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inside LGBT, Satan and General LGBT History Month Stan Penfold to run for Salt The Salt Lake City hate Page 14 Page 24 Lake City Mayor Page 10 crime that wasn’t Page 12 Conference
From the Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 National and World News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Local News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Views. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 LGBT History Month. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Tony’s Gay Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Dining Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Troye Sivan Interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Natasha Rothwell Interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
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Shea Diamond Interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Screen Queen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comics and Puzzles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marketplace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Real Estate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Qmmunity Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Positive Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pet of the Month. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Frivolost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Perils of Petunia Pap Smear. . . . . . . . . .
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from the publisher
‘QSaltLake’ expanding back to biweekly, with a twist BY MICHAEL AARON
Fourteen
years and six months ago this magazine first hit the stands as a biweekly publication dedicated to serving Utah’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and ally community. In the hard economic times of 2012, we looked at our resources and realized we couldn’t sustain that model and became a monthly magazine with greater focus on our website delivering breaking news. Beginning with this issue, we are proud to announce that we returned to a biweekly model, with a twist. The issue will be made available to readers online only at qsaltlake.com/current-q. All of our issues have been made available online for many years now, but this is the first that will never see print. Yes, we will still maintain a monthly print edition as we have for so many years. I love a physical, printed magazine. I love the feel of paper. I love that I tend to read the issue more thoroughly, catching stories that would otherwise fly by me or not even show on my computer screen. I find that when I read the online editions, I still catch those stories. I actually bought an Amazon Fire so I can read out on the deck with a cup of coffee in the morning. Me, a papyrophiliac, reading on a cold plastic machine. What I tend to enjoy are the new advances that have come along on digital publications. If I see an advertisement or a story with a link to tickets, I can click right there and go to the advertiser’s or ticketing company’s page. I can zoom in on a story that I’m reading and sometimes find a longer version than available on the page. And now there is video. In issue 285 you will find a story on Stan Penfold’s announcement that he will run for mayor of Salt Lake City. With one click you will be able to watch his announcement as if you were there. Rather than just reading a story on a video that’s gone viral, you can watch the video as you are reading the issue. We thought long and hard about expanding back to biweekly. It seemed that, as a monthly publication, news waited to happen until after we hit the “send to press” button on the last page. Argh! We always felt more in rhythm with the flow of news on a 14-day cycle. We also felt limited in the number of voices we could bring to the community because of space. Cost, of course, was a major concern. It costs a
lot to print the thousands of copies that are trucked 109 miles to Q Towers each month. Then we pay drivers both hourly and by the mile to haul them to hundreds of locations from Logan to Provo. We also must maintain racks, manage relationships with the many locations as they move, go out of business, open new locations, change managers, etc. Doubling our annual cost was out of the question. The environment was also a major consideration. Each issue of QSaltLake uses about 14 trees and who knows how much gasoline. We announced last month that we have joined with the National Forest Foundation to plant a tree for every one we use in our national forests to help replace those lost to fire and other issues. Our paper companies also replace trees they use, so we are actually doing a twofer on trees. We also buy carbon offsets for the amount of gas- or coal-powered energy we use. We lost our driver who delivered with his Prius, which gave us warm fuzzies. But printing bi-weekly would double our impact on the Earth. Lastly, while we believe we will always print our publications, we also know that many people prefer to read us online. My partner lives in a house where there are dozens of current issues laying around but still reads us on his MacBook. We also know that more than half of our online readers read us on their cellphone. Four thousand people, on average, read each issue in the first month it is published. In all, we have had over a million reads of our publications since we started offering them on the Issuu platform in July of 2012. In fact, 1,061,744 as I write this article. Some LGBT-focused publications have gone fully digital in the past several years. Two of our sister publications that are part of the National Equality Media Association, of which QSaltLake Magazine is a founding member and I am now vice president, including QVegas (now QLife) and PQ Portland, made the full transition in 2015 and 2018, respectively. We have determined, after talking with many of our readers, that this dual option is what Utah’s LGBTQ community wants. We are excited to be expanding again. We’d love to be incredibly open to new voices, and hope you’ll consider adding yours to our Views pages. Please give our online editions a try, and continue to find the printed issues at coffee shops, restaurants and bars up and down the Wasatch Front and display them proudly on your coffee table. Onward and upward. Q
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news The top national and world news you should know from last month Lambda Legal decries Kavanaugh vote In a statement released Oct. 6, Sharon McGowan, Lambda Legal chief strategy officer and legal director, wrote (in part): “The United States Senate’s vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court is the culmination of a deeply flawed nomination process the likes of which we have never seen in this nation’s history. While profoundly frustrated and outraged, we are not surprised by this outcome, which is yet another example of the lengths to which this Republican-controlled Senate is prepared to go in order to pack the courts with ideological extremists who will promote the 'values' of the Trump-Pence administration. “In their haste to shift the Supreme Court to the far right, Senate Republicans abused their power by shielding this nominee’s record from public scrutiny, and by manipulating the process to ensure that deeply troubling questions about his character and integrity would be left unanswered. This deliberate campaign of concealment by Senate Republicans circumvented any meaningful public discussion about how Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation would undermine important protections for LGBT people, women, people of color,
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people living with disabilities or pre-existing conditions, and workers. Yet, even without this evidence, Brett Kavanaugh revealed himself as a right-wing political operative completely lacking in judicial temperament. His confirmation will undermine the legitimacy of the Supreme Court for as long as he serves."
Utah cities overall rank low on MEI index USA Today reports a record number of municipalities — 78 — earned perfect scores for advancing LGBTQ-inclusive policies in 2018, according to a report by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and the Equality Federation Institute. However, Utah ranked slightly below average. The Municipal Equality Index recently rated 506 cities on inclusive protections and policies. Utah cities included in the index are Logan, Ogden, Orem, Park City, Provo, Salt Lake City, West Jordan, and West Valley City. Not surprisingly, SLC ranked highest in the state with an index score of 66 out of 100. Ogden ranked second at 56 and Provo third with 48. Orem fell way short at 20. Overall, Utah's score came in below average, at 43.9, based on nondiscrimination laws, workforce policies, municipal services, law enforcement, and relationship with the LGBT community.
Get married or get out The State Department on Monday began imposing a new policy, according to NBC News, that restricts visas for the same-sex partners of staff of U.S.-based international organizations, such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. The policy, announced earlier this year, ends a policy spearheaded
by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that allowed these same-sex partners to obtain a spousal visa, also known as the G-4 visa. Now, according to the new policy, the United States will issue a G-4 visa to a partner of a legally married couple.
SCOTUS facing at least 10 LGBT-related cases in 2018-19 session Cases before the U.S. Supreme Court seem almost like an afterthought after the political slugfest over the confirmation process for President Trump’s second nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Windy City Times reports there are several cases that are of great importance to the LGBT community as the high court began its 2018–19 session last week. In fact, this session could be one of the busiest in history for LGBT-related concerns. At least three cases appealed to the Supreme Court ask whether existing federal law protects LGBT people from employment discrimination and a fourth one is on the way; at least four cases could revisit the question of whether a business person can cite their religious beliefs to violate state law prohibiting discrimination against LGBT people; and three lawsuits challenging President Trump’s ban on transgender people in the military could wind their ways up to the high court this session.
Switzerland outlaws anti-LGBT discrimination; offenders may face prison A significant win this week for LGBT people in Switzerland against discrimination could land offenders in prison for up to three years. The Swiss National Council voted 118 to 60 to change their penal code, making it illegal to
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
discriminate based on gender identity or sexual orientation, reports LGBTQ Nation. Mathias Reynard, a national councilor who has fought for over half a decade on the law, said, “... the National Council accepts my parliamentary initiative against homophobia and transphobia! A great success for human rights!”
Hawaii Supreme Court upholds parental rights for same-sex couples The Supreme Court of Hawaii has ruled that a lesbian nonbiological parent must pay child support to her former partner in order to take care of the child the couple had previously planned to raise together. The State of Hawaii filed an amicus brief arguing that the legalization of marriage equality in the state guaranteed that same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples were entitled to the same rights and responsibilities when it comes to parenting.
Trans student barred from shelter during Virginia school’s mass shooter drill A transgender student was separated from her peers during a mass shooter drill at a Virginia middle school, as school administrators debated where to send her. A “lockdown” drill at Stafford County Middle School, designed to teach the students how to respond in case of an attack, required students to seek shelter in the nearest bathroom or locker room. However, the transgender student, whose identity has been withheld, was instead forced to sit in the gym while the other students sought shelter, while teachers “discussed where she should go,” Equality Stafford said in a Facebook post. Q
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Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
Stan Penfold announces run against Jackie Biskupski for Salt Lake City Mayor BY MICHAEL AARON
Outside Ninth & Ninth restaurant Publik Kitchen, Utah AIDS Foundation executive director and former Salt Lake City Councilman Stan Penfold announced Thursday, Oct. 4, that he will run against Jackie Biskupski to become Salt Lake City Mayor. “Everybody says this is early,” Penfold said. “But the big election — the primary — happens in June, so not so far away.” He said he is running because he loves the city and its people. “I love the people of Salt Lake City,” Penfold said. “And I love my neighbors. I love the young couple who moved in with the new baby. And I love the older couple whose family moved here generations ago, and they are living out their final years in the same neighborhood they’ve lived in their entire lives, next to the young couple with the new kids.” “I love the diversity of Salt Lake City,” he continued. “I love the new immigrants of the Liberty Wells neighborhood and the young people of East Downtown,
and the hipsters and the artists of Central Ninth. I love the people who are reviving the west-side neighborhoods like Glendale and Poplar Grove. They bring soccer and amazing food to share. “I love the gayborhoods of the Marmalade and the University and Sugar House and Ninth & Ninth, and pretty much every neighborhood in Salt Lake is a gayborhood anymore. And that’s a good thing. “I love that we live side-by-side and that we care about each other, and that we enjoy each other, and that we truly enjoy the uniqueness that makes Salt Lake City a wonderful place to live.” He said he is different from the current administration because he listens. “What we really need in Salt Lake City is leadership that listens and leadership that really cares,” Penfold said. “My campaign for mayor will look different because frankly, I am different. I know how to listen. I want to listen. I actually receive great joy from listening and sharing and creating things together. So that is why I am kicking off this campaign by
listening. I will be coming to a neighborhood near you soon, to listen. And I want to hear from you. I want to hear from the wonderful and diverse neighbors who live here in Salt Lake City. And then, I know how to make things happen.” He went on to list some accomplishments he made while on the city council. “I know how to work with others to get things done. I know how to do a free-fare transit day where everybody said it could not happen. I did it,” he said. “I know how to plant trees and grow community gardens. I know how to help small businesses. “I know how to partner, and I know how to help people come together to do impossible things like rename six miles of a street in Salt Lake City.” Penfold is largely credited for being the person who got the city to rename part of Ninth South from Ninth West to Ninth East “Harvey Milk Boulevard,” after the San Francisco politician who made significant change in California and became a beacon to the gay community nationwide
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said probably time. Only 34 before being killed by fellow San Francisco Supervisor Dan percent supported the current White. mayor, with 20 percent saying Penfold had endorsed maybe and 14 percent saying then-incumbent mayor Ralph they definitely would re-elect Becker in the election that BiBiskupski. Nine percent were skupski won. He left the coununsure. The poll by Dan Jones cil in January after eight years, & Associates surveyed 203 likeexpressing frustration with ly voters and had a 6.8 percent Biskupski’s leadership. Then he margin of error. was rumored to have formed Biskupski is the first openly an exploratory committee to gay mayor of Salt Lake City run for mayor back in April and was the first openly lesbiof 2017, only 16 months after an legislator in the state, first Biskupselected in ki took Should Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie 1998. office. He PenBiskupski be elected to another told The fold left 4-year term, or is it time to let Salt Lake the crowd someone new a chance to serve? Tribune with a back then ELECT SOMEONE NEW favorite that the DEFINITELY PROBABLY quote mayor from RE-ELECT JACKIE was often DEFINITELY PROBABLY Prior confronin Tony UNSURE tational Kushner’s and play, DAN JONES & ASSOCIATES FOR UTAHPOLICY.COM “quick 203 LIKELY VOTERS IN SALT LAKE CITY AUG 22–SEP 12 Angels in in equal MARGIN OF ERROR +/- 6.8% America: measure “He speaks at a time of to take credit but pass along darkness in the country and blame.” He also said her adminabsence of those who govern. istration lacks transparency. He speaks in a time of severe A Utah Policy poll released neglect of leadership and last month found 56 percent responsibility. In a time of of likely Salt Lake City voters government ignorance and said it was either “definitely” incompetence. In a time of or “probably” time to elect much anger and anguish. Very a new mayor other than much like today.” Biskupski. Asked, “Should Salt “We are not going away. Lake City Mayor Jackie BiskThe world only spins forward. upski be elected to another We will be citizens. The time four-year term, or is it time to has come. We are fabulous give someone new a chance creatures, each and every one. to serve?”, 29 percent said it And I bless you more life. The was definitely time to elect great work begins.” Q someone new and 27 percent
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Call Wharton O’Brien Law
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Fairpark ‘hate crime’ may have been a roommate dispute What looked like a hate crime, complete with the word FAGS spray-painted on a bedroom door in the Fairpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City is now being investigated as an alleged dispute between roommates. Michael Lentz posted on Facebook Friday, Sept. 20 that someone entered his home, stole thousands of dollars’ worth of his belongings and his dog, and spray-painted his door with the word “FAGS” and a paw print. “So today I came home to find I was robbed again. They took everything of value from the house, [including] thousands of dollars worth of electronics, gear and leather. Then to make things worse they stole my dog. My sweet little pug Gil is missing. They were so kind as to make it a hate crime by spray painting my door. If you see my dog, please let me know,” Lentz wrote. Luckily, his dog has been returned to him, having been found by a family at Liberty Park, without tags, miles from his home. Three GoFundMe campaigns were set up, one by Lentz’ mother to help him replace his belongings and find a new, safer place to live, another by members of the pups and Handlers community to replace his leather and pup gear, and another purportedly by the mother of roommate Jimmy Daniels, who is also gay. “I am raising money for my son, Mike Lentz. He has been robbed twice. This time it is an obvious Hate Crime, they even took his dog,” Julie Lentz wrote in the GoFundMe description. That campaign has raised nearly $4,695. “Two pup friends of mine house was just broken into and the person stole all of their gear and also their dog. Not only did the person [steal] their valuable and personal belongings, they also vandalized the place. A bunch of gear was stolen which included multiple leather and neoprene gear, specifically pup hoods. Pup meeko received his neoprene pup hood literally today and now it is gone. I am making this page to help them retrieve or possibly buy new gear so they can move past this horrible situation,” wrote bruiser. That campaign has raised $705. The campaign for Daniels is listed as being created by his mother, Betty Oakley, but emails and phone calls to her from QSaltLake for verification have gone unreturned. “My Son, Jimmy Daniels house was
burglarized and vandalized,” the campaign description reads. “All of their electronics, video games, over $1000 cash, leather clothing. ... His friends already moved out over the weekend and I found my son alone and depressed sleeping in his bedroom with all the doors locked. He was recently hospitalized for his depression and has seizures, so it’s very dangerous for him to be left alone.” The fundraiser for Daniels raised $1,335. At the time Salt Lake City Police Department detectives confirmed they were investigating the alleged crimes as a hate crime. Since then, however, much of the stolen goods have been retrieved from the house of Daniels’ sister and police are looking into him as being the perpetrator. QSaltLake Magazine received photos of leather gear and computer equipment at Daniels’ sister’s house that Lentz’ partner, Wyatt Maki, says was theirs and have been returned to them. Maki said that some of their belongings are still missing, and that Daniels may have been stealing packages
being delivered to the apartment since they all moved in together. “Thankfully it wasn’t a hate crime.” Maki said. “Unfortunately it was someone we lived with who’s shown he’s untrustworthy. Michael and I have moved into another place and we are safe.” Q
Mia Love campaign fires vendor over anti-gay email U.S. Rep. Mia Love apologized last month to Equality Utah Executive Director Troy Williams and Salt Lake City Councilman Derek Kitchen, “and other dear friends of mine” after sending an email blasting opponent Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams for approving of the Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage. “‘Moderate McAdams’ who says he was ‘pleased’ with the Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage,” the Labor Day email stated. Then, in the last week of September, another email went out once again blasting McAdams for his pro-LGBT stance. The email highlighted some of Rep. Joe Kennedy’s positions, including support for abortion rights, the Affordable Care Act, same-sex marriage, and opposition to the recent GOP tax cuts, and claims McAdams holds those same positions. “Kennedy III champions gay marriage — Just like Ben!” the email read. “He certainly embraces East Coast liberal values, like his buddy Joe Kennedy — but these are not Utah’s values.” An hour later, the campaign sent a second message with an apology, saying the
previous email had been “sent in error.” Love campaign spokeswoman Sasha Clark said the first email was sent in error by a vendor without campaign approval. Love later confirmed in a statement to The Salt Lake Tribune that the vendor responsible for the email was fired. Equality Utah responded with a tweet, “Again, @RepMiaLove is using gay families to attack her political opponent @BenMcAdams. We thank Ben for his years of public support for the LGBTQ community. We need politicians who will unite Americans, not divide us. Sadly, Love’s campaign has chosen their path.” Love later publicly stated support of the LGBT community, writing, The rights of same-sex marriage families has [sic] been guaranteed by the Supreme Court, and we respect their constitutional privileges,” McAdams released a statement as well, saying, that Love wants to reignite an old controversy for political gain. “I’m proud that Utah stands out as a place where families, churches and LGBTQ advocacy groups are able to discuss, share their differences and find common ground,” McAdams wrote. Q
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General Conference: Oaks reiterates opposition to same-sex marriage, transgender people Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints First Counselor Dallin H. Oaks reiterated many of the points of the “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” created in 1995 as the state of Hawaii seemed likely to be the first to legalize same-sex marriage. In his General Conference speech on Saturday, Oaks said the proclamation still applies today and said the statement was “revelation,” similar to a 2016 speech by then-president Boyd K. Packer. “Some are troubled by some of our church’s positions on marriage and children,” Oaks said. “Our knowledge of God’s revealed plan of salvation requires us to oppose many of the current social and legal pressures to retreat from traditional marriage or to make changes that confuse or alter gender or homogenize the differences between men and women. We know that the relationships, identities, and functions of men and women are essential to accomplish God’s great plan.” “Gender is eternal,” Oaks continued. “Before we were born on this earth, we all lived as male and female in the presence of God.” He said that opposition to the church was part of Satan’s plan. “Our positions on these fundamentals frequently provoke opposition to the church. We consider that inevitable. Opposition is part of the plan, and Satan’s (the Adversary’s) most strenuous opposition is directed at whatever is most important to God’s plan. He seeks to destroy God’s work,” he said. “He also seeks to confuse gender, to distort marriage, and to discourage childbearing — especially by parents who will raise children in truth.” Some point to the fact that Oaks was president of Brigham Young University when the school was using electroconvulsive therapy to “heal” students of
their homosexuality as a backdrop to his current message. Utah Stonewall Democrats stated they feel “deeply troubled” by Oaks’ remarks and that they “respectfully disagree with his assertions.” “Oaks urged members of the church to oppose abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, and transgender rights because they conflict with ‘eternal truths,’” Board Chair Becky Moss said in a statement. “As citizens of this beautiful state, progressive country, and perfect world, we support all who try to meet the challenge of being better people every day. I urge those who were hurt by President Oaks’ language to refer instead to the kind and thoughtful remarks given by Elder [Dieter F.] Uchtdorf.” Uchtdorf, a member of the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said, “It is this endless compassion that allows us to see others for who they are more clearly. Through the lens of pure love, we see mortal beings of infinite potential and worth and beloved sons and daughters of Almighty God. Once we see through that lens, we cannot discount, disregard, or discriminate against anyone.” Openly-gay and former Mormon Sen. Jim Dabakis issued a video statement on Oaks’ speech. “Dear LGBTQ youth of Utah, especially Mormon and trans kids. I know you can feel alone and unloved. No matter who says it, even if it is your family or some high-titled official, neither you nor the people who are fighting for you to be treated fairly are ‘Satan’s plan.’ You matter. You are loved. You don’t need to change who God made you to make ‘them’ feel like all their cogs fit into their tidy religious machine. This senator and so many other Utahns are standing with you and not with the bullies — of all ages! People who mouth loving you but then demand that you conform to their narrow, 1950’s, un-Christian requirements are dangerously ill-informed at best and evil at worst. It will get better for you. I see you. I love you,” he said. In response to a since-deleted negative comment to his video by Shauna Henriod Fowler, Dabakis said, “I don’t do doctrine. But I have been on the front lines. At
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
the funerals. Five of them. Imagine that 13-year-old boy laying in the coffin in Alpine. Or the child in [West Valley City], who killed himself outside his middle school, or the girl who took her life in Ogden. This is exactly the kind of loose talk that ripples out. It is careless and it is deadly.” Mama Dragons member Julie Turnbull Packer posted a heartfelt message on her Facebook wall about Oaks’ speech and her gay son who became a drug addict and eventually committed suicide. “I need to be very clear. This is not MY God speaking. My God sent me a perfect son to love and learn from, and we all screwed it up. We didn’t make him feel safe to be who he was. He needed to find a way to hide. And yes, I did talk to him about this before he died. And he told me ‘pretending to be straight in Rigby, Idaho was exhausting.’ If you knew my boy, he was smart and funny and gorgeous, but he couldn’t see it,” she wrote. “So Elder Oaks, SHAME ON YOU! You have met with parents of LGBTQ kids. You have heard their stories and have seen them cry. Telling a transgender child that their gender is eternal, in the way that you mean it, could likely drive them to suicide. I don’t know what I believe about eternity, but if gender is eternal, and I like to think that it is, then these lovely souls can know that their true gender will be honored in the eternities. Biology just played a trick on them. I don’t know ONE parent of a transgender child, not one, who thinks this might be a phase. They know that their child is who they are deep into their soul. And if that child cannot be WHO they are, the other option is death. “Some of us really struggle to stay in the church because we love it. Because we love the people. Because much of it makes us better people. But because of these messages, attending church is painful because we know what it does to these kids. If my son had one time asked me NOT to attend, I would not. But he liked that I was there advocating for him and others like him. He knew that there will be other LBGTQ youth being raised by Mormon parents. Those parents need to learn ahead of time what NOT to do. Many of the moms in our group have their regret stories. We need fewer regrets... Dallin Oaks is dead wrong. And just saying he’s wrong isn’t enough.” Q
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16 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | NEWS
Qsaltlake.com |
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
LDS ancestry database to add same-sex families During Pride Month in June, LGBT people interested in family history received interesting news: beginning next year, the world’s largest genealogy organization, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will release a redesigned website that will include same-sex families. FamilySearch.org, sponsored by the Mormons, first said in 2015 that it would add a feature for same-sex relationships, the Deseret News reported. Now, the major
them for research. Programs where people keep their trees on their home computers, such as Family Tree Maker, RootsMagic, and Legacy, try to sync to online databases like Ancestry and FamilySearch, Kolakowski explained. “It’s something that’s important to all genealogists, not just LGBTQ genealogists. It’s consistent with basic genealogical principles that we document history the way people lived it, not the way that some wished that they had,” Kolakowski said.
