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Plus: LesBian Life | Studying LesBians W e A r e E v e r y w h e r e | T h e L e s b i a n N e w s S t a c 1k

eurOut magazine Dear reader

About:

It’s been a while since we presented

lesbian invisibility, which is what can

our

but

be applied to the award ceremony

sometimes good things just take

of the queerest movie awards in

some time to come to full fruition.

Europe, the Teddy Awards. You can

So today, we proudly offer you a

read more about this year’s Teddys

brand new April edition of the eurOut

in the article written by two lesbian

magazine.

activists that were present at the

last

magazine

to

you,

ceremony.

This edition is filled with the best articles from our website, as well

Last but not least, Natazzz looks at

as

with

two very different studies that both

Australian drag king Sexy Galexy,

prove we are very similar to straight

who was interviewed in Amsterdam

people and she also made a handy

by

our

list of some of her favorite European

writing team, Anaïs. You can read

LGB websites. In Lesbian Life, Anna

about her hilarious experiences of

looks at the rules and regulations for

being a French lesbian expat in the

donating blood when you’re LGBT

Netherlands in the middle of this

and there is lots more to discover in

magazine.

these pages.

Visibility is something we usually

For now, enjoy this edition of the

strive for, but when it comes to

magazine and also be sure to keep

companies that use homosexuality

an eye on us online at eurOut.org.

an

the

exclusive

newest

interview

member

of

This magazine is a monthly publication of eurOut. org, the leading website for European lesBian entertainment and political news in the English language.

EurOut.org was launched in September 2008, and is now one of the most frequently visited sites on the web for gay women who are interested in European lesBian entertainment news, storylines on television, movies, music, events and political news. On a dayto-day basis eurOut.org provides thousands of readers with news, columns, in-depth articles, opinionated pieces and interviews.

Readers also have the opportunity to connect with each other, to learn more about each other’s culture, environment and life, or to just have chats about the concerts they visited. Besides giving lesBians their much needed visibility, eurOut.org wants to create more understanding and solidarity among European lesBians, so that we can grow and develop into a European community that supports each other.

Feel free to contact us with any questions, tips, remarks, or to just let us know what you think. Find our website at

www.eurout.org.

as one of their criteria to hire employees, we’re not quite sure what

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:

to think of that. It recently happened Warm regards,

Saskia Joreen (editor@eurout.org)

on the subject a bit later on in this

Saskia Joreen

Anna McFaith (faith@eurout.org)

issue. On the other side of the

Chief Editor

in the Netherlands, though, which is why you can read Gwen’s thoughts

spectrum, we unfortunately find

LAYOUT: Editor of Politics: Maxime (politics@eurout.org) Art DirectION: Embla (embla.eurout@gmail.com)

DidFamous You Know?

Lesbians in European History

Michele Aboro

Michele Aboro (born July 17, 1967 in London, England) is a British female boxer of Nigerian descent who currently resides in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Aboro is the WIBF world Super Bantamweight champion.

Michele Aboro, along with her countrywoman Michelle Sutcliffe and with German Regina Halmich, has become an important figure in European women's boxing, helping raise awareness about female participation on this, traditionally male sport, in Europe.

Pam Harrison is the creator of the award-winning historical fiction series House of the Muses. Suggest famous lesbians you would like to see featured and check out her series at http://houseofthemuses.com

2

ContributORS IN THIS ISSUE: Anaïs (anaisdezalay@gmail.com) Daniela Zysk (eurout@danielazysk.com) Gwen (garance@eurout.org) Natazzz (entertainment@eurout.org) Special inspirational thanks go out to Sandra Showtime, founder of eurOut.org.

In This Issue

6

4 Should Sexuality Be Considered in Affirmative Action?

6 A Look at Swedish Web Series STHLM Darling

7 Lesbian Invisibility at the 25th Annual Teddy Awards

8 Studying LesBians: We Are Really All the Same

10 We Are Everywhere

16

12 Lists Are Hot: European Websites You Should Visit

14 Lesbian Life: Giving Blood

16 My First Year As an Expat in Amsterdam

18 Lesbian News Stack

21

20 French Constitutional Court Upholds Ban

21 Interview: Sexy Galexy, Glamour Boi?

26 Where Are We on Television?

27 A list of LGBT organizations

3

Should Sexuality Be Considered in Affirmative Action?

Although you usually can’t pick your co-workers, you can pick the companies you apply to. How would you feel about a hiring company that gives you an advantage because you’re gay?

By: Gwen What do you look for in a job? I ask

and then look at you nervously until you

to women, and Schrader’s explanation

because most people I know are still

answer.

certainly points that way. The second

in the phase where you take on a job

thing of course is that although she

because you need money to fill some

And although you can’t pick your co-

seems to think about gay people only in

gaps your study loan can’t, and in fact I

workers, you can pick the companies

positive terms, it still sounds a bit like

know some people who seem to switch

you apply with. Do they have an

she is basing her decision on a set of

jobs every two months or so. These

inclusive hiring policy? Do they expect

stereotypes.

jobs are always about the same, and

you to wear heels? Or, even worse,

the lowest you can get in the corporate

come Christmas do they expect you to

Of course, affirmative action on the

chain, where you either agree with what

wear Mrs Claus-themed uniforms? This

basis of sex or ethnicity happens all

the boss tells you to do or you leave.

happened to a friend who worked at the

the time, and then we don’t think twice

That’s about as complicated as it gets.

airport handing out flyers to travelers.

about it. Sure, the job will go to a woman

She didn’t see any problems – “They pay

when there are two candidates with

If I project myself a couple of years into

me ten euros an hour.” (If this sounds

equal abilities, we think. So why does it

the future, the first thing that comes to

naïve, her boyfriend lives in Norway, so

make me slightly uncomfortable when

mind is that I would want to have a job

she needs all the money she can get to

they do it on the basis of sexuality?

that I’ll enjoy. Because I’m in mainly the

fly back and forth.) For me, these would

language business, one of the options

be reasons not to apply.

On a similar topic were the comments

I have already ruled out is translator,

former

BBC

newsreader

Michael

where you get sent the latest Swedish

One company in the Netherlands went

Buerk made on ageism in television. In

crime novel and have to translate it in a

one step further than inclusive. They

response to former Countryfile presenter

certain amount of time, at home. I don’t

went specific. Instead of ‘commercial

Miriam O’Reilly, who recently proved

think I would be able to do that without

office manager, m/f’, they advertised

that she had been laid off because of

someone looking over my shoulder and

looking

office

her age, he said: “The problem is that

drag me to my desk. It shouldn’t be

manager’,

equal

at the other extreme of the argument.

something I don’t want to get out of bed

abilities, we prefer someone gay.’

for

a

and

‘commercial added:

‘With

for in the morning.

