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The top national and world news since last issue you should know
BY CRAIG OGAN
DEI DIES
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as a business strategy is experiencing a quick death. Under pressure from MAGA politicians and consumers, DEI has been altered and ended by many state and local governments and educational institutions. It is under attack in federal departments. The most famous retreat of DEI in marketing has been Target Stores changing product mix and display at stores during the annual Pride celebrations. Don’t forget Anheuser-Busch’s climb down after the “brewhaha” over transgender-influencer Dylan Mulvaney popping a Bud-Light. Other high-profile companies altering or ending DEI efforts are Molson Coors, Tractor Supply, Harley Davidson, Lowe’s, and Jack Daniels. Participation in any activity other than brand sales is curtailed and is having an impact on the bottom dollar of Pride celebrations. Many companies are withdrawing participation from the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. Also ending are “diversity supplier” quotas, charitable giving criteria, and “outreach” efforts in employee recruitment and training.
Census sticks its nose in
The U.S. Census Bureau is testing questions about sexual orientation and gender iden-
tity on the American Community Survey. The ACS is a precursor and important tool in developing the decennial census, ordered by the U.S. Constitution. It is sent to 295,000 households every year and the results are used to analyze household data and allocate federal funding. The 2022 survey identified 1.3 million same-sex couple households, 57 percent of which were “married couples.” The research will report how LGBT households compare to nonLGBT households on things like housing characteristics, housing costs, and housing quality, among others. This effort is part of the current president’s policy directive to federal agencies, which is to find ways to better gauge and serve the LGBT community.
Why O, Who O, Why O, Ohio?
What must it do to a person’s ego, after being the only applicant for a vacant seat on the town council and still being denied the position. Sixteen years ago, David Nation moved to Waynesville, Ohio with his now-husband. He has been very involved in community service ever since. He applied for the vacancy and interviewed long before the deadline. The town mayor told him he was very qualified for the position. At the meeting where he should have been sworn in the council chair announced three other people were to be interviewed. The council chair explained his objection to Nation’s slamdunk appointment was due to his resume focus on “diversity and inclusion” and him being a founding member of the town’s LGBT-focused Rainbow Alliance. At the meeting announcing the appointment
of the other candidate, the audience comments unanimously denounced the decision, calling it a “shady deal” and anti-gay discrimination. The citizens have launched a petition to “recall” the appointment. Discrimination against gay people doesn’t die; it just changes the language it uses.
A Waterloo, Iowa gay bar, who knew
Around the U.S., bars catering to gay or lesbian customers are closing or changing to accommodate a “queer” (some call them odd-straight-people) clientele. But the concept is roaring back in Waterloo, Iowa. “The Rail Station” opened in downtown Waterloo during the June Pride Celebration. The club owner, a gay man, owns several other restaurants in the area. He says he came out later in life and wants to provide a place where gays and lesbians can socialize without fear. There was a bar, “The Kings and Queens Clubm,” but it closed three years ago leaving its regulars without a watering hole. Jessi Jade-Michaels, who was a regular and a drag performer at the old club, told the local newspaper, “For a lot of people within the LGBT community, they can’t walk into (other bars) holding another guy’s hand or another girl’s hand without the whole bar looking. This is the spot where they can.” The club owner says, “This is a decision of the heart, not the head.” He’s not sure there are enough customers to pay the way without the “odd straight people,” but his other businesses are “The Rail Station” backstop.
Straight washing after Bondage
Daniel Craig retired from the James Bond role with the latest Bond-franchise movie, “A Time To Die.” So, what better way to break the bondage of Bond-play than to be in Luca Guadagnino’s new movie, “Queer.” Guadagnino is best known for directing “Call Me By Your Name,” which made a heartthrob of Timothee Chalamet and Arnie Hammer, briefly, a hot daddy. Craig has portrayed gay roles before. Earlier in his career, he played the rough trade love interest of British artist Francis Bacon in “Love is the Devil.” “Queer” premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Craig plays a drug-addicted gay American who falls for a younger man, played by Drew Starkey, in 1940s Mexico. The movie has intimate love scenes between the two men, with Craig performing his own “stunts.” The movie is based on a 1950 book by homophile, “Beat” author William Burroughs. Director Guadagnino hopes viewers will focus on story and characterization rather than steamy sex scenes. That could happen.
Prop 8 started it all, on the chopping block
California’s Prop 8 put the “One Man, One Woman” definition of marriage into
California’s State Constitution in 2008, which started the backlash that led to the U. S. Supreme Court declaring marriage equality in 2012. The language, the same as Utah’s Amendment 3, has remained in the state’s charter even though it was meaningless. A new proposal, Proposition 3, is on the ballot for the Fall 2024 election to eliminate the superfluous language and enshrine marriage equality in the constitution. It is supported by the governor, the California Democratic Party, Equality California, the Human Rights Campaign, and the American Civil Liberties Union. It is opposed by the California Family Council and the American Council of Evangelicals on “religious” grounds. No word from the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints about any ghost funding of the opposition, as it did to get Prop 8 passed way back when.
Some LGBTQ books back in Florida schools
The authors of a sweet book about two male penguins hatching then raising a penguin chick, “And Tango Makes Three,” led a legal settlement resulting in the reinstatement of 36 LGBTQ-themed books in a Florida school district. A court settlement ordered this book to be returned to school libraries to which K to 6th graders have access. Other books of the 36 were ordered returned with some age-appropriate restrictions. The books were removed in 2022 in reaction to complaints filed based on the set of Florida
laws critics call “Don’t Say Gay.” This bill, Florida HB 1069, ordered the removal of books containing sexual themes as well as other ideological “no-nos.” The judge found nothing in “And Tango Makes Three” to be obscene as it detailed the egg hatching and nurturing of the chick in New York City’s Central Park Zoo. This settlement does not challenge the provisions in HB 1069, and only applies to Nassau County School District. A separate lawsuit seeking to overturn the law is still pending.
Sport trash talk
A 2014 study by the “Neutral Zone,” a youth organization, reports that the people who suffer most by gay or lesbian trash talk in school sports are
straight and white males. Gay and lesbian teens aren’t unaffected, but they tend to expect it and already have processed it. The study was analyzed in the “Journal of Sport and Social Issues.” The analysis says the talk is “policing of sexual and gender norms, specifically masculinity, through the use of anti-LGBTQ + language.”
No surprise that all who have it directed at them suffer lowered self-esteem. Black and Hispanic teens report a high frequency of having such talk used against them by peers. This group, as well from experience, expected the “slurs” and can process the experience better than straight white males. Makes one’s heart hurt for straight white male teens. Or is it your balls ache? Q
Mpox is still spreading
Utah Pride Center releases financial, community participation report of this year’s Pride festival
The Utah Pride Center released a report on the 2024 Utah Pride Festival financial and community involvement. This year, they say, the festivities marked a major financial and community success, setting a strong foundation for the Utah Pride Center’s future endeavors.
Under the leadership of executive director Chad Call, this year’s Pride Festival and Parade not only revitalized community spirit but also achieved impressive financial gains, putting the organization back on solid ground after a challenging year.
“Chad’s leadership and deep expertise in event production truly transformed the Utah Pride Festival and Parade,”
said Jessica Couser, board chair of the Center. “His vision and ability to inspire the team were pivotal in driving the success of both events, positioning the Utah Pride Center for continued growth. We are incredibly fortunate to have someone with his background guiding us through this exciting time.”
The Utah Pride Parade saw over 18,000 participants march across two miles of downtown Salt Lake City, cheered on by more than 50,000 spectators. The accompanying Utah Pride Festival attracted over 30,000 attendees and featured more than 220 vendor booths, creating a vibrant celebration of LGBTQ+ identity and culture. Importantly, the festival generated over $350,000 in revenue, which will directly support the Utah Pride Center’s essential programs and services.
A team of over 500 volunteers, including members of the Utah Pride Steering Committee, played a key role in the smooth execution of the event.
“Since the Utah Pride festivities, our
small and focused staff has been working tirelessly to revive and expand our programs, and we are proud to announce that we now host weekly programs at the Utah Pride Center for both youth and all ages,” Call said.
The financial turnaround was particularly significant, given the challenges the organization faced in 2023. Overspending on last year’s Pride events left the Utah Pride Center hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, forcing the temporary closure of the Center last September and the sale of its building to cover outstanding costs.
To ensure success this year, Call and his team implemented strategic budget cuts, particularly in staging, production, and talent costs. Planned spending for the 2024 Pride Festival and Parade was significantly reduced from 2023 levels, with the total production budget slashed by 80% to align more closely with 2022’s expenditures.
“We focused on showcasing Utah talent and scaled-down stages and nighttime events to reduce costs,” Call explained.
Despite the cost-saving measures, key areas such as security remained a priority. Given the ongoing threats to the LGBTQ+ community fueled by political rhetoric, the security budget for this year’s event was $180,000 — higher than 2022 but a reduction from last year’s $300,000.
Overall, the 2024 Pride event brought in $1,458,000, with a third of the revenue coming from sponsorships, another third from ticket sales, and the remainder from beverage sales, vendor fees, and parade entrance fees. Total expenses amounted to $1,084,000, covering significant costs like tenting, security, equipment, and entertainment.
In the end, the Utah Pride Center was able to generate $374,000 in revenue, which will be reinvested into programs that serve the local LGBTQ+ community.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone involved in making this year’s Utah Pride a celebration to remember,” said Call. Q
More
Chad Call, Utah Pride Center Executive Director
University of Utah’s Student Pride Center launches, creating a new resource for LGBTQ+ students
The University of Utah was forced to close its LGBT Resource Center after Utah’s Republican-dominated legislature passed a bill forbidding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs on state campuses.
LGBTQ+ students now have a dedicated space to find support, community, and resources, with the recent launch of the Student Pride Center. The center, which officially opened its doors on August 19, will celebrated its grand opening on September 19, with a fundraiser event on the University of Utah campus at Presidents Circle.
The Student Pride Center is a student-led organization with a mission to empower LGBTQ+ students and their allies by providing essential resources, advocacy, and a safe space for authentic self-expression. The center is a program of the Utah Pride Center and will operate out of room 2130-N in the Marriott Library on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
University of Utah senior Ienne Zielinski created the center to give LGBTQ+ students a place where they can feel a true sense of belonging.
“I started the Student Pride Center to show the University of Utah administration and the Utah legislature that the continued disenfranchisement of, and prejudice toward, LGBTQ+ identifying people will not be tolerated by students,” Zielinski explained. “I want to show active and prospective students that they don’t need a man in a suit to tell them if they do, or do not, belong somewhere— students can create their own belonging.”
The organization is run by a board of four senior students, including Zielinski, executive assistant Zoe Brown, volunteer coordinator Andrew Coda, and finance manager Brooklyn Mears, with the support of student volunteers. Together, they aim to unite and uplift the LGBTQ+ community on campus.
The Utah Pride Center is excited to be involved in this student-driven initiative, said Chad Call, executive director.
“If Utah’s lawmakers continue to find ways to exclude Utah’s LGBTQIA+ communities, the Utah Pride Center will
do everything it can to provide support so our students can create their own safe spaces. This circumstance is unfortunately familiar to our community, but when our place in society is threatened, we come together, support one another, and show up for each other. That’s exactly what these students are doing at the university,” Call said in a statement.