overhaul to the website’s system should be ready by 2019. There are several other family history sites – Ancestry.com is probably the best known – that already allow same-sex recognition. In addition to Ancestry, other major sites are Israel-based MyHeritage and England-based Findmypast. FamilySearch is the only one that is totally free for all of its databases. For LGBT genealogists, the FamilySearch news was a pleasant surprise. “FamilySearch is among the last to the show,” said Victoria Kolakowski, a transgender woman who is president of the board of the Oakland-based California Genealogical Society. “[It] is a driver in technology development in the genealogy world. It hosts the annual RootsTech conference, the largest genealogy technology convention in the world. Independent software developers want to connect with its databases, and so the way that they implement it could affect the future development of genealogy software.” Many people do not trust online services to host their family trees, but use
“And we all know that everyone, LGBTQ and straight, have same-sex couples in their families. Kolakowski, who’s an Alameda County Superior Court judge, began digging around her family history several years ago. She is not Mormon but has been to Salt Lake City several times to conduct research at the LDS library and attend conferences. Dr. Stewart Blandón Traiman, a gay man who serves as the recording secretary for the California Genealogical Society, also applauded the FamilySearch news. “It’s huge,” he told the Bay Area Reporter during a recent interview. But Blandón Traiman also pointed out the long history of homophobia in the Mormon Church. “The history of the LDS church is extremely homophobic. They excommunicated thousands of members due to sexual orientation and that continues today,” he said. Blandón Traiman is not Mormon, but he said the church’s decision to acknowledge the existence of LGBTs and same-sex families is significant.
BY CYNTHIA LAIRD
“They’re trying to compete with these other sites,” he said. And, while he said it’s “definitely nice” to have the new policy for FamilySearch. org, it won’t help him because he doesn’t have a tree on the site. “Not in the least,” he added. Change has come quickly to family history sites in recent years. For example, Ancestry.com used to assume that the spouse of a man was a woman and vice versa. It no longer does that, Kolakowski said. “Undoubtedly, FamilySearch is a leader in the genealogy community. It employs many professional genealogists, and its website is used by many Mormon families around the world, in addition to the genealogical community.” Kolakowski said. “Family history is very important to the Mormon faith,” she added. In a statement, FamilySearch.org said that significant work must be done to the site’s infrastructure to incorporate samesex families. “Several systems that surround Family Tree [FamilySearch’s program], such as tree and record searching, must be significantly redesigned to support same-sex relationships before Family Tree can release this capability,” the company said. Blandón Traiman, who’s an internal medicine physician working in health information technology, recently launched his Six Generations website (www.sixgen. org) to provide guidance and consultation services to others looking to do family research. He said that his approach to genealogy is to take it in six-generation segments. He also gives presentations focused on LGBT history and genealogy. “Here’s the thing that’s important about this to non-genealogists,” Kolakowski said. “Young Mormons, when they’re looking into their family history, are going to see that they can document same-sex relationships. That was exactly that reason that some people resisted making this change – concerns that it would be seen as validating our relationships. I’m not sure that it does, because it’s taking a neutral stance. But a neutral stance is a lot better than a negative one, one that denies the reality of modern society.” Q Cynthia Laird (c.laird@ebar.com), who is married to Victoria Kolakowski, is the news editor of the Bay Area Reporter. For more information on the California Genealogical Society, visit californiaancestors.org.
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NEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 17
Issue 285 | Qsaltlake.com
Q mmunity Utah Pride Center to celebrate National Coming Out Day October 11th each year is National Coming Out Day and the Utah Pride Center will be celebrating the occasion from noon to 8 p.m. at their 1380 S. Main Street location. They will have food and refreshments available all day long, with burgers and hot dogs available around lunch, noon to 2 p.m., and dinner 6 to 8 p.m. They will have cupcakes and other sweet treats the rest of the day. There will also be photos, tours, storytelling, and the opportunity to share your coming out tale (or to officially come out!) through a video story. There’s no cost to join in the fun, so bring yourself, your kids, your friends, and even your casual acquaintances to “come out” and celebrate the day.
Utah Stonewall Democrats holding a town hall on suicide Utah Stonewall Democrats, an official caucus of the Utah Democratic Party, is joining the Cole Project in hosting a town hall to help prevent suicide. “Reaching for Solutions” will be held Sunday, October 14 at Granato’s Deli, 1638 S. Redwood Rd, from 2 to 5 p.m. “We are in a suicide epidemic,” leaders wrote in an announcement. “The numbers of suicide, both attempts and death, are increasing. As a caring and loving people, we know that we have to do something, and soon.” “So, follow the example of the kids who are acting to change our views on guns and the actions of the “Me Too” movement.” A panel of legislators, reli-
gious leaders, counselors, and community volunteers will be asked to listen as the audience speaks. “Our goal is to come up with more effective ways of saving lives,” organizers said.
A morning of elections The Utah Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is hosting its October Third Thursday Breakfast at The Utah Pride Center, 1380 S Main St. from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Speakers and candidates Sim Gill up for reelection as Salt Lake District Attorney and Ben McAdams running for U.S. Representative for Utah’s 4th Congressional District. Bring your business cards for a great networking opportunity, and a chance to have a fun time with your fellow LGBT and ally businesses. Open to everyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Everyone is invited. The event is free and you can register at UtahGayChamber.com.
Big Gay Fun Bus starts up Oct. 20 Featuring Matrons of Mayhem and a rowdy bus-load of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and friendly straight gamblers looking for a great time. Take a shot every time someone says “I can’t believe she just said that!” and you’ll be ready to hit the slots in West Wendover. We’ll throw seven bucks in free play at you, some lucky bucks and a complimentary drink ticket when you get there to get you started. You can head on over first to the incredible brunch buffet at the Montego Bay or Rainbow casinos, or wait until the prime rib dinner buffet – it’s all included with your ticket. Tickets: biggayfunbus.com
2018 EQUALITY UTAH
ENDORSED CANDIDATES
EQUALITY UTAH PAC
Political Action Committee www.equalityutahpac.org
Equality Utah Political Action Committee (EUPAC) exists to elect pro-equality candidates in Utah. EUPAC has vetted these candidates regarding their position on issues that impact the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer Utahns: PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS TRANSGENDER HEALTH CARE CONVERSION THERAPY LAW ENFORCEMENT HATE CRIMES We rely on our elected officials to pass inclusive policies that value every Utahn exactly as they are. A vote for these candidates is a vote for equality.
ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH VOTE FOR EQUALITY UTAH STATE HOUSE JOSH BRUNDAGE - House 4 DEANA FROERER - House 8 KATHIE DARBY - House 9 ADAM ALBA - House 18 SANDRA HOLLINS - House 23 JEN DAILEY-PROVOST - House 24 JOEL BRISCOE - House 25 ANGELA ROMERO - House 26 BRIAN KING - House 28 MIKE WINDER - House 30 KAREN KWAN - House 34 MARK WHEATLEY - House 35 PATRICE ARENT - House 36 CAROL MOSS - House 37 STEPHANIE PITCHER - House 40 AMY L MARTZ - House 42 DIANE LEWIS - House 43 ANDREW STODDARD - House 44 MARIE POULSON - House 46 MICHELE WEEKS - House 51
UTAH STATE SENATE DEREK KITCHEN - Senate 2 GENE DAVIS - Senate 3 JANI IWAMOTO - Senate 4 KAREN MAYNE - Senate 5 KATHLEEN RIEBE - Senate 8 ALEXANDER CASTAGNO - Senate 9 DANIEL THATCHER - Senate 12 MARK CHAMBERS - Senate 28
SALT LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL ARLYN BRADSHAW - Council 1 LISA GEHRKE - Council 3 ANN GRANATO - Council 4 JIM BRADLEY - At-Large
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION & DISTRICT ATTORNEY CRAIG K PITTS - Education 2 THOMAS E NEDREBERG - Education 3 SIM GILL - District Attorney facebook.com/equalityutah
@equalityutah
@equalityutah
18 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | VIEWS
views
Qsaltlake.com |
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
quotes “From my style guide: While the term “Mormon Church” “Same-Sex Attraction” has been publicly applied to the Church LGBT community as a nickname, it is not an authorized title, and the Church LGBT community discourages its use. Thus, please avoid using the abbreviation “LDS” “SSA” as a substitute for the name of the Church community . When referring to Church LGBT members, the terms “members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” “members of the LGBT community,” or “Latter-day Saints” “gay people,” or “lesbians,” or “bisexuals,” or “transgender people,” or “our neighbors, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends or family” are preferred. We ask that the term “Mormons” “those affected by SSA,” or “those with same-sex attraction” not be used.” —QSaltLake Magazine editor and publisher Michael Aaron on his Facebook wall
“I’m done living in a world where I don’t get to be who I am. I deserve a great love story and I want someone to share it with.” —Simon, Love, Simon
“Well, if you only knew how little I really know about the things that matter.” —Elio, Call Me By Your Name
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Issue 285 | Qsaltlake.com
guest editorial
Dear millennials: Please vote BY KEVIN NAFF
If every
person inviting me to a protest or to sign a Change.org petition had bothered to vote in 2016, we wouldn’t need all these protests and petitions. The good news from 2016 voting patterns is that the much-maligned millennials voted for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by a 55-37 percent margin with 8 percent citing “other/no answer.” The bad news is that barely 50 percent of millennials showed up, more than eight points below the overall turnout of 58 percent, according to the Pew Research Center. Millennials continue to have the lowest voter turnout of any group. Millennials (defined as between the ages of 18-35) comprise a whopping 31 percent of the electorate — the same as the Baby Boomers. But nearly 70 percent of Boomers voted in 2016, a rate identical to their 2012 turnout. Nearly 63 percent of Gen X voters showed up in 2016. What’s even more ominous as we look to next month’s critical mid-term elections is that only 28 percent of millennials say they are “absolutely certain” to vote, according to a summer poll from the Public Religion Research Institute. Another poll from the AP showed that 32 percent of young voters would “certainly vote.” By comparison, 74 percent of seniors plan to vote next month. As Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report put it, “Right now the ‘blue wave’ is being powered by suburban professional women, but to fully capitalize on 2018, Democrats need to energize young voters and voters of color.” One problem for Democrats is that while millennials are more likely to identify as liberals, they are less likely to identify as Democrats, revealing a declining trust in the national political parties. This is an alarming trend because, like it or not, we are a two-party system. This isn’t Europe where fragile coalition governments are frequently formed to secure enough votes for a leader. The time for fanciful voting in the United States comes during the primaries. Sure, feel the Bern; hell, vote for Princess Leia or Kermit the Frog if you want to. But in the general election, it’s time to get serious and choose one of
the viable major party options. Much was made in 2016 of the millennials’ need to be “inspired” by their political leaders. Let’s hope they have learned the cynical lesson that our choices are sometimes less inspirational and more practical. But for about 70,000 votes spread across three Midwestern states, 2,000 immigrant children wouldn’t be living in cages right now and Brett Kavanaugh would be but an obscure, beer-swilling judge that you never heard of. The stakes couldn’t be higher next month. If the Democrats can’t flip the House, then Trump gets another two years of unchecked power. If they can miraculously flip the Senate, then his efforts to take over the judiciary and stock courts with right-wing ideologues can be stopped. A Democratic House can bottle up Trump’s legislative agenda, launch full investigations into Russian meddling (and myriad other scandals) and even impeach Trump and Kavanaugh. With the Mueller report expected possibly in the first quarter of 2019, the balance of power in Congress becomes even more important. Elections have consequences — and Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court will be the most grave. During his confirmation process, Kavanaugh was grilled by Democratic senators on gay rights issues. He declined to answer specific questions and ominously cited the Masterpiece Cakeshop decision, which happens to be the one ruling that went against gay interests. Kavanaugh’s time as staff secretary in the Bush White House is even more troubling, as he refused to answer questions about the push for a Federal Marriage Amendment banning marriage equality. The Trump administration refused to make public Kavanaugh’s correspondence from that time. We can safely assume that he argued in favor of such a ban. Kavanaugh has spoken in favor of “religious liberty,” which we know to be code for anti-LGBT discrimination. With Roe and Obergefell in the crosshairs of the right-wing evangelicals who call the shots in this administration, the mid-terms are the only way to stop the country’s march backwards. Q Kevin Naff is editor of the Washington Blade. Reach him at knaff@ washblade.com.
