QSaltLake Magazine | Issue 357 | March, 2024

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contributors Joshua Adamson Pickett, Diane Anderson-Minshall, Chris Azzopardi, Paul Berge, Jeff Berry, Paul Campbell, Laurie BennettCook, Roger Cox, Stephen Dark, Jennifer Dobner, Jack Fertig, Greg Fox, Oriol Gutierrez Jr., Tony Hobday, Blake Howell, 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

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

BY CRAIG OGAN

States are widely different on LGBT regs and laws

The annual assessment in the Human Rights Campaign’s 2023 State Equality Index divides U.S. states into four categories. Twenty “bestin-class” states are tagged “Working Toward Innovative Equality.” Five states are in the second-place designation, “Solidifying Equality.” Two states populate the third designation, “Building Equality,” and 23 states land in last place, “High Priority to Achieve Basic Equality.” The report notes that “Although 2023 was the worst year on record for anti-LGBTQ+ state legislation, a few states saw notable progress. Michigan moved from lowest in 2022 to highest category in 2023. The states that moved “downward” on the scale were those enacting regulations on transgender transition therapies, sports participation, school curriculum, and library materials. Utah moved down a notch from “Solidfying Equality” to “Building Equality” for those reasons). The report forecasts more changes on the list in 2024, citing transgender regulation picking up the pace in state legislatures like Ohio and Oklahoma. The bright spot is that there has been no activity on marriage equality, and nondiscrimination efforts have actively improved in places like Arizona, with

executive action supporting nondiscrimination in state employment and purchasing.

Raids on gay bars mimic mid-20th-century action

The 1950s called the Seattle Police Department and demanded its “Gay Bar Enforcement” practices back. Recently, two gay bars were raided by a task force looking for “lewd conduct” by patrons and staff. What did they find? A bartender’s exposed nipple at one bar and patrons wearing jock straps at another. Seattle’s Joint Enforcement Team, a coalition of police and fire departments, and the state Liquor and Cannabis Board organized the raid to target “nuisance violations.”

None of the bars — Neighbours, the Cuff Complex, the Seattle Eagle, or Lumber Yard Bar — have ever had nuisance complaints. The Cuff’s owner said these raids started during Pride celebrations in 2022 when the Liquor and Cannabis Board cited the bar for a customer wearing a jockstrap. Protests in the city have come from the community, business owners, radio personalities, and the union representing strippers, Strippers Are Workers (Who knew? We thought they did it for attention).

Within days, the LCB sent a letter to state officials saying the organization would pause the raids and wouldn’t enforce the most recent “violations.”

Pride celebrations not OK.

One reason Oklahoma portends poorly for LGBT issues is a bill in the Oklahoma Legislature that would ban state agencies from acknowledging, much less celebrating, Pride Month. The “Patriotism Not Pride Act” prohibits state agencies from using state funds to organize any

event, official communication, or educational program that promotes anything but national U.S. and Oklahoma State holidays. Oklahoma joins Michigan, Wisconsin, and Florida, introducing bills last year to restrict Pride or other nonofficial flag displays at various state properties. This is one of 54 bills regulating or prohibiting LGBT activities using state budget money introduced in Oklahoma in the last five years.

Virginia legislators defeat anti-trans laws Democrats won control of the Virginia Legislature in 2013 with a healthy majority in the House of Delegates and a small majority in the state Senate. The Dems stayed unified enough for five consecutive days in the current session to defeat 11 bills that would have targeted transgender Virginians. Defeated were regulations of medical care, therapy, choice of bath and changing rooms, sports participation, and one which would require schools to inform parents of a transgender student’s decisions on gender presentation.

Sex at the U.S. Capitol is not a crime

The U.S. Senate staffer at the bottom of a sex video shot on Minnesota Senator Klobuchar’s desk in a Senate hearing room will not be charged with a crime. The U.S. Capitol Police announced they were closing the case since the staffer had standing permission to be in the hearing room, there were no Senate members involved, and nothing was damaged in the room. So, no crime. It was a violation of Congressional policy to literally screw a person in a room where the

U.S. voter often takes figurative screwing. The staffer was fired for the infraction, which was enough for all involved.

Butt play, not insurrection

Far-right media personality Charlie Kirk told his audience that instead of doing what MAGA supporters did during the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, they should have had gay sex there. “They should have stripped naked and filmed themselves having gay sex,” he said, implying that such actions could have mitigated the consequences they faced.

Gov Ex to Supreme Court

The Massachusetts governor has nominated her former partner to the State Supreme Court. The two women met as employees at the same Boston law firm long before the governor was elected. Republicans said it was “highly inappropriate for the governor to nominate to Massachusetts’ highest court an individual with whom she had a long-term romantic relationship.” “This nomination clearly demonstrates a lack of accountability inherent in one-party rule.” The nominee has been an Appeals Court Judge for 15 years and was the unanimous choice of the state’s Supreme Judicial Nominating Commission.

Greece skids to marriage equality

Marriage equality will finally come to the place that put the Greek in Greek love. In an odd twist of politics, the current prime minister of Greece, who was put into office by his conservative parliamentary majority, counted on liberal votes in the parliament to carry the motion. The leader of the liberals is a gay male

activist who is married to a man. The biggest opposition came from the Greek Orthodox Church clergy, who claim homosexuality is a mental illness and the bill is “Satanic.” The liberals see the bill as imperfect with prohibitions on surrogacy and regulations on adoptions but voted for the legislation, calling marriage equality a good first step.

RIP Steve Ostrow, bathhouse trailblazer

In 1968, Steve Ostrow founded the Continental Baths in the basement of New York City’s Ansonia Hotel. Ostrow created a luxurious bathhouse as a sex club and performance space. He died in an Australian retirement home at age 91. The Baths were of Roman-themed decor with cascading waterfalls, saunas, public spaces with bunk beds, private rooms, and a disco dance floor. As the Continental Baths prospered, Ostrow added a cabaret stage, restaurant, gym, bar, boutique, travel desk, medical clinic, and a rooftop deck with sand from a nearby beach. The Continental’s introduction of a live entertainment space helped launch the careers of pop

superstars like Bette Midler and Barry Manilow. Others to appear during the bath’s 1968 to 1974 run were Melissa Manchester, Labelle, The Manhattan Transfer, Jane Olivor, Melba Moore, Liz Torres, Wayland Flowers, Nell Carter, and Peter Allen. The influx of “spicy straights” and other non-gay patrons eventually led to the loss of the Continental’s gay-male clientele and closure in 1974. The space was converted to a mixed-sex sex club called “Plato’s Retreat.” The advent of the AIDS/HIV epidemic gave moralistic blue noses the excuse they needed in the late 1980s to close most bathhouses in the U.S. after the death of the groundbreaking Continental.

Officiants can decline to officiate in Tennessee

The Tennessee legislature passed a bill to allow government officials to refuse to officiate marriages based on their personal beliefs, including objections to LGBTQ+ weddings. Clerks and other officials will not be able to deny a marriage license to anyone, just refuse to perform the ceremony if the person has an objection to solemnizing the marriage based on conscience or religious beliefs. Why the new law, since Tennessee already permits individuals to decline to officiate at marriages if they choose? The new language specifically gives government officials, elected or appointed, a legal out to officiating. The governor is expected to sign the bill. Q

Utah, again, passes the first new anti-LGBTQ law of the year

If the past two years are any indication, the Utah State Legislature and the governor’s office have a new “Utah Way.” This year and last, legislators pushed through anti-transgender bills within the first few days of the session, and the governor immediately signed them into law. The move limits the amount of discussion, and bad press, that these message bills produce.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, signed House Bill 257 into law, effectively restricting transgender individuals from using restrooms aligning with their gender identity in public schools and government-owned buildings. This move makes Utah the first state this year to enact such legislation, drawing condemnation from LGBTQ+ advocates.

Under the newly enacted law, “sex” is defined by a person’s genitalia.

The law reads: “‘Female’ means the characteristic of an individual whose biological reproductive system is of the general type that functions in a way that could produce ova,” and “‘Male’ means the characteristic of an individual whose biological reproductive system is of the general type that functions to fertilize the ova of a female.”

For a transgender person to use the facilities of their gender, the bill requires them to have, “legally amended the

individual’s birth certificate to correspond with the sex designation of the changing room,” and have “undergone a primary sex characteristic surgical procedure … to correspond with the sex designation of the changing room.”

A primary sex characteristic surgical procedure is defined in Utah law as: “for an individual whose biological sex at birth is male, castration, orchiectomy, penectomy, vaginoplasty, or vulvoplasty;” and “for an individual whose biological sex at birth is female, hysterectomy, oophorectomy, metoidioplasty, or phalloplasty.”

Such procedures are extremely expensive and can be dangerous, and not all transgender people necessarily want to go through them.

The legislation imposes criminal penalties on transgender individuals found using facilities incongruent with their assigned sex, deepening fears of discrimination and marginalization within the community.

Cox defended the bill, saying its aim to bolster privacy protections for all individuals using public facilities. Opponents argue that the law unfairly targets transgender people, exacerbating existing stigma and exposing them to heightened risks of violence and harassment.

Critics have raised concerns about the potential repercussions of the legislation, particularly its impact on transgender students. The law mandates local school districts to establish “privacy plans” for transgender students, which some fear could inadvertently disclose their gender identity and subject them to further scrutiny and ostracization.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah vehemently opposed the legislation, denouncing it as discriminatory and urged the governor to veto the bill. Brittney Nystrom, Executive Director of the ACLU of Utah, emphasized that the law would only serve to increase surveillance and discrimination against transgender individuals going about their daily lives.

The Human Rights Campaign wrote a statement saying, “This bill is an invasion of the privacy of Utahns. No student should be denied access to the bathroom that aligns with who they are. No one should fear harassment in the most

private of settings. Period,” said HRC President Kelley Robinson. “Unfortunately, we are already seeing similar types of bathroom bans–bans that are reminiscent of the infamous HB2 in North Carolina — introduced across the country. These escalating national attacks on the humanity of transgender people, from assaults on medical freedom in Ohio to this assault on access to bathrooms and other facilities in Utah, are an affront to American values. The American people will not stand for this invasion into our basic freedoms; they will speak up at state legislatures across the country and, if they are ignored, at ballot boxes in November.”

Sue Robbins, who serves on Equality Utah’s Transgender Advisory Council, has fears the new law will lead to problems as people walk into public restrooms, regardless of their gender identity.

“People are going to challenge each other based on what they view their femininity and their masculinity is,” she told FOX 13 News. “We are creating a mechanism where we’re having citizens challenge each other based on perceived issues that don’t actually exist.”

Indeed, School Board member Natalie Cline launched her political base into a frenzy when she misgendered a high school athlete on her social media page. (See the story on Cline in the news section.)

In defense of the bill, Utah Republican Representative Kera Birkeland, the primary sponsor, argued that it was necessary to safeguard women and children from potential harm. However, critics point out that transgender individuals are statistically more vulnerable to violent victimization, including rape and assault, underscoring the urgent need for measures that prioritize their safety and inclusion.

The enactment of House Bill 257 in Utah has ignited a fierce debate over transgender rights and equality, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community in securing basic rights and protections. As advocacy groups vow to continue their fight against discriminatory legislation, the implications of Utah’s move reverberate beyond its borders, shaping the national discourse on LGBTQ+ rights and equality. Q

Rep. Kera Birkeland. PHOTO: GAGE SKIDMORE

Utah Senate unanimously passes state religious freedom bill

Utah stands poised to join the ranks of states enacting their own Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, with a bill swiftly moving through the Utah Legislature.

SB150, championed by Sen. Todd Weiler of Woods Cross, gained unanimous approval from the Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee in a 5-0 vote and a unanimous vote in the full Senate.

