QSaltLake Magazine | Issue 347 | May, 2023

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designer Christian Allred sales Michael Aaron, 801-997-9763 x1 sales@qsaltlake.com Meda Thompson, 208-576-1444 meda@qsaltlake.com Rivendell Media, 908-232-2021 ext 200 sales@rivendellmedia.com NATIONAL NEWS editor Craig Ogan contributors Joshua Adamson Pickett, Diane Anderson-Minshall, Chris Azzopardi, Paul Berge, Jeff Berry, Paul Campbell, Laurie BennettCook, Roger Cox, Stephen Dark, Jennifer Dobner, Mikki Enoch, Jack Fertig, Greg Fox, Oriol Gutierrez Jr., Tony Hobday, Ashley Hoyle, Joshua Jones, Christopher Katis, Alpha Mercury, Sam Kelly-Mills, Craig Ogan, Peter Reynolds, Mikey Rox, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Gregg Shapiro, Petunia Pap Smear, Steven Petrow, Ed Sikov, JoSelle Vanderhooft, Ben ­Williams, D’Anne ­Witkowski distribution Roger Cox publisher

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news The top national and world news since last issue you should know

BY CRAIG OGAN

Qsaltlake.com |

phy” by David Leeming. Porter, who has won an Emmy, Tony, and Grammy, quoted the literary and civil rights icon during his 2019 Emmy speech, “As a Black queer man on this planet with relative consciousness, I find myself, like James Baldwin said, ‘in a rage all the time.’ I stand on James Baldwin’s shoulders.” Baldwin’s works include “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” “Notes of a Native Son,” “Another Country,” and “The Fire Next Time.”

Don’t say, do, or be gay in Uganda Senator Baldwin goes for three That lovable lesbian, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., announced she is running for reelection to a third term in Congress. Baldwin made history in 2012 when she became the first out gay senator in the nation and the first woman senator from Wisconsin. In 2018, she won her first reelection bid against an anti-LGBTQ+ opponent. Baldwin spearheaded the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, which repealed the Defense of Marriage Act, federally protecting interracial and same-sex marriages.

No one has, yet, announced a campaign against her.

Billy Porter to Play Baldwin James Baldwin, one of the giants of 20th Century American literature, was an outspoken gay Black writer. He was born in Harlem in 1924, and his work focused on Black identity, sexuality, and culture. “Pose” star Billy Porter will produce and appear as Baldwin in a biopic of the life of the renowned writer and activist. Porter will also co-write the script based on “James Baldwin: A Biogra-

The parliament in Uganda passed a law making some homosexual acts punishable by death. All but two of the 389 legislators voted to criminalize gay sex or promote equality for gays, including capital punishment and life imprisonment sentences for “repeat offenders.”

Marketing news, stand by your brand NASCAR driver Zach Herrin, a gay man, recently returned to racing after a 10-year absence.

NASCAR is famous for the many logos adorning cars, uniforms, and pit crew tools, but Herrin has had trouble attracting major sponsorships.

His team was told by various brands that Herrin doesn’t “fit” within many companies’ multimillion-dollar marketing budgets. So, for his race at Florida’s Daytona Speedway, he teamed up with Lambda Legal, the oldest and largest national legal organization which has supported gay and lesbian people for many years.

On his uniform and car, Herrin featured the Lambda Legal logo and spoke to the media about Lambda’s mission and the dangers of “don’t say gay.”

BUD LIGHT, a brand of Budweiser Brewing, sponsored Tik Tok personality Dylan Mulvaney, in a social

media spot during the NCAA Basketball finals. Mulvaney identifies as a girl in his transgender-promoting, “365 Days of Girlhood” program on social media. Mulvaney feigned ignorance of basketball and the NCAA in the video. A Bud Light VP said they used Mulvaney to freshen an iconic brand and reach an audience different from the male-dominated customers who seemed to like “Fratty Humor.” Since the launch and some controversy, Budweiser stock has dropped 7 percent in value, and beer distributors (who say they did not know this was coming) are seeing a drop in Bud Light sales in the West, Midwest, and South, and Kid Rock posted a video of him shooting (and missing) a case of Bud Light.

Nike also hired Mulvaney to promote women’s sports attire.

Mulvaney appeared in workout leggings like they used in a Tiktok video showing how to tuck a penis to wear tight shorts.

The actor, who has had facial surgery to look more feminine but has not “had top surgery, yet” also modeled a sports bra.

Nike responded to criticism from women athletes about them being “not able to find a real woman” by asking its customers and others to “be nice.”

GLAAD TV report The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’s annual “Where We Are on TV” survey, in its 27th year, analyzed the number of LGBTQ+ regular and recurring characters on scripted series on prime-time broadcast and cable as well as eight major streaming platforms. This year there were 596 regular and recurring LGBTQ+ characters, a decrease of 6.4 percent from the previous year’s 637. Women were 53% and men 44% of LGBTQ+ characters. Among other findings:

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Bisexual characters dropped to 25% from 29%. There were eight asexual characters, up from two in the previous year.

Twenty-seven LGBTQ+ characters were portrayed as having a disability. The 32 transgender characters represented a decrease of 10 from last year.

See the full survey at glaad.org.

Florida classroom regs may jump grades Florida is moving to forbid classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades. The policy was initially meant for grades K–4. The proposal, which would not require legislative approval, is before the State Board of Education.

Drag fundraiser canceled, called blackface West Texas A&M University President Walter Wendler canceled a student-run drag show, arguing that the art form is offensive to women and comparing it to blackface. He wrote in an email, “Drag shows stereotype women in cartoon-like extremes for the amusement of others and discriminate against womanhood. He wrote the university would not support ‘blackface’ performances, “Even if the performance is a form of free speech or intended as humor. It is wrong.” The event was a fundraiser for The Trevor Project, a youth suicide prevention and crisis program.” Students protested with rainbow-colored posters that said, “Don’t drag us down” and “Women who love drag.”

Historic AMA President The first openly gay person to lead the American Medical

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Association is Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld. He is an anesthesiologist, Navy combat veteran, and father of two young children.

While “physician pocketbook” issues remain a big focus, AMA won widespread praise for announcing a plan to dismantle structural racism within the U.S. medical establishment

Velma’s Voice Honored A National Medal of Arts was presented to Mindy Kaling, an actor, writer, and producer.

She is the executive producer of “Velma” a spin-off from the cartoon dog show, “Scooby-Doo.” Kaling also voices the cartoon character, Velma, who this year was portrayed as a lesbian. The cartoon on HBO Max has been criticized for featuring sexual and gender themes, nudity, gore and IMDB reports viewership is very low.

at Madison Square Garden and how Griffith was haunted by it for the rest of his life.

Same-sex couples and IPV

Bisexual-themed opera Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated composer and jazz musician Terence Blanchard penned an opera, which will be part of New Yorl’s Metropolitan Opera season this year. “Champion,” called an “opera in jazz,” is based on Hall of Fame boxer Emile Griffith’s life. Griffith, who revealed he was bisexual before his death, tragically beat an opponent so badly in 1962 that the opponent died days later. In “Champion” Blanchard recounts how an environment of hyper-masculinity and homophobia led to the fatal fight

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A new study from Rutgers University found a significant increase in intimate partner violence in same-sex relationships during the COVID pandemic and shutdown. IPV grew most in same sex couples reporting IPV before the pandemic. Couples in the South reported higher depression and IPV than other regions. The study said IPV was reported by 61% of bisexual women, 43% of lesbian women, 37% of bisexual men, and 26% of homosexual men compared to 35% of heterosexual women and 29% of heterosexual men.

Tennessee ground zero The mayor of Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb 30 minutes outside Nashville, cast the

tie-breaking vote to approve a permit for the municipality’s Pride festival this year. In other years there was never much controversy. This year the state has seen a lot of controversy and tragedy with an LGBTQ+ theme. The state banned minors from receiving hormonal and surgical therapies for the purpose of “gender-change.” A mass shooting at a school was perpetrated by a former student who has been reported to be in “gender transition.” Police have not released the shooter’s “manifesto” which may have explained the motive of the shooter or confirmed the transition. The state legislature passed and the governor signed a ban on drag shows in public.

That law has been stayed by a court, but Franklin Pride organizers decided, because of all the controversy, not to feature drag performances at this year’s festival. Q

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Utah governor signs conversion therapy ban into law Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed into law a bill prohibiting therapists from subjecting youth to conversion therapy, a dangerous practice that seeks to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Cox’s signature follows historic votes in the Utah House and Senate, which marked the first time that both chambers of a state legislature have voted unanimously in favor of a bill prohibiting conversion therapy for minors.

In 2020, the Utah Division of Professional Licensing adopted a policy barring conversion therapy for minors.

The Utah Legislature has now taken action to codify that prohibition in state law, as 19 other states and the District of Columbia have also done.

“Utah has shown again

that LGBTQ advocates and political conservatives can work together to protect families from proven harm,”

said Mathew Shurka, a conversion therapy survivor and co-founder of Born Perfect.

“Conversion therapy tore my own family apart when conversion therapists – as they so often do — taught me to blame my parents for my orientation. Utah’s law protecting LGBTQ youth recognizes that LGBTQ youth and their families are part of every community. We believe every child is born perfect.”

“Utah’s leadership as the most conservative state to address this issue shows how rapidly attitudes toward LGBTQ youth are changing,” said National Center for Lesbian Rights Legal

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Director Shannon Minter. “People from all walks of life recognize that public officials have a responsibility to protect vulnerable youth from this life-threatening harm. We are grateful to Equality Utah for their unwavering commitment to this issue, and to Utah lawmakers for their leadership.”

Conversion therapy has been rejected as unnecessary, ineffective, and harmful by every major medical and mental health organization in the country, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Q

National softball tournament to be held in Salt Lake City May 26–28 Salt Lake City was selected by the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance to host its annual LGBTQ+ softball tournament. The games will take place from May 26–28, at the Valley Regional Complex in Taylorsville and the Larry H Miller Softball Complex in Millcreek. Teams from NAGAAA organizations across the United States and Canada will compete in the elite A and B divisions to determine the NAGAAA Cup Champions.

In addition to the tournament, teams will also have the opportunity to qualify for the

Gay Softball World Series. The public is invited to attend and show support for the participating teams. A big party will be held to bring the community together in support and unity.

Salt Lake City was chosen as the host city due to its natural beauty and the warm welcome extended by the entire culture.

NAGAAA Commissioner John Deffee expressed his surprise at the friendliness and acceptance shown by Salt Lake City’s residents.

With more than 80 percent of NAGAAA’s teams located on the West Coast, attendance

is expected to be robust, with an estimated 1,100 attendees.

The tournament is anticipated to have an estimated economic impact of more than $1 million on the community.

Clay Partain, managing director of Sports Salt Lake, highlighted the city’s inclusive culture, which embraces differences and encourages new perspectives. Tanya Hawkins, Co-CEO at the Utah Pride Center, emphasized the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in athletics to create a safe and welcoming place at sporting events. Q

NY lawmaker calls for travel ban to Utah, other states for anti-trans laws New York State Assemblymember Daniel O’Donnell urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to prohibit all non-essential travel to six states that have recently passed bills targeting transgender individuals and the broader LGBTQ+ community.

O’Donnell, who played a leading role in the campaign to pass marriage equality in New Rep. Daniel O’Donnell, Manhattan York State, wrote a letter

to the governor requesting an executive order to ban non-essential state travel to Arkansas, Mississippi, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia.

The states have enacted legislation that limits gender-affirming care for youth, curtails drag shows, and gives individuals the right to discriminate based on religious beliefs, among other things. O’Donnell argued that these laws pose a clear threat to New York State residents visiting these states and send a message that LGBTQ+ people are not welcome or safe.

New York has taken similar steps in the past, such as when it barred travel to Mississippi in 2016 due to an anti-marriage equality law and restricted travel to North Carolina in response to the state’s transphobic bathroom bill.