20 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | VIEWS
Qsaltlake.com |
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
lambda lore
The murder of Tony Adams BY BEN WILLIAMS
November
is a dark month in which deadly deeds have been done. Murder. Homosexual homicide. Between 1969 and 1978 Gay Liberation came to Salt Lake City with the formation of gay churches, openly gay bars, and a gay student club. In 1974, the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality as a clinical mental illness. At its giddy peak in 1977, Salt Lake City’s gay organizations protested Anita Bryant’s appearance at the Utah State Fair, forced the state not to hold church sponsored dances in the capitol’s rotunda, forced the Hotel Utah to pay a settlement for breaking a contract, and helped more and more people to come out of the closet. Despite all of this, in the following year an event occurred that nearly sent the gay community back into the closet. In 1978 a series of murders of men in Utah’s gay community took place. Most of the men were closet cases and murdered in compromising situations. But when a gay activist was murdered on Nov. 3, 1978, shock waves of fear rippled throughout the community. Anthony “Tony” Adams was a gay African-American socialist. Rev. Bob Waldrop, then pastor of the Salt Lake Metropolitan Community Church, called him “a true freedom fighter.” Born July 30, 1953 in Baltimore, Maryland, Adams was raised in Salt Lake City and graduated from Judge Memorial High School. He was attending the University of Utah at the time of his death. As a leader in the Salt Lake Chapter of the Socialist Workers Party, Adams had helped organized the Anita Bryant Protest in 1977. His membership in the SWP kept the leadership of Dignity/Integrity, Catholic and Episcopalian gay support groups, from joining the Salt Lake Coalition for Human Rights of which he was a member. They claimed that their Christian values made them not want to
associate with a Marxist. At the time of his murder, Tony Adams was the campaign manager for the Socialist Workers Party Congressional candidate Bill Hoyle who ran in the Nov. 7 general election. Adams was murdered just days before this election, which led the National Socialist Workers Party to believe that Tony’s death was politically motivated. At about 8:45 p.m. on Nov. 6, 1978, Bill Woodbury, Adams’ boyfriend, Rev. Bob
Waldrop, and another friend went to Adams’ apartment at 125 E 1st Avenue. They were concerned because no one had seen or heard from him for several days. After climbing in through a window, Woodbury found his boyfriend in the bedroom, naked and covered with blood. Adams had been stabbed repeatedly with a butcher knife and his throat slit. An autopsy showed that he had been dead for several days and murdered on Nov. 3. Coincidentally, police detectives were still investigating the death of 16-year-
old Sharon Schollmeyer who was found strangled to death in the same apartment building in December 1977. During that November, gay leaders patiently waited for the police to catch Tony Adams’ killer(s). When news of the assassination of Harvey Milk on Nov. 27, 1978 reached Salt Lake City, gay activists in Utah feared the worst — that vocal gays were being targeted. On Dec. 13, 1978, Rev. Bob Waldrop along with members of the Salt Lake Coalition for Human Rights and Sid Stapleton, a Socialist Workers Party official from New York, met with Public Safety Commissioner Glen Greener and Salt Lake City Police Chief Bud Willoughby. They demanded that police “provide more vigorous protection” in a “general atmosphere of violence in the community against Gay people.” The group accused the police of being insensitive to the needs of the gay community and suggested they were involved in a “calculated program of harassment.” Rev. Waldrop told the city officials that he himself had been the recipient of 22 death threats in the past two years, and added he had heard rumors that police were looking the other way when violent acts against homosexuals happened. Stapleton accused the police of dragging their feet investigating the recent murders of homosexuals and stated the investigation in the death of Adams should be considered an “assassination of an out spoken political leader.” Both Greener and Willoughby denied the charges, claiming that murders were being “rigorously” investigated and that a suspect in the murder of Doug Coleman, another gay man, was in the state mental hospital for observation. Coleman, 28, was last seen leaving the Sun Tavern on Nov. 30, 1978. He was later found in an empty box car behind the Union Pacific station, shot in the head. Police determined that robbery did
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group
not appear to be motive since Coleman’s wallet was found untouched. Community leaders were not satisfied with the officials’ responses and claimed that they had inside knowledge from a “closeted police officer” that some officers in the police department joked about Adams’ death, saying, “Nigger, Queer, Communist — Three Strikes You’re Out.” The meeting ended unsatisfactorily with Rev. Waldrop stating that fear was sweeping the gay community; that there might be “an L.A. Slasher type out there” who was systematically murdering persons thought to be homosexual. Waldrop noted that four persons with ties to the gay community had recently been murdered in the Salt Lake area. The SWP charged that the police had been “lax and ineffectual” in pursuing the investigation. They also charged that the police had harassed Adams prior to his death by entrapping him in a sex charge. It was uncovered that shortly before his murder, the city vice squad had arrested Adams for soliciting sex acts for hire. The police claimed that Adam’s phone number had been scrawled in a telephone booth and in restrooms throughout the Salt Lake area. The vice squad officers then called the number and arranged to meet him for a “sex act.” Upon meeting with Adams they arrested him. Shirley Pedler, director of the Utah ACLU, upon learning about this situation questioned Chief Willoughby about this method of locating “sex offenders.” The chief promised that he would “look into the situation,” but nothing was ever done. On Dec. 30, 1978, the SWP went to the United Sates Department of Justice Civil Rights Division requesting that the FBI investigate the death of Tony Adams. The maintained, “we believe the murderer violated his civil rights and also committed the crime of interfering in a political campaign for federal office.” Then the Socialist Workers Party outlined why they
felt that the motive for the murder was political. First, there was no evidence that anything was taken from his apartment, thus burglary did not seem likely. Second, the murder was particularly vicious — Adams was stabbed three times in the chest and then after death his throat was cut. The SWP charged that the Salt Lake Police Department was “not pursuing this case with the attention a political crime of this type would warrant. Conflicting and confusing reports from the police as to physical evidence and the progress of the investigation raise questions in our mind about the competence of the police to investigate the murder of a man to whom they were actively hostile.” The murders of homosexual men in 1978 cast a long shadow over the city’s gay community. Rumors abounded and the trust level between the police department and the community became virtually nonexistent. When rumors surfaced that the knife used to murder Adams was one taken from the Salt Lake Police Department’s evidence room, many feared that someone in the department was the killer of both Adams and Coleman. These same people felt that the police were covering it up to avoid a scandal. For whatever reason Tony Adams was murdered his death sent a pall over the newly emerging gay community, imparting to many activists a sense of melancholy and fear. Gay Liberation activism virtually came to an end in Salt Lake City for the next four years until a new generation of gay leaders unfamiliar with the events of 1978 came forward to take their place. Tony Adams’ murder remains unsolved to this day and is listed as cold case #197886442. The police’s synopsis of the crime is simple: “The victim was found inside his apartment. He had been stabbed. The initial investigation showed that the victim was a member of a local radical element.” Q
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creep of the week
Qsaltlake.com |
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
Evangelical White House dinner guests BY D’ANNE WITKOWSKI
Food
poisoning sucks, y’all. I just vomited with such force that I’m fairly certain some major internal organs have left my body along with my soul. And, to top it off, I just got a spam text from some “horny single woman” telling me she’s all alone tonight and wants to suck my youknow-what. Mind you, I’m sitting here dehydrated, saltine crumbs all over my shirt, but hey, nice to know I’ve still got it. If I had the strength I’d get up off the couch to show these texts to my wife. Alas, she’ll have to read about my new girlfriend in this column along with the rest of you. So what to do on a night like tonight? Well, I’m following Jeremy Hooper on Twitter (@goodasyou) as he essentially live tweets the awful evangelical jamboree happening at the White House right now. While I was clutching the toilet bowl and praying for Jesus to take me, Trump and his family, including LGBTQ “allies” Ivanka and Jared, were rubbing elbows with some of the most hateful anti-LGBTQ figures alive. This is, of course, not a surprise. Trump needs these folks in his corner. A Republican really can’t win without the evangelical vote these days. It’s also not a surprise that these so-called Christians are falling all over themselves to worship Trump as their God. Mind you, it seems like a contradiction for folks who claim to be culture war warriors to fawn over a man who literally embodies the opposite of all the things they claim to hold dear. But if you’ve been studying this crowd as long as I have, well, it’s fitting. As Hooper puts it, “If you’re
surprised that political evangelicals would show up to this White House despite the many reasons to not, you haven’t been paying attention for four decades. Rank hypocrisy in service of their desired outcome is, was, and always will be their m.o.”
recent high-profile example. It’s a fight that a lot of people thought we’d “won” given the 2015 Supreme Court ruling and all. And yet here we are, an anti-LGBTQ judge nominated and ready to tip the court against equality. Just three years later, and we could see
True story. I’d like to point out the often trotted out complaint about Democrats, that they need to stand for something, not just against Trump. Never mind that this complaint completely ignores the fact that Dems actually have a whole slew of actual policy proposals rooted in the principal that we should give a shit about fellow human beings. This complaint does, however, fit radical evangelicals perfectly and helps explain their love of Trump. As Hooper points out, we’ve watched for the past 40 years as evangelicals work against LGBTQ people, women, people of color (shout-out to Jeff Sessions). They have used their power and influence to diminish all who dared demand equality. The fight for marriage equality is the most
marriage equality evaporate. And that is terrifying. And so wrong. As Hooper tweets, “I realize some might not understand why I and likeminded activists focus so much on the marriage stuff when there is SO MUCH MORE. What you must realize is we paused our lives for over a decade to fight a ‘culture war’ that they waged against us on this sole subject.” Marriage equality was, and is, a BFD. Who sits on our courts is a BFD. Which is why evangelicals have no problem looking the other way when Trump breaks any and all commandments. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some saltines to regurgitate. Oh, and I also hope everyone at the evangelical dinner gets sick AF. Q D’Anne Witkowski is a poet, writer and comedian living in Michigan with her wife and son. She has been writing about LGBT politics for over a decade. Follow her on Twitter @MamaDWitkowski.
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gay geeks
B-Grade Halloween BY JOSELLE VANDERHOOFT
Along with
Easter, Christmas and Pride Month, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Probably because the other three don’t come with a roster of terrible movies — The Santa Clause notwithstanding. Longtime readers of “Gay Geeks” know that I have a thing about B movies, those paragns of bad writing, bad acting, bad special effects, bad music and bad everything. New readers have been warned. Since Halloween is just around the corner, and because I’m doing two cons this month and feeling both lazy and behind on about 50 years of sleep, I thought I’d share some recent gems I’ve found on This TV, the new non-cable HD movie channel that really ought to pay me for writing about its more abysmal offerings as often as I do.
The Thing with Two Heads (1972) I’ll just let the movie poster speak for this one: They transplanted a WHITE BIGOT’S HEAD onto a SOUL BROTHER’S BODY! My rating: Two out of four disembodied, yet still talking, heads.
The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant (1971) Pretty much the same thing, except the heads are an escaped murderer and an homage to Lenny from Of Mice and Men. Somehow this manages to be more offensive than the previous film. It also has worse dialogue: “Johnny, this is an axe. It is used for chopping wood, and nothing else.” Did I mention Casey Casem is one of the stars? And that a love ballad is the theme song? The more you know, man. My rating: One and a half axes
Food of the Gods (1976) A mysterious substance welling up from the soil turns an island’s fauna into gi-
ants. Ginormous rats proceed to terrorize a cabin full of guests including a greedy scientist, a calm, collected football player and a pregnant woman who goes into labor while one beast is breaking down a door! I suspect this was voted the worst rodent movie in history for the combination of laughable puppets and the most obvious blown up footage in cinematic history. Inexplicably, the dialogue manages to be wooden and ridiculous at the same time. My rating: Three out of four rodents.
The Haunted Palace (1963) OK, I adore Vincent Price and his fifteen bajillion movies. But some of them were real dogs. Like this one, which combined Poe’s story with H.P. Lovecraft’s elder gods, for reasons movie-goers have been debating ever since. Price is awesome as always, and everyone else is laughable — but the elder god who tries to eat people in the last scene is what makes this one for me. My rating: Three out of four wriggly Cthulhu tentacles.
The Raven (1963) Another Price vehicle based on an Edgar Allen Poe piece — this time his oft-quoted poem of the same name. Bizarrely, it’s a horror-comedy, so the hammy acting, loopy dialogue (evil sorcerer: “I must be losing my touch!”) and painted on backdrops are part of the funny. Or are they? My rating: Four out of four talking birds.
Catacombs (1988) Not to be confused with the Shannyn Sossamon and Pink vehicle 20 years later, this gem takes us to an Italian abbey plagued by a demon-possessed man sealed away during one of the Inquisitions — apparently the one where the priests all read “The Cask of Amontillado.” Hijinks
ensue, including what has to be the most unintentionally hilarious example of sacrilege ever captured on celluloid. I’ve summarized, Scene: An altar in the catacombs: Gold monstrance, white altar cloth, and a LIFE SIZE JESUS STATUE on a cross. MONK with Sweet Tooth: [Gets down on a kneeler and CUTS UP A SNICKERS BAR] Bet the brother superior didn’t know I was hiding THIS in my psalter! [devours his sweet, sweet secret shame as he prays.] [Camera focuses on him and on blurred JESUS in the background. Ominous sound of rushing wind.] [Blurry JESUS begins to move.] MONK: [is oblivious] JESUS: [is busy pulling out all of his nails] MONK: [chows down] JESUS: [strolls over to him] MONK: [looks up at last] A miracle! [JESUS’ eyes go all black, pupil-less and scary like the robot’s eyes in the original Stepford Wives. The one that didn’t make you want to punch yourself until the pain stopped.] JESUS: DIEEE MWAHAHAHA I AM SATAN! [Or something. I was laughing too hard at this point to hear.] [JESUS stabs MONK with one of his nails.] JOSELLE: So, God hates fudge? I’ll probably have to go to confession five times this weekend, and even that might not be enough to keep me out of Hell. Rating: Four out of four Mini Snickers Bars. For this scene alone. Whether you spend Halloween at home with Vincent Price, geeking it up at a party, or heading out to one of the many awesome Halloween nights at one of Salt Lake’s many gay and gay-friendly bars, I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday, geeky ones. Uh. Just be careful of those Snickers bars. Q
24 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | LGBT HISTORY MONTH
LGBT HISTORY MONTH
San Francisco Mayor George Moscone’s official photograph, taken in 1976.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF HOLT-ATHERTON SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC LIBRARY
Archive documents late SF mayor Moscone’s close LGBT ties BY MATTHEW S. BAJKO, LGBT HISTORY PROJECT
In June 1977 an irate San Francisco resident mailed off a letter to then-mayor George Moscone. The focus of his ire was the planned Pride celebration at the end of the month. He complained that his relatives were likely to cancel their visit to the city after hearing on their local news about the
“faggot (they say ‘gay’) festival AKA orgy” to be held in the city. In permitting the event, the letter writer asked Moscone, “Why do you buckle to the fag desires, other than VOTES?” Moscone sent a 210-word reply in late July thanking the person for their letter and defending the right of the city’s gay “tax-paying” residents, which he estimat-
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ed numbered more than 100,000 men and women, to hold the annual event. “I am sorry that you object so violently to this parade, and that you feared for the safety of your relatives because such an event could take place in San Francisco,” wrote Moscone. “I would inform you, first of all, that our City passed an ordinance in 1972 which prohibits discrimination against citizens on the basis of race, religion, or sexual preference. As the mayor of San Francisco I am sworn to uphold the laws of this City to the best of my ability, and that is exactly what I intend to do.” The correspondence is just one illustration of how close Moscone was, both politically and socially, to the local LGBT community during his time in office. It is among the roughly 160,000 documents that make up the George Moscone Collection housed at the University of the Pacific Library’s Holt-Atherton Special Collections. Moscone graduated with a B.A. in sociology in 1953 from the university in Stockton, California, when it was known as the College of the Pacific. A star basketball player and leader of the student government during his time there, Moscone received an honorary law degree from the private university in 1976. His family agreed to donate Moscone’s papers to his alma mater in 2014. After receiving a $47,232 grant last year from the National Archives’ National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the university was able to process the archival material and digitize a portion of the documents so they are accessible online to researchers, students, and anyone interested in learning more about Moscone. “Our whole purpose is to share. We really want to get these into people’s hands and allow them to see history first hand,” said Mike Wurtz, the head of special collections at the university. In July, the library uploaded roughly 200 items online from the Moscone collection. The documents include Moscone’s letters and speeches, photos, and other ephemera from his life. There are also 60 oral histories that filmmakers hired by the university are incorporating into a documentary about Moscone. “He was a real progressive and made no apologies about it,” said Joseph Olson, the
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project archivist hired to process the collection. “He was just a man of the people; a San Franciscan born and raised. I think the values he had were really shaped by San Francisco itself.”
EARLY LIFE Born November 24, 1929, Moscone grew up in the city’s Marina district. His father was a prison guard at San Quentin and his mother a homemaker. After earning his undergraduate degree, Moscone graduated from UC Hastings College of the Law. He served in the Navy for two years and then went to work as a lawyer. He married Gina Bondanza, and the couple had four children, including Jonathan Moscone, who is gay and a well-known theater director. George Moscone’s political career was launched in 1963 when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Three years later he was elected to the state Senate and quickly rose to the powerful majority leader position. While in the Legislature, Moscone cemented his reputation as a progressive politician, helping to pass legislation that legalized abortion in California and repealed the state’s anti-gay sodomy laws. He was sworn in as San Francisco’s 37th mayor in January 1976. One of his first moves as mayor was to appoint gay rights activist Harvey Milk to the city’s Permit Appeals Board. It marked the first time an LGBT person had been given a mayoral appointment to a major oversight body. The following year Moscone appointed the late Del Martin, a well-known lesbian leader, to the city’s Commission on the Status of Women. The mayor also helped push through district elections for the city’s supervisor seats that year, paving the way for Milk to again make history. In November 1977, Milk won a supervisor seat, marking the first time an out LGBT candidate had won elective office in both San Francisco and the state of California. The following April Moscone and Milk, in conjunction with then-supervisors Carol Ruth Silver and Bob Gonzales, enacted the most sweeping gay rights protections of any city in the country. Known as the Human Rights Ordinance, it banned discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment,
housing, and public accommodations in the private sector. In response to the parents of a gay son living in the city who had written him in thanks of signing the law, and included a $20 donation to the mayor, Moscone responded with a note of his own. Dated July 1, 1977, Moscone noted that, “In San Francisco we have tried to set a dignified example for the rest of the nation. We have tried to show the rest of the world that people can live together in peace, free from hostility and prejudice. That will continue to be our highest priority in this city, and I hope our nation as well. “With the support of generous people like you, we will surely triumph in the end,” he added. Moscone also received praise for how he handled the tragic killing of Robert Hillsborough, a gay man and city gardener, that June outside his home in the Mission district mere days ahead of the annual Pride weekend. One letter from a city resident thanked Moscone for his “forthright and decisive manner.” It prompted a solemn reply from the mayor, with Moscone writing in a letter dated June 30, 1977 that he learned with “great sadness and anger” of Hillsborough’s death. “Such an outrageous attack has no place in our city and I am grateful for the excellent work done by the San Francisco Police Department in apprehending those suspected of being responsible for this senseless crime,” he wrote.
