writer who is in the tragic and whimsical throes of writer’s block. Using all his forces to summon some creative jolt, he finds his new muses in the 70 members of a men’s choir. Acting as a ‘Greek Chorus’, the choir takes the young writer on an unexpected odyssey as he explores his own adventure tales of getting lost in the woods. Armed with a choir anda rather whimsicalfield guide, the writer and the audience will find their way through with song and storytelling. Lost in the Woods features: “Lost,” a new composition by local composer Jared Oaks, commissioned for this show and inspired by the American poet David Wagoner’s poem “That Wonderful Mother of Mine.” Also, “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost’s poem set to music composed and arranged by Randall Thompson; “The Mountains” by Merrill Bradshaw; “Not While I’m Around” by Stephen Sondheim, and several other pieces
that inspire this young writer to get “Lost in the Woods.” When Salt Lake Men’s Choir Artistic Director Dennis McCracken approached Flying Bobcat to join forces, co-founder Robert Scott Smith said, “we jumped at the opportunity to create a new theatrical concert. Our mission as a company is to create new devised collaborative work that focuses on story and the merging of different artistic disciplines. We just finished a collaboration with NOW-ID, a new interdisciplinary dance and arts company to create a site-specific work FEAST at the Great Saltair this past May, which involved the merging of dance, theatre, and live music. After the success of that project we were ready for a new challenge and we couldn’t have asked for a more unique collaboration.” Flying Bobcat was also the creative mind behind the popular POPUP performances at The Leonardo, which combined text, video, movement, and music to create wildly imaginative storytelling.
LOST IN THE WOODS September 26th and 27th 7:30 pm at The Masonic Temple. Tickets $15 and available from any choir member, at brownpapertickets.com or at the door each night.
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september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
THE VOTE Absentee ballots will be mailed to registered voters on September 29 and inoffice voting will happen from Oct. 6 to 31 at the Salt Lake County Government offices. Election day is Nov. 4. Q More information is available at a website run by volunteers and arts enthusiasts at renewzap.com.
SEASON TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!
TIC K
2014 – 2015
S AS LOW A ET
$
S
lieves Salt Lake is a brighter place to live because of ZAP funding. “Starfish, stage stars, star gazers, movie stars. All the stars align with ZAP. Just a sliver of sales tax contributes so much to make Utah a bright place to live and visit – dance, theatre, recreation, history, and more – all are supported by ZAP funding,” he said. Funds also support the educational programs of Spy Hop. “Spy Hop provides a unique and extraordinary opportunity for young people in our community to explore a new art form that will benefit them throughout their educational careers. It offers students the gift of digital and media literacy, which prepares them for excellence in academic presentations, writing, story development, and personal expression at a level that is unmatched in schools and universities,” said Marijean Woolf, director of administrator development at the Granite School District. “Spy Hop provides instruction for students to develop their expertise in technical skills, care and concern for their world, and the ability to share their own personal and unique voice. Students develop a sense of personal commitment and become an inspiration to others through their films and their artistic work. Spy Hop does outstanding work with the youth of our community to develop their own exceptional identity in a culture where personal confidence is essential, especially for those young people who are facing enormous challenges. Youth involvement in the Spy Hop program is life-changing.” Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams is a strong supporter of ZAP. “Arts, culture, parks, and recreation are cornerstones of the quality of life we enjoy as residents of Salt Lake County,” said McAdams in a statement. “ZAP is really all about you and your support for reinvesting a fraction of local sales tax right back into the local groups that entertain, inspire, and invigorate our families. It’s up to our citizens to let us know if that’s something they want to continue for another decade.”
for the
WHOLE SEASON
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee September 12 through September 27, 2014
The Rocky Rocky Horror Horror Show* Show* The - CONCERT VERSION VERSION - - CONCERT
October 24 at318pm; October 25 at 5pm and 10pm October through November 15, 2014
Special Appearance by State Senator Jim Dabakis in the role of ”The Narrator!“
One Man, Two Guvnors October 31 through November 15, 2014
Peter and the Starcatcher December 5 through December 20, 2014
Alabama Story
January 9 through January 24, 2015
The Crucible
February 13 through February 28, 2015
I Hate Hamlet
March 20 through April 4, 2015
The Music Man May 1 through May 16, 2015
For the best seats & lowest prices, season ticket packages are still available!
*The Rocky Horror Show is a limited run of only three performances and is NOT
included in the season ticket packages. Season ticket holders have the best
opportunity to add on The Rocky Horror Show tickets!
801-581-6961 PioneerTheatre.org
34 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | FALL ARTS
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
PLAN-B WILL HELP YOU DON YOUR GAY APPAREL THIS DECEMBER. TWICE.
Well-known
Utah playwrights Elaine Jarvik and Julie Jensen share their thoughts about creating their LGBTthemed holiday shows for Plan-B Theatre Company. From Playwright Julie Jensen: It’s always exciting to write something I really believe in. CHRISTMAS WITH Julie Jensen MISFITS is just such a project. It’s a collection of four short comic plays, about, well, misfits at Christmas. Misfits are all the people left out of the Christmas design, all those people who do not fit the Disney and Coca-Cola notions of a perfect, perfect holiday. Christmas is really meant for little children with bright eyes and parents with a lot of money. All the rest of us are misfits. How about a couple of gay adolescent nerds, a boy and a girl, who give each other sex for Christmas? Ah, but do they like it? Not much. How about the gay woman in an old folks home who hooks up with a man of her own age for Christmas on the balcony? This, after the man forgoes Christmas with his kids and grandkids. Why? He’s embarrassed by the greed, waste, bad humor.