In response to O’Donnell’s letter, a spokesperson for Hochul said that the governor “is an ally and steadfast supporter of the trans community, and we will review the letter.” Q

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QSaltLake Lagoon Day set for Aug. 13

Pride flags removed from Lehi, Utah, school

Rainbow pride flags were taken down at Skyridge High School in Utah after the district administration ordered their removal to avoid controversy amid recent conservative outcry regarding teachers supporting the LGBTQ+ community. The Alpine School District, the largest in Utah, stated that it was following policy prohibiting any “political, religious or personal” displays in the classroom.

The move has angered LGBTQ+ students and allies, with 16-year-old bisexual student Olivia Brown stating that she feels “hurt and upset” and believes the district has “abandoned” its students. The flags had been considered a symbol of safety and belonging by students who identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community. The removal of the flags has also resulted in increased vocal opposition to the students’ identities, with instances of name-calling and taunts.

In response, students held a silent protest where they wore rainbow clothes and pins to show their solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.

Another group of students also protested by waving a massive American flag and taunting students wearing rainbow colors. Some targeted students also reported being threatened with knives.

Brown started an on-

line petition to have the flags reinstated in the school classrooms.

“Not only were these pride flags something that was not harming anyone, it represents inclusion and love of everyone. As a student of this teacher, walking into her classroom for the first time and seeing that pride flag made me feel safe,” Brown wrote in the petition. “Signing this petition will hopefully get the attention of Skyridge High school and get the pride flags back up in the teachers classroom. It will hopefully provide proof that the pride flags are something that mean a lot to both lgbtq+ students and all students in general.”

At press time, 3,000 people signed the petition.

The school put a message on the front entrance of Skyridge High, written in block letters, stating, “You belong here.” About 2,500 students who attend the Lehi school walk under the sign every day as they head to classes. However, according to Brown and other LGBTQ+ students, these words are meaningless without concrete actions from the school and district to ensure the protection of marginalized individuals. They say they will continue to fight and attend school board meetings to demand that the pride flags be returned to the empty spaces where they were removed. Q

One day each summer, Utah’s queer community floods Lagoon theme park with red.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community and their supporters will take over the park for the QSaltLake Day at Lagoon this year on Sunday, Aug. 13.

The event attracts hundreds of people each year, possibly as many as 2,000. Supporters are encouraged to wear red shirts and stop by the QSaltLake pavilion — the Honey Locust Pavilion— for a group photo at 4 p.m. and to mingle with other queers and allies.

The pavilion is open the entire day and is a popular place to have lunch, take a break, and mingle with the Matrons

of Mayhem. The event is also sponsored by Club Try-Angles, which will open at 6 p.m. that day so employees can join in the festivities.

QSaltLake Lagoon Day is open to all participants, and there will also be many people who are not aware of the day, but the overall atmosphere is very open and accepting.

This year, Lagoon is scheduled to open its next in-house coaster creation after seven years of construction. It has already been named one of the 10 most anticipated new theme park rides for 2023 by coaster enthusiasts. Q A discount code for online tickets will be available at the end of July

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Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce opens Southern Utah chapter

BY PETER REYNOLDS

Southwestern Utah will soon have added support for the LGBTQ community.

The Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce formed its first regional chapter in Southern Utah. Led by Southern Utah Chamber Chair Mel Nimer and Southern Utah Safe Zone Chair Amberlyn Storey, the chapter will provide businesses and commuMel Nimer nity members in Washington County and the surrounding area opportunities throughout the year to access business development resources and funding, book free SafeZone inclusivity training for their staff, and connect with other like-minded business owners.

“As the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce and SafeZone Utah, we are committed to supporting a healthy economy throughout our State, to providing opportunities for LGBTQ+ and Allied businesses to thrive, and to fostering inclusive and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ community mem-

bers,” Liz Pitts, CEO and president of the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber wrote in a statement. “Operating a chapter in Southern Utah is critical to our mission, and we are thrilled to be working in support of local businesses and community organizations in Washington County and the surrounding area.”

“What we see is larger numbers of college students coming into the area who are generally very open to LGBTQ+ issues, and a growing and diverse group of new residents arriving from other states. We want to promote a welcoming business presence,” Nimer said.

Member businesses and affiliated agencies in five southern counties will be invited to participate in the new chapter.

Local government leaders have participated in local unifying efforts, including St. George Mayor Michele Randall and at least one St. George City Council member.

Chapter members are helping to promote a drag bingo fundraiser in St. George, conducted by Safe Zone Utah, a program that was spawned by the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce. Drag Bingo will be presented April 2 from 6–8 pm at Caffe Elevato in St. George. For further details or to make a donation of door prizes inquire at Amberlyn.Storey@safezoneutah.org.

Other chapter events in southern Utah are currently in planning for late Spring.

The Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce promotes business contacts, works with economic development, and provides fundraising for community activities without regard to sexual or gender identity or gender expression. A memAmberlyn Storey ber directory is published on its website, listing member corporations, sole proprietorships, and independent agents.

SafeZone is a network for awareness and education, and in Utah is sponsored by the Chamber. The Southern Utah SafeZone trainer is Amberlyn Storey.

SafeZone shares resources for anti-bullying, domestic violence, homelessness, and suicide prevention. Storey offers local businesses a two-hour experiential program for employees on creating a “safe zone” within their company. Two other trainers are located in central and northern Utah Q.

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Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber to host Queer Food FEASTival Following last year’s sold out inaugural event, the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber is holding its 2nd annual Queer Food FEASTival, a “taste-of” event with a queer twist.

In partnership with small, local, queer, and allied restaurants, entertainers, and providers of spirits, the Chamber will present a springtime celebration of community and abundance.

The focus of the FEAST will not only be the food, but also the nourishment we provide each other through gathering and breaking bread.

The evening 21+ event will feature culinary cre-

ations, sumptuous ciders, craft cocktails, party games, and entertainment.

The event will take place May 12 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Mountain West Hard Cider 425 North 400 West in Salt Lake City.

Participants will enjoy food and drink from Laziz Kitchen, Sugarhouse Coffee, Sweet Hazel & Co., Kahve Café, San Diablo Churros, Tea Zaanti, Fry Me to the Moon, and more.

Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door. Discounted admission is available for Chamber members, students, seniors, people with disabilities, and single parents. Q

New Utah film festival focuses on societal effects of AI Festival passes for the AI International Film Festival, to be held in Park City, Salt Lake City, and online, are now available with early bird pricing. The festival showcases the most innovative films that explore the profound societal effects of GPT-4 and artificial intelligence, as well as films produced using AI technology. The event will showcase almost 60 films from 22 countries.

The event begins with an expert panel on May 11 at the University of Utah.

In-person screenings will take place May 12 through 14 at the Metropolitan Redstone Cinemas in Park City, Utah.

Organizers say the festival offers a unique platform for filmmakers to push creative boundaries and delve into AI-related topics. Attendees can expect a mind-bending film written by ChatGPT with a deepfake actor, a spine-chilling horror flick about AI assistants gone rogue, and an eye-opening documentary on the role of AI in the justice system.

Other films will explore human-humanoid romance and the topic of designer babies born through AI-assisted genetic manipulation.

In addition to film screenings, the festival will feature a panel workshop on May 11th with industry professionals, faculty, and filmmakers discussing the profound impact of GPT-4 and AI on society.

The festival also announced a film contest for Utah high school and college students, offering over $1,000 in prize money and screening at the festival’s awards ceremony.

For those unable to attend in person, nearly 60 films will be streamed on smart TVs, phones, and other devices.

Both virtual and in-person attendees will be encouraged to rate the films and vote for Audience Choice Awards in several categories. In-person attendees can participate in live audience discussions with international directors, actors, and crew. Q Tickets and the schedule of events can be found at aifilmfest.org/festival-passes

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views

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quotes It takes no compromise to give people their rights ... it takes no money to respect the individual.

It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression.

—Harvey Milk

When all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free.

—President Barack Obama

So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.

—Apple CEO Tim Cook

I’ve been embraced by a new community. That’s what happens when you’re finally honest about who you are; you find others like you.

—Chaz Bono

I think being gay is a blessing, and it’s something I am thankful for every single day.

—Anderson Cooper

The single best thing about coming out of the closet is that nobody can insult you by telling you what you’ve just told them.

—Rachel Maddow

I am a strong, Black, lesbian woman. Every single time I say it, I feel so much better.

— Brittney Griner

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who’s your daddy

Drag’s about having fun

BY CHRISTOPHER KATIS

You may

remember from a Who’s Your Daddy that appeared last summer (Peer to Peer) that as a teenager, I was a theater geek. My love for this art form only increased as I grew older. By the time I was in college, I had season tickets to Salt Lake Acting Company. And when I finished grad school, my present from Kelly was tickets to Les Misérables. We went on to be season ticket holders for both Theater Rhinoceros and American Conservatory Theater.

Like books and music, theater, in all its forms, has always been early targets for small-minded politicians with few tangible policies, who therefore create imaginary threats as diversions. We’re seeing it today as a raft of conservatives try to pass legislation banning drag shows. And the reasoning is always the same: to protect the children.

Look, I’m a dad. My number one job since I became a father is to protect my kids.

And over the years, there have been plenty of dangers. But do you know what has never once threatened my kids? Drag queens.

The reason provided by those advocating for legislation that bans these shows and drag-led story times at libraries is simple: these queens are “grooming” kids for later abuse and exploitation. Never mind the lack of evidence that it is actually occurring; the mere idea of this truly

horrifying act is all the excuse necessary for a witch hunt.

And no one wants to stand idly by when kids are in danger – imagined as it may be.

We’ve seen this type of bizarre hysteria before. In the 1980s, the country was in the thrall of a full-blown satanic panic. It started in Manhattan Beach, near Los Angeles.

The mother of a child in a daycare center accused her estranged husband and one of the school’s male teachers of abusing her son. By the time the case went to trial, there were wild accusations of mass abuse at the hands of satanists.

Here’s what’s crazy about the whole affair: after seven years and $15 million in court costs, not a single conviction was made. None of the accusations ever happened, but lives were destroyed.

Of course, not all the concerns expressed about drag shows are as nefarious as abuse. There’s a whole group of folks arguing that kids will be confused about gender.

What? It looks like a lovely lady with a three-foot-tall beehive hairdo, but it’s really a man? I’m confused! Yeah, seeing sweet Petunia Pap Smear in full regalia is really going to confuse children about their own gender identity.

The reality is no one’s kids – mine included – are under any type of threat by drag queens as a group. Moreover, I firmly believe that the most vocal opponents also actually know there’s no threat. But many of their followers don’t. And therein lies the real threat. It

may only be a matter of time before some zealot, fueled by conservative rhetoric, takes matters of “protecting kids” into his own hands.

Personally, I don’t think opponents of drag understand its purpose. But I do. I learned it over three nights back in high school. As a theater geek, I was in my fair share of plays, including The Matchmaker, which is the basis of Hello

Dolly. In one scene, two male characters avoid detection from their boss by donning their female companions’ coats, hats, and gloves.

When my fellow actor and I stood and camped it up in decidedly women’s clothing, we were met with uproarious laughter, hoots, and hollers from the audience. They understood it: drag isn’t a threat; it’s about having fun. Q

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creep of the month

This Nazi Idiot

They say

BY DANNE WITKOWSKI

you can tell a lot about a man by what motivates him to firebomb a building. And if the man says his motivation was a drag queen story hour, that tells you he’s a Nazi.

Such is the case for Aimenn Penny, a 20-year-old Ohio man who attempted to set fire to the Community Church of Chesterland using Molotov cocktails. According to authorities, the act occurred on March 25. Oh, and this guy is a member of White Lives Matter Ohio (insert emoji vomit face).

So, to recap, all of the right-wing uproar over drag queens reading to children has led to a firebombing of a church.

Great work, Proud Nazi Supremacist Christian Boyz, or whatever you call yourself. (Side note: Worst name for a boy band ever).