Equality Utah initially had concerns that the bill would “be used to override protections against discrimination for LGBTQ Utahns in housing and employment, and the ban on conversion therapy.”

“These are two places in Utah code where Equality Utah worked with stakeholders and the Utah Legislature to carefully balance religious liberty with protections for the LGBTQ community,” the group said in a statement. “We are grateful the sponsor, Senator Weiler, heard our concerns and incorporated language in the bill to make clear that the rights conferred in these previously enacted bills are preserved and protected.”

The bill now includes “Utah has enacted a number of laws that balance religious freedom with other important civil rights … [and] this part complements, rather than disrupts [those laws.]”

The new bill also removed language on abortion or “a refusal to provide emergency medical services” based on religious beliefs.

“With the inclusion of this new language, the bill passed out of the Senate unanimously. It will next move to the House for consideration,” Equality Utah wrote.

Inspired by similar legislation recently enacted in West Virginia, SB150 aims to bolster protections for religious freedom by allowing individuals to challenge government regulations deemed to infringe upon their constitutional rights. Weiler emphasized the bill’s alignment with existing federal statutes and its role as a preemptive measure in the event of any future alterations to RFRA at the national level.

The passage of RFRA legislation in West Virginia, despite objections from Democrats who raised concerns about potential discrimination against LGBTQ+

communities, has emboldened proponents of religious freedom initiatives in Utah. Weiler contends that SB150 offers necessary safeguards against governmental overreach, asserting that it is rooted in religious tolerance and constitutional preservation principles.

Nevertheless, the bill has ignited contentious debates regarding its potential ramifications. Advocacy groups such as the Human Rights Campaign caution that RFRA laws, while intended to safeguard religious liberty, have been misinterpreted to justify discrimination. They advocate for measures like the proposed Do No Harm Act, which seeks to clarify RFRA’s scope and prevent its misuse to inflict harm on marginalized groups.

While proponents of SB150, including Stan Rasmussen of the Sutherland Institute, laud its potential to fortify constitutional liberties, opponents, such as Ellie Menlove of the ACLU of Utah, express concerns over its potential for unintended consequences, particularly in enabling discrimination.

The national Religious Freedom Res-

toration Act was signed into law in 1993 by former President Bill Clinton. It was a bipartisan collaboration that involved Muslims, evangelicals, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the ACLU, among other groups. Q

Queer Utah Legislation Tracker

H.C.R. 18 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CONDEMNING AND CENSURING STATE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER

NATALIE CLINE, Rep. Robert Spendlove, Sen. Ann Millner. PASSED AND SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR

H.J.R. 2 JOINT RESOLUTION FOR GENDER REASSIGNMENT SURGICAL HEALTH BENEFITS, Rep. Sahara Hayes, D-Millcreek. NO ACTION.

HB111: EMPLOYMENT TRAINING REQUIREMENT LIMITATIONS, Rep. Tim Jimenez, R-Tooele. PASSED HOUSE

HB157: CHILD CUSTODY FACTOR AMENDMENTS, Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain. PASSED HOUSE, PASSED

SENATE COMMITTEE

HB187: LIMITATION ON DEFENSES BASED ON VICTIM IDENTITY, Rep. Sahara Hayes, D-Millcreek. NO ACTION

HB257 SEX-BASED DESIGNATIONS FOR PRIVACY, ANTI-BULLYING, AND WOMEN’S OPPORTUNITIES, Rep. Kera Birkeland, R-Morgan; Sen. Daniel McCay, R-Riverton. PASSED, SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

HB253 USE OF SEX-DESIGNATED FACILITIES IN PUBLIC AND HIGHER EDUCATION, Rep. Phil Lyman, R-Blanding. NO ACTION

Longer descriptions are available for these bills at qsaltlake.com

Utah State Sen. Todd Weiler

Embattled state school board member Natalie Cline announces re-election campaign amidst anti-transgender controversy

Utah School Board member Natalie Cline declared her intent to seek reelection for District 9, encompassing DayBreak, Herriman, and sections of West Jordan and Midvale. In her announcement, she emphasized her relentless efforts over the past three years to steer educational policies towards a return to classical academic principles, ensuring a foundation of stability and excellence in student learning.

Yet, amidst her reelection bid, Cline found herself ensnared in controversy following a contentious social media post that questioned the gender identity of a high school girls’ basketball team member in the Granite School District. The post drew widespread condemnation and sparked calls for her resignation. State officials, including a vote of censure from the Utah State Legislature and admonishment from Governor Spencer Cox, underscored the gravity of the situation, demanding accountability for her actions.

The outcry intensified as critics lambasted Cline for what they perceived as adult bullying of a child. However, Cline staunchly defended herself, alleging harassment and a lack of due process from the USBE. She characterized the criticism as an orchestrated effort to tarnish her reputation and interfere with the electoral process.

In a bid to ameliorate the situation, Cline removed the controversial social media post and issued a statement expressing regret for any negative repercussions it may have caused to affected students and their families. Nevertheless, the fallout persisted, with Utah lawmakers opting to censure rather than impeach Cline, further miring her in controversy.

The girl’s parents publicly called out Cline and called for her resignation.

“To look at someone’s outer appearance and make an assumption that they’re either playing in the right arena or not, based on how someone looks, I don’t think is appropriate,” the student’s mother, Rachel van der Beek, told KSL.

The student’s father, Al van der Beek said his daughter “cut her hair short because that’s how she feels comfortable, she wears clothes that are a little baggy, she goes to the gym

all the time, so she’s got muscles.”

The Utah State Legislature voted in favor of HCR18 to censure Cline, saying, “members of the Utah State Board of Education hold a position of public trust and are charged with supporting and advocating for Utah students.”

The bill said Cline “posted a student athlete’s photo on social media, thereby revealing the student’s identity, and reprehensibly questioned the student’s gender publicly and without evidence” that “caused the student emotional harm and exposed the student to relentless harassment and bullying, including threats of violence that created a need for additional security at the student’s school.”

The bill read that Cline’s actions “violate the moral and ethical standards expected of an elected official, particularly one charged with the duty to support our children in public education.”

After signing the resolution, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox wrote, “The vast majority of Utahns agree that Natalie Cline’s behavior was unacceptable,” Cox said in a statement announcing he had signed the resolution. “I’ve spoken with the student’s parents, and I’m heartbroken for this family. We agree with the actions of both the State Board of Education and Legislature, and we hope the voters will hold her equally accountable this fall.”

Equality Utah said the Utah Legislature “rightly called out Ms. Cline’s ‘abhorrent’ and ‘repugnant’ actions as ‘behavior irreconcilable with the responsibilities of a Utah State Board of Education member.’”

They bemoaned the fact the legislature fell short of instigating impeachment proceedings.

“If, in fact, Ms. Cline’s behavior is irreconcilable, then she must, with due process, be removed from office, lest she potentially harm more children,” the group said in a statement.

“Ms. Cline is already claiming to be the real victim. She has not demonstrated genuine remorse for the harm she has inflicted. We are deeply concerned that given the current moral panic around transgender Americans, we will see even more vigilante characters harass, bully, and scrutinize the bodies of both boys

and girls on sports teams and in public bathrooms,” the statement continued. “The state has a responsibility to take decisive action in this moment in order to circumvent more abhorrent behavior from bad actors in the future.”

“Clearly, if the state will not do what it takes to protect children, Utah voters will need to act and remove Ms. Cline from office this November,” the statement concluded.

Amidst the turbulence, the van der Beek family expressed surprise at her reelection announcement. Urging opposition through active participation in the electoral process, they underscored the importance of community engagement in shaping the district’s future.

Undeterred by the storm of criticism, Cline outlined her campaign platform, vowing to champion the interests of children by safeguarding their consciences, advocating for a balanced approach to technology usage, and combating ideologies that distort biological realities. She reaffirmed her commitment to fortifying faith, family, and freedom while upholding the virtues of truth, honor, and innocence. Q

New LGBTQ+-friendly choir will rehearse in South Jordan LDS meetinghouse

In a move reflecting shifting attitudes within the LDS community, Vocal Tapestry Utah, a new LGBTQ-friendly choir, is set to hold auditions and rehearsals at a local meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The brainchild of Deborah Veater, a seasoned music educator and former assistant director at the Seasons Chorale, Vocal Tapestry Utah emerged from Veater’s transformative experience at the Gather Conference in Provo. The con-

ference, catering to LGBTQ+ members of the LDS Church and their allies, struck a chord with Veater, inspiring her to create a space where inclusivity and acceptance reign supreme.

“The spirit of acceptance at the Gather Conference was overwhelming,” Veater told the Herriman Journal. “It was a revelation — a call to action. I knew I had to create something that embodies that spirit, something that celebrates individuals regardless of their sexual orienta-

tion or gender identity.”

For Veater, the mission of Vocal Tapestry Utah goes beyond music; it’s about fostering a sense of belonging and combating the isolation often experienced by LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly within religious communities. Drawing from her own experiences as a mother of a gay son and as an educator who witnessed the struggles of LGBTQ+ youth, Veater is determined to be a beacon of love and support.

Scheduled auditions and

rehearsals will take place at the LDS meetinghouse located at 1244 W. Chavez Drive in South Jordan, a decision Veater acknowledges might raise eyebrows among some members of the LGBTQ+ community. However, she hopes that by opening the doors of the church to Vocal Tapestry Utah, she can send a powerful message of inclusivity and acceptance.

“While I am a devout member of the church, my perspective on the LGBTQ community is one of inclusivity,” Veater explained. “I want them to feel welcomed and valued, to know that they have a place where they are loved and supported.”

Despite potential reservations, Veater encourages interested singers and musicians to attend the upcoming introduction meetings on Feb. 8, 15, and 22, followed by rehearsals on Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. She emphasizes that Vocal Tapestry Utah is more than just a choir — it’s a sanctuary, a safe haven where individuals can find solace and solidarity. Q

For those seeking further information, Vocal Tapestry Utah’s Facebook page at fb.me/vocaltapestryUtah offers details on auditions and upcoming events.

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QUAC Ski-n-Swim 2024 celebrates diversity and sport in Salt Lake City

The Queer Utah Aquatic Club’s annual Ski-n-Swim event is set to kick off on March 1st, promising a thrilling weekend of winter sports and swimming for LGBTQ+ athletes from across the nation. Hosted in the pic-

turesque setting of Salt Lake City, the event merges Utah’s renowned winter activities with a U.S. Masters Swimming-sanctioned swim meet.

Taking place from March 1st to 3rd, Ski-n-Swim 2024 will feature a USMS-sanc-

tioned swim meet at the Fairmont Aquatic Center, located at 1044 Sugarmont Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84106. The event will also include a day of skiing and snowboarding at Brighton Resort, one of Utah’s premier ski destinations.

With 14 spots remaining on the ski shuttle bus, participants are encouraged to secure their transportation early. Brighton Resort will release 50 percent of parking reservations for the upcoming weekend at 6 p.m. on the Sunday prior to the event.

Evo Hotel, the official sponsor of Ski-n-Swim 2024, is offering discounted rates for event participants. The final day to book a room at Evo Hotel is Friday, February 23. Attendees can look forward to a welcoming atmosphere at Evo Hotel’s exclusive rooftop bar and patio, where a Welcome Party will be held on Friday, March 1st.

The schedule for Ski-nSwim 2024 is as follows:

Friday, March 1: Welcome Party at Evo Hotel’s rooftop bar and patio. RSVP required.

Saturday, March 2: Swim Meet at Fairmont Aquatic Center from 6:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., followed by dinner at Woodbine Food Hall at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 3: Ski, Board & Closing Tailgate at Brighton Ski Resort, featuring entertainment, lunch provided by JDawgs, and a Speedo Run. Participants can reserve seats on the shuttle bus to and from Brighton Resort and Evo Hotel for an additional fee. Shuttle schedules will be available for convenient transportation throughout the weekend.