And why do I really believe in this project? Easy. I really don’t like Christmas. I am embarrassed by it. Yep, by the greed, waste, and bad humor. But I also don’t fit. I’m a misfit and always have been. Every year I get progressively more depressed, starting with the first Christmas carol in the first store about mid-September. As it turns out, I am like many other Americans, maybe even most of us, who duck and cover every year as Christmas approaches. For we are a culture that has designed a holiday we don’t really like, which plants expectations we can live up to. So in CHRISTMAS WITH MISFITS we spend a few minutes with a representative sample of those who don’t fit. In the process, perhaps our awareness is broadened and we have more patience for those who are different from ourselves. We also laugh a bit, too. None of us can afford to take the holiday too seriously. That will just make us nuts! From playwright Elaine Jarvik: MARRY CHRISTMAS is a simple boy-meetsboy (and girl-meets-girl) story. You know the kind: Two people fall in love and get married and then the Attorney General asks the Supreme Court to intervene. As conceived by Plan-B’s Jerry Rapier, the play is a look back at the 17 days last winter when gay marriage was legal in Utah. Because I used to be a newspaper reporter and am now a playwright, Jerry asked me to interview couples who got married during those two and a half weeks and then to write a play based on those stories, from the giddy beginnings
on December 20 to the cliff-hanger ending that still hasn’t been resolved. I’ve loved talking to these couples. Take, for example, Shelly Eyre and Cheryl Haws, who’ve been together for nine years, got a marriage license in Provo on December 26, and suddenly discovered that a picture of them kissing was on the national news. Elaine Jarvik “Most of our friends have never seen us kissing,” says Shelly. “We look like Relief Society ladies. What I always say is, I don’t know why people are so upset about our lifestyle; my life doesn’t even have a style. My lifestyle is more like yours.” MARRY CHRISTMAS could have a cast of thousands, because every one of the couples that married last winter has a story worth telling. We hope the ones we’ve picked will give the flavor of those 17 days — the shock of hearing the news, the sense of urgency to get a marriage license before a court stay was issued, the jubilation in county clerks’ offices across the state, the disappointment and jubilation and disappointment again from the court decisions that followed — and the months of limbo since. It’s possible that by opening night this
FALL ARTS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 35
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
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December, the U.S. Supreme Court will have decided whether it will hear Kitchen v. Herbert. Which could eventually mean thousands more marriage stories. And maybe MARRY CHRISTMAS: THE SEQUEL. Julie Jensen’s CHRISTMAS WITH MISFITS, directed by Cheryl Ann Cluff, runs December 11-21 — tickets are
$20, $10 for students. Elaine Jarvik’s MARRY CHRISTMAS, directed by Jason Bowcutt, runs December 20-23 — all tickets are $20 and 100% of the proceeds benefit Restore Our Humanity as they continue to pay the bills of Kitchen v. Herbert. Visit planbtheatre.org for tickets and more information on both productions. Q
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36 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | Q&A
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
It’s Good to Be Takei ACTOR-TURNED-ACTIVIST TALKS SOCIAL NETWORK RESURGENCE, CLOSETED ACTORS AND AUTOGRAPHING PRIVATE PARTS BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
George Takei
knows the power of a cat meme. Because of all things, it’s the pussy that gave him a platform and set the stage for something more than just pervy postings and silly jests: gay activism. Now, the 77-year-old, the iconic Hikaru Sulu on Star Trek from 1966-1969, isn’t only the voice of a generation — he’s the voice of generations. But how? The actor, who swooshed out of the closet at the age of 68 to become a powerful LGBT advocate and social media magnate, reflects on all facets of his life during To Be Takei, a documentary viewable on DIRECTV through Aug. 6 and also in select theaters and VOD later this summer. In the midst of traveling the Pride circuit, the cultural icon called in to chat about it being “high time” Star Trek cast a gay character (and why it hasn’t happened yet), how closeted actors are still common and — oh myyy! — autographing his fans’ private parts. What’s the message you’ve been bringing with you to these Pride festivals? That we’re making amazing progress, and that’s because all of the people in the community are pulling at the same wagon. We have some special change agents, people like Stephen Snyder-Hill, the soldier that spoke at the Republican Debate in 2011, where he asked whether any Republican candidate — when he or she becomes president, and also commander in chief of the military — would reinstate “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” It was a legitimate question, and yet the Republican people who gathered at that debate booed an American soldier ... on the battlefield ... dodging martyrs. It was a shocking thing. But because of people like him who have the courage to ask those questions and take principled stands, we’re making the progress that we are. You’ve been an integral part of that progress. For someone who wasn’t out for most of his life, how surreal is it for you to be riding in a Pride parade at this point? I lived most of my life closeted be-
cause I wanted my career. That was a heavy price to pay for it, because you’re living with the constant tension of exposure — somebody could expose me and that’s the end of my career. It must’ve been my early 20s when Tab Hunter, who was a god of the box office at the time — blond, good looking, young — played the lead in almost every movie that was coming out. He was exposed as gay in one of the scandal sheets, and you never heard from him again. That puts the fear in you, and you’re always living with your guard up. You don’t know what or who might destroy your career, and so when you come out, you’re completely relieved of that tension. You can live fully as who you are. I had an interesting experience: the State Department sent me on one big tour of South Korea and Japan, which culminated with U.S. ambassador to Japan, Caroline Kennedy, honoring me with a reception. As one of her guests, she had the first lady of Japan, the wife of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who told me that she had ridden in what she called a “Rainbow Pride Parade” in Tokyo this summer. Can you imagine the first lady of Japan riding in a Pride parade? Changes are happening. Not only in the United States, but all over the world. It’s a very optimistic time, but we still have the Employment Non-Discrimination Act before us — you can be fired for no other reason than who you are. It’s the “Don’t
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
Ask, Don’t Tell” of the civilian population. So, it is an exciting time — a time to be optimistic, because we’re making progress — but we still have a long way to go. Your primary reason for staying closeted was to avoid sabotaging your career. How common do you think it is these days for actors to keep their sexuality concealed for that same reason? It’s still not uncommon. There are actors who have to be living that double life. I won’t name them, but you know, it’s a decision that they have to make. It’s a very personal decision. I don’t know the specifics, but with society changing, they are seeming to be more and more like outdated dinosaurs who maintain that kind of life. Are you saying you know people in showbiz who are closeted? Friends of yours? I do. You know, when I was doing Star Trek my colleagues knew, but they’re good people, they’re cool, and they did not expose me. (Laughs) Well, one of them ... the fact that I am who I am went right over his head. I’ll leave it to you to guess whom. You’re a real tease, George. (Laughs) In the last 10 years, you’ve really become quite the accidental activist, and because your parents come up often in the documentary, I’m wondering what you think they would say about your role as an LGBT role model? Well, they’re both gone now. My father had passed long ago, and it’s one of my regrets in life — that I never came out to him. But I know he would’ve supported me. (He said he would) accept and support and love his son going into the acting arena. I mean, he did tell me: “Look at TV, look at movies, look at the kind of roles that Asians have to play — tiny roles to begin with, and stereotype roles at that — is that what you wanna go into?” I told my father: “Daddy, I will change it.” He supported me in that. I think he knew deep down who I was; he was waiting for me to come out to him. When I came out to my mother, she had some difficulties, but she knew who (my now-husband) Brad was. Brad was in my life already, and she thought of him as my friend, but when I came out to her, the situation was changed. She already knew Brad for who he was and that he was a nice guy, so it wasn’t really that difficult. As life would have it, Brad and I took care of her in the last years of her life. She moved in with us. He became more a son to her than my own brother.
Your career resurgence is really something to marvel at. You know your way around social media like no 77-year-olds I know. (Laughs) You’ve got a stereotype in your mind about 77-year-olds! There are a lot of us who are very comfortable with social media. My generation is not as out of touch with technology as you youngsters seem to think. (Laughs) I’m very aware of this stereotype; I’m basing this off my own experience with my father. Recently, he posted a message for someone else on my wall. You talk about your father — I have a sister who finally got a cell phone, but she leaves it at home when she leaves! What’s the point? (Laughs) So it’s not just you and your father. In my own family, I have that to deal with. What role has humor played in how you present politics and social commentary on LGBT issues? It is key to building your audience. The reason why I got so actively involved with social media is, it’s been my mission in life to raise the awareness of my childhood incarceration — imprisonment of Japanese-Americans simply because we happened to look like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor. So, I’ve been going on speaking tours to universities and doing corporate events, and we founded a museum called the Japanese American National Museum — we’re an affiliate of the Smithsonian — and we developed a musical based on the internment called Allegiance. I thought I’d use social media [to promote it], but my base, when I started in 2010, was essentially made up of sci-fi geeks and nerds — my Star Trek audience — and I had to grow that. So, by trial and error I found that the humorous things, the funnies — or the cat memes — got the most likes and shares. Then I started concentrating more on that, and it started to explode. It was really amazing how fast, and how big, your audience base can grow in social media. I discovered that humor was the key to growing the audience, and once the audience had grown to a certain size I started zinging them with social justice issues, LGBT issues and the internment of Japanese-Americans, as well as various other things ... like proper grammar! Do you think we’ll ever see an out LGBT human on Star Trek? I think now it’s high time. I did very quietly bring up the subject to (Star Trek screenwriter) Gene Rodden-
Q&A | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 37
berry when we were starting our movie series — our feature film series — and he said with television he had to walk a very tight rope. You know, we were dealing with issues at that time — the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, the Cold War — and that episode where Kirk kissed Uhura, a white man kissing a black woman, that was blacked out in all of the Southern states: Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Our ratings plummeted! [Gene] said he knows that the LGBT issue is a civil rights issue, but he had to keep the show on the air as a television series, and if he pushed the envelope too far he wouldn’t be able to address any of the issues. He’d be canceled. Same thing with feature films now: bigger budget, higher risk. And he had said he’s predicting a 23rd century when the LGBT issue would not be an issue, but it is an issue of our times that we’re dealing with metaphorically in terms of science fiction and he wants to deal with it and still be able to make movies. He had said he hopes for the time that he will be able to do it. Alas, Gene passed. It was in ’91 that he passed, and we’re 20 years-plus from that time. We’ve advanced with unimagined speed, and I think now it is high time Star Trek deal with the issue of LGBT equality. Now there are Star Trek actors who are out. Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock in the reboot, came out, and I am out. With the two of us out, it is now safe for Star Trek to deal with LGBT equality. Some fans have some very specific requests when they meet you. What’s been the most bizarre fan request you’ve experienced? (Laughs) This is not PG — and this isn’t The Howard Stern Show — so I will be more circumspect about the bizarre requests that I get. I’ve been asked to autograph various body parts. And some are, um, very private parts. I’ll let your imagination go there. Did you follow through on these requests? I did! Did these requests involve the front or the back? Both! (Laughs) And some have gotten a tattoo artist to trace my autograph on those body parts. One woman displayed hers to me at a convention ... in the flesh! Oh geez. “Oh geez” — I love your reaction! Q Chris Azzopardi is the editor of Q Syndicate, and chris-azzopardi.com.