March 25 wasn’t Penny’s first foray into white supremacist violence. The Advocate reports that back in October, “he was interviewed by the police after distributing racist flyers and making claims that black people were the ‘problem’ and that a civil war was imminent.” So he was already on law enforcement’s radar. Like many of these domestic terrorists are.

And yet, Penny was then part of a protest against a drag queen story hour at Wadsworth Memorial Park on March 11, which attracted “hundreds of armed farright extremists,” according to The Advocate. “Penny … joined members of the group who carried flags with swastikas and yelled homophobic slurs at the drag queen event while wearing military-style

gear and carrying a gun.”

You know, just your average totally normal way to spend an afternoon.

“A number of far-right extremist and religious groups, including the Proud Boys, Patriot Front, III Percenters, White Lives Matter of Ohio, Blood Tribe (a neo-Nazi movement led by former Marine Chris Pohlhaus, who was armed), and unaffiliated conservatives, attended the [March 11] event to disrupt it,” reports The Advocate.

I’d like to call attention to the “unaffiliated conservatives.” I bet a lot of those folks consider themselves good Christians doing the Lord’s work of protecting children from the danger of drag queens.

To those folks I say: Look around you.

YOU’RE ON THE SAME SIDE AS NAZIS. That’s not the side of the “good guys.”

Penny, like so many of these Nazi dumb shits, was radicalized in part by the internet.

“Penny stated that [the] night [of March 25], he became more and more angry after watching internet videos of news feeds and drag shows in France and decided to attack the church,” an affidavit reads, according to The Advocate.

Not sure why he was watching French drag shows. Maybe just to make himself extra enraged. It’s probably a safe assumption that he hates France.

Far-right extremist materials found at Penny’s house including a handwritten manifesto that contained ideological statements, a Nazi flag, Nazi memorabilia, a White Lives Matter of Ohio t-shirt, a

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gas mask, blue painter’s tape, and gas cans.

Everything on that list seems pretty damning, except the blue painter’s tape. I don’t know what that’s for, and I am not going to try to figure it out via Google because I don’t want to end up on a watch list. The White Lives Matter souvenir t-shirt is a nice touch.

I’ve been warning that the escalating right-wing rhetoric around drag queens would lead to violence. Unfortunately, Republicans across the country have sided firmly with domestic terrorists in order to fuel the fire of a culture war they think will help them keep and/or gain political power. Anti-drag and anti-trans laws are favorite policy proposals right now for Republicans.

They truly are a party of hate that has no good ideas and no intention of ever governing in a way that helps people.

According to The Los Angeles Daily News, “at least 35 anti-drag performance bills” have been introduced in state legislatures in 2023.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee just signed a bill banning drag performances from taking place on public property or in venues accessible to minors.

In a recent YouTube video RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars winner Trixie Mattel speaks out against the anti-drag backlash.

“Right now in Tennessee, I can get a gun and carry it around in public, but I can’t put on a fucking wig,” Mattel says.

Drag queens are not a danger to children. The biggest threat to your child at a drag show is that Nazis will show up with guns and molotov cocktails. They are literally the fun police, and they are a clear and present danger that we minimize at our peril. Q D’Anne Witkowski is a writer living with her wife and son.

She has been writing about LGBTQ+ politics for nearly two decades. Follow her on Twitter @MamaDWitkowski.

PHOTO VIA TWITTER

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guest editorial

Drag is part of American history

BY NICOLE MURRAY RAMIREZ

Drag

performances have long been a part of America’s history, including its military, tracing back to the late 1800s. Drag performers were especially popular during World Wars I and II. Both on and off military bases, drag performers raised millions of dollars for the Army Emergency Relief Fund, and President Franklin Roosevelt even attended performances and raved about them. Women soldiers held workshops to teach the soldiers how to dress in drag with lessons in makeup and how to dress in female clothing. Interestingly, because the Armed Services were racially segregated, there would be two ongoing shows separately performed

by Black and white drag performers.

One of my good friends, in fact, was the late Army Sergeant Perry Watkins, who was a proud Black drag queen while in the military. He performed across Europe at military bases with his impersonation of Diana Ross, always ending with standing ovations.

In 1961, a proud Latino World War II veteran, and the most famous drag queen in San Francisco, “Empress” Jose Julio Sarria, became the first openly gay candidate to run for public office. While he did not win his race, Jose went on to found the International Imperial Court system in 1965 (often referred to as the LGBTQ+ Shriners or Elks), which now has chapters in the U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico. These camp, royal-titled drag queens have raised millions of dollars that have benefitted children’s toy drives, Easter egg hunts, women and children’s abuse agencies, and distributed thousands of scholarships through their youth/ student programs. Jose Julio Sarria also co-founded some of the first LGBTQ+ civil rights organizations in the 1960s.

This is why I call Jose “the Rosa Parks of the homosexual civil rights movement.”

And we cannot forget that at the famous Stonewall Uprising in New York City in 1969, when drag queens, queer

youth and trans activists played an important role in this historic threeday uprising. Additionally, many drag performers have been honored by the U.S. Congress, Canadian Parliament, and even by the late Queen Elizabeth II herself.

Drag performers have played important roles in theater around the world, from the Shakespearian days of England to the stages of Japan, as drag performances are considered a true art form and talent.

Countless movies (since the silent film days) and television shows have featured drag queen characters as well. As we all know, one of TV’s most popular shows, the Emmy Award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race, is now in its 15th season.

What’s lesser known is that drag played a vital part in building the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement and fueled our community’s growth. Drag performers played a major role in fundraising and charity causes, and they still do to this day. Funds raised have benefited countless causes and organizations inside and outside the LGBTQ+ community.

So with such a rich history of drag in this country, why are conservative politicians now coming after a community that has done so much for so many? How do you strip away the rights of a few? You launch a fear-based campaign that creates confusion and incites panic in communities. It’s sad that the Right Wing is trying to portray the drag community as predatorial people looking to corrupt the youth of tomorrow when that couldn’t be further from the truth. We lift up our communities. We’re artists, we’re performers, we’re brothers and sisters, we’re parents and we’re children and we’re your neighbors. Most of the time we live our daily lives out of the spotlight passing by people who have no clue we are part of the drag community. While we might go unnoticed outside of drag, we are also a force to reckon with when backed into a corner, and we won’t sit idly while our rights are being stripped away from us.

These politicians are dividing their constituents on issues they think will help mobilize their base. These tactics of sowing fear on baseless issues are a distraction from the real issues facing our country. For every baseless soap box speech spreading hate, these politicians have one less journalist asking them about gun control, women’s healthcare rights, and the economy – or the real issues the LGBTQ community faces, from discrimination to violence. This recent series of anti-LGBTQ legislation is leveraging the popularity of culture under a misguided pretense of ‘protecting our children.’ What our children need protection from is the very people who are creating this divisive legislation while remaining silent on issues that are literally taking the lives of our children.

Recently, the world’s longest-performing drag queen, 92-year-old Darcelle XV of Portland, was honored by the State of Oregon and the City of Portland after her passing. Before she passed, Darcelle and I spoke of the anti-drag bills being introduced across our nation. I promised Darcelle that we — America’s drag queens who have never been in the closet — would continue to fight these homophobic bills and protect this historic American form of expression and art.

It is in this spirit that the drag community, our supporters, our friends and family, and everyone else need to take action to stop this hatred. Support organizations that advocate for equality by signing petitions, volunteering, or donating money. Make your voice heard by contacting the lawmakers who are behind these heinous bills. Take to social media in support of the drag community.

This will not stop with the drag community; it will spread to affect others in the LGBTQ community, people of color, indigenous people, and beyond. I, for one, can’t imagine how boring life would be without drag culture. Our contributions go beyond the glam and glitter. Q San Diego City/County Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez has been a Latino/LGBTQ activist for over 50 years, is one of North America’s most well-known drag queens, and is the “Queen Mother of the Americas.

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UTAH PRIDE

will take place the first weekend of June and this year leaders went to the community to vote for the theme. The community chose “Unapologetic” for this year’s event.

Britt Martinez, adult programs manager for Utah Pride Center, offered up this theme.

“Unapologetic to me means living in authenticity regardless of how the world views us. We are what we are and we’re not taking no for an answer,” Martinez said in a statement.

“This year, that’s exactly the message our community chose to represent our celebrations in June: being Unapologetic is coming out to celebrate our identities together free from fear and imposed standards, free to express our wholeness and beauty,” event leaders stated.

The event will take place June 1 through 4 at Washington Square in downtown Salt Lake City.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS WEDNESDAY, MAY 31

As in previous years, the first event of the week is the PRIDE INTERFAITH WORSHIP SERVICE Wednesday, May

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GOLDBERG, BRIAN JUSTIN CRUM, and DJ GSP. See the Entertainment pages starting on page 20 for bios.

The event is Thursday, June 1 from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Hilton Salt Lake City, 255 S. West Temple.

Ticket includes VIP reception, food, hosted bar, and after party “We are bringing a slice of Hollywood to the Beehive State,” said organizer Jonathan Foulk. “This evening of entertainment and glamour is an all-new addition to our traditional schedule of events. The only thing missing from this incredible gala is you.” The event is 21+ and has separate ticketing, though included in the Utah Pride Total Experience pass.

FRIDAY, JUNE 2 31 at 7pm at First Baptist Church, 777 S 1300 E, Salt Lake City. Organized by the Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service brings together faith communities of many varieties from across the Salt Lake Valley.

THURSDAY, JUNE 1 An evening of glamour and entertainment featuring MONÉT X CHANGE is promised at UTAH PRIDE LIVE. Also appearing are ULTRA NATÉ, DANA

The night kicks off with the PRIDE MARCH AND RALLY at 6 p.m at the Utah State Capitol Building.

“We organize to fight for our rights, safety, and visibility. The Rally and March are a celebration of our identities, and a protest against discrimination. Join the fight on Friday night at the Capitol to hear from our community’s diverse voices, and to show the world your rainbow colors!” wrote organizers.

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SUNDAY

The march will end at the Utah Pride Festival grounds at Washington and Library Squares with the LOUD AND QUEER CONCERT. The concert is headlines by ICONA POP, with TRIXIE MATTEL and ANABEL ENGLUND. See their bios on page 20.

“After our rally at the state Capitol and march to Washington Square, the party officially blasts off,” organizers wrote in a statement. “Be the first to step foot onto the brand new and improved Utah Pride Festival grounds and enjoy a magical evening of music and merriment.”

SATURDAY

Olivia Knowles

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. is YOUTH PRIDE, an outdoor youth party on the grounds of the Festival open to ages 13–20. Music, crafts, drag artists and all the exclusive enjoyment.

Also at 11 a.m. is a DRAG BRUNCH for those over 21 at Shades on State, 366 S. State St. Entertainers include LAWANDA JACKSON, DEXTACI, OLIVIA KNOWLES, TIFFANY

BONET, and KC SUNSHINE. Then on Saturday, the official ­FESTIVAL begins at 1 p.m. at Washington and Library Squares, 450 S. 300 East.

Headliners for the day are DRAMA, LA ROUX, CRYSTAL WATERS, RÊVE, BLACK BELT EAGLE SCOUT, RUBIO, ISIS MURETECH, DAN SLATER, and NINA FLOWERS. Bios on page 20.

Many people’s favorite event of Pride weekends is the UTAH PRIDE PARADE — Utah’s largest LGBTQ+ event of the year with nearly 150,000 spectators and participants. The parade kicks off at 10 a.m. and runs through about noon.

Grandstands will be available this year as well. Check for next month’s QSaltLake for the route and grand marshals.

The most-attended Festival day is always Sunday. This year, the organizers expanded the hours to noon to 11 p.m. Headliners are VINCINT, JORDY, DEBORAH COX, JODIE HARSH, CUB SPORT, MARRLO SUZZANNE AND THE GALAXXY BAND, RAFA MAFRA, GSP, and KARSTEN SOLLORS. See bios on page 20.

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PARTICIPATE

VENDORS & FOOD TRUCKS

Those who wish to have a booth at the festival can apply now. Applications close on April 29th and will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. Acceptance status notifications will be sent weekly. Applications received after April 29th may be placed on a waitlist and will be subject to a non-refundable late application fee.