Ski-n-Swim 2024 promises to be an unforgettable celebration of diversity, athleticism, and camaraderie in the heart of Utah’s winter wonderland. Q

For more information and to RSVP for events, visit the official Ski-nSwim website at ski-n-swim.org.

10 years of Elevation: Park City’s annual Gay Ski Week

Park City, Utah, is gearing up for a celebration of athleticism, camaraderie, and inclusivity with the 10th annual Elevation Utah Gay Ski Week. This five-day event promises days on the slopes and vibrant nights of entertainment, creating memories to last a lifetime.

More than 1,500 skiing enthusiasts from across the nation and beyond are expected to converge on Park City

for this milestone event. From seasoned skiers to enthusiastic beginners, Elevation Utah says they offer something for everyone, with activities ranging from downhill thrills to lively après-ski gatherings.

Park City, nestled just 40 minutes from the Salt Lake City International Airport, offers a seamless transition from air to slope, ensuring minimal travel time and maximum enjoyment. Boasting

two world-class mountains

— Park City Mountain and Deer Valley Resort — skiers and snowboarders are treated to an array of terrain and pristine conditions.

For those seeking adventure beyond the slopes, Park City’s winter wonderland delivers with activities such as zip-lining, sleigh rides, and dog sledding.

But Elevation Utah isn’t just about skiing; it’s also

about forging connections and creating unforgettable moments. With après-ski events, themed parties, and entertainment galore, attendees have ample opportunity to mingle, dance, and make lifelong friends.

From the iconic Onesie Après-ski to the themed GEAR party, each night offers a unique celebration, showcasing the vibrant spirit of Elevation Utah. And when it’s time to refuel, Park City’s diverse culinary scene ensures that every palate is satisfied, with restaurants ranging from cozy gastropubs to upscale dining destinations.

As the full day-by-day schedule unfolds, attendees can look forward to a lineup of events designed to entertain and delight, culminating in a drag brunch and farewell après-ski to bid adieu to newfound friends. Q Information at utahgayskiweek.com

In 2016, a controversial transgender “bathroom ban” in North Carolina ignited a firestorm of national outrage and sparked significant repercussions. Prominent figures like Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, and Nick Jonas canceled performances in protest, while major corporations like Deutsche Bank and PayPal halted expansion plans in the state. Even the NCAA took a stand, relocating championship games to demonstrate opposition to the discriminatory legislation.

Fast forward eight years, and a similar bill passed in Utah during its legislative session. However, the response both within and beyond Utah’s borders seemed notably subdued compared to the uproar witnessed in North Carolina. Utah’s largest businesses refrained from

making public statements regarding the legislation. Moreover, the Sundance Film Festival, an event drawing tens of thousands of out-of-town visitors and substantial economic activity to the state, had just concluded without any major disruptions. Adding to the contrast, Bad Bunny, a global sensation and queer icon, was scheduled to headline a concert in Salt Lake City in the coming weeks, and Salt Lake City was set to host NCAA men’s basketball tournament games the following month.

Surprisingly, representatives for entities like the NCAA, Bad Bunny, and Sundance declined to provide immediate comments on the situation. This subdued reaction to Utah’s “bathroom bill,” coupled with similar legislation

passed in nine other states since North Carolina, suggests a shift in the broader societal response to such measures.

Allison Scott, who actively campaigned against North Carolina’s “bathroom bill,” described the lukewarm response to Utah’s legislation as “very telling.” She noted the concerning trend of such bills proliferating over the years, indicating not just a lack of progress but also regression in terms of LGBTQ+ rights.

Utah’s House Bill 257, titled “Sex-based Designations for Privacy, Anti-bullying, and Women’s Opportunities,” places restrictions on transgender individuals’ access to bathrooms in public schools and government-operated buildings. The legislation mandates that gender designation aligns with an individu-

al’s genitalia at birth rather than their gender identity. However, exceptions are provided for transgender individuals who have undergone genital surgery and changed their gender marker on their birth certificates to match their identity.

Critics argue that the law will endanger transgender youth, while supporters contend that it addresses concerns about potential misconduct in public restrooms. Rep. Kera Birkeland, the bill’s sponsor, asserts that it aims to close loopholes for predators and does not unfairly target transgender individuals. She emphasizes that the legislation is not meant to encourage vigilante behavior but rather to ensure the safety and privacy of all individuals in public facilities.

However, transgender journalist and advocate Erin Reed pushes back against these assertions, arguing that the legislation will inevitably create disruptions and challenges for transgender individuals in accessing public restrooms. Reed highlights the complexity of enforcing the law’s provisions and suggests that it may lead to confrontations and misunderstandings, particularly in situations where individuals’ gender identity does not align with their assigned sex at birth.

Beyond Utah and North Carolina, nine other states have enacted similar legislation in recent years, albeit with less fanfare and public attention. These laws predominantly restrict transgender individuals’ access to restrooms, particularly in school and government settings. However, North Carolina’s “bathroom bill,” known as HB 2, went a step further by prohibiting transgender individuals from using restrooms and changing facilities that corresponded with their gender identity in most public spaces.

Dr. Emily Gilreath, an expert on LGBTQ+ issues, observes that people are less likely to mobilize against discrimination when their own interests are not directly impacted. This tendency reflects a broader aspect of human nature, wherein individuals may prioritize personal convenience or avoid confrontation, even in the face of injustice.

Furthermore, studies indicate that familiarity with transgender individuals significantly influences attitudes towards LGBTQ+ rights. Those who know at least one transgender person are more likely to support policies and measures that protect transgender rights. This suggests

that personal connections and exposure to diverse perspectives play a crucial role in shaping attitudes and fostering empathy towards marginalized communities.

However, fear of backlash from conservative groups and right-wing influencers has also contributed to the muted response to LGBTQ+ issues in recent years. Reed points to instances where threats of violence and intimidation tactics have silenced individuals and corporations alike. The climate of fear created by these extremist elements has deterred some from speaking out or taking decisive action in support of LGBTQ+ rights.

For example, conservative provocateurs with large social media followings have been known to incite outrage over LGBTQ+ issues, often leading to harassment and threats directed towards those targeted in their posts. In some cases, these threats have escalated to the point of violence, creating a chilling effect on public discourse and activism.

Reed highlights the case of Budweiser factories receiving bomb threats after a transgender influencer’s partnership with Bud Light sparked controversy on social media. Similarly, Target faced backlash and threats after removing LGBTQ+-themed merchandise from its shelves in response to pressure from conservative groups.

In Utah, State School Board member Natalie Cline incited her social media following after posting a photo of a high school basketball flyer that showed a masculine-looking girl. The reaction was virulent enough that the high school had to offer physical protection for the student.

These laws send a message to trans people, young and old, that they don’t belong in public spaces, and can lead to violence against an already marginalized and stigmatized community.

In 2019, Lauren Jackson, a trans woman from Oregon, was brutally attacked after emerging from a state park’s women’s restroom.

Alexa Negrón Luciano, a trans woman, was shot to death just hours after a customer complained about her using a women’s restroom at a fast food restaurant in Puerto Rico in 2020.

Last year, a trans man named Noah Ruiz was attacked and beaten when he left the women’s bathroom that he’d been told to use by a campground’s owner in Ohio. To top things

off, he was then arrested by police.

Others are getting swept up by anti-trans discrimination as stories arise of bathrooms being turned into places of harassment and abuse for anyone who doesn’t conform to stereotypical, rigid views of gender.

In 2021, a Utah school had to investigate a high school athlete — digging into her records back to kindergarten — after she defeated two other girls and their parents then questioned whether she was transgender. She was not.

Also in Utah, an angry parent confronted the principals of both competing schools at a junior varsity girl’s basketball game on January 19, then again after the game, declaring: “I wasn’t born yesterday, I know that’s a boy and you better be able to prove yourself because I am going to the top,” according to The Salt Lake Tribune

Moreover, the political landscape has become increasingly polarized, with LGBTQ+ rights becoming a contentious issue for both major political parties. Republican lawmakers, in particular, have pursued a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in various states, often targeting transgender individuals specifically.

In Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine faced criticism from within his own party after vetoing a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors. Former President Donald Trump publicly expressed his disapproval of DeWine’s decision, signaling the challenges faced by Republican politicians who deviate from the party’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox, who previously vetoed legislation aimed at limiting transgender students’ participation in school sports, ultimately signed the “bathroom bill” into law amid mounting pressure from conservative groups and lawmakers. The swift passage of the legislation reflects the shifting dynamics within the political landscape, with anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment gaining traction among certain segments of the population.

Despite these setbacks, activists and allies continue to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and push back against discriminatory legislation. However, the road ahead remains challenging, with entrenched opposition and a hostile political climate posing significant obstacles to progress. Q

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views quotes

“Natalie Cline needs to resign or be removed from her seat on [the State Utah Board of Education] and her gender policing has been directly encouraged by [Utah Rep. Kera Birkeland] and [Utah Gov. Spencer Cox”

—Blair Hodges on X

“People say MAGA doesn’t have a platform, but I disagree. It’s the party of child genital inspections. Obsessing over whether a young girl, a little on the tall side, with shorterthan-average hair, has a penis. That’s it. Oh, that and ¡Go Putin!”

—Elleee on X

“Who could have seen this coming? Only every caring person paying even the slightest amount of attention. Why did that exclude the Utah Legislature and Board of Education?”

—Beth Talmage on X

“Today I sponsored a [Salt Lake County Council] resolution asking Natalie Cline to step down from the @UTBoardofEd. It passed 7-2. I believe bullies need to be called out. Elected officials who use children to score political points should not be in office.”

—Salt Lake County Councilperson Aimee Winder

HB257

Do you even know transgender people?

BY SUE ROBBINS

is now law. This bill was aimed at protecting women’s privacy but, outside of the Title IX and unisex bathroom construction sections, it negatively impacts my transgender community — both legally and socially.

I sit here incredibly sad as, once again, we are making laws that harm my community.

I have been volunteering in my community for many years and working on transgender related legislation since 2018. A large part of me is so tired. The bills we are seeing each year take away rights and interventions that we have enjoyed for years, and we have harmed no other people. Yet we are the ones that are adversely impacted each time.

Throughout the year, I see my friends who contribute greatly in many ways to our state and our businesses. I meet families where their transgender youth are thriving in their authenticity and the family’s acceptance. This is what makes my heart swell. All Utahns

should be happy and prosperous.

And then we have another bill like this one and it is hard, so hard. In the last year since a ban on health care for transgender youth was passed, I have had many friends move to other states. And I have watched as we have lost youth and adults. Lives cut short way too soon.

I recognize that many don’t understand my community, and I strive to educate. Some think this is a choice. There are studies that show that being transgender is innate. We are born this wonderful person. We have these memories of our gender as far back as we can remember. This isn’t an ideology or contagion, it’s us being completely and unapologetically us.

The hard part of being willing to educate is that we also need those who make law and policy to be willing to pause, to listen and to learn to truly understand our community. We need lawmakers to realize that these actions may be tremendously adverse. As the

medical community says, “First, do no harm.” Instead, we have a community that feels like it is being erased through these successive years. Being removed socially, medically, legally.

Once people get to know us, it changes hearts and minds. While we are a small community, most people have likely met one of us; you just may not know it. I know who we are does not align with stereotypes, and that is exactly the point. We are often opposed due to narratives around us that are not reality.

I want my community to not just survive but to prosper. Isn’t that what Utah is supposed to offer us? There is so much beauty in my community, and yet we are largely misunderstood.

It took decades for Utah to accept the gay and lesbian communities, and now 72 percent of Utahns support marriage equality.

Can we just open our hearts and learn? Can we stop spending decades pushing away a community only to accept them later? Q

Are raids on LGBTQ bars making a comeback in ’24?