38 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | A&E
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
Tony’s Gay Agenda ANNUAL EVENTS
I don’t want to have to give you the birdie, so get your registration done for this fabulous, albeit frustrating game. Birdie is the only golf term I know, so I looked up more and I have decided this sport to be quite erotic: ball-washer, banana-ball, sandbagger, hole-in-one (Okay, I also knew that one), bump and run, handsy, sweet-spot, dimples, topped, whiff, foursomes and zinger. Who wouldn’t love it!
7Sunday
UTAH PRIDE GOLF CLASSIC Stonebridge Golf Course, 4415 Links Dr., West Valley City, 7am. Registration $95 through Aug. 28, $125 thereafter (includes breakfast), utahpride.org
CONCERTS
There’s a little something for every homo this month in concerts; from Sir Elton (for those born when the Earth was still flat) to Katy Perry (for those twinks born …. well, seems like yesterday) to two somewhat unknowns Perfume Genius and La Roux (for those adrogynes and genderqueers born with best of both worlds).
19Friday
ELTON JOHN Maverik Center, 3200 S. Decker Lake Dr., West Valley City, 8pm. Tickets $26-136, maverikcenter.com
26Friday
PERFUME GENIUS The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 8pm. Tickets $12-
14, 24tix.com LA ROUX In The Venue, 219 S. 600 West, 6pm. Tickets $22-27, 24tix.com
29Monday
KATY PERRY WITH TEGAN AND SARA Energy Solutions Arena, 301 W. South Temple, 7pm. Tickets $29.50-100.50, smithtix.com
DANCE
Samba Frogo and Odyssey Dance Theatre bring stylish programs to the stage this month. SF’s Axe (aw-shay) is an interactive fire-licked Brazilian dance and folklore. ODT’s annual staple of murder, mayhem and bloody hi-jinks is just fabulously dreadful.
19Friday
AXE Jeanne Wagner Theatre, Rose Wagner Center 138 W. 300 South, 7pm, through tomorrow. Tickets $20, arttix.org
26Friday
THRILLER! Egyptian Theatre, 328 Main St., Park City, times vary, through Oct. 5. Tickets $2548, egyptiantheatrecompany. org
MOVIES
The first flick I’m paying adage to the biggest wino I know, Mr. Michael Erin Verde (his name has been changed for confidentiality). It’s a film about sommeliers (which I thought were circus folk, who knew) and this one-night screening is a fundraiser for the One Man Founda-
tion, a one-man show creating fundraising appeals for small nonprofits struggling to raise money. The second flick is by openly gay director/screenwriter Ira Sachs and premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. It’s about an older gay couple (John Lithgow and Alfred Molina) who struggle to find housing after one is fired from his teaching job.
18Thursday
SOMM The Prospector, 2175 Sidewinder Dr., Park City, 7pm. Tickets $30 (includes a wine and cocktail tasting), parkcityfilmseries.com
26Friday
LOVE IS STRANGE Broadway Centre Cinemas, 111 E. Broadway. Tickets $6.75-9.25, saltlakefilmsociety.org
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENTS
Sister Dottie’s raising money for the reelection of Utah District Attorney Sim Gill...if anyone can do it, that old bat can. It will easier than finding pussy willows, Dottie!
14Sunday
— SISTER DOTTIE S. DIXON: THINKS SIM’S JUST SUPER! Jeanne Wagner Theatre, Rose Wagner Center 138 W. 300 South, 6pm. Tickets $100 0r VIP (includes pre-show reception) $250, arttix.org
THEATRE
Where’s the summer gone??!!? It’s sucks getting
older, time just flies by. On a good note though, it’s theatre season and starting it off are five very different and fabulous shows. From young overachievers to a doomed wedding set in the Roaring ‘20s to women’s suffrage to an epic story about slavery to get-rich-quick schemes, the start of the 2014-15 season will be musical, hilarious, heartbreaking and larger-than-life.
