QSaltLake Magazine | Issue 359 | May 2024

pUblIsher/edItor Michael Aaron

desIgner Christian Allred sales Michael Aaron, 801-997-9763 x1 sales@qsaltlake.com

Meda Thompson, 208-576-1444

meda@qsaltlake.com

Rivendell Media, 908-232-2021 ext 200 sales@rivendellmedia.com

natIonal neWs edItor Craig Ogan

contrIbUtors Joshua Adamson Pickett, Diane Anderson-Minshall, Chris Azzopardi, Paul Berge, Jeff Berry, Paul Campbell, Laurie BennettCook, Roger Cox, Stephen Dark, Jennifer Dobner, 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

dIstrIbUtIon Roger Cox

pUblIsher

QSaltLake celebrates our 20th anniversary

BY MICHAEL AARON

Twenty years

ago April 29, the first issue of what would become QSaltLake Magazine rolled off the presses and onto shelves of over 200 locations across the valley. It was a four-month effort to sell enough ads, hire a staff, set up an office, and put together enough stories to fill a newspaper.

That morning, I was interviewed by Mary Nickles on 2News This Morning and then the Good Morning Utah at Channel 4. In the afternoon, I was on-air at KCPW helping with their radiothon and promoting the launch. In the evening, I was at the launch party to end all parties in both King Suites of Hotel Monaco, hobnobbing with all of the KUTV crew and online personalities, the mayor, several legislators, queer leaders, and so many friends there was a line in the hotel lobby to be allowed up.

While I consider we started our 20th year on January 4 when we opened the office, this is likely the true anniversary in most ways.

In 2004, our community was fighting a constitutional amendment against samesex marriage and dealing with police targeting our community. Utah Pride had 20,000 attendees. Utah Pride Center was called the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Utah. Salt Lake City’s mayor was Rocky Anderson, and Utah’s governor was Olene Walker.

Today, there are new challenges for our community. While we have the right to marry, many other of our wins over the last two decades are being pushed back by ultra-conservatives — some within our own ranks. The transgender community, which was barely visible 20 years ago, is front-andcenter in the right’s attempts to silence us and, to some, deny our very existence.

In the past few years, people asked if there was still a need for a queer local publication. I held fast then, and I’m even more convinced now that QSaltLake Magazine is a vital part of our progress forward. Q

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

BY CRAIG OGAN

I’ll take LGBTQ literature for $1000, Alex

On “Jeopardy!” “LGBTQ Books.” might be an easy category. The American Library Association has released its top 10 most challenged books of 2023. The answer in the form of a question, “Which six of the top ten challenged books have LGBTQ+ content?” Alex, now Murray, Utah’s own Scott Jennings, would also accept the addition of “People of Color.” In 2023 the number of book challenges at U.S. libraries increased 65 percent over the previous year. The challenges, according to the ALA, came from “parents’ rights and anti-LGBTQ+ groups like “Moms for Liberty.” The 10 most challenged books of 2023 are as follows:

• For LGBTQ+ content: “Genderqueer” by Maia Kobabe, “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson, “This Book is Gay” by Juno Dawson, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky, “Flamer” by Mike Curato, “Let’s Talk About It” by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan

• For sex, violence, and language: “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, “Tricks” by Ellen Hopkins, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” by Jesse Andrews, “Sold” by Patricia McCormick.

The worm turns in Florida

Get in the “Way Back machine,” and it is possible to go to a time when the Irish-American sponsors of the St. Patrick’s Day parade would not let gays and lesbians march in parades. The announced reason was they feared violence. Go to Miami Beach Pride organization this year and you get the same reason to deny Florida state Rep. Fabian Basabe. He represents the district in which the parade will run and, though married to a person with a uterus, says he is a member of the LGBTQ community. He is also an out-Republican and voted for “Parental Rights in Education,” Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” law. The last time he was in the parade, protesters followed him with rude chants and threatened violence. Miami police had to march along for his protection. As we know, police in parades trigger some participants, so police in uniform are generally kept out of Pride Parades and Festivals (see Utah Pride for more info). He says the First Amendment lets him in the parade. The parade organizers, hired by the city and county, say they have the right to keep him out to ensure safety. Not the representatives, but those caught up in the protest or those triggered by the sight of motorcycle cops in tight jodhpurs. More to come as it is all headed to court. BTW, the Irish-Americans lost in court.

“Shangela” accused of sexual assault

One of the most popular performers on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” is now facing multiple accusations of sexual assault.

Darius Jeremy “DJ” Pierce — who performs as “Shangela” ― has been accused by five dif-

ferent queer-identifying people of sexual assault. Neither RuPaul nor the show are implicated in Rolling Stone’s story airing the accusations, most of which are not connected to personnel from the show. One man, now 27, said when he was 20, he dined with Pierce and, after one mojito, woke up “completely naked on a bed” and had “no recollection of the events that occurred after he drank” the cocktail. Another victim claimed he was shoved into a closet, and Pierce attempted, unsuccessfully, penetration. With what, was not made clear. One production assistant got a settlement with Pierce after accusing the performer of rape. Pierce denies all accusations. No charges have been filed in any of the accusations.

Schlapp pays up, accuser shuts up

The accusation against American Conservative Union chair Matt Schlapp has been settled. The man, who was a campaign staffer for a Georgia Senate candidate, accused Schlapp of “grabbing my junk.” When asked about the event and settlement, the man said, “I am only legally allowed to say five words, and that is ‘We have resolved our differences.’” The man originally sued Schlapp for $9 million for defamation, but settled for $488,000. Schlapp claimed he was exonerated; the plaintiff’s attorney opined it’s not exoneration if you have to pay. Schlapp remains

chair of ACU, which produces the inflammatory, rightwing gab-fest called CPAC. His wife, Mercedes, was a prominent White House policy official and spokesperson from 2017 to 2021.

Flags down at embassies

One of the compromises in the 2024 U.S. budget battles in Congress regulates how LGBTQ+ Pride flags are flown at U.S. embassies. None on the official flag poles, okay on desks and private quarters. Pride flags have been in and out of U.S. overseas facilities since the classic rainbow flag was first flown from 2013 to 2016. From 2017 to 2020, no flags were flown. From 2021 until this day, the Progressive Pride Flag was allowed in official displays. Some embassies in places like Saudi Arabia or Serbia have never flown Pride Flags due to local laws and customs. Celebrations have not been prohibited, just flying flags.

Pope answers ageold question

Outrage and, oddly, surprise have greeted the Roman Catholic Church’s declaration that gender theory and gender-affirming care are “violations of human dignity” alongside war, poverty, human trafficking, and other disapproved activities. The Vatican’s “Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith,” the department in charge of religious doctrine, spent the last five years creating the 20-page document, “Dignitas Infinita,” The document denounces, “as contrary to human dignity the fact that, in some places, not a few people are imprisoned, tortured, and even deprived of the good of life solely because of their sexual orientation.” It reiterates the Pope’s description

that “gender theory “amounts to a concession to the age-old temptation to make oneself God. It risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception.” The ukase allows Intersex individuals surgical intervention in what it calls, people “with genital abnormalities.” Yes, the Pope is Catholic, still.

Military to promote service members living with HIV

An Air Force cadet and a Navy midshipman have won a lawsuit after being denied promotions for being HIV-positive. In 2018, the Department of Defense denied commissions after the two graduated from their respective service academies

because they are living with HIV. Lambda Legal ran the suit, which led to a settlement allowing the commissions.

The DoD had already made some policy changes in 2022 by recognizing that service members who are asymptomatic, with undetectable viral load are “fit for duty’ with no undue accommodations.

RIP, gay and lesbian writers

One of the most accomplished non-musical theatrical writers, CHRISTOPHER DURANG , has died at age 75. He is best known for such acclaimed plays as “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You,” ”Beyond Therapy,” and “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.” The New York Times lauded him in an obit, “In a

career spanning more than 40 years, he established himself as a hyperliterate jester and an anarchic clown. He ‘pogoed’ from sex to metaphysics to serial killers to psychology, and he had a way of collapsing high art and jokes that aimed much lower.”

ELLA MATTHES , longtime publisher and editor in Norwalk, Calif., died at 81 years old. She ran The Lesbian News Magazine, the“LN” to its devotees, from 1994 until 2022. Founded in 1975, it is North America’s longest-running lesbian publication.

AI, next Grindr grind

The Death Star of gay hookup bars, Grindr, is going to use AI to keep its user base growing. In an earlier move destined to alienate current users,

the company announced it hoped to move away from hook-ups and casual encounters toward longer-term dating, travel, and professional networking. Returning to its senses, it has teamed with Ex-Human Inc., a generative artificial intelligence company, to introduce “AI boyfriends to “sext with you when nobody else will.” There is a marketing come-on for you. Grindr is having growing pains with the “AI boyfriend.” Like most AI tools, the bot learns from the database. So, it occasionally makes problematic remarks about Jews and Muslims, overpraises or undervalues penis size based on race, and uses phrases like “No fats, femmes, or trannies.” Like most young things, “AI boyfriend” will need to learn to play nice. Q

Voted ‘Best Attorney’ by QSaltLake Readers

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Utah Pride Center announces major changes, building sold

BY MICHAEL AARON

In a letter to supporters, the Utah Pride Center Board of Directors announced Wednesday several major changes, including a new location and a search for a new executive director. They also announced “full steam ahead” for Utah Pride in June, and a collaboration with Flourish Therapy for mental health services.

The letter was penned by Jess Couser, who was appointed chair of the board of directors in September of last year. Since that time, remaining co-CEOs of the organization were let go, and a new executive director, Ryan Newcomb, was hired to “[turn] the Titanic around.” The 2023 Utah Pride Festival had drained the organization of cash, which threatened its very existence.

“Despite the culmination of so many destabilizing events and circumstances that arose last year, I am honored to send you this update on our progress,” Couser wrote as an introduction to the letter.

UTAH PRIDE FESTIVAL

Beginning with the good news, Couser noted that the Utah Pride Festival was on track and moving “full steam ahead.”

“This year’s festival will be a tribute to years past when it was accessible to small businesses and large sponsors alike,” Couser wrote, noting SLC Pride happening at the end of the month has their support.

“UPC celebrates and supports all pride festivals throughout the state, such as Ogden, Logan, Davis County, Pride of Southern Utah, and Utah Trans Pride in Provo. The more pride, the better, Couser write. “We wish the organizers of SLC Pride a successful event and look forward to connecting with them in the future.”

NEW LEADERSHIP

Couser also announced that Newcomb was stepping down.

“What started as a flu in late January, developed into a serious health crisis that required Ryan to step back and reassess” Couser wrote.

Pride Festival Volunteer Director Chad Call will take a leave of absence from his job and work as interim executive director through the middle of June.

When Newcob was first hired, the

Center was temporarily closed, and all but three employees had been either laid off or furloughed. Each day, Couser explained, brought on a new crisis or conflict that needed immediate attention.

“The biggest crisis was our dwindling cash, ongoing expenses that far exceeded any actual or anticipated revenue, and several 2023 festival vendors that had filed lawsuits against us or were threatening to,” Couser wrote. “Ryan immediately recognized the urgency of the situation and set to work on solutions. Within weeks, he had reduced our run rate by 70 percent, connected with creditors, and worked closely with the board of directors to establish a financial recovery plan.”

“Ryan’s commitment to the success of UPC has been extraordinary,” she continued. “While I deeply regret that my health is requiring such a drastic change in my life, I am tremendously proud of our entire staff, board, and volunteer team that led UPC through the last six months of change and crisis,” Newcomb said. “The support of our greater LGBTQIA+ community and leaders at all levels has helped us weather this storm. I am confident [that], because of our work — that the future of Utah Pride and UPC is secure, and bright. Together, we have (as some have observed) ‘turned the Titanic around’ through more transparency, instilling best practices and proper governance — and righting our financial ship, while starting to repair relationships communitywide.”

Call was the director of the Utah Pride Parade in 2022 and 2023 and is the volunteer director of 2024’s Festival and Parade.

“Chad has a master’s in Business Administration and currently works as a producer for large, corporate events and conventions, leading production crews as small as 15 and as large as 150, and managing production budgets between $500,000 and $3.5 million,” Couser wrote. “Chad’s personal and professional investment in UPC’s success were especially apparent when he applied for the executive director position back in September 2023. Chad interviewed with the Board of Directors and was one of the final four applicants that

the Board ultimately chose from.’

BUILDING SOLD

In December, UPC listed the 19,000-square-foot building on the 3/4 acre lot for sale at a price of $3.3 million, and a buyer will close on the purchase on April 18.

“Unfortunately, to recover from our 2023 financial crisis, we had to sell our beloved building,” Couser writes. “We are moving the Utah Pride Center to the top floor of the McIntyre Building at [68 S.] Main Street. Our new location will have two large gathering spaces, offices for mental health providers, and plenty of room for programming and events that will keep the Utah Pride Center teeming with activity year-round.”