BY CHRISTOPHER T. CONNER AND FLETCHER JACKSON

There’s been a noticeable uptick in police harassment since 2023, that began with legislators proposing bills aimed at LGBTQ people. More recently police and other public officials have seemingly gone out of their way to target the LGBTQ community. This includes spaces in “red states,” like Missouri where police officers arrested the owners of Bar:PM (a leather bar in St. Louis) after they wrecked their police cruiser into it. “Blue states” however, are not immune to this — as was the case in Seattle where authorities raided The Cuff and The Seattle Eagle citing them for “lewd conduct” because of a bartender’s exposed nipple, and patrons wearing jockstraps.

As many LGBTQ activists are already aware, federal policymakers have been enacting legislation at the local

and federal level targeting the LGBTQ community. Among those at the federal level is the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a bill introduced by Sen. Richard Blumenthal in May of 2023. Endorsed by President Joe Biden, the bill is a bipartisan initiative to “protect” kids from harmful content online by placing a responsibility on online social media platforms to regulate content and services. Republicans have noted, if passed, the bill would be used to protect “minor children from the Transgender [sic] in this culture and that influence.”

While KOSA seems to have stalled, despite urging from the Biden administration to pass it, some states have begun passing their own versions of the bill — or by enforcing laws at LGBTQ venues like The Cuff in Seattle. Utah’s obscenity laws has even caused PornHub to pull out of states passing these laws, due to their vagueness.

BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING

While some may dismiss these concerns as overblown, it seems clear that it is only one part of a larger strategy aimed at curtailing LGBTQ expression. The irony is that those espousing “freedom” are the same ones passing censorship laws. This gradual ratchet effect, which began last summer by targeting children’s books and LGBTQ persons online, has now shifted into something targeting LGBTQ institutions. It’s the same rhetoric used in the 1960s—which included government produced propaganda directed at LGBTQ people painting them as a social contagion dan-

gerous to kids. At the height of this moral panic were laws prohibiting positive depictions of LGBTQ persons, the impact of which is still being felt today through stereotypes and negative framing.

Even in states that aren’t adding to this moral panic, KOSA has provided the framework by which states can pass vague “obscenity” laws that appear neutral, but in practice are aimed at LGBTQ people. Structural forms of discrimination also exist online as social media platforms act as determiners of what is allowable under their guidelines. In reality, moderation disproportionality impacts LGBTQ people, and especially trans women online. According to a recent study, content moderation against trans people was roughly five times more to occur than cisgender counterparts. These facts and figures resonate with trans content creators we spoke with, like Polly People who was recently de-platformed for “inappropriate attire” — the same attire that is promoted by cisgender women on the same platform.

Whether it’s jockstrap night at the local leather bar, trans content creators trying to express themselves, or protests of expressions of sexuality at Pride or events at Folsom, we are quickly descending into an age of marginalization that many LGBTQ people haven’t experienced since before Stonewall. While some of the established forms of collective organizing and community have been forgotten or lost, new forms are emerging to fight against these laws and regulations designed to further marginalize and render invisible the lives of LGBTQ Americans.

Christopher T. Conner is assistant professor of Sociology at the University of Missouri. They are author of numerous scholarly publications, including ‘The Gayborhood: From Sexual Revolution to Cosmopolitan Spectacle.’ Fletcher Jackson is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Missouri, Columbia in Religious Studies and are co-teaching a class in spring 2024. Their research is at the intersection of psychology, spirituality, and queer visibility. This editirial first appeared in Washington Blade and is used with permission.

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Back when

who’s your daddy

Just wash your hands

BY CHRISTOPHER KATIS

I was a teenager, right-wing conservative activists like Phyllis Schlafly, the founder of the Eagle Forum, worked to stop the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment with a scary monster – unisex bathrooms. They argued that passage of the ERA would force public places to have single restrooms. That meant males and females would use the same facilities, and horrible crimes would be exacted against young girls.

Sound familiar? It’s basically the same argument made by proponents of HB257, the ridiculous bathroom bill recently passed overwhelmingly by the Utah legislature, with just two Republicans in each chamber joining all the Democrats in voting against it. In another display of his moderation, kindness, and empathy, Gov. Cox could barely wait for the ink to dry before signing the bill into law. Remember, this is a guy who keeps claiming he’s a friend and ally of the LGBTQ+ community.

The law requires — among other actions — that people use restrooms that correspond to the gender they were assigned at birth when they’re in government-owned or operated buildings. In a nutshell, transgender women need to start peeing in the men’s room and vice versa, all to protect “real” girls. I mean, to codify this, there must have been a rash of assaults, right? Well, when asked, even the bill’s sponsor couldn’t cite a single case.

But don’t worry, it’s always easy to invent monsters to vilify — even when there’s no proof. And for millennia, queer people have made easy targets for vilification.

Now, the general premise has always been that LGBTQ+ people are sick monsters who prey on children. Perhaps that’s why when U.S. soldiers liberated Nazi concentration camps during World War II, the gay victims of the Holocaust were forced to remain and serve out their “criminal” sentences. Even the first commission charged with

creating the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum originally failed to acknowledge that gay victims had even existed.

That’s why, even today, there are groups in our country advocating for an end to same-gender marriage and LGBTQ+ parental rights and adoptions. And it’s always in the name of protecting kids.

Beyond the television cameras and the self-righteous satisfaction of making Utah the latest state to discriminate against transgender people, deep down, those legislators have to know that it was all for show, right? There is absolutely no way that this law can be enforced. Who’s going to check birth certificates at the door, or — better yet — look at people’s junk to make sure? The ACLU is already considering legal action. That means that, in their attempts to discriminate, the Utah Legislature will cost the taxpayers untold millions in legal fees.

Actually, I really hope a transgender person does insist on using the restroom corresponding to the mistaken gender that appears on their birth certificate. I want to see what goes down when a beefy, bearded, hairy-chested dude, who was assigned female at birth, walks into a women’s room at the capitol.

Phyllis Schlafly moved on from the ERA to join the fights against marriage equality, abortion rights, arms control, and many other issues. She opposed ObamaCare and suggested Congress should impeach former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy for his deciding vote to end the death penalty for juveniles. She lived until 2016, well into a time when public unisex bathrooms were commonplace. Interestingly enough, in all of her post-ERA battles, she doesn’t seem to have mentioned those restrooms. Then again, it wasn’t ever really about bathrooms and invented boogeymen. It never was. It never is.

Personally, I don’t care which bathroom you use, just wash your hands for hell’s sake! Q

creep of the month

The Right-Wing Taylor Swift conspiracy theories

BY D’ANNE WITKOWSKI

We need to talk about Taylor Swift.

It was never going to last forever. And now that the secret’s out and the most popular singer in the United States has had her cover blown to pieces, she will never, ever get it back together.

First, Republicans claimed that Democrats rigged the 2020 election [Editor’s note: Democrats did no such thing]. Now they’re claiming that Democrats are going to rig the Super Bowl all so Taylor Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, can use the largest televised event in the country to demand that everyone vote for President Joe Biden.

If you didn’t have “Taylor Swift discovered to be an agent of the Deep State” on your 2024 Bingo card, then you need to seriously ask yourself why you even bother playing Bingo in the first place.

We should have been suspicious back when Swift re-recorded and re-released her old albums. How did we not notice that all of the “Taylor’s Version” albums have song titles like, “All You Had to Do Was Vote for Biden,” “I Wish You Would Vote for Biden,” and “The Story of U.S. Voting for Biden.”

Still don’t believe me? When you play Swift’s song “Anti-Hero” backward, you’ll hear secret messages like, “Ticketmaster is the devil” and “President Joe Biden 4-Ever.”

I mean, just do the math!

1942 (the year Biden was born) + 1989 (the year Swift was born) = 3931. Divide that by 2024 and you get 1.942. Coincidence? Hardly. When you round 1.942 up you get 2, which is clearly an endorsement of two terms for Biden.

Republicans have, naturally, latched onto this conspiracy theory with unbridled enthusiasm.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that disgraced former president Donald Trump has had, um, issues with Swift for years now.

“Trump himself is apparently jealous of the singer-songwriter’s fame, according

to sources who said the former president is angry that she would back his rival and mystified that she was chosen as Time Magazine’s Person of the Year instead of him,” reports Raw Story.

Swift was Time’s Person of the Year in 2023 and she also appeared on the cover in 2017 with a number of other women “as one of the Silence Breakers who inspired women to speak out about sexual misconduct,” according to Time.

Trump is, no doubt, pissed about both.

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski addressed the Swift controversy on Jan. 31’s episode of “Morning Joe.”

“Trump himself recently claimed in private that he was more popular than the music star and that his fans were more committed than hers,” Brzezinski said.

Scarborough replied in the only possible way: “Well, her fans won’t actually kill four cops. They won’t try to take the government over, if that is what you mean. They won’t take American flags and turn them into spears, if that is what you are talking about.”

IS that what Trump was talking about? I mean, probably!

That said, there really is no telling what Swifties would do if Ticketmaster fucks them over again. Just saying.

“The absurdity of it all boggles the mind,” an anonymous senior administration official told Politico about the Swift conspiracy (Swiftspiracy?). “It feels like one of those ‘tell me you are a MAGA conspiracy theorist, without telling me you are a MAGA conspiracy theorist’ memes.”

It’s easy to laugh at all of this, but we have to remember that believing in, and acting on, absolutely baseless conspiracy theories is exactly what MAGA extremists do. Remember the guy who walked into a D.C. pizza joint and opened fire because he believed in a widely circulated (and widely believed!) conspiracy theory that the restaurant was a front for a child sex trafficking ring? Or how about the time a deranged

loser told thousands of his followers that the 2020 election had been stolen and set them loose on the U.S. Capitol?

Truly, these wild accusations about Swift put her in real danger, as her people are all too aware.

“We know all too well the dangers of conspiracy theories, so to set the record straight: Taylor Swift is not part of a DoD psychological operation. Period,” Swift spokesperson Sabrina Singh told Politico.

I cannot imagine that demonizing Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, aka “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince,” is going to work out well for Republicans. But then again, demonizing people is kind of their thing: women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ people. You know, anyone who isn’t white, Christian, cisgender and heterosexual. Also anyone who believes in science, public education, and basic human decency.

“Call It What You Want,” but “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.” Q D’Anne Witkowski is a writer living in Michigan with her wife and son. She has been writing about LGBTQ+ politics for nearly two decades. Follow her on Twitter @MamaDWitkowski.

Dan Levy talks grief and the importance of chosen family

The ‘Schitt’s Creek’ creator plays a grieving husband in his directorial film debut, ‘Good Grief’

BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI

The grief

was very real for Dan Levy, who lost his grandma and rescue dog, Redmond, over the span of a couple of years during the pandemic. And then he did something very Dan Levy with that grief — he opened a blank page and got to work on “Good Grief,” a Netflix film, out now, that he wrote, directed and stars in.

The film is the “Schitt’s Creek” creator’s first major endeavor after his Emmy-winning show became a sleeper hit as the world shut down due to the Covid pandemic when we sheltered in place (in front of our TVs). In “Good Grief,” Levy plays Marc, an artist we meet at a Christmas party that ends tragically for his husband, Oliver (Luke Evans), who dies in a car accident right outside their place. Marc is left trying to make sense of his sudden loss and what he didn’t know about Oliver’s life before it ended, which takes him to a secret flat Oliver had in Paris. With Marc on his unexpected journey to healing his shattered self are his dearest friends, Sophie (Ruth Negga) and Thomas (Himesh Patel).