11Thursday
THE COLOR PURPLE Studio Theatre, Rose Wagner Center 138 W. 300 South, 8pm, through Sept. 27. Tickets $20, arttix.org
12Friday
THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE Pioneer Theatre, 300 S. 1400 East, UofU, times vary, through Sept. 27. Tickets $38-64, pioneertheatre.org — The Producers Egyptian Theatre, 328 Main St., Park City, times vary, through Sept. 21. Tickets $35-60, egyptiantheatrecompany.org
19Friday
— BLUE STOCKINGS Babcock Theatre, 300 S. 1400 East, UofU, 7:30pm, through Sept. 28. Tickets $8.50-18, kingtix.com
23Tuesday
— NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT Capitol Theatre, 50 W, 200 South, through Sept. 28, times vary. Tickets TBA, arttix.org
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
Take a lesson from Josephine Baker BY DOUG WOODALL
When we
knew each other for about six months, my friend Brandon told me, “I’ve always needed to be desired.” My initial thought was, OK, that’s interesting. Now that I know Brandon better, I’ve come to the realization his “interesting” declaration is what drives him and gives him purpose. I don’t have the capacity to understand this. Then Brandon was given a gift in his teens. I didn’t get the same gift until I was in my late 20s. Shortly after we met, Brandon sent me three photos of himself when he was in high school. He’s incredibly beautiful in all the shots, but the one that impresses me the most shows him standing in front of his shiny, 1957 Chev Bel Air. The year is 1977. Brandon is 17. I believe he’s reached his full height or just shy of six feet tall. His body is lean and his muscles are taut. His dishwater-blond hair touches his eyebrows and covers his ears. He’s dressed in a tight-fitting T-shirt and cutoff jeans. I’m sure he cut his jeans. No god-fearing mother would make the cut at the crotch line and leave the edge of the material crooked and ragged. When I think about how I looked in high school, the first words that come to my mind are, “I was a twink’s twink.” At 17, I probably weighed 120 pounds, and I made sure my skin-and-bones body was fully dressed at all times. Today Brandon is 54 and he’s still beautiful. He works out regularly and purposely keeps
A&E | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 39
gay writes
his weight under 160 pounds. His shoulders are broad and his waist is tight. But when he looks in the mirror, he sees wrinkles forming around his eyes and mouth. He knows they’re going to get worse, and he anticipates wrinkles will spread across his entire body until he’s so ugly no one will want him. When Brandon cries to me about losing his looks, I want to shout, “REALLY! ARE YOU FULL OF SHIT, OR WHAT? YOU REALLY CAN’T COME UP WITH ANOTHER REASON TO LIVE!” I’ve never said these words to him, but I have told him to take a lesson from Josephine Baker. Josephine was born June 3, 1906, in St. Louis, Missouri. Because she was black and her parents were dirt poor, she was destined to live in poverty her entire life. As a child, she started working by tending children and cleaning house for white women. She was always told, “Don’t kiss the baby.” When she turned 13, she left school and started living on the streets. That same year she got married for the first time. She was 15 when she got married for the second time. Josephine loved to dance. When she was a girl, she made her friends watch her. When she lived on the streets, she danced at street corners for pocket change. When she was 15, she was recruited for a St. Louis vaudeville show. Four years later, October 2, 1925 to be exact, she stepped onto the Theatre des Champs-Elysees stage in Paris with her partner Joe Alex. No one in Europe had ever seen such a daring costume for a woman or such an exotic dance for a couple. Then Josephine had the most incredible skin. She was the color or rich toffee. Josephine became a sensation throughout Europe, she
made a modest fortune, fast, and she had wealthy admirers who gave her clothes, furs, jewels, cars and exotic pets. One of her admirers, and most likely one of her lovers, was the King of Sweden. When Germany occupied France starting in 1940, Josephine was barred from the stage. Because this is what she lived for, she probably suffered her greatest loss. But she didn’t languish; she filled the void. First, she helped the French Resistance by carrying documents across the borders of Portugal and Spain in her music. Next she spent time in North Africa where she helped Jews who were trying to escape Europe. In the 1950s and 1960s, she joined the civil rights movement in the U.S. Around the same time, this was when she was in her 40s, she started adopting orphans from different countries around the
world. She was mother to 12 children, and they were black and brown, yellow and white. They came from Christian and Muslim countries, Hindu and Buddhist countries. She called them The Rainbow Tribe. When I think of Brandon’s need to be desired, I’m glad I was a twink’s twink in my teens and didn’t get the body Brandon had at 17 until I was 28. Brandon’s defining purpose in life is too narrow, and it was doomed to fail the day it took root in his mind. Then it’s based on a false premise: When he’s old, no one in the entire world will desire him. Here Brandon could take one more lesson from Josephine Baker. On April 8, 1975 at age 68, Josephine premiered at the Bobino Theater in Paris. Princess Grace of Monaco and Sophia Loren were there, and she received her best reviews, ever. Q
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40 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | A&E
Hear Me Out BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
AMY GRANT, IN MOTION: THE REMIXES When you’re grinding up against a shirtless prospect in the thick of a gay dance orgy, nothing sets the sexy-time mood quite like some Amy Grant, right? You know, with God’s disco lights shining down on you. No? Well, start believing. Prayers have been answered nearly 40 years into her career as the reigning Christian-music queen, and not long after Amy granted her first gay press interview (I chatted with her in 2013, the first time she’d addressed her fanatical queer following). Now, with In Motion: The Remixes, you can sweat out your sins. Yet another career transformation for the genre defier, Grant’s beloved ’90s pop and spiritual tapestries – admirably, even ones you wouldn’t expect (“Better Than a Hallelujah”) – are exalted with new EDM life from DJs du jour. Maintaining the integrity of singles “Baby Baby” and “Every Heartbeat” – songs off Grant’s 1991 crossover behemoth Heart in Motion – Dave Audé and English duo Moto Blanco smack each song, respectively, with amped buoyancy. “That’s What Love Is For,” Grant’s big slowie from the same 23-yearold album, stands out as an even greater achievement; without losing the heart and soul of the song, Chris Cox pulls drum
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
hear me out thumps and swelling synths into the original’s soaring crescendos, turning the ballad into a bombshell. “You’re Not Alone” and the cut-up “Love Will Find a Way,” along with the surprisingly terrific cinematic revamp of the digital-only non-hit “Out in the Open,” also deserve praise. Somewhere up there, Jesus is jivin’. Grade: B+
LA ROUX, TROUBLE IN PARADISE
Listen, I love a good, stupid butt jam as much as the next rump shaker, but I also know that, in the quiet solitude of my own mind, I turn to Robyn, Sia or some old-school Erasure to give my heart the same feeling my feet get the moment that beat drops. Moving me similarly is La Roux’s latest synth-pop endeavor, a frontto-back doozy from the androgyne that’s full of euphoric feels. The serene scene painted on “Paradise Is You” – the “sandy beach,” “everybody loving” – is only a diversion from the bitterwsweet story that unfolds. The real “paradise” isn’t a place, but a person – a missing one. It’s lonely having everything and nothing, and that isolation which Robyn, too, knows so well is La Roux’s crux as she underpins an irresistibly tight nine-song set with an emotional release of riffs on loss, the emptiness of casual sex (the breezy “Sexotheque”) and finding yourself again (“The Feeling”). The shape-shifting, sax-accented “Let Me Down Gently” has her fretting the fall; she’s looking for a break in the chaos during “Silent Partner,” an emotional purge that awesomely pairs girl-group swagger
with what sounds like the theme song from _Batman_; and on “Cruel Sexuality,” she’s suffocating within the walls of that pandemonium. All of it’s as intoxicating as love itself. Grade: B+
Also Out ANGUS & JULIA STONE, ANGUS & JULIA STONE
It wasn’t supposed to happen. Sibling duo Angus and Julia Stone were going their own way after they released Down the Way four years ago. But you don’t say “no” to Rick Rubin, the legendary folk-rock music-maker whose authentic touch is all over the Aussie’s musical resurfacing – self-titled to let you know it’s important. Because it is. Resonating with their trademark realness and Rubin’s timeless production (see the perfectly poignant “Get Home”), Angus & Julia Stone is the album you didn’t know was missing from your life.
JENNY LEWIS, THE VOYAGER
The California rays are hot on “Just One of the Guys,” a West Coast-inspired dreampop scorcher from Rilo Kiley hell-raiser Jenny Lewis. Soaking up more of that sun, the frontwoman’s long-awaited solo release, her first in six years, is a rhythmically punchy ’70s-inspired throwback with beach vibes beaming from its low bass womps and electric guitar zags. Even when those clouds roll in during the dreamy title track, a thoughtful closer leaving you with something to ponder, Lewis’ lo-fi contemplation is like looking out at the endless sky. Chris Azzopardi is the editor of Q Syndicate, and chris-azzopardi.com.
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MUSIC | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 41
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
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42 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | FOOD&DRINK
food & drink Avenues Proper Restaurant & Publick House BY MATTHEW ANDRUS AND JOSHUA JONES
Like an
Adonis with a svelte stomach and smart smile, Avenues Proper & Publick House is hard not to fall in love with immediately. Matt fell for the beer, while I loved the concept of a modern, beautiful neighborhood pub. After becoming intimate with this Adonis however, the facade wore a bit thin: the restaurant has been impeccably, but not thoroughly thought out. With its smart layout, casual patio, and lovely bar, the owners of Avenues Proper have renovated an old grocery store into Utah’s smallest craft brewery. No trip
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
should ignore the everchanging selection of house beers, which are an eclectic collection of styles from the neglected to the archaic. From the delicious Poor Rob — a Rye Saison with spruce — to the Hopspital, (an homage to LDS Hospital nearby) an American Session IPA made with ‘wet’ hops that smells like floral marijuana-there are big, unusual flavors you won’t find anywhere else in Utah. But the most unusual beer is Gose the Gozerian, a Leipziger Gose with a lemon and salt flavor on the front end which is either loved or hated in equal measure. For the record, Matt (the straight reviewer here) loved it, but he’s a fan of something unfamiliar and salty in his mouth. Josh preferred the namesake, Proper beer, a traditional and light English Golden Ale. The $1 samples are a great way to test out anything new or unfamiliar.