Vendor fees have increased this year. A 10×10 booth will cost $1,500 for applications received by April 29 and $2,000 for late applications. Nonprofits, schools, churches, and governmental agency fees are $750 and $1,000. Food vendors pay 15 percent of sales after taxes and tips, plus participation in providing meals for volunteers.

Some artists reached out to local media about the increase in this year’s booth fees. Last year, the Festival offered a small group of artists and small businesses a shared space, resulting in a $400 fee.

Organizers said that artists or businesses who want to combine on their own this year can make an application to do so.

“We share everyone’s frustrations about the cost increases,” Bandeirinha told the Salt Lake Tribune, adding that the nonprofit’s operation costs have “gone up exponentially.”

“We want to invite these small businesses and small individuals to actu-

ally see where your money is going,” Foulk told Fox 13 News. “It’s not just to put on this festival, it’s actually to provide life-saving programs and services, and that’s why we’re here.”

Financial assistance can be applied for at vendors@utahpridecenter.org.

PARADE APPLICATIONS

Those wishing to be part of the Utah Pride Parade must submit an application by April 29. Applications are available at UtahPride.org.

SPONSORS

There are three types of sponsorships available for this year’s Pride — Community (businesses with under $5 million in annual revenue), Local (businesses and organizations with annual revenue between $5 million and $100 million), and Corporate (over $100 million in annual revenue).

VOLUNTEERS

Hundreds of volunteers are needed to help run the festival, plus to help run peer-to-peer programs at the Center.

Applications will open soon here.

COMMITTEE

This year’s organizing committee is Jonathan Foulk, co-CEO of development and operations; Rosa Bandeirinha, communications director; Ted Nicholls, operations director; Zeb Williams, special events manager; and Chad Call, parade director.

Applications for performers, sponsors, vendors, and volunteers are at the new utahpride.org website.

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UTAH PR!DE 2023

HEADLINER ENTERTAINMENT The stages

at Utah Pride 2023 will be packed full of queer entertainment from Thursday night’s Utah Pride LIVE! until the Festival closes Sunday night.

Here are some of the already-announced acts from across the globe that will get your booties moving.

THURSDAY NIGHT’S UTAH PRIDE LIVE!

MONÉT X CHANGE

Born and bred in New York City, Monét X Change is an entertainment spitfire and the first double-crown winner from RuPaul’s Drag Race, having earned the title Miss Congeniality on Season 10 and becoming the first queen of color inducted into the Hall of Fame after winning All-Stars 4.

Known for delivering energetic and show-stopping performances, Monet’s showmanship is a reflection of a tireless work ethic to cultivate and perfect her immaculate lip-syncing skills, comedic chops, and (mostly) pitch-perfect live singing skills.

nature on stage. Her quick wit and playful stage presence have her earning loyal fans across the country and abroad.

Goldberg has raised over 30 million dollars for non-profits around the country in the fight for marriage equality, LGBT rights, women’s health, and HIV and AIDS education and prevention.

ULTRA NATÉ

Baltimore singer/songwriter/ DJ/producer and music legend Ultra Naté has long been adored by electronic, dance and pop fans since the early 90’s. Ultra is celebrating her 30th plus year in the game having debuted on the scene in 1989 with the with the early underground favorite, It’s Over Now and her revered 1990 album, “Blue Notes In the Basement,” which spawned the hits Rejoicing, Deeper Love, Scandal and Is It Love?. She is honored to be considered an icon of the Dance and LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

DANA GOLDBERG

Veteran host and comedian Dana Goldberg is a force of

BRIAN JUSTIN CRUM

BJC is a singer-songwriter currently creating in Los Angeles. He is known for his soaring vocals and emotional storytelling. His first single “Show Me Love” reached #2 on the Billboard Dance charts.

He became a viral sensation with his cover of Radiohead’s “CREEP” on America’s Got Talent with over 100 Million views online He got his start on Broadway at just 17 years old. From “Wicked” and Pulitzer Prize winning “Next to Normal” to QUEENS rock theatrical “We Will Rock You.” BJC has sold out concerts all over the world. His first single “Other Side” was released during Pride last year.

GSP

DJ GSP, aka Georgios Spiliopoulos, is a native of Athens, Greece, who has been a professional DJ for more than 15 years. He is known worldwide for his mostly Tech and Progressive House with a touch of Tribal Percussions and lots of vocals. He is also a music producer, event organizer and promoter, graphic designer, and record label owner. He has lived in London, Rio De Janeiro, Los Angeles, and now makes his home in Salt Lake City.

FRIDAY OPENING CONCERT

ICONA POP

Icona Pop is a Swedish pop duo consisting of Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo. They rose to international fame with their hit single “I Love It” in 2012, which became a glob-

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al chart-topper and an instant club classic. Known for their catchy electro-pop sound and energetic live performances, Icona Pop has become a popular favorite among the LGBT community, thanks in part to their upbeat, empowering anthems and their vocal support for LGBT rights. They have performed at numerous Pride events around the world, including Stockholm Pride and San Francisco Pride, and have frequently collaborated with openly gay artists such as Charli XCX and Zara Larsson.

In addition to their music, Icona Pop has also been involved in various LGBT activism campaigns, such as the “Love Is Love” campaign in support of same-sex marriage.

TRIXIE MATTEL

Trixie Mattel, a popular drag queen from RuPaul’s Drag Race, is known for their folk music and drag performances.

In 2015, they ranked sixth in season seven, but in 2018 won Season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. Their debut album “Two Birds” (2017), showcased their unique blend of country-folk and drag, followed by “One Stone” and “Barbara.” Mattel also hosts TV shows such as “The Trixie & Katya Show” and “Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts.”

ANABEL ENGLUND

Anabel Englund is a rising star in electronic music, collaborating with industry heavyweights like MK, Hot

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Natured, and Jamie Jones.

She’s performed at Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Ultra Music Festival, and is a staunch advocate for LGBTQ rights, using her platform to raise awareness and promote equality. With a soulful sound and infectious energy, Englund is a favorite among dance music fans, inspiring audiences and making the world a better place.

SATURDAY

DRAMA (DJ SET)

DRAMA is the multicultural collaboration between producer Na’el Shehade’s chic Chicago house-infused production style, and vocalist Via Rosa whose soulful delivery is inspired by the improvisational nature of jazz and playful patterns of hiphop and bossa nova. The duo plays to the complementary dynamics of their unlikely pairing by blurring the lines between R&B and dancepop, heartbreak, and bliss.

NINA FLOWERS

Jorge Flores, aka NINA FLOWERS, was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.He began his career in music in 1989, where he became a resident DJ at one of the most prestigious clubs in the Caribbean. He brings “The lights, the music, the stage, and the crowd – putting it all together – magic in the making”

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SUNDAY CRYSTAL WATERS

BLACK BELT EAGLE SCOUT

DEBORAH COX

American singer-songwriter and producer Crystal Waters is known as the Queen of House Music with a powerful voice and energetic dance tracks. She is perhaps best known for her hit song “Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless),” released in 1991 and quickly became a dance floor anthem.

In addition to her success in the music industry, Waters has also been recognized for her activism and advocacy work, including her outspoken support for LGBT rights.

In 2014, she performed at the 25th Anniversary of the GLAAD Media Awards, and has spoken publicly about the importance of representation and visibility for the LGBT community in the entertainment industry.

Katherine Paul, better known as Black Belt Eagle Scout, draws on her roots in her family’s Skagit Valley Singers drum group, where she first learned to drum. Her third album, “The Land, the Water, the Sky,” was released in January and showcases her dynamic percussion skills, creating a frictionless momentum throughout the intimate and deeply personal project. With her unique blend of traditional indigenous sounds and contemporary indie rock, Katherine Paul continues to establish herself as an important and inspiring voice in the music industry.

Deborah Cox is a Canadian-born singer-songwriter and actress who achieved worldwide success with her powerful vocals and impressive range. She rose to fame with her hit single “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here,” which spent a record-breaking 14 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Cox has collaborated with notable artists such as Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, and received critical acclaim for her Broadway performances in shows like “Aida” and “Jekyll & Hyde.”

She has played many pride festivals, including two World Prides. Last year she was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

RUBIO

RÊVE Canadian singer-songwriter Briannah Donolo, professionally known as Rêve, is a self-proclaimed “messy singer of songs” and Pisces sun. Her social media presence reflects her passion for music and storytelling. Her latest single, “Whitney,” pays tribute to her childhood inspirations and the determination to pursue her dreams. The song, written six years ago in her bedroom, is a relatable anthem for aspiring artists with lofty goals and “no Plan-B.”

Fran Straube is a multi-talented artist who excels in songwriting, singing, playing multiple instruments, producing, modeling, and acting. While playing with bands like Picnic Kibun and Fármacos, their stardom came with the alt-rock group Miss Garrison. The success of the band sparked Straube’s interest in electronic music, and they launched their solo project Rubio. The project, influenced by mysticism, folk instruments, and digital percussion techniques, has become one of the most exciting and innovative musical projects in Chile. Rubio has taken their sound to international stages, including performances at SXSW, Primavera Sound, and Festival NRMAL in Mexico.

VINCINT Vincint is an openly gay singer-songwriter from Philadelphia who gained widespread recognition for his powerful vocals on Fox’s The Four: Battle for Stardom. He has since released a series of successful singles, including “Marrow” and “Please Don’t Fall in Love.”

He was nominated by GLAAD Media Awards as Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist for his debut album, “There Will Be Tears.” Vincint’s mission, in his own words, is “to make you cry and make you dance.”

JORDY Openly gay singer-songwriter Jordy has been releasing music since 2017, steadily building a repertoire of hooky, sweet-sounding pop songs. His debut album, Mind Games, dropped in 2021, and he’s collaborated with fellow rising indie-pop acts like Joy Oladokun, Emma Løv, and Loote. He was nominated for Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist at the GLAAD Media Awards in 2021. He just released his second album, titled “Boy,” which includes a re-imagined song from 2000 that he calls, “The Story of a Boy.”

JODIE HARSH Jodie Harsh is a London-based DJ, music producer, promoter, and drag queen. She played herself in “Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie,” and was declared “Britain’s Best-Known Drag Queen” by Out Magazine. In 2021, she signed to Warner Records and has since released four singles, including “Hectic” earlier this year.

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CUB SPORT Cub Sport is an Australian pop group that has released five studio albums, This Is Our Vice (2016), Bats (2017), Cub Sport (2019), Like Nirvana (2020) and earlier this year, Jesus at the Gay Bar (2023).

Lead vocalist Tim Nelson and vocalist and keyboardist Sam “Bolan” Netterfield married in 2018. Their songs continually share insight into gender and sexuality, and they campaigned for marriage quality well before it became legal in Australia. They played this year’s World Pride, which was in the Southern Hemisphere for the first time.

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MARRLO SUZZANNE & THE GALAXY BAND Marrrlo Suzzanne and the Galaxxy Band is a group of powerful live vocalist drag queens and their kick-ass band. They perform rock anthems from various decades at their shows. Their theatrical shows include elaborate costumes, exaggerated makeup, and even bigger hair!

They are a blend of current drag culture and classic rock music. Their live music, choreography, and stunning vocals will get you off your feet.

More entertainment will be announced as the event gets closer. Those looking to be on stage at the event can apply at utahpride.org/applications/entertainers Applications close on April 29th and will be reviewed on a first-come first-served basis. Acceptance status notifications will be sent weekly.

Utah Pride tickets are on sale now at utahpride.org.

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Regional Prides Davis County Pride Davis County’s second annual Pride is MAY 6 at Layton Commons Park, 437 North Wasatch Drive, Layton Utah, from noon to 6 p.m. More info at daviscountypride.org

Pride of Southern Utah Pride in St. George has not yet announced a date. Watch for more information at prideofsouthernutah.org

Helper, Utah Pride Vibes Yes, Helper Utah has a Pride, in its second year. Saturday, JUNE 10 from 5 to 10:30 p.m. on Helper’s Historic Main Street. Entertainment this year is Early Successional and Talia Keys. There are vendors and food trucks available. helpervibes.com.