I recently spoke with Levy about the film, which he sees as an opportunity to flex new creative muscles, including his portrayal of a charac-

ter who may be as stylish as David Rose even if he isn’t him, exactly. It’s nice to have you back in regular conversation, Dan. It’s been a few years. The world was on a real Dan Levy kick for a while. [Laughs.] I think it’s nice to take a break. It’s nice for everyone to take a break. You don’t want to ever overstay your welcome. So I’m happy that there’s something that I care about that I’m able to talk about now. What goes through your mind when something that is so personal to you gets its wings and is released into the world? Well, it’s tough because it’s done. And I care deeply about it, and that’s all that really kind of matters to me outside of the viewers that watch it and hopefully find some point of connectivity in it. It’s always a very sort of awkward thing to kind of have to sell your work.

But I’m really happy with it and it’s a movie that I know that I would like to watch and one that speaks to my life right now in a way that I feel is quite truthful. And yeah, it’s a weird thing to put it out there and then have people do what they will with it.

But at the end of the day, I’m grateful for the opportunity, ultimately. It’s

a 180 from what people have come to know me from. And those opportunities don’t get handed out all the time. So I was really grateful that some people over at Netflix were willing to go in this new direction with me. And yeah, I’m just glad that there’s a movie out there that speaks to my life in a meaningful way, that speaks to friendship and found family and the fact that, for a lot of people out there who are without kids and without partners, that friendships are the great loves of our lives.

Did you draw from your own found family for the film? I did. You know, I was realizing once you get into your 30s — I’m 40 now, but was 37 when I started developing the film — relationships change. Really good, long friendships. The more your life takes on weight, the more that applies to friendships and what we’re willing to compromise and what we’re willing not to, and the hard conversations we need to have in order to invest in our friendships so that they can have life going into the next 40 years of our lives.

It’s uncomfortable at times, but I’ve been finding myself having really meaningful, truthful conversations with friends through this desire to be OK. If you have a friendship that’s a decade

or two decades old, there’s going to be some stuff that you need to talk about at some point, like an actual partner. And it’s about normalizing that, and the fact that those hard conversations are essentially an act of love. It’s an investment in a meaningful relationship. How did working on this film help you process your own feelings around grief? Writing it really was the first step. I was going through some grief. I lost my grandmother and I lost my dog. And it was the only thing I could do, really. I wasn’t able to articulate it vocally. And I sat down at my computer and just started to write an outline for this film, and it came quite naturally. And it has nothing to do with my own personal grief, but everything to do with the feelings and the detangling of those feelings and trying to understand what it all means.

So as a writer, I tend to put everything down on the page and see what happens. Between “Schitt’s Creek” and this movie, I’ve worked through a lot of stuff. And it’s good because you can put your life into a swath of different characters, and you’re able to ask questions of yourself and others by way of dialogue and the way that different characters interact with each other and process tragedy or love.

It’s all been this wonderful catharsis of sorts, and this movie was huge for me in that sense. It led me to this path of understanding that culminates in a scene toward the end of the movie between my character and [actor] Celia Imrie, where she ultimately says, “To avoid sadness is also to avoid love.” That was one of the big takeaways from this whole experience for me, and it just ended up on the page. And I didn’t really know where it came from, and yet it all was leading to that for me, that kind of revelation of the importance of being OK with sadness and letting it in and trying to understand it. In your own experience and through your exploration of grief, how do you think queer people are impacted differently when it comes to loss? I guess I can only really speak to my own experience because I think the community has experienced grief in so many different ways. And

people are going to process it in so many different ways. I think for me, that really manifested in the friendships. In this idea of having a safety net of friends there to help you. Because I think for a lot of people in the community, they don’t have family to turn to. I’m very lucky that I do. But I think this idea of friendships helping to soften the blow of some real tragedy speaks to the community as a whole. In both “Schitt’s Creek” and now “Good Grief,” wealthy characters comment in various ways on social class. Is there something you’re still trying to say about that topic with this movie? I think so. I mean, I think in a way the character of Marc is such an avoidant, and essentially sort of ran away from his mother’s death into the arms of a very handsome and successful writer. And so Oliver’s success, I think there was something nice about showing a gay man who’s successful and living a wonderful life, despite the odds, despite where he came from. I think we hear through his father’s eulogy that it wasn’t the easiest upbringing, and yet he succeeded. So there was something nice about showing that.

But for Marc, it was all distraction. He was able to really run away from his sadness into the arms of this beautiful new life that was soft and comfortable and exciting and sexy and all of those sort of wonderful things that would allow him to quickly not forget, but repress. So this indulgence before helped to really set up Marc’s relationship to his husband’s success, and ultimately realizing that he doesn’t need it. He doesn’t need that life in the end. He needed something a little bit more grounded, and he needed a life that was more defined for himself.

When we spoke in 2018, “Schitt’s Creek” hadn’t become the cultural phenomenon that it eventually became. And kind of overnight, even though I know it was not overnight for you… It kind of was, though. I think it was over the pandemic, which felt like both forever and a complete blink.

How weird to feel that during a pandemic, right? It continues to be a very strange thing. I talk to the cast about it. It’s a very weird thing to go indoors

for two years and come out a completely different person socially. It’s really disorienting. And you don’t get to be out and about and slowly start to understand that people know who you are.

It’s a very harsh confrontation of the fact that your life is completely different and your relationship with privacy is completely different. And it also doesn’t allow you any time to understand that you are, in fact, recognizable. So I think of that as a great opportunity, because there’s no ego attached to quote-unquote “fame” at this point because we’re all still confused about what’s going on, to be perfectly honest.

[Actor] Emma Corrin is a very close friend of mine, and they went through something very similar with “The Crown” over the pandemic as well, where suddenly everyone knew who they were, and yet we were all indoors. So we’re still kind of thawing to this new version of our lives. You can’t complain about it, obviously, because it’s off the back of great success and opportunity, but it is certainly disorienting and so weird. Were you even more eager to leave your house after or during the pandemic to understand what it might feel like as “Schitt’s Creek” became a success? No. It forced me into my house even more. [Laughs.] Now it takes more to get me out of the house, to be honest. Because it’s not something that I love, frankly. I accept it because it’s part of the job, but it’s certainly not something that I’m lusting after. And so yeah, it’s been very strange. It’s been wonderful. It’s great to hear people. I think fans of the show are so generous and so kind with how they approach me and the things that they say and the comfort that the show has brought them. So I think some fandoms can be really, really intense. I think the “Schitt’s Creek” fandom community is very kind. They have a Canadian sensibility, even though they might not be Canadian? Exactly. We’ve somehow succeeded in just Canadianizing our wonderful fans of the show.

Did you think intentionally about how to move yourself away as an actor from David considering how iconic that character has

become? It’s a wonderful thing because there’s a real personal connection, I guess, to the character and people feeling like they know me. I’m in some ways very close to David, and in some ways completely opposite. I think 80 episodes of doing the same character was the greatest experience, and yet you come out of it and you have a desire, as I think all actors do, to flex a different kind of muscle. And for me, I wanted to get into something a bit more dramatic. Unfortunately, given the culture of our industry, I only was receiving lesser versions of David Rose to play in other shows and movies.

And so I set out to write something for myself that I thought was a challenge. It was all very guttural. It was very instinctual. I didn’t have to strategize. I tended to just listen to where my gut was telling me to go. And it was a great challenge. And as an actor, it really forced me to shake some habits that had formed over 80 episodes of playing an incredibly elastic, reactive human being. The character of Marc in this movie is so still and so calm, and shaking some of those impulses to broaden the performance was a real challenge.

But I hope for anyone who becomes identified by way of a character: We should be so lucky. There’s that. If people recognize me as David Rose for the rest of my life, let that be the case. It’s so rare that you get to participate in anything that affects people in that kind of way. But at the same time, I wish for any actor who is kind of being put in a box by way of their previous performances, that they’d be given the opportunity to show range. I think we’ve seen historically really great comedy actors excel in drama: Robin Williams, Tom Hanks, Jim Carrey...

We have to shift this idea that if someone becomes recognizable for one thing, that that’s somehow all they can do. I love the idea of pushing actors outside of their comfort zones. And I think this movie did that with every actor, frankly, from Ruth [Negga] and Himesh [Patel] to Kaitlyn [Dever] and Emma. Everyone was playing slightly against type, which was really exciting to me. Have you ever sent a David meme or GIF? No. I’ve never sent a David GIF. I have

sent an Alexis GIF. I think that’s as far as I’ll allow myself to go. I’m too scared of what it looks like to send a GIF of yourself. It’s the Canadian in me. I could never. It’s way too arrogant.

I have to ask you a question that everyone has been wondering: When will there be a “Schitt’s Creek” revival? I don’t know if we’ll ever do it. You end on a high note. Listen, we as a culture want, want, want, want, want. We want it now. It’s binge culture. We want to watch an entire season of a television show in two days because that’s what we want. And yet, I think to not give people what they want is cool. And I think it forces them to return to the show. Think about all the shows that overstayed their welcome. You will never go back and rewatch episodes of those TV shows. The shows that I go back to over and

over and over again are the shows that left at just the right time, and I go back because I want that feeling again.

I think we are in a culture now that’s even more critical than when “Schitt’s Creek” ended, frankly. And so I don’t know. If I wake up one day with an idea for a movie or a Christmas special or something, and it is fucking brilliant and uses everybody to the best of their ability, and all of our actors can come back and feel excited to be there and feel like we’re doing something fresh and new, great. That idea has not come to me, and I’m not entirely sure it will. But we will see. Q

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.

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MEET THE QUEER TWOSOME

FROM PEACOCK’S ‘COUPLE TO THROUPLE’ SHOW

Ashmal Ali and Rehman Bhatti are the only same-sex couple on the series

BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI

Polyamory has officially reached the zeitgeist. Beyond the queer community, where it has, perhaps, lived more openly for some time now, it is represented prominently in a recent issue of New York magazine in a way that can speak to an even wider swath of the pro-monogamy population, thanks to the adorable four-cat polycule on its cover.

Polyamory has also reached executives at Peacock, who knew exactly what they were doing with the new reality series “Couple to Throuple,” which takes four twosomes and make them… moresomes. Enter Rehman Bhatti, who grew up 20 minutes south of Detroit, and Ashmal Ali, a Michigan State University law grad who’s originally from Atlanta. The two met while Ali was living in Lansing. “I was in Lansing, so I didn’t really experience Detroit as much,” he says. “I just didn’t really even have a reason to go until I met him.” Soon, they were spending time at places like Detroit’s Campus Martius skating rink and hanging out around Ferndale. Ali called Bhatti a “great tour guide.”

“When we first met, and before Ashmal thought it was going to be something

serious, he didn’t refer to me by my name when he would talk to his friends,” Bhatti recalls. “He would refer to me as ‘Detroit Boy.’ He was about to save my name in his phone as ‘Detroit Boy’ instead of my real name. And then once it became serious, he’s like, ‘All right, we’ll drop that and we’ll call him by his name.’”

As of last year, the couple now both live in Chicago, though Bhatti says “Detroit is always where my heart is.”

How did you two get involved in this show?

REHMAN BHATTI: I actually was scrolling Facebook one day and saw a Facebook ad for it, and it was just like, “Looking for couples that are open to experimenting and have an open mind about where they want to take their relationship.” So then I basically just applied, and then the next day I got a phone call that was like, “Hey, we want to do a quick phone interview.” And then after that, a week later, they were like, “Oh, we want to set you up with a video interview with our casting agents.” That’s when I let Ashmal know: “Hey, on this day we have an interview. Be ready because I signed us up for the show.”

ASHMAL ALI: I was studying for my bar exam at the time so really that was

my study break. I looked up, I showered, got a haircut, and here we are. So it doesn’t sound like you had a lot of hesitation, Ashmal.

ASHMAL: Oh, no. I mean, he said it’s a show for open-minded couples experiencing something new, and I was like, “We’re a new couple.” Had you had conversations about polyamory before the conversation about being on the show?