The historic building is near the City Creek Center Trax station, and the penthouse floor is 4,787 square feet, according to a leasing brochure. It has a wraparound balcony and is accessible by elevator. In the summer, the Center will participate in Open Streets on Main Street.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Making good on a promise Newcomb made in his first interview with QSaltLake, the Center partnered with Flourish Therapy, a mental health group that focuses specifically on providing culturally competent and affordable mental health care to LGBTQIA+ individuals, families, and friends. Two providers are currently holding hours at the Center.

“Offering mental health services has been a priority for UPC for many years,” Couser wrote.

The partnership is part of the Center’s new strategy to bolster, rather than compete with, already-existing efforts within the community.

This new strategic plan “prioritizes programming that collaborates with and promotes community partners and ally organizations,” wrote Couser. “It seeks to avoid competition or overlap in services and prioritizes programming around needs that are not already being met within the community. It also re-commits to fiscal responsibility, operational excellence, and transparency.”

“The most marginalized in our community do and will continue to need a Pride Center,” Newcomb said. “I am so glad that UPC has such a solid team of leaders and community allies to carry that forward for those who need us most.” Q

Partially demolished building was destined to be a queer event space

Salt Lake City residents Craig Sorensen and Jacob Buck found themselves in a state of disbelief and dismay as they witnessed the partial demolition of the historic building located at 740 S. 300 West. The front addition of the cherished 114-year-old meetinghouse now lay in ruins, torn apart by an excavator on Easter Sunday.

For Sorensen and Buck, this building held more than just historical significance; it represented a location for their dream “Third Space SLC,” a queer-centric event space. They were hoping to use the historic granary district building.

Amid recent upheavals and shifts in leadership at the Utah Pride Center, the pair expressed concern that the LGBTQ community have felt a void in the city, longing for a haven they could call their own.

this week, like literally yesterday, to go over plans and how we wanted to construct the building,” Buck told Fox 13 News. “We wanted to use kind of the essence of the building, the purpose of the building, when it was first created, it was a meeting house, so we want it to still have that flair of community members being able to host, promote and inform the community of what they’re doing.”

Their vision for a new gathering spot garnered support from investors and community members alike. They had meticulously conducted market research and engaged professionals to assess the feasibility of their project. Atkin himself had expressed enthusiasm for their plans during a recent meeting with the Granary District Alliance.

However, their hopes were shaken when they discovered the building being demolished without permits or public review. The city swiftly intervened, issuing violations against the property owner and halting further destruction. Mayor Erin Mendenhall condemned the unauthorized demolition, vowing to seek penalties against Atkin.

remain determined to see their dream of a nurturing space inside the historic building come to fruition, even in the face of financial challenges.

“We believe and want to still fulfill our vision of ‘The 3rd Space,’” Sorensen wrote on Facebook. We hope the city council and the Granary District will help us make this happen. Also, the person responsible for this should rebuild it and receive the penalties for such a devastating move.”

Their plans, meticulously crafted to cater to diverse community needs, aim to provide a welcoming environment for all. They envision the restored building as a hub for various cultural and social events, serving as a symbol of inclusivity and acceptance.

They say that months of negotiations with owner and developer Jordan Atkin had led to ambitious plans for transforming the space into a welcoming hub for the LGBTQ community, Black and Indigenous residents, and people of color.

“We had plans to meet with an architect

Atkin, who initially denied ownership of the building, later admitted to sending a crew to remove debris but claimed a “dramatic miscommunication” led to the demolition. Sorensen and Buck felt misled by Atkin’s actions, suspecting financial motives behind the destruction.

Despite the setback, the city’s requirement for restoration has reignited optimism among residents and preservationists. Sorensen and Buck

While obstacles lie ahead, including substantial repairs and bureaucratic hurdles, Sorensen and Buck are committed to preserving the building’s heritage and creating a space where everyone feels valued and supported.

Sorensen says the community can help the effort by following @ the3rdspaceslc on Instagram and reaching out with any ideas or “good folks” who can help their cause. Q

Goud Maragani loses at convention

Former Utah Log Cabin Republicans president Goud Maragani lost in his bid to represent Utah’s House District 48 with just under 17 percent of the vote at the Salt Lake County Republican Nominating Convention. His opponent, Doug Fiefia, earned 83 percent of the vote.

“Well that was lots of fun,” Maragani wrote on X. “I won’t be your #district48 rep this cycle but we have lots of work to do in Salt Lake County and across the state of #Utah! I’ll continue to mobilize & empower the grassroots, work with great legislators, & achieve meaningful success!”

Maragani now runs the Utah GayStraight Coalition after the national Log Cabin Republicans group dissolved the Utah affiliate’s charter, citing “a series of serious violations of the terms of [Log Cabin Republicans] Chapter Qualification Agreement.”

Maragani blames Salt Lake County Council Member Aimee Winder Newton and Utah Sen. Todd Weiler, among others, for the group’s dissolution. He proposed a resolution to censure Winder Newton with the Utah Republican State Central Committee for associating and asking for (and receiving) Utah’s LGBTQ political group Equality Utah. He said the group promotes “sex reassignment surgeries to minors,” “pornographic books in schools,” and “sexually explicit performances in front of children,” among other things. His resolution also said that Equality Utah “undermines our [Republican] Party, our values, and our candidates for public office.”

The Salt Lake Tribune reported last year that Maragani, himself, sought Equality Utah’s endorsement and attended their annual fundraiser.

A recent X post reply to a user who called him “exhausting,” Maragani wrote that the user supported “anti-family, pro-trans-ing children @ EqualityUtah” and took the time “to attack the most prominent gay conservative in the [Utah Republican party].”

The group, and Maragani, are adamantly anti-transgender and supported any and all bills that restrict transgender women from women’s restrooms and women’s sports.

“The @UtahDemocrats want men with penises (who are pretending to be women) using bathrooms and locker rooms with your daughters, wives, sisters & mothers. They’ll sacrifice your daughter’s safety for men with mental health problems & a front row seat,” Maragani tweeted during the Utah Legislative Session.

As leader of Utah Log Cabin Republicans and Utah Gay-Straight Alliance, Maragani regularly invited ultra-conservative leaders to group meetings, including Reps. Trevor Lee and Phil Lyman, Monica Wilbur, and disgraced Utah State School Board member Natalie Cline, who also lost in the convention.

Maragani has also gone against Utah’s LGBTQ community when he called for the Salt Lake County Council to reject Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson’s budget in part because it included money for The Utah AIDS Foundation’s new health clinic, UAF Legacy Health.

“To date, no one has provided evidence showing that this facility will fulfill an unmet need in Salt Lake County that is not already being provided or could be provided by the County Health Department or another organization. Without that evidence, we cannot support this proposal,” Maragani wrote on behalf of Utah Log Cabin Republicans.

Maragani spent $2,858.88 of his own money and received one donation of $100 from Utah State School Board member Christina Boggess. He also received an inkind donation for “website, email, video editing.” He tweeted that he was the “true fiscal conservative” in the race because he spent only $26 per delegate for his campaign, while his opponent, Fiefia, spent “more than ten times” per delegate.

Maragani doubles down

If anyone wondered if Maragani would back off on personal attacks after the heavy loss of his campaign, Maragani took to Twitter to attack Riverton City Council member Andy Pierucci, who posted being in favor of Israel. Maragani wrote to Pierucci that “if you’re going to keep promoting wars, you need to join the military. Just a reminder: There’s a physical fitness test

& height-weight standards required to join. Let me know if you want a little help with that,” insinuating that Pierucci is too overweight for the military.

Andy Pierucci is the husband of Rep. Candice Pierucci, who is a frequent target of Maragani on X. “Goud, you are an absolute asshole and sore loser. You have come after my family one too many times,” Candice Pierucci posted. “You are a toxic parasite and I’m glad the delegates saw through your lies and sent you packing.”

Maragani responded that her post was racist, as he is a “gay racial minority.”

The response from GOP leaders and other X users was strong and swift.

Salt Lake County Republican Chair Chris Null, who has been a supporter of Maragani, wrote, “Goud your reaction is excessive. @andypierucciUT and @ CandicePierucci are good people. Time to take a breath and reevaluate.”

KSL reporter Lindsay Aerts wrote, “this is a new low, even for you @goud4utah.”

He also went on to repeat attacks on Rep. Kera Birks, Equality Utah, Troy Williams, and called transgender activist Sue Robbins “a boy named Sue.” Q

Natalie Cline loses reelection bid at SL County GOP convention

Ultraconservative Utah School Board of Education

Natalie Cline lost her nomination for re-election at the Salt Lake County Republican Convention Saturday. Since she did not receive 40 percent of the votes, she will not appear on the ballot as the GOP candidate.

Delegates gave Cline 123 votes, which is 36.83 percent. The remaining 211 votes, or 65.54 percent, went to Amanda Bollinger.

Unlike her opponent, Cline opted not to pursue voter signatures, a strategy that could have granted her access to Utah’s primary ballot in June despite lacking her party’s nomination. With the signature collection deadline elapsed, Cline’s hopes for political redemption were dashed.

Cline has been embroiled in controversy since she was elected, including being

censured and disallowed from attending Board meetings.

The latest controversy surrounding Cline erupted when she came under scrutiny for a social media post where she questioned the gender of a high school basketball player, inciting threats against the student. Criticism poured in from both Republican and Democratic circles, with Utah Governor Spencer Cox publicly expressing embarrassment over Cline’s actions. Despite formal censure by the Legislature, Cline retained her position on the board, albeit with diminished authority.

Undeterred by the mounting opposition, Cline announced her intention to seek reelection in late February. In a pre-vote Facebook post, she defended her record, asserting that she had been tirelessly responsive to the concerns of parents and educators over the past three years. She emphasized her commitment to addressing the pressing issues within Utah’s schools, rallying support from a “growing army” of concerned citizens who shared her conviction that change was overdue. Q

History of Drag in Utah, 1871–present

Drag was a large part of Utah’s entertainment history, from a drag show that traveled to small Utah towns in 1928 to Brigham Young’s 17th son singing live Italian opera in full drag at ward houses up and down the Wasatch Front, and for the last birthday celebration of LDS Church president Lorenzo Snow.

As part of a kick-off to Pride Month, QSaltLake Magazine is sponsoring Connell O’Donovan, speaking on Zi-

on’s Follies: A History of Drag in Utah at the Marmalade Branch Library, 280 W. 500 North on Wednesday, May 29 at 6:30 p.m. O’Donovan will go into the drag scene in Utah from 1871 to the present.

This presentation was made before the National Council for Public History convention last month at the Salt Palace. This is his first public showing. Q

The event is free to the public and no tickets are required. More info at bit.ly/utahdraghistory

Utah trans man, Alex Franco, killed in Taylorsville, Utah

Alex Taylor Franco, a 21-year-old transgender man, was shot and killed in Taylorsville, Utah on March 17. Alex’s death is at least the fourth violent killing of a transgender or gender-expansive person in 2024 in the United States, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

“We say ‘at least’ because too often these deaths go unreported — or misreported,” HRC wrote in a statement.

Franco was initially reported as missing and abducted on March 17th after being seen getting into a white Jeep with three passengers, at least one of whom he knew. Witnesses reported hearing a gunshot inside the car before it sped off with him inside, held against his will.

The Taylorsville Police Department reported his body was subsequently found with a single gunshot wound on Tuesday, March 19th, in a “remote desert area” outside Lehi.

Franco’s girlfriend, Alyssa Henry,

told KUTV News that the three minors in the Jeep Liberty were “friends of friends” who were going to give the pair a ride to a local park.

Taylorsville police, however, said Franco entered the car to purchase a gun from one of the three passengers. The passengers had reportedly planned to rob Alex, but an argument ensued, leading the driver, a 17-year-old, to drive off with Alex held in the car against his will and a 15-year-old to shoot him. All three passengers were arrested, charged, and are currently in police custody; due to being juveniles, their names have not been released to the press.

At a vigil held arch 26, Alex’s loved ones described him as “an athletic, cheerful man with a big heart,” who was “so much more than just Alex.” His family and friends have also started a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for funeral expenses and to support his family, stating “We love you So much Alex, we miss you. Fly high with the angles Boo. Rest in paradise until we meet again.”

transgender and gender-expansive community has occurred, a list that is already far too long. The violence against our community must stop. And we at HRC won’t stop fighting until it does.”

“Over 240 transgender or gender-expansive people have been killed with guns in the last 11 years, accounting for more than 70 percent of all victims identified to date,” wrote HRC.