The idea of putting people on television - which is a non-job, that is terribly well-

Why? “Most gays I know are very

paid, where you don’t have to think too

But then the second thing, of course,

conscientious,

independent,

much, or work too hard - and giving

is that a job is a big part of your life.

helpful and still have enough testosterone

people those jobs purely on the ground

You’re probably going to spend a lot

to be assertive in a pleasant way and

that we need another six Asians, or we

of time with the people on your work

indicate what is feasible, and when.” On

need another six lesbians, or we need

floor, you’re going to have water cooler

top of that, they are looking for diversity

another six pensioners, is to my mind

moments and at some point all your

in the workplace, said Nono Schrader

almost worse.”

female co-workers will pester you for all

of consultancy firm ResetManagement.

driven,

the details of your supposedly straight

The difference

is

of

course

that

romantic endeavors. All at the same

Are you still with me? The first thing that

although television might be a ‘non-job’

time, because that is what women do.

bugs me about this is that apparently,

(I’m not sure I agree with that), it is

(As that is what has been happening to

only men can be ‘assertive in a pleasant

important to see a decent representation

me with people in school and university

way’, according to this female business

of everyday society on TV. And this is

after a few weeks of getting to know

manager. Because you need ‘enough’

nothing against Countryfile per se, but

a new group of people.) The other

testosterone. It’s true that it is never

to me it falls into the same category as

scenario is that they will circle around

specifically said on their website that

other BBC programmes like Springwatch

the topic until someone works up the

they are looking for a man, but in Dutch

and Edwardian Farm: things my mother

courage to mention a possible girlfriend

the word ‘homo’ usually doesn’t refer

watches. Miriam O’Reilly is in her early

4

Should Sexuality Be Considered in Affirmative Action? fifties, which doesn’t seem too old at all for a programme my mother watches.

On the other hand, a commercial office manager in a company I had never heard of before until now doesn’t have that much to do with visibility or representation in society at large.

So I’m conflicted about this. Whenever I try to come to a conclusion, I only seem to raise more questions I don’t know the answer to. I know we haven’t yet broken the pink ceiling, or even the Image copyright: Ioana Grecu via Dreamstime.com

glass ceiling. Gay men typically have more education than straight men, but earn less and work fewer hours. Lesbian women earn more (albeit only 6%) and work more hours than straight women.

Women make less money than men even when they do the exact same job.

And then of course, there is the income gap between races, for which there doesn’t seem to be a specific ceilingrelated term.

I also know it is a good thing when we try to close these gaps and break these ceilings, and when the only way to do this is through affirmative action, then

maybe

we

should

reluctantly

accept that. Vera Bergkamp, chairman of Dutch LGBT advocacy organization COC,

doesn’t

agree

with

what

ResetManagement has done because it

“automatically

excludes

qualified

straight people”. The spokesperson for the Dutch Equal Treatment Commission (Commissie Gelijke Behandeling) said that “it isn’t permitted to perform affirmative action for men, gays or Muslims”. And then I’m confused again, because I thought affirmative action for Muslims was okay, because as soon as your name hints at a heritage from a country where most people are Muslim, employers are less likely to even look at your application. That certain ceilings all new. all european. all lesbian.

all new. all european. all lesbian.

need to be broken seems clear, but whether or not affirmative action is the way to go, remains a question I can’t yet answer.

Further Reading: Michael Buerk: presenters should not be recruited to fill quotas of lesbians or Asians http://bit.ly/ telegraph-quotas Lesbians make more money than straight women (And nobody really knows why) http://bit.ly/boinglesbians Gay money: The truth about lesbian & gay economics http://joeclark.org/ gaymoney

5

A look at Swedish Web Series STHLM Darling There is a new arrival in the land of lesbian web series and her name is STHLM Darling. While waiting for the episodes to be subtitled in English, we went ahead and had a first look for you.

By:Gwen

In case you’re wondering, why all

a bit. Just like Far Out, STHLM Darling

shows me someone already complained

the capital letters? Well, ‘STHLM’ is for

introduces a group of lesBians living

about that because of their hearing

some reason a functional abbreviation

in the city who are connected to each

impairment. The official response: “We

of Stockholm. The new web series is

other in different ways. One couple

will do English subtitles as soon as

in Swedish, and doesn’t have subtitles

has just broken up, one girl runs into

possible.”

yet, but luckily, that isn’t a problem

her ex, someone goes out with a (way

for me to cover it. I knew people were

too young) new girl. But then there

For me the most exciting about this

wrong when they said I was studying

are certainly differences, too. In the

development is that lesbian web series

something useless!

last episode, someone even receives a

were previously in English, Spanish

pamphlet in the mail that says ‘Become

(Chica Busca Chica), or German (Emma

A very important thing I already learned

free

Stahl). That I’m aware of, anyway. Now

from STHLM Darling is that I have the

something you don’t see every day.

wrong

criteria

when

picking

of

homosexuality’.

Now

that’s

films.

it seems like they’re even venturing into the territory of lesser widely spoken all new. all european. all lesbian.

One, are there more than two women

And it’s very, well, Swedish. I shall

languages like Swedish! Before you

in there? Two, do they speak to one

spare you of an explanation of this by

know it, we’ll have lesbian web series in

another? And three, do they talk about

going into stereotype-fueled details,

every language you can wish for! One is

anything other than men?

but let’s say you compare Millennium or

allowed to dream.

Wallander with any British or American Mine are more along the lines of:

detective. You do notice the differences,

is there some sort of extraterrestrial

right? I consider that a good thing.

threat, do things get blown up nicely and is there still a bit of substantial storyline?

What’s too bad is that the episodes are

But I will better my film-picking ways,

so short: no more than three minutes

as, granted, this does sometimes mean

each. On the other hand, they uploaded

I find myself halfway a movie in which

the episodes twice a week, so maybe I

women are nothing more than the

should see it like one of those comedies

reward for the hero’s efforts for fending

on TV that are twenty minutes each

off the extraterrestrial threat. I now

episode but air every evening. Another

know what to look out for.

point seems to be the lack of English subtitles for all of you to follow along

STHLM Darling reminds me of Far Out

6

too, but a closer look at the comments

all new. all european. all lesbian.

MORE: STHLM Darling http://blog.qruiser. com/sthlmdarling Lists Are Hot: 10 Lesbian web series http://bit.ly/euroutlah-webseries

Lesbian Invisibility at the 25th Annual Teddy Awards Besides some attendees, lesBians were hardly visible at what the organizers claim to be the world’s queerest film awards. A review by two lesbian ladies that were at the scene. By: Daniela Zysk & Eva Essers The 25th Teddy Awards were held

were fine-tuned to the mostly gay

then at least a few percent thereof? It

in Berlin last month, on February 18.

target audience. Our opinion of these

is therefore not surprising that for the

According to the organizers they are the

artists was that the quality of them was

third time the distinguished film maker

most important queer film awards in the

in no way worthy of such a large and

Barbara Hammer did not personally

world. As dedicated LGBT activists and

important prize giving as this. Only the

collect

lesbian film fans for many years, we

committed speech from the wonderful

standard procedure? [Barbara Hammer

both could not miss this event. Even

Rosa von Praunheim brought the

responded to this article when it was

though we often notice that lesBians

audience to their feet for a short while.

published on eurOut.org last month, and

are underrepresented in queer contexts,

her

award?