The opening of the Student Pride Center is being warmly received by students across the campus. “I feel better just knowing that we still have a Pride Center on the U campus,” one student said. “It means that queer students still have a place to go and that students support each other.”
As the center continues to grow, it hopes to offer a wide range of educational and community-based resources
to further support the LGBTQ+ student body at the University of Utah. Q
For more information about the Student Pride Center and its programs, visit www.studentpridecenter.com or contact uofustudentpridecenter@gmail.com.
Salt Lake City gears up for 2024 Salt Lake City Leather Pride and Mr. Leather SL♥UT title contest
The Salt Lake City Leather Pride Festival is a day of celebration for the Men’s Leather and Kink community. The indoor-outdoor event is set to take place on Sunday, October 6th, from 1 to 8 p.m. at MILK+. Free tickets will be available in advance, granting access to a series of events designed to connect, educate, and celebrate this vibrant subculture.
“As the premier leather event in Salt Lake City, we take pride in showcasing the best of our community — from the fashion shows to the workshops, from the social events to the title contest. It is a weekend filled with empowerment, camaraderie, and expression,” the organizers stated.
The 2024 Mr. Leather SL♥UT Title Contest, a centerpiece of this year’s Salt Lake City Leather Pride Celebration, will unfold over the weekend of October 4–6. This competition will feature contestants showcasing their skills, charisma, and dedication to the leather lifestyle, honoring longstanding traditions, embracing diversity, and celebrating the essence of Leather Pride.
The prestigious “bar title” allows the winner to compete at the 2025 International Mr. Leather contest in Chicago
and various other regional and national competitions. The contest is committed to promoting leather culture within the Salt Lake City community, seeking contestants who can serve as ambassadors to both the LGBTQ+ community and the broader radical sex communities.
Organizers are looking for men passionate about activism, charity, and community building who can articulate their platform and inspire others to get involved. The contest is open to both trans and cisgender men, with eligibility extended to gay, bisexual, and straight men. However, the organizers emphasize that those who wish to participate should have a deep commitment to the communities outlined in the mission statement.
Pride participants can look forward to a weekend of unforgettable experiences where they can embrace their true selves, make lasting connections, and celebrate the richness of the leather community. Whether you are a seasoned leather enthusiast or new to the scene, the Salt Lake City Leather Pride Festival offers something for everyone. Q
For details on the 2024 Salt Lake City Leather Pride Celebration, visit slcleatherpride.com.
University of Utah student Ienne Zielinski, executive director of the Student Pride Center
Mpox is still here, and free vaccine is ending
BY LYNN BELTRAN, S: COUNTY HEALTH DEPT.
Salt Lake County Health Department has seen an increase in mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) cases in the last two months. While it’s easy to think the risk to the community has gone away since the initial outbreak in the summer of 2022, we want people who may be at risk to be informed and protected.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that while cases have declined sharply since 2022, the U.S. continues to identify about 60 new cases per week across the country. Most of those cases are in people who are not vaccinated against mpox, or who only received one shot of the vaccine. (Spoiler alert: It’s not too late to get your second shot, even if your first was in 2022!)
Getting the mpox vaccine is also now a bit of a time-sensitive issue, as the vaccine (called Jynneos) that protects against mpox is about to become costly. With the initial outbreak in 2022, Utah’s public health system received a supply of free vaccines to administer to people
in the community who were most at risk of infection. That initial free supply will expire at the end of October, and after that (or once the free supply is used up), people who need the vaccine will need to pay for it out of pocket ($275 per dose!) or use their health insurance. It is important to know that the illness caused by the mpox virus is not mild. Most people who get infected are seriously ill for several weeks or longer. Most infections include painful lesions on the body or in the genital area, and lesions may also appear on the face. Lesions often continue to appear for several weeks and can be very painful. Many people who have the virus also experience significant flu-like symptoms, and some may have difficulty swallowing or defecating, which can lead to hospitalization. Mpox is spread through close contact with an infected partner. This could include sexual contact and skin-to-skin contact that’s not sexual. Even prolonged, close face-to-face interactions can spread pox. People who are not
vaccinated or who have only one dose of vaccine are more likely to suffer longer-lasting and more severe symptoms. It’s an incredible “public health win” to have a vaccine available for a sexually transmitted infection. If most of the people who are at risk in a community are vaccinated, protective herd immunity is more likely to occur, and that can lead to zero new infections.
The mpox vaccine is a two-dose vaccine, where you should get the second shot no earlier than 28 days after the first shot. It is never too late to get that second dose, even if it has been two years since your first shot.
Salt Lake County Health Department still has a few hundred doses of free mpox vaccine to give out before the expiration date. We recommend the vaccine for all men who have sex or are intimate with men, as well as transmen and transwomen who have sex or are intimate with men.
Get your mpox vaccine now, before we run out of free supply, and before you’ll have to pay $550 for it yourself. Call 385468-SHOT from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., to make an appointment. Sameday appointments are often available. Q
Andy Bell at Equality Utah Allies Gala
Equality Utah is set to host its highly anticipated annual fundraiser, the Equality Utah Allies Gala: Enchanted World, on Saturday, October 5, at the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Theater in downtown Salt Lake City. This year’s event will be headlined by Andy Bell, the iconic frontman of the beloved Europop band ERASURE.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. with heavy hors d’oeuvres by Culinary Crafts, drinks, and live music on every level
The main show starts at 8 p.m., and an after-party will take place af the end of the show. Bell, renowned for his contributions to the music world and his status as a gay icon, will bring his captivating performance to Salt Lake
City. His musical journey with Vince Clarke, formerly of Depeche Mode and Yazoo, has produced timeless hits that have united fans across the globe. Erasure’s debut album, Wonderland, was released in 1985, followed by a string of hit albums featuring classics like “A Little Respect,” “Chains of Love,” and “Oh L’Amour.”
Beyond his musical accomplishments, Bell is a dedicated advocate for HIV/AIDS research and funding. He has leveraged his celebrity status to support various LGBTQ and arts-related causes, as well as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Q Tickets and more info at equalityutah.org/allies24
Seniors Out and Proud expands activities with new independent film group
Seniors Out and Proud (SOAP), an organization committed to providing engaging social opportunities for LGBTQ+ seniors, announced the launch of its new Independent Film Group, along with the return of several popular activities across Utah.
NEW INDEPENDENT FILM GROUP
The group offers a monthly gathering at the Broadway Theater in downtown Salt Lake City. This group is perfect for those who enjoy quirky, independent, or foreign films that often fly under the radar of mainstream theaters. The Broadway Theater, operated by the Salt Lake Film Society, is a cherished venue known for its eclectic film selection.
Each month, the chosen film will be announced on SOAP’s Facebook page on the Monday of the movie week. After the screening, attendees have the option to gather for dinner or drinks at a nearby location to discuss the film. Participants are responsible for their own movie tickets and dining costs.
Deb Hall, the group’s coordinator, is hopeful that this initiative will resonate with the community, highlighting that independent films celebrate diverse voices and perspectives—an ethos that aligns with SOAP’s mission.
GAME NIGHT RETURNS
As the summer winds down, SOAP is bringing back its beloved Game Night this fall. Recognizing that many members have been busy with outdoor activities, SOAP is excited to reintroduce this indoor social event. Members are encouraged to suggest their favorite games, whether it’s Bingo, Poker, Trivia, or something nostalgic.
Details on the first Game Night will be provided in the September newsletter.
WALKING GROUPS RESUMING
SOAP’s walking groups are also making a comeback. The Ogden SOAP Wednesday Walk-About continues weekly at the Ogden Botanical Gardens, combining exercise with a post-walk dinner. Meanwhile, the Salt Lake SOAP Tuesday Troopers, which took a break due to summer heat, resumed at Liberty Park. These walking groups cater to all fitness levels and offer a relaxed, inclusive environment for socializing.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES AND PADDLING
SOAP’s love for the outdoors shines through in its upcoming events. The Pride Paddlers group will convene on September 1 at Cutler Marsh in Logan, offering a serene paddling experience that coincides with SOAP’s Labor Day Campout. Additionally, the Southern Utah Paddling Group will meet at Gunlock Reservoir on September 29, inviting participants to enjoy a day on the water in the picturesque St. George area.
PICKLEBALL
SOAP offers weekly Pickleball sessions Wednesdays through September at 6pm at the Murray Park Pickleball Complex, 166 E Myrtle Ave, open to all skill levels.
DINING GROUPS
The Dish in Salt Lake City and Chew and Chat in Utah County, provide opportunities to share a meal and conversation with fellow members. Attendance for these dining events is capped at 15 to ensure an intimate and enjoyable experience, so early RSVPs are recommended. Q
Info at soaputah.org
views quotes
“Yes, I am SMALL, MIXEDRACED, ONE-LEGGED, and to add insult to injury, GAY!!!!!!”
Dimitri Pavade, a Paralympic long jumper representing France, celebrated his bronze medal-winning performance”
“If you are confused, find a corner outside somewhere to go. We’re not tearing society down because of this”
—North Carolina Republicangubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson on transgender restroom use
“Can you imagine, your child goes to school and they don’t even call you and they change the sex of your child?” ... “Can you imagine you’re a parent and your son leaves the house and you say, ‘Jimmy, I love you so much, go have a good day in school,’ and your son comes back with a brutal operation? Can you even imagine this? What the hell is wrong with our country?”
—Donald Trump
“When is Lindsey [Graham] coming out of the closet? We all know you’re gay, Lindsey… and that’s ok.”
Laura Loomer
Why this election is unlike any we’ve seen before
BY CHRISTOPHER SWAN
Aswe approach this critical election, many pundits and commentators continue to draw comparisons to previous elections. Yet, it’s time we recognize that this election defies comparison. We have never been here before, and the circumstances we face today are unprecedented in our political history.
Never before have we seen a sitting vice president running against a disgraced former president—a president who not only lost the last election but is now convicted of 34 felonies and found liable for sexual assault. For the first time, an African American and Asian American woman stands as the major party nominee for president. In a turn of events that could only occur in such a chaotic political climate, we now witness a vice-presidential candidate who replaced the original nominee just three months before election day. This is no ordinary election cycle.
In fact, we are witnessing an election where the Democratic Party is not simply running against another political party— it is up against a cult-like movement. The opposing candidate rants incoherently on social media while his running mate publicly disparages the sitting vice president in crude and classless terms. The total absence of decorum, the disregard for truth, and the debasement of political discourse are all things we have never seen before on this scale.
In previous elections, we have debated policy differences, but this time, the stakes are far greater. We are facing the dismantling of rights that many Americans believed were long settled, including the right of women to control their own healthcare—a right that was enshrined in the Constitution for nearly 50 years. For the first time in generations, a woman’s right to choose is on the ballot in multiple states, and the result of this election will determine the future of those rights. Meanwhile, the candidate of the opposing party, who continues to dominate the headlines, is not only trying to rewrite history, but he is also facing legal challenges that would disqualify most
individuals from any form of public service. And yet, he remains a central figure in the race. The truth is, we have never before seen a candidate who attempted to overthrow a democratic election, run again with the possibility of winning.
What this election represents is not just another contest between parties. It is a battle for the soul of our democracy. We know from recent history that election outcomes in 43 states are practically predetermined. The fight will be decided by a handful of swing states, and the results in those states will hinge on whether voters understand the full implications of a second Trump presidency.