JOYOUS MOMENTS The archive also documents more joyous moments of Moscone’s mayoralty. Several press clippings from the spring of 1978 recount his throwing out the first pitch at the season opener for the city’s gay softball league. Another from the January 30, 1978 issue of the San Francisco Examiner reported on the mayor being “warmly received” at the annual contest to elect the next empress of the Imperial Court, a charitable organization formed by local drag queens. Moscone’s administration was the first to designate city funds toward the annual Pride celebration. The archive includes a March 2, 1978 news release from the city’s then chief administrative officer Roger Boas announcing that $10,000 from
the hotel tax fund had been allocated to the event, then known as the Gay Freedom Day Parade. That year Moscone also took a very public role in helping Milk and other LGBT leaders defeat the anti-gay Briggs initiative on the fall ballot. The measure known as Proposition 6 would have banned LGBT people and their straight allies from working in the state’s public schools. Several documents in the archive illustrate Moscone’s opposition to the ballot measure. One is the statement he issued May 9, 1978 asking the public not to sign the petitions in support of seeing it be placed on the ballot. Saying he was “staunchly opposed” to the Briggs initiative, Moscone lambasted it as a “dangerous measure” that strikes “at the heart of our democracy.” He noted he was “proud” to have recently signed the city’s groundbreaking gay rights law and was equally “disturbed that the Briggs initiative would reverse the positive effects of such legislation.” An item in the September 29, 1978 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle noted Moscone’s attendance at a $100 a plate fundraising dinner for anti-Prop 6 group the No on Six Committee. It quoted the mayor as saying the initiative was “the most outrageous distortion of what this country stands for I’ve ever seen.” When John Briggs, the Republican state senator behind the measure, attempted to hold a news conference in San Francisco on Halloween night near the public celebration then held along Polk Street, Moscone showed up with Silver, Milk, and other city leaders. As the Chronicle reported the following day, Briggs spoke to reporters “and then got in his car, surrounded by 4 aides, and sped off.” Coverage of the defeat of the measure is also included in the archive. A clipping from the November 8, 1978 Chronicle reported how Moscone had shown up at the Market Street headquarters for the anti-Prop 6 campaign and declared, “It puts to rest the people who would run for office on the basis of fear issues.” The mayor added, “This is not a victory over a lightweight like John Briggs. It is a victory over the despair that has fallen on gay people. It’s a victory of intellect over emotion.”
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FRAUGHT RELATIONSHIP AT TIMES While Moscone and Milk’s political alliance is well known, a review of the documents in the mayor’s archival collection reveals how their collaboration was at times strained. For instance, to the chagrin of Moscone, within weeks of Milk being sworn in to his seat on the permit appeals board he announced he would run for a state Assembly seat, a race that he lost. According to various press clippings in the archive, Moscone had been under the impression that Milk would use the oversight body seat to gain name recognition ahead of running for supervisor in 1977.
to seek public office. In a story that April published by the Advocate, Milk said, “I’m not controllable. I wouldn’t be anybody’s puppet.” Moscone replaced Milk on the appeals board with another gay appointee, lawyer Rick Stokes, which the Advocate article noted had “no immediate political ambitions.” Stokes, however, would unsuccessfully challenge Milk for the newly created District 5 supervisor seat that included the gay Castro district in the fall of 1977. The issue of mayoral appointments was a particular flashpoint between Moscone and LGBT leaders. Early in his tenure
A photographer from the Associated Press in 1977 captured this iconic image of Supervisor Harvey Milk, left, and Mayor George Moscone inside San Francisco City Hall. Photo: Courtesy of Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library
“Harvey knew how I felt about it, before all of this,” Moscone told the Bay Area Reporter in an article published March 18, 1976. The mayor explained that he had told Milk, “I am going to give you the shorter of the staggered terms so your term will end in 1977. Then there will be no conflict. When you quit you will be declaring for the Board of Supervisors. He knew very well that I was trying to help him and that I did not want his service on the permit board to be used for campaigning.” Yet Milk didn’t view his appointment in the same politically advantageous light as Moscone. Nor was he willing to wait
the mayor faced criticism from Milk and Phyllis Lyon, a lesbian activist and longtime partner of Martin’s, for not appointing either to the police commission, which had yet to have LGBT representation. (Lyon and Martin made history in 2008 when they were the first same-sex couple to marry in San Francisco.) As quoted in one undated press clipping contained in the archive from the Sentinel, a gay newspaper, Lyon asked, “When is anybody ever going to be ready?” in response to a suggestion that Moscone felt the timing wasn’t right to name an out police commissioner. Milk was quoted as asking the same question. Yet in a letter Milk sent to Moscone, he
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informed the mayor he had written the paper to refute the tenor of the article and claimed that his quote in the story was “a fabrication.” Milk suggested the story was meant to make both him and Moscone “look poor” and apologized for the paper’s “yellow journalism.” However, Milk would again that year publicly criticize Moscone for not appointing more LGBT people to city boards and commissions. A May 17 newspaper clipping from a local newspaper reported that Milk felt the mayor, who had named three out appointees, had slighted gay people because he had appointed more women and minorities. “We certainly haven’t had our share considering we voted for him,” Milk told the reporter from the San Mateo-based paper. In an interview published in the November 23, 1977 issue of the B.A.R., which is also included in the archive, Moscone pledged that he would name a gay person to the police commission before he left office. Attorney Matthew Coles, a gay man who worked to elect Moscone as mayor and helped write the gay rights bill that he signed into law, said in a recent interview that he found Moscone’s support for the LGBT community to be genuine and from the heart. “He was one of those straight men you run across from time to time who wasn’t in the least bit uncomfortable around gay men,” recalled Coles, who is now on the UC Hastings faculty. “Particularly back then, among straight men, that was pretty unusual. I thought he was very honest and a sincere supporter.” Tragically, Moscone’s term as mayor was cut short on the morning of November 27, 1978. Disgruntled former supervisor Dan White had sneaked into City Hall with a gun and fatally shot both the mayor and Milk. One of the more chilling documents in the collection is the news release Moscone intended to issue that day announcing he was appointing Don Horazny to White’s vacant supervisor seat. Written in red ink on the first page is the note that it was “NEVER ISSUED.” Q To learn more about the George Moscone Collection, which is open to the public by appointment, or to access documents in the archive online, visit scholarlycommons.pacific. edu/moscone/. Matthew S. Bajko (m.bajko@ebar.com) is an assistant editor at the Bay Area Reporter.
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LGBT HISTORY MONTH
50 years on, busting the myths of Stonewall BY MARK SEGAL, LGBT HISTORY PROJECT
Each of us who were at Stonewall has a different view of the event. They run the gamut from it being a rebellion, a riot, a revolution, or simply a night of the queens having fun and taking over their home, Christopher Street. There are many other versions espoused by people who were there, historical scholars, journalists, and people who like to make things up. Let’s parse out the facts and inconsistencies of all of these views. First: who was there? It amazed me, as I was on my book tour, how many people came up to me and said “you remember
me from Stonewall” and wanted me to confirm to their friends that they were indeed there. This has been a contentious issue to the point that now thousands of people claim to have been present. To each I said, “It was a riot. You can’t take attendance at a riot.” But there are ways to at least make assumptions on who was there. The best accounts are from those who, out of the ashes of Stonewall, created Gay Liberation Front. Many of us GLF members are still around. Stonewall was not just one night. Those who were there know of the
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other three nights as well. Those nights helped form GLF. GLF and Stonewall are connected at the hip. Writings on Stonewall published by our own community during the time period are more accurate, since mainstream media largely ignored it or was biased. A good place to start is Donn Teal’s The Gay Militants, published by Stein and Day in 1971. Many of those at Stonewall contributed to Donn’s work. Here’s my simple rule, anyone who propagates the myth that we were angry because of the funeral of Judy Garland wasn’t at Stonewall. That myth is an insult to all that did participate. And it should be obvious, since we were in the counter culture of the 1960’s, not the ‘40s. Garland might have been the music of some 40 and 50 year olds who might have been in the bar, but those people were privileged enough to run away. To those of us who stayed, Garland was not on our mind. It’s a stereotypical slur that was started by a straight white man writing about the event a week later in the Village Voice. None of those who have credible claim to being there think Garland was a factor. So if you’re writing about Stonewall and continue the myth, check your delusion in the mirror. That includes Charles Kaiser who, while being interviewed by The Washington Post about his book The Gay Metropolis, was quoted as saying he thought “the prospect that a funeral service for Garland held on the first night of the riots on the city’s Upper East Side inspired a grieving gay fandom to stand up to police bullies.” No. Second: who threw the first rock? Again this was a riot, not an organized demonstration. People gathered in a semi circle around the front doors and across the street as police were letting people out. Something was said to the police, they said something back and then people started hurling objects towards the bar. Stones, empty cans. The reality is no one actually knows who threw first, or even what they threw. Those of us who were at Stonewall all have different accounts, based on our own memories of that night, about what we did. It wasn’t a precision march. Each person had a different experience. Some gathered at the door as people were let out, some ran up and down the streets letting others know what was happening and others wrote on the walls and streets “tomorrow night Stonewall,” to help or-
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ganize the rallies in the days after. To me, all the accounts of my brothers and sisters of GLF are correct since each account is their own personal memory and their different views on what created the riot. Everyone in GLF has a different perspective and I accept each person. Historians must take all of them in consideration in writing about that historic night, and thus far most of the work compiled has not done that well. The two best known that come to mind are David Carter’s Stonewall, which is more detailed and researched than anything that came before but written during a time of competing and conflicting views. Carter had to sift through the noise, he persevered, and his book can and should be used as a starting place to be built on. I personally hope he continues to research and others continue to forward him material. For my part I’ve recently sent him information on one of the bouncers/doormen who married a friend of mine and who still lives in NYC. I trust his research and hopes he’ll chat with others that he did not have time for in his first edition. The other well-known Stonewall book, by Martin Duberman, focuses on just six people, over-dramatizes the drama within the community, and is fueled by his personal, privileged agenda As to the recent Gus Van Sant film, Stonewall, that was a complete disappointment. There is no actual video footage from that first Stonewall night, and the photos you’ve seen are from the other nights. Cell phones were not invented as yet. Everything you’ve seen in the film is a (largely incorrect) re-creation built upon the director’s image, not ours. Several of us who were at Stonewall offered to help give the filmmakers detail and context, but none of us were asked to do so. Moving on, exactly how many people were at Stonewall? It went on for many hours. Some people were there the entire time; others came later. Even more were just passing by. Was it 50 or 200? We all have different views. My personal thought is less than a hundred from noting the numbers of people on the street. The participants were scattered with the exception of those around the front door, which might make people think there were more people than there actually were.
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Everything I’ve said thus far is from my own memory and from reading wellsourced materials. But here is what is absolutely known: from Stonewall came Gay Liberation Front. Without Gay Liberation Front, Stonewall would be as remembered as the Dewey’s sit-in or the Compton’s riot, both of which happened before Stonewall, but which the general public knows little about. GLF, which had many of those who stood tall that first night at Stonewall and who helped organize the following three nights, made that first night historic by realizing that it was the catalyst for change that our community needed. Some might say that Gay Liberation Front, born from the ashes of Stonewall, might be more important then Stonewall itself. Many people in New York in June 1969 were fed up with the antiquated tactics of prior movements such as asking for “homosexual equality,” as it was called by members of the Mattachine Society. Before Stonewall, several of the early GLF founders including Martha Shelley and Marty Robinson were attempting to create a new movement. Others like Sylvia Rivera also wanted a new movement, but few people at that time from those earlier organizations wanted to be associated with her. GLF was created and Sylvia was welcomed gladly, the first trans person to be a member of a gay organization and GLF changed our community in other drastic ways. GLF helped us decide that we had the sole right to define ourselves rather than live by society’s definition. We were out loud and in your face. Rather than beg for our rights, we demanded them. Then we did something even more revolutionary. We created a community where there was none before. Before GLF, the only place LGBT people met were small organizations in large cities, private parties, a few illegal gay bars, and cruising places. One month after Stonewall, GLF had its first demonstration. We took over Christopher Street and told the police it was our home, our community, the very first gayborhood. We invited what today would be called the trans community, including Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, to join our ranks. They created “Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries,” STAR. Some of us created Gay Youth, the nation’s first organization
for LGBT youth. We held public dances, public meetings. We went on TV and Radio shows, we printed and distributed publications and medical and legal alerts. We even created the first LGBT Community Center. If all of that was not enough in that first year, many of us joined with Craig Rodwell and help form “The Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day March,” which was the first Gay Pride Parade. How dramatic was this? Before GLF, the nation had only around 100 openly gay people who would speak on behalf of our community or show up at a demonstration. In fact, there was only one demonstration a year. One. That was in Philadelphia each July 4th in front of Independence Hall from 1965-69. That national demonstration never drew more than a hundred participants. One year after the creation of GLF, there were anywhere between 5,000 and 15,000 people at that first Gay Pride. The FBI report states 3,000, The New York Times states 5,000. Those of us who were there think it was more. But even going from the NYT numbers, from one hundred to thousands in just one year is an incredible shift. GLF was a phenomenon with autonomous chapters sprouting up all over the nation and the world. GLF created the movement we have today. More importantly, GLF created the LGBT Community where there was no community before. There are other lessons that could be learned from GLF. Today’s LGBT organizations struggle with what they assume to be the difficulties of the intersection of social justice movements working together. GLF joined with other movements and supported them regularly. Likewise, GLF welcomed diversity. Here is one last point, one that is personal and stated with a sense of pride. GLF was by far the most dysfunctional LGBT organization that has ever existed to this day, and that was part of its magic. So much arguing, so much yelling, so much disagreement. But how else could it have fought off the oppression of 2,000 years and produced the first real out, proud, and in-your-face generation? How else could it have inspired people to come out when it was illegal to be openly gay? Stonewall created GLF, but it was GLF that changed the world. Q
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The Emma Jones Society Convention Florida’s panhandle once hosted the largest LGBT gathering in the country BY GRAHAM BRUNK, LGBT HISTORY PROJECT
Emma Jones was one of the greatest LGBT allies in the 1960s in northern Florida. Too bad she didn’t actually exist. When a reporter once went looking for the mysterious woman he was told, “Honey, the Emma Jones Society is you and me and every other faggot in this town, and nobody here gives a damn who Miss Emma Jones herself is.” Emma Jones turned out to simply be a cover for a regular gay gathering on the beach in Pensacola Florida, starting on the Fourth of July in 1964. The Advocate once described the celebrations as one of the “largest gay organized events in the country.” That’s pretty remarkable considering how conservative the Panhandle of Florida is – even now it’s still known as the “Redneck Riviera.” While today the area has a handful of gay bars, back then, there was nowhere for the gays to go. The police would raid any place they would conjugate. Parks and restrooms were the only place to meet. That’s the way things were until Ray and Henry Hillyer decided to change the status quo. The couple shared a last name, which was almost unheard of in those days. The radical pair moved to the area in the 1950s. Ray was an artist for the St. Regis Paper Company and Henry worked in the display department at Gayfers Depart-
ment Store. Despite its name, it had no connection to the LGBT community. In an effort to network more with local gay men who felt they had no social outlet, the couple set up a P.O. Box under the name Emma Jones to receive LGBT-related media such as One Magazine. They picked the name because they felt it was average, boring, and wouldn’t draw much attention. And for many years it didn’t. Once a month a New Orleans lady friend would come to the area to check the P.O. Box in the name of Emma Jones and deliver the material to the Hillyer’s house. The Hillyers sought to share this experience with other gays in the area. At first it started off with close friends of the Hillyers but word traveled and it soon became a much larger group. In keeping with the idea of maintaining this safe social outlet for gays in the area the Hillyers began keeping a social registry. By the early 1960s the Hillyers decided it was time for something bigger than a social registry and a P.O. Box so they came up with the idea of throwing a beach bash. They chose the Fourth of July, a pretty radical idea for that time period in an area that was so conservative. Initially, instead of hiding, they chose the most public and crowded place they could for
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the holiday celebration. And that’s how the first gathering of the “Emma Jones Society” came into being. Over the years these gatherings continued to grow and attract more attendees. While the actual numbers are difficult to determine, it is thought that the events drew the same amount of people, or perhaps even more, than the much more famous Christopher Street Liberation Day celebrations in June that started in 1970 following the Stonewall Riots in 1969. By 1970, over 1,000 people were attending. With those kinds of numbers they could no longer be as inconspicuous and decided to move the crowd indoors. The event moved to Pensacola’s historic Hotel San Carlos, affectionately known as the Gray Lady of Palafox. Built in 1910 as a grand jewel of the Gilded Age, the hotel in the ‘70s was a shadow of its former self. As a result, the hotel welcomed the gay community especially since they had more expendable income than straight couples and families that once frequented the establishment. In fact, the hotel had already been noted in many gay guides as a popular place to stay in the Pensacola area. Tropic, The Miami Herald’s Sunday Magazine, even took note, writing of its former glamor, “its bars and men’s rooms were all that remained popular.”