Coincidence

or

explains her absence with the fact that

this event certainly topped all of the

Correspondingly,

the

of

she didn’t know she had won until it was

many LGBT events that we have visited

many other lesBian visitors concerning

already too late to return to Berlin. She

worldwide.

the lack of lesbian visibility turned out

promised to take the matter of lesbian

to be just as scathing. From shaking

(in)visibility up with one of the Teddy

The movie poster should have already

of heads to calls for the creation of a

Awards’ organizers, Ed.]

warned us about what we were getting

unique female award. Which raises the

into. The designers of the poster, the

question: to what extent is an event

Not to be topped was the annoyance

artists Pierre et Gilles, could not explain

credible and auspicious while extolling

over the non-existence of lesbian identity

their motivation to the poster - which

itself as queer-lesbian-gay-transgender,

at the event, although one of the most

featured not much more than a naked

when it completely excludes one of its

important female personalities of the

man - when asked, except that the youth

groups?

Teddy Award Committee, Margaret von

opinion

Schiller, was seen fervently distributing

pictured would have been their artistic creativity. 1:0 for gender inequality!

From our own experience we know

flyers at the after-show party for the

how difficult it is to engage lesBians in

first European feminist porno award,

To recap the event: there was no

supporting functions at LGBT events.

the PorYes-Award. Is this her own and

unique lesbian act and the only female

Isn’t it nevertheless the role for the

only interpretation of visibility? Does

contingent of the framework program

organizers of one of the media’s most

gender equality only take place when we

was reduced to the coarse presenter

important prizes to ensure the visibility

demand it at the top of our voice? It sure

Annette Gerlach. All other artists

of every group, if not in equal parts,

seems like it.

all new. all european. all lesbian.

all new. all european. all lesbian.

More: Read this article on eurOut.org, including Barbara Hammer’s original reply http://bit.ly/ eurout_25thteddys The official Teddy Award website http://news. teddyaward.tv/en

7

Studying LesBians We Are Really All the Same In this edition of Studying LesBians, we discuss two very different lines of research that both show a similar thing: we are all the same. By: Natazzz

The last few months, there’s been

not just queer teens that are being

just as many/few problems as their

a lot of media attention about gay

bullied, but up to 77% of teenagers in

heterosexual peers.

bullying, gay teens committing suicide,

high school report getting bullied. Teens

the It Gets Better project and lots of

get bullied for being a geek, or fat, or

These studies were all conducted

other initiatives focusing on how tough

Asian, or small, or tall or anything else

in the United States, but one can

it is to be a queer teen and what can be

you can imagine. In other words: being

assume it’s sort of the same in Europe.

done to improve things.

a teenager sucks!

I like to think on average our bullying

Although no one is denying it’s hard

Other studies show that it might be

biased. The point of all these studies

to be an LGBT teen, recent studies

hard to be a gay teen, but on average

is that they are basically saying that

have shown that being a teen is hard

gay teens are just as (un)happy,

the teen years are (equally) hard on

for almost everyone! Apparently, it’s

with the same number of friends and

all teens.

percentage is lower, but I could be

“Being a teenager sucks!”

8

Studying LesBians We Are Really All the Same A totally different line of research was

while looking at these photos would

very earth shattering. After all, did the

pursued in a study that was published in

light up, showing exactly which part of

researchers really expect that gays use

January. It looked into the kind of regions

the brain was used. The researchers

different parts of their brains when they

in the brain that are involved with being

found that different parts of the brain

are in love?

in love. They came to the very surprising

were activated when looking at a

(!) conclusion that the same regions of

romantic partner than when looking at

On the other hand, I guess any

the brain are involved, regardless of

a close friend, and this had nothing to

research showing the world that we are

someone’s sexual orientation. Can I get

do with either the sexual orientation of

just the same as heterosexuals, even if

a collective ‘DUH’?

the perceiver, or with the gender of the

it’s to say that our feelings of love are

person in the photo.

caused by the same chemical reactions

What they did in this study, conducted

all new. all european. all lesbian.

all new. all european. all lesbian.

in our brains, is a good thing.

at the University College of London and

These kinds of studies are interesting,

recently published on PLoS One, was

mainly because of figuring out how

do MRI scans of people using special

the brain works and how activation

markers, while they were looking at

in different parts of the brain are

pictures of either their romantic partner

connected to our every day feelings

or of pictures of their close friends. The

and actions. However, as far as showing

regions of the brain that were active

that we’re all the same, I can’t say it’s

MORE: Bullying Statistics http://bit.ly/bullyingstats Youths Aren’t So Different http://nyti.ms/gayyouths How to Know You’re in Love? http://bit.ly/webmdbrain

Studying LesBians Studying LesBians is a regular column written by Natazzz, in which she discusses current and not-socurrent research about lesbians and A participant in a brain wave study

bisexual women.

9

We Are Everywhere

By: Saskia Joreen

Here is your overview of everything that happened and is about to happen in the world of European lesBian entertainment. We’ll keep you up-to-date on all the latest events and movie releases, what’s been happening in TV land and who did what to whom.

Movies:

the occasion, ‘Christopher Street Day’, will be changed to ‘Christina Street Day’. All related events will take place from July 2-10. Visit the official site at csdmuenchen.de.

If you’re a big soccer fan that’s looking for an excuse to visit Germany this summer: the Women’s World Cup will be held from June 26 – July 17.

285,000 out of 800,000 tickets are still available to the public.

The opening match will be between the World Cup’s hosts and Canada. Find out more at

Billie Myers We got alerted to a very interesting international movie project, entitled I Leave Here. Inspired by a true story about a lesbian couple, the film denounces the injustice of the rights of marriage and immigration for the gay community. The film will be a “unique love story, following two remarkable women – Chloe is French, Emma is American – who build a life together in the States. That life is jeopardized when Chloe’s visa is denied.” Read our interview with actress and writer Marie Roux about this project at bit.ly/ eurout-ilh-interview and visit the official website at ileavehere.com.

Events:

fifa.com/womensworldcup.

Greece: The 2nd International Sappho Spring Festival on Lesbos is taking place May 13-27. Go to sappho-holidays. com for programme info and bookings.

Sweden: This year’s Queer Tango Festival will take place in

Germany:

Stockholm from May 13-15. Find

The 5th entzaubert queer DIY film festival is on its way! They’re open to

out more at queertango.se.

receiving submissions until April 30. The event itself will take place July 7-10 in Berlin. Find out more at entzaubert.blogsport.de.