Wine and cocktails are also available, and the Orange Whip was particularly delightful on a Sunday morning with Espolon Reposado, High West Double Rye, orange juice, hopped grapefruit bitters and whipped egg white. Three dining experiences each had some bumps. At lunch, Matt’s preferred Wild Boar Sloppy Joe was out, but the Spicy Chicken Sandwich, featuring a housemade chicken sausage on a potato bun was both adequately spicy with a Sriracha sauce and cooling with coleslaw and aioli. Chicken and Waffles with the same sausage was the best Josh has ever had:
served with a sunny-side-up egg, Belgium waffle, and thyme-infused maple syrup. Unfortunately, the Fish Sticks eschew the traditional beer batter for drier buttermilk breaded crust which resulted in a dry product but was saved a little by a very good house-made tartar sauce. The Welsh Rarebit, a variation on poutine should soon be pout-ine out to pasture. A dinner that started out nice took a turn when the server ignored and then simply disappeared, leaving empty glasses in front of us, no one was happy. Fortunately, the food that evening was satisfying. A Veggie Burger, featuring a black bean and sweet potato patty with a spicy ghost pepper cheese was flavorful. A trio of appetizers were each delicious: Pork Belly with beer jam, Lamb Meatballs with tomato sauce, and the cheese plate with brandied cherries all had delightful pops of flavor that were presented with creativity and sophistication. Brunch brought some high notes and low notes: a lack of simple menu items made the server embarrassed which led to another disappearance. The biscuit sandwich wasn’t available, which also excluded the biscuits and jam, and avocados where also MIA. that morning. Luckily both the Italian Scramble and House Smoked Salmon were excellent, though the kitchen seemed to be running low on Bubble and Squeak (pan fried mix of potato, cabbage and onion) that appeared on both items. A true winner was the Veggie Hash featuring perfectly seasoned and broiled summer squash, potatoes, tomato jam, eggs and zucchini pickles. It was a lovely dish to look at and to eat! Keeping menu items in stock and glasses filled was a continual problem for us at Avenues Proper, but the food we did get was wonderful, and the beer superb. “The emperor has no clothes” is not the right metaphor, but this beautiful restaurant needs to iron out some of the kinks to be the Adonis it truly can be.
AVENUES PROPER RESTAURANT & PUBLICK HOUSE 376 8th Ave., Salt Lake City avenuesproper.com PHOTOS BY JEN SEALS
FOOD&DRINK | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 43
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
1675 E 1300 S 801-581-0809 Breakfast or lunch in a friendly, warm and hip environment. The converted garage is now a stylish, enticing eatery. Try the eggs Benedict, French toast, customtailored omelets, huevos rancheros or cheese blintzes for breakfast.
MAZZA mazzacafe.com 912 E 900 S, 1515 S 1500 E 801-521-4572, 484-9259 An institution in Salt Lake for more than 10 years. With two restaurant locations open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, you can enjoy fresh, authentic Middle Eastern cuisine such as Falafel, Shawarma, Kebabs, dips and salads whenever you want.
OFF TRAX offtraxslc.com 259 W 900 S 801-364-4307 Home of the Happy Hangover. Breakfast, lunch. Sunday brunch and weekend after-
hours. Gay-owned and operated. Next to Club Try-Angles.
OMAR’S RAWTOPIA omarsrawtopia. com 2148 S Highland Dr 801-486-0332 Omar prepares all raw, live and organic food from scratch with absolute love to create amazing food that is powerfully healing for your mind, body, and spirit.
SAGE’S CAFE 234 W 900 S 801-322-3790 Your favorite vegetarian restaurant is moving to Ninth South with a slough of other owneroperated, locally owned restaurants. Watch for their reopening in December.
SQUATTERS PUB BREWERY
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VERTICAL DINER 2280 S West Temple 801-484-8378 Vegan diner serving down-home comfort food and breakfast all day. Specialties include fried faux chicken, blueberry pancakes, and hand cut french fries. Also serving fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate, and more.
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Find it here > ParkCityRestaurants.com Your complete guide to Park City area dining — an easy 35-minute drive away.
44 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | COMICS
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
anagram AN ANAGRAM IS A WORD OR PHRASE THAT CAN BE MADE USING THE LETTERS FROM ANOTHER WORD OR PHRASE. REARRANGE THE LETTERS BELOW TO ANSWER:
A perilous queen
MEN PIE APPARATUS
_______ ___ _____
cryptogram A CRYPTOGRAM IS A PUZZLE WHERE ONE LETTER IN THE PUZZLE IS SUBSTITUTED WITH ANOTHER. FOR EXAMPLE: ECOLVGNCYXW YCR EQYIIRZNBZN YZU PSZ! HAS THE SOLUTION: CRYPTOGRAMS ARE CHALLENGING AND FUN! IN THE ABOVE EXAMPLE ES ARE ALL REPLACED BY CS. THE PUZZLE IS SOLVED BY RECOGNIZING LETTER PATTERNS IN WORDS AND SUCCESSIVELY SUBSTITUTING LETTERS UNTIL THE SOLUTION IS REACHED. THIS WEEK’S HINT: D=F
Theme: Said by a competitor at the Gay Games after finishing his race:
GKO B NIG DKNCY KG OJIP’Y BSVKTPIGP: NKNEPIBRY IGZ NKNE. ___ _ ___ _____ __ ____’_ __________: _________ ___ ____. PUZZLE ANSWERS ON PAGE 50
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
COMICS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 45
46 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | A&E
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
q scopes
BY SAM KELLEY-MILLS ARIES March 20–April 19 Feeling a wild and sexy feeling is bound to be a constant. Remember to laugh at what bothers you and brush off that which is irritating. A co-worker will ask your advice on a very personal matter. Respond by sharing personal experience but be sure the focus remains on them. You may learn more about yourself by listening. TAURUS Apr 20–May 20 Focus is easy when kept on one thing. But this month will introduce a multitude of targets for you, Taurus. Do your best to take on one task at a time. A group activity will leave you wishing for more intimacy but enjoy the chaos while finding moments of clarity in the process. Your friends are looking after you.
One Hell of a Supporter
52 Like some foreign movies 55 Word game involving a stick figure 57 Prejudice against LGBT people, per 20-Across 59 One that attacks the fly with a long tongue 60 In-your-face 61 Queer ice house? 62 Words with shame or boy 63 “Endymion” writer 64 Letter enc.