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Utah Trans Pride The fourth annnual Utah Trans Pride event, hosted by Gennderbands, will take place Saturday AUGUST 12 from 1 to 7 p.m. Watch genderbands.org for location and more details.

Provo Pride Last year, Provo Pride was canceled days before it was to happen. See ProvoPride.org to see if one happens this year.

Ogden Pride The 9th annual Ogden Pride has been announced for AUGUST 4–6 with the theme “The Future is Inclusive.”

Idaho Falls Pride This year’s Idaho Falls Pride Parade & Festival will be Saturday June 24th. More at IdahoFallsPride.org As more regional prides are announced, watch qsaltlake.com.

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Decisions That I Regret

40 Queen of “The 7 Like LGBT employment discrimination Equalizer” 8 “Va-va-va-___!”

43 Road reversals 47 Area for round balls 9 Like rival divas ACROSS 10 “___ De-Lovely” 48 Come and go 1 Debussy work, with 50 Fuel in Jamie 11 Tom Hulce’s nemesis “de Lune” in “Amadeus” O’Neill’s country 6 Opera figure 12 Land of Princess Di 51 Novelist de Balzac 10 Library ID 13 Bitch’s collar attach53 Get better 14 Civic-minded comment 55 Crime lab stuff pany?

56 Offspring of a queen 21 Start of a WNBA 15 What little things game 57 End of the quote mean, in a Cher song 60 Famous Queens Park 22 Confidential matter 16 Georgia spread on 27 Full of angst 62 Japanese attack the screen 29 Street associated word 17 Room at the top with Harvey Milk 63 Zipper piece 18 Farmer’s tool 31 Rimbaud portrayer 64 Mick Jagger has a 19 Like a Muscle Mary DiCaprio, to pals pair of them who works out 34 ___ de ballet 65 Overwhelming 20 What 40-Across did 36 Cole Porter, et al., defeat with “decisions that 66 Make heady to Yale I regret” 38 Organ pleasured by 67 Tongue of Wilde’s 23 Sodom suffix Britten land 24 Animated dog 40 More nuts 68 Composer Thomas 25 Emulate Clay Aiken 69 Did Rex Reed’s job 41 Uncles in drag?

26 Do a microwave task 42 Billy Bean’s four-bagDOWN 28 Actor McCormack ger 1 Sat on, as the boss 30 Blast from a bell 44 John Grey, in “Out2 Event for drawers 32 Senate house, to lander,” e.g.

3 Composer Dvorak Caesar 45 Broadway title wom4 Prefix that means 33 Live wire an of 1925 “queer” 35 More of the quote 46 Hid away 5 They hold balls in 37 Like sex with a 47 Use plastic at 52 Actor who gets no pool halls condom Barneys 39 Jackie’s designer 6 Moon over the Niles? 49 Make fizzy credit PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 36

54 Try to put a restraint 59 Vincent Lopez on theme song 58 “Alas! ___ Yorick” 61 U-turn from NNW

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PUZZLES | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 27

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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: Easy

9

9

5

3

6 7 8 4 6

4 5 1 8 7 4 2 9 2 6 9

7 5 2 4 3 4 6 7 7 5 2 8 3 2 6 7 1 1 3 8 9 8 7 7 4 5 3 2 7 8 9 1 4 6 1 8 5 7 1 5 3 1 5 6 5 3 6 4 3 8 8 1 3 6 8 8 2 1 9 3 1 3 8 9 6 4 3 5 2 1 7 6 3 9 5 6 5 4 2 6 2 3 8 5 1 2 5 9 7 2 8 7 4 8 5 7 1 4 9 3 8 6 9 4 3 4 7 1 9 1 9 2 6 9 5 3

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PTC to present Utah premiere of 7-time Tony Awardnominated musical ‘The Prom’

Pioneer Theatre Company announced the Utah premiere of “The Prom,” a 7-time Tony-nominated musical from the team behind another PTC favorite: “Elf The Musical.”

The production features music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics

by Chad Beguelin, and a book

by Bob Martin and Beguelin, and is based on an original concept by Jack Viertel. Directed and choreographed by PTC Artistic Director Karen Azenberg, the show will run from May 12 through 27, 2023.

“The Prom” tells the story of four fading Broadway stars who hear of a small-town Indiana prom where trouble is brewing because one student wants to bring her girlfriend.

The parents want to keep the dance straight, but Broadway’s brassiest come to join the fight, and they are ready to kick-ball-change the world.

“The Prom, with its feelgood message of love and acceptance, is exactly what our world needs right now,” said director/choreographer Karen Azenberg. “PTC couldn’t exist without the LGBTQIA+

community, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring such a celebration of diversity — not to mention a great musical — to Utah for the very first time.”

Returning to PTC are Anne Tolpegin (Mrs. Lovett in PTC’s “Sweeney Todd,” “Les Miserables” on Broadway) as Dee Dee Allen, and ensemble members Lucy Anders, Kyle Caress, Howard Kaye, Micki Martinez, and JP Qualters.

The cast also includes several newcomers, including Josh Adamson (“General Hospital”) as Trent Oliver, Bernard Dotson (“Ragtime” original Broadway cast) as Mr. Hawkins, Mia Cherise Hall (“Alter Ego” on Fox) as Alyssa Greene, Celeste Rose (“We Are the Tigers,” Off Broadway) as Emma Nolan, and Wendy Waring (Ulla in Broadway’s “The Producers) as Angie Dickinson.

“The Prom” is a celebration of diversity and a timely message of love and acceptance that is sure to be a hit with PTC audiences. Tickets are available now at PioneerTheatre.org or by calling PTC’s Box Office at 801-581-6961 Q

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BOOK REVIEW | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 29

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the bookworm sez REVIEW BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

‘Pat in the City: My Life of Fashion, Style, and Breaking All the Rules’

BY PATRICIA FIELD, C.2023, DEY STREET BOOKS, $35, 272 PAGES

The shirt’s just a little too big.

But that’s no problem; you’d rather your shirts be looser anyhow. Pants, they’re another matter; they need to be snug all over. You have your own sense of style, and you wear it fabulously. In the new book “Pat in the City” by Patricia Field, read about an icon’s journey into clothes, clubs, and couture.

Almost from the time she was born, little Patricia

Haig (later, Field) knew that clothing made a statement.

She knew it while wearing her cowgirl outfit to play when she clothes-shopped with her aunts and when recalling her father, who was “handsome, sweet, and mild” and who died when she was small. Adoption later changed her surname, but not her love of clothing.

Working in her mother’s dry-cleaning “shop” as a kid, Field learned all about fabrics; her aunts’ forays into fashion taught her even more.

She “always had beautiful clothes,” although a pair of men’s-style pants discovered in a small boutique in the mid-1950s was life-changing.

Field entered college and landed dual degrees in philosophy and political science, though she says, “style came easy to me.” By then, she’d turned away from ’50s femininity, preferring an androgynous look. She also learned that she pre-

ferred women as partners.

One of them was a partner in Field’s first business, a small shop near NYU in Manhattan that opened in 1966. In 1971, they opened a larger store, calling it “Patricia Field.”

Partly due to her contacts with designers, Field sold inventive, trendy, “nouveau glamour” outfits to clubbers who made Studio 54 the “high-octane” place it was then. Field dressed a lot of celebrity clubbers, too, which led her to the ballroom scene, where she became a House “Father” and a part of vogueing history.

And then someone suggested to someone else that Field would make a great costumer for an upcoming movie…

If you could somehow take two books by a good author and smash them together to make one, that’s what you’d have with “Pat in the City.”

This book is divided almost cleanly in two and almost with separate reader-audiences.

Networking will get you what you are looking for, though be prepared for some added responsibilities.

information is bound to cause a mess if revealed to a loved one.

In the first part, author Patricia Field shares her biography, her childhood, her formative years, and the awakening of her personal sense of style.

Fashionistas won’t be able to put those pages aside, nor will anyone who attended any New York City club with any regularity back in the day. This half of Field’s book drips with disco lights and ballroom “reads.”

Celebrities stretch into the second half, as Field writes about being the costumer for Sex in the City, the friendships she struck up with its cast, and how the iconic opening scene came to be. This part of the book – likewise glittering with big names and big productions – is for younger readers and Hollywood watchers. Reading this book is like time-travel to the ’70s and a backstage peek at your favorite show. If you love clothes and people who love fashion, then get “Pat in the City.” It fits. Q

q scopes MAY

BY SAM KELLEY-MILLS

ARIES March 20–April 19

Change has always been cleansing to you, and this is a great time to refresh and renew.

Time alone will do you good but make time for those who make you laugh. A big surprise could come in the form of an explosive force.

Enjoy letting go of some tension.

TAURUS Apr 20–May 20

The time for sleep will elude you this month.

With a calendar filled to the brim, you may find life overwhelming.

Mix a little fun into your obligatory activities to keep your spirits high.

A relationship or close friendship will expand your vision of the world if you take the time to look.

GEMINI May 21–June 20

Blow off some steam by jumping into an amazing project.

A short trip or adventure will be very desirable. Don’t sweat the small stuff, and embrace challenging people.

CANCER June 21–July 22

When you spill the milk, don’t cry. Find some cream instead! The loss of something plain leads to something better. Love is always abundant, and your popularity will ensure a good time this month.

Keep your chin up, Cancer. Things are about to get very interesting.

LEO July 23–August 22

Stop stressing about things you can’t control. Don’t fear the self-expression of others, and start expressing some of your own creative inclinations. It’s not the end project but the process that counts. A career choice could leave you questioning if your head or heart will prevail.

VIRGO August 23–Sep 2

You’ve been questioning your path. Now is the time to try something new. A difference of opinion with a friend will challenge your perceptions, and a fond discovery could set you in motion. An obligatory release of

LIBRA Sept 23–October 22

A flash of inspiration strikes this month. Your artistic medium of choice is your mind, and speech is your canvas. Share ideas with others. A family member who rarely speaks to you may make an appearance. Don’t let the lost time be a burden. It’s time to bond again.

SCORPIO Oct 23–Nov 21

A sense of confusion has been a recurring theme lately.

Take a deep breath and clear your head. Don’t worry about being right all the time but put your focus on what is right for you. Make love to a lover or share a good romp with a friend. You shouldn’t be alone.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22–December 20

Your family life is currently incompatible with your career, or so it seems. Find a balance by getting your priorities straight. The inclination to fight will lead to some passionate times. Channel passion into positive goals, and results will follow.

CAPRICORN Dec 21–Jan 19

Falling off the wagon is never fun, so hold on tight. Keep fiscal responsibility in mind and save your resources for something truly desired. A sleepy period has crept upon you, but a spicy time is right around the corner. Get some rest and be ready for when things heat up.

AQUARIUS Jan 20–Feb 18

Questions are bound to be plentiful while seeking for better understanding of a perplexing person. A dynamic with a co-worker or friend doesn’t go smoothly; it’s time to make things creamier. You may be more alike than you think. Good times will come in the form of a social affair.

PISCES Feb 19–Mar 19

Express yourself and enjoy expressions from others.

Resist the need to issue decrees to friends. Experience simple pleasures, like listening to music or reading a book. Inspiration for your own work will be found. An authority figure will offer resistance; be aware.

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on the street

Kathie Chadbourne of From The Ground Up

BY MELISSA FIELDS

Amelia

Earhart once said, “The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity.” In celebration of Women’s History Month, here is our third profile of truly tenacious Salt Lake City women, each of whom are contributing more than their fair share to downtown’s rich vibrancy.