Dates for Stockholm Pride have been announced: the

A gay and lesbian soccer benefit event, the Come-Together-Cup 2011, will take

first week of August (1-7). For

place in Cologne on June 2. Go to come-together-cup.de for details.

details, go to stockholmpride.org.

This year’s lesbian spring meeting (Lesbenfrühlingstreffen/LFT) is taking

UK:

place in Rostock from June 10-13. Its motto is ‘Around the Baltic Sea’, and

Manchester Pride will take

international lesBians are more than welcome. For details, go to lesbenfruehling.

place between August 19-29

de/rostock2011.

with a special 21st birthday exhibition. Find out more at

The Gay Pride in Munich will have a special focus on lesBians this year. For

10

manchesterpride.com.

We Are Everywhere Books & Magazines:

Television:

Handball player Anja Edin has been working on a book, which is now almost finished. The book, called Fearless, is about how you can be fearless and confident in life, and Edin also gives accompanying speeches in public. Whether or not she’ll be back on the national handball team is still unknown.

Movies: A new French movie about a group of three women that do twisted, lesbian and incestuous things has been released. Bas-fonds (Lowlands) is based on a true story, too. Directed by Isild Le Besco (who is mostly known for her acting work), the movie is about three young women (of whom two are sisters) living on the outskirts of civilisation, who live a desperate life together. “Drowning in alcohol, they both lust for and hate one another, coupling like animals. Yet gradually they become enmeshed in a complex game of love and domination.” It sounds a bit sick to me, but could be interesting to watch nonetheless.

Under the name ‘Girl + Girl Project’, two lesbian shorts have been made in Russia. The first one is called A Sister’s Kiss and is about two schoolgirls

AfterEllen.com reports that BBC youth sitcom Coming of Age has welcomed a new lesbian character, Robyn (played by Minnie Crowe). You can follow the show on Twitter @bbcComingOfAge.

that fall in love. The second short, Piter Moskva, is about the love story of two girls from different cities: Piter (St. Petersburg) and Moskva (Moscow). Go to

Movies:

girlplusgirlproject.com for more info.

Dutch speed skater Ireen Wüst is doing all kinds of

Music:

well. She has won several gold medals at the World Championship in Germany. You can find her official site at ireenwust.nl.

Television: Originally made for the American Spanish language market, but probably also coming to Spain, is new telenovela La Reina del Sur (Queen of the South). It Dutch talent show The Voice of Holland featured an openly lesbian candidate, 18-year-old Shary-An Nivillac. She made it as far as the quarter finals. At the moment she’s working hard on her music career and has released her very first single, Six Feet Under, quite successfully. An album is on its way. Find out more about Shary-An at shary-an.nl.

focuses on the rise of a female drug lord that mostly does business in Europe. It will also feature a lesBian character, played by actress Cristina Urgel.

More entertainment news at:

eurOut.org

11

Lists Are Hot: European Websites You Should Visit In this edition of Lists Are Hot, we share some of the coolest European lesbian and LGBT websites around. By: Natazzz Obviously,

when

it

comes

to

favourite European lesbian websites,

select websites from as many different

organising European holidays especially

countries as possible.

for

eurOut.org is and should be on top

lesBians.

This

includes

regular

holidays, as well as trips to events and

of the list. But since you are already

1. g3 magazine (UK) - http://

familiar with our site, let’s have a look at

g3mag.co.uk/g3mag

some other great European lesbian and

g3 magazine is a UK-based online

3. Lesbisk Onscreen (Norway)

LGBT websites.

magazine for lesbians and bisexual

- http://lesbiskonscreen.com

women. The magazine has been around

Lesbisk

Over the years, I came across many

since 2001 and, according to their

website for anything that is lesbionic

very

lesbian

and

Onscreen,

the

Norwegian

LGBT

website, has an estimated readership

in

websites, of which I now selected ten

of around 140,000 people a month.

covers stuff like where the lesBians are

European ones that I think are worth

Readers include both women who buy

on television, what all the hot handball

checking out. These websites are in no

the printed magazine in the shops and

players get up to, and what events are

particular order, and I have also tried to

those that read it online.

taking place around Norway.

1

interesting

parties.

entertainment.

Lesbisk

Onscreen

On the g3 website, besides an

If that isn’t enough for you to check

online

magazine,

out their website, they also have lists of

you can find lots of other stuff

queer movies and television programs

including the latest LGBT news,

and they show tweets from everyone

polls on various subjects, features

they deem interesting that follows them

and columns that are not in the

on Twitter.

copy

of

the

magazine, travel suggestions and

2

relationship advice. Their online

4. Yagg (France) - http://yagg.com

magazine looks great and is a fun

Yagg is the French media site catering

read, and also the general website

to the LGBT community. The site was

offers a lot of different things to

created in 2008 by a group of four

hold your interest.

experienced journalists; three gay guys and one lesbian (Judith Silberfeld).

2. Pink Pearls Amsterdam

3

(The Netherlands) - http://

Yagg started with the goal to be a

pinkpearlsamsterdam.com/en

source of information for every LGBT

Do you like travelling? Do you like

person in France which makes the site

dating? Do you like lesBians? If you

very diversified. Their articles span topics

answered ‘yes’ to those questions,

from coverage of press conferences by

Pink Pearls Amsterdam (formerly

politicians, reviews of art exhibitions and

known as Garbo Amsterdam) might

theatre plays, a cruising guide for gay

be just the thing for you!

men, a ‘Revue de web’, offering links to articles of LGBT interest from all over the

4

12

Pink Pearls Amsterdam is a new

world, to video footage of kiss-ins, Pride

social network site for European

marches and much more.

lesbians

and

bisexual

women.

Pink Pearls was originally only

5. Stupenda (Spain)

focused on the Netherlands (and

stupenda.org

Amsterdam, hence the name), but

Stupenda is a Spanish online magazine

they are hoping to extend their

aimed at lesBians in Barcelona, Spain.

network and appeal to lesBians

The magazine first started in 2002 and

from all over Europe. Some of the

they cover all sorts of things of interest

stuff Pink Pearls gets up to includes

to queer women, like books, movies,

- http://

Lists Are Hot: European Websites You Should Visit 5

music,

fashion,

gossip,

The

L

often feature on eurOut.

Word, events and anything else about women that might be worth

They have been around for a number

covering.

of years, and provide the latest news of

what

queer-related

things

are

Besides the magazine, Stupenda

happening in Ireland, as well as in

also holds a monthly party by the

the rest of the world. Besides great

same name during which former

informational posts, they also offer a

eurOut writer Clarix usually DJs.

number of opinion posts, which are always my favourites.

6

7

6.

Kweens

(Germany)

-

http://kweens.de

9.

Kweens is a lesbian entertainment

(Belgium) - http:/weljongniethetero.

Wel

Jong

Niet

Hetero

website in German, which was

be

created in 2008. What kind of things

Wel Jong Niet Hetero (Young, But Not

can you find on their website? Well,

Straight) is a Belgian website for LGBT

they report on things like the latest

youth. Even though their main focus

movies, music videos, and events.

is young LGBT and questioning youth, their website really appeals to me.