ASHMAL: I think to a certain extent, yeah. I mean, at that point we didn’t really have the words for what we were talking about. We didn’t have the terms like polyamory or anything like that, but we were talking about exploring. I think there was always a sense of, there’s so much this world has to offer, and I think we both had that mentality throughout our relationship so I think this was just a normal conversation for us. What surprised you most about the experience?

ASHMAL: How hot it was. Honestly, it was so warm. I’ve never sweat like that I think my whole life. I think, because

you don’t see people sweating on TV, I was like, “Is this going to translate?” I’m dripping, I had tinted moisturizer on. I was like, “Is this coming off?”

REHMAN: I did not realize that it was going to be as much of an emotional journey as it was. Looking back on it, I’m so glad that I just went through the experiment with a very open mind and participated. I don’t know if you agree, Ashmal, but I think we initially thought we were going to go there, have fun, and then when we found out it was serious about our relationship, we really took it as seriously as possible and that was definitely surprising to me. Had either of you been in front of a camera before like that, especially for those confessional moments?

REHMAN: No, first time for me.

ASHMAL: Never a camera like that, and I think it was actually the second day when the camera became so real. I remember

looking over and I was like, “There it is. There it is just staring at me.” And that’s when it became way more real. I think the first day we were just meeting everyone, it felt like meeting friends or meeting people for the first time; I was focusing more on that and then it became, “Oh wow, we are filming something.” There’s no script to follow, so we were just all figuring it out together, and I think that was cool about the experience. What was it like to have that camera in your bedroom knowing that this would be on television?

REHMAN: I was just like, “I hope they’re getting my right angles at all times,” that was basically it. [Laughs.] No, but seriously, you just totally forget about it, and you’re just so immersed in the experience and making new experiences with new people and all of that, that I just totally, at some point, forgot that we were filming a show.

So it was never on your mind what would be shown and what might not be shown on TV during those intimate moments?

ASHMAL: I think after the first day, after the camera becomes real, you have to just remember that you’re a regular person and that you’re doing what regular people do. And it’s just, there happens to be a camera there. If you keep thinking about it, I think it not only affects you, but also the people you’re around. I never thought that I’d be exploited, so I think it was easy to let go and just focus on the experience. And it was the first time we could kind of focus on ourselves. We didn’t have to reply to emails, we didn’t have to worry about jobs, we didn’t have to do anything. How did exploring polyamory on this show challenge your relationship and get you to think about relationships differently?

REHMAN: I think because it was so new to us, we had never had prior communication about it. Let’s be honest, Ashmal

and I have very interesting communication just naturally, so I think this added to that and made it even more difficult because our normal communication can sometimes be a little crazy, but now throwing in something that we don’t have very much experience with, we really had to take a step back and say, “Hey, we actually have to really talk about things, and we have to really be on the same page for the first time, in a very limited amount of time too.” We were only on the show for so many days and so many weeks, so we only had so much time to really talk about it, think about it, and then make decisions going forward. So it was definitely, I would say, a test for our communication, for sure.

After the show, are you still interested in pursuing polyamory?

ASHMAL: I was open to whatever the world had to offer before, and I’m open to whatever the world has to offer after the show. I think it was just a great experience. Being open to things has been great so far. So yeah, I’m open to everything.

REHMAN: One of the really cool things that I learned from the show is there isn’t necessarily one right way to be polyamorous. There’s so many different ways, and there are so many different ways that you could take your relationship. I think that’s the thing that Ashmal and I were so excited about: to explore how else we could have a relationship. Could we have something that’s not necessarily what people consider to be the norm? And that was the coolest thing for me to experience, seeing the other couples take on polyamory in a different way. So, a huge learning experience for me and I’m definitely open to what else comes in the future. What was it like to be queer men in a group of seemingly mostly straight men?

ASHMAL: For me, honestly, it was super fun. I think even on day one walking in, it made you forget whatever preconceived notions you might’ve had. I remember one person from one of the couples, Dylan Bair, a big muscular guy, I walked in and maybe I had my guard up

for a sec. And then he opened his mouth, I was like, “This man is truly a teddy bear.” Living in that house with everyone, you kind of forgot. It’s not that you forgot your differences, but you remember you were all here figuring this stuff out. So I was learning from Dylan. I mean, he would always work out, so I was copying his workouts. I just had the best time. It was like those barriers that we have in the real world were down. So you really got to meet these people for who they were and not necessarily what I would

Ashmal: For me growing up, exploring my queerness was already so out of the mold. It was already out of tradition. So it’s like just by being me, I’m already taking a step outside of what’s “normal.” Nothing else new feels like anything different because I’ve already stepped away from the tradition, so I’m way more open to everything else because I’m already doing something that’s not “normal.” We hold ourselves back less. And I think now heterosexual people are being more open to it

think they were if I saw them out.

REHMAN: I think the one thing that made me a bit nervous coming into it being the only queer men was that, “Oh my god, people are now going to see us as the only [queer] people on there, that’s the only representation they’re getting; we have to make sure we’re dotting our i’s and crossing our t’s because we are going to be judged like crazy.” It took a little while for me to get over that and realize, listen, while I am somewhat representing the LGBTQ+ community, I’m representing Rehman and that’s it. So I really had to just go with the flow, do what I felt was right, and not necessarily worry about what other people are going to say or how I might be perceived by maybe non-queer people, but then also the queer community in general. I just had to do my own thing. Why do you think more people seem to be openly talking about polyamory now?

because they’re not taking the traditional roles of male-female in a relationship.

REHMAN: Some people are probably already practicing polyamory, and they’re just not maybe as open about it. I know we’ve talked to so many people when we’ve mentioned, “Hey, we’re going to be on the show,” and people have been like, “Oh yeah, I’ve tried that out myself.” And maybe they haven’t just been so public about it. I’m hoping that the more this topic and this way of having a relationship becomes more normalized, people will feel a lot more comfortable to talk about it, say publicly they’re in a polyamorous relationship, and feel a lot more comfortable to be themselves and try new things. Q

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.

BY THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE COMMUNITY

PUBLISHED BY QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE

GET LISTED AT SALES@QSALTLAKE COM

Three new restaurants coming to Block 47

on the street

BY JOSH JONES

If youthought there was a lot of progress recently in Downtown Salt Lake… get ready for a meteoric 2024. Downtown’s population will double this year, with Astra, Revival, and Worthington ushering in hundreds of apartments. This will require more restaurants, social establishments, and expanded amenities like third spaces, parks, dog runs, and transit options.

The F+B scene is ready to explode with the impressive, celebrity-driven STK that just opened in the WEST QUARTER and mind-boggling nightclubs coming to The Gateway — ELECTRIC FISH and NEPTUNE’S PALACE

We’ve been plying our sources for information on the prolonged renovation of the magnificent Maxwell’s space in the Boston Building. You’ll remember it is one of the most spacious rooms downtown, with gorgeous views of Main Street and a dynamic patio setting. We can finally reveal that HP Management will open its new brainchild, AKER RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE , there

late this spring. “A groundbreaking concept that seamlessly marries the culinary finesse of upscale cuisine with the dynamic allure of downtown’s nightlife.” Hmm, intriguing. Digging in further, we found they’ll specialize in Japanese cuisine, specifically robatayaki (think small, slow-grilled skewers over charcoal). An upscale atmosphere will transform into an “alluring contemporary lounge” in the later evening. They seem to have the money to bring something special to market, so we’ll keep spying on the space! (MAXWELL’S TINY PUB relocated to 200 South and 357 West).

Next door, at the short-lived Pago

on Main space, a vinyl wrap is up for FELT BAR & EATERY. While taking spy photos, owners Rich Romney and Travis Herbert invited me in for a peekaboo. A gorgeous 30-seat bar wraps the interior in cool blue hues, and modern chandeliers drip from the ceiling. The space is sophisticated, but deeply approachable, plus these two have the chops to raise

the barre on service. Rich was with Takashi for 15 years, and Travis has 18 years of experience in fine dining. They hope to have their license in February.

We’d be remiss not to mention that, after closing Pago, Scott Evans opened FINCA PINTXOS BAR on Regent Street, and everyone 21+ should try the gin cocktails and Spanish tapas.

The reliable source who gave us the lowdown on Aker also whispered an

update on REPEAL , coming to the Walker Center’s basement (the old Bourbon House). They are taking their time to get the space perfect and expanding not only the footprint but doubling the kitchen! Live music (especially jazz) will float through the space, which reminds us of D.B. Coopers. Does anyone else remember?

On the same block, the

old Circle Lounge (we’re really in the archives today) is going to get a second life as a supper club from a new-tostate operator. (FYI, for those who remember, the circle has already been removed). More info next month!

Finally, LAKE EFFECT is now open everyday for lunch, starting at 11 a.m. We can vouch for the chicken burrata sandwich. The drinks and luxurious atmosphere will have you wondering, “do I need to go back to work?”

One postscript, dear reader, if you ever wondered just how observant we are (nosy and nerdy), we were thrilled to notice MELTING POT ’s new signage. Q Joshua Jones is the director of communications and marketing at the Downtown Alliance at downtownslc. org, where this column was first shown.

Newly-crowned

Miss Gay Utah and Mr. Gay Utah aim

to

serve our community And three kick-ass LGBTQ+ festivals. Also, portraits with Jesus.

BY BLAIR HOWELL

PAGEANTRY The Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire is Utah’s oldest LGBTQ+ nonprofit. The volunteer service organization can boast of donating more than $1 million to the city’s LGBTQ+ community since its 1976 founding. The annual fundraising events include the Closet Ball, Golden Spike Universe, and King and Queen of Hearts. The Royal Court recently announced the coronation of its MISS GAY UTAH , Eva Chanel Stephens; and MR. GAY UTAH , Johnny Hebda.

“My goal as Miss Gay Utah is to help one of our most underrepresented parts of our community: our kids,” Stephens explains. “We need to show our queer youth in this day and age that it’s OK to be gay, queer, or trans. Statics have shown the suicide rate among our queer youth/ teens goes down about 40 percent when they have at least one supportive parent, guardian, etc. Every child should feel they have a right to exist, love, and be loved.”

“During my reign, I will continue to advocate for the trans community — specifically, rallying the gay community to do more to support our trans siblings who need our help right now,” says Hebda. “As the gay community become greater allies, it is my hope that hearts and minds will shift, and the trans community will receive the same rights and protections the rest of us enjoy.”  rcgse.org

FESTIVAL With its theme, “More Than Music: A Festival for Everyone,” GET LUCKY 2024 promises to be the ultimate electronic music experience as a celebration of melodic bass, house music, DNB, and bass music.

This year, I’m personally most excited for Chase & Status and the rest of the Drum & Bass artists on the lineup,” says V2 Presents’ Ian Hiscock. “Chase & Status exploded in popularity in the U.S. over the past couple of years, and it’s their first time back in SLC since 2011. Also a first time in Salt Lake City for UK-based artists KOVEN + Culture Shock. As always, we love to see the community come together for one of the most cherished events of the year.”

For over two decades, V2 has been producing one of the largest dance music events in the state, showcasing prestigious DJs.  March 8-9, the Great Saltair; tickets at getluckyslc.com

ANOTHER FESTIVAL Pop superstar Ava Max will be the headline performer at WHITE PARTY PALM SPRINGS

“I have wanted her to perform for the past two years, and the stars finally aligned,” says Chris Diamond, White Party Global executive producer. “Her energy and performance are going to be the highlight of the festival.”

Renowned for her smash hits “Sweet but Psycho,” “Kings & Queens,” and “My Head &

My Heart,” Ava Max says: “This is such an iconic event, and I can’t wait to dance and celebrate with everyone in the desert.”