The rate of homicides by firearm in Utah has increased by 91 percent over the last decade, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.“

“Alex was loved deeply in his life, which has tragically been cut far too short,” said Tori Cooper, Human Rights Campaign Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative. “That his killers were minors themselves only further compounds the tragedy. With his death, we have added a new state to our list of locations where fatal violence against the

At the state level, transgender and gender-expansive people in Utah are explicitly protected from discrimination in employment and housing, but not in education and public spaces. Utah does, however, include both sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics in its hate crimes law. Though we have recently seen some political gains that support and affirm transgender people, we have also faced unprecedented anti-LGBTQ+ attacks in the states. In June 2023, the Human Rights Campaign declared a National State of Emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans, as a result of the more than 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced into state houses that year, over 80 of which were signed into law—more than in any other year. As of this writing, more than 400 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced into state houses since the beginning of 2024—and two anti-equality bills have been signed into law in Utah. Q

views

quotes

“I’m 40, single, and I work a lot in the musical theater. You do the math. What do you need — flashcards?”

—Nathan Lane, asked in the 90s by Us Magazine if he is gay

“I’ve always been openly gay, and I’ve never been discriminated against for it. Luckily, I’m surrounded by people who accept me for who I am.”

Neil Patrick Harris, Actor, writer, and LGBTQ+ activist known for his role in “How I Met Your Mother” and his advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and equality

“Being gay is a part of who I am, and I can’t separate it from my art. It’s what makes me authentic.”

Frank Ocean

“I’ve been kissing white boys since 2004.”

Tyler the Creator in his album Scum Fuck Flower Boy

“Being gay is a gift. It allows us to see and experience life in a unique way.”

Anderson

Cooper

“Being a queer black woman in America, someone who has been in relationships with both men and women –

I consider myself to be a free-ass

motherfucker.”

Janelle Monáe

ITed Wilson: a healer and a blessing

BY CONNELL O-DONOVAN

first met Ted Wilson in late 1986, just over a year after I had finally come out. I was in and out of Mormonism, trying to find my place, and in one lastditch effort to save my childhood faith, I began attending the Emigration 2nd Ward for single adults in the Avenues. Ted, having been Salt Lake’s mayor and was then running for governor, was First Counselor in the Ward’s bishopric. Although out to family and some friends, I only came out to less than a handful of people in the Ward initially. There, I was asked to be one of three Gospel Doctrine Sunday School teachers, and I loved that job! I met with Ted on that basis several times and really came to love and appreciate him.

But then, in February 1987, my soul bursting to be free, I came out to the entire Ward during a Fast and Testimony meeting. I think Ted just about fell out of his chair! And thus began my journey out of that church. By June, Bishop Ross Kendall (then president of Key Bank Utah) informed me that there would be a Bishop’s Court held for me on June 23rd to determine what punishment I would receive (which might include facing a Stake High Council Court for excommunication). The falsely named “court of love” was, in fact, a living horror. I met with the Bishop, Ted, and the other counselor, Rhees Ririe. It was a humiliating, soul-searing experience.

I distinctly remember Ted warning me that he was deeply concerned with my “messianic pretensions” because, in my self-righteous zeal, I felt I had a deep moral duty to cleanse the church and all of society of homophobia (something I still feel very strongly about, “messianic” or not).

An hour after the end of the trial, the Bishopric let me know that I was on “probation.” Not quite in full membership, but not quite disfellowshipped either. They gave me a list of ten demands about how to comport myself over the next six months, and then there would be a review. Number 3 was the one that really stuck in my craw: “Avoid unnecessary notoriety about your homosexuality with Ward members and any others.” In other words, stay in the closet. I stuck it out until early December 1987, and then I finally left Mormonism behind for good. Nineteen years later, in January 2007, Ted tracked me down in Santa Cruz, Calif., and sent me a lovely email. I had published an article about my leaving the LDS Church called “Losing My Religion,” which recounted some of this same story, including Ted’s involvement in my trial. He congratulated me warmly for writing such a “very sensitive and thoughtful piece,” and then actually apologized to me! He asked for forgiveness “for any unfairness or difficulty I was responsible for during those trying days. It was a

hard time for the Bishopric. The Church pretty well set the template for the kind of insensitivity you experienced. Ross, Rhees, and I struggled more than you could have believed with the trap — that no matter what the value of the Gay person, the only answer was some sort of church discipline.” He also let me know that he had ceased activity in the LDS Church, and that he felt too much “difficulty with the alienation of our Gay members,” and hoped with all this heart that we would eventually enjoy “all civil rights including marriage.” This touching apology moved me to tears then and brings tears now as I write this.

Just months later, in May 2007, I returned to Salt Lake for the first time after fleeing to Santa Cruz in 1994. I gave the keynote address at

the 30th anniversary of the founding of Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons. And Ted Wilson and his lovely wife, Holly Mullen, attended! I gave him a big Viking hug and thanked him from the bottom of my heart for his lovely apology. We again reconnected after I moved back to Salt Lake in 2011, but I mainly kept track of him through Holly’s Facebook account. Just last week, some photos of him crossed my feed, and I had an inkling. Now I really wish I had sent Holly a message to give to Ted. But he knows my heart, and I know his. Ted, wherever you are right now, I love you, I thank you for the much-needed healing you brought to me, and above all, I hope your memory is a great blessing to many. I know it is for me. Q

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RecentlyI identify as a dad

BY CHRISTOPHER KATIS

, Kelly and I were in the garden section of a large home improvement store, looking for plants and arguing about roses, when I spotted our former neighbors. Being the extrovert of the couple, I dragged my husband over to where they stood looking at wall-mounted garden hose holders.

When I said hello, it became clear that they recognized our faces but couldn’t place us. I wasn’t offended: he’s older and not in the greatest health; it’s been a handful of years since they moved away from our street; and it’s not like we hung out together when we did live four doors away.

To help jog their memories, I dropped the name of the woman from whom we bought our house 14 years ago. And then I mentioned that we had two little boys. That did the trick – they both remembered us.

It’s weird to me to have my identity so tightly associated to just one aspect of what makes me who I am. I mean, I suppose I could’ve said, “I’m the guy that flies the Greek flag,” or “We used to talk about University of Utah football,” but I don’t think that would have provided the same recognition as being the two gay men with kids.

There are a plethora of articles about men losing their identities when they become dads. I think a big part of this loss stems from a shift in priorities. Once you become a father, your priorities have to change. That’s true for all parents – gay or straight, dads and moms.

But this change in perspective isn’t always bad. For me, it’s led to some positive personal growth. For example, a decade or so ago, I decided to see a therapist. My goal was to be a better dad – I didn’t want my sons to have memories of me always barking at them.

Those sessions helped me work through a lot of anger issues I hadn’t dealt with. I like that change in my identity.

And frankly, I’m proud that people associate me as my sons’ dad. In fact, the first time it really happened was adorable. When our youngest was in pre-school, they had a requirement: a parent had to volunteer in the school. For whatever reason, I was the parent that went to school with him. And not surprisingly, I was usually the only dad.

One little girl took a shining to me and called me “Niko’s Dad.” She hugged me every time she saw me. She even drew a picture for me that we hung on our fridge. One day, we took a trip to the zoo as a family. Unbeknownst to us, that little girl and her family were also there. All of a sudden, I saw this kid come running up to me and throw herself at my legs in a hug. It took me a minute to register that it was my son’s classmate. From the look on her father’s face, he was appalled. That’s when I said, “I’m Niko’s Dad” – like that was my name, which for all intents and purposes it was — and he burst out laughing. He’d heard about me.

Personally, as a gay man, I love the fact that, first and foremost, people identify me as a father. I think it breaks down stereotypes and allows families like mine to be viewed as just another part of the community. I embrace that as my identity.

The brief reunion with our former neighbors was nice right until they asked us how old the boys are now. Yeah, I’m not too sure I like identifying as the father of adults. Q

presents

June 14 & 15, 2024

7:30 PM

Murray High School

5400 S State St

Tickets available at saltlakemenschoir.org

$20

IAnti-Trans Conservatives

BY DANNE WITKOWSKI

am writing this on March 31, the 15th annual Transgender Day of Visibility. All over the world people are celebrating the lives of transgender people, affirming their right to exist, and expressing support, as they do every year on this date. It’s a beautiful thing.

I’m also writing this on Easter…

Wait, no. No, I am not. I’m sorry. It is not possible for two or more occasions of significance to happen on the same day. So are you #TeamEaster or #TeamTrans? You have to choose. You cannot be both.

I’m kidding. Obviously you can be both if you want. It’s extremist conservatives that are demanding you choose.

President Joe Biden’s office released “A Proclamation on Transgender Day of Visibility, 2024,” which he has done since 2021. In it, he honors “the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans.”

“Transgender Americans are part of the fabric of our Nation,” the proclamation reads. “They deserve, and are entitled to, the same rights and freedoms as every other American, including the most fundamental freedom to be their true selves.” Biden may not get everything right, but he is right about this. I for one am grateful that we have an administration that issues proclamations like this instead of oh, I don’t know, the last one that actively sought to harm transgender people.

Biden also calls out conservative attacks on transgender lives. “[E]xtremists are proposing hundreds of hateful laws that target and terrify transgender kids and their families — silencing teachers; banning books; and even threatening parents, doctors, and nurses with prison for helping parents get care for their children,” the proclamation reads. “These bills attack our most basic American values: the freedom to be yourself, the

freedom to make your own health care decisions, and even the right to raise your own child.”

No lies detected.

Conservatives reacted to this proclamation with outrage. How dare Biden declare Easter Sunday as a day for transgender people.

Donald Trump, a criminal who has compared himself to Jesus and is currently selling Trump-branded Bibles, issued a statement from his campaign attributed to Karoline Leavitt, his press secretary.

Leavitt said it was “appalling and insulting” for Biden to proclaim Easter Sunday as Transgender Day of Visibility. She called it part of Biden’s “years-long assault on the Christian faith” and demanded “an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only — the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

A couple of things. Biden is a devout Catholic and Catholics are Christians. Biden is not using transgender people to assault Christians. But Christians are definitely using Christianity to assault transgender people. And fuck off if you don’t see the difference. Also, International Transgender Day of Visibility has been on March 31 for the past 15 years. Easter, not so much.

As for Jesus, he’s Trump’s second favorite character in the Bible after himself. Saturday Night Live did an excellent opening sketch about Trump’s god complex and the sale of Trump Bibles. And wow do I wish that Trump was not still relevant enough to be parodied on SNL.

Truly wild that anyone takes this grifter seriously. The right-wing Christian embrace of Trump is no surprise,

though. They have been steadily working to amass political power since the days of Ronald Reagan. They have never seen anyone so selfish or shameless as Trump and they fucking love it because they know exactly how to use Trump to their advantage. If Trump wins in November, we are all so fucked.

But Transgender Day of Visibility is supposed to be uplifting, so I’ll leave you with something positive.

Did you know that Transgender Day of Visibility was started in 2009 by Michigan’s own Rachel Crandall Crocker, the executive director of Transgender Michigan?

Crandall Crocker wanted an alternative to the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day in November where we recognize the transgender people who have died due to anti-trans violence.

“I wanted a day that we could focus on the living,” Crandall Crocker said. “And where we could have rallies all as one community all the way around the world.”

And that’s exactly what she got.

“It really is amazing how far it has come,” Crandall Crocker told NPR. “I wasn’t expecting to start an international movement.”

Sometimes things can feel too heavy and hopeless, pushing us toward inertia. But no good comes from curling up into a ball and ignoring reality. Crandall Crocker has shown us all that one of the best defenses against hate is joy. Q

D’Anne Witkowski is a writer living with her wife and son. She has been writing about LGBTQ+ politics for nearly two decades. Follow her on Twitter @MamaDWitkowski.

Davis County Pride is Out of This World May 4

Davis County Pride will be held May 4 from noon to 6 p.m. at Layton Commons Park, 437 N Wasatch Dr, Layton, Utah, with the theme “OUT OF THIS WORLD.

STAND TOGETHER. TAKE UP SPACE .”

Organizers expect around 1,200 people to participate in this third annual event. The event will include food trucks, vendors with homemade goods and services, organizational booths, GSAs, a play area for youth, and live family-friendly entertainent.

Speakers include JACEY THORNTON , executive director of Project Rainbow, and MICHAEL AARON , publisher of QSaltLake Magazine

New this year are souvenir tumblers available for pre-order for $20. The cups are double walled, vacuum sealed, lead free, good for hot and cold beverages, and feature this year’s Out of This World theme. participating vendors will fill the tumbler with a beverage of your choice for $4 at the

event. Venmo @davisprideUT and put your color choice of White, Galaxy Black, or Pride Rainbow in the comment line.

MATCHING DONATION CAMPAIGN

Davis County Pride announced a matching donation campaign in partnership with Project Rainbow Utah to help fund such things as park rental, advertising, entertainment, and insurance. Each donation made to Davis County Pride through April 15th, will be matched by Project Rainbow, up to $3000

“Your generous contribution will directly add to the festival’s success, enabling us to enhance the program, provide more resources to our community, and make the ‘Out of this World’ festival a truly unforgettable experience,” organizers said in a statement.

Other items the funding will impact are decor, photography, cleanup, and the group’s ongoing effort to become an IRS-recognized charity organization.

Donations can be made at bit.ly/davispride24.