They

also

have

features

like

‘Lovely Saturday’, which features

They don’t just focus on stuff interesting

lovely and hot ladies, and they also

for teens, like information about coming

write about more serious stuff like

out etc., but they also provide the latest

articles on gender, sexuality and

LGBT news both from Belgium and

gay marriage.

around the world. This includes political stuff, as well as entertainment news and

7.

8

Jong

&

Netherlands)

Out

(The

-

http://

fun events taking place in the country.

jongenout.nl

10.

Jong & Out (Young & Out) is an

queeried.co.uk

Queeried

(UK)

-

http://

online community for Dutch gays,

Queeried is a UK-based website for LGBT

lesbians and bisexuals aged 18 and

entertainment and political news and is

under. It provides the opportunity

run by the lovely Michelle Penny.

for gay teens to meet like-minded

9

others both online and in the flesh,

Queeried

and it’s also a great resource of

from around the world, as long as it’s

information.

LGBT-related. In addition, you can find

the

latest

news

all new. all european. all lesbian.

all new. all european. all lesbian.

features there like music to check out, On the website, information is

movies to see and even what underwear

provided about being young and

to buy.

out, including how to deal with homophobia and coming out in high school. There’s even a section for parents to be reassured about

10

offers

their sons and/or daughters visiting the website.

8. Gaelick (Ireland) - http:// gaelick.com Gaelick is an award winning Irish website for LGBT news, whose

MORE: Queeried’s Michelle Penny is running the LA marathon (and she’s blaming Billie Myers) http://bit.ly/euroutqueeried

news and entertainment posts we

13

LesBian Life: Giving Blood In this edition of Lesbian Life, we look at the rules and regulations for LGBTs who want to donate blood. By: Anna McFaith I like to do good things. Help others.

Well, it took a little longer and the

questions on a forum I frequent and

Give back. I currently don’t have time

journey to self-sacrifice was a little more

asked for anyone who had ever given

for any other volunteer work than what

disturbing, actually. See, I’m slightly

blood to talk me through it. I thought

I already do now and my bank balance

terrified of giving blood. Starting out

that the whole procedure would be

won’t allow me to spend any more

I didn’t know how the procedure went

standardized in the western world. I was

money on worthy causes. That’s why I

and what I needed to do in order to

only half right.

decided on a new approach: I’m going

be allowed to give blood. So, instead

to give blood.

of researching things myself, I put my

You can only give blood a couple of times a year, you can’t have any diseases transmittable by blood (naturally) and you need to be over a certain weight and age. Then one of the girls on the forum said the following: “They ask about your sexual history - LGB people aren’t allowed to donate and neither are their partners.”

Excuse me, what now?! Just reading that nearly made me choke with anger.

Before judging, however, I did go on a research spree. Apparently it’s true; there are restrictions on blood donation if you’re LGB. If you’re a man who has ever slept with a man, you can’t give blood and if you are a woman who has ever slept with a man who has slept with a man, you can’t donate either. Why? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it’s “because [men who sleep with men] are, as a group, at increased risk for HIV, hepatitis B and certain other infections that can be transmitted by transfusion.” So what about those gay men in a committed, monogamous, relationship? Why can’t they donate if they have been checked out? The FDA has an explanation: “Having had a low number of partners is known to decrease the risk of HIV infection. However, to date, no donor eligibility questions have been shown to reliably identify a subset of MSM [men who have sex with other men, Ed.] (e.g., based on monogamy or

A man donating blood -- and yes, that’s what it looks like!

14

safe sexual practices) who do not still

LesBian Life: Giving Blood have a substantially increased rate of HIV infection compared to the general population

or

currently

accepted

blood donors. In the future, improved questionnaires may be helpful to better select safe donors, but this cannot be assumed without evidence.”

Seriously, is the stereotype of the gay man who sleeps around so prevalent that it justifies a clearly discriminatory law? Oh - but that is where I’m wrong according to those making the laws.

It’s not discrimination. No, because they put a ban on behavior, not sexual preference. By saying ‘men who sleep with men’ it’s not discrimination on the basis of sexual preference, it’s merely a listing of unsafe behavior. What makes this okay and why didn’t I know about this? Why doesn’t everyone know about this?!

Women who sleep with women are a different thing altogether. We sometimes have the right to donate, sometimes

responsibility they have to make sure

donor. I have the bruise to prove it. It

we don’t. The umbrella organization

that their blood is clean and healthy.

was terrifying, a little painful but mostly

of

Especially in the EU, where you often

it just felt good. Not because I want

don’t get paid for your donation.

props for helping out a fellow man but

Belgium,

Luxembourg

and

the

Netherlands has decided women who

all new. all european. all lesbian.

all new. all european. all lesbian.

because I’m allowed to and I took the

sleep with women are safe to donate.

In the United States, they’re often not.

I’m also ashamed of myself that I did

opportunity. Give blood, people, in and

Why? I don’t know. It’s not the health

not know this archaic practice was still

out in five minutes and it can save a life.

thing, I think. There was nothing I could

going on. I’m aware of LGBT issues,

Isn’t that reason enough?

find on that. I think it’s just because

I spend a large portion of my time

it’s also a form of homosexuality and

researching and studying LGBT issues.

since the men were already banned,

Why didn’t I know about this?

the women would be too. It’s only fair, after all.

This Lesbian Life, I wanted to tell you because some of you may not have

I’m angry about this. Right groups are

known about this yet either. Awareness

trying to overturn the policy but to no

of a problem is a step towards a solution.

avail as of yet. HIV is a terrible disease

This law is discriminatory, if they will

and just the off chance of transmitting

admit it or not and it should be stopped.

it through a blood donation should be

There is a huge blood shortage around

minimized as much as possible, but why

the world. LGB blood is needed and,

does it need to exclude a whole section

although I hate that my brothers can’t

of the population like this? Why not a

donate, I will go through the process of

longer screening period, a legal liability

donation. Because there are too many

clause even? I think anyone with the

who can’t.

heart to give half a litre of their blood to someone in need, is aware of the

UPDATE: I am now an official blood

More: MSM blood donor controversy http://bit.ly/wikipediablood FDA Policy http://bit.ly/fda-policy Donate blood because millions of gay and bi men can’t http://on.fb.me/bloodmsm

15

My First Year As an Expat in Amsterdam Our latest addition to the eurOut team is quite an international one – Anaïs moved from France to the Netherlands last year, and is loving every minute of it. By: Anaïs When I was asked to write about my

heart. I don’t think I have ever felt so

scene. Never having to take the metro

experience as a French lesbian expat, I

at home in another city. Amsterdam

to go to work. Being always ridiculously

began by making a checklist of my first

is

close to where stuff is happening. I love

year in Amsterdam. It was scarily short:

Amsterdam is gay. Lucky coincidence,

vibrant,

smart,

and

beautiful.

it!