 March 29-31, Palm Springs’ The Saguaro Hotel; tickets whitepartyglobal.com

YET ANOTHER FESTIVAL There are five must-see LGBTQ performers at COACHELLA 2024: Reneé Rapp, Kevin Abstract, Ice Spice, Brittany Howard, and Tinashe. With its rich inclusion of queer artists, the event is a significant moment in the LGBTQ+ community.

 April 12-19, 13-20, and 14-21, in Indio, California; passes at coachella.com

SAY CHEESE Each holiday, we’ve taken our children to the local mall for photos with Santa and the Easter Bunny. And now … with Jesus. A photo op with a bearded, shaggy-haired actor in Biblical robes portraying the Son of God, rather. Herriman, Utah-based VanderRose photo studio now offers “an Easter experience like none other” portrait sessions. “These one-of-a-kind pieces will add a meaningful and spiritual touch to any home. Don’t miss this opportunity to join VanderRose and create art that will truly resonate with your heart and soul. “

 March 23, vanderrose.com/book-online, $600 for a 20-minute sitting

Eva Chanel Stephens and Johnny Hebda.

PHOTO: LUKE NIELSON

Ava Max

PHOTO: ADAM KARGENIAN

REVIEW BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

Interesting Facts about Space

BY EMILY AUSTIN, C. 2024, ATRIA, $27.99, 320

PP

People just don’t understand you.

They don’t “get” you at all. Your sense of humor goes over their heads. If you’re happy, you’re weird; if you’re angry, it makes no sense to them. You’re an enigma to most people – even sometimes, as in the new book “Interesting Facts about Space” by Emily Austin, you’re an enigma to yourself.

Enid Hughes wasn’t entirely sure why she was at her half-sister’s gender reveal party.

Truth was, Enid found those kinds of parties rather repugnant, but whatever, her half-sisters seemed to want a relationship with her. She didn’t know why that, either. It wasn’t like they all grew up together or anything; their father out-and-out abandoned her in favor of his second family. It was all just so awkward.

q scopes

MARCH

BY SAM KELLEY-MILLS

ARIES March 20—April 19

As the spring heat rises, so do your expectations. There is nothing wrong with having a high standard but keep your priorities straight. You may find that the longer you go without caring, the better off you will feel. Take care of yourself first!

TAURUS Apr 20—May 20

Even if you have no plans, there is a lot you need to do. Make a list and get a grip in a way that feels good. Order is the opposite of the chaos you experience when laying in bed at night, so sleep with your list close to your pillow.

GEMINI May 21—June 20

A faraway buddy could be hitting you up out of the blue. Enjoy the reunion, even if you don’t understand the reasoning behind it. The time for fun times and good

That whole thing still depressed Enid’s mother, years later, which Enid thought about as she spent party-time surreptitiously texting space facts to her mom. Space facts were comforting and a way of checking in. She also sometimes texted women she’d met online, random hook-ups she’d had with zero plans of ever seeing any of the women again.

Usually, that was a way to avoid a mess, but she’d recently learned that she’d been duped into seeing someone who was married, and things got complicated when the woman’s wife found out. Yes, Enid was a lesbian, so what? When she was younger, she thought of boys and marriage, but she eventually decided that love was for everybody else.

For real, who would put up with someone who thought her apartment was being cased, or who had a serious phobia of bald men and their smell? Nobody in their right mind would put up with a woman who was obsessed with true-crime podcasts or who loved the stars, planets, and the moon, or who texted a pre-written message when she wanted to break up.

Who’d want to date someone who was constantly being watched?

feelings is here, so make the best of it. The heat is on, and so are you.

CANCER June 21—July 22

Whatever you decide to do this spring, there is no denying that it’s a good time for reflection. Find something that makes your heart shine. Spend time with friends and/or lovers, and let the good times roll! Just keep your head clean.

LEO July 23—August 22

Nothing is stopping you from doing your best, but doubts still plague your mind. Take some time to understand the choices you have and could make. Only then will you be good with letting things flow naturally in all aspects of life.

VIRGO August 23—Sep 2

The changes you want to make are waiting for your attention. Focus on what counts and take a leap of faith. Money demands some attention, but your love life is what really provides you with the comforts you are craving.

Don’t be surprised if you’re mystified when you first start “Interesting Facts about Space.” Don’t be surprised if you squirm, either, because it’s an uncomfortable read.

Which doesn’t mean that you won’t want to continue.

Enid’s story is compelling, but as a character, she’s hard to categorize, and author Emily Austin doesn’t make that easy to figure out. Enid’s not gregarious or particularly friendly; her odd-duck ways are charming and abrasive with the lightest whiff of humor, but she’s also depreciative and sad and that doesn’t abate – which may not make her very likable but you still won’t quit her. So why not?

Because you know something’s coming. Like or dislike, Enid’s quite the conundrum until you get toward the end of this story and the whole thing pivots. Suddenly, everything you’ve read, every angsty comment and weird quirk is turned upside down, and you will be, too.

It’s a nice pay-off if you can warm up to the quirkiness of this story and stick around. Until then, you may wonder why you’re immersed in “Interesting Facts about Space.” A few pages in, and you’ll understand. Q

LIBRA Sept 23—October 22

Trying out new things is a welcome idea, and with the help of a friend or family member, you can do just that. See about exploring new places and finding new ways to explore the better parts of life. Even if you fail, you tried!

SCORPIO Oct 23—Nov 21

It’s time for some wine and dine, to share stories, and perhaps to work on your love life. There are so many options that you might not know where to start. Get involved with new groups or rekindle the past. It’s all about social life now.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov 22—December 20

Nothing is going to stop you from getting what you want this year, even if that means breaking a few rules. Don’t let the rebel in you get the upper hand, but a few small risks could be worth the reward. Strutt forward and win!

CAPRICORN

Dec 21—Jan 19

It might be tempting to reflect on your current situation, but rest assured that there are no true emergencies right now. A new perspective could come and go like the wind, but the experience of holding a belief lasts a lifetime.

AQUARIUS Jan 20—Feb 18

No one can tell you what to do, and if they try, you won’t hear it. Take matters into your own hands, but don’t grip too tight. Slow and steady is the way to go when dealing with personal matters. You don’t want to hurt anyone.

PISCES Feb 19—Mar 19

Distress is not on your radar. In fact, you might feel better now than you have in ages! Even so, take the time for projects that have long gone neglected. Get back in touch with past associates and work on spicing up your life.! Q

A Pink Sack

Makes Him Tingle

ACROSS

1 Homonym for the mom of Chaz

6 Fruity cobblers, e.g.

10 Nemesis of Tinkerbell

14 Anouk of “Lola”

15 Old Dodge

16 Shade of blue

17 Tingle, who wears a pink sack on his head for anonymity

18 A necessity for a lasting relationship, per Tingle

20 Diced meat dish

21 Org. for bears

22 Neil Patrick of “How I Met Your Mother”

23 Tire reinforcement

26 “___ ear, and out the other”

27 Opponent of Wade

28 Drumbeat start

30 Another necessity for a lasting relationship, per Tingle

36 “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” experiences

37 Voyeur’s confession?

38 Suffix with homoerotic

41 “Spamalot” writer Eric

42 Larry Kramer, to Yale

43 Patty Hearst’s SLA name

45 Born, in gay Paree

46 Coin for Kahlo

47 Crime jobs

48 Em, e.g.

49 Becomes unclear

50 Literary genre of Tingle

55 Check out

56 They come before kissing

57 Have the big O

59 Make a swap

60 Position for Louganis

61 What you do at the other end

62 Curious one

63 Editor’s word

64 Serve drinks at a gay bar, e.g.

DOWN

1 Goldman’s business partner

2 Part of a drum kit

3 Tickle a funny bone

4 Lavishly elegant

5 Prissy cry of fear

6 Group of manhunters

7 Push forward

8 Doe in Disney’s “Bambi”

9 Love-making sound

10 Of breastbones

11 Gide’s subway

12 Try a Susan Feniger cookbook, e.g.

13 Name in a Beethoven opus

19 Cole Porter’s “Katie Went to ___”

21 His brother laid him in his grave

24 Elton’s johns

25 Out on a limb

29 Verlaine’s soul

30 Stroke it

31 Be hard to find

32 Gaze at gays, e.g.

33 Places for Amelia Earhart to land

34 Poet ___ Wu

35 Forerunner of videotape

39 Country once part of the U.A.R.

40 Rainey and Kettle

42 Drag queen ___ Pool

43 Having no play

44 Brandy fruit

46 Club of Patty Sheehan on the green

47 Many are out of it

48 Broadway whisper

49 Strapped

50 ___ Hari

51 Cather’s “One of ___”

52 Neighbor of Minn.

53 Ready for press

54 Sherman Hemsley religious sitcom

58 “The Living ___”

Q mmunity groups

BUSINESS

LGBTQ+ Affirmative Therapists Guild

 lgbtqtherapists.com

* jim@lgbtqtherapists.com

Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce

 utahlgbtqchamber.com

* info@utahgaychamber.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

HEALTH & HIV

Planned Parenthood

 bit.ly/ppauslchiv

654 S 900 E 801-322-5571

Salt Lake County Health Dept HIV/STD Clinic

610 S 200 E, 2nd Floor Walk-ins M—F 8a—5p Appts 385-468-4242

UAF Legacy Health

 utahaids.org

150 S 1000 E 801-487-2323

Weber-Morgan Health Mon., Weds 1-4:30p

477 23rd St, Ogden Appt 801-399-7250

HOMELESS SVCS

VOA Homeless Youth Resource Ctr, ages

15—21

880 S 400 W 801-364-0744

LEGAL

Rainbow Law Free Clinic 2nd Weds 6—7:30pm Utah Pride Ctr probono@law.utah.edu

POLITICAL

Equality Utah

 equalityutah.org

* info@equalityutah.org

376 E 400 S 801-355-3479

Utah Libertarian Party

129 E 13800 S #B2-364 libertarianutah.org 866-511-UTLP

Utah Stonewall Democrats

 utahstonewalldemocrats.org

 fb.me/ utahstonewalldems

RELIGIOUS

First Baptist Church

 firstbaptist-slc.org

11a Sundays

777 S 1300 E 801-582-4921

Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church

10:30a Sunday worship

175 S 700 E 801-328-0521

 mttaborslc.org

Sacred Light of Christ

 slcchurch.org

823 S 600 E 801-595-0052

11a Sundays

SOCIAL

Alternative Garden Club

 utahagc.org/clubs/ altgardenclub/ 1 to 5 Club (bisexual)  facebook.com/ groups/1to5clubutah

blackBOARD

Men’s Kink/Sex/BDSM education, 1st, 3rd Mons.  blackbootsslc.org

blackBOOTS Kink/BDSM Men’s leather/kink/ fetish/BDSM 4th Sats.

 blackbootsslc.org

OWLS of Utah (Older, Wiser, Lesbian Sisters)

 bit.ly/owlsutah

qVinum Wine Tasting

 qvinum.com

Seniors Out and Proud  fb.me/soaputah

* info@soaputah.org

801-856-4255

Temple Squares Square Dance Club

 templesquares.org

801-449-1293

Utah Bears

 utahbears.com

 fb.me/utahbears

* info@utahbears.com

6p Weds SL Coffee Break, 430 E 400 S Utah Male Naturists

 umen.org

 fb.me/utahmalenaturists

* info@umen.org

Utah Pride Center

 utahpridecenter.org

* info@utahpridecenter.org

1380 S Main St

801-539-8800

Venture OUT Utah

 bit.ly/GetOutsideUtah

SPORTS

QUAC — Queer Utah Aquatic Club

 quacquac.org

* questions@ quacquac.org

Salt Lake Goodtime Bowling League

 bit.ly/slgoodtime

Stonewall Sports SLC

 fb.me/SLCStonewall

 stonewallsaltlakecity. leagueapps.com

385-243-1828

Utah Gay Football League

 fb.me/UtahGayFootballLeague

Venture Out Utah

 facebook.com/groups/ Venture.OUT.Utah

SUPPORT

Alcoholics Anonymous 801-484-7871

 utahaa.org

LGBT meetings: Sun. 3p Acceptance Group, All Saints Episcopal Church, 1710 Foothill Dr