Davis County Pride Schedule

12pm Festival Opens

12:30 Puerto Rican Dance Group

BOMBA MARILÉ

1pm Opening

JACKSON CARTER , Emcee

DAVIS COUNTY PRIDE BOARD

MICHAEL AARON, QSaltLake Magazine

1:30 Live Music, MANDY LYNN DANZIG

2pm Drag Performers

IMPERIAL RAINBOW COURT OF NORTHERN UTAH

3pm Keynote Speaker, JACEY

THORNTON, Project Rainbow

3:15 Live Music, saintclare

3:45 Open Invitation to Receive MOM

HUGS with David Archuleta’s New Song, “Hell Together”

4 pm PRIDE MARCH, Constitution Circle

4:30 Live Music, THE RENEE PLANT

BAND

5:30 Cheer Squad, CHEER SALT LAKE

5:45 Festival Closes Q

More information about Davis County Pride can be found at daviscountypride.org

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Preview to Utah Pride ’24

Editor’s note: Due to numerous changes and challenges at the Utah Pride Center, the details for this issue, typically brimming with announcements such as the year’s theme, entertainment lineup, parade route, and more, are currently unavailable. Here’s what we have gathered thus far:

Utah Pride announced the dates of the Utah Pride Festival for 2024, but are still working on such details as the theme and parade route.

The event will take place June 1 through 2 at Washington Square in downtown Salt Lake City, with the parade happening the morning of Sunday, June 2.

Committee

Chad Call, last year’s Pride Parade director, is the overall Pride director this year. Call works at Fusion Imaging as an events and special projects manager.

Utah Pride executive director Ryan Newcomb is also acting as sponsorship director. The marketing director is Lissette Aliaga, who was a retail communications manager at Bed Bath and Beyond and has been with the Utah Pride Center for the past two years, starting in the VolunQUEER Squad.

Kevin Randall, director of strategic communication for Westminster Univeristy, returns as Public Relations Director. Singer and adjunct professor Esera Mose is the volunteer and staffing director.

Ryan Bott is entertainment director, Mike McLeroy is festival logistics director, Patricia Kremers is festival vendor director. Shelby Stephens is festival food vendor director, Samuel Tew is parade entry director, Karynne Aliaga is beverage director. Cheryl Sneddon is accessibility director. Spencer Hess is the ticketing director. The committee is taking applications for additional committee members and organizers through volunteers.utahpride@gmail.com.

Entertainers

Pride is taking applications from those who wish to participate onstage at the event through April 15.

Vendors & Food Trucks

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

Vendor fees are completely rehauled this year, following anger from artists, clubs, and small businesses last year.

Local markets, social groups and smaller nonprofits can exhibit for $400 to $450 if reserved before the end of March.

Small businesses, large nonprofits and governmental groups will pay $700 before the end of March. Medium and large businesses pay $800 and $900 respectively until March 30.

Food vendors will pay between $1,400 and $1,800 to participate and applications are due by April 1.

Parade Applications

To participate in the parade, social groups will pay $100 and small nonprofits will pay $150 if they reserve by the end of March. A small business will pay $850.

Sponsors

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

Volunteers

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

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

New end-of-June Pride Festival promises to counter ‘corporate pride’ and ‘give people their Pride back’

Calling it a “local Pride Festival just for you,” organizers of the new SLC Pride announced their festival will be at The Gateway on the weekend of June 27–30.

The festival is largely being put together by former Utah Pride organizers.

Former Utah Pride Parade director Bonnie O’Brien is calling SLC Pride “a new, independent, Pride Festival focused on marginalized community, full accessibility physically and financially. Our goal is not to make money, our goal is to provide full access.”

O’Brien said this community needs a Pride Festival that is unique to Salt Lake City, free from big corporations at the forefront. She said the group’s goal is to “counter” the corporate nature of the Utah Pride Festival, and “to give people their Pride back.”

O’Brien, who ran the Utah Pride Parade for 13 years, is the festival director. Roberto Lopez, who was part of Utah Pride for 8 years and has loudly advocated for the QTBiPOC and queer communities and worked for or been on the boards of Project Rainbow, Utah Pride Center, Redrox Music Festival, and Unidxs SLC, is the development director. Kyle Schons is the volunteer director, Quinn Winter is the vendor director, Kat Kellermeyer and Sammee Jackman are the entertainment directors. Over two dozen other organizers are listed on their website at slc-pride.org.

O’Brien and Rusk were declared QSaltLake Magazine Person(s) of the Year in 2020, the first year a Pride Parade hadn’t happened in decades, for their work during the pandemic gathering and repairing

bicycles for Rose Park area kids and adults. They also held a “mini Pride Parade” with a few friends and fellow organizers at the time the parade would have happened. In the rain.

The group announced their plans in November as the “Pride Festival our community has been asking for. Local artists, local entertainers, local vendors. Accessible and inclusive spaces for all, eco-friendly, zero waste, minimal carbon footprint, safety plan with limited badges, full financial transparency, and pay what you’re able admission fees.”

Other stated goals include being transparent about leadership and partnerships, focusing on local community artists, performers, organizations, activists, and politicians, and allowing all 18 and under to enter free.

Vendor booths will cost $150 for local artists, nonprofits, clubs, and organizations. Local businesses, politicians, and government entities will pay $250.

Those under 18 will be allowed in for free, and others will pay a $5 entrance.

Sponsorships start at $500 and go up to $20,000 for corporate sponsors. They have a goal of $100,000 in sponsorships to cover costs and will offer signage on “bridges, walls, stages, porta-potties, zones, areas, [and] a fountain.”

For those who wish to participate, applications are on their website for volunteers, sponsors, community collaborators, exhibitors, and youth volunteers.

More information can be found at slc-pride.org If you would like to support the Salt Lake City Pride Festival and/ or be part of this inaugural community-focused celebration, reach out to robertolopezpru21@gmail.com

PRESENTED BY

National and International Prides

April 13 JASPER PRIDE & SKI FESTIVAL , Jasper, Canada

April 13 MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE, Miami, Fla.

May 8 MASPALOMAS GAY PRIDE, Gran Canaria, Spain

May 18 SPRINGFIELD PRIDEFEST, Springfield, Ill.

May 22 WEHO PRIDE 2024, West Hollywood, Calif.

May 24 BIRMINGHAM PRIDE, Birmingham, UK

May 24 DC BLACK PRIDE, Washington, D.C.

May 26 TORREMOLINOS GAY PRIDE, Torremolinos, Spain

May 30 PRIDE PARADE SÃO PAULO, São Paulo, Brazil

May 31 Capital Pride, Washington, DC

May 31 PITTSBURGH PRIDE, Pittsburgh, Penn.

May 31 PROVINCETOWN PRIDE, Provincetown, Mass.

May 31 TRANS PRIDE MARCH OF THE CITY OF SÃO PAULO, São Paulo, Brazil

June 1 COLUMBUS PRIDE, Columbus, Ohio

June 1 DALLAS PRIDE, Dallas, Texas

June 1 DYKE MARCH, West Hollywood, Calif.

June 1 FERNDALE PRIDE, Ferndale, Mich.

June 1 SONOMA PRIDE, Santa Rosa, Calif.

June 1 SPRINGFIELD, MASS. PRIDE, Springfield, Mass.

June 1 WEHO PRIDE STREET FAIR , West Hollywood Calif.

June 2 ALBUQUERQUE PRIDEFEST, Albuquerque, N.M.

June 2, PRIDE PUERTO RICO, Puerto Rico

June 2, SÃO PAULO LGBT+ PRIDE PARADE, São Paulo, Brazil

June 2, WEHO PRIDE PARADE, West Hollywood, Calif

June 5, KEY WEST PRIDE, Key West, Fla.

June 6, BALTIC PRIDE, Tallinn, Estonia

June 6, MILWAUKEE PRIDE, Milwaukee, Wisc.

June 6, NEW ORLEANS BLACK PRIDE WEEKEND, New Orleans, La.

June 7, NEW ORLEANS PRIDE, New Orleans, La.

June 7, TEL AVIV PRIDE, Tel Aviv, Israel

June 7, IBIZA GAY PRIDE, Ibiza, Spain

June 8, MUNICH GAY PRIDE, Munich, Germany

June 9, CENTRAL ALABAMA PRIDE, Birmingham, Ala.

June 9, LONG ISLAND PRIDE, New York, N.Y.

June 14, TRI-STATE BLACK PRIDE, Memphis, Tenn.

June 29, PRIDE LONDON, London, U.K.

June 29, PRIDE SAN ANTONIO, San Antonio, Texas

June 29, SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE, San Francisco, Calif.

June 29, TWIN CITIES PRIDE, Minneapolis, Minn.

June 30, GAY AND SOBER PRIDE CELEBRATION, New York, N.Y.

June 30, SEATTLE PRIDE, Recurring daily until July 1, 2024, Seattle, Wash.

July 6, COLOGNE GAY PRIDE, Cologne, Germany

July 10, SAN DIEGO LGBT PRIDE, San Diego, Calif.

July 13, MANUEL ANTONIO PRIDE, Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

July 19, ISLE OF WIGHT PRIDE, Isle Of Wight, Ryde

June 14, ZURICH PRIDE FESTIVAL , Zurich, Switzerland

June 15, PRIDE PORTLAND, Portland, Ore.

June 15, RHODE ISLAND PRIDE, Providence, R.I.

June 15, ROME PRIDE, Rome, Italy

June 15, SOFIA PRIDE, Sofia, Bulgaria

June 18, DISNEYLAND AFTER DARK: PRIDE NITE, Anaheim

June 21, EUROPRIDE THESSALONIKI 2024, Greece

June 21, OSLO PRIDE, Oslo, Norway

June 22, CHICAGO PRIDE, Chicago, Ill.

June 22, CINCINNATI PRIDE, Cincinnati, Ohio

June 22, DENVER PRIDE FEST, Denver, Colo.

June 22, NASHVILLE PRIDE, Nashville, Tenn.

June 26, MEXICO CITY GAY PRIDE, Mexico City, Mexico

June 29, BOGOTA PRIDE, Bogota, Colombia

June 29, BRISTOL PRIDE, Bristol, U.K.

June 29, DUBLIN LGBTQ PRIDE, Dublin, Ireland

June 29, LEXINGTON PRIDE FESTIVAL , Lexington, Ky.

June 29, MARCHE DES FIERTÉS, Paris, France

June 29, NEWPORT PRIDE FESTIVAL , Newport, RI

June 29, PARIS PRIDE, Paris

July 20, PORTLAND PRIDE, Portland, Ore.

July 21, LEEDS PRIDE, Leeds, U.K.

July 27, BERLIN CHRISTOPHER STREET DAY, Berlin, Germany

Aug. 1, MONTREAL LGBTQ PRIDE, Montreal, Canada

Aug. 2, AMSTERDAM PRIDE, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Aug. 2, BRIGHTON & HOVE PRIDE, Brighton, U.K.

Aug. 7, ANTWERP PRIDE, Antwerp, Belgium

Aug. 8, FRANKFURT PRIDE, Frankfurt, Germany

Aug. 10, CARIBBEAN PRIDE, Punta Cana, Dominican Rep.

Aug. 10, COPENHAGEN PRIDE, Copenhagen, Demark

Aug. 15, ST. LOUIS BLACK PRIDE WEEKEND, St. Louis, Mo.

Aug. 17, CHESTER PRIDE, Chester, U.K.

Aug. 19, SILICON VALLEY PRIDE, San Jose, Calif.

Aug. 25, MANCHESTER PRIDE, Manchester, U.K.

Sep. 2, BENIDORM PRIDE, Benidorm, Spain

Sep. 2, PRIDE BELGRADE, Belgrade, Serbia

Sep. 7, PARADE OF THE LGBTQ+ PRIDE OF CABO FRIO, Cabo Frio, Brazil

Oct. 24, TAIWAN PRIDE, Taipei, Taiwan

May, 23, WORLDPRIDE 2025, Washington, DC

Upcoming Regional Prides

7th Annual Pride Seder

Enjoy a meaningful and inclusive Passover experience led by Cantor Sharon BrownLevy of Congregation Kol Ami, with songs, text, and history as related to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. For all ages.

BY: UNITED JEWISH FEDERATION OF UTAH

WHEN: APRIL 25, 6PM,

WHERE: IJ & JEANNE WAGNER JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER

INFO: BIT.LY/UTAHPRIDESEDER24

Red Butte Garden’s Transcending Barriers, Blooming with Pride.

Immerse yourself in the vibrant colors of nature at Blooming with Pride, a family-friendly event that invites the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to unite and celebrate the rich beauty and diversity of the natural world. Witness a living art display as the Garden comes alive with vibrant blooms and plant arrangement installations created by local florists, horticulturists, and artists. Each creation represents the diverse experiences and journeys within the LGBTQIA+ community—showcasing that, like plants, love and diversity thrive in all shades and forms. Blooming with Pride is FREE from noon to 8 p.m. Timed tickets will be required and will be available soon.