I am never more than two minutes Find a job: check.

away from the two most famous lesbian

Since life can’t only be gay and fun, I

Find a place: check.

bars: my office is in the same building

had to find a job. Like a lot of expats, I

Make some friends: check.

as Vivelavie, so basically I just have

ended up doing technical support. I was

Get sick with too many bitterballen:

to run down the stairs after work. My

lucky enough to be hired by a decent

check.

apartment is exactly 42 seconds away

company that treats us well and whose

Get your heart broken: check.

from Café Saarein – although the way

management style I can actually deal

Learn Dutch: ah, soon.

back home can take up to four minutes,

with, but the job is… weird. Basically, we

depending on how many drinks I’ve had.

try to fix technical issues over the phone,

write

The Dirty Disco Dykes parties, held every

but really we just answer questions like

anything interesting. Then I began to

month, are five minutes away and so

‘What exactly do you mean by ‘right-

put words to it – as in actual sentences,

are the COC and the Homomonument.

click’?’ We deal with customers whose

and it all started to make more sense.

It’s a luxury I truly enjoy. This is the

computer is not running on Windows or

Amsterdam that I wanted to experience:

OS X, but on Toshiba. TO-SHI-BA. Some

the beautiful canal streets, the lesbian

customers don’t find a start button at

Well,

not

really

enough

to

Image copyright: Nathalie Orengo

Amsterdam truly is the city of my

Anaïs

16

My First Year As an Expat in Amsterdam the bottom left of their screen. They find

anywhere else, and you’ll always end

referring to food – kipsaté, actually.

their pencil cup.

up meeting just the woman you wanted

You know, chicken with a weird peanut

to avoid. But hey, it keeps the gossips

sauce? Definitely lekker. Now I’m scared

Once you’ve overcome the initial shock

alive and it’s good for your blood

that I’ll think of chicken if my partner

of having to speak with people from the

pressure. But the most important thing

says ‘lekker’ in bed. Talk about ruining

past, it gets better. The trick, with this

is that there’s always something gay

the mood. My point is, as an expat you

kind of job, is to find something else

going on. Workshops, movies, parties,

really need to learn the language if you

to do while you help customers find

demonstrations, shops, you name it. If

want to keep a conversation going.

the start button, otherwise you just go

you wish to pretend you live in a lesbian

That’s my good resolution for 2011.

crazy. I have tried everything and found

world, you easily can. How cool is that?

out that what was most efficient was

The only thing missing - in my humble

All in all, it was a terrific year. I could

paper craft. Paper toys. Anything with

opinion – is a good sex shop. I visited

have done without the break-up part,

paper. The kinds of things you never

them all, but they’re either creepy or

but that’s a part of the experience, right?

imagined you’d find fun. Last week

expensive, or just really basic. Some of

Amsterdam was my new start, my new

I even built a movie theatre in a shoe

them are actually creepy, expensive and

chance. I’m not always happy with what

box, what fun! The entire office is now

basic, so you might want to avoid those.

I did with it, but I still have plenty of

covered with paper monsters and other

Amsterdam definitely needs a great sex

time and I need to learn to give myself

paper goodies – and I’m still not getting

shop for women. Something attractive,

a break. Sometimes it’s still all gggrrr to

fired for making an extensive use of

fun, educational. I can think of a million

me and I feel like packing my bags and

the company’s printer. Who would have

ideas. If you wish to brainstorm with me,

go, but the feeling never lasts. I mean,

thought that customer support could

drop me a line!

I’d never find a decent kipsaté in France.

make you creative?

Most cities lack a good sex shop anyway.

I soon found out that one of the hardest

If you do the math, you’ll have straight

My co-workers are French, young and

things for an expat is to befriend the

co-workers no matter where you are in

straight. Most of them had never met a

locals. Well, maybe not for all expats,

the world. And I bet you can get your

lesbian before. Being the UFO was hard

maybe it’s just me. Dutch people speak

heart broken even in the Gobi desert.

at first, but I learned that the best way

perfect English, so I thought language

Nah. This is Home!

to deal with it was to, well, rub it in their

wouldn’t be an issue. Turns out it is:

face. What’s the point of moving to a

even if they’re happy to switch to

very gay city if you’re still going to be

English for a while so you can have a

the weird one? I guess I did a good job,

conversation, there’s always a point

as some of them now want to join me

where they’ll turn back to Dutch. You

at the next Dirty Disco Dykes party, and

can’t blame them, but this can make you

have been a good support when I was

feel a little awkward.

incredibly sad over, well, typical lesbian The other day I attended the Future Is

drama.

Gay party at COC. I was going on my The lesbian life in Amsterdam is a

own, so I invited myself at a table and

busy one, but in the end it’s also rather

started talking to the women there. At

small and I was surprised to see how

first everything was fine and we chatted

segmented it was. Older lesbians tend

for a while. But once we’ve asked each

not to attend the Girlesque parties;

other all the typical questions, it became

younger ones tend not to attend the

complicated to keep them interested. I

Garbo ones. Feminine lesbians usually

could feel it was hard for them not to go

hang out at Vivelavie; the butch crowd

back to Dutch so they could have a ‘real’

enjoys playing pool at Saarein. It tends

conversation. At some point, they asked

to narrow down your chances of meeting

me what was the first Dutch word I

the right girl, so you have to carefully

learned, and I answered: ‘lekker’ (which

choose where you will spend your Friday

means ‘good’ or ‘nice’). They burst out

night.

laughing because they thought I was cracking a cool sex joke. I didn’t have

Lesbian

drama

is

as

present

as

Explore: Vivelavie http://vivelavie.net/ index-eng.htm Saarein http://saarein.info Dirty Disco Dykes http://dirtydiscodykes. nl Girlesque http://girlesque.nl Garbo for Women http://garboforwomen. nl/en.html

the heart to tell them that I was honestly

17

The Lesbian News Stack

By: Maxime

Like you have come to expect from us, our regular column “The LesBian News Stack” gives you an overview of previous month’s political news of interest for European LGBTs.

UK: After

the

found

begin to understand their motives for

Christian owners of a B&B guilty of

this act, I really like that it shows that

discrimination against a gay couple,

‘traditional’ marriage is way overrated

the

Equality

ruling

and

that

Germany 1:

Rights

and doesn’t represent what certain

Commission is now investigating if

Human

moralists want the world make believe

gay-only hotels are guilty of reversed

it represents. statistics

revealed

by

Two art students took the meaning

the police show that the number of

of creative partnership to a different

hate crimes committed respectively

level by legally marrying each other.

reported has dramatically increased.

They did this despite the fact that

Report-it.org.uk is a new website

they don’t love each other on an

launched by UK police forces and gives

emotional level and he is gay while

information on hate crimes and offers

she is straight. While I don’t even

the possibility to report them.