22 Dad’s bros 23 Scat queen 24 Bloodsucker 26 Felt (for) ACROSS 27 Crude material 1 What a computer 29 Big Lovely band may spit out singer 5 Glory hole locale 30 Addis ___, Ethiopia 10 Problem for one’s 33 Historic Stonewall bitch event 14 “Excuse me!” 36 Lending letters 15 Vietnam capital 37 Fine point of writing 16 Cruise obnoxiously 40 Moon of Uranus 17 Death in Venice 41 Use a gifted tongue author Thomas 42 Dirty Harry por18 Hard woody nut trayer 19 Role for Bela 43 Start of an Asian DOWN 20 Archbishop who warrior title said “I’d rather go to 1 Beaver job 45 For all, in music 2 You might say it hell than worship a 46 ___ water (imperiled when you get it (39-Across)” at the bathhouse?) 3 Taking care of 23 Inventor Otis 47 Fields of interest 4 Result of a lick on 25 Opera tenor Caruso 49 Last letter for the head, perhaps 28 Sparing the rod Socrates 5 Medicine man 50 Conquers, sexually 30 Moorish palace 6 Folded fast food 51 Provide 31 No longer jail bait 7 At once, to Byron 53 Creature in a Star 32 Heavenly body 8 Alfred Douglas’ title Wars sequel 34 You might pick one 9 Door frame part 54 Presidential title role up in an alley 10 Guy’s zip, when he for Kevin Kline 35 Thespians do it gets caught in it? 36 B. D. Wong, for one 11 John of To Wong Foo 55 The Bridge poet Crane 38 Month in Madrid Thanks for Everything, 56 They’re performing, 39 False deity of prejuJulie Newmar in Fame diced people 12 Antidiscrimination 58 Once Upon a Mat44 Touchy letters tress legume 45 It goes on a queen’s 13 JFK posting head 21 Author/illustrator ANSWERS ON PAGE 50 48 Combined Silverstein
LIBRA Sept 23–October 22 Now is a nice time to cool down and collect your thoughts. Much has happened in the recent past to warrant reflection. Keep a clear mind and minimize the clutter that has been blocking the path to constant happiness. The surprise appearance of a long lost friend or family member could actually be an interruption. SCORPIO Oct. 23–Nov. 21 An itch will require a good scratch but know when to pull away before it makes you sore. Many challenges will require a light-touch solution, especially when working with some difficult associates or friends. Close your eyes from time to time, Scorpio, and let your mind go. Your life will be waiting for you when you return.
GEMINI May 21–June 20 Personal growth is like a tree; much of it happens naturally, but it never hurts to groom it during the process. Accept support from those close to you, whether it be friend or work associate. Spend time learning from a child or even an animal. An uncompromised view is always welcome. Never be fearful of the basics.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22–December 20. The fire within seems to burn hot when the fuel of a troublemaker is cast upon it. This person is asking for trouble; don’t be afraid to give them what they deserve but don’t hurt yourself in the process. Whether you feel the need to teach or simply provide a demonstration, don’t lose sight of the lessons you hold dear.
CANCER June 21–July 22 There is nothing exciting happening in your life for a change, leaving a perplexing feeling. Find ways to occupy your inquiring mind but leave room for sudden obligations. Cramming too much may lead to uncomfortable expansion. A friend or partner may leave a gift for you. Accept only those that are truly wanted.
CAPRICORN Dec 21–Jan 19 Ride the waves of a new experience like you’re a pro. You never shy away from a challenge and many will present themselves this month (much to your delight). Pick your battles wisely and stay true to the end. Much will be learned from a friend who knows your nature and wishes to experience things your way.
LEO July 23–August 22 You have a good sense of keeping practical while adding a twist of the unexpected when it’s needed the most. This skill will be most valuable in matters of the heart. Tread lightly but spice things up from time to time. Don’t worry if someone doesn’t get you; being unpredictable and misunderstood is a good quality..
AQUARIUS Jan. 20–Feb. 18 The path to true wisdom is walked with a rebellious nature. The difference between experimentation and recklessness should not be confused as you enter a time of great personal growth. Your work will seem more important as opportunity presents itself. Test your limits but be aware of the breaking points.
VIRGO August 23–Sep. 22 Slide into a leadership role and take command of your desires. Don’t be fooled into thinking you need to sit by and let life happen around you. A sense of liberation will come by deciding what you really want and whom you want to spend your time with. Career will seem secondary to the need to create art or a project.
PISCES Feb 19–Mar 19 Pleasure can come by feeling safe in a vulnerable position. Let your guard down but keep caution in the back of your mind. Someone close to you will donate a good deal of time to help you feel cozy. Ensure this generosity is repaid by a gesture of appreciation. The circle of give-and-take will be prominent and quite noticeable. Q
CLASSIFIEDS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 47
september 2014 | issue 235
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48 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | PETS Each Sudoku puzzle has a unique solution which can be reached logically without guessing. Enter digits 1 through 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit, as must each column and each 3x3 square. Qdoku is actually five separate, but connected, Sudoku puzzles.
Q doku Easy
6
3 5 8 8 6 4 3 9 5 7
1
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
3
2 7
3
2
2 7 4 8 1 3 1 1 6 4 9 6 8 8 4 2 6 1 4 3 4 1 2 5 3 3 5 2 2 5 6 7 7 4 6 2 5 6 4 1 5 8 6 7 4 4 1 8 5 7 8 3
5
3 9 6
5 3
9 7 6
8
4 1
7 4 8 9 6 3 5 7
2 4 7 4 5 1 1 9 3 8 6 5 6 4 3 1 3 2 8 6 9 2 3 7 4 2 5
3 7
3
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2 9 3 1 5 8 6 1 9 3 3 5
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Billboard will show at Westboro Church hometown The comedian behind Facebook’s popular “God” page is now using his almighty power for LGBT advocacy, crowdsourcing funds to launch a campaign that will spread a pro-LGBT message and taunt the Westboro Baptist Church at the same time. In ten short days, followers of God have pledged over $40,000 to help build “God Loves Gays” billboards in and around Westboro’s hometown of Topeka, Kansas. The “Westboro psychos” have been spreading a message of hate for too long, says God, and the billboard project is an attempt to reverse their smear campaign.
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
Pet Month of the
OUR PETS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 49
Can we crash at your place? TRY FOSTERING!
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Onyx is a shiny, sleek and beautiful 2 year old female that arrived at our Kitten Nursery with a litter of kittens. Now that her litter is adopted, Onyx is ready for her forever home. She is extremely friendly and absolutely loves to cuddle. Her favorite place is in the softest place she can find, or lounging in a hammock to soak up the sun. She shows her affection constantly by rubbing her head onto your hands, legs, neck, or anywhere else she can reach! Onyx is also does really well in the company of other cats, so she’ll fit right in a house with other cats and kids of any age, with proper supervision. All adult cat adoption fees are waived through September, so come in and meet beautiful Onyx today. Q More info on Achillies can be found at BestFriends.org or by calling 801-574-2417.