We are not merely choosing between two candidates; we are choosing between two futures. A win for Trump could mean a continuation of the Supreme Court’s conservative march, where judges appointed by him could further strip away rights and entrench a far-right agenda for generations. With the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 looming over this election, a victory for Trump would not just be a return to the status quo—it would be a fundamental remaking of our government, one that threatens our most basic freedoms.
Yet, in spite of all this, we cannot predict how people will vote. Polling, as we’ve learned over the years, is an unreliable predictor, and public sentiment can shift in the weeks leading up to Election Day. What we do know is that this election will come down to voter engagement and turnout.
For those who support Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, this is not the time for complacency. It’s not enough to cast your vote—you must engage your community. The stakes are too high for passive participation. Harris and Walz will only prevail if their supporters put in the work, whether that means raising money, knocking on doors, or having those difficult conversations with family and friends. You may feel like your voice won’t make a difference, but in an election this close, personal outreach can be the deciding factor.
Make no mistake: This election is deeply personal for many Americans. It is personal for young people who will have to live with the devastating consequences of climate inaction. It is personal for women who want to maintain control over their own reproductive choices. It is personal for the LGBTQ+ community, whose hard-won rights hang in the balance. It is personal for African Americans who seek justice and equality, and for Latino and Asian American communities that face discrimination and threats to their safety.
This election is not just about policy— it is about people. It is about ensuring that every voter understands the direct impact that their vote will have on the future of this country and their own lives. That’s why it is so important to reach out to your friends, your family, your neighbors. Ask them to vote—not just for themselves, but for you. Help them see the stakes, and remind them that their vote will shape the world their children and grandchildren will inherit.
When you speak to your loved ones, tell them why this election matters to you personally. Explain what’s at risk— whether it’s your right to make decisions about your own body, your right to marry who you love, your right to live in a country free from discrimination. Make it clear that this election is not abstract; it’s a vote for the kind of country we want to live in, and the future we want to create.
Ultimately, this election will determine not only the trajectory of our democracy but also our standing in the world. Our allies are watching, our enemies are watching, and the entire global order could shift based on the outcome. The path forward requires leadership that understands the interconnectedness of climate, economy, and global stability.
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz offer a vision that is rooted in progress and possibility. For the sake of our future, we must come together to ensure that they win this election. Because the alternative is a return to chaos, division, and the erosion of the very values that define our nation. Q
CanTrump
BY D’ANNE WITKOWSKI
we all just agree that Donald Trump is the absolute worst?
Haha. I kid. Not about him being the worst. He is trash. But I know that we cannot all agree on this fact. And that definitely makes me fearful for the future of this country.
I have been trying, for my mental health and well-being, to not breathlessly follow political coverage. I mean, I can’t avoid it because I do care deeply about who gets elected and the Republican Party does not share any of my values and morals. Granted, the Republican lurch to the right has accelerated since 2015 when Trump rode down his golden escalator, but Republicans have shown consistently since the 1980s that fascism is A-OK with them.
So it is with dismay that I have witnessed how the media has been covering this race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Granted, the coverage was bad before President Joe Biden dropped out, but it has gotten considerably worse. It’s pretty clear that the press hates Harris and are doing everything in their power to present Trump as a palatable candidate. The media puts every batshit crazy thing he says through a filter to make it seem reasonable. Harris, on the other hand, has the opposite problem. She’ll say something totally fucking reasonable and the press will respond in a way that makes no rational sense. Take this recent exchange between journalist Dana Bash and Harris on CNN.
Bash asks Harris about Trump’s comment that Harris had recently “turned Black,” apparently expecting some kind of response to this absolutely racist display on the part of the disgraced former president. Harris responded with, “Same old, tired playbook. Next question, please.”
creep of the month
In other words, “I am not going to dignify that racist man’s bullshit with a response.”
Politico then posts a story with the headline, “Harris evades questions about her identity.”
Apparently, someone at Politico was like, “Uh, that seems to be a really bad take.”
And so they pulled down that headline and replaced it with, “Harris sidesteps the spotlight when it comes to her identity.”
What in the ever-loving fuck is going on here?
With this display of corporate media foolery rattling around in my brain, I then saw a TikTok created by journalist Jamelle Bouie about Trump’s recent sit down with Moms for Liberty (which would more accurately be called Moms Against Trans Kids) in which Trump displayed a total disconnect with reality.
Bouie plays a clip. “The transgender thing is incredible,” Trump says. “Your kid goes to school and comes home a few days later with an operation. The school decides what’s going to happen with your child. And many of these childs [sic] 15 years later say, ‘What the hell happened? Who did this to me?’”
Bouie rightfully calls this “deranged,” saying that “it has no relationship to reality whatsoever.”
This makes me think of the times Trump has claimed that there are places in the United States where abortion is legal right up to birth at 9 months. Trump says that they just kill the baby right there after it’s been born. That is not true. There is nowhere such a thing is legal. It is pretend. The same goes for this claim about trans students. First and foremost, if a child goes to school and doesn’t come home for “a few days,” that would be a really big deal. That is not a thing that happens. I mean if my
kid didn’t come home from school, that would be a “call 911” situation.
So the idea that any kid goes off to school without coming home for days and then they come home with an operation to apparently make them transgender is not connected to any reality whatsoever. I mean, I have a kid who needs an Epi-pen and I’ve had to fill out paperwork signed by his doctor yearly since he was in Kindergarten to ensure that if he has an allergy attack at school, he’ll have access to this life-saving intervention. Nobody is doing “operations” on kids at schools.
Bouie goes on to say that Trump is “clearly cognitively impaired” and wonders why this isn’t a major news story. After all, Biden’s cognitive health was the subject of headlines every five minutes. But now that Biden’s out of the race, Trump just gets a pass. He literally can say whatever he wants and it’s fine.
But it’s not fine. Trump is a dangerous man. His followers are dangerous people. We already saw how incapable he is at doing the job of President and we’ve already seen to what lengths his followers will go to keep him in power.
I mean, seriously, there is no planet in which a second Trump presidency goes BETTER. We have been warned. By Trump himself. Let’s not fuck this up. 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.
Herewho’s your daddy
Utah Election 2024: Ask the AG, part 2
BY CHRISTOPHER KATIS
are my final questions to Michelle Quist (Utah United), Rudy Bautista (Democrat), and Andrew McCullough (Libertarian) – all of whom are running to be Attorney
and governor accountable for wasting the taxpayer’s money.
MCCULLOUGH: I would work with the government to get them to understand when they have violated the Constitution, and to try and get
active in the courtrooms. I would have my income tax returns made public, and my bank and investment accounts monitored. I would ensure my calendar is made public, and work to strike
General. Again, the GOP candidate chose not to participate. Utah has spent millions defending laws later ruled as un-Constitutional. As AG how will you prevent the state from wasting taxpayers’ money?
QUIST: I would prioritize a careful legal review of any laws before defending them in court. My goal would be to ensure the state’s legal efforts are focused on defending laws that have a strong legal foundation and do not infringe on the rights of any Utahns.
BAUTISTA: As AG, I will not turn a blind eye to unconstitutional laws and defend them merely because the legislature and governor think they can push their moral agenda on others. I would support a push to hold the legislature
them to change their minds. I would speak out in the legislature and oppose bills which would violate the Federal and State Constitutions.
For several years the AG’s office has been plagued with scandal and a seeming lack of integrity. How would you restore faith in the office?
QUIST: A hallmark of my campaign has been to bring the focus of the Attorney General’s Office off of national partisan rhetoric and frivolous legal lawsuits and return the focus to legal matters. Utah needs an attorney general who is nonpartisan, independent, and transparent. LGBTQ+ voters deserve an attorney general who is not focused on hyper-partisan culture war rhetoric.
BAUTISTA : I have continually stated that the AG should be
down the legislation that declared the AG’s calendar private and protected. Finally, I would create a citizen review board to monitor the AG office and its activities.
MCCULLOUGH: First of all, I do not seek higher office for self-importance. I would simply work to protect citizens against government excesses and to defend freedom. I would not seek a second term, so I would not be spending time and effort raising money from rich people to support my political needs.
Specifically, why should LGBTQ+ parents vote for you?
QUIST: I’m not a gay parent, but I am the parent of a gay child. LGBTQ+ parents should vote for me because I understand the unique challenges
you face and am committed to ensuring that your families are treated with the respect and protection you deserve.
BAUTISTA: I have spent my entire life defending people and standing up to bully-
ing. Evil will prevail if good people fail to act. As AG, I will stand up for the people to protect what makes this state and country the best. In short, I have already, and will continue to, defend everyone’s rights and freedoms, because all people are created equal.
MCCULLOUGH: I am not sure entirely what sets “gay parents” apart from other parents. All want what is best for their families. I am not a parent and have always been single. I know how discrimination feels and how difficult it is to fit in when you are “not like” others. I will remember that those who are different must be equal (but not be forced to be “the same”.)
Thank you to all the candidates for their participation. Remember: vote for whomever you like – just vote! Q
MICHELLE QUIST Utah United
RUDY BAUTISTA Democrat ANDREW MCCULLOUGH Libertarian NO SHOW Republican
OUR PETS
Kara Cope and Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue
BY MICHAEL AARON
Onthe cover of this issue is Cookie, Kara Cope’s grand dog. He was a Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue Ambassador who passed suddenly at the age of five. Great Danes have a shorter lifespan than most smaller dog breeds, averaging between seven and ten years.
Cope is passionate about Great Danes, and is a volunteer fundraising coordinator with the organization. You will often find her at the Matrons of Mayhem Third Friday Bingo, which does an annual fundraiser for RMGDR — usually the largest of the year for the Matrons.
Born and raised in Millcreek, Utah, she has lived in the same house since she was four years old. She’s married to her “perfect partner” of 24 years and has a successful housekeeping business.
She is a local social justice activist and fights the good fight for those who are marginalized. She says dogs are her answer to life’s mystery.
We asked Cope about the organization, her passion for Great Danes, and what makes her tick.
Hey Kara! I guess I’ll start with the obvious question. Why the Great Danes? I’ve always had an obsession with giant dogs; Great Danes, especially. As a child I was quite small in stature; short, petite and always the smallest
one in class. This led to people wanting to bully me. I knew if I had a BIG dog then I’d have the security of personal safety. My mom, however, declined to give in to my desire for a giant breed.
How did you first become an evangelist for Great Danes? I’ve been involved with animal rescue my entire life. For my 50th birthday my wife encouraged me to adopt 6-year-old Rose, our first Dane, through RMGDRI. The rescue spent time at Wheeler Farm and I stalked them for a year before our first adoption through them. There were so many Danes needing fosters that I had to get involved.
How did you first get involved with RMGDRI? After adopting Rose, my heart filled with compassion for these enormous, mostly gentle beasts. I signed up as a volunteer and took the volunteer Fundraising Coordinator position with no experience, really. We have wonderful volunteers in all areas with the rescue and, with some guidance, I took on the task of raising money for the Danes in foster care with RMGDRI. It fills my heart to plan events and raise funds for these magnificent dogs in need. Tell us a bit more about RMGDRI and what they do. Rocky Mtn Great Dane Rescue is a 501c3 charity that rescues Great Danes and Dane mixes that are abandoned, neglected, abused and in
need of a forever home. We bring these dogs in from shelters and when owners surrender them for whatever reason.
We provide medical help and foster homes along with training and behavioral health so these pups can reach their final destination of their forever home.