It was a breezy and overcast Tuesday afternoon in downtown Salt Lake when I met Kathie Chadbourne at her charming east Broadway neighborhood store, From the Ground Up (239 E. 300 South). As we sat at a blue

café table in the middle of her beautifully displayed collection of rocks, plants and petrified wood—along with her tiny kitchen and coffee bar—Kathie greeted each patron who wandered through the door with warm familiarity. They included a construction worker after a bowl of Kathie’s homemade soup of the day (Italian vegetable topped with parmesan encrusted polenta), a pair of phone-toting teenage girls and Kathie’s dear friend, Corrine. Chadbourne explained the eclectic parade of patrons by saying, “I’m all about community.”

As if it wasn’t obvious.

Many Salt Lake residents know Chadbourne as owner and operator of the nowclosed Avenues Bakery and Avenues Bistro on Third.

“Alice Waters is my mentor,” Chadbourne says. “I’m all about local food and investing in the people around me.”

In January 2022, five years after selling Avenues Bistro on Third, Chadbourne was busy with various catering jobs when she had an epiphany. “I was driving around during this huge snowstorm, running from here and there delivering food, when I decided I wanted to open a rock shop,” she says. “When I told my four daughters, they said, ‘it’s about time.’” Serendipitously, the next day while getting a pedicure at Happy Nails on Broadway, she spotted a ‘for rent’ sign in the storefront next door. “The

owner of the space’s business, Missy’s Misc, had decided to move on from the space she’d occupied for years and had put the sign up just night before. I called her and four days later signed the lease for the retail space as well as the apartment above it. And a month later I opened From the Ground Up,” Chadbourne says. As a devoted rockhound for the past 40 years, Chadbourne found most of the stones, fossils, bones, feathers and piece of petrified wood now on display in her lovely little store herself. Her granddaughter, Harper, helped her come up with the store’s name.

“I didn’t want to sell just rocks” in From the Ground Up, Chadbourne added plants to her inventory as well as a small coffee bar and kitchen.

“The difference between a

open daily 7am to 8pm order online at coffeegardenslc.com 801-355-3425 • 878 e harvey milk blvd

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Qsaltlake.com

coffee bar and a coffee shop,” she explains, “is that, when I hand customers their cup of coffee, I do so with the lid off, which encourages them to taste it to make sure it’s to their liking before they leave.” This inherent concern for others inspired her to add soup to the coffee bar’s small menu. “I’d watch all these construction workers walk past my shop with bags from 7-11,” she says. “That’s no kind of food for people who are doing the most dangerous job in America! So now I sell hot, homemade soup, too.”

Not one to rest on her laurels, Chadbourne is in the process of enhancing From the Ground Up in multiple ways. The shop will soon include a fluorescent room, where patrons can see how

the colors of rocks change when they are placed under a black light. She is adding a freezer to her tiny kitchen, allowing her to sell a new line of locally made ice cream. And, “since no one can live on soup alone,” this summer Chadbourne will add made-to-order barbecue and meatball sandwiches to her daily soup offering.

When it was time for me to leave, Chadbourne walked me out and talked about each of the other businesses she proudly shares her funky corner of Broadway with: City Barbers, Jitterbug Antiques, D’Antii Tailor and Abyss Body Piercing and, of course, Happy Nails. “I just love being here,” she says. Q This story first appeared in the Downtown Alliance website, downtownslc.org

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Queer Love Onscreen, In All its Weird and Wonderful Forms

BY SARAH BRICKER HUNT

“Of an Age”

lingers languidly over a hot summer day in Melbourne, where practically nothing of consequence happens, except the complete implosion of main character Kol’s (Elias Anton) entire worldview and self-identity. Australian filmmaker Goran Stolevski is already winning prizes in his home country for the film, which streams on Peacock beginning April 7, and it’s easy to see why.

The movie focuses mostly on just a handful of hours, as we see 18-year-old, Serbian-native Kol (short for Nikola) meet and fall — hard — for his terrible bestie’s older brother, the more worldly Adam. It’s not much of a surprise twist for anyone but Kol; many of the film’s secondary charac-ters assume he’s gay, and Adam clearly has an inkling from the start. But Kol hasn’t faced the facts yet, for a host of reasons, not the least of which is his deep-rooted, anti-queer immigrant family. By the end of their

day and night together, he’s “come of age,” as they say. Love from this point forward will never be the same again. “Of an Age” is a little sad and quite beautiful, like many such tales.

Before seeing this latest entry in cinematic queer love stories, consider this mix of other movies focused on moments that follow queer characters as they navigate what love means to them.

‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower,’ 2012 Even the current woes of actor Ezra Miller can’t overshadow the enduring message of 2012’s “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” The film focuses primarily on Logan Lerman’s Charlie, a teenager experiencing post-traumatic stress related to childhood molestation. But it’s a subplot involving Miller’s character, Patrick, that makes this film one of the best queer coming-of-age movies.

Gorgeous, painfully earnest Patrick

loves Brad, the closeted football hero.

When Patrick’s father beats him after finding the two entangled in a loving embrace, Brad turns cold, Patrick suffers further physical assault from Brad’s teammates and Charlie jumps in to protect him. Ultimately, “Perks” is a story focused not just on the all-too-familiar pain of adolescent rejection within a homophobic high school culture, but on the importance of true, love-based friendship and re-claiming and actually loving the parts of ourselves that can be lost to trauma inflicted by people who are also in pain. As Charlie’s English teacher Mr. Anderson (Paul Rudd) tells him, “We ac-cept the love we think we deserve.”

‘Moonlight,’ 2016 Few films so clearly frame the distinct eras marking a single character’s life as definitively as “Moonlight.” The film, oft-cited as one of the best films of the 21st century (period — not just

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HELPFUL SIDE-BAR FOR STORIES

in the “queer film” category), explores the main character’s life in three stages: Little (his childhood, portrayed by Alex Hibbert), Chiron (his adolescence, played by Ashton Sanders) and Black (his adulthood, portrayed by Trevante Rhodes). Throughout each stage, we see Little/Chiron/Black wrestle with the very real repercussions of being a queer Black boy and, later, man. Love looks an awful lot like pain throughout.

Still, at the heart of it is his true self, which exists no matter how far he tries to run from it. In Act 2, Chiron has a sexual encounter with Kevin, who later hurts him immeasurably (physically and emotionally), but love, as it so often does, endures, even when we try to wish it away. When Kevin reappears in Act 3, everything has changed, but as is so often the case in life, “wherever you go, there you are.” Black reveals that he’s never touched another man besides Kevin and while Kevin is shocked to learn about Black’s life experiences, it’s clear that the love between the two has only grown during their years apart.

‘Love, Simon,’ 2018 “Love, Simon” broke new ground as the first mainstream queer-centered rom-com to hit the big screen. By most accounts, the movie managed to maintain its charm while ticking all the ex-pected rom and com boxes — we all knew what would probably happen within the first 15 minutes, but you couldn’t help but root for sweet Simon Spier, played by Nick Robinson. Simon is a high schooler living in the closet but, in a distinctly modern twist, has fallen in love with an anonymous stranger online.

When a fellow classmate outs Simon, the moment pulls the audience out of its rom-com coma for a moment, and it’s that unexpected jolt of awkwardness that saves “Love, Simon” from fading into formulaic obscurity. Instead of playing it safe and keeping Simon’s pain on the surface, the film gets unexpectedly dark for a minute, forcing the audience to remember that this is a queer romance with accompanying challenges that just didn’t pop up in your typical ’90s Meg Ryan vehicle. Simon’s true despair in the moment when he realizes he won’t have control over his own outing makes his big kiss on the Ferris wheel that much sweeter.

‘Booksmart,’ 2019 In some ways, “Booksmart” may be the polar opposite of “Of an Age.” While the leads are whip-smart teens headed for the Ivy League, the film is more Judd Apatow than Ingmar Bergman, brimming with high school hijinks, binge drinking (and the ensuing ill-timed, iller-placed vomit) and random make-out sessions.

But there’s substance here, too, and it’s Kaitlyn Dever’s lesbian character Amy that turns this one into a meaningful story about queer love between best friends.

Amy’s queerness is baked into the plot, a refreshing and realistic portrayal against a seemingly modern high school backdrop. No one’s screaming “dyke” at her in the hall, but at the same time, no one seems to really know her, either. Partly, it’s because she’s been living in the shadow of her boisterously loving straight bestie, Beanie Feldstein’s Molly. The exploration of this relationship is at the heart of the film. Sometimes, the most loving thing to do for yourself and, even for the one you love the most, is to break free from what’s comfortable and familiar to make space to discover who you really are.

‘Ammonite,’ 2020 You could consider “Ammonite,” loosely based on historical fact, a kind of laterin-life coming-of-age story. After all, the leads, brilliantly portrayed by powerhouse actors Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan, are full-grown women, but for Ronan’s character, Charlotte, a queer romance is altogether new. In fact, it’s not something she likely ever expected to experience in the 1840s, when the film is set. It’s certainly not what her husband, geologist Roderick Murchison (played by James McArdle) expects when he delivers Charlotte, who is suffering from “melancholy,” to the doorstep of a fellow geologist, Winslet’s Mary Anning.

Perhaps Anning can perk up Char-lotte’s mood with some time in the fresh air…

As the two women enjoy a whole lot more than fresh air and digging up old rocks, Charlotte comes alive, as we all tend to do when offered the chance to live as our full, real selves. Did Ro-derick suspect, all along? Perhaps not, but maybe his most loving act was giving Charlotte the freedom to truly live, if only for a moment in time. Q

WARNING SIGNS OF SUICIDE • Talking about wanting to die • Looking for a way to kill oneself • Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose • Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain • Talking about being a burden to others • Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs • Acting anxious, agitated or recklessly • Sleeping too little or too much • Withdrawing or feeling isolated • Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge • Displaying extreme mood swings The more of these signs a person shows, the greater the risk. Warning signs are associated with suicide but may not be what causes a suicide.

WHAT TO DO If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: • Do not leave the person alone • Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt • Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 9-8-8 or 800-273-8255 • Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional

THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE

9-8-8

A free, 24/7 service that can provide suicidal persons or those around them with support, information and local resources.

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Hopefully, Matteo Lane Doesn’t Hate This Interview

The comedian on quarantine and journalists who write about him

BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI

There are

many places where you’ve probably seen Matteo Lane — among them, on Netflix’s queer comic showcase “The Comedy Lineup” and on his something-for-everyone Instagram, where he’s been wearing more shirts.

This shift happened during the pandemic. Lane tells me he decided to pull back from thirst-trap pics, at least a bit (a recent tour poster features him slurping on spaghetti sans shirt), and offer more of his comedic thoughts. On Instagram, you’ll find him doing just that on everything from a visit to the Museum of Sex in New York to making dishes featuring his Italian heritage. For instance, in one how-to video while he’s making penne alla vodka, he admits not ordering penne in Italy because the risk is too great for the word to be misheard as “pene,” which means exactly what you think it does: penis.

Here, Lane talks about touring, why the pandemic doesn’t always make for great comedic material and that time a journalist made him sound like a “depressed Fiona Apple.”

How is doing an LGBTQ+ benefit show different than a typical Matteo Lane show?

Well, for a performer, things don’t change. I have a job to do. My job is to go up and be as funny as possible for the allotted time I’m given, and I hate to say, but that’s pretty much it. That’s the benefit of working in New York for so long, in so many different types of rooms and shows and bars and basements and houses and clubs and train stations — that you have worked up enough skill to perform in any environment.

So obviously because it’s a fundraiser and it’s full of queer people, they’re not going to be hostile to me. If I was

doing a fundraiser for, I don’t know, hunting, that might be different. It might be out of place and they’d be like, “Please leave.” And I’d be like, “You’re right.” But yeah, I mean, I’m happy to do anything I can to help out, and all I can really offer is my sense of humor, so hopefully it brings some joy to people.

Have you entered a room where it did feel hostile, first of all? I’m a homosexual.

Yes. Let’s start with the Catholic Church.

Let’s start with locker rooms. Let’s start with school in general. So yes, I have experienced not feeling welcome.

As a comedian, though, have you been in a

space that wasn’t welcoming to you?