WHERE: RED BUTTE GARDEN

WHEN: FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 12-8 PM

INFO: REDBUTTEGARDEN.ORG

Helper, Utah Saturday Vibes Pride

Come out and celebrate with the folks of Heloer, Utah in the name of diversity & inclusivity. This all-inclusive event is in conjunction with the internationally acknowledged Pride Month, which takes place across the globe in June.

Helper organizers are creating a space for all diverse members of their community to feel welcome on Historic Main Street. One-of-a-kind ‘Helper & Utah Proud’ yard signs will be available for purchase at our merch booth until they sell out.

WHERE: MAIN STREET, HELPER

WHEN: JUNE 22, 5–10:30 PM

INFO: HELPERVIBES.COM

Ogden Pride

As organizers passionately craft the details for Ogden’s upcoming 10th annual Festival, the excitement is palpable. Picture three days of pure celebration, each moment carefully designed to reflect a decade of pride, unity, and acceptance. This is an open invitation to everyone, welcoming all to share in the joy of this monumental celebration. Join them as they weave together the threads of a decade, creating a vibrant tapestry of love and diversity. Organizers hope to make the 10th annual Festival an unforgettable celebration of who Ogden is.

Aug. 2 will be the Queer Prom, an all-ages dance.

Aug. 3 is “An Epic Night: Festival Rally & Royale Affair”

Aug. 4 is the main Ogden Pride Festival, free to the public.

Sponsorships run from $200 to $8,000. Booths run from $200 to $425.

Over 300 volunteers are needed.

WHERE: DOWNTOWN OGDEN

WHEN: AUGUST 2–4

INFO: OGDENPRIDE.ORG

Logan Pride Festival

Since 2017, the Logan Pride Foundation has served the Cache Valley community as a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating diversity while promoting LGBTQIA+ visibility, acceptance, and support in our region. While we host many projects and activities throughout the

year, our hallmark event is our annual Pride Festival, which occurs each September. This single-day event has notably generated the largest reach and impact in and for our community, with over 3,000 attendees.

Sponsorships are available from $500 to $5,000.

Vendor booths are allotted a 10×10 plot, which they can set up as they wish. Last year, the event had 84 booths.

Musicians and drag artists are welcome to show interest in performing in one of the event’s multiple performance spaces.

The event is free for attendees. Donations to the festival help fund the Logan Pride House, the nonprofit’s home that provides a place for activities and support groups for Cache County’s LGBTQ+ community.

WHEN: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

WHERE: WILLOW PARK, LOGAN INFO: LOGANPRIDE.ORG

Pride of Southern Utah Lake Day 2024

A day of sun, water, food, and celebration at Southern Utah’s annual Quail Creek Lake Day. As in years past, they’ll be located near the waters edge, close to Dig Paddlesports.

WHEN: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1–5 P.M.

WHERE: QUAIL CREEK STATE PARK, HURRICANE, UTAH

INFO: PRIDEOFSOUTHERNUTAH.ORG

Pride of Southern Utah Pride in the Park

Pride in the Park returns to St. George this September for a day of entertainment, food, vendors and activities. This is a free all-ages event to celebrate our local LGBTQ+ community alongside friends, families and allies.

WHEN: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M.

WHERE: CROSBY CONFLUENCE PARK, 2099 S. CONVENTION CENTER DR. , ST. GEORGE

Rainbow Classics of Utah: On the Road for Twenty Years

BY JOHN NORTHUP RAINBOWCLASSICSUTAH@GMAIL.COM

Ever feel like hitting the road or just talking cars with other car geeks in the LGBTQ community? Rainbow Classics of Utah is your tribe! Each year, the group makes local driving tours, participates in car

shows, visits museums and private collections, and enjoys dinners, cookouts, and social gatherings. All vintages and varieties of cars are welcome and appreciated— from Packards to Pintos to Priuses—but you don’t even have to own a car to join.

As the group celebrates its 20th anniversary this summer, Brett Clifford, past president of the group, recalls, “The club was originally organized at a classic car gathering in Sugarhouse Park in late summer of 2004, led by Lou Dellera, a flight attendant who now lives in Phoenix and remains active in the LGBTQ car community there. He began a long tradition of some of the club’s cars always being an entry in the yearly Utah Pride Parade, sitting above the red leather back seat of his dark blue 1964 Cadillac DeVille convertible, wearing his President sash.”

Most recently, the group became affiliated with Lambda Car Club International (LCCI), joining a nationwide fraternity of LGBTQ auto enthusiasts. This summer, the group will caravan to Rangely, Colorado to meet up with members of the Denver-based LCCI region and tour an automotive museum. Closer to home, the group will be

back in the Utah Pride Parade again this year, and also plans to participate in car shows in Moab, Logan, and elsewhere. For more information, see facebook.com/ groups/RainbowClassics or contact rainbowclassicsutah@gmail.com

Linc and Russ Christiansen’s Lincoln Continental

Jerry Renshaw rides in Don Austin and Brett Clifford’s 1966 Imperial

Dean Van Amberg and Carl Boyer with their 1967 Citroën

Orville Peck coming to SLC, talks about duet with Willie Nelson

Country music aficionados have been buzzing with excitement as the genre experiences a renaissance of sorts. From Beyoncé’s electrifying Cowboy Carter to the glitz of the CMT Music Awards, it’s a thrilling time to be a fan. But perhaps the most talked-about moment came with the release of Orville Peck and Willie Nelson’s rendition of “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond Of Each Other.”

In an interview with GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos, the enigmatic Orville Peck shed light on this monumental collaboration and much more.

Reflecting on the journey that led to this project, Peck confessed, “I’m still pinching myself. It’s been a long time coming, this collaboration. Willie actually approached me about it a couple of years ago.” Clearly a dream come true for Peck, who has been a lifelong admirer of Nelson’s work, the experience remains surreal even now.

The song itself, originally recorded by Latin country artist Ned Sublette in the 80s, holds a special place in Peck’s heart. But it was Nelson’s commitment to the LGBTQ+ commu-

nity that truly resonated with him.

“The fact that Willie stands alongside the LGBTQIA+ community by doing this song just shows what an amazing person he is, what a legend he is,” Peck said. “It’s a win for all of us because that’s true allyship. Someone who’s completely unafraid to be right there next to us; there’s no vagueness involved.”

Peck drew parallels between Nelson and another country music icon, Dolly Parton, hailing them as “the last patron saints of country music.” He commended their fearlessness in challenging the traditional confines of the genre, applauding their willingness to break barriers.

However, it was Nelson’s playful suggestion for

the music video that caught everyone’s attention. Peck revealed, “Willie wanted to get gay married in the music video.” With Nelson’s wife, Annie, making a cameo, the video, shot at Nelson’s Texas ranch, became an unforgettable testament to inclusion and love.

Looking ahead, Peck teased his upcoming album, “Stampede,” hinting at a diverse collection of duets that showcase both traditional and experimental country sounds. And after a hiatus from live performances last year, Peck is gearing up for the Stampede Tour, promising fans an electrifying experience.

As country music continues to evolve, Peck remains optimistic about its inclusivity. “Country music is more than just country music culture,” he asserted, highlighting the genre’s rich diversity. “There’s this entire world that we thought was supposed to be for straight white men in lifted trucks. But the reality is it’s for everyone.”

As part of the Stampede Tour, Peck is coming to Salt Lake City’s Union Events Center at 235 N. 500 West on August 9. Tickets are available at livemu.sc/3xs0vw5

Not So Actually,‘Pretty.’ an ugly whore

Horrible review after horrible review on Broadway, and those reviews of ‘Pretty Woman: the Musical’ were justified.

BY BLAIR HOWELL

STAGE “Big mistake. Big. Huge.” The lines from the film version of Pretty Woman are iconic. You’ll quickly remember our lovely Julia stopping by a Rodeo Drive boutique with arms full of shopping bags where she had been shunned, while the title song plays in the background.

Pretty Woman, the Musical:  Big mistake. Big. Huge.

Also: Billy Elliot, Beetlejuice, Sunset Boulevard, The Lion King, Legally Blonde, Spamalot, The Producers, Waitress. On Wikipedia there’s a list. A very long list.

Perhaps the first was 1961’s Carnival!, based on the 1953 movie Lili. (The adaptation has its charms. Years ago, BYU staged a watered-down version.)

The trend has turned Broadway play listings increasingly approaching the library of a streaming service. Many of this century’s biggest Broadway hits were inspired by popular movies. And some of the biggest Broadway flops — shows that lost tens of millions of dollars — were also inspired by popular movies.

Some have excelled: Billy Elliot. Some are dismal failures: Pretty Woman, the Musical

Eccles audiences will soon be subjected to another misfire, the musical adaptation of Mrs. Doubtfire The New York Times claimed it “ends up cowering in the original film’s shadow.”

The wunderkinds behind Pretty Woman replicated the film script, scene by scene, along with the entirety of Julia’s wardrobe, and inserted insipid songs. Songs that belong on the D List (with Kathy Griffin). There is also zero chemistry between the two leads: Ellie Baker as Vivian Ward and handsome Chase Wolfe as Edward Lewis. Lewis excels in the role and has a lovely, brightly-powerful voice. Baker is adequate, with Broadway-tour-passable vocals. And she’s

definitely not ugly — that would be a reference to the musical, not Baker.

As seen in the new version of Company, gender role reversal is becoming a laudable trend. Even way back on film: Cinderella became Cinderfella. Why not Pretty Woman becoming Handsome Man?

 artsaltlake.org, 801-355-ARTS for tickets to future Eccles productions

LITTLE SCREEN Studly Nicholas Galitzine goes from royal gay prince to royal gay lover. Following the massive success of Prime Video’s Red, White & Royal Blue, Nicholas makes a royal return in the Starz historical drama miniseries Mary & George, based on the 2017 nonfiction

The King’s Assassin. It looked promising as one of the most highly anticipated shows of 2024. We’ve devoured the trailer with brief scenes of Nicholas seducing King James and having sex with a few other queer characters. It premiered April 5.

 Starz.com

STAGE Bianca Del Rio is Dead Inside. Bianca is also everyone’s favorite glamorous drag clown. She’s bringing her irreverent half-scripted, half-improvised comedy show to the city’s largest theater. We’ll meet in the flesh Wendy Ho, a self-proclaimed female drag queen. Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race will laugh our faces off, while simultaneously wondering how it’s possible to be that vulgar.

 April 30, Artsaltlake.org, 801-355-ARTS

DRAG Here a little, there a little. A little drag and a lot more drag as it takes in downtown venues, albeit a bit behind other major cities where drag has fully blossomed. Much to the enjoyment of presidential dropout Ron DeSantis. What was SCOTUS thinking when it declined to allow the enforcement of a Florida law that banned children from attending drag shows? Most likely, “Fuck off, Ronnie.”  Every Sunday, third Friday, and a few other scattered dates

A FIRST At age 31, Giselle Byrd is executive director of the Theater Offensive, one of the nation’s oldest and most-decorated queer hubs of performing arts. She becomes the first Black trans woman to lead a major American theater company. The Boston troupe will be placing a greater emphasis on “presenting art created for and by queer and trans folks of color,” as Byrd maintains.  thetheateroffensive.org

Chase Wolfe and Ellie Baker in Pretty Woman, the Musical PHOTO: MATTHEW MURPHY FOR MURPHYMADE

REVIEW BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

‘Unswerving: A Novel’

by Barbara Ridley

C.2024, UNIV. OF WISCONSIN PRESS, $19.95, 227 PAGES

It happened in a heartbeat.

A split-second, a half a breath, that’s all it took. It was so quick, so sharp-edged that you can almost draw a line between before and after, between then and now. Will anything ever be the same again? Perhaps, but maybe not. As in the new book “Unswerving” by Barbara Ridley, things change, and so might you. She could remember lines, hypnotizing yellow ones spaced on a road, and her partner, Les, asleep in the seat beside her. It was all so hazy. Everything Tave Greenwich could recall before she woke up in a hospital bed felt like a dream. It was as though she’d lost a month of her life.

“Life,” if you even wanted to call it that—which she didn’t. Tave’s hands

q scopes

ARIES March 20–April 19

Change has always been cleansing to you, and this is a great time to refresh and renew. Time alone will do you good but make time for those who make you laugh. A big surprise could come in the form of an explosive force. Enjoy letting go of some tension.

TAURUS Apr 20–May 20

The time for sleep will elude you this month. With a calendar filled to the brim, you may find life overwhelming. Mix a little fun into your obligatory activities to keep your spirits high. A relationship or close friendship will expand your vision of the world if you take the time to look.

GEMINI May 21–June 20

Blow off some steam by jumping into an amazing project. A short trip or adventure will be very desirable. Don’t sweat the small stuff, and embrace challenging people. Networking will get you what you

the bookworm sez

resembled claws bent at the wrist. Before the accident, she was a talented softball catcher, but now she could barely raise her arms above her shoulders. She could hear her stomach gurgle, but she couldn’t feel it. Paralyzed from the chest down, Tave had to have help with even the most basic care.