Tues. 7p Live & Let Live, Mt Tabor

Lutheran, 175 S 700 E Wed. 7p Sober Today, 1159 30th St , Ogden

Wed. 7p Bountiful Men’s Group, Am. Baptist Btfl Church, 1915 Orchard Dr, Btfl

Fri. 7p Stonewall Group, Mt Tabor Lutheran, 175 S 700 E

Crystal Meth Anon

 crystalmeth.org

USARA, 180 E 2100 S Clean, Sober & Proud Sun. 1:30pm

Leather Fetish & Kink Fri. 8:30pm

Genderbands

 genderbands.org fb.me/genderbands

LifeRing Secular Recovery

801-608-8146

 liferingutah.org

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 Therapists Guild

 lgbtqtherapists.com

* robin@lgbtqtherapists.com

YOUTH/COLLEGE

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

OUT Foundation BYU

 theout.foundation

 fb.me/theOUTfoundation

Salt Lake Community College LGBTQ+

 slcc.edu/lgbtq/ University of Utah LGBT Resource Center

 lgbt.utah.edu

200 S Central Campus

Dr Rm 409, M-F, 8a-5p

801-587-7973

USGA at BYU

 usgabyu.com

 fb.me/UsgaAtByu

Utah State Univ. Inclusion Ctr

 usu.edu/inclusion/ Utah Valley Univ Spectrum

 linktr.ee/spectrumqsa

 uvu.edu/lgbtq/

* lgbt@uvu.edu

801-863-8885

Liberal Arts, Rm 126

Weber State University LGBT Resource Center

 weber.edu/ lgbtresourcecenter

Shepherd Union Suite 323 Dept. 2117

801-626-7271

Westminster Student Diversity Center

Bassis 105, M-F 8a-5p

 bit.ly/westdiversity

BY ROMEO SAN VICENTE

Sundance : ‘I Saw The TV Glow’ unnerves audiences

“I Saw the TV Glow,” coming soon from A24, is the year’s first volley of queer weirdness from innovative filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun. After her first feature, “We’re All Going to The World’s Fair,” achieved critical love and Gen Z queer adulation, the trans filmmaker’s sophomore effort seemed poised to breakout, and it looks like that’s what’s about to happen. A hit at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, starring Justice Smith (“Jurassic World Dominion”) and Bridgett Lundy-Paine (“Atypical”), it’s the story of two teenagers bonding and obsessing over fandom of a TV show — one steeped in “Twin Peaks” oddness and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” references — and how it transforms their identities. Part ambient horror, part metaphorical trans narrative, and fully mesmerizing, “TV Glow” is already on track to become a cult favorite and touchstone of the next wave of queer filmmaking. Look for A24 to drop it into theaters sometime this year.

Kevin Williamson returns to ‘Rear Window’

Kevin Williamson, the queer creator behind the “Scream” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer” franchises, has just signed a multi-project development deal with Universal Television. Among the series in the pipeline are an adaptation of the Ruth Ware novel, “The It Girl”; a version of David Fincher’s film, “The Game”; an original project called “The Waterfront,” and, perhaps most excitingly, a reboot/reimagining of the Alfred Hitchcock classic, “Rear Window.” One of the most beloved thrillers in film history, it’s the story of a man who, in

deep inside hollywood

the process of observing the neighbors in his apartment building, witnesses actions that make him think a murder has occurred. The 1954 film starred Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly (and gay acting legend Raymond Burr as the suspiciously behaving neighbor) and, while no actors have signed on for the remake yet, this is absolutely going to be the kind of project actors will beg their agents to get them into the casting conversation. More on this one as it moves forward.

‘The Uglies’ look good for Netflix

In a future dystopia, society will impost cosmetic surgery at age 16 for anyone not attractive enough to keep living, and those who reject their turn to become Pretty-with-a-capital-P wind up running away. That’s the premise of “The Uglies,” a new film from McG, based on the novel “Uglies,” by Scott Westerfeld. Coming this year to Netflix, the movie stars Joey King (who also produced) as a teenage girl who runs away to save a friend who rejected the surgery, and whose own life is changed by the process. Co-starring Keith Powers (“The New Edition Story”) and queer superstar Laverne Cox, it has the feeling of “Logan’s Run” for a new generation — in that one they killed you at age 30 no matter how hot you were — and we’re very much up for a dystopian thriller where everyday human traits like crooked teeth become the deadliest liabilities.

‘No Good Deed’ adds more queer cast members to the lease

We already reported on lesbian TV creator Liz Feldman’s (“Dead to Me”) latest comedy project for Netflix, “No Good Deed,” starring Abbi Jacobson, Ray Romano, Lisa Kudrow, Teyonah Parris and Linda Cardellini. The eight-episode series revolves around multiple people vying to buy the same piece of property in the white-hot (meaning if you have to ask you can’t afford it) Los Angeles housing market. Now the cast has expanded to include gay comic actor Matt Rogers (“Fire Island”) and “The L Word” icon Kate Moennig. That means more queer bidders to battle over this fictional house and

we are already rooting for them to crush the competition. If you’ve seen “Dead to Me” you already know that Feldman knows how to mine stress and discomfort for laughs — our favorite brand of comedy, really — so keep this one on your radar when it drops later this year.

Stormy Daniels, in her own words

In the documentary, “Stormy,” the porn star/dating show host Stormy Daniels — come on, you haven’t watched her tear it up on the wild OutTV queer dating series “For The Love of DILFS” yet? — gets to explain herself the way she’s always wanted. From director Sarah Gibson and executive producer Judd Apatow, the film follows the woman who helped expose yet another ugly aspect of Donald Trump as she navigates the sudden mainstream fame and political controversy that surrounded her. Reinvention can be tough, of course, but the bold, unflinching way Daniels has conducted herself in the wake of a scandal involving a sitting U.S. President has been nothing short of inspiring so this is a doc to dive into. If you’re in Austin during the Scfestival, the film will have its World Premiere on March 8, and if you’re the rest of us, you can catch it on Peacock on March 18. Team Stormy!

‘Michael’ casts Oscar-nominated Colman Domingo

Gay actor Colman Domingo’s career is on fire right now. His upcoming comedy, “Drive Away Dolls,” hits theaters any moment, he just wowed audiences as Mister in the musical adaptation of “The Color Purple,” he’s enjoying his first career Best Actor Oscar nomination for playing Black civil rights movement icon Bayard Rustin in “Rustin,” and now he’s been cast as Joe Jackson, troubled, controversial patriarch of the musical Jackson family in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, “Michael.” To be directed by Antoine Fuqua with a script from Oscar nominee John Logan, the film will star Jaafar Jackson — nephew of Michael and son of older brother Jermaine — as the King of Pop. Universal is set to release it in April of 2025. Q Romeo San Vicente has reinvented himself more times than Madonna.

the perils of petunia pap smear

A tale of where the boys are

BY PETUNIA PAP SMEAR

The road to Palm Springs is fraught with danger and excitement.

I woke up on January 2nd with the sudden realization that the holidays were over. So I rolled my buttockus maximus out of bed, oozed ever so sluggishly onto the floor, and slowly took down the Christmas tree. When I finished, I had nothing to look forward to except the coldest, darkest, and most depressing month of the year. With a great sigh of sadness, I opened the front door and looked outside only to be accosted by a blizzard blowing by my breasticles. I began shivering with the cold. A sudden gust of wind slammed the door shut, right on my left breasticle, leaving an unsightly dent in the door jam and badly misshapen breasticle. Now, just what is a self-respecting, image-conscious drag queen supposed to do with one horribly misshapen breasticle?

I phoned Ask-A-Nurse for advice on how to deal with a severely bent breasticle, and they referred me for a mammogram. Well, obviously, the only thing a mammogram was going to reveal would be the battery pack for my blinking breasticle lights, so, in desperation, I turned to drastic measures for relief. After much trial and error with different breasticle straightening strategies, such as a winch and a crowbar, I finally ended up using a blacksmith’s hammer and anvil to straighten things out. It still didn’t look quite right, so I finished the fine details with my Hamilton Beach steam iron. Viola! Good as new!

After all this wintery, blustery turmoil, I decided that I needed to get the Hell out of town, so I loaded up my beloved land yacht Queertanic, pointed her south towards warmer climes, and hit the road. I’ve always heard people raving about going to Palm Springs, so that’s where I headed.

Upon arriving in Palm Springs, I checked myself into one of those clothing-optional gay resorts that I had

seen advertised online. I’ve always heard about these wild pool parties in Palm Springs, so I thought I might be in for an adventure… If I have learned anything from my 15 years of watching Sir David Attenborough in the Planet Earth nature video series, it is that I must take careful precautions, lest I frighten and disturb the native fauna. Over time, I have sadly come to realize that nothing in this world terrifies and traumatizes a gaggle of gays more quickly than a gander at my exceedingly voluminous blubbernaught belly and protuberant posterior.

Luckily, prior to taking this trip and for just such eventualities, I had visited AAA Jumbo Tent & Awning Company, and they fashioned a lovely gargantuan queen-sized camouflage caftan, perfect for making discrete observations of the North American gay male in his natural habitat. I excitedly headed for the swimming pool, which was filled with beautiful boys. I made one fatal error in that I failed to take into account the water displacement equal to that of the Q.E.II oceanliner that occurred when I entered the pool. The resulting tidal wave swept the entire gaggle of gays up out of the water and onto the pool deck, squealing with terror and fleeing for their lives.

As it happened, as I was waiting for the boys to return to the pool, my tummy began rumbling, and I realized that the buffet I had eaten the previous night had now finished its journey through my digestive tract and was ready to make its exit. Thus, I retired to my hotel room and entered the bathroom. I was intrigued to discover that the toilet was equipped with one of those fancy Japanese bidet attachments. I’ve always wanted to try one of these, but never had the chance. I got down on my knees so that I could closely inspect the device and see how it worked. I twisted the knob, and it shot a torrent of water right in my face. I fell back, trying to dodge the stream, hitting my head on the vanity and knocking my beehive wig all askew. The jet of

water was now spraying all over the ceiling, thus it began raining inside the bathroom. Oh, My, Hell! With mascara running down my cheeks so that my face resembled that of a zebra, and my wig now nothing more than a wet mop on top of my head, I twisted the knob to off. CLEAN UP ON AISLE NINE! I grabbed all the towels and mopped up the mess. After the worst of the mess was cleaned up, I still had to take care of the distasteful butt business. So, I spun around and assumed a regal posture on the throne like the queen that I am should. When finished, and the buffet remnants were deposited safely in the toilet bowl, it was time to reactivate the bidet. So, I twisted the knob to what I thought was the lowest setting. I chose wrongly! My bottom did not experience a gentle and comforting cleansing sensation, but in fact my ass received an enema with the force and volume of Niagara Falls, obviously preparing my butt for a cavity search and nearly pinning me to the opposite wall. Later, I returned to the pool, but sadly, the boys were nowhere to be seen. This story leaves us with several important questions:

1. Because I wanted my breasticle to be straight, does that mean I have to turn in my gay membership card?

2. Could the mammogram possibly have shown battery cancer?

3. Would the cure for battery cancer be a new battery recharger?

4. Should they rename Queen Elizabeth II to the Queen Pap Smear I?

5. Is a bidet enema how drug mules prepare for a smuggling job?

6. Now that I have experience, should I become a drug mule to supplement my retirement income?

7. Is Doris Bidet a good drag name?

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