Yes. The thing is, it’s hard to explain to people sometimes, because people just don’t know. People say things to you, or don’t understand comedy or the world of comedy. It’s not like I was excited to be a comedian and then suddenly I’m performing for sold out rooms. I spent 12 years performing in literal basements with three people, places all the way in deep Brooklyn. You just perform wherever you can. Nothing glamorous really happens to you until, for me, a year ago. So yeah, there’s been so many times I’ve been on stage and people either make assumptions, or don’t like

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that I’m gay, or whatever. But you know what? At the end of the day, my goal is to try and bridge that gap and show them we’re more alike than we are different.

Fiona Apple who’s trying to do comedy. And I’m like, “Wow, OK, lesson learned that not everyone has your best interests in mind when doing things.”

We’re living through a very polarized and divisive time, if you look at the political climate and what’s happening to drag queens.

I imagine conservatives would have a lot to say about children coming to your show.

Well, I don’t want children at my show, let’s just start there. And number two, these conservative politicians, it’s the most simple, basic therapy. Obviously, no one’s mad at a drag queen reading to a child. They’re mad about something else. And I think it’s because they’re losing grip with reality, and they know that they’re losing touch, and they know they’re losing their stand in America, and this is the last attempt to try and gain some control, and have kind of a message.

Because the best way to get people on your side is through fear. And so they’re trying to instill fear in people. And it’s like, well, we’ve got arms, poison, car accidents, alcohol, the Catholic Church.

These things hurt kids more than a drag queen reading a kid a book about Humpty Dumpty. You know what I mean? I think the most frustrating problem is that they don’t actually care, but we are an easy target for them because they know they can instill fear into people. But I think their days are coming to an end.

Does that make it difficult to talk to journalists for you? Not being able to really control the narrative? Yeah, because it’s not really in my control. If we’re doing a TV interview, I’m fully in control.

People hear how I say things, see how I say things. When people write stuff, they put their voice into [my] head, and assume how I feel, and it’s tricky.

It all reeks of desperation. And I also grew up Catholic, so everything you’re saying about Catholicism is extremely relatable to a young queer kid, such as myself, who grew up feeling like I had to make a choice.

It was either God or being gay. Right.

Well, for priests, it’s both. By the way, I hope when you write this... I hate doing interviews because when people write stuff, I think I’m coming off funny, and then I read it, and you guys always try and make me sound way more serious than I actually am, and it ruins the vibe. So please do me a favor, and don’t make me sound like I’m proselytizing and preaching. I’m here to be a comic.

It sounds like that’s something you’re very conscious of. Because I did an interview once, years ago, for a magazine. I was trying to be really funny, and being funny sometimes can be self-deprecating, and they twisted it on me and made it sound like I was this depressed

Yeah, I get that. But I’ve been doing this for a long time, and it’s really important to me to make sure that I preserve the voice of the subject that I’m interviewing. Gosh, the title of the article is Matteo Lane, in quotes: “I hate myself.”

You mentioned your ascension earlier. But when you look back, and you touched on this a bit, how do you reflect on your journey to getting to this place right now in your career? I was just talking about this with my therapist today, and I’m so in the eye of the storm that I can’t quite feel it yet. I just sort of feel like I’m still working, just more. Nothing has really changed. I mean, I have better hair now. But I’m just always on planes, always in hotels, just performing. I feel like Liza Minnelli. I’m taking a break this summer, so hopefully I can reflect on the cool things I’ve done.

But I’m just kind of a workhorse right now. So I haven’t really thought about it, to tell you the truth. I’m happy.

What’s your process for writing your comedy? I write on stage, so I use the Comedy Cellar in New York to write. I can’t sit at a coffee shop and write for hours. My brain just doesn’t do that. So what I do is I have ideas and go on stage, and record myself and work them out on stage. Write with the audience. And then figure it out through repetition that way.

Are you watching the audience to see what works best? You’re listening, yeah. If they laugh, yay.

Well, that’s the goal, right? Evidently not every comedian’s goal, but that is my goal.

What about the material on this tour? It’s been an interesting time in the world, as we talked about, and you, like the rest of us, were in isolation for a while. Did you draw upon any of that for this show? Yeah.

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I mean, you would be surprised, but when you get in front of a thousand people, they don’t want to be reminded that they were quarantined for two years. But also, too, what am I bringing to the conversation that Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat... I have to think of things that are a little more evergreen and universal, that will last for more than just what’s happening in the now, because people made the jokes already. I talk about Fortnite and Call of Duty a lot, because that’s what I was doing the whole time I was in the pandemic, and I wrote a lot of material as a result of it. So a lot of material came from the pandemic, but it’s not an hour where I’m like, “And remember when?”

You just make a decision of where you want to go. And I mean, it’s frustrating, because we all went through some shit deep trauma for two years and we all just pretend it didn’t happen. But during the pandemic, I was doing all those park shows and rooftop shows, and I talked about it then, but then you just naturally feel that the time is up.

How do you navigate between the obvious gay thirst for you and also the interest in your actual work as a comedian? Depends on how horny I am. I don’t know. Am I feeling lonely? Do I need to date someone? Throw up a shirtless picture, see what you can get.

Pretty much it. I’m no different than any other gay. I just want attention.

I mean, to tell you the truth, I haven’t posted thirst traps regularly. I mean, I was, up until the pandemic, and then I just made the decision to start posting my material instead. I really benefited from having people appreciate me for my thoughts. I enjoy working out, and I enjoy feeling good and healthy, and I’m very proud to say I see a trainer and eat healthy. And I don’t drink, and I don’t do drugs. And that’s just sort of a life I chose.

After your Lansing show, after touring, what’s next? Eating pasta in Italy.

What’s the Matteo Lane fan base like in Italy? Gay, but they speak Italian. Q This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Chris Azzopardi is the editorial director of Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate. He has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.

MAY, 2023 |

ISSUE 347 |

NEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 37

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38 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | KINK

Qsaltlake.com |

ISSUE 347 |

MAY, 2023

kink alley

Where are you on your kink journey?

BY ALPHA MERCURY

The Kink

Journey is what I call a person’s life in Kink. It’s larger than just one’s participation in the actual Kink/Leather/Fetish/BDSM community. Your Kink Journey began when you first started thinking about kinky things, no matter what age you were, no matter if you didn’t have the vocabulary to know what you were responding to or thinking about. Usually, we recognize the beginning of our Kink Journeys much later. Frequently (maybe usually), a Kink Journey begins in childhood.

Mine certainly did. Some of my earliest memories are of watching Saturday morning cartoons and other children’s shows. Many of the stories included hero characters being captured by villain characters. There was usually restraining of some kind involved.

There was the idea that someone could have power over another person. The characters in the scenarios I responded to were always male. These dramatic situations resonated with me way back then for reasons that were unknown at the time but became clear later in life. I was responding to the bondage and the Dominant/submissive dynamics in those scenarios. I believe those early viewing experiences were the beginning of my Kink Journey. As I grew older, certain objects began to take on significance, especially if used in specific contexts.

A signpost on my Kink Journey happened when I was in high school. I was vacationing in Europe. During a guided tour in the Finnish capital of Helsinki, our bus stopped at a traffic light. I looked out the window and was thunderstruck by what I saw. Two men astride motorcycles were parked on the sidewalk right next to the bus. The men were dressed head to toe in gleaming blue-green vinyl or leather, with matching gloves. They were wearing shiny black knee-high boots and had slung their helmets on the back of their seats so their heads were

visible. I had never seen anything like them, except perhaps in science fiction or my young imagination. The sight of them — real, in the bright sunlight, just feet away from me — was absolutely enthralling. Not just because of what they were, but what they activated in my imagination. I remember thinking at that moment that, whatever world these creatures lived in or had come from, that was the world I wanted to live in. I could imagine both being them and belonging to them — whatever it took to be near them and a part of whatever sphere of reality they belonged to.

The bus pulled away, and the creatures vanished behind us. But that moment, however short it was, was a galvanizing turning point in my Kink Journey. I had just seen something that had given me a glimpse into a world I didn’t know existed. Now, of course, the “creatures” I’d seen were not leather-clad visitors from another world. They were just Finnish policemen on patrol. But the sight of them opened my mind, triggered my imagination, and propelled me forward on my Kink Journey so that I would be ready for what would come later.

I grew into a young adult and was able to connect these various resonances, feelings, and experiences to my emerging sexuality and recognize them for what they were: kinks and fetishes. And soon enough, a threshold was crossed, perhaps the most important threshold in any Kink Journey — the shift from imaginative exploration to real-life exploration. My first boyfriend and I were in bed one night, and he asked me nonchalantly, “I’ve got some handcuffs. Can I put them on you?”

You can imagine how long it took me to answer and what my answer was. (ProTip for people new to Kink: If anyone ever asks you that question, ask to see the key to the cuffs before you say yes.) I was on my way. Do Kink Journeys end? Mine

won’t. It has spanned my whole life and won’t end until my life ends. There is no destination – there is only the Journey.

Of course, this has just been a capsule description of my Kink Journey. There were many other hugely important experiences along it. (My discovery of the art of Tom of Finland was huge for me — it was as if I had found pictorial evidence of the world I imagined the Finnish policemen had come from.)

Many thousands, perhaps millions, of experiences form the bricks on the road of a Kink Journey. I offer you important moments from my own journey to encourage you to consider your own.

Where are you on your Kink Journey? Have you crossed the threshold of imagination to real life? Are you not sure if you’re on a Kink Journey? I would encourage exploring what excites you sexually if you’re not sure. If it’s (literally) anything besides the most basic vanilla stuff (genitals, kissing, missionary position intercourse), you’re on a Kink Journey. Think about objects, positions, sexual acts, scenarios, aromas, tastes, sensations, and anything else that gets you going, arouses you, and gets you hot and bothered. Think about your childhood, your adolescence, and your young adulthood. Search your memory for experiences that seemed significant then but are more significant now. All of this might help you understand and continue your own Kink Journey. Enjoy the trip! Q Have thoughts, questions, or comments about this column or anything to do with Kink? Write to me at kink@qsaltlake.com, and I’ll answer them in an upcoming column. Be safe, and have fun out there!

Alpha Mercury has been on his Kink Journey since he started watching Saturday morning cartoons in the 1970s and happily continues it to this day. He has a degree in film production from the University of Southern California and is a published author of erotic fiction. Alpha Mercury lives with his Leather Family in Salt Lake City.

MAY, 2023 |

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Q&A | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 39

SHE SAID YES! Time to start planning the wedding

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40 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | NEWS

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ISSUE 347 |

Barbara Poma Founder, onePULSE Foundation

AFTER TRAGEDY AND HATE, BARBARA VOWED TO CONTINUE A LEGACY OF LOVE.

Barbara co-founded Pulse Nightclub to create a space of joy and love for the LGBTQ+ community in Orlando. And in the aftermath of the tragic shooting at Pulse, Barbara knew she had to preserve that love. She established the onePULSE Foundation to honor the victims, survivors, and first responders.

The love that Pulse represented lives on through the Foundation's scholarships and community work.

Join Barbara in the fight for LGBTQ+ acceptance now at LoveHasNoLabels.com

MAY, 2023

MAY, 2023 |

ISSUE 347 |

NEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 41

Qsaltlake.com

Petunia’s Perils are Now in Paperback, Hardcover, Kindle Petunia Pap Smear has been writing and publishing her perils in QSaltLake Magazine for 15 years. That’s over 175 columns of her best and worst times. Now, you can get all of them in one place — a 355-page book available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle through Amazon.

setting Utah State University on fire, losing his keys in a cruisy park restroom … you get the picture.

Ruby Ridge, aka Donald Steward, even looked up from his new Aussie home to celebrate.

“Droughts. Pandemics. Market meltdowns. Now a collection of Petunia Pap Smear’s ‘writing?’” he wrote. “Face it Utah — God’s just not listening!”

Close friend, Dennis

This book is hilarious, OF with the OF LS RS ER I right level A P YE 15 H E of risque.