She was told that she could learn some skills again, if she worked hard. She was told that she’d leave rehab some day soon. What nobody told her was how Les, Leslie, her partner, girlfriend, love, was doing after the accident.

Physical therapist Beth Farringdon was reminded time and again not to get overinvolved with her patients, but she saw something in Tave that she couldn’t ignore. Beth was on the board of directors of a group that sponsored sporting events for disabled athletes, she knew people who could serve as role models for Tave, and she knew that all this could ease Tave’s adjustment into her new life. It was probably not entirely in her job description, but Beth couldn’t stop thinking of ways to help Tave who, at twenty-three, was practically a baby.

She could, for instance, take Tave on outings or help find Les – even though it made Beth’s own girlfriend, Katy, jealous…

are looking for, though be prepared for some added responsibilities.

CANCER June 21–July 22

When you spill the milk, don’t cry. Find some cream instead! The loss of something plain leads to something better. Love is always abundant, and your popularity will ensure a good time this month. Keep your chin up, Cancer. Things are about to get very interesting.

LEO July 23–August 22

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

VIRGO August 23–Sep 2

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

So, here’s a little something to know before you start reading “Unswerving”: author Barbara Ridley is a former nurse-practitioner who used to care for patients with spinal cord injuries. That should give readers a comfortable sense of satisfaction, knowing that her experiences give this novel an authenticism that feels right and rings true, no faking.

But that’s not the only appeal of this book: while there are a few minor things that might have readers shaking their heads (HIPAA, anyone?), Ridley’s characters are mostly lifelike and mostly likable. Even the nasties are well-done and the mysterious character that’s there-not-there boosts the appeal. Put everyone together, twist a little bit to the left, give them some plotlines that can’t ruined by early guessing, and you’ve got a quick-read novel that you can enjoy and feel good about sharing.

And share you will because this is a book that may also open a few eyes and make readers think. Start “Unswerving” and you’ll (heart) it. Q

Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was three years old and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a prairie in Wisconsin with two dogs, one man, and 17,000 books. Her new book, The Book of Facts and Trivia: American History, is available through KingsEnglish.com

LIBRA Sept 23–October 22

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

SCORPIO Oct 23–Nov 21

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

SAGITTARIUS

Nov 22–December 20

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

CAPRICORN

Dec 21–Jan 19

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

AQUARIUS Jan 20–Feb 18

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

PISCES

Feb 19–Mar 19

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

Las Vegas, known for its vibrant and inclusive atmosphere, embraces LGBTQ culture with open arms, making it a thriving hub for the community. Iconic events like the annual Las Vegas Pride Parade and Festival bring together people from all walks of life to celebrate diversity and unity. Las Vegas Pride is typically in early October so start planning now.

The city’s commitment to inclusivity is reflected in the diverse range of LGBTQ-friendly accommodations, ensuring that visitors feel welcome and respected. Beyond the nightlife, Las Vegas hosts a variety of LGBTQ-focused community organizations, support groups, and cultural events that contribute to the rich tapestry of the city’s inclusive ethos. Whether exploring the famous entertainment offerings or participating

Pride Journey: LAS VEGAS

BY JOEY AMATO

in community-driven initiatives, LGBTQ individuals and allies alike find a warm and accepting home in the vibrant tapestry of LGBTQ culture in Las Vegas.

Ever since I was young, I have always wanted to stay at Bellagio. Their iconic foundations have fascinated me for decades. The hotel stands as an epitome of luxury and sophistication, offering an unparalleled experience that seamlessly blends opulence, entertainment, and fine dining. From the moment you step into the grand lobby, it’s evident that Bellagio is committed to providing a world-class stay, especially when you glance at the ceiling adorned with Chihuly glass sculptures.

I stayed in a recently renovated room in the Spa Tower with an unobstructed view of the Vegas strip and the fountains. The attention to detail is evident in the tasteful decor, plush furnishings, and modern amenities. Beginning at 3pm on weekdays and noon on weekends, the choreographed water show set against the backdrop of the Las Vegas Strip is a mesmerizing display of artistry, combining music, light, and water in perfect harmony. It sets the tone for the exquisite experiences that await within Bellagio.

Bellagio is also home to the famous Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, a lush oasis that undergoes seasonal transformations, displaying stunning floral displays and thematic installations. This botanical escape provides a serene contrast to the lively atmosphere of the casino and the bustling Strip. During our stay, the staff were completing their new Springtime exhibition, which gave us Alice in Wonderland vibes.

For those seeking entertainment, Bellagio offers the spectacular “O” by Cirque du Soleil, a water-themed extravaganza that complements the hotel’s overall theme. Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is another cultural gem within the hotel,

featuring rotating exhibitions that display masterpieces from around the world.

Although it is possible to never leave the hotel, we wanted to experience other MGM Resorts properties, so we headed to LPM at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for dinner. LPM offers an exquisite dining experience that effortlessly marries Mediterranean charm with the vibrant energy of the Strip. From the moment you step through the entrance, you are greeted by an ambiance that strikes a perfect balance between sophistication and conviviality.

LPM’s interior is a visual feast, adorned with chic decor, warm lighting, and an intimate atmosphere. The combination of contemporary design elements and classic French accents creates a welcoming space that feels both elegant and comfortable. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or seeking a romantic dinner, LPM’s ambiance sets the stage for an unforgettable dining experience.

LPM’s menu is a culinary triumph, highlighting the rich and diverse flavors of the French Riviera. The emphasis on fresh, high-quality ingredients is evident in every dish. We began our meal with a variety of appetizers, including the Yellowtail Carpaccio, Escargots, and their signature Burrata prepared with heritage tomatoes and basil and topped with white truffles. For our main courses, we decided to focus on seafood entrees, so we tried the Lobster Risotto and grilled Chilean Bass. Both were prepared to perfection and paired very well together if you are looking to share entrees.

Of course, one of the biggest attractions of Las Vegas is the strip itself. Spend a few hours meandering through each hotel and taking in the Vegas vibe. There is no other place in the world quite like it.

If you are in the mood for a little adventure, head to Area15, located about 10 minutes from the strip. Area15 is an immersive entertainment complex that

blends art, technology, and entertainment in a unique and captivating way. Boasting an otherworldly exterior and a dynamic interior, Area15 is home to a variety of innovative experiences, including interactive art installations and virtual reality adventures. Its anchor tenant, the Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart, is a surreal supermarket-like environment filled with mind-bending art and hidden mysteries. The venue also hosts concerts and live events including Beyond Brunch, a variety show hosted by drag queen extraordinaire Andrew Ryan. The 2-hour spectacle includes a wonderful buffet and performances by talented acts ranging from hoop dancers to Cirque-style entertainers. The show is well worth the price of admission; it is not your typical drag brunch.

at Mandalay Bay. The restaurant owned by Top Chef stars, Bryan and Michael Voltaggio, takes diners on a nostalgic journey through time, blending modern culinary techniques with comforting flavors reminiscent of classic American dishes set in a retro-chic environment. The space is adorned with quirky memorabilia, neon accents, and a colorful palette that captures a sense of nostalgia without feeling overly kitschy, creating a welcoming environment for diners to unwind and enjoy the culinary adventure. Retro by Voltaggio’s menu is a playful exploration of classic American favorites. We started our dinner with the Deviled Eggs with smoked trout roe along with the Beet Steak Tartare, which was incredible. Next came the bluefin tuna Ceviche

a fan of nostalgic flavors or simply seeking a unique and enjoyable meal, Retro by Voltaggio is worth the visit.

After dinner, catch a performance of Michael Jackson “ONE” by Cirque du Soleil also at Mandalay Bay. The show is a captivating tribute to the King of Pop that seamlessly blends the magic of Cirque du Soleil with the timeless music and iconic choreography of Michael Jackson. From the moment the lights dim to the final bow, the show is a high-energy, emotionally charged celebration of the legendary entertainer’s life and legacy. This isn’t your typical Cirque du Soleil show and is more like a concert featuring all of Michael’s greatest hits, memorable dance moves, and state-of-

Kathy Griffin keeps on surviving

On her first tour in six years, the longtime LGBTQ+ ally and comedian is doing what she does best — making a comeback

BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI

Kathy Griffin

has been through even more than you probably know. She lost a lung to cancer, lost her mother and lost many of her close friends. In 2020, the same year her beloved mom Maggie died, she attempted suicide. All the while, she was being investigated by the Department of Justice for a viral 2017 photo that depicted her holding up a severed model head covered in fake blood

that resembled Donald Trump, resulting in a career-dismantling fallout. She is also now in the middle of a divorce.

So much has happened to Griffin in just the last seven years that it’s easy for something like her three-year-old court battle with Tennessee resident Samuel Johnson to slip under the radar, which Griffin says it has. The comedian is being sued by Johnson, who is blaming Griffin for losing his CEO-level job after

she tagged his employer in a post on X, formerly Twitter, in response to his recorded altercation with a teenage boy in downtown Franklin who he called “disgusting” for wearing a long red dress to prom in 2021, reports The Tennessean.

During our recent call, Griffin, hoping to reach LGBTQ+ advocacy groups like GLAAD and the ACLU, spoke with a sense of urgency when she called attention to her court case, imploring the LGBTQ+ community to understand that this fight that she says she is fighting alone could be any of us. “The decision could have broader implications on the jurisdiction — and legal liability — of free speech in online platforms,” writes Angele Latham, a First Amendment reporter for The Tennessean. In an era when more than 470 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in state legislatures nationwide over the past few years, many of them targeting queer youth, who can blame Griffin for standing up for a bullied kid in a dress? Even before her Emmy-winning hit Bravo show “My Life on the D-List,” which aired from 2005 to 2010, gave her a major platform to be the LGBTQ+ activist she is, that show of allyship came naturally to Griffin.

On her first tour in six years, aptly titled “My Life on the PTSD List,” which stops at the Royal Oak Music Theatre on April 19, Griffin isn’t just giving play-by-plays on Paris Hilton and her vacation gone awry with Sia — she’s using her stage to get people to vote. Because if anyone knows that the stakes are high this year, it’s her. How are you doing, Kathy? I have PTSD, Chris. Complex PTSD, which I thought was only for combat veterans. Holy shit, I can’t believe it… I was diagnosed by my oncologist and my psychiatrist, and I’ve got to laugh about it, because I’m somebody that runs around on stage making jokes about the Kardashians, and now, I’ve got this crazy diagnosis. I decided to make the show about it, because once again, like oh so many things that have happened to me in the last six years, I just did not think it would happen. I start the show with the laundry list. Are you ready? Yeah, give it to me. Because people want to know, “Come on, how did you get complex PTSD? You’re exaggerating, blah,

blah, blah,” which is also always so pleasant, when people are like, “You’re lying.” Obviously, the Trump thing started six and a half years ago. I was investigated by the Department of Justice, which seriously considered charging me with conspiracy to assassinate the President of the United States — it’s never happened in the history of this nation to a comedian. No-fly list, not able to tour, my own industry turning its back on me. Most of my friends turning their backs on me permanently, by the way. And then what do I do? Leave it to me to be 57 years old and then become addicted to fucking prescription pills, like “Valley of the Dolls,” and I was Neely O’Hara. Well, naturally, I wanted to be Neely O’Hara, but I was probably more like Susan Hayward. I love that you get that reference. I was ripping my wig off in the bathroom and ready for a cat fight. Then, of course, I have to get into recovery, but before that, I tried to take my life.

I know it sounds dark, because what isn’t these days, but I even talk about that in the show. I won’t tell you what I did, but the way I tried to take my life was so over the top that I actually just started cracking up. I do it in front of the audience, and they actually laugh. The reason I do that is because I firmly believe truly, at your lowest, darkest moment, you have to somehow find the humor. It’s there. It’s there, and sometimes, it’s dark as fuck.

Then I get sober, and a year after I’m sober, I get diagnosed with lung cancer, even though I never smoked, which my dear departed mother Maggie would call the luck of the Irish, which means bad luck. By the way, Maggie is in heaven having a box of wine, or Two Buck Chuck with the Lord Jesus. She died during that period as well. Then I was on a 5150 psych hold, which was crazy. And then, during my lung cancer surgery, they took out half of my left lung. Chris, I don’t like how you’re flaunting your two lungs in my face right now. I think it’s rude. This is why I said we’re doing this as a phone conversation, not a Zoom conversation. See, because I can hear you breathing right in my fucking face, Chris. I have feelings. I’m trying to hold my breath. I have half a lung now and I can hear your

breath. I got injured during the lung cancer half-a-lung removal, so I have a permanently paralyzed left vocal cord. It’s not like I’m a comic and use my voice for a living or anything! I have an aperture above my cords, so my voice is a bit altered, as you can tell, but I wear this very sexy headset microphone. I feel like you’ve gotten some of the voice back, though. Yes, I’ve had five surgeries on my left cord so far. I’m making my life sound real fucking dreamy right now. By the way, I’m getting texts from Rosie O’Donnell right now. She’s like, “Griffin, it’s O’Donnell. Are you awake? I’m awake.”