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50 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | A&E
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
Gay Russian performance artist to have sex with a different man, every day, for a year
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Badasyan intends to comment on the culture of loneliness and throwaway sex that some connect to gay culture writ large but that really only represents a subset of a wider spectrum. What’s more, Badasyan cites the work of French philosopher Marc Auge, who wrote about “non-places,” places where people don’t communicate with each other and where they lose their identities. Badasyan says that, through engaging in sex with a different person every day, he, too, will become something of a non-place. “Eventually I’ll be like a nonplace,” Badasyan says, “so it’ll be like a supermarket. I’ll go on the date and then I’ll go back.” And just how does he plan to accomplish this feat? Partially through the same apps and culture he’s commenting on. Badasyan will rely on apps like Grindr and Scruff, but he will also be on the prowl at festivals. If he hits a dry spell of eight or so hours, perhaps, he might even go to a sex club or cruising in the park. “It’s easier for a gay man to do this kind of project,” he said. “It’s why I feel lonely. Straight people don’t have these kind of applications, so many gay chats, in terms of cruising, sex clubs, sex bars, they don’t have as many opportunities as gay people.” Q
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Badasyan, a 26-year-old Russian performance artist based in Berlin, has raised a few eyebrows with a proposal for his next performance. Badasyan, who is openly gay, says he plans to sleep with with a different man, once a day, for a year. Badasyan’s “Save the Date” project purportedly intends to push the boundaries of a reality he says is “inspired by the gay condition, Taiwanese artists, and French philosophy,” according to Arts.Mic. Badasyan says that he’s well versed in the relatively anonymous and short-term hook-up culture, owing partly to his younger years. “I would go to [the park],” Badasyan said, “every night and have sex with guys… until 5 o’clock, 6 o’clock in the morning. And I was always… I felt very bad, I was crying all the time. I am always sad after these kind of meetings.” By having sex with a different man every day for a year,
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september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
Q health
STIs are prevalent, preventable BY C. PETER STOKER, MPH, CHES
Sexually
Transmitted Infections (formerly known as Sexually Transmitted Diseases) are more prevalent in Utah than people of this marvelous state would like to admit. The rates of Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are among some of the highest in the country. However, if we look more closely into individual cities and neighborhoods within the state the individual rates increase. For example, Salt Lake County reported 3,924 cases of Chlamydia in 2012 whereas Utah County reported 803 cases (Utah Department of Health, 2012). Within Utah, men who have sex with men account for 62 percent of the total combined diagnoses through 2008. One theory that is supported by a recent study completed by Matthew Beymer of the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center, located in Los Angeles, California. This study looked at gay and “bi-curious” men who used smartphone apps, such as Grindr or Scruff, to find sexual partners. These MSM who used Smartphone apps were found to be more likely to acquire certain STIs than if they simply met partners in a bar or club. The men in this study were found to be 35 percent more likely to be infected with Chlamydia and 23 percent more likely to be infected with Gonorrhea (MedlinePlus, 2014). These numbers obviously reflect the population of Los Angeles; however, the gay culture as a whole does
not differ much from state to state or from city to city. We can directly compare these percentages to Utah’s population. Utah ranked 38th highest among the 50 states in combined reported AIDS cases (CDC, 2013). In 2012 the state reported 7,616 cases of Chlamydia, which associates to a rate of 266.73/100,000 (Utah Department of Health, 2012). Twothirds of the reported cases were among persons between the ages of 15–24 years old. Although many of the STIs can be cured with an antibiotic treatment, many people do not have any signs or symptoms for months to years after infection. This allows people to infect their unsuspecting partner(s) and, as a result, continue to spread the disease. One major reason why MSM should be concerned about contracting an STI is that it makes one more susceptible to HIV transmission. In relation, Utah ranked 38th highest among the 50 states in combined reported AIDS cases (CDC, 2013). While some STIs are curable, some are only treatable; meaning you will be infected for life. All STIs are completely preventable and could be eliminated if sexually active persons worldwide were more careful and cautious during sexual practices. Instead of adding to the STI statistics, practice safer sex behaviors so that you stay free of infection and decrease your risk of contracting HIV. We’ll talk about which STIs are curable and incurable in the next column. Q
HEALTH | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 51
52 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | FASHION
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
the frivolist 7 ways to stick it to etiquette by wearing white after Labor Day (and still look smashing) BY MIKEY ROX
I’ve never
been a fan of clothing etiquette wherein somebody somewhere once decided when I can wear this and when I can’t wear that. The most annoying rule of them all? No white after Labor Day. While white makes sense in the summer for practical reasons — like that it reflects the sun to keep us cool and it’s ideal for wet T-shirt contests (hey, boy!) — I think it’s perfectly fine any time of year. If you’re on my side of this debate (and you better be), check out these whitehot wardrobe additions that’ll help you stick it to tradition.
1. 2(X)IST BRIEFS First things first: Unless you’re the kind of guy who prefers going commando (which is just yuck, by the way), we need to slip on our skivvies. Today’s tighty whities have come a long way since our pot-bellied papas rocked the look around the house, and 2(X)IST has the perfect pair to keep your artillery under wraps. The slim-fit TUX Contour Pouch Brief features side-running satin inset stripes and a Jacquard elastic waistband, and it’s available in stark white so you can show off what your daddy gave ya. $26; www.2xist.com
2. TIMBERLAND POLO Even though we’re headed into dreaded (for me, anyway) cold-weather territory, there are still a few rays of hope and sunshine to soak up before hibernation begins. You’ll come off
preppy and put together on those seasonable days just following the holiday — a good look if you’re tryin’ to take a dip in the back-to-school pool — in the men’s short-sleeve Millers River Polo Shirt from Timberland. This regular fit shirt — sorry, skinny bitches — is solid white for a clean, finished look. $58; shop.timberland.com
3. SLATER ZORN OXFORD SHIRT You won’t have to hem and haw when choosing a shirt from luxury retailer Slater Zorn, because every men’s buttondown offered is — you guessed it — white. But these casual classics are anything but boring. There’s a pop of collegiate color on the contrast grosgrain placket that lets you bunk Labor Day tradition in white while showing a smidge of your true hues. $135; slaterzorn.com
4. BONOBOS CHINOS Every dude deserves a great-fitting pair of chinos, and Bonobos is nothing if not dedicated to that pursuit. Buck the trend this time, however, with a pair of Great Whites, a stark (or is that shark?) contrast from the other blues, olives and browns that currently populate your closet. This limited-edition style — once they’re gone, they’re gone, says Bonobos — features the company’s signature back pocket liners and slide-snap closures in a straight-leg fit. $68; bonobos.com
5. MISSION BELT As a loyal fan of ABC’s Shark Tank, I first learned about Mission Belt last year when entrepreneur Nate Holzapfel appeared on the show. Hoping to reinvent the belt altogether, Nate walked away with an offer from investor Daymond John — and its only fitting, then, that it’s the Great White style (hey, maybe they share a copywriter with Bonobos) that’s most appropriate here. This isn’t your ordinary belt, however. There are no holes in the design, but rather a sliding set of ‘teeth’ on the inside that allow you to
adjust the leather as your body changes. Mission Belt also has another mission besides making you feel less self-conscious about your weight: $1 of every belt sold helps fight global hunger and poverty through micro lending on Kiva. $39.95; missionbelt.com
6. K-WAY JACKET The first Monday in September unofficially signals the end of summer, and that means it’s almost time to start layering. Choosing fashionable white outerwear is no easy feat, but that all changes with Canadian company KWay, which offers stylish jackets in a rainbow of colors, including white. Plus, you’ll be in handsome company when you step out in the Claude Klassic (or another dapper style): Celeb fans of K-Way include Josh Duhamel, Matthew Broderick, Liev Schrieber, and Ryan Reynolds. $54; k-way.ca
7. MODIFY WATCH Watches used to exist as function over fashion back in the day, but now that everyone comes out of the womb with a smartphone attached to their paws, the roles have been reserved. Thus, there’s nothing wrong with strappin’ on a timepiece like it’s 1993, and Modify Watch helps make your throwback style funky and fresh. Choose a white-on-white watch for the post Labor Day festivities, or select from more than 150 other faces that can feature your favorite sports team, show your patriotism and solidify your commitment to charity. There’s also an option to upload your own custom design. From $35; modifywatches.com Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist and blogger whose work has been published in more than 100 outlets across the world. He lives in Manhattan with his husband and their cuddle-buddy furbaby. Connect with Mikey on Twitter @mikeyrox.