T AR ME Yes, it is not PS NE PA AZI IA AG UN M T for the faint of E PE K Y A B LTL QSA heart. There’s OF ES G PA a reason they HE M T FRO tore down the ­McCracken, LDS ward church artistic director of building the day after the Salt Lake Men’s Choir he was baptized in it. waxes poetic about Petunia.

But it is absolutely “Petunia’s main goal in the best toilet-side book life is to make sure those you could ever buy. around her laugh and enjoy Petunia Pap Smear is the the moment. Nothing beats camp drag persona of Courta trip to Savers or a bufney Moser. Born and raised fet with her,” he said. on a potato and sheep farm And since many of her in Dayton, Idaho, he now stories begin or end at Club lives with his husband of 33 Try-Angles, owner Gene years in Salt Lake City. He Gieber had to chime in. is the Queen Mother of the “Petunia’s favorite pastime Matrons of Mayhem, which is attending buffets. Treat this raises tens of thousands of book like a buffet. Even when dollars for charities each year. you’ve had enough, you will His activism began in Logan, still read for more,” he said.

Utah, in the 1980s and continThe book is currently ues. He was awarded the Krisavailable only through ten Ries Community Service Amazon at amazon.com/ Award at Utah Pride in 2015. author/petuniapapsmear.

The book has stories of Watch for events and his life as a budding queen potential in-store purchasing schlepping sheep shit, almost opportunities soon. Q

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42 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | QMMUNITY

Q mmunity groups

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MAY, 2023

Planned Parenthood

Utah Libertarian Party

blackBOOTS Kink/BDSM

 bit.ly/ppauslchiv

Mail address: 129 E

Men’s leather/kink/

 facebook.com/groups/

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LGBTQ-Affirmative Psycho-therapists Guild of Utah

801-322-5571

Draper,  chair@

 blackbootsslc.org

SUPPORT

mental-health/sosa/

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libertarianutah.org

Alcoholics Anonymous

YOUTH/COLLEGE

Dept HIV/STD Clinic

866-511-UTLP

OWLS of Utah (Older, Wiser, Lesbian Sisters)

 lgbtqtherapists.com

610 S 200 E, 2nd Floor

* jim@lgbtqtherapists.com

Walk-ins M–F 8a–5p

Utah Stonewall Democrats

BUSINESS

Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce

Appts 385-468-4242 Utah AIDS Foundation

 utahlgbtqchamber.com

 utahaids.org

* info@utahgaychamber.com

* mail@utahaids.org

LGBT & Allied Lawyers of Utah  lgbtutahlawyers.com * lgbtutahlawyers@gmail.com

Utah Independent Business Coalition  utahindependentbusiness.org 801-879-4928 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233 YWCA of Salt Lake  ywca.org/saltlakecity

322 E 300 S 801-537-8600

150 S 1000 E 801-487-2323 Weber-Morgan Health

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First Baptist Church  firstbaptist-slc.org * office@firstbaptist-

slc.org 11a Sundays

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LGBT meetings:

 qvinum.com

Seniors Out and Proud

Sun. 3p Acceptance Group, All Saints

 fb.me/soaputah

Episcopal Church, 1710

 info@soaputah.org

Foothill Dr

801-856-4255

Tues. 8p Live & Let

Temple Squares Square Dance Club

Live, Mt Tabor Lutheran, 175 S 700 E

Survivors of Suicide Attempt  utahpridecenter.org/

Encircle LGBTQ Family and Youth Resource Ctr  encircletogether.org

fb.me/encircletogether 91 W 200 S, Provo, 190 S 100 E, St. George 331 S 600 E, SLC Gay-Straight Alliance Network  gsanetwork.org

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 theout.foundation

Men’s Group, Am.

 fb.me/theOUTfoundation

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 slcchurch.org

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823 S 600 E

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 facebook.com/

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ISSUE 347 |

blackBOARD

 info@umen.org

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1380 S Main St 801-539-8800 Venture OUT Utah  bit.ly/GetOutsideUtah

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QUAC — Queer Utah Aquatic Club  quacquac.org  questions@

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Leather Fetish & Kink Fri. 8:30pm Genderbands  genderbands.org

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Weds. 7pm, How was your week? First Baptist Church, 777 S 1300 E Sat. 11am, How was your week? First Baptist Church, 777 S 1300 E LGBTQ-Affirmative Psycho-therapists Guild of Utah

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edu/diversity

MAY, 2023 |

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Utah Pride Center Weekly drop-ins and activity nights held at the Utah Pride Center, 1380 S Main St. Some require registration at utahpridecenter.org/ programs/ ADULT & SENIOR Silver Pride Senior (50+) Mon 2–4 pm, in-person.

Neurodivergent Support & Social Club, Mon 6–7 pm, In-person & virtual Bi+Pan Support & Social Club, Mon 6:30–7:30 pm, Inperson & virtual registration req’d Trivia Night (21+ Mon 7:30–9 pm, in-person (no more than 6 per team).

Health Insurance Help From Take Care Utah, Tue 3–5 pm, in-person, 18+.

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Gay Men’s Peer Support Group, Tue 6:30–8 pm, in-person, 18+  billblevins@ hotmail.com Pride in Recovery, 18+ Tue 7–8 pm, in-person Gay Men’s Sack Lunch, Wed, Noon–1 pm, in-person, any gay male-identifying humans 18+.

Women’s Support Group, Wed, 6–7 pm, in-person & virtual, registration req’d LezBee Honest Support & Social Club, Wed, 7–8 pm, In-person & virtual, registration req’d Trans/Nonbinary Support Group, Thurs 6–7:30 pm, In-person & virtual, registration req’d Queer People Of Color Support & Social Club, Thurs, 6:30–7:30 pm, Inperson & virtual, registration req’d

JOIN OUR GROUP OF ACTIVE OUT SENIORS

Parents & Caregivers Support Group, Thurs 6:30–7:30 pm, In-person & virtual, registration req’d Game Night, 18+ Fri 5:30–9 pm, in-person, Families Like Ours, Sun 3:30–5:30pm, in-person YOUTH & FAMILY PROGAMS Youth 10–13 Support Group, Tue 5–6pm pm, registration req’d Youth 10–13 Activity Night, Thu 5–6 pm, registration req’d Youth 10–13 Free Time Hours, Tue/Thu 3–8 pm, reg. req’d Teens 14–17 Support Group, Mon 5–6 pm, registration req’d Teens 14–17 Activity Night Wed 5–6 pm, registration req’d Teen 14–17 Free Time Hours, Mon/Wed 3–8 pm, registration req’d

Our Vision is to reduce social isolation and loneliness, improve the health and well-being of older adults and to empower them to lead meaningful and connected lives in which they are engaged and participating in the community.

Recent events: Snowshoeing, Bingo, Valentines Pot Luck & Dance, Movie Night, Walking Groups, Theater groups

Our Mission is to reimagine aging by empowering older adults to live life to the fullest potential guided by these five pillars: • Cherish the Journey • Encourage the Body • Inspire the Mind • Nurture the Spirit • Empower the Future Find us at

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NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS: Want QSaltLake to sponsor your group or event?

Go to: bit.ly/qsponsor or use the QR Code

JOIN US You know you want to sing with the Salt Lake Men’s Choir Join us Thursday nights starting Jan. 12.

Show up at 6:45pm at First Baptist Church, 777 S 1300 E. Give us a try. We are a non-auditioned choir.

More info at SaltLakeMensChoir.org

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46 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | FINAL WORD

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the perils of petunia pap smear

The tale of studs

BY PETUNIA PAP SMEAR

The road

to summer driving is fraught with danger and excitement.

Finally, it looks like the never-ending winter of 2023 might be just about finished. So, I decided to take Queertanic, my beloved land yacht, to the tire store to get her snow tires removed. A girl always likes a new pair of shoes, even Queertanic! Being a responsible queen, I dutifully called and made an appointment.

I arose early on the appointed day, went to the garage, and wrestled Queertanic’s summer tires out from under the mountain of discarded old girdles that had finally given up the fight of trying to contain my bodus rotundus and lost their structural integrity.

I should have eaten breakfast before this activity, because I began to hallucinate from hunger, and the tires began to look like giant donuts. I was wrenched back into reality after I tried to take a bite, and all I could taste was rubber and disappointment. After finishing grappling the tires into the car, I went back into the house and quickly consumed mass quantities of Pop-Tarts, lest I damage the tires any further.

Then I rummaged through my closet and chose my most sultry come-hither caftan and my most roadworthy beehive wig and drove to the tire store.

I entered the lobby and spotted a rather handsome man wearing a uniform standing behind the desk. Oh my god, I love a man in uniform. I sashayed up to the appointment desk and shamelessly batted my eyelashes at him so fast that his baseball cap was blown off by the resulting breeze. He was very busy, answering two telephones and giving assignments to three co-workers. So, much to my chagrin, he didn’t even notice my desperate amorous flirtations. He told me that, even though I had a reservation, there would be at least an hour’s wait before they could get my car in. Drats!

Just like a hungry lion having been un-

successful in bringing down a zebra, trailing behind a herd of gazelles on the African savannah, I quickly scanned the lobby for any other potential prey, I mean beefy studs (not the snow tire kind of studs you silly goose) to whom I could cozy up to while I waited. And there, sitting unaccompanied in the corner beside the one and only empty chair in the room, I saw him. He was gorgeous! He wore a tight form fitting t-shirt that showed some excellently formed bicep muscles bulging from his sleeves, and a chest that took my breath away. And his thighs…

Oh… My… Gawd…, his thighs, obviously capable of crushing cars, were stretching the seams of his tightly packed jeans almost to the breaking point. His baby blue eyes glinted in the sunlight, with an innocent doe-eyed look, like a helpless baby antelope just waiting to be eaten.

In stalking mode now, so as not to alarm him, lest he bolt for freedom and safety, I surreptitiously pretended to admire a display of chrome wheel rims located near him, while still offering me an unobstructed view of my handsome, yet unaware, quarry. After a few moments of this cautious reconnaissance, I quickly pounced on the empty chair within easy striking distance of the attractive stud.

I took just a few seconds to strategize my flirtatious banter, and just then the busy desk guy called out to the object of my affections that his car was ready and held out his keys. I thought to myself that David Attenborough always explains that ninety percent of lion chases end in defeat, so I should not be discouraged.

I scanned about the room again, looking for more potential prey. In walked what I could only describe as Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame, and he promptly sat beside me. I had my sights set on a beautiful, scrumptious gazelle, but alas, I was relegated to a room full of unappealing wart hogs and wildebeests.

I decided that since the object of my affections had left, I would watch the me-

chanics in action to pass the time. After a while, Queertanic was pulled into the shop bay and lifted up on the hoist. They began to remove her studded snow tires.

This reminded me of a time several winters ago when I had the occasion to drive to extreme southern California, within about two miles of the Mexican border, to deliver a package to a mine.

Since it was snowing in Utah when I left, the pickup truck I was driving had studded snow tires. I was driving on a lonely desert road, I had not seen another vehicle for over an hour, deep in the Sonoran Desert, with the temperature in the high 90s. Suddenly, I got a flat tire. Luckily, my phone had one bar of signal. Not wanting to ruin my manicure, I phoned for a tow truck. Forlornly, I sat sweating in the heat by the truck for several hours. I screamed and jumped up on top of the truck when I saw a gila monster chase down and kill a rat. Oh, my god, I’m gonna die in the desert! Finally, the tow truck driver arrived and looked at my flat tire, he exclaimed, “Well, there’s your problem. Look at all these metal spikes in your tire. He had never seen studded snow tires before. Oh, Lordy! …Suddenly, I was brought back to present reality. The tire guy was telling me Queertanic was ready, and I could leave.

This story leaves us with several important questions: 1. Where can I recycle old girdles?

2. Should I encourage the tire shop to start serving donuts?

3. Should I install a lasso into my breasticles to help capture “prey”?

4. What kind of flirtatious banter best attracts studs of the human variety?

5. Should I get a caftan with a car theme to attract a hapless mechanic?

These and other eternal questions will be answered in future chapters of The Perils of Petunia Pap Smear Q

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