18

of

Family

Affairs, Kristina Schröder, who was the topic of some malicious and – depending on your point of view – sexist news after the announcement

that

she

was

pregnant with her first child,

discrimination.

News

Minister

managed to get quickly back into the headlines after she said in an interview that lesbian soccer players are way more relaxed about than

their their

sexual male

orientation counterparts

and that she sees lesbian soccer players as lesbian role models.

The Lesbian News Stack Germany 2:

Ireland:

France:

An initiative by the opposition

Caroline

parties to include sexual identity

known French lawyer specialised

sex marriages and civil unions

(as one of the attributes protected

in LGBT rights, is content with

from other countries - as civil

against

the

the outcome of the ‘Bruno Wiel’-

unions. This is already a big step

rejected

process. The defendants were

forward,

by the majority of the governing

convicted of a homophobic crime

same-sex

parties, CDU and FDP.

leaving their victim Bruno Wiel for

officially married in their home

dead, which earned them 16 to 20

countries will find their rights

years of prison.

quite restricted when moving to

discrimination)

constitution

has

been

in

Will a group of German Catholic theologians start a revolution within

Mécary,

a

well-

upon the church to put an end to

recognizes

but

especially

couples

who

same-

those were

Ireland.

Europe 1:

the church? The group of 150 called

Ireland

Europe 2:

the necessary celibacy vow, to

A bi-national lesbian couple

accept women and gay couples. So

with children submitted a petition

far these requests won’t have any

UK leader David Cameron must

to the European Union, urging

impact since the Vatican has kept

have thought himself in safe

it to act on the still non-existing

mum, but they were discussed at

waters with all the positive press

mutual

same-

the German bishop’s conference

he and his government receive on

sex civil unions in its member

last March.

LGBT topics. I hope that he has

countries.

Finnish/French

more than just second thoughts

couple lives in France and is Baer

about the time when he led the

unfortunately a model example

started her term as Judge with

Tories in the European Parliament

to lacking legislation, as ILGA-

the first Senate of the German

into

Europe points out.

grouping of ‘Law and Justice’,

Out

lesbian

Susanne

recognition The

of

Constitutional Court.

joining

the

parliamentary

which consists to a large chunk of Reporters Without Borders

Polish MEPs. An outspoken anti-

published

Press

gay rights politician is now set to

Freedom Index a few months

become the leader of the group

When a student of Milan was

ago, which sees the European

and being the author of a book

threatened to be killed should he

Union losing its leadership when it

entitled Why I Am Not Tolerant

hang up another flyer for a gay

comes to respect of human rights.

it is already obvious that he will

association, he didn’t back down

13 of the EU’s 27 members are in

make sure to get heard on his

but instead organised Italy’s first

the top 20, but some of the other

views.

LGBT studies course, a course

14 are very low in the ranking.

attended

Italy is 49th, Romania is 52nd and

Italy:

by

more

than

200

their

annual

Greece and Bulgaria are tied at

people.

the 70th place.

Belgium: Anne Belbaere, responsible for

Russia:

the fertility services department

Poland:

Moscow’s new mayor, Sergei

of hospital Erasmus in Brussels,

Sobyanin, showed that he might

The European Commission will

be new on the job but that his

(finally) look into claims brought

views on LGBT rights are just

up

as intolerant as those from his

Homophobia on the difficulties

predecessor, when he said that

of gay Polish citizens receiving

there is no need for a gay parade

required papers when wanting to

in Moscow.

marry abroad.

by

the Campaign

against

accuses

French

LesBians

of

draining the sperm supply of the county. The hospital has restricted the number of granted requests by lesBian foreigners.

www.eurout.org 19

French Constitutional Court Upholds Ban What could have been major progress has turned out to be a slap in the face for millions of French gays and lesbians. By: Anaïs Recently,

the

Constitutional

On

January

28,

2011,

The

to

gay

marriage

while

the

leftist

Court has stated that the prohibition

Constitutional Court stated that the

opposition is mostly in favor. According

of same-sex marriage is in line with

text challenged by the lesbian couple

to a TNS Sofres poll, 58% of the French

the French Constitution. So much for

is not unconstitutional since there is

support same-sex marriage. In those

progress…

no conflict with the fundamental rights

conditions, it would be risky for Nicolas

guaranteed by the Constitution. The

Sarkozy’s party to bring the debate to

The Constitutional Court was founded

official statement released on January

the Parliament. But with the presidential

in 1958 in order to ensure that the rules

28 also states that “it’s not up to the

elections coming up in 2012, he will

and laws voted by the Parliament are in

Constitutional Council to substitute its

soon have to face this ‘sensitive’ issue.

keeping with the Constitution. Former

assessment for that of lawmakers”. In

Will the opposition be ready for him?

presidents such as Jacques Chirac

other words, the Court has decided that

Valery Giscard-d’Estaing

any change in the French marriage law

and

are

members of this institution.

should be made by the Parliament.

In March 2010, it became possible for

The decision has sparked off numerous

individuals to seize the Constitutional

reactions

Court to question a part of the civil

Caroline Mécary, a lawyer well known

code that they believe is in contradiction

in the gay and lesbian community,

with the Constitution and the individual

has stated that the Court has lost “a

liberties it guarantees.

historical occasion to put an end to a

from

LGBT

associations.

discrimination which affects about three In May 2010, Corinne Cestino and

million French homosexuals”.

Sophie Hasslaue, two women who have lived together for fourteen years

The ball being thrown to the camp of

and are mothers of four children, seized

law makers, it’s back to the starting

the Constitutional Court to question the

point. The majority, lead by Nicolas

ban on same-sex marriage.

Sarkozy’s party, is strongly opposed

all new. all european. all lesbian.

all new. all european. all lesbian.

Explore: LGBT rights in France http://bit.ly/ wikipedia-france France (ILGA-Europe country-by-country guide) http://bit.ly/ilgafrance

French Constitutional Council all new. all european. all lesbian. all new. all european. all lesbian.

20

all new. all european. all lesbian. all new. all european. all lesbian.

Interview: Sexy Galexy, Glamour Boi? Sexy Galexy has travelled the world to perform in lesbian clubs and at parties, and is currently becoming a familiar face in the lesbian scene of Amsterdam. We exclusively talked to her to find out more about this glamourous performance artist.

By: Ana誰s

21

Interview: Sexy Galexy, Glamour Boi?

I know, I know. How bad is it to start an article with words as mysterious as ‘glamour boi’? What on earth is a glamour boi anyway? In all honesty, there’s no such thing, which I think makes the term really cool. This is how drag king performer Sexy Galexy describes her onstage self, since: - the term ‘drag king’ wouldn’t be accurate enough; - we lesbians are very creative when it comes to coining labels; - it sounds pretty awesome!

Sexy Galexy describes herself as a performance makeup

artist,

artist,

body

painter,

painter,

host

and

promoter. She has been performing in

Australia

(Perth

and

Sydney),

in the US, in the UK (Brighton and London) and in Amsterdam, where she currently performs and hosts shows in the lesbian community.