During this period in which you felt abandoned by some people who were really close to you, did you at least feel like your gay friends were standing by you as they have in the past? You saw Anderson [Cooper] and Andy [Cohen] take my [New Year’s Eve] gig. You saw it. But you’ve had so many close LGBTQ+ people in your life. Did they rally around you? Did you feel loved and supported by close queer friends and your queer fan community? No. The power gays absolutely abandoned me, and I say that with such a heavy heart. I’m going to try not to cry. For example, I would say the civilian gays 100% rallied around me. My friends that aren’t in the business who are gay were appalled, and they buoyed me, and they held me up, and they were my friends, and I owe them for the rest of my life. But the power gays in Hollywood, the ones who could have lifted a finger, the ones who could have just given me five lines in anything, the ones who could have put me in just a little part in a TV show or a movie or directed a comedy special or something, anything, they did nothing.

Honey, I showed up and hosted every free charity event. I’ve had so many legal issues since this MAGA thing. I have a case in Tennessee federal court right now, and I’m asking for your help, because I need the gay community to support me. I don’t think they know I’m fighting this fight, and I’m out there flapping in the wind by myself. Now, there’s a video, you can look it up. Write this down: Samuel Johnson. If you look up “Kathy Griffin, Samuel Johnson,” this is a CEO, and the

video went viral. You probably saw it. He’s a MAGA guy that was harassing two trans kids at their prom photo shoot. One of the boys was wearing a red dress, and he was bothering them. I tweeted about it after it had already gone viral on TikTok. I wasn’t even on TikTok at the time; I am now, but I wasn’t then. It had already been seen by millions of people, and millions of people said he should be fired. Then I said he should be fired. He got fired, and he’s suing me. He goes on Newsmax, and he goes on Fox, and says, “I’m going to be the one to drag Kathy Griffin to Tennessee federal court, and let’s see how she does with her Hollywood elite attitude in a Tennessee witness box.” Nobody’s helping me. I’ve been fighting this case for three years by myself. Thirty years of performing and showing up at [LGBTQ+] events, and I’m left all alone, and I don’t know why. Lambda Legal, anybody? ACLU said, “No, we don’t want to help you. We don’t care.” I said, “This is just me fighting for these two kids.” They were minors being harassed at their prom photo shoot in a hotel lobby. This guy should have been fired. It’s like a Karen video. He’s basically a Karen. But because it’s Kathy Griffin, and because Trump keeps coming for me, I’m the target, and I’m out there fighting this thing by myself. You hear the kids in the video; they’re so scared. They keep saying to the guy, “Leave me alone. Leave me alone. Go away. Go away.” These kids are scared in the video. Being an ally isn’t just showing up at a parade with a rainbow shirt on. Sometimes, being an ally means being in Tennessee federal court for three years, and being in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals,

where I just lost a motion.

Let me tell you, if I lose this case, it has real repercussions for anybody posting about anybody who’s harassing gay people. If I lose this case, it has real repercussions for the gay community. This isn’t about me. I’m not fighting for me. I could have said nothing, but I’m a real ally, and I’ve been one since I was in grade school, for Christ’s sake. I need people to know I’m fighting this fight, because this guy is out there shooting his mouth off. What you’ve gone through in the last seven years, and are currently going through, is a real testament to your resilience and survival. That’s what I want it to be. I don’t mean to come off as woe is me, and honestly, that’s why I do make the show funny. I even talk about all my wacky treatments that I get for the PTSD. After this, I’m having Kundalini yoga, and I don’t even know what the fuck that is. I don’t know if Kundalini is a person, if I should meet him or her, but I just fucking do it. I get that cupping — remember when Gwyneth Paltrow was getting those fucking scars on her back? Well, I do that shit, I don’t even think it works. I get acupuncture, I don’t even think it works. I talk about all of it in the show, because I think in a way, our country is going through a bit of a PTSD. Let’s face it, Covid was not our finest moment. We did not handle that well.

I’m going to get serious for one more minute, which is, these shows are so important to me, and having gay people show up to my shows, because I do feel, and you know this, your civil rights are being rolled back. The Supreme Court is now illegitimate. I

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want to make gay people laugh, and I want to stand there and go, “I’m OK.” I might have a bit of an altered voice, and it sounds like I have a cough, but honestly, I’m not in one bit of pain. My voice is just like this now, and the headset mic really helps a lot. Don’t be fooled. I do a rant every show, and my agents don’t like that I do it, but I don’t care. I say, “Gays, remember, elections are not just every four years, or every two years. They are every year, and often, the down-ballot is more important than the presidential. Go to your gay organization that you trust, and they’ll do the work for you, but get your voter guides, because the sheriff matters, the judges matter, the congressman matters, the local senators matter, the U.S. senators matter.”

The great Gloria Steinem… I spoke to her recently, and I’m bragging, but I did. She said, “You tell your gays, this is it. This is it.” As you know, your own civil rights, if Trump gets reelected, not only kiss marriage goodbye, it’s going to be real fucking hard to be an out gay person in Trump’s America. There’s my rant. I’ll go back to the funny, but I just think, because I’m talking to you, I just want you to tell, especially the young gays that think their vote doesn’t matter, your vote matters even if you live in a blue state.

Are you really doing two hour shows on this tour? The other night in Phoenix, I accidentally did two hours and 20 minutes. Don’t be late. Whatever time the show starts, that’s when I start, and I do two hours if I’m a good girl, and I do two hours and 20 if I’m a bad girl.

This is your Eras Tour. [Laughs.] By the way, let’s just cut the shit. Taylor

Swift is amazing, but you know Pink wants to blow her brains out, because Pink is looking at Taylor Swift walking around the stage, and Pink is singing upside down on fucking ribbons. Give me a break. I love Taylor, don’t make the Swifties come after me. I’m terrified of them. I love Taylor. Haha, I’m kidding. I didn’t mean anything. I love them. How do you feel comedy can serve as a tool for LGBTQ+ advocacy and visibility in this climate? Look, the greatest compliment that I get, and I get this a lot and it really makes my heart swell with love, is — I can’t tell you how many gays and lesbians say, “I came out while watching ‘My Life on the D-List.’” Something about that show. I didn’t say it was a gay show, because... it’s like my mom and dad were activists in their way without coming out and saying it. My mom and dad, they literally went to gay bars for happy hour, because as my mom would say, “The gay bars had the best free appetizers.” They just were always around gay people, and accepting of gay people. It wasn’t like the reality shows today, where people are fighting. It was really a comedic reality show. It didn’t hit you over the head with a hammer, but for some reason, lots and lots of people have come up to me over the years, saying, “There was something about the humor of that show that made me feel safe enough to tell my mom or dad that I’m gay.” I think the humor, when couched in a certain way, sometimes it can be humor with a little activism thrown in. Sometimes I write stuff that’s just shallow.

I don’t even mention

Trump in my new show. Newsflash: I don’t even mention him. It’s not that I’m scared to, but I made a whole movie about it, called “Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story.” But I have a great story about going to Paris Hilton’s Christmas party, so there’s lots of celeb gossip. I have a great story about going on vacation with Sia, where everything went wrong. It was like Lucy and Ethel take Mexico. I think just getting people to be around one another, because as I get older, it’s funny, my audience has become gay guys, lesbians, straight women, and also, I’m getting more hetero couples. They’re a little older, but that’s OK, because I love it when I’ll have a heterosexual guy say to me after a show, “Man, I didn’t think I knew any gay people, but I’m sitting here in the audience, and now, I feel like I know a thousand gay people.” And I always say, “You do.” Sometimes it’s the simple act of just gay people and straight people just laughing together that creates a bridge. I know that sounds silly, and philosophical, but it’s true. Laughter is a unifier.

Look, people don’t know this, but I have plenty of Republican friends. I just saw George Conway last week. I teased him about being a double agent, but we’re friends. Kathy and Rick Hilton, I’ve known them for years. They go to Mar-a-Lago. I wish they wouldn’t. We have a two-party system, and we should. There’s ways to remind people that we’re going to get through this crazy phase. By the way, for shits and giggles, I’ll tell you, I’ve never seen anything like it in my whole career, as divided as the country is. We need the laughs. We need to laugh right in its face, but we also need

to gossip about Paris Hilton. Speaking of gossip, do I need to come to the show to hear what in the world is going on behind the scenes of “Queer Eye”? Yes, you do.

You know something I don’t? No, I don’t, but there’s some shit going down, and there’s trouble in paradise, and those gays better get it together, or else they’re going to lose their gig. Listen to Aunt Kathy — once you have a gig, you want to parlay that gig into as many seasons as possible. If I was on that show, I’d get along with everybody and take the check and buy a house.

It was recently announced that you’ll be playing Carnegie Hall again and breaking a significant record in the process. For the sixth time. I’m so thrilled.

What would Joan Rivers say? Joan would be my biggest supporter because Joan and I were tied for the record of the only single female comedian who played Carnegie by themselves, five times in a row. I matched Joan’s record, and now I get to break our record. I miss her every day, and I think of her all the time. I learned so much from her, and trust me, Joan would say that about the “Queer Eye” boys in a heartbeat. She’d say, “Don’t be ridiculous. Do whatever it takes. Get the check, get the money. Screw the ones you don’t like. Who cares? Go have your friends off set. Who gives a shit? Take the check. Cash the check.” 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.

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

The Divine Assembly

 thedivineassembly.org

10am Sunday worship

389 W 1830 S, 11am meditation, 12pm

532 E 800 N, Orem 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

6pm Weds Beans & Brews

906 S 500 E

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

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

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

JOIN OUR GROUP OF ACTIVE OUT SENIORS

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

Our Mission is to reimagine aging by empowering older adults to live life to the fullest potential guided by these five pillars:

• Cherish the Journey

• Encourage the Body

• Inspire the Mind

• Nurture the Spirit

• Empower the Future

Find us at SeniorsOutAndProudUtah.org and Facebook.com/SOAPUtah

PTC’s ‘The Lehman Trilogy’ rewards with artistic dividends aplenty

BY BLAIR HOWELL

The sterling drama tells a family saga with a bit of wit and words, words, words. Three-andone-half riveting hours of words. Exhilarating words written as a narrative poem in blank verse. “A temple of words!” one of the Lehman brothers thunders.

The words conjoined with the theatricality are utterly astonishing. Seth Andrew Bridges, William Connell and Jeff Talbot are superb actors. They not only perform as the three Lehman brothers who immigrated to America, but also as sons, wives, and grandchildren, and each actor is excellent in their multiple parts. They make dozens of quicksilver character changes, only lightly aided by Yoon Bae’s subtle-yet-period-accurate costuming.

The Lehman Trilogy is masterfully acted and brilliantly staged. Karen Azenberg’s impressive skills as director of the play are evident.

The script is a master achievement. Adapted from an Italian script by Englishman Ben Power and originally directed for the UK’s National Theatre by another Brit in Sam Mendes of American Beauty fame. On Broadway the play was honored with eight Tony nominations, winning for Best Play and Best Direction.

We learn the journey of the Lehman family, founders of the global banking empire, from the arrival of Henry, Emanual and Meyer Lehman in America in the 1840s to the 2008 collapse of the financial behemoth.

A trilogy, because the story is split into three acts. The history of Lehman Brothers investment bank is related, from

its roots as a dry-goods store in Montgomery, Alabama, to the last involvement of anyone named Lehman, with the death of Robert Lehman, grandson of the founders.

We learn what their ambitions wrought. As the drama becomes more charged and the tone becomes savage, there’s boardroom talk of how to get people to buy things they don’t want with money they don’t have. The financial firm goes bankrupt, triggering the global financial crisis.

The Lehman Trilogy inaugurates the company’s Meldrum Theatre, as a second, more intimate theater space, with a three-quarter (circle) “thrust” seating arrangement circling the stage. There’s no proscenium above and around the stage; the stage extends into the audience area.

It’s a lovely theater, adding to Pioneer’s storytelling capabilities. Many ardent theatergoers were anticipating the possibility of additional productions, beyond the seven the company now stages. Instead, one of the seven productions will be seen in the black box-like theater, allowing a more direct connection between the audience and the onstage performers for select productions.

It’s a different challenge to direct and act in this nearround seating configuration. Azenberg and the actors excel at the challenge. The same can’t be said of Bae, who along with the costumes designed the set. The set’s backdrop is an extended “v.”