The hotel suggested the event be billed as a convention. With such a platform came the use of a giant ballroom and discounts on rooms. The hotel even opened an additional bar on its top floor to cater to guests. For the next few years the gay men would start the day out at the beach and make their way back to the hotel’s
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ballroom where there would be music, dancing, drag shows, and contests. One such event was the Red, Hot, and Blue Revue where men would compete as female impersonators. Sometimes women would join in, leaving the audience to guess which entertainers were actually female. Eventually a reporter 200 miles away in New Orleans caught wind of Emma Jones and her annual celebrations. Benton Abbey was intrigued and wanted to meet this mysterious woman. At the time he worked for The Figaro, a New Orleans based newspaper in the 1970s known for its reporting of unconventional news topics, such as homosexuality. In 1971 he attended the annual gathering and found himself standing in the lobby of the Hotel San Carlos and amidst the many gay men around him were signs noting the “Emma Jones Society Convention.” Not knowing what to do next, he stopped someone and asked, “Who is Emma Jones?” The stranger put his hand on Abbey’s cheek and said, “Honey, the Emma Jones Society is you and me and every other faggot in this town, and nobody here gives a damn who Miss Emma Jones herself is.” Abbey was concerned that without Emma his story would fall apart. But he didn’t leave. He stayed to see what else he could come up with. He described the hotel as “faded Floridiana,” referring to how you could once see the marvel of early 20th century architecture the hotel still possessed, mixed with bland second rate Art Deco, as well as furniture and objects he claimed could be obtained in a discount store. The one thing that stood out in Abbey’s mind as he interviewed attendees was that the men who were frolicking around in their underwear, or cross dressing, were bank tellers, writers, record store salesmen, etc. They were people you saw every day. Abbey even noted in his story that if it weren’t for seeing them in this context, these would be the kind of guys who would take your sister home. He noted that for this weekend every business around downtown Pensacola seemed gay: every bar, every restaurant, and every store. When he asked a cashier at one of these businesses what she thought of all
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this controversial activity, she just looked at him and said, “It’s money honey.” And even though Abbey never did find out who Emma Jones was, he still published his rather brief story in the newspaper detailing the weekend’s events. After that, other media outlets started picking up on the convention as well. In 1972 the Pensacola News-Journal took note of the annual event’s “Mr. US Gay” contest. Eleven contestants competed for the $100 prize money but the winner, a young New Orleans man, refused to give his name to the paper. But like most good things the Emma Jones Society Convention came to end in 1974 when the last party was held. In a way the informal organization was a victim of its own success. As it became more popular, attendance grew, and as more media outlets wrote about the celebrations, the local backlash grew as well. For a while, as mentioned above, some locals overlooked the “deviants” as long as they brought money to the city. Jerry Watkins III, who has researched the convention in great detail, said of the event near its end, “The Emma Jones Society parties [the Hillyers] hosted were written about as a gay event on the
front page of the paper by the 1970s. To be clear, repression was swift and severe when somebody stepped too far out of line. And one of my main arguments is that when a politician or city needed an image boost in the ‘tough on crime’ or family friendly department, LGBTQ folks proved easy targets.” And that’s just what happened. “Emma Jones died in the streets of Pensacola on July 4, 1974. She was 17,” The Advocate reported. Some attendees started receiving death threats, local ministers organized against the convention, and the city council started to work closely with law enforcement to find ways to curb the annual event by raiding popular bars catering to gays such as the Yum Yum Tree and the Red Garter. More than 30 people were arrested that final weekend alone and charged with “lewd and lascivious acts.” Tropic Magazine also covered the final Emma Jones Society Convention. “We set out to laugh and be merry with our friends,” the Hillyers told the Tropic reporter. At this point even they remained anonymous out of fear of repercussions. “It’s a shame people won’t accept that. You’d think in the 1970s, people would let you alone.” Once the Emma Jones Society faded away came a new era of LGBT visibility in the area with the opening of all year round gay bars. The event certainly fostered long lasting relationships and it was those bonds that would eventually go on to create a similar event in 1981 during Memorial Day weekend – The Pensacola Memorial Day Beach Pride. Of course not everyone was happy. In 1993, Pensacola City Councilman Doug Profitt said he felt Pensacola should not be known as a “gay friendly destination.” Even so, enough local business owners came forward expressing their appreciation for the strong positive economic impact on the area. This turned out to be enough to hush the conservative opposition. Today the event continues every year with over 40,000 in town for the festivities. If you’re interested in reading more about this event, check out Jerry Watkins III’s new book “Queering the Redneck Riviera: Sexuality and the Rise of Florida Tourism.”
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ANNUAL EVENTS
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENTS
Take a quick trip to the village of Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, for a family-friendly Oktoberfest weekend stuffed full of food, activities, and entertainment. You’ll thankfully find a beer garden featuring seasonal food such as brats and hot dogs, baked pretzels, European cupcakes, Harvest beers — as well as non-alcoholic beverages. Included in the two-day event is an Oktoberfest-dressed contest, a Punkin Chunkin’ event, a duck river race, a costumed one-mile, 5k and 10k Fun Run/ Walk/Bike, live music, kids carnival, bingo, and more!
The Capitol Steps, a Washington DC-based comedy troupe that began as a group of Senate Staffers, will present a show based on songs from their current album Make America Grin Again. The Capitol Steps began in 1981 as a group of Senate staffers who set out to satirize their employers and haven’t let up since. If you’ve been keeping with the news, you know there’s no shortage of material. Live at the Eccles gleefully presents Lea Michele and Darren Criss in an exorbitantly expensive event. Yet, it may be worth the dough! Following Glee, Michele went on to star in Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens, and Criss recently wrapped the latest iteration of Murphy’s American Crime Story anthology series: “The Assassination of Gianni Versace”. Michele got her start as a replacement for Young Cosette in the original Les Misérables. She went on to originate the role of Little Girl in Ragtime, played Sphrintze in the 2004 revival of Fiddler on the Roof, and created the role of Wendla in Broadway’s Spring Awakening. Criss broke out on Glee and later moved to Broadway, replacing Daniel Radcliffe in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He subsequently starred in the title role of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
Tony’s 5 Gay CONCERTS Agenda
FRIDAY — LAVA HOT SPRINGS 9TH ANNUAL OKTOBERFEST
Venues vary, Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, 4 p.m. through Sat., Oct. 6 to 9 p.m. Event prices vary, oktoberfest.lavahotsprings.org
BY TONY HOBDAY
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
Since forming in 2005, Mayday Parade has amassed one of the most loyal, rabid fan bases around thanks to energizing concerts and four studio albums full of heart-on-sleeve lyrics. With the release of their arresting fifth record, Black Lines, the members of the Florida pop-rock quintet are taking a giant leap forward as musicians and songwriters.
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TUESDAY — MAYDAY PARADE The Complex, 536 W. 100 South, 7 p.m. Tickets $26, thecomplexslc.com
DANCE Repertory Dance Theatre’s Spirit includes the historical masterpiece “Rainbow Round My Shoulder” by the late Donald McKayle, as well as the work of Japanese national Michio Ito. Alongside these historical dances are two groundbreaking commissions by Tiffany Rea-Fisher, artistic director of Elisa Monte Dance, and Utah’s Natosha Washington, artistic director of The Penguin Lady.
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THURSDAY — SPIRIT
Jeanne Wagner Theatre, Rose Wagner Center, 138 W. 300 South, 7:30 p.m., through Saturday. Tickets $30, artsaltlake.org
DRAG SHOWS Miz Cracker from the 10th season of RuPaul’s Drag Race comes to Salt Lake City. While eliminated from the competition in what some may call a harrowing upset, she continues to entertain en masse. Let’s just hope she doesn’t fuck up another lip sync to “Nasty Girl”. Just saying! The event is hosted by Kay Bye, Ann Wilde, Lisa Dank, Eva Chanel Stephens, Xaina, Mercury Adams, DJ Shutter, and DJ Justin Hollister.
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SATURDAY — MIZ CRACKER
The Loading Dock, 445 S. 400 West, 9 p.m. Tickets $20, 24tix.com
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TUESDAY — THE CAPITOL STEPS The Commonwealth Room, 195 W. 2100 South, 9 p.m. Tickets $67, ticketf.ly/2NbPya5
SATURDAY — LEA MICHELE AND DARREN CRISS
Delta Performance Hall, Eccles Theater, 131 S. Main St., 8 p.m. Tickets $35–95 (Amex only)/VIP Passes $299-459, artssaltlake.org
THEATRE When a newly engaged couple, Brad and Janet, innocently set out to visit an old professor, a thunderstorm and a flat-tire lead them to seek help at the castle of the alien, transvestite scientist, Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter. As Brad and Janet are swept up into Frank ‘N’ Furter’s latest experiment, the night’s misadventures cause them to question everything they’ve known about themselves, each other, love and lust. This humorous tribute to the classic “B” sci-fi films and horror genre, with an irresistible rock’n’roll score, is a wild ride that no audience will soon forget.
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THURSDAY — THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW
Grand Theatre, SLCC, 1575 S. State St., times vary, through Oct. 27. Tickets $9-23, grandtheatrecompany.com
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buy your season tickets at ririewoodbury.com/seasontix
September 27-29, 2018 February 1 & 2, 2019
April 18-20, 2019
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‘Good Standing’ is a story of a man facing excommunication a week after finding the man of his dreams Plan-B Theatre Company will debut playwright Matthew Greene’s Good Standing, a story of a gay Mormon man facing excommunication from the Mormon Church a week after meeting the man of his dreams. The show is directed by the company’s artistic director, Jerry Rapier and runs Oct. 18–28 at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center Studio Theatre. It presents a single actor, Austin Archer, playing multiple roles within the church disciplinary council. “It’s too cold when I walk in. It always is when men in suits are setting the temperature,” the character says in the opening scene. Greene was raised LDS in California and was attending BYU when he wrote a play, Adam & Steve and the Empty Sea, that
almost got him kicked out of the school. It explored what the gay marriage debate did to two friends, one openly gay and the other openly Mormon. It received its world premiere at Plan-B Theatre in 2013 and played to sold-out audiences. Greene now lives in Brooklyn. “Life didn’t magically become easier when I finally admitted that I, like Curtis in this play, dreamed of finding a husband, not a wife,” Greene wrote for QSaltLake in August. “What’s different, I guess, is an enhanced ability to feel joy and to claim it as my own. But the search continues for meaning and purpose and for the light I know is out there. Good Standing is another step in that ongoing journey, a love letter to uncertainty and complicated, problematic faith.” “There’s no way to untangle the
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
threads of identity that have made me who I am, and I have Mormonism practically woven into my DNA. I treasure the new life I’ve crafted for myself, but I mourn the loss of innocence I knew within comfy church walls and regret the pain I’ve caused to those who love me,” he wrote. Archer said that coming up with 16 characters, most of whom were familiar, was a challenge, but that the script was a great guide. “Matthew Greene wrote a hell of a personal, human, confronting, and beautiful play about a man forced to choose between who he is fundamentally and the faith of his childhood [and early adulthood]. It’s a crisis of faith and family in a single setting,” Archer said. “It’s brought up a lot of things for me and sparked many good discussions in the rehearsal room, meaning it’s probably the kind of script that will inspire similar discussions on the car ride home for you after you see it, meaning it’s probably a pretty damn effective bit of storytelling. You should come to see it for that, not for all my daring theatrics. Come for the beautiful story Matt wrote. And who knows, maybe you’ll see a horrific trapeze accident, too.” Greene admits that Good Standing is semi-autobiographical. It’s also a play with which many Mormon and former Mormon LGBT people will relate. Q “Good Standing”, Plan-B Theatre Company, Rose Wagner, Salt Lake City, Oct. 18–28, tickets, planbtheatre.org/ goodstanding and 801-355-ARTS.
Westminster Theatre Dept. explores genderfluidity through the Grand Canyon Playwright Jaclyn Backhaus’ Men on Boats is the mostly true story of John Wesley Powell’s 1869 expedition down the tumultuous Colorado River. In a nutshell, it tells the story of a one-armed captain and his crew of insane yet loyal volunteers navigating the Grand Canyon. However, the zinger is Men on Boats doesn’t include male actors. The casting is made up of racially diverse actors who identify as female, trans, genderfluid, non-binary, and/or nongender-conforming in a story depicting mostly white male explorers.
In a 2015 review, The New York Times wrote, “…it’s hard to imagine this 90-minute account of a pioneering journey through virgin Western territory in 1869 being nearly as effective, or entertaining, with an ensemble of men.” The play maps more than just the lay of the land, beckoning audiences to consider how roles are cast throughout history and today. Men on Boats runs Thurs–Sat., Oct. 4–13, in the Dumke Black Box Theatre located inside the Jewett Center for the Performing Arts at Westminster College, 1840 S. 1300 East. Tickets are $12 and available at Westminster Theatre Presents. GOOD STANDING PHOTO BY JERRY RAPIER MEN ON BOATS PHOTO BY ELKE YOUNG
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DINING GUIDE Fabby Award Winner
Most Fabby in Park City
2016 BEST PIZZA
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801-582-5700 1320 E 200 S SLC 801-233-1999
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TOP OF MAIN STREET FABBY SUMMER PATIO 250 MAIN STREET, PARK CITY 2100 SOUTH HIGHLAND DRIVE SLC
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Dine O’Round returns with several new restaurants, photo contest The 16th annual Downtown Dine O’ Round begins Friday, Sept. 28 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 14. Diners can sample two-item lunches for $5 or $10 or three-item dinners for $15, $25 or $35, depending on the cost of typical entrées. Sampling three selections at such a significant discount allow people to experience a more extensive variety of tastes. Options range from gourmet — think Current, Finca, Copper Onion, Stanza — to more casual options. The unique concept of Dine O’Round is designed to attract new diners to restaurants they have yet to experience or to re-visit old favorites. Newcomers this year include The Daily, London Belle, Argentina’s Best Empanadas, and Copper Canyon. Diners are also offered the opportunity to “win dinner for a year” via a photo contest. Because patrons are fond of posting photos to Instagram, restaurant-goers can upload photos from their Dine O’Round experience and enter by using the hashtag #DineORound and tagging @
downtownslc to automatically enter to win. “Downtown Salt Lake City truly punches above of its weight class when it comes to food and culture,” said Dee Brewer, executive director for the Downtown Alliance. “Our fantastic restaurateur partners have elevated Salt Lake City’s brand as a culinary hotspot with quality dining options, culinary talent, and varied ethnic cuisines.” For the second year in a row, Dine O’Round will also feature the Chef Showdown on Oct. 10. The three-course cooking challenge pits two top chefs against each other and features a panel of local food critics. The chefs will use special ingredients from the Downtown Farmer’s Market and offer two signature cocktails. Attendees can bid on plates with proceeds benefiting a local charity. Restaurant-goers do not need to sign up for anything, carry any cards or clip coupons. All they need to do is ask for the Dine O’Round menu from their server. Find sample menus and participating locations at www.dineoround.com.
Next to Club Try-Angles, Half Block from TRAX
Serving Lunch and Dinner Daily, Weekend Brunch $2 Mid-Day Mimosas, Bloody Marys and Nooners 147 W. Broadway , SLC
Coffee, burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads, appetizers, breakfast Pool table, big-screen tv HOURS: Mon–Thur 8am–6pm / Fri 7am–3pm Friday & Saturday 1am–2:30am Sunday Brunch 11am–2pm 259 W 900 S / 801-364-4307 OFFTRAXSLC.COM
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T Q
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TROYE SIVAN’S QUEERNESS IN FULL BLOOM The out pop star on his uninhibited second album, finding power in femininity and his journey to empowerment BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
Nobody
is stopping Troye Sivan except for maybe Troye Sivan. No queer-averse label bosses, no identity-stifling pressure to be anything but who he is: the LGBTQ community’s precious paradigm of unapologetic, unicornian queerness. But even with the YouTube-launched pop fixture’s steady mainstream rise, with assists from Ariana Grande on a single featured on his sophomore album, Bloom, and a live duet at a recent Taylor Swift concert, the 23-year-old’s follow-up to 2015’s Blue Neighborhood refuses to sacrifice self for commercialism. And he won’t stop there this time, not during this album cycle (or ever): In the seductive video for the album’s first single, “My My My!,” Sivan works a room doused in the carnal grit and flashing lights of a gay bar’s seedy backroom — and also an entire street — in a blistering heat as hot as the shirtless guys feeding his desire. He’s coy about its subject matter, but Sivan wrote an entire song about bottoming too. I tell the South African-born, Australian-reared Sivan that “Bloom,” notably an official single, is the perfect Monday song to crank on your way to work, or at a family gathering. Its gay-sex specificity perhaps lost on heterosexuals, the anthemic send-up is concurrently a love song and the most liberating of queer secrets. PHOTO BY DANIELLE DEGRASSE-ALSTON
Giggling, he tells me, “That was the goal.” Elsewhere, the celebratory, spirited and brazenly gay Bloom turns the page on Sivan’s youth, which was cast with wistfulness and, admittedly, tentativeness on Blue Neighborhood, his first Capitol Records album. That same sentimental lilt — but now, with winks — also marks his burgeoning adult years captured on Bloom: losing his virginity to an older man during a Grindr hookup (the dreamlike, fraught-with-realness “Seventeen”); recognizing he’s failed his better half (the tender and winsome “The Good Side”); and a strutting, newfound sexual liberation, with “Bloom” and “My My My!” Sivan’s transparency is hardwired: He truly can’t be anything but himself. This is clear on Bloom, but holds true during conversation, as Sivan talks about deriving power from femininity, working through residual queer issues, and dealing with the fear of shooting “My My My!” with a crew of dudes bigger than him. Did you imagine you’d be answering all these questions about sex after “Bloom” was unleashed into the world? No way. Honestly, I never would’ve thought I would have written that song. That song came out of a session that I felt wasn’t going too well. It was me and my best friend (and producer) Leland, us being like, “OK, well how do we make the most of this day? Let’s just start messing around and having fun.” And we wrote it that night — never, ever thought that it would see the light of day. We ended up with something that I thought was really, really cool and interesting and real. Mainstream culture has come around to same-sex love, but gay sex is still taboo. Does your frankness about gay sex on this album feel radical or political? Not really. I wanted to make music for people like me. The first album I was conscious of trying to keep things really digestible
for as many people as possible. This time around I had a different set of goals, which were to really, actually, accurately represent where I feel like I am in my life. And if it’s talking about going out and partying, or if it’s talking about staying at home and cooking in the kitchen — or if it’s talking about sex — whatever it is, I wanted a 20-year-old queer person to hear this and be like, “Oh yeah, this is, like, legit.” What influenced you to deliver something more queer-specific? It was having all of these really inspiring experiences and meeting all of these really inspiring people. You know, whenever I start writing music, my number one goal, always, is to keep things honest and real, because I think it’s the only way to stay relevant and stay true over a long career. I wanna be doing this for the rest of my life, and I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to be thinking about cool concepts and things like that for the rest of my life. But I’ll always be able to speak about where I am in my life, that’s always gonna be there. So I fall back on that, and I wanted to not hold anything back. It’s so cool to me to be able to celebrate all of those things I was celebrating in my real life. So, why not go for it and talk about that on the album? When did the album’s more defiantly queer narrative begin to take shape artistically? It was probably just the moment where I had immersed myself in the LGBTQ community. When I think about my real life, I have almost exclusively queer people around me in L.A. I’m living in this little bubble right now where I forget sometimes that it’s a thing and that there are, like, straight people in the world (laughs). I’m sure that you’re reminded when you perform in small towns that aren’t like West Hollywood. Right, exactly. And then I travel to somewhere like that or I’ll go
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home to Australia — or I’ll just read the news — and very quickly get reminded just how lucky I am and how specific my experience is. But my hope is that it’s an experience of hope for people, that they hear this and feel like, “Oh, that’s possible and I can go and live this happy and healthy and fulfilled, fun life.” And see that there is, 100 percent, another side to the world. For some gay people, coming out doesn’t mean the personal battle has been won — there’s still overcoming sexual repression. I feel like you work through some of that on this album. Probably, yeah. Totally. And I think just in general a lot of the residual issues that queer people deal with have also completely followed me into my older life, just internalized homophobia that I’ve held onto without meaning to from when I was, like, 13 or whatever. It’s like, “Oh no, you can’t talk about that or you can’t sing about that.” I’m doing my very, very best to actively throw all that away. It’s been really empowering. What has been the most challenging part of navigating the music industry as an unapologetically out gay man? Normal music industry stuff. I came into the industry at the perfect time for me, a time where people were willing to let me be who I am and say what I want and do what I want, so that’s been the biggest blessing. All that really leaves is just personal challenges of like, what do I want from my career? Am I making sure that I’m releasing the very best thing that I possibly can? And what’s inspiring to me? And do I want this to be a radio smash, and if I do, how am I gonna get there? Or do I just want this to be something that means something to people, and how am I gonna get there? It’s been fairly typical music industry stuff, which I feel really thankful for, because I think 10 years ago, it would’ve been a whole separate set of worries and issues that now feel much more intense than dire. Is your goal to make gay radio smashes? I actually don’t know. For me, I’ve walked this line between having a really young, active online audience — a similar audience that you would see at an Ariana Grande or Justin Bieber show — and then
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also wanting to do these really subversive queer pop songs. I think my approach to it is not thinking too much about what I want commercially, just letting things happen, making stuff that I like. Hopefully if I like it, somebody else is gonna like it. When you performed “The Good Side” on SNL in January, I got lost in you getting lost in the song. For a performance like that, are you in the moment? Or does your mind tend to wander beyond the performance? I’m mostly just in the moment. Sometimes I think about the lyrics. I try not to think about them too much because, like “Good Side,” it’s one of the most personal songs on the album and that can get kind of weird, being that vulnerable, so I try not to let myself go too deep into the hole. But in general, I’m just thinking about doing the song justice. You have a role in the forthcoming film Boy Erased, starring Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe as parents who send their child to a conversion-therapy camp. What about the film resonated with you? The script. I just couldn’t put the script down. It really tore at me. Then I read the book and started immersing myself as much as I possibly could in that world. My coming out experience — and the moment where I accepted my sexuality as something that I couldn’t change — was a weight off of my chest. This wasn’t for me to deal with; it was more for everyone else. I had come to the point where I had accepted it within myself, and then it was about navigating through the rest of the world: my family, my friends. So, the thought of going to a program like the one in the film at that crucial, vulnerable moment and being told, “No, this is 100 percent back on you, and you’re filling a God-shaped hole in your life with these tendencies” was one of the most harmful and hurtful things that I can imagine. It’s been proven to be ineffective and extremely dangerous, and you’re signing these kids up for an impossible task. It really hit home and struck a chord with me, and I haven’t wanted anything as bad as I wanted this role in this movie, so I just auditioned and thankfully got the part.