We are solely run by volunteers, so we have no overhead, and every penny we raise goes straight to the dogs in need. We cover 13 states: Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, Iowa, Missouri, and South Dakota.
Our volunteers make it all possible, from intake to medical, transport, and approving fosters. We come together as a team and make it work for the Danes. We all have the same goal — to save as many as possible. How can people become involved with the organization? You can become a foster, donor, volunteer, or adopt a Dane at RMGreatdane.org
Our website shows available Danes and info regarding their specific needs. The dogs available change often so check them out! Q
Find more information at rmgreatdane.org
Kara Cope, right, with her wife and their three Great Danes.
PHOTO: VALOR MCNEELY
OUR PETS
Gracie’s full name is GRACIE MAKANA (Hawaiian for gift) as she was my Christmas gift in 2022. I should’ve named her NIELE (Hawaiian for nosy). She spends more time walking on her hind legs when we go for our morning walk in the neighborhood as she doesn’t want to miss a thing! EVA CARDRINO
A non-staged, spur of the moment shot when my friend, Barb, just happened to catch my new lovable big dog, SEEGER , seemingly providing comfort to little, scared ROCKY And don’t forget LINCOLN photo bombing in the background!
JIM HILL
What a conundrum!
My parrot, ICARUS , is “right wing.” He always bathes his right side first. What to do? But he is not a MAGA, when someone drops the “F-Bomb”, Icarus yells “Trump!”
He has been living with me 27 years after his rescue.
BECKY MOSS , seen with her other favorite bird at Matrons of Mayhem Bingo.
I was never much of a dog person, but my daughter kept begging for one. One day she put together a big power point presentation on why she should get a dog. After all that work she put in, I caved and we went to a rescue and JACK picked us. Fast forward 10 years and he has my whole heart. I can’t imagine life without this little guy. And now I’m crazy about dogs! ANN CLARK
Never in my life did I ever expect to adopt a white dog because I never wanted to be that person in public with all the white hair sticking to their clothes. Here I am now with COOLEY, a St Bernard/Great Pyrenees. I’m now that person with copious amounts of white hair stuck to my clothes, in my hair, in my car, and even in my food. These are little reminders that I have someone anxiously awaiting my arrival home, and he thinks the world of me even when I feel like I’m at my lowest. NONI BLAKE
Why the LGBTQ+ Community takes pride in our pets
BY DYLAN M. AUSTIN
Didyou know that 7 out of 10 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adults are pet parents? Let’s explore how pets have filled the role of everything from BFF to family member for the LGBTQ+ community.
IT’S NOT JUST LOVE, IT’S SCIENCE.
One thing is certain about our friends with four legs and a tail — we love them, and they love us back. LGBTQ+ pet parents, in particular, have a special relationship with their four-legged companions … and it’s not just love—it’s science.
Let’s explore how pets have filled the role of everything from best friend to family member, and what that means for LGBTQIA+ people.
MENTAL HEALTH IN THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY
From adolescence to adulthood, LGBTQIA+ individuals of all backgrounds experience disproportionate setbacks in school, the workplace, and even at home as a result of their gender identity and sexual orientation.
Mental health challenges, suicidal ideation, discrimination, inaccessible healthcare, and limited career advancement are just a few examples of how this continues into our elderly years.
As we take strides toward inclusivity, we can all count on one source of support, and it’s our pets.
BENEFITS OF PETS FOR MENTAL HEALTH
In Figo Pet Insurance’s survey of pet owners, four in five revealed that their pet has positively impacted their mental health—from social connections to self-esteem,
routines, and anxiety relief.
This proves true for cats and dogs!
Another study found that pets served as a buffer to stress, a coping mechanism for mental health, provided a sense of purpose and identity, and even helped with overall socialization.
About 75% of those studied consider their pet “a source of support that helps them cope with LGBTQIA-related stressors, such as discrimination, rejection and microaggressions from their peers and family members.”
IT GETS EVEN BETTER WITH AGE
It turns out that our pets’ unconditional love and companionship contribute to our professional, personal, and academic growth, according to one study of young adults. In this research, the link between LGBTQ+ adolescents’ poor social support and their resulting mental health challenges was significantly influenced by animal companionship.
Researchers also found that having a pet benefits LGBTQIA+ adults over 50, highlighting their influence on social support and even in meeting new people. They also found that pets introduced exercise, companionship, and more active routines into these adults’ lives as their schedules became less busy (and less social) as they grew older.
“I was living by myself, she was the only other person in the house. She was excellent for me. Because I was expecting to die within a short period of time, I think her spirit coming into my life may have saved my life.
She was a lifesaver.” says Robert of Youtube’s “Old Gays” on his first rescue dog.
From the classroom to retirement, our pups and kitties play a substantial role in the lives of LGBTQIA+ people! TAKING PRIDE IN OUR PETS
Our pets bring a smile to our faces, make us laugh even when they’re naughty, keep us warm on cold nights, and encourage us to take long walks in the sunshine.
For the LGBTQ+ com-
munity, this source of love, companionship, belonging, and purpose makes our day and gives some a reason to see the next one.
Pet parenting isn’t easy, and neither is being queer or trans. In our minds and in our hearts, it’s all worth it to take Pride in pet parenting. Q
Dylan M. Austin is a highly caffeinated writer and creator in Seattle. When offline, he’s hanging out with his Chihuahua Terrier rescue, Will, and adding to his increasingly excessive houseplant collection.
OUR PETS
SUMAQ , a rescue from a native reservation near Albequerque, New Mexico, has a bad habit of finding ways to get out of the yard and visit the neighbors. This time, she went to the studio of Lindsay Frei, who gave her a glamour shot. my appreciation to Rescue Rovers for bringing us together. MICHAEL AARON
We popped into Best Friends Animal Shelter in July 2014 with the idea of “just looking” at cats. However, we fell in love with a big black cat named ELVIS and knew he had to come home with us. Nearly 10 years later, we decided the time was right to get our cat a kitten of his own. We found ICHIGO the little orange fluffball at the Humane Society and knew he’d be a perfect companion for Elvis. As the phot shows, they bonded almost immediately.
JEREMY AND JAMES HUNTER-DAVIS
If we do nothing else good in our lives, we can be proud of bringing this 12-year-old dog who lived in a crate, had massive ear infection, was traumatized by beatings, didn’t trust anyone and wouldn’t let us pet him, didn’t know toys or how to play, hiding under the bed, to sleeping and snoring comfortably between us on our bed. All it took was lots of patience and lots of love. It took so long to happen, but now when SWEET POTATO sees us and wags his tail, our hearts melt. We are so happy he knows love in his golden years MICHAEL NIELSEN AND AL MILLER
LULU is so funny, she often rests her head on my shoulder when I’m driving. I think it’s about the cutest damn thing. She just turned one year in July... She’s pretty funny when she gets excited she runs but doing loops all the time. I even made her her own Instagram page lulululoops.... lol
TROY HUNTER
It’s rare these days, but I got all the triplets in one picture! They’re almost a year old. The top is ISAAC , sister MOOSIE is in the middle, and BLAKE is hiding down below. Their mama was a stray cat who I was feeding. I didn’t realize she had a family too! One morning I found the kittens had crawled up into our car engine! We rescued them and decided to keep them. We found a new home for mama but decided not to separate the kids. SAM KELLY-MILLS
2024 Utah Queer Film Festival Announces Film Lineup and Ticket Sales
Festival program highlights LGBTQIA+ stories from international and local Utah filmmakers; HallowQueen theme promises both light-hearted and profound aspects of being queer.
Utah Film Center announced its film lineup for the 2024 Utah Queer Film Festival, formerly known as Damn These Heels. The program features LGBTQIA+ films from international and local filmmakers, exploring and celebrating diverse stories.
“The 2024 festival theme, HallowQueen, promises a diverse selection of films that explore both the light-hearted and profound aspects of queer life — referencing performance, alter egos, and identity itself,” organizers wrote in a statement. “Audiences can look forward to a captivating mix of genres, featuring both narratives and documentaries. The film programming will highlight stories from BIPOC, senior love, musical journeys, family-friendly films, and works by local filmmakers. For those seeking a spooky element, there will be a late-night block of dystopian films, adding an eerie chill of the season to the festival.”
All films were selected by a committee of queer participants, ensuring authentic representation and perspectives. This year’s festival showcases 12 feature
films, 5 short films preceding features, and 15 short films curated into 3 film collections, including a dedicated short film showcase by Utah-based filmmakers. Tickets are now available for purchase.
Utah Queer Film Festival’s film lineup is programmed by a committee comprised of queer community participants who play a crucial role in reviewing, debating, and selecting the festival’s film program. “Our team of 27 programmers have watched hundreds of films and spent countless hours curating the most exceptional international films and local favorites,” said 2024 UQFF Festival Director Cat Palmer. “The lineup features inspiring films that delve into themes of identity, acceptance, and resilience, all within the lively HallowQueen theme, promising a fun and festive atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.”
Tickets are now available for purchase, and in line with the festival’s commitment to inclusivity, a “pay what you can” pricing model is offered. This allows attendees to choose their payment amount based on their financial circumstances.
FEATURE FILMS
A HOUSE IS NOT A DISCO 2024/ USA/ Documentary (Director: Brian J. Smith)
A House Is Not a Disco documents a year-in-the-life in the world’s most iconic “homo-normative” community: Fire Island Pines. Situated fifty miles from New York City, this storied queer beach town finds itself in the midst of a renaissance as a new generation of Millennial homeowners reimagine The Pines for a new, more inclusive era.
Preceded by the short film: ONE STORY AT A TIME: CELESTE LECESNE by Eve Tenuto, Natalia Lyudin
A LONG WAY FROM HEAVEN 2024/ USA/ Documentary (Director & Screenwriter: David Sant)
A Long Way From Heaven tells the story of Brigham Young University’s queer underground, demanding their place in the sunlight. Presented by the Artist Foundry’s Utah Filmmaker Showcase program.
ALL SHALL BE WELL 2024/ China/ Drama (Director: Ray Yeung)
Angie and Pat are a well-off lesbian couple in their mid-60s, until Pat unexpectedly dies, and Angie embarks on a later-life emancipation journey. After 30 years, Angie has no legal right to remain in the flat she shared with Pat and is at the mercy of the dwindling goodwill of her dead partner’s family.
Teddy Award for Best Feature Film at 2024 Berlin International Film Festival
Preceded by the short film: MAKING UP by Ryan Paige CAMILA COMES OUT TONIGHT 2021/ Argentina/ Drama (Director & Screenwriter: Inés Barrionuevo, Screenwriter: Andrés Aloi)
When forced to move to Buenos Aires and her liberal public school behind, Camila’s fierce but immature temperament is put to the test and a feminist revolution is born.
Jury Award (Premio Maguey) at 2022 Guadalajara International Film Festival; Best Director Award at 2022 International Film Festival of Kerala Prix Libertés Chéries
Preceded by the short film: HELLO STRANGER by Amélie Hardy
Twelve-year-old Sav Rodgers watched the film Chasing Amy, and his life was forever changed. Developing a kinship — and maybe a slight obsession — with it as he grew into his queerness, he decides to fund and direct a documentary that examines its role in LGBTQ+ film culture.