54 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | FINAL WORD
gaysaltlake.com | issue 235 | september 2014
the perils of petunia pap smear
The tale of racoon love BY PETUNIA PAP SMEAR
The road
to Idaho is fraught with danger and excitement. Legend has it there is a large porno distribution warehouse in Jerome, Idaho that facilitates the shipment of most of the porn west of the Mississippi River. Or so I was told several years ago by a helpful and attentive sales clerk at a porn store in Pocatello (Poke-a-fellow). It was during one of those quaint chitchat sessions where you learn each other’s name, hometown and determine which underwear belongs to whom. This was shortly after he had given me some “very personal assistance” in the video arcade booth. While trying to hand press the wrinkles out of my taffeta skirt and straightening my tiara, in a fruitless attempt to appear respectable on the way to the parking lot, I vowed someday to travel to Jerome and investigate this porno revelation. Helpful hint: a queen should never wear taffeta when “shopping” at a video arcade. It’s just too high maintenance. I heartily recommend polyester. It doesn’t wrinkle when kneeling, and you can wash out those pesky “baby batter” stains. So, you can imagine my immense twitter-pation last month when I had occasion to travel to Jerome for work. Excitedly, I filled the 25-gallon gas tank of Queer-Tanic, my 1975 Buick Electra land yacht, for the trip. At today’s gas prices I practically have to sell a kidney to afford to keep Queer-Tanic on the road. I was overjoyed, when on the trip northward, there was a fierce
tail wind strong enough to assist Queer-Tanic in achieving her all-time best gas mileage of 12 mpg. But it was still not strong enough to dislodge my beehive hair, stylishly secured in place by two full cans of Aqua Net. After my work in Jerome was finished, I conducted an extensive search for the legendary porn warehouse. Usually, I can detect the presence of porn anywhere within a 10-mile radius, and I can do it faster than a BYU coed can find a Twinkie! Alas, to my bitter disappointment, this legendary warehouse of my dreams turned out to be nothing more than an urban legend. On the return trip, I was blissfully motoring along that truly godforsaken stretch of I-84 between Burley and Tremonton, singing along to “Dancing Queen” by ABBA, when I ran into a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad blizzard. And to make the experience even more compelling, Queer-Tanic’s heater/window defroster chose that exact moment in time to go colder than the icy stare of a drag queen who just missed out on the last free sample at the cosmetic counter at Nordstrom. I pulled into a rest area next to a big truck being tended to by a hunky driver. I was grateful that I would, at the very least, have some hot inspiration during my moment of chilly desperation. I thought that if I wasn’t able to fix the heater, I would undoubtedly become the Ice Queen of Narnia. Or even better, carve out an igloo with the hunky truck driver
next door and I could become a fashionable Mrs. Nanook of the North. I deduced that Queer-Tanic must have a clogged heater core, the Buick-equivalent of an enlarged prostate, thereby restricting the free flow of fluid. So I stepped out into the raging blizzard, with the driving snow pelting me in the face hard enough to crack my Revlon facial foundation. I heaved open the heavy hood, revealing Queer-Tanic’s throbbing 455-cubic inch engine. Size queens be jealous! With a sensitive probing gaze, I located the hoses attaching the heater to the cooling system. I decided to detach the hoses and orally blow the clog. Desperate, and needing a screw driver to loosen the hose clamps, I was just about ready to sacrifice one of my Lee press-on nails for the purpose, when I remembered that I could use a dime instead. Glory be! I saved the nails! I grasped the flaccid hose firmly with my trembling hands, gently tugging. I placed my quivering lips over the end of the hose to give it a puff. After several large breaths, in and out, manipulating “the prostate” faster and faster, my face growing redder and redder, and with one final gasp the hose gave a sudden shudder, and the situation came to a climax. A gelatinous blob erupted from the end of the hose, shooting past the front bumper and landing on the grill of the nearby truck as Queer-Tanic’s engine gurgled in relief. I could taste the saltiness of anti-freeze on my tongue. Wisely, I believe, on
this occasion I chose to spit, not swallow. I quickly reattached the hoses and climbed back inside. To my delight, with the yellow fluid flowing freely once again, Queer-Tanic’s cabin interior was growing toasty warm in the afterglow. Oh, sweet mystery of life! I glanced in the mirror to check my makeup and was mortified. The snow melting on my face had caused the mascara to run so that my eyes resembled something only a mother raccoon could love. Then I saw my black lips. They looked like I had either been rimming Count Chocula, or had mugged Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, for her lipstick. Apparently, heater hoses melt in your mouth, not in your hands. Thank goodness in princess training classes we were taught to always keep a large pack of wet wipes on hand. But miracle of miracles, the beehive hair survived unscathed. God Save the Queen! Like always, these events leave us with many important questions: 1. Does Twitter have an app for twitter-pation? 2. Could Bill Clinton’s impeachment have been prevented if Monica Lewinski’s blue dress had been made from polyester? 3. Does the porn warehouse, like Brigadoon, only appear during the potato harvest? 4. Could I become a spokesperson for Aqua Net? These and other important questions to be answered in future chapters of: The Perils of Petunia Pap-Smear.
september 2014 | issue 235 | gaysaltlake.com
mr. manners
HOTNESS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 55
WARNING HOT GUYS!
On the hunt BY ROCK MAGEN
Dear Mr. Manners, Help! I am horrible at the whole dating thing! It feels that in my past experiences, I am the one you date before you “find the one.” Why am I attracting the wrong guys all the time? Where does a nice single guy find another nice single guy who wants a serious and meaningful relationship? I seem to be great at finding all the “unavailable guys” and those who are just “looking for friends.” Sincerely, Good Luck Chuck
DEAR CHUCK,
I can vaguely remember a country song that I think was titled “Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places.” Hopefully your life is void of how David Allen Coe defines a good country song—your truck breaking down, your dog dying, being overly drunk and having your mother in prison—but in this case, I feel that the lyric in this song may help you in your search for love. The constant advice I hear in matters of the heart is “just wait and love will find you.” I personally feel this to be false. Now don’t take this as an admonishment to go on a dating safari, rather just consider the idea that one has to be ready and willing to receive and find love. When it’s thrust upon us we tend to run away because we are not ready. From what you have told me, you sound ready and willing, so perhaps you need to prescribe to the adage of “work smarter not harder.” To my knowledge, I have never addressed any etiquette on using Grinder in my column. Let me lay some ground rules. If you decide to go to the apps for dating, make sure you do it wisely. Take the time to fill out the profile and BE HONEST. You attract whom you
feel you deserve, so if you are looking for a prince make sure you are ready and willing to join a royal lineage. Take the time to genuinely speak with people online and work to quickly meet in person. The sooner you meet the man behind the screen, the sooner you can decide if you truly get along. I would even go as far as to make sure that the first date is in a public place during daylight hours. Meeting at his place after dark does not tend to bring out the best first impression. Also, make sure you are on the right app for the type of guy you are and what you are looking for. A naive twink on “Growler” stands at risk of being eaten by a hungry bear! Try looking for your beau at activities where you feel truly comfortable and you are not on the hunt. Take time to join various gay cultural and sports associations (I recommend the SLC gay athletic association) where you can expand your group of friends and have them introduce you to more people. As you cultivate friendships and allow others get to know you, I am sure that feelings will start to deepen and you possibly may be introduced to your future husband. Your other option is to be that awkward guy at the bar who sits by himself and is creepy. It is my hope that you will rise above that. Perhaps Thoreau said it best, “Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.” Catching men takes a bigger net than catching butterflies, but if you take your time I am certain you will catch who will be beside you all of your life.. Q
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