My BroadwayWorld colleague, from his seat at the center of the theater, was nearly engulfed, but I was seated to one side, without the ability to see the entire set. Q pioneertheatre.org

Rob Smith is Winning

Why the Phluid Project founder left the corporate world to promote gender inclusivity

BY SARAH BRICKER HUNT

Thanksto the era of “new media,” where no stone is left unturned when it comes to invading the privacy of every public figure from social media influencers to the Hollywood elite (and not-so-elite), you’d be hard-pressed to find more than a handful of influential people who are truly as good as they’d like us all to believe. Few and far between are people like Mr. Rogers, Dolly Par-ton and, apparently, Tom Hanks. I’d like to humbly request we add a new name to the nice list: Rob Smith, founder of The Phluid Project. Here’s my case. First of all, Smith spent a good chunk of time at the beginning of our recent call trying to figure out how to tag my LinkedIn to a recent post he shared of an article I wrote about an upcoming collab

between Phluid and the Detroit Pistons. “Come on, Rob. I can do this,” he assures himself (and me). “Really, it’s fine,” I tell him. “I just always try to give credit to authors. It’s important,” he insists. Eventually, we figure it out, and you know what? It does feel nice to get that recogni-tion. Score one for the guy who seems to thrive on making other people feel better. We could use more of that in 2024.

Smith knows a lot about how important validation can be, growing up as a closeted kid in Grosse Pointe, Michigan in the ’80s. He’s nearly in tears when I ask about those growing-up years (oops). But in what has already become signature Rob Smith behavior to me, he starts off by making sure I know that this difficult time in his life had nothing to do with his supportive family. “I’ll start off there. I

have a wonderful family — I love them so much,” he says. “But a young kid doesn’t understand. I mean, your school is your world, and words that I heard all the time as a kid… ‘sissy, faggot…’ you hear those words and you intuitively, instinctively understand that being gay is dangerous.”

As much as he knew his family loved him, Smith says he was somehow afraid they might disown him if he didn’t hide his queerness. His brothers played football and baseball and his dad was a Pittsburgh Steeler. “And I was the creative kid. I loved theater and art and playing with my sis-ter’s dolls,” he explains. By high school, “I’d butched myself up,” he recalls, joining the football team and hoping the change would make it easier to go through life. “And I finally had friends, but I don’t know if it was fully authentic.”

Before he came out, Smith says, he couldn’t fully accept his family’s love because he didn’t feel they knew him authentically. “I just didn’t fully receive their love because I didn’t know if they would really fully love me if they knew I was gay,” he remembers. “That was my own voice talk-ing to me.”

Smith attended Michigan State University after high school, and then, he was gone. Miami Beach was calling, and it was hard to imagine a place more polar opposite to East Lansing or a more affirming atmosphere in which to come out in his early 20s. Still, coming out to his family was a daunting prospect in the late ’80s. True to those “he’s a really good person” vibes, Smith was worried more about protecting them than how he was feeling. “It was this time when you came out and usually followed that up with ‘I’m also HIV positive,’” he says. “I was so afraid to tell them because I knew they’d feel like ‘My son’s gonna have AIDS and die.’ There was a lot of trauma around coming out to your family because of the HIV crisis. They weren’t just worried about you getting through life as a gay person. They were worried about you living.”

After college, Smith’s career path followed a jet-fueled trajectory many fashion industry pros would envy. As he scaled the corporate ladder, executive vice president positions at major corpo-rations (Macy’s and Victoria’s Secret) led Smith to the Global Chief Product Officer role at Haddad Brands (Nike, Levi’s, Jordan, Hurley and Converse). A quick trip through Smith’s LinkedIn

reveals all the expected corporate lingo from an era he left behind in 2017: lots of “ver-tical retail growth” and “positioning the company” fodder. And then there’s a shift — a good guy shift, if you will, from corporate executive to the founder of Phluid, a gender-free clothing, ac-cessory and beauty brand targeting the LGBTQ+ community. His role at Phluid now encom-passes the organization’s educational aims, which has him traveling to companies as a diversity coach and consultant on gender inclusivity policies and gender-expansive practices.

“We are Phluid,” a page on the brand’s website reads. “Phluid in our expression, externally to the world and internally to ourselves. Phluid means dissolving the artificial boundaries of gender, skin color, and status, we and they. Phluid means following like water, free from contracts we never agreed to sign. Phluid means embracing the core idea that this is our world and that the way things are is unrelated to how things could be.”

“Honestly, a big part of creating Phluid was making my little self proud,” Smith

says. “It’s some-thing that maybe my younger self would look at and say ‘Wow. I’m really proud of you.’ Be-cause I shut him out at 14 years old. I erased him.”

These days, Smith’s trips home to Michigan include family visits and, often, a little philanthropy and community-building. For the first time, Phluid is partnering with a pro sports franchise through a line of all-gender apparel created by Smith that was released in March. Fans can pur-chase “Basketball for All” sweatshirts, T-shirts and hats at Pistons313shop.com and at the team store in Little Caesars Arena.

Smith stresses that the Pistons project is about more than a simple clothing collaboration — in fact, he feels strongly that sports can be a gateway to LGBTQ+ acceptance all over the world. “It’s about changing people’s hearts and minds in a place where there is rampant transphobia and homophobia,” he says. “You’re tapping into a huge community of players and massive fan bases. If there is some way to have sports open up to show inclusion and acceptance

for all — not just queer folks — I think it’s a game changer that sets the stage for many organizations to follow.”

Unsurprisingly, Smith only had good things to say about working with the Pistons team, from the support staff all the way up to the executive suite. “The team has been amazing. They have really been leaning into wanting to do what’s right and showing what real inclusion looks like for queer folks,” he says. “Whatever is going on with their season, the thing is that winning comes in many forms, as far as I’m concerned. And they are winning in this space of inclusion and celebration. The values of their organization show in the way they treat people, and the way they’re willing to step up and be courageous — that’s winning, too.”

We could say the same thing about ultimate nice guy Rob Smith. Q

Sarah Bricker Hunt, a proud Eastern Michigan University alum and the managing editor for Pride Source/Between The Lines, believes in the power of intentional journalism focused on peo-ple building their communities through everyday acts of

BY ROMEO SAN VICENTE

Russell Tovey is a conflicted queer cop in ‘Plainclothes’

The history of the LGBTQ+ community and its relationship to the police is a fraught one, em-bedded with generations of trauma, injustice and punishment, from well before the Stonewall riots to the present day. And that’s the backdrop for the new feature film from writer-director Carmen Emmi, “Plainclothes,” a period 1990s-set drama, inspired by true events, about an under-cover police officer tasked with entrapping and arresting queer men. Russell Tovey (“Feud: Capote vs. The Swans”) stars as the cop who finds himself attracted to one of the men (Tom Blyth, “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”) that he arrests. Obviously, existential and career conflict ensues, and that’s just the fallout for the guy who didn’t wind up in jail.

Elliot Page producing cheerleading drama ‘Backspot’

“Bring It On” fans, you need a little more serious drama in your cheerleader-movie-loving life, and Elliot Page is here to deliver it. He’s producing the film “Backspot,” a queer cheer-

deep inside hollywood

leading-centered film from writer Joanne Sarazen and non-binary director D.W. Waterson. It stars rising talent Devery Jacobs — so wonderful in the great series “Reservation Dogs” — as an ambitious cheerleader, and Evan Rachel Wood as her very demanding coach. Further plot details aren’t cur-rently known, but according to advance word this is a complex queer story that detours from the norm and pushes boundaries, and that’s always welcome news. It’s shooting right now, which probably means a 2025 release.

International queer cinema alert!

What happens when an undocumented South American gay man finds himself in the North American queer mecca of Provincetown? That’s the premise of Brazilian filmmaker Marco Cal-vani’s feature film, “High Tide,” which took its U.S. bow recently at the South By Southwest Film Festival. The romantic drama stars queer actor Marco Pigossi as a Brazilian immigrant find-ing his way in a strange land full of carefree people on vacation, and the unexpected romance he finds blooming with an African American nurse. It’s queer indie through and through — think themes of loneliness and isolation while everyone around you is dancing to

house music and do-ing shots — with a cast that includes up-and-comer James Bland as well as “Tangerine” star Mya Taylor and the legendary Marisa Tomei. Look for this one to hit streaming or your friendly neighborhood arthouse sometime in the near future.

Get ready for the ‘Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show’

The perpetually low-key stand-up comic/ actor Jerrod Carmichael has had a fascinating past few years. He came out on a stand-up special, co-starred in the Oscar-nominated film “Poor Things,” and now he’s doing reality TV. OK, his version of it, anyway. No stranger to turning the camera on himself for short personal documentaries, Carmichael is gearing up for “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show,” where he’ll investigate the nature of speaking truth in front of an audience. Included in the just-dropped trailer are a previously unseen boyfriend, a masked friend with a secret identi-ty who challenges him about the production of the special itself (our guess: Bo Burnham), and some heart-bruising glimpses at family conversations, one of which involves his mother praying for God to take away Carmichael’s queerness.

Romeo San Vicente will pray for you, bless your heart.

the perils of petunia pap smear

A tale of Celestial Seasonings

BY PETUNIA PAP SMEAR

The road

to the temple is fraught with danger and excitement.

I was raised a devout Mormon, but despite having left the church several years ago, I’m still at heart a cultural Mormon (perhaps I’m experiencing a latent desire to be a Relief Society president), and I have always been fascinated by the craftsmanship and artistry in the pioneer era Mormon buildings. Thus, last month, I pinned my missionary name tags on the ends of my breasticles, recruited a small group of friends, and decided to travel to Manti, Utah, to take the rare opportunity to tour the open house of the pioneer-era Manti, Utah Temple, famous for its artistic murals including a couple of dinosaurs, the beautiful workmanship of its carpentry, and unsupported spiral staircases.

Driving into Manti, we could see the majestic structure perched high on a hill from miles away. The town was as crowded as if there was going to be a Taylor Swift concert. Luckily, Queertanic, my beloved land yacht, sports a “princess parking pass” and we were able to park in a handicap spot very close to the building. Despite having made a reservation, the line to enter the temple wound all the way down the hill for about a half mile. The line was moving even more slowly than the line waiting at the meat carving station at Chuck-ARama, with which I am all too familiar. While we were still near the back end of the line, at the bottom of the hill, a young boy, probably about 10 years old was horsing around on the hillside above us and chucked a rock. It happened to hit me directly on the top of my head, then bounced off and hit my friend Max in the chest, leaving a goose egg on my head and a bruise on Max’s chest. The kid mumbled “sorry” and ran away.

After an eternity of three and a half hours, we finally reached the doors. Of course, we all had to wear those paper

booties to cover our shoes, lest we soil the carpet. I began to fret, about just how was I going to be able to bend over and put on the bootie without a chair to sit on. Just then a handsome young man dressed in his Sunday best clothes, motioned me over to a fence, very similar to the gripping rail I had seen in the rear of an all-male adult theater in San Francisco. With visions of hot elders gyrating around me, I held onto the fence as:

I put my right foot in, I took my right foot out, I put my left foot in, And I shook it all about, I thought some hanky panky, And I turned myself around, That’s what I’m all about.

I was offended because the booty color clashed with my caftan. However, with my “stylish booties” now intact, I entered the sacred edifice. Just inside there was a sign on a doorway reading, “Matron Office.” Wow, who knew that Brigham Young prophesied about the Matrons of Mayhem and had the architect create an office for us? We proceeded climbing stairs from room to room, marveling at the beautiful murals. I took special care to notice the two dinosaurs on the back wall of the Creation Room. I also observed the intricately carved wooden handrails on the stairs which seemed to be everywhere. The place was indeed beautiful.

I reached the famous spiral staircase with much apprehension as hauling my buttockus maximus up stairs can be quite arduous and I’m easily out of breath. I stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked up. Oh! My! Hell! It was five floors of stairs with no apparent break. It became readily apparent that due to the throng of people in line, I would not be able to take my slow pace. Thus, I followed my friend Max and began to ascend this “Stairway to Heaven.” After about two floors, I began to huff and puff, like the wolf

in the Three Little Pigs story. By the third floor, I was ready to pass out. In desperation, I grabbed onto Max’s belt and asked him to help pull me up.

All proceeded well for about ten more stairs. Then due to the strain of pulling my ample Rotunditude up the steep incline, Max’s pants began to fall down. After about five additional stairs, a “full moon” appeared right in front of my face. Just as I was beginning to think about naked bums and what to do with them, Max reached back and hiked up his pants. It was then that I came to the realization that this was probably not the right time nor place to “rim” the moon presenting itself to me.

Gasping for air, I staggered from the stairs into the Celestial Room. I stumbled across the room and plopped myself down on a lovely chair, trying to catch my breath and hopefully not die. One of the ushers must have thought I was having a spiritual experience because she lovingly handed me a box of Kleenex and reassuringly patted me on my shoulder.

This story leaves us with several important questions:

1. How does an old pioneer-era queen qualify for VIP status on these temple tours?

2. Could a fully functional beehive wig perform the same function as the shields on the Starship Enterprise and protect the Starship Pap Smear from bumps on the head?

3. If we sang, “We’re goin’ to temple and we’re not gonna get married.” Would they still let us in? Even if we did a kick-line?

4. If I had died in the Celestial Room, would they have baptized me for the dead right then and there?

5. If they did baptize me, would my breasticles poke up out of the water?

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