Best Documentary Award at 2023 FilmOut San Diego; Grand Jury Prize Feature at 2023 Hell’s Half Mile Film & Music Festival; Jury Award Winner at 2023 Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival; Best Documentary Feature at 2023 St. Louis International Film Festival; Best Documentary at 2024 Omaha Film Festival
CHUCK CHUCK BABY 2023/ United Kingdom/ Drama (Director: Janis Pugh)
Unhappily, Helen lives with her ex-husband, his 20-year-old girlfriend, their new baby - and his dying mother Gwen. Her life is a grind, and like all the other women she toils with at the local chicken factory, is spent in service of the clock.
Preceded by the short film: MOTHER by Meg Shutzer, Brandon Yadegari Moreno
DESIRE LINES 2024/ USA/ Action (Jules Rosskam
Desire Lines is a hybrid feature documentary that blends personal interviews, archival materials, and narrative fiction as a framework for exploring the complicated and often unwritten history of transmasculine sexuality. Testimonials from transgender men both past and present dissect how cultural expectations, political agendas, and gatekeeping practices shape the locus of desire.
INDIGO GIRLS: IT’S ONLY LIFE
AFTER ALL 2023/ USA/ Documentary (Director: Alexandria Bombach)
Known for stirring harmonies and socially conscious lyrics, iconic folk rock duo Indigo Girls are the subject of this intimate and insightful documentary, which tracks their decades-long career. Sundance award-winning director, Alexandria Bombach, brings us into a contemporary conversation with Amy and Emily—alongside the band’s home movies and intimate present-day verité.
SUMMER QAMP 2023/ Canada/ Documentary (Director: Jen Markowitz)
Summer Qamp is a documentary following a group of LGBTQ+ youth at an idyllic lakeside camp in Alberta. The campers enjoy the traditional summer camp experience in a safe, affirming environment.
Preceded by the short film: BAY CREEK TENNIS CAMP by Michele Meek
THE ABCS OF BOOK BANNING 2023/ USA/ Documentary (Sheila Nevins)
The ABCs of Book Banning reveals the voices of the impacted parties of books banned from school districts, inspiring hope for the future through the profound insights of inquisitive youthful minds.
THE SUMMER WITH CARMEN 2023/ Greece/ Drama (Director & Screenwriter: Zacharias Mavroeidis, Screenwriter: Fondas Chalatsis)
While spending a steamy day together at a nude beach in Athens, best friends Demos and Nikitas start brainstorming ideas for a screenplay based on the colorful events of a previous summer.
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO ALLEE WILLIS 2024/ USA/ Documentary (Director: Alexis Manya Spraic)
Songwriter/artist Allee Willis, best known for writing the “Friends” theme song, the Earth Wind & Fire mega-hit “September” and “The Color Purple” musical, began filming her life as a kid in 1950s Detroit and never stopped.
SHORT FILM COLLECTIONS
HALLOWQUEEN SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
AMPHIBIAN 2023/ China/ Action (Director & Screenwriter: Jie Zhang, Screenwriter: Jin Yeahzy)
Being amphibious is a forced, reluctant choice, This film aims to make people see- see a few brave souls becoming themselves.
BEACH LOGS KILL 2024/ USA/ Drama (Director: Haley Z. Boston)
A nightmarish queer awakening story set at a high school football game.
FUTURE FLOWERS 2022/ China/ Drama (Director & Screenwriter: Hao Zhou)
A lesbian and a gay man in a sham marriage ambivalently follow a propagandistic program that nudges them toward a single goal: procreation.
PIECHT 2023/ Germany/ Drama (Director & Screenwriter: Luka Lara Steffen) While Johanna’s mother dreams of an alternative ecological life, a real nightmare begins for Johanna.
SAFETY STATE 2024/ USA/ Drama (Director & Screenwriter: Jeanette Buck, Screenwriter: Rani D. Crowe)
In the dystopian near future, a gay and a lesbian couple form an unlikely friendship as they flee the midwest for safety in New England.
WILLA JUSTICE: DRAG QUEEN PRIVATE EYE 2024/ USA/ Drama (Director & Screenwriter: Jonathan Andre Culliton) With Willa Justice (Lady Chilane) hot on the trail of high desert murderer Pink Face (Heather Muriel Nguyen), she must follow her heart, and a mysterious chicken, to find her beloved boyfriend Jamie Bondopolous (Scott Turner Schofield) and solve the case.
QUEER BIPOC SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
EMERALD CITY 2024/ USA/ Drama (Director & Screenwriter: Josef Steiff)
Two lone hitchhikers, unknowingly connected by the secrets they carry, cross paths near the US/Mexico border where they develop a tentative friendship that gradually becomes more.
If 2023/ India/ Drama (Director: Tathagata Ghosh, Screenwriter: Buan G.)
An arranged marriage tears a lesbian couple apart, but with a mother’s love, perhaps, another future is possible.
REMEMBER, BROKEN CRAYONS COLOUR TOO (BIPOC Short Film Showcase) 2023/ Switzerland/ Documentary (Directors: Shannet Clemmings, Urša Kastelic)
Shannet, a Black Transgender woman from Jamaica, shares her journey of healing as she wanders the empty streets of a European city.
Special Jury Award for Documentary Short Film at 2024 Flickerfest Interna-
tional Short Film Festival; Documentary Short Jury Award at 2024 SXSW South By Southwest Film Festival; Best Student Documentary Short Winner at 2024 Palm Springs International ShortFest.
UTAH QUEER LOCAL FILMMAKER SHOWCASE
CANYON CHORUS 2023/ USA/ Documentary (Director & Screenwriter: Chris Cresci, Screenwriter: Makenna Wall & Tim Kressin)
Set against the backdrop of Desolation Canyon, UT, Mikah Meyer, a world-record traveler and LGBTQ+ advocate, reflects with three close friends and his mentor, Larry Edwards, on their stories and the power of mentorship within the queer community.
DEAR MONEY: A TRANS PERSPECTIVE 2023/ USA/ Documentary (Director: Fletcher Gibbons)
Three trans siblings share about how money has impacted their lives and their gender-affirming care.
FIRST DATE 2024/ USA/ Drama
(Directors: Ashlyn Brooke Anderson, William Cowser, and Parker Ralins, Screenwriter: Ash Anderson)
As Andy navigates the vibrant tapestry of queer, non-monogamous dating, they experience a series of humorous and heartfelt encounters.
GROUNDED 2024/ USA/ Drama (Director: Andrea “Andy” Whipple)
A pre-transitioned trans boy is transformed into a harpy and learns the importance of knowing one’s limits.
TRANS PUNK 2023/ USA/ Documentary (Director: Margo Plumb)
Hailed as the “The Narrative of Being a Societal Menace”, Trans Punk explores the hateful rhetoric and hyperbole surrounding the “transgender issue.”
Discover three queens showcasing what it means to “show up” in the vibrant world of drag in Utah.
More information can be found at utahqueerfilmfestival.org
Plan-B’s ‘Full Color’ gives full perspective
BY COURTNEY DILMORE AND TATIANA CHRISTIAN
DINÉ PLAYWRIGHT COURTNEY
DILMORE: FULL COLOR combines the human experience from the perspective of those who have encountered it from a place rarely visited. We hear many stories like these but who is telling them? Where is the lived experience from past stories of trauma, drama, oppression, discrimination, benevolent racism, triumphant wins that only matter to the individual, finding peace and cultural connections? They’re all right here, in full color.
While visiting these retellings, it is important to listen closely to the innate use of words, the tone, and the things that are being said, or not being said. Each piece is meticulously crafted for the purpose to send a message or to simply jolt something inside. It may cause discomfort, but we’d simply like you to stew in that discomfort for a moment to fully understand that particular experience. It may cause a stir of emotions that you never knew existed. We have described some of these pieces as “calm, it’s calm till it’s not calm,” “unapologetically about the language,” and “it’s up the entire time and we don’t get to come down to take a breath.”
This group of storytellers have had to reach inside a place where these particular experiences lurk: a very sacred place that not all are allowed to see. FULL COLOR is an invitation to glimpse into that space. Some are the delighted memories that want to be
held forever, and others just need to be told, to be heard. Call it a theme or trope, but when they come straight from the source, they become real and powerful.
My piece, Here, was completely inspired by a combination of memories. It’s a recollection of cultural teachings that I hold near and dear to my heart because of its immeasurable impact. It’s a story I’ve repeated several times as a prime example of the wisdom held within our elders. I share this wisdom as a souvenir for any and all who’d like to partake in finding a sacred space.
CHRISTIAN : My monologue I Still Have To Live Here was inspired by the complete 180 I did intellectually after leaving Twitter. I never bought into white progressivism or Black politics. I disagreed with concepts like anti-racism, racial justice, representation, “our ancestors died for the right to vote”.
Black progressives are dishonest in their ideas and motivations. So much so that I find them fundamentally anti-Black; in fact, they hide behind their race (and gender) to justify their bankrupt opinions that just so happen to align with those of white racists.
All the racism I have experiences has come from liberal white women, my least favorite demographic. Of course, since Black progressives are able to shame white women into a certain level of compliance, these racists become saviors.
In Candace Owens’ memoir she muses about this, how white saviors feel as they “help” Blacks—like people who donate to Goodwill: something that helps them feel good in the end.
But the relationship between white saviors and Black leftists is mutual, though they’ll never admit it. They rely on white guilt to elevate them, to be invested in their work, to hire and pay them—all while saying that none of this is actually happening.
Of course, any Black person who critiques this is only doing so at the behest of white interests. But a Black influencer who spends all her time talking about racism or white supremacy is doing it for … the culture?
But Blacks have no idea how to end racism!
The racism and classism from white and Black progressives is mind-boggling. Elites coming together to ignore the Black poor and prop up narratives that don’t serve the average Black person, all while they skip their way to the bank, a promotion, or a book deal.
Perhaps that’s why I connect to Chris Curlett’s monologue [Fox and the Mormons] so much as he details his experiences of degradation at the hands of well-intended whites. This is probably a very common experience; we suffer silently at the hands of whites, with no recourse at our disposal. Our only way out is to have our own backs, become a fox, and bite back in the face of subjugation.
When I would go to Temple, I would hear about anti-Semitism on the left. But I never heard Black people complain about racism on the left.
Maybe that is what I am hoping can come out of FULL COLOR. I don’t believe in bleeding for white people; our blood is the balm they use to soothe their own discomfort. But I do hope that the white people who see the show notice that their racism is alive and well, and it is impacting the lives of those around them. Whatever they are doing, it is not enough.
Nothing seems to have changed, even after all those marches in the summer of 2020.
FULL COLOR also features these six monologues (and check out the playlist)!
BLACK PLAYWRIGHT TATIANA
Fox and the Mormons by Black playwright CHRIS CURLETT, performed by ALEX SMITH : “A tale of youthful ambition, a journey embarked upon under the wide-eyed guise of dreams, only to be ensnared and weathered by the venomous embrace of a foreign culture’s malice. It unfurls through the allegory of the fox and the grapes, where sweet aspirations turn sour in the cruel twist of fate.”
Fried Chicken by Black playwright DEE-DEE DARBY-DUFFIN , performed by YOLANDA STANGE : “EVERYONE I know LOVES fried chicken! I will eat it whenever and wherever I want.”
At Least One by Persian/ Okinawan playwright BIJAN J. HOSSEINI , performed by ALEC KALLED : Every minority has at least one of “those” stories. This is mine.
Let’s Not by Mexican/ Chinese playwright TITO LIVAS , performed by PEDRO FLORES : “An actor calls BS on the ‘positive’ reasoning behind not getting cast.”