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Your sister once caught you in a vulnerable state, dancing to Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.” When did you become comfortable with that kind of vulnerability on stage? It’s still really new to me. I think the “My My My!” video was a huge step for me personally; that was a moment where I really had to actively pep talk myself into it. I knew that was the way I naturally wanted to move to the song, and that was the way the song made me feel, but that didn’t make it any easier to do in a big group of people — especially with burly cameramen! (Laughs) It was scary! But when I pushed through, I felt how amazing it felt. It felt so right, and now I have to retrain my brain a little bit to be able to do that on stage and to be able to do that in front of other people. How do you get into that mental space? It’s a really active decision that I have to make. I have to actually think about it and push through a lot of nerves and vulnerability. And, again, the only reason I do it is because it’s what feels right to me. That’s what I would do in private. So, why the hell not do it publicly, and celebrate that? You were scared of your feminine attributes as a child. Can you tell me about your journey to embracing femininity? And when you do embrace it now, how it makes you feel? I was really scared of it in my childhood, and it was something that I definitely tried to shy away from. Now, I celebrate it as such a source of power for myself. I feel so liberated and free, and I’m having fun. And femininity is magical. Who wouldn’t want to be feminine? It took me a second to get to that point, but now that I’m here it’s so fun to be able to push through all of those worries. On the other side of that is such a liberated existence where you can just do whatever you want, and it’s just been a pleasure. How would you compare where you were to where you are now? It’s like night and day. It feels really artistically inspiring to me, really personally inspiring. And I’m just much happier. Q As editor of Q Syndicate, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. Reach him via his website at www. chris-azzopardi.com and on Twitter (@chrisazzopardi).
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Natasha Rothwell is here to school the World ‘Love, Simon’ star on her breakout role as a gay-supportive teacher and why the LGBTQ community loves the ladies of ‘Insecure’ BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
Oh, sure,
actress Natasha Rothwell’s scene-stealing drama teacher in out director Greg Berlanti’s groundbreaking gay teen rom-com Love, Simon is bitter — and therefore, funny as all hell — about overseeing amateur teens in a student production of Cabaret. Hey, she had an oh-so-prestigious part in The Lion King musical! (As, um, an extra.) But Ms. Albright is a dogged ally for life, demonstrating heartfelt compassion for her LGBTQ students when Simon and his queer schoolmate, Ethan, are bullied in the lunchroom. Enter Ms. Albright, who breaks up the fight in true Ms. Albright fashion: “That’s mine now,” she scolds, confiscating the bullies’ speaker. “I’m’ma sell it, get my tubes tied.” Rothwell knows the teacher life well: She was a high school teacher in the Bronx for four years. Queer students confided in her, some even came out to her. Now, the 37-year-old actress and former SNL writer returns for a third season of actress-writer Issa Rae’s terrific HBO comedy Insecure, as Issa’s freewheeling, zero-fucks friend Kelli. And no details on her role just yet — she couldn’t reveal any during our recent interview, sorry — but Rothwell is also set to star in director Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman sequel. Plenty to chat about until then, though, including the importance of LGBTQ inclusion in her projects and her reaction to the criticism Love, Simon received for not being progressive enough. Why do you think the women on Insecure have resonated with the queer community? I think what attracts the queer community to Insecure is authenticity and seeing a group of women being celebrat-
ed on television for being their authentic selves. The courage that it takes for marginalized groups like the LGBTQIA community to be authentic — it’s so difficult and so brave and so admirable to do so that when you see a group of people doing that on screen I can understand why that resonates with the queer community. I feel that way when I see other marginalized groups of people on TV shown as full-fledged characters. I’m like, “Yes, yes, yes!” It should be noted how effortlessly LGBTQIA just rolled off your tongue. You didn’t stumble over a single letter. (Laughs) I think having been a part of Love, Simon and doing press for that I was like, “I’m gonna get this! They’re not gonna get me on camera or on tape!” Because I’m an ally through and through, and they better know I know what I’m talking about. (Laughs) So, Kelli: Surely her unapologetic boldness — I mean, in season two, she got fingered at a diner — resonates with the community. (Laughs) She was living her best life. She’s not gonna apologize for it. Until I got into my 30s, I felt like I was apologizing for being a woman, for being black. The beauty of playing Kelli is I get to have a character match how I now feel, and I get to play a woman who’s never known any different. Like, I imagine this is Kelli from the crib; when she was an infant, till now, she’s only ever known this version of herself. I love playing someone who doesn’t experience doubt in the way I do. Do you write Kelli? We all write Kelli. We’ll do internal table reads of the script and I’ll sit down and get to see what the
PHOTO FROM “INSECURE” COURTESY OF HBO/MERIE W. WALLACE
other room was working on, and I’m like, “Oh shit, I’m getting fingered? OK!” It’s a real team effort to develop her and all the characters. You’ve cited Lily Tomlin as an influence. How did she influence your comedic voice? Female comedians that weren’t trapped by femininity is what resonated with me most. She was such a chameleon, subverting expectations. She plays a little girl [Edith Ann] and she’s sitting in this giant, oversized chair and having this monologue, and she’s so playful and inventive and completely embodies the POV of a small child, and using her body to tell a story. I just remember watching that and being obsessed. You’re writing a rom-com called Bridal Recall for Paramount Pictures, and you also have a development deal with HBO to write and produce and star in your own project. Will the queer community have a place in those projects? If I have a say. To me, I don’t think talking about inclusion and diversity is enough. We have to do it in actuality and in action. One of the brilliant things about Issa’s writers’ room? It’s not all black. We have representation from all over the spectrum. We have different sexualities represented, different ethnicities represented, and we can tell a nuanced story that way. So, I have every intention of making my writers’ room reflect the nuance that I want to tell in those stories, that I feel make worthwhile stories. What did it mean to you to be a part of Love, Simon? It meant everything. When I read the script and the book, I was just honored that I could participate in a project that really felt bigger than
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myself. The response has been insane and continues to be. People are discovering the movie even still and are responding to it in a really visceral way. I imagine it being that way for young people of color watching Black Panther for the first time. To me, that’s powerful to see your story represented and it’s not — it’s a love story first and a coming out story second.
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’80s. John Hughes is my jam, and I loved Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles. So, to see this story get that treatment was a magical thing. I will be forever grateful to Greg Berlanti for thinking that I could play Ms. Albright. He’s such a wonderful man and encouraged me and brought me to tears. He pulled me aside after I finished shooting and he was just like, “I have the same feeling about you I did when I directed Melissa McCarthy.” And I was like, “You just said a lot in that sentence!” And then I burst into tears. (Laughs) Do gay fans recognize see you as Ms. Albright on the street? I don’t get “Hey, Ms. Albright!” I live in West Hollywood and the LGBTQIA community is en masse here and I love it. So, I’ll get recognized from Love, Simon and as Kelli, sometimes at the same time. It’s a great community, and I feel so welcomed and thankful for it.
It’s one of the things where it’s just, I want more of this. I want more people to see themselves represented in this very specific, common way that straight white people have had the privilege of. So, I want to see more of those stories being told, because I’m a child of the PHOTO: ANN MARIE FOX
In an episode during season two of Insecure, you and Issa call out Molly for being revolted by a male suitor because he has sexual history with another man. The episode acknowledges a glaring double-standard between men and women, and also hypermasculinity in black versus white communities. What part did you play in bringing that storyline to light? We all talked about our experiences and something that would give us pause before entering into a relationship, or something that we wouldn’t even stop and think twice about. It varied by gender, by sexuality, by age. What boiled up to the top was the hypertoxic masculinity of communities of color, especially the black community.
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
So, we really loved to present that specific part of the show to our audience because it caused conversation around the topic. One of the things that I love about our show is we don’t present answers — we present questions. We want people to have these conversations in a public way. Recently, a massive Twitterstorm ignited when GQ featured the straight male cast in a photo spread that some deemed “gay.” One of the featured actors, Sarunas Jackson, called out the homophobic tone of the comments. I’m thinking, we’ve already been here. We’ve already been here, we already did this, guys. We’ve already evolved. Let’s just move on. But this just goes to show that continued conversation and continued moments for educating yourself are helpful. One of the more palpable things that I think that photo spread did was spark that conversation again, so people can really, once and for all, understand their own toxic masculinity. I was shocked by the number of women jumping on board. I’m like, you were indoctrinated to think that way, and we have to unlearn some things in order to be the progressive, thoughtful, inclusive people that I know we are capable of being. You responded to people who don’t feel represented by Insecure by telling them, well, then you tell your story, because no one story can encompass all of our stories. Love, Simon received similar criticism for featuring a white man in its lead role, versus someone of color. Would you respond to that criticism in the same way? Absolutely. I think I would be remiss to say, “We did it guys. Let’s pack it up! We fixed it! We fixed inclusion in Hollywood!” I think that would be a gross mistake to be made. I don’t look at Insecure and even see myself represented all the time and I write on the show, because this is a story. This is Issa and her girlfriend in Inglewood, California. But what it requires is more art to be made to reflect those things that aren’t being shown. Let’s tell those stories because, if there’s anything I’ve learned when really resonating with audiences lately, it’s a hunger for diversity. Q As editor of Q Syndicate, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. Reach him via his website at chris-azzopardi.com and on Twitter @chrisazzopardi.
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spotlight
Trans singer Shea Diamond moved prisoners with her music while in jail. Now, the world. BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
Even in
prison, Shea Diamond was a star. The concrete floor her stage, the men her audience. And the acoustics? “The best,” Diamond says. The 40-year-old soul songstress stretched her body over the hard ground, beating it while singing a song she wrote in her cell called “I Am Her.” She was
Matter event. Now, Diamond’s empowered jail musings are free at last on her Tranter-produced debut EP, Seen It All, and a forthcoming full-length. Do you think the world is ready for a major trans artist? Definitely not, but the world wasn’t ready for Einstein and his theories either. The world wasn’t ready for equality and wasn’t ready for slaves to be free. So, the world isn’t always ready for change, but change is always going to happen. How does it feel to know that you are a part of the change? It feels absolutely amazing to be a part of the change. In this climate, it’s especially important to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem, so music is able to tap into the areas that we weren’t able to tap into. We were definitely on the frontlines protesting, marching and community organizing, and at the end of the day, if people are jamming to a tune, then we will be able to effect more change. When did you first become interested in music? I grew up with a lot of music. My aunties all sang, my mother sings. I grew up with someone always singing.
serving a 10-year jail sentence at various men’s correctional facilities in Michigan for committing armed robbery, a desperate attempt to fund her transition, and “instead of just counting the days and wondering what day it is, I put all the energy into music.” The men were transfixed, moved. “These guys were singing it,” she says, “and asking me to sing it again.” Diamond was released from prison in 2009 with a passel of songs she’d written, moved to New York City, and devoted her new life beyond bars to being on the front lines of transgender activism. In early 2016, out big-name producer Justin Tranter, whom she calls her “fairy godmother,” was blown away by an a cappella performance she gave at a Trans Lives
What role has music played in helping you overcome your hardships? Music was able to heal me in every moment, including my confinement. That’s when it was the roughest for me, because I didn’t have any support. So the family and friends that didn’t turn their back on me because of my gender identity, they turned their backs on me because I was a criminal in their eyes. I had to really reflect and deal with myself. I was left to myself and there was nobody else. I had to reflect and be able to internalize a lot, and so I projected a lot of that energy, both negative and positive, into music and created what at the time seemed to be like poems or just words that started with a story. With “I Am Her,” I said, “I want to be able to express all my feelings about the church, the rejection from the church, how nobody wanted to accept me for being her,” and it talks about how, at the end of the day, I was by myself and I was all right by myself. Being trans, they wanted to punish me extra, they wanted
to discard me of yard or telephone privileges for just being me. What did your activism entail? It entailed a lot at different times. Because there were different roles I played within activism, like survival sex worker activism — a lot of work around that. Because a lot of people wouldn’t care if (trans sex workers) got murdered because nobody would question, and so that was affecting a large part of our community. Our most marginalized part of the community is the part of our community that is deprived of job opportunities, of other resources, and have to engage in survival sex work, because sometimes it’s our only option. Survival looks different for different people, and through my journey I’ve learned that. We were trying to gather clothing for someone who was trapped in another state, so we would have to raise money in order to get a ticket for them to get back to a safe place because they were deprived food and their clothes were taken. So these things were established within a place that was supposed to do it, but it was us doing it. That’s what our activism looked like a lot of the times, doing a lot of things that people don’t wanna do. Our activism was protesting, was going to rallies, was going to march, was going to Washington, was going to all of these places trying to change policies. Our activism just looked completely different throughout the years. Do you consider your music activism? I do. In my music I believe that I touch things that people don’t really touch. I talk about what’s happening in our climate, and I believe that the great artists that weren’t so popular were the artists that were talking about what was happening in their times and speaking against those things. So everything from “I Am Her,” which became an anthem, to “Keisha Complexion,” that is reclaiming beauty for the dark-complected woman or person. It’s dealing with sexism, it’s dealing with activism, it’s dealing with self-care. There’s a part of my song that talks about, yes, we’re fighting all these things in life, there will always be oppression, but we have to have one day to just do
October 4, 2018 |
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Free $50 Gift Card or iPod
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us. Every element of my music is speaking to your spirit. Recently, the people (told me they) wanna dance, so I said, “OK, OK. I’m gonna give you good music but something you’ll be able to dance to too.” So I’m making music now. One song is still in the activism world, but you’re still dancing on it. But the latest one I just worked on has nothing to do with activism. It’s just about you literally dancing. Are you still working with Justin on those songs? I am working with Justin. I am able to work with other writers and producers as well, so we’ve got a mixture of some really good stuff. We’ve been in the kitchen cookin’, and the result is gonna be really delicious. How does working with another queer person, like Justin, affect the collaborative process? What’s so special about the relationship is, well, I’m working with a friend now. Literally, he’s a person I can confide in, a person I can trust, a person I can call on, a person I do call on a lot, probably to the point that it’s driving him crazy. (Laughs) But he answers every call. Navigating this already tough music industry, you know, it’s sharks, so to have someone who is legit, to have someone who remotely cares about you, not only you as an artist — the money that you can make or what you can do — but who cares about you as a person and your well being and how you’re gonna endure this. What was going through your mind when Justin first contacted you after hearing “I Am Her”? I completely thought it was a joke. I’ve been having people offer to sign me and to
buy my song “I Am Her” since I was incarcerated. And why did you say no? Because for me there were other songs that were on the shopping block! (Laughs) But some songs really were near and dear to me. “I Am Her” was one of them, and the album ones; I wanted to hold onto those. So getting this email from Justin talking about, “Yeah, I wanna fly you on out to LA,” I was like, “Yeah, suuuure.” (Laughs) I just thought this is one more person that is gonna take me along for the ride. I definitely didn’t take it serious. I told him, “Look, I can’t afford to go out to California and to the studio,” and he said, “No, I’m gonna pay for your hotel. I’m gonna pay for your flight, I’m gonna pay for your food.” So, because we’re in the age of Google, I go on Google and turns out he’s a person. Our first meeting was at a Cyndi Lauper performance. That was the first meeting and I was already impressed. Then he flew me and my friend out to California. We were just like queens there. And then going into the studio for the first time — you know, a real studio — to me it was just like magic. Just being able to record “Seen It All” and just the magic of being in that space and in that moment knowing where I came from and knowing where I was in that moment and what I had accomplished despite all those odds. And that song was just perfect, of how I thought I’d seen it all, and I really hadn’t. Q Chris Azzopardi is the editor of Q Syndicate,. Reach him via his website at www. chris-azzopardi.com and on Twitter (@ chrisazzopardi).