Life is Color by Mexican playwright IRIS SALAZAR , performed by ESTEPHANI CERROS : “As a person of color, there’s a lot to say and, for me, it feels as though there’s so much to be angry about. I didn’t want to write
an angry piece, I wanted a positive, but not a rose-colored-glasses cheesy piece. A while back, I took a DNA test and was fascinated that I had so many different ancestors from around the globe; that’s why I decided to focus on the fact that all of us are made up of so much color.”
American Survival Story by Black playwright DARRYL STAMP, performed by TERENCE JOHNSON : “A synopsis of my journey across America, and what it’s like to seek a peaceful existence in skin color seen as dangerous, exploitable, and inconsequential.”
FULL COLOR Playlist
Tatiana Christian: “Can’t Hold Us Down” (featuring Ray Dalton) by Macklemore
Chris Curlett: “Old Skin” by Olafur Arnalds
Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin:
“Work That” by Mary J. Blige
Courtney Dilmore: “Hwéeldi” (piano) by Connor Chee
Bijan J. Hosseini: “You’ve Got to Learn” by Nina Simone
Tito Livas: “Shut Up” by The Black Eyed Peas
Iris Salazar: “De Colores” by Joan Baez
Darryl Stamp: “Black America Again” by Common, featuring Stevie Wonder
FULL COLOR receives its world premiere October 24-November 10 at Plan-B Theatre. Details and tickets at planbtheatre.org/fullcolor
‘Queer’ aims to be queer, not shying from explicit scenes
And the intention of DOWN LOW was to make a really gay movie for really gay people.
BY BLAIR HOWELL
BIG SCREEN Purloining “queer” as a title, the movie just has to be exceptional. But we can relax. It’s helmed by Luca Guadagnino. Also, Daniel Craig is the leading man.
You’ll recall Guadagnino as the director of Call Me By Your Name and more recently Challengers. premiered to raves—and throbbing libidos—at the Venice Film Festival, Queer is the “ebulliently scuzzy and adventurous” cat-and-mouse film.
In the adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ ahead-of-its-time semiautobiographical novel, Craig plays Bill Lee, who cruises the bars looking to score sex and junk in 1940s Mexico. Life is debauched, until that handsome twentysomething gent wanders into Lee’s favorite watering hole. You think heroin is hard to kick? Try detoxing from true love.
Craig’s acting is getting loads of attention, but praise is eclipsed by the surprise by how explicit the film’s (two!) sex scenes are. While we enjoyed the gorgeously erotic coming-of-age gay love story Call Me By Your Name, we were bothered when the film’s big sex scene ends before any explicit action. Together we groaned, “C’mon!!!” But the sex scenes in Queer are being called the most explicit in any mainstream movie.
“That Guadagnino briefly pans out a
window during [sex scenes in Call Me By Your Name], only [in Queer] to cut back to the lovers to find them going at it even harder than before, could suggest the filmmaker is trolling critics of the controversially coyer sex scene in Call Me By Your Name, which panned to a tree outside the bedroom of an Italian villa as Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer started going at it,” writes Indiewire’s Ryan Lattanzio. But the true revelation is that Craig could be queer and masculine, a man of “forbidden” desire as well as his own gruff, open, aggressive self.
“If I wasn’t in the movie and saw this movie, I’d want to be in it,” Craig told reporters. “It’s the kind of film I want to see, I want to make, I want to be out there. They’re challenging but hopefully incredibly accessible.”
sis, so there is no movie. It’s a wish and a desire, and I have not made up my mind about what would be the story.”
Frustrating, tell me about it. Though A24 Studios acquired QUEER’s U.S. distribution rights, no release date has been revealed, only “later this year.”
LITTLE SCREEN With Down Low, director Rightor Doyle’s desire was to make a really gay movie for really gay people. (So it’s not BROS.)
“I think the movie doesn’t apologize for the inside-jokiness of itself. When we were making it, we found it really resonates with a gay audience. And we didn’t want to have to explain ourselves or apologize for ourselves at every turn. I also think the movie is for anyone, if they choose to see themselves in it.”
Down Low centers on a repressed gay man (played by Zachary Quinto) and the guy (Lukas Gage, a fave after the inaugural rimming scene in White Lotus) that he
For Guadagnino, the film is deeply personal. He read Burroughs’ short novel as “a lonely boy in Palermo” and was struck by “the complete lack of judgmentalism in the way these characters were behaving.”
There’s been chat galore of the director’s desire for a Call Me By Your Name sequel. However, “there is no hypothe-
invites over to give him a massage (Lukas Gage). There’s some darker elements to it that come along in the movie, but it starts as this kind of weird buddy relationship then evolves – or devolves, depending on how you think of it.
Streaming on Netflix and available to rent or buy on digital.
Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey in Queer
FOOTAGE STILLS COURTESY OF A24 (VIA YOUTUBE)
Zachary Quinto and Lukas Gage relaxing between scenes.
But not in Utah
Much live theater, but too little variety.
BY BLAIR HOWELL
Let’s call them The Utah Five: The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast, Joseph…Dreamcoat, The Addams Family, Seussical.
If you enjoy one of these musicals above, you’re in luck. Utah theaters produce these shows on repeat, season after season after season.
But ardent theatergoers crave the new, fresh from Broadway and the rarely-if-ever-seen.
At the top of the list of what I want to see produced is The Boy From Oz, the colorful, silly, funny, emotional and introspective biomusical that celebrates the greatest showman, Peter Allen. The splashy spectacle includes nearly each of his well-known hits, ranging from “Not the Boy Next Door” to “When Everything Old Is New Again” to “I Honestly Love You,” along with, not to be forgotten, “I Go to Rio” (cue the maracas).
There is a wealth of shows that are never seen on Utah stages. Occasionally, but all too infrequently, there’s a surprise. I enjoyed each performance I attended, all seven of them, of Pioneer Theatre Company’s effervescent production of Natasha, Pierre And The Great Comet Of 1820 last season, and I nearly shed a tear when West Valley City Arts announced that included in its current season is Alice By Heart (by Duncan Sheik, famous for Spring Awakening). Utah theaters, give these shows that have never been staged in Utah a chance — and we’ll leap to buy tickets: Adrift in Macao; Allegro; American Psycho; Anyone Can Whistle; Applause; The Apple Tree; Ballroom; The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas; Big; Billy Elliot; The Boy from Oz; Break-
fast at Tiffany’s; Bright Lights, Big City; Bullets Over Broadway; Candide; A Catered Affair; Chaplin; City of Angels; Dames at Sea; Death Takes a Holiday; Dreamgirls; Elegies; Elegies for Angels, Punks and Drag Queens; Everybody’s Talking About Jamie; Far from Heaven; Fela!; for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf; Follies; Fosse; The Frogs; Giant; The Glorious Ones; Grand Hotel; Grey Gardens; A Grand Night for Singing; Groundhog Day; High Society; Hello Again; Hey, Love; Honeymoon in Vegas; If/Then; Jamaica; Lady in the Dark; The Life; Little Me; Little Miss Sunshine; Legs Diamond; Leap of Faith; LoveMusik; Lucky in the Rain; Mack & Mabel; Marie Christine; A Man of No Importance; Meet John Doe; Memphis; My Favorite Year; My One and Only; A Minister’s Wife; The Most Happy Fela; Mr. President; Murder Ballad; Nick & Nora; No, No, Nanette; Nice Work If You Can Get It; On a Clear Day; On the Town; On the 20th Century; The People in the Picture; Priscilla, Queen of the Desert; The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess; Queen of the Mist; Raisin; Redhead; The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd; Romance/Romance; The Scottsboro Boys; Seesaw; Sherry!; Song and Dance; Songs for a New World; Spamilton; Steel Pier; The Story of My Life; Subways Are for Sleeping; Sugar; Sunday in the Park with George; Sweet Smell of Success; Tenderloin; Tintypes; Tommy; Two Gentlemen of Verona; Victor/Victoria; Violet; The Visit; War Paint; Weird Romance; Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown; Yank!; Zanna, Don’t; and 13. Thanks to Megan Gutierrez, the founder of the Utah Theater Lovers meetup group, for help with the titles listed here. Amazingly, she has logged all shows produced since 2015.
Ballet West’s ‘complex adult thriller with strong sexual content’
Followinglast season’s sold-out performances of Dracula, Ballet West is set to captivate audiences once again with the premiere of a bold new interpretation of Jekyll & Hyde. Running from October 25 to November 2 at the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre, this daring psychological thriller promises a haunting and visceral experience, just in time for the Halloween season.
Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s
19th-century novella, Val Caniparoli’s full-length ballet offers a unique and intense exploration of the human psyche. Unlike traditional balletic storytelling, Jekyll & Hyde delves deep into the battle between good and evil, challenging the boundaries of classical dance.
“This is a great piece of literature that will bring a completely new theatrical experience that most people have never seen before,” said Ballet West Artistic Director Adam Sklute. “It is a complex adult thriller with strong sexual content meant for mature audiences only.”
Caniparoli’s vision goes beyond the usual dual portrayal of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The ballet employs two dancers to embody the contrasting sides of Jekyll’s character: the benevolent doctor and his sinister alter ego, Hyde. This dual representation amplifies the psychological conflict at the heart of the story, exploring the theme of inner darkness and the fragile line between good and evil in all of humanity.
“Stevenson’s story reflects his own struggles, serving as a reminder that these battles are universal,” Caniparoli noted.
The ballet further pushes the envelope by visualizing Jekyll’s descent into madness through surreal, almost
hallucinatory sequences. These moments take the audience inside the mind of a man grappling with mental instability, touching on modern themes of addiction and psychological trauma.
Accompanying the dark and evocative choreography is a powerful musical score performed live by the Ballet West Orchestra. The soundtrack features a mix of orchestral pieces and solo piano works by composers such as Frédéric Chopin, Henryk Górecki, Wojciech Kilar, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Henryk Wieniawski, adding layers of emotional depth to the production.
Only the fourth ballet company worldwide to stage Caniparoli’s Jekyll & Hyde, Ballet West is poised to deliver an unforgettable production that has already garnered praise for its “appropriately nightmarish” qualities, according to Broadway World.
Tickets for Jekyll & Hyde start at $30 and can be purchased through balletwest.org. Please note that the production is recommended for audiences aged 15 and older due to themes of psychological trauma, violence, and explicit sexual content. Though unfortunately, there is no nudity. Q
Tickets and more information at balletwest.org
REVIEW BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER
The Rainbow Age of Television: An Opinionated History of Queer TV
BY SHAYNA MACI WARNER
C.2024, ABRAMS PRESS | $28.00 | 304 PAGES
Wanna hand over the clicker?
You don’t want to miss the season premiere of that show you binge-watched over the summer. You’re invested, a fan who can’t wait to see what happens next. You heard that this may be the last season, and you’ll be sad if that’s so. Is it time to start looking for another, newer obsession, or will you want to read “The Rainbow Age of Television” by Shayna Maci Warner and find something old?
Like most kids of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, Shayna Maci Warner spent lots of time glued to a television screen, devouring programming before school, after school, and all summer long. For Warner, that programming eventually led to a revelation. They saw people
q scopes
OCTOBER
BY SAM KELLEY-MILLS
ARIES March 20–April 19
The sun always rises and sets, but the times vary over the course of a year. In many ways, you are not so different. Shine when you’re ready, but don’t be afraid to settle down, either.