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46 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | DVDs
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Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
screen queen Won’t You Be My Neighbor? For over 30 years, national treasure Fred Rogers welcomed kids who felt different to his “neighborhood.” Maybe you were there, enchanted by the trolley and talking puppets. Maybe you, like me, felt like you didn’t fit in with the other kids, and maybe, again like me, Mr. Rogers made you feel more at home in this big, scary world — for 30 minutes every day during his longtime PBS children’s show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, anyway. Uncertain, divisive times like ours call for another soul-soothing balm, and documentarian Morgan Neville, who rightfully won an Oscar for 20 Feet From Stardom, delivers just that with his Rogers-centered doc Won’t You Be My Neighbor?. Perhaps most surprising to those watching his show as a child: Rogers was a quiet gay and civil rights activist, demonstrated by the casting of gay, black actor François Clemmons, who portrayed Officer Clemmons. In the doc, Clemmons extols Rogers’ no-barriers-
for-love inclusiveness and compassion for everyone, recalling his special bond with Rogers, whom he considered a father figure. Beyond interviews with Neighborhood cast members and Rogers’ kin, as well as archival conversations with Rogers himself, vintage footage dating back to the show’s 1968 premiere is featured, including an early episode with Rogers as his alter-ego cat puppet, Daniel Striped Tiger, expressing through song feelings of inferiority. It’ll wring your eyes dry, but save some tears for the rest of this moving trip down memory lane, a tightly constructed tribute to Rogers’ philosophies on love and kindness for a world still trying to grasp both.
Love, Simon You can think Love, Simon isn’t enough because it isn’t. Not yet, anyway. Gay culture has long revelled in queer art-films with niche-queer narratives, where societal pressures befell closeted cowboys in Brokeback Mountain, and where homosexuality and blackness intersected in Moon-
light. Comparatively, Love, Simon is one serviceable but slighter-in-scope pop bop. But if you saw it in a theater with crying teens and their crying moms, like I did, then you know the movie’s banality alone — finally, gay people get their John Hughes film — is groundbreaking. Directed by Greg Berlanti from a script based on 2016’s young-adult bestseller Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I didn’t expect Love, Simon to deliver high-brow gay cinema — not if its first order of business was to let queerness live in many of the same rom-com conventions as any Sandra Bullock or Jennifer Garner lovefest. And on that same massive level, in wide release on the big screen, where gay teen Simon miserably navigates out-gay life at high school as he searches for “Blue,” an unidentified, closeted schoolmate he’s confided in through an emotionally invested email exchange. The proceedings are richly gay and heartwarming and nostalgic: a Whitney Houston musical number, a shamelessly ’80s-by-way-of-John Hughes sensibility and an affirming tearjerker of a mom speech from Garner herself. I cried lots, and its cathartic sweetness — being the great love story it promised to be — charmed me and the Simon I once was. A deleted scene featuring actor-slash-dream-
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boat Colton Haynes is among the Blu-ray’s special features, which also includes more deleted scenes, a Berlanti commentary and a book-to-screen featurette.
A Raisin in the Sun Even after Lorraine Hansberry adapted her 1959 play A Raisin in the Sun — the first play by a black woman to be performed on Broadway — for the silver screen, the 1961 film, directed by Daniel Petrie, preserved the theatrical simplicity of the source material. The story’s familial and racial tensions also remained fraught with complications: A money-strapped black family, the Youngers, living in close quarters in the Chicago slums in the 1950s contend with how to best spend a $10,000 life-insurance check — their chance at a fresh start. That fresh start looks different for single mother and grandmother Lena Younger (Claudia McNeil), her daughter Beneatha (Diana Sands), her son Walter (Sidney Poitier), plus his wife Ruth (Ruby Dee) and their son Travis (Stephen Perry).
Tremendous performances — particularly Poitier and McNeil as the family’s willful rock, which she inhabits with true grit and grace — are the touchstones of Hansberry’s moving portrait of a black family hoping to rise above the economic and cultural forces against them, and the firsthand destruction it causes when they can’t. But joy — find it, the film suggests, even if the world won’t let you have it. Criterion Collection’s Blu-ray restoration of the classic gleans an array of well-rounded supplemental material, including interview features with Hansberry and Petrie.
Blockers Here’s what the Blockers trailer tells you: three teenagers are on a mission to get laid on prom night and their parents are freaking out. What it doesn’t tell you is that one of those, Sam (Gideon Adlon), is a closeted lesbian. Cue the supportive dad, Miles (Ike Barinholtz), who suspects his daughter will be the only boy-averse girl of that girlfriend group, while the other parents, Lisa (Leslie Mann) and Mitchell (John Cena), have a parental meltdown and embark on a mad chase to cockblock their kids. Desperate to shut
down their impending sexcapades after decoding a series of suggestive emojis, which is funny because watching parents try to figure out modern-day technology will forever be funny, Lisa, Miles and Mitchell go to raunchy extremes to save their children’s virginity. I laughed plenty at the ridiculous gags (one involving Gina Gershon playing naked Marco Polo with her husband), but what threw me was the film’s sweet, emotional throughline, set in motion in the beginning when Mann, perfect in scenes where heart and humor collide, desperately tries to pretend to be OK with her college-bound daughter leaving the nest. Something else to celebrate besides Mann: sex comedies with high schoolers where one just so happens to be a lesbian. Yes and thank you, Hollywood. Q As editor of Q Syndicate, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyonce. Reach him via his website at chris-azzopardi.com and on Twitter @chrisazzopardi.
48 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | COMICS
Qsaltlake.com |
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
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
Q doku Level: Medium
4
7 4
1 7 5
9
8
7
9
3 6
6 8 5
9 3
8 1 6 7
8 4 9 5 4
7
1
5
7
9 3 5
9
4
6 5 9
2 7 4 1 3 8
7 8
3 5
1 2 3
4
7
1
9 7 2 1 6 9 7 9 1 5 8 2 3 5 5 3 4 9 4 3 8 7 9 9 6 8 1 5 6 9 7 8 4 5 7 2 1 3 9 1 1 2 5 8 2 5 7 9 1 3 4 7 6 7 8 3 9 5 9 5 7 2 2 6 3 2 9 7 3 4 4 3 1 4
October 4, 2018 |
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Power Couples
ACROSS
1 Large openings 5 Disconcert 10 Allen Ginsberg’s affirmative 14 Warhol pal ___ Sedgwick 15 Coastal city of Portugal 16 Give up what sounds like sperm? 17 Partner of Alex Niedbalski 19 Processes wine or cheese 20 Prepared it for safe intercourse 21 Turn tail 23 Eager beavers 24 Evasive maneuver by a bottom? 25 Like Machu Picchu 28 Visitors at advocate.com 31 Makes tats 34 Defeated George Frenn 37 Kanga’s baby 38 Turtleneck alternative 39 Middle name of Harris, partner of David Burtka 40 Ambulance letters 41 Cartoon prince’s son 42 Vidal essay collection 43 Poet ___ Wu 44 “Forget about it!” 46 It goes on top in a trattoria
48 At a future time 51 Like rival divas 55 Ann-___ of Grease 57 What teams do when balls are kicked at them 59 Poker pot input 60 Partner of Jane Wagner 62 Cleopatra’s eyeliner 63 Writer Dykewomon 64 “___ the end of my rope!” 65 Fruit-flavored ice cream maker 66 Digs for pigs 67 Pink-slips
18 The A in GLARP (abbr.) 22 Torso in a Mapplethorpe pic, e.g. 24 Tendency towards chaos 26 Suffix with “dream,” on Broadway? 27 Wolfe or Woolf, e.g. (abbr.) 29 Caesar’s city 30 Fair-to-middling 31 Sergei of The Opposite of Sex 32 Emperor role of Charles Laughton 33 Gus, partner of Matthew Wilkas 35 What a hoar! DOWN 36 Perfect serves from 1 Sounded like Sneaky Mauresmo Pie 39 Bill settler 2 Hersey’s bell town 3 Recoil from too much 43 Like a family pole 45 Kushner’s ___ in S&M America 4 David of Naked fame 47 Word after fish, in 5 Altar spot slang 6 Gay Priest author 49 Takes out of the text Malcolm 50 Not quite erect 7 Where to find a bear 52 One of the Flintpair stones 8 Like a master, to a 53 Like a sweet bird of slave youth 9 Cheated, slangily 54 Leases out 10 Greek victim of “Wax 55 Wham’s ___ It Big on, wax off”? 56 Give ___ of approval 11 Ellen, partner of Portia 57 Former Cub Sandberg de Rossi 58 Cockpit predictions 12 Head output 61 “Love Story” com13 Story of valor poser
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q home
Product Trends — Increase Your Home’s Value with the Right Home Products
One of
the tasks many homeowners undertake when they’re preparing to put their home on the market is to take on a few small projects. Putting down new tile, replacing the carpet, or installing snap-in wood floors can transform a room and add plenty of value to your home. So can a new coat of paint or adding in some shelving to make a part of a room pop. You may be content to look past a few imperfections within your home, but potential buyers will not overlook these things, even if they’re relatively minor blemishes on an otherwise perfect home. Picking the right products for the right places within your home is an absolute must. This includes every part of your home you plan to do any type of improvement to. If you want to get your house ready to go up on the market, you need to make sure you know what products to have on hand. Here are some products all homes should not do without if they want to attract the best possible offers at sale time.
investment by using laminate, vinyl, or tile (just don’t buy the cheap variety). Look for textured options that mimic the look of aged wood flooring for historic homes or to add character to a room. While most people think of wood floors for the living room, dining room, and bedrooms, they’re no longer limited to these parts of the home. With waterproof vinyl, laminate, and other options, it’s possible to have what looks like a gorgeous wood floor in the kitchen, the bathroom, and any other area of your home. Also, don’t forget that wood does not have to remain on the floor. It can also be used to spice up an accent wall or even line the ceiling of a room you want to make feel larger since it draws the eyes up!
Go Green Anywhere You Can There are tons of directions that you can take when it comes to green products. You can include them on the inside of the home with the flooring, shelving, organizational items, and even your window treatments. Plus, you can also include them on the outside of your home, such as green roofing materials and siding.
Consider the Color
Wood and Faux Wood Is Still In Wood flooring or faux wood has been one of the most popular types of flooring improvements you can make for years, and it’s a trend that doesn’t show any sign of ending. While true hardwood floors can be a selling point, laminate, ceramic tile, and vinyl that give the appearance of wood are just as popular. In fact, these other materials are much more affordable and easier to install than wood floors. You’ll get a much better return on your
In 2018, the trend in colors, no matter what part of the house is referenced, has cooled down. Warm colors are no longer as popular as they once were. Instead, buyers are more attracted to shades of blue, gray, green, and brown. While a bright red or yellow room might make you feel cheery, it’s likely to turn away potential buyers. Wherever you plan on adding some colors into your home, consider what a potential buyer is going to see. You want
to invite them into the home and allow them to visualize themselves in the home, not feel as though they would rather walk the other way. Introduce colors in small pops here and there, and leave the majority of the walls, floors, and built-ins much more neutral.
Low Maintenance It shouldn’t come as a surprise that homebuyers are looking for a home that doesn’t require a lot of maintenance. If you are going to be doing some small jobs to bring your home to its fullest potential prior to listing it, go with the lowest-maintenance products you can find. Go with something that is simple to wash and move on. If a product takes a ton of maintenance, no matter how nice it looks, it could become a deterrent to a potential buyer.
Discuss Your Options with a Real Estate Professional Most people assume you don’t need a real estate agent until you’re ready for your home to go on the market, but you should actually consult with one of these professionals as soon as you decide to sell your home. They know what’s currently popular among houses in your area and can help you decide what products and changes to make in your home to give you the best return on your investment. Q LGBTQ individuals may want to seek out the services of a gay or lesbian real estate agent. In addition to helping you prepare to sell your home, they understand your perspective, and may even bring a creative flair for design and minor staging. You can find one of these agents at www. GayRealEstate.com, a website has been helping the LGBTQ community for over 25 years!
54 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | QMMUNITY
Qmmunity Groups ALCOHOL & DRUG
Alcoholics Anonymous 801-484-7871 utahaa.org LGBT meetings: Sun. 3p Acceptance Group, UPC, 255 E 400 S Mon. 7p Gay Men’s Stag (Big Book Study), UPC, 255 E 400 S 8p G/Q Women’s Mtg, Disability Law Center (rear), 205 N 400 W Tues. 8:15p Live & Let Live, UPC, 255 E 400 S Wed. 7p Sober Today, 375 Harrison Blvd, Ogden Fri. 8p Stonewall Group, UPC, 255 E 400 S
Thurs. 7pm, USARA, 180 E 2100 S, #100 Fri. 7pm, UPC, 1380 S. Main 2nd Flr. Sat. 11am, First Baptist Church, 777 S 1300 E BUSINESS
LGBTQ-Affirmative Psycho-therapists Guild of Utah lgbtqtherapists.com * jim@lgbtqtherapists.com Utah Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce utahgaychamber.com * info@utahgaychamber.com Vest Pocket Business Coalition vestpocket.org 801-596-8977 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233
Crystal Meth Anon crystalmeth.org Sun. 1:30pm Clean, Sober & Proud LGBTQIA+Straight USARA, 180 E 2100 S Thurs. 1p Unity In Sobriety, 175 S 700 E
YWCA of Salt Lake ywca.org/saltlakecity 322 E 300 S 801-537-8600
LifeRing Secular Recovery 801-608-8146 liferingutah.org Sun. 10am Univ. Neuropsychiatric Institute, 501 Chipeta Way #1566 Wed. noon, 2319 Foothill Dr, #120 Weds. 6:30 pm, Univ Neuropsych Institute, 501 Chipeta Way #1566
Planned Parenthood 654 S 900 E 800-230-PLAN
HEALTH & HIV
Peer Support for Mental Illness — PSMI Thurs 7pm, Utah Pride Ctr
Salt Lake County Health Dept HIV/STD Clinic 660 S 200 E, 4th Floor Walk-ins M–F 10a–4p Appts 385-468-4242 Utah AIDS Foundation utahaids.org * mail@utahaids.org 1408 S 1100 E
Qsaltlake.com |
801-487-2323 Weber-Morgan Health Mon., Weds 1-4:30p 477 23rd St, Ogden Appt 801-399-7250 HOMELESS SVCS
Volunteers of America Homeless Youth Resource Ctr, ages 15–21 880 S 400 W 801-364-0744 Transition Homes: Young Men’s 801-433-1713 Young Women’s 801-359-5545 LEGAL
Rainbow Law Free Clinic 2nd Thurs 6:30–7:30pm UofU Law School, 383 S University St POLITICAL
Equality Utah equalityutah.org * info@equalityutah.org 175 W 200 S, Ste 1004 801-355-3479 Utah Libertarian Party 6885 S State St #200 888-957-8824 Utah Log Cabin Republicans bit.ly/logcabinutah 801-657-9611 Utah Stonewall Democrats utahstonewalldemocrats.org RELIGIOUS
First Baptist Church firstbaptist-slc.org * office@firstbaptistslc.org 11a Sundays 777 S 1300 E 801-582-4921
BUT WITH A CAPE
Sacred Light of Christ slcchurch.org 823 S 600 E 801-595-0052 11a Sundays
Queer Friends queerfriends.org
Wasatch Metropolitan Community Church wasatchmcc.org 801-889-8764 Sundays except the 2nd Sunday, 11:15a at Crone’s Hollow, 3834 S. Main
Sage Utah, Seniors fb.me/sageutah sageutah@ utahpridecenter.org 801-557-9203
SOCIAL
1 to 5 Club (bisexual) fb.me/1to5ClubUtah The Bonnie and Clyde’s Social Group bit.ly/BonnieClydeSG Alternative Garden Club bit.ly/altgarden * altgardenclub@gmail.com blackBOARD Men’s Kink/Sex/BDSM education, 1st, 3rd Mons. blackbootsslc.org blackBOOTS Kink/BDSM Men’s leather/kink/ fetish/BDSM 4th Sats. blackbootsslc.org Gay Writes writing group, DiverseCity 6:30 pm Mondays Community Writing Ctr, 210 E 400 S Ste 8 Get Outside Utah bit.ly/GetOutsideUtah Men Who Move menwhomove.org OUTreach Utah Ogden outreachutah.org OWLS of Utah (Older, Wiser, Lesbian. Sisters) bit.ly/owlsutah
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
qVinum Wine Tasting qvinum.com fb.me /QVinum/
Temple Squares Square Dance Club templesquares.org 801-449-1293 Utah Bears utahbears.com fb.me/utahbears info@utahbears.com Weds 6pm Raw Bean Coffee, 611 W Temple
Salt Lake Goodtime Bowling League bit.ly/slgoodtime Stonewall Shooting Sports of Utah fb.me/stonewall. sportsofutah Venture Out Utah facebook.com/groups/ Venture.OUT.Utah YOUTH/COLLEGE
Encircle LGBTQ Family and Youth Resource Center encircletogether.org fb.me/encircletogether 91 W 200 S, Provo, Gay-Straight Alliance Network gsanetwork.org
Utah Male Naturists umen.org info@umen.org
Salt Lake Community College LGBTQ+ 8 slcc.edu/lgbtq/
Utah Pride Center utahpridecenter.org info@utahpridecenter.org 1380 S Main St 801-539-8800
University of Utah LGBT Resource Center 8 lgbt.utah.edu 200 S Central Campus Dr Rm 409 801-587-7973
SPORTS
Pride Community Softball League fb.me/utahpride. softballleague pcsl@prideleague.com Q Kickball League fb.me/qsaltlake. kickball Sundays, 10:30, 11:30, Sunnyside Park QUAC — Queer Utah Aquatic Club quacquac.org questions@ quacquac.org
USGA at BYU fb.me/UsgaAtByu Utah State Univ. Access & Diversity Ctr usu.edu/ accesscenter/lgbtqa Utah Valley Univ Spectrum facebook.com/ groups/uvuspectrum Weber State University LGBT Resource Center weber.edu/ lgbtresourcecenter 801-626-7271
Embracing the health & resilience of our community Utah’s Inclusive Aquatic Club since 1995 BEGINNERS WELCOME EVERYONE’S INVITED
umen.org
October 4, 2018 |
Issue 285 | Qsaltlake.com
positive thoughts
HEALTH | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 55
Passing the Torch BY DESIRÉE GUERRERO
I recently
had the honor of attending a private fundraiser for the Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship, a program of the National AIDS Memorial Grove. And I say “honor” for many reasons. Back in 1994, when The Real World: San Francisco first aired, I was a depressed, poor, lonely, and questioning teen. I did have one close friend, who was also lonely and questioning — and who had even more mental health issues than me! Yippee! We both had experienced different traumas in our lives, and both had been somewhat ostracized from normal teen life. But we were also funny, smart, talented and, admittedly, pretty geeky. We were the real-life counterparts to the characters in the ’90s MTV animated series, Daria — a match made in suburban teen hell. One big difference between us was that her family had money. Her father worked in the film industry, which afforded them a beautiful home with a pool and plenty of food, and cable television. All these things were very attractive to me and I spent as much time as I could over there, swimming, eating and watching MTV.
None of this I could do in our crappy, cable-less apartment with bare cupboards on the other side of town. It was my fantasy oasis from which I could escape the concrete-gray realities of my own life. Of course, the show we were completely obsessed with that year was The Real World: San Francisco. We were shocked, we were amazed, we were excited. We were transfixed. We couldn’t believe what we were seeing. Personally, in my life, it’s the only Real World season I’ve actually watched. We fell in love with certain cast members, and despised others. Of course, we loved Pam [Ling]. She was a young beautiful med student with tattoos and a cool haircut. What wasn’t there to love? And then there was Pedro. That was the first time either of us had seen a real-life, out LGBTQ young person on TV. He was intelligent, charming, beautiful. Everyone loved him. And he was HIV-positive. Just a few hours after the last episode of that season aired, on November 11, 1994, Zamora passed away. So yes, it was certainly an honor to be at fundraiser promoting a scholarship in his name, nearly 24 years later.
This wasn’t some big, stuffy, black tie affair at a fancy hotel. It was an intimate gathering on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, in the home of Jonathan Murray, The Real World’s cocreator and executive producer. Friends, former castmates and people from behind the scenes shared their personal stories and memories of Zamora, making it feel more like a family reunion than a fundraising event. It was then that the reality of Zamora’s humanity ripped through me. This was no longer a mythical figure that I could idealize and admire through the magical lens of MTV. This was a human being. This was a human being who wanted to live and was scared to die, just like the rest of us. A human being who accomplished an amazing amount in his short time here but could have done so much more. He was a human being, who suffered greatly and died at 22, and shouldn’t have. This is the true tragedy of the AIDS epidemic. Within two years after his death, antiretroviral HIV medications were developed that would have saved Zamora’s life. And over the next two decades, the face of the epidemic has changed greatly. Being HIV-positive has evolved from a death sentence to a treatable chronic condition. Today, the life expectancy of an HIV-positive person on treatment is about the same as any other person. At the fundraiser, I also had the honor to meet several of the scholarship recipients, all
of whom were young people living with HIV, of various racial and sexual identities, doing amazing things in their communities. Soon after learning that he was living with HIV at only 17, Zamora dedicated his life to raising public awareness, arming other young people with the information and tools needed to avoid acquiring HIV. And that is exactly what these young people are doing, today, in their own communities. But they need the help of programs like this to continue to do so, which is why the Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship is such a beautiful thing. And let’s not forget that we all need to continue to be a part of that fight. Under a current administration that continues to slash funding for HIV/AIDS programs — which could, for starters, cut millions off from their life-saving meds — it’s frightening to think how quickly another wave of the epidemic could hit. Not to mention, stigma and ignorance around the virus in mainstream America continues to thrive. As we approach the 25th anniversary of his death, it is encouraging to know that Zamora’s impact is still not only being felt, but continuing to make real progress and change in the fight against HIV through future generations. Q Desirée Guerrero is the associate editor of Plus magazine. This column is a project of Plus, Positively Aware, POZ, TheBody.com, Q Syndicate, and QSaltLake Magazine. For more information about the National AIDS Memorial Grove and the Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship, visit AidsMemorial.org.
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56 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | PETS
Qsaltlake.com |
Exam, Bite-wing X-rays and Cleaning. Good for the entire family. Not valid with any other offers.
Pet Month of the Holy Holly
If you’re on the search for the cutest combo of cuddle and adventure, then Holly girl just might be the match for you! She enjoys nylabones, couch cuddles, face kisses and a good nap from time to time. She has done well with dogs both large and small. We don’t know much about her past, however she is currently living the high life in a foster home where she’s proven herself to be a wonderful companion. Her ideal home will be feline-free and make sure she gets tons of love, daily exercise and spoil her silly!
Dr Josef Benzon, DDS Located in Bountiful and Salt Lake City
Salt Lake 2150 S. Main St 104 801-883-9177
Bountiful 425 S. Medical Dr 211 801-397-5220
www.alpenglowdentists.com
To schedule an appointment, please call 801.878.1700
For more information, go to Best Friends Animal Society–Utah, 2005 S 1100 East, or call 801-5742454 or go to bestfriendsutah.org
Evening and Saturday Appointments Available Most Insurances Accepted
q scopes OCTOBER BY SAM KELLEY-MILLS
ARIES March 20–April 19
A stranger will be a great help during an emotional crisis, and a new friendship will be forged. An intimate encounter is a good way to start, as it will clear tension before it can build. Be suspicious of those who gossip, as they are likely looking for things to use against you. Instead, place trust in those with fresh perspectives.
TAURUS Apr 20–May 20
A temporary phase could mean doing things out of the ordinary. A relationship could be altered as a result, leading to some frisky times. There is a secret going around about you that is eventually revealed, which could be surprising, as it is about the way someone feels toward you. What you do with this info your choice.
GEMINI May 21–June 20
No clear path for you can be laid by anyone else. The problem is that no path seems correct. Goals may have to be adapted to conditions. This doesn’t entail sacrifice,
but modification. A long time dream is likely to come true, but prepare for the bad that comes with the good. If something seems too good, it could be a trap.
CANCER June 21–July 22
The ability to feel deeply does not always make for good times. But considering what is felt during this time, enjoyment is bound to occur. The dynamic between pain and pleasure can lead to interesting combinations, like mixing sweet and salty. Try to enjoy work and loath your friends, just to keep things interesting.
LEO July 23–August 22
The longer an important career task is put off, the harder it will be getting what you really want. A serious sense of despair is holding you down, but will pass by taking charge. Take the initiative. Help will come in the form of a family member who hasn’t always been reliable. Things will be different this time, so take the aid.
VIRGO August 23–Sep. 22
A dwindling desire to hang out with a good friend stems from a sense of boredom. This would be a nice time for diversity and trying something new. Apply for a different job or meet an online friend for the first time. Life
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
is pretty good right now, but there’s always room for change and improvement. Go out and play!
LIBRA Sept 23–October 22
Coming in second place at work could be upsetting, but don’t give up. The grass isn’t as green on the other side as it appears. Keep up with the here-and-now and the real opportunity will present itself. Feeling neutral is boring, but there is much to be said about growing with what you have. Work on making now the best.
SCORPIO Oct. 23–Nov. 21
Summer gatherings have left you worn out but social activities are far from over. Up the game when associating with friends and loved ones with high expectations. Keep the food and drinks coming and terrific conversations will lead to some of the best times of the year. The holiday season isn’t as far off as it seems.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22–December 20.
A gift may not seem too wonderful now, but considering the current situation, it’s a vast improvement. Accept with gratitude, and better gifts are likely to come. Slide deep into a happy state and the troubles will be easier to deal with. This isn’t a great time in life, but that doesn’t mean you
have to settle for misery.
CAPRICORN Dec 21–Jan 19
You may feel as though you’ve been forgotten by someone close to you. It may simply be that you’ve been laying low these days. Don’t be offended, but try to enjoy the break. Too much of this person may have gotten on your nerves more than you know. Enjoy going solo for a bit and discover the benefits of solitude.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20–Feb. 18
A dry spell in creativity is discouraging, but this is simply the calm before the storm. An explosive period of artistic expression is around the corner, so lay low and prepare for the insane pace. Friends and family will likely be awed by your productions, so don’t let a disapproving voice deter you from continuing.
PISCES Feb 19–Mar 19
Decide on a course of action regarding a career goal and take the first steps. Starting out is hard but the rest come fast. Trying something new is a great way to motive. While much could go wrong on the path to a new you, the competition is incredibly light. Keep going and a knock out performance is guaranteed.Q
October 4, 2018 |
Issue 285 | Qsaltlake.com
PETS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 57
October 13 | Noon – 4 p.m. | Liberty Park Register today at strutyourmutt.org
58 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | FRIVOLIST
7
the frivolist
Qsaltlake.com |
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
Tips for navigating income disparity in your new-ish relationship BY MIKEY ROX
When you’re
in a relationship, one partner is bound to make more money than the other. Depending on how wide that financial gap, the person with the smaller paycheck can sometimes feel inadequate (whether it’s justified or not), and the insecurity of earning less may cause problems. There are, however, ways to facilitate healthy discussions about uneven financial affairs that lead to satisfying results for both parties. These seven tips will help facilitate feelings of worthiness and appreciation among partners — even if somebody’s boss is being stingy.
the situation 1 Discuss and expectations
Don’t avoid having a conversation about where each partner stands financially. Pretending that the issue doesn’t exist can lead to resentment. Sit down and talk about how much each of you makes, your savings plan and ultimate financial goals. Discuss how you’ll handle the everyday expenses, too. Perhaps your partner makes enough that he or she doesn’t mind taking on more than you. Maybe you have enough in savings already to contribute equally for the time being. Whatever you decide, make sure that the communication is open and honest and all expectations are clear from the get-go.
2 Do the math
How much difference is there between your two incomes? Does your partner make twice as much as you do? A fair way to divvy up expenses is to base how much each person is required to pay for monthly expenses on how much each person earns in a month. If your partner makes double what you do, it’s a reasonable compromise that they will pay twice as much in rent (or somewhere thereabouts). The discrepancies between salaries should be accommodated at bill time somewhat accordingly.
3
Contribute to a joint recreational account
Many partners who earn less feel guilty that they can’t pay for as much during recreational outings or vacation. To ensure that both partners feel like they’re contributing equally to these activities, consider establishing a joint account. Decide how much you can afford to put in the account on a regular basis — based on the lowest earner’s ability to contribute — and start building up the slush fund. When it’s time to use it, both partners can feel that they each worked equally as hard to enjoy that time together. I don’t, however, recommend combining all your income into one account. Each partner should maintain their own financial independence in some aspects so the waters don’t get too muddy in this regard.
of ways to have free 4 Thinks or inexpensive fun together
If money is particularly tight and saving for entertainment isn’t feasible, research low- or no-cost activities in your area. There are an abundance of activities that don’t cost a dime, like free outdoor movies, bike and kayak rentals, and admission to museums and exhibits, plus plenty of nature-bound DIY fitness activities — all free if you look hard enough. If no one has to put anything out of pocket, no one will feel guilty that one paid more than the other. Another perk: a free activity this time means that you saved even more money for next time.
alternative 5 Consider ways of making cash
It’s a harsh reality, but some careers don’t pay much. If you’re a teacher and your partner is a Wall Street broker, chances are you’ll never earn as much as them. That’s OK. But just because your salary is capped doesn’t mean your creativity has to be. Maybe you’re good at crocheting knit caps that you can sell on Etsy, or
perhaps you’re a talented graphic designer who can provide freelance services. There are a million ways to make extra money outside of a nine-to-five when you embrace your own motivation.
6 Set limits at gifting times
Holidays can be hard for the financially strapped, so the best way to avoid hurt feelings and disappointment is to set a limit (again, based on what the lower earner can afford) for how much money will be spent. This isn’t difficult to do. As we get older we tend to want less at holiday time anyway (probably because we buy ourselves presents all year round, but that’s another issue), and it’s the thought of the gift that ultimately counts. A limit also helps ensure that the lower earner doesn’t overspend, which could push him or her into deeper — even if perceived — debt.
your partner pays 7 Ifmore, do more
If you’re the lower earner and your partner is willing to take on more of the monthly expenses than you — no questions asked — show your appreciation by doing more of the household chores. Wash the dishes, take out the trash, and make dinner more frequently than he or she does. You’re not getting paid to take on these tasks, per se, but in the real world those chores are considered work for some (people make a living from it) so it’s OK to assign monetary value to the extra time and effort you’re putting in. Taking on more of the households chose when he or she is taking on more of the expenses also is an excellent way to show your thanks in small, thoughtful and inexpensive ways. Q Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist and LGBT lifestyle expert whose work has been published in more than 100 outlets across the world. He spends his time writing from the beach with his dog Jaxon. Connect with Mikey on Instagram @mikeyrox.
October 4, 2018 |
Issue 285 | Qsaltlake.com
FRIVOLIST | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 59
WASATCH Metropolitan Community Church
TRANSFORMING OURSELVES AS WE TRANSFORM THE WORLD
Reclaim your faith with MCC—the world’s oldest and largest LGBTQ+ church! Join us at our new location at Crone’s Hollow, 3834 S Main St, SLC Gathering every Sunday (except the 2nd Sunday) 11:15am–12:15pm
wasatchmcc.org
60 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | FINAL WORD
Qsaltlake.com |
Issue 285 | October 4, 2018
the perils of petunia pap smear
The tale of the Hallowed Weenie Festival The road
BY PETUNIA PAP SMEAR
to being the “Hostess with the Mostess” is fraught with danger and excitement. In the world of hostessing, I hold Hyacinth Bucket (from the British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances) and her special candle light suppers in the highest regard and try to emulate her in every way. With Halloween just passing, I’m reminded of the annual Gender Blender/Hallowed Weenie Festival, which I used to organize in Logan on behalf of the Metropolitan Community Church. The concept of the Gender Blender Party is that the men come dressed as women and vice versa. So throw in the few hunks who will use any excuse to be nearly naked (thank you, God!) and voila, you have a raging—er, party on your hands. On this occasion, we rented the Whittier Community Center, an ancient yet grand elementary school which possesses a magnificent staircase perfect for any dramatic, queenly Scarlet O’Hara-style entrance. There were about 350 people in attendance, many of whom were quite well lubricated with alcohol. The costumes were varied and magnificent. I myself wore my best pink floral muumuu, evocative of Endora from Bewitched. This happened to the perfect dress in which to perform hostess duties, since it allowed full range of movement and most significantly, easy access to my important water-producing private parts. The night started out to be the perfect costume party,
7pm, Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Jan. 21 First Baptist Church, 777 S 1300 E fb.me/matronsofmayhem
but slowly things started to unravel into chaos. We had a couple of drag performances, including one by the late, great “Auntie Fern.” Usually, Fern could walk into any Mormon Relief Society meeting and teach the lesson and not even raise an eyebrow. She was a lovable and also very gravity-enhanced girl approaching 400 pounds. In a vast departure from her normal self, this night Fern wore a skimpy black teddy, carried a bull whip, and used a dildo as her microphone while lip-syncing to “I Don’t Care if the Sun Don’t Shine.” For some reason, this performance sent some of the more timid revelers fleeing into the night. To unravel the evening further, my friend “Dianne,” an actual woman who was also very drunk and must have been experiencing penis envy, was loudly trying to attract an audience so she could prove that she was able to pee while standing up — thankfully into a urinal in the men’s room and not somewhere else. My knowledge of the female anatomy is scant enough that I was very curious as to how this feat could be accomplished. But if curiosity can kill the cat, in this instance it could lay waste to an entire “Throne Room” full of queens. Since the quantum mechanics necessary for such an undertaking defy imagination and all semblance of refinement, I decided that my best hostess option at that juncture was to impersonate Monty Python and RUN AWAY, thus abandoning my inquisitive sisters to ultimately perish in the Vortex of the Vaginal Golden Shower. Later, I stepped outside of the building for a breath of fresh air and to check on the smokers. I was just showing them how I was able to balance my class of punch on my tit, when a police officer approached me, demanding to know who was in charge. He was kind of cute and I have always had a uniform fetish. I was just about to comment on how authentic his costume was (and that I would be more than happy to help him take off that tight gun belt), when I noticed several more of Cache County’s finest posted strategically around the building’s perimeter. Suddenly the
cuteness factor diminished greatly and the specter of a 1960s-style bar raid appeared before my eyes. My biggest worry was that I was wearing the wrong wig to best highlight my delicate features in any potential mug shot. Nervously, I explained that I was in charge while I herded the smokers inside. The police captain drew me away from the door to an awaiting cruiser. At this time I noticed that they had arrived in force, with seven cop cars and a bus (as God is my witness, a bus!) prepared to haul us away. Thankfully, I was able to keep my wits about me. After about 15 minutes of intense questioning — probably to determine if I was drunk or high — I told them this was a church sponsored dance … which got a skeptical response. Trying to be as dignified as possible while dressed as Endora and while suppressing my prison rape fantasies, I told him that my husband was the pastor and I was more than happy to have him come out and talk to them. The officer then got on his radio and called for references for the church and my husband. After what seemed like an eternity, he received confirmation that we were legitimate and even had a special event permit from the city. Clearly disappointed he let me go, cautioning us to be quiet. After my narrow escape from the long arm of the law I returned to the party and tried to keep the underage kids from drinking. A hostess’ work is never done! And the lesson to be learned in all this is that a true queen should constantly be prepared to be arrested at any time. As always, this story leaves us with many important questions: 1. Is it possible to live up to Hyacinth Bucket’s standards? 2. Should I have photographed Dianne peeing for posterity’s sake? 3. Could I have outrun the cops in my heels? 4. Would police handcuffs match my jewelry? 5. Are prison rape fantasies romantic? 6. If balanced on a tit, does a glass of punch taste better? These and other important questions will be answered in future chapters of The Perils of Petunia Pap-Smear. Q
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