TAURUS Apr 20–May 20
Something big is on the horizon. You may not see it now, but the feeling is undeniable. Keep working towards getting past the hard part and enjoy the results of a much-deserved win.
GEMINI May 21–June 20
With every great accomplishment comes a struggle. While things are tough now, they won’t be for long. Enjoy time
the bookworm sez
that looked like them, for which they formed “a personal attachment.”
It was “life-changing…”
It didn’t happen all at once, and some of TV’s “milestones” are forever lost, since broadcasts were live until the 1950s. Shortly after shows were taped and preserved, homosexuality became a “source of worry and blunt fascination,” but certain performers carefully presented gently risque characters and dialog that nudged and winked at viewers.
Some queer representation appeared in the 1960s, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that dramas began to feature more gay and lesbian characters, however subtly. It took awhile for “the ‘rest’ of the alphabet” to be represented in a meaningful way and – despite that Star Trek and its many versions included gender-diverse characters – it wasn’t until 1996 that an intersex infant was featured on a regular television drama.
Since Ellen DeGeneres came out practically on her namesake TV show and Will & Grace became a wild hit, queer representation on TV has ceased to be an unusual thing. And yet, programmers and writers know that caution is still warranted: sometimes, “there can still be hesitation around pushing the
with friends and family but don’t forget alone time is important.
CANCER June 21–July 22
Whoever said life isn’t fair didn’t spend time with you! There’s a sense of balance that you’re wanting to find in a world full of mystery. Seek, and you shall find what matters most.
LEO July 23–August 22
The truth is sometimes hard to hear, but a lie is even harder. Be honest with yourself, and good feelings will follow. Don’t get fooled by a fantasy; enjoy the real things in life.
VIRGO August 23–Sep 2
Strive for perfection, but don’t be bound by it. There’s a lot at stake when it comes to your friendships, and a little mixing of business with pleasure will help things go down.
envelope and fear that a queer character who burns too brightly just won’t last.”
Quick: name three after-school TV shows that aired when you were in fourth grade. If you can’t do it, one thing’s for certain: you need “The Rainbow Age of Television.”
But get ready for some argument. Author Shayna Maci Warner offers a rabid fan’s look at the best and the worst queer representation had to offer, and you may beg to differ with what they say about various programs. That makes this book a critique, of sorts, but Warner offers plenty of wiggle-room for argument.
Tussling over the finer points of queer programming, though, is only half the fun of reading this book. Microwave a box of pizza snacks or mac-and-cheese, demand “your” sofa seat, and dive into the nostalgia of old TV shows, most of them from the later last century. Yep, your faves are here. It’s like having an oldies channel on paper and in your hand.
This is a must-have for former kids and current TV addicts who are happy to see themselves represented on TV. If that’s you, who brought the chips? “The Rainbow Age of Television” will just click. Q
LIBRA Sept 23–October 22
While it’s been a challenging year in many respects, the time for enjoyment has come. Get into the party mode and have fun with groups and close ones. The real party has begun.
SCORPIO Oct 23–Nov 21
You may have forgotten something crucial now, but rest assured it will come back in due time. The benefit of hindsight may prove helpful in dealing with a personal matter.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov 22–December 20
If a task is overwhelming, don’t tackle it alone. Double up and get a buddy to help you out. Four hands are better than two, especially if the job is a tad messy. Have a good time.
CAPRICORN
Dec 21–Jan 19
Someone you love or care about is probably not telling you everything you need to know. Open a dialog and ensure you are supportive. An open ear often leads to an open heart.
AQUARIUS Jan 20–Feb 18
Halt anything that is making you miserable. I might seem extreme but there are little things that cause a huge impact. Don’t let the small stuff get to you. Focus on what counts.
PISCES Feb 19–Mar 19
A great opportunity is just around the corner, though you may have to get out to discover it. If you are willing to make the search, rewards are bound to pop up unexpectedly.
Q&A
Colton Underwood Embraces Daddyhood
The former ‘Bachelor’ star on showing conservatives that he deserves to have a family too, why he’s always wanted children and reassessing his privacy
BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
You knew him first as the first gay “Bachelor.” Many years later, in 2021, you got to know him much better when “Coming Out Colton” aired on Netflix. And while you don’t know Colton Underwood as a daddy yet, you will come October. By mid October, Underwood and his husband Jordan C. Brown, who he married in May 2023, will welcome a newborn baby boy. To prepare for parenthood, Underwood has already done his homework by producing 28 episodes of his podcast, “Daddyhood.” On the podcast, the 32-year-old
former football player, who followed in his own father’s footsteps by playing college football at Illinois State University, opens up about the couple’s fertility journey and talks to guests ranging from surrogates to egg donors and other expecting parents.
On a recent Zoom call, Underwood sported a tan and blonder hair — a combination of highlights and natural lightening thanks to a recent trip to Costa Rica. He spoke about helping to inform his conservative followers about same-sex parenting, navigating his family’s privacy as a public figure and one of the biggest misconceptions about being a gay dad. Your whole trajectory is fascinating. I’m not sure even you expected at this point in your life that you’d be welcoming a child in October and hosting a podcast called “Daddyhood.” Yeah, I know. That’s the best though. Life throws you curveballs, and I’m so proud of Jordan and I just staying true to who we are and what we want out of a relationship. And also, it’s been a long journey for us, two years in the making. And I know for a lot of people sometimes it takes much longer too. But I’m so blessed and so looking forward to bringing the baby boy home.
What stage are you in right now emotionally? And also, what preparation stage are you in knowing you’re just a couple of months away from having a child? I mean, we’re both just so excited and feeling really grateful. As far as preparation goes, we have the luxury of not physically having to carry the baby, so we’re a little ahead of the game. Our nursery is already done. We have most of the essentials already chosen and picked out, so we’re feeling really good, feeling really prepared, and just ready to give this baby so much love.
Have you decided on a name for the baby? It hasn’t officially been locked in. We have a few that we’re headed to the hospital with just to see what he looks like the most.
Some parents are so definitively set on the name of the baby before the child is born. What made you go this route? Well, look, we’ve heard it all at this point. Whether people intend to or not, a lot of people are pretty pushy of, “We did
this, and it worked great. You should do this.” But Jordan and I have always done a good job of taking a step back and following our path and making decisions that we feel are going to be best for our family. Who knows if we might land on a name in the next week or two or tomorrow even, but right now we have a handful of names that we’re going to be walking into the hospital with. Are some of the people who have been influential in this journey for you on your podcast? Yeah. Season One was all about fertility, and I have my fertility doctors and fertility lawyers on there. We have surrogates and egg donors on the podcast, not mine, by any means. But just really trying to paint the picture of the overall process and how much goes into it.
I think just my goal for “Daddyhood” is to humanize this experience of bringing life into this world and to show that not just the traditional type of relationships and people are allowed to have families. Everybody can, whether you’re a single dad, a single mom, two moms, two dads, whatever your family dynamic looks like, as long as that baby and the kid is loved. That’s my goal here. In addition to celebratory comments on your socials, there’s also a fair share of negative comments relating to you raising a child in a same-sex relationship. Considering you do have a more conservative fan base than the majority of LGBTQ+ public figures in the world, just based purely on your football history, how do you think you are a bridge between those followers and who you are and what you stand for? I take a lot of pride in it. I mean, I realized that they still follow me and they’re listening to me. And that’s more than a lot of other queer people can say because things tend to get heated pretty quickly, especially when it comes to people projecting their opinions and thoughts on your rights as a human being. I feel like I hold a responsibility not only for myself, but for our community, to be patient with them and to listen to them, but also to educate them. I definitely want to be a voice that is standing my ground and saying like, “Hey, this is who I am. This is what my experience has been like, and here’s
what other people’s experiences have been like as well.” And just somewhat trying to take the high road, but also just using this as an opportunity to bridge people who might not have listened to one another in the past. I want to show them who I am and why I’m deserving and why I’ve always wanted to be a dad, and what also kept me in the closet for as long as it did. Not that I need to prove this to people, but I also just feel like it is my responsibility to continue to right the wrongs of these people and their opinions and prove them wrong.
Why did you always want to be a dad? I just have always wanted a family, and I’ve always wanted to raise kids. I just feel like it’s the ultimate bond that I can share now with my husband Jordan, and also just a lifelong goal of mine. I know people have financial goals and career goals. I’ve always, from my young days, wanted to be a stay-athome dad, and I wanted to bond with my kid and I wanted to teach him or her how to play softball or baseball or
soccer or football and be a coach and a mentor. I just feel like I have so much to give to my family and to have that happen this year is incredibly exciting.
What inspired “Daddyhood”? I think the inspiration for “Daddyhood” was brought just from the limited information that’s out there for same-sex couples trying to have families. I mean, it’s expensive. It’s long, it’s confusing. There’s a lot of paperwork that goes into it. I figured I have this opportunity to bring people along, and that’s sort of what I’ve done my entire career and my entire life is bring people along this journey with me. And “Daddyhood” is no different. They’re there for me from the moment I tested my sperm to see how many sperm I had, to doing the mock cycles and the egg transfers and the news that we’re pregnant, and then bringing this baby boy into the world.
Which guests left a major impression on you? There’s so many. What I love doing is elevating the voices of people and companies that are innovating the space and investing not only their time and resources and money into it, but really just dedicating themselves to making it easier for the queer community. One that I could single out quickly would be Legacy Sperm. They’re an at-home sperm testing kit, which I think is huge not only for same-sex couples that are living in maybe more conservative states, but also our trans community. They have a lot of trans customers just because of what I pointed out. Those people might not feel comfortable going into a doctor’s office or a traditional lab to get their work done out of fear of many different things.
In one episode, you discuss how surprising it may be to people who watched you on “The Bachelor” that you may decide to keep your family life more private. Why does that approach seem best for your family? I think it’s my partner. I mean, Jordan is an incredible balance for me. He’s not a very public person and likes to be private. But he also understands and supports me in my career and what I’m doing. He also feels the responsibility of us continuing just to be somewhat public-facing as two married men. And
I think that went into our decision to continue to be out and open and not hide anything. But also there’s criticism always that comes along with that. I’ve done it all: I’ve let people’s comments go, I’ve addressed them, I’ve taken the “kill them with kindness” approach. I’ve tried it all, right? And it adds up.
To bring a baby into this world and then subject them to any type of opinions or hurt is something I want to avoid. So that’s our golden rule right now: just to protect our family. And yet you are in this distinct position, like we discussed, of how your public life can help change and shape the discourse around LGBTQ+ families. That’s trickier to do if you’re private about it. So how do you reconcile the two? I mean, I’m going to just continue to do the work that I’m doing right now. I definitely think that I’m very much of the mindset of “people can be multiple things.” And also people can change and people can grow. I’m certainly not the same person I was when I was 25, first entering the reality world. And I’m allowed to redraw my boundaries. I think I never really fully understood that, where I was like, “Oh, I came in through reality TV. I owe this to people.” And it’s like I can reevaluate and make decisions that are healthy and best for me as I continue to
navigate my life. I think the same thing can be said about my relationship and my family and continuing to honor and respect the work that I want to do, but also do it in a way that feels good to me. What are some of the common challenges that specifically gay fathers face? For gay fathers, specifically, the thing that I hear is, “How dare you take this baby from a mother? The child needs a mother.” Of course, biologically, I don’t have the body parts of a woman, but I am going to hopefully have that emotional capability to connect with my son. [I want to] continue to break down the barriers and stereotypes that family is a man and a woman, and that’s what the unit looks like. It can look like so many different things.
Any famous gay dads who have been mentors to you during this? Obviously you look at the examples of Andy Cohen, Anderson Cooper, Neil Patrick Harris. Those are men who put a lot of work in and didn’t always have to be as public as they were, but they were because they knew that there was work to be done. Are there any current parenting trends or practices you’re following that you find interesting? I’ve obviously read articles and books and all of that, but I feel like it all goes out the window. As soon as you bring that baby home, you
really have to bond and figure out what they want. Jordan is definitely more of the products person — products, ingredients — and he’s very picky on organic everything, and I love that. He and I are very yin and yang with what we bring to the table as parents.
What are your future plans for “Daddyhood”? Season Two is going to be a lot more of just me continuing to talk about my experiences, but also bringing on other dads and incredible brands that are innovating and continuing to push for equality in many different ways. That’s the big thing: continuing to serve as a bridge to many different communities and do my part. When can listeners expect to tune into those upcoming episodes? I will say after I get my head above water after bringing my baby boy into this world, that’s when it will go back into production. I want to continue to get that experience so then I can share authentic stories and really open up and be vulnerable about how it’s been impacting me. So I would definitely say later this year or early next year. 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.
1 Personality parts, to Frasier
Fey Dudley Do-Right’s org.
Doug Mattis leap
Odo portrayer Auberjonois
Care beginning
Branch of math, briefly 18 Lesbian character in “No Exit”
Actress who said she was always trying to perform “Annie” for everyone
It may come before
35 Start of how “Annie” convinced 19-Across to be an actress 38 Gallery of London 39 Type of school that trained Rev. Perry 40 “___ you loud and clear!”
41 “Sex and the City” shower
42 Type of New York Liberty defense
43 Unpleasant, as weather
44 Like Lindsay Lohan’s girls, in a film 46 Guy under J. Edgar? 47 End of the quote
52 How quickly one comes
Ward of “Once and Again”
Collected
Cukor’s rib donor
Former lovers 58 “Diana” singer Paul 59 “On that you can ___” (“As Time Goes By”)
60 Leave as is 61 Look at a hottie in a bar
Bill written by Alice Paul
3 Top draft level
4 Like a tryst
5 Wealthy, to Mauresmo
6 Encourage the cast
7 Kunis of “Black Swan”
8 Queer
9 Cockeyed
10 They fear people of PlanetOut
11 Place of the first figleaf codpiece
12 Nickname that Taylor disliked
20 Became erect
21 It covers your public hair
24 Head of costume designing
25 Place where some go straight
26 About your bod
27 Negligee material
28 Relief for the head
30 once (like simultaneous orgasm)
31 Hard up
34 Like the men of Penzance
36 Good-looking guys
37 Drummer managed by Brian Epstein
42 Go the other way
45 The Riddler, to Batman
46 Word used to stop seamen 47 Marquis name? 48 Shout at an open call
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Charli XCX & Troye Sivan’s ‘ SWEAT ’ Tour Launch in Detroit: A Queer Club on Steroids
BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
If you popped on
Grindr at around 8:20 p.m. on Saturday anywhere in Detroit, you saw a grid of faces and torsos that signaled Something Very Gay Is Happening Right Now. Twinks, twunks, daddies in twink clothes. People of every gender variety. Last night’s trick. That night’s trick. Your ex-boyfriend. So much mesh and glitter and harnesses. Lime-colored everything, everywhere.
You know who and what I’m talking about because you were probably there (where else would you be?). The gathering spot: Little Caesars Arena, which felt less like an arena and, as it brought Charli XCX and Troye Sivan together, more like a place of worship for nearly two hours during the launch of the Sweat tour.
If you aren’t queer and know at least one queer person, chances are you saw that Instagram story: Charli XCX enshrouded in a lime curtain inscribed with “brat” that lifted, revealing the
British electro-pop performer and producer, who took Detroit queers to one of the biggest gay clubs they’d ever experienced. The show hadn’t even started (actually, in the halls of LCA, maybe it had), but when I pulled aside local drag queen Purrrspective (@ hausofpurrrspective), she already had the perfect description: “It’s like Pride!”
An arena show usually requires a high-budget spectacle, but Sivan and Charli’s lo-fi, industrial approach at the Sweat show delivered a level of authenticity, raw energy and club-kid edge that money can’t buy. Recently, Lindsay Zoladz of The New York Times likened attending a Charli XCX concert to experiencing “semi-legal warehouse raves.”
My friend offered an even more vivid comparison. When Charli XCX appeared later in the performance wearing a dress crafted from tattered white fabric reminiscent of something out of a Guillermo del Toro film, I jokingly texted him: “folklore.” He replied: “If you put Taylor Swift in a garbage disposal.”
In a sense, the concert was the antith-
esis of a Taylor Swift performance: as stripped back of a major arena show as I’ve ever seen. It was an event that plunged you into the muck, demanding you get your hands dirty, and left little room for contemplation. From the moment Sivan took the stage, you were seized by raw sensuality and sheer attitude.
He eased the audience in with “Got Me Started,” which included one of many crotch-grab moments and an ensemble of all-male dancers who said “gay sex” with their breezy choreography before expressing it more literally later in the show in ways that I once could only imagine for any show, let alone an arena-sized one: Sivan miming a blowjob on the microphone. Sivan making out with a male dancer. Sivan simulating butt-fucking as a different male dancer got behind him, thrusting. In case you still had any questions about what kind of show you were at, the red lights were Steamworks red and there was a tunnel of cages bridging the main stage to the in-the-round stage, which suggested its own kind of sex appeal.
The energy surged to new levels when Charli XCX did emerge. The show stayed horny (and later got hornier), but it also morphed into the rave Zoladz promised it would, as Detroit proved it is brat, the term that defined the summer thanks to her album of the same name. By design, the show was organically laid-back: aside from the headliners, the throbbing lights did the heavy lifting over a simple multi-platform stage. If you were the only gay person not there, imagine a night out at your favorite queer club — but on steroids.
After Charli and Troye each performed songs from their solo albums, they came together on stage, initially hyping each other up before fully teaming up for performances of “1999” and “Talk Talk.” Both artists reached back beyond material from the “Brat” album and Sivan’s 2023 release “Something to Give Each Other.” Charli XCX’s “Boys” made an appearance, and she playfully called out to the crowd with, “Where all my gay boys at?” Troye Sivan’s “Bloom,” a song about bottoming, felt right at home with this crowd. Meanwhile, Charli XCX brought an audacious energy and fearless, anything-goes attitude that perfectly embodied “brat” — the summer trend even noticed by Presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Charli transformed “brat” into a bold dance statement. Amid a sea of hand-bumping, unapologetic brats, the term evolved into a vibrant queer movement celebrating nonconformity, unabashed sexuality and self-expression. Lime wasn’t just a color worn on the outside; it was a palpable, electrifying feeling. That night, that color alone — and I’d go as far to say so many of us — came alive in new ways. 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.
Thethe perils of petunia pap smear
The tale of Petunia’s very first dress
BY PETUNIA PAP SMEAR
road to the high school musical is fraught with danger and excitement. Participating in school plays was my escape from toiling in the potato fields. It was a way for me to envision the vast world that I suspected must exist beyond the mountains that surrounded our valley where I wouldn’t have to shovel sheep shit, hoe weeds, and move miles and miles of sprinkler pipe. But first and foremost, it was a somewhat socially acceptable reason to avoid being on the football team. Thus, in my junior year, I was cast as the lead character in our production of Where’s Charlie, a musical version of the play Charlie’s Aunt. The play is set in the 1890s when a young man needs a chaperone to date a girl. The chaperone aunt doesn’t arrive, so I must play the aunt to act as my own chaperone. Slapstick hijinks ensue. Since mine was a small high school of only 150 students, we did not have much of a budget for theater. We didn’t even have an auditorium, only a stage at the end of the gymnasium. We did not have a costume department, so my mother, who just so happened to be the Ward Relief Society president, made the dress I would wear in the play. Imagine that. My very religious Mormon mother made my first dress! But it was for school, so it must be okay. In this play, I was essentially playing two different characters — the young man and the chaperone aunt. The script required that I make 15 costume changes in and out of that dress. The director assigned one of the other cast members to be a dresser for me so that when I would come off stage, he would be holding the dress out for me, and I could just step into it. Then, while he fastened the back of my dress, I grabbed the wig and bonnet and tied them on my head. After much rehearsal, we figured that I got in and out of that dress about 180 times.
Thank goodness that glitter was not involved! Eventually, we were able to make a full costume change in 45 seconds. A skill that, later in life, I may or may not have found to be quite handy. Only my husband knows for sure. I was very nervous on opening night because this was my first time in a leading role. I was waiting in the wings for my cue in the first scene. Just as they delivered the line for my entrance onto the stage, my nerves got the better of me, and I felt a deep rumbling in my stomach. I began to wretch. You know, just like when you meet a guy in a dark alley and dive in to tickle his gizzard, and he hasn’t cleaned himself properly for weeks! Or so I’ve heard, wink, wink, nudge, nudge. I struggled to subdue this vomitous urge. I began to hurl. In desperation, I grabbed a vase that was a prop for the following scene and my dinner made an encore presentation into it. How very undignified for a princess in training. Late for my entrance, I finally stumbled out onto the stage and delivered my lines. All the while feeling very queasy and as if I might do an additional “technicolor yawn” on stage.
When that scene was finished, as I stepped off stage, the drama teacher rushed up to me in a panic and asked if I could continue. I said I think so. She told me to soldier on and that if I felt like I was going to spew chunks again, to just turn and walk off stage. They would close the curtain and call it a scene change. We resumed. But the vase containing my barf remained onstage, and every time I passed by it and caught a whiff of its contents, I very nearly tossed my cookies again. By the end of the third scene, someone had procured a bottle of paregoric, which any mother worth her cookies kept in their medicine cabinets to settle upset stomachs. I hastily grabbed the bottle and took a huge swig directly
from the bottle, probably at least four or five doses worth of the nasty stuff. Now, for those of you who are unfamiliar, paregoric is an opium-based medicine, unregulated at that time.
I began to feel some relief. After the next scene, I still felt a little queasy, so I took another gulp of the poppy potion. By the second act, I began to feel much better. In fact, quite giddy. Who knew that an overdose of this dreamer’s delight could cause you to get high? By the end of the third act, I had forgotten all about the vase and the smelly chunks it contained. I was higher than the proverbial kite. Miraculously, we all made it through to the curtain call. We received a standing ovation. Afterward, castmates regaled me with stories of my theatrical antics. Apparently, I was able to stay on script, but with much added silliness. The next night, without me being high, we did not get a standing-O! WELL, SHIT!
This story leaves us with several important questions:
1. What kind of zippers or buttons must I have to be able to change dresses in 45 seconds?
2. Are all the quick dress changes why I can’t decide what to wear?
3. How much slower would the changes have been if breasticles had been involved?
4. How can I acquire someone to be my dresser these days, and would I need to “put out”?
5. So, was it the dress or the narcotics that caused me to like drag?
6. Should I carry Narcan in my purse?
These and other eternal questions will be answered in future chapters of The Perils of Petunia Pap Smear. Q