Let’s go back to a few years ago and where it all began. Sexy Galexy comes from a big island far, far away from Amsterdam. That’s where she began performing in the 1990s, in the gay and lesbian clubs of Perth. A party kid, she was quickly fed up by the lack of good entertainers for lesbian clubbers: “There were not a lot of women performing, and no drag at all. They just jumped around giggling and it was terrible and I thought ‘You know Image copyright: John Mekskens

what? I could do something better than that!’”

So she did. Together with a friend, they booked a show in Perth that was very well-received, went on for six months and confirmed her love for stage performance. Around the same Presenting: Sexy Galexy

22

period,

she

attended

the

Western

Australian Academy for Performing

Interview: Sexy Galexy, Glamour Boi?

Arts, where she obtained a diploma of

33,000 hits. I was like, ‘Oh no!’”

Set Design for Theatre and Television.

what makes a good show?

“It’s definitely about music. If it’s a big

She also received several awards for

Sexy Galexy’s makeup and outfits

production show, I usually think about

her body painting skills. Sexy Galexy,

are definitely impressing. It’s even

a song and work around it. It really

however, was born later, after years of

more annoying when you know that it

depends on the party. So I choose

watching other people getting ready to

doesn’t take her most of the day to

a song, create a choreography and

perform in dressing rooms:

get to that result. When she started

rehearse in front of the mirror. Most

it would take her about two hours to

of the work is really to practice the

“When I started I was a tomboy and

get ready, something she can now do

lip-syncing. I learn the song back to

never wore any makeup. So after

in an hour, forty-five minutes if in a

front, back to front and back to front

years and years of trying everything

rush. She makes a lot of her outfits

again. I think if you’re going to do

and watching other people, I just

by buying second-hand clothing and

lip-syncing, you need to pick a song

learned my look. Sexy Galexy was

vamping it up:

that’s challenging and know it really

born in 1998, but it’s in 2000 that I

“I want Sexy Galexy to be flamboyant

well. I know a lot of people think that

really discovered and mastered his

and you can’t really buy that kind of

lip-syncing is easy, but it’s not. If you

look.”

stuff.”

don’t master it, you just sound like an old wino in a dress.”

The

name

originally

a

Sexy joke:

Galexy around

was the

time she started performing, she became tired of her real name and decided she wanted to be called Lexy. A friend of hers came up with Sexy Galexy as a joke, and it

“Makeup gave me an outlet”

fit so perfectly to what she wanted to do onstage that she adopted it.

One of the songs she performs is King of Broadway: “It’s cabaret. It requires a lot of drama, and it’s a story. You can really act that one out. So it’s my favorite song to do, ever. And

‘Flamboyant’ is the word. Most drag

it’s hard: if you want to get that song

kings use makeup as a way to make

right, you need to really know the song

If you browse the web trying to find

their face appear most masculine, with

back to front, every single word. I just

out more about the woman behind the

fake facial hair or thickened eyebrows,

love being onstage. It’s a comfortable

drag, you will probably be surprised

and a result that can be stunning.

feeling of freedom. When I’m onstage

not to find much. Is it some well-

Sexy Galexy’s striking makeup is now

I just don’t have any inhibitions. It

kept secret to keep the character

an inherent part of the character,

took me years to get that comfortable

intriguing?

but she originally found in makeup a

feeling to happen because I was

different purpose:

nervous all the time. Then it became

“It’s not that I don’t want to talk about

really exciting.”

it, there’s nothing secret. When I was

“I’m a shy person but I’ve always

working a lot in Sydney and I got a

secretly wanted to be onstage getting

For most drag kings, it’s really about

huge profile, my protection was the

the applause instead of always being

bending gender. Sexy Galexy, however,

fact that nobody knew what I looked

backstage. Makeup gave me an outlet

is more about messing with gender.

like out of drag. When I left Sydney I

where I could actually hide my face

Not in a political or postgenderist way,

left all that behind, because I sort of

and get out there to do things I usually

just in an… entertaining way. One

lost myself in it all. One of the reasons

wouldn’t do.”

simple way to explain it would be to

why I left is that I wanted to be me for a while.

put it this way: Sexy Galexy is a female

I remember the first

Of course, it wouldn’t be fair to limit

performer whose character happens to

time I went to a festival out of drag;

her talent to the looks. What’s a

be a heterosexual, eccentric man. Or,

it was the year I was leaving. I was

performer without a good show? Most

you can just trust what she says about

so nervous, I got totally drunk. I did a

drag kings like to revisit either boy

him, which is probably safer:

filmed interview and they put it online:

band songs or pop culture classics. So

23

Interview: Sexy Galexy, Glamour Boi?

“I would say he’s a raving metrosexual.

Sexy Galexy - and hope for our crazy

we could just do a community show

He could be a big poof but he’s not.

lesbian nights. That’s how she began

because that’s what Pride is about.

He still loves women, but he’s really

her career: by choosing to entertain

So I put this group of girls together

animated. He loves make up, he loves

in an area where there was not much

and we started out with the Village

to dress up and he loves jewelry. He’s

entertainment:

People because it’s such a classic. Lots

actually more of a woman when he’s

of drag king troupes have done the

a guy. He does more girly, glamour

“Back in the 1990s, there were not

Village People. And it was great fun

things than I usually do. I’m still

really a lot of drag kings. People

and then we got together again for

a drag king, mostly because the

wouldn’t put a lot of money in womens’

Lovedance doing Bohemian Rhapsody.

lesbian community will call a drag

entertainment. It was really boys boys

That sort of thing is great but it’s a

want. The term has evolved a lot from the time when it was only women impersonating men.”

“People are very similar everywhere”

lot of work. I’m a choreographer and a teacher because half of these girls have never been onstage before, so it’s mostly about

teaching

boys. So I have always thought it was

them how to walk onstage. It takes

Sexy Galexy’s style is actually closer

important for the lesbian scene to

a lot of patience and work, but in the

to a drag queen one: when drag kings

have a voice, something entertaining

end the feeling of accomplishment

mostly offer performances where the

to go out and see. One of my goals

is very satisfying. I’m also an active

trick and pride is to actually look like

back in Sydney was to crack into the

community member so for me it’s

a man, drag queens generally master

drag queen scene so women would

important to do those kinds of things.”

the second-degree by openly making

have at least some publicity. I did that

fun of their character:

successfully and it’s great because

If you plan to come to Amsterdam

then the guys couldn’t ignore the girls

in the near future, you can see Sexy

“Drag queens are entertaining because

anymore. It gave us a little bit more

Galexy every month at the Cozy Bar

they are funny. It gives you someone

voice and got us a bit more noticed in

for their Ladies Night. She is currently

else to laugh at. A male impersonate

the general community. The lesbian

working with San Francisco drag king

might look cool, but cool is not fun.

scene will always be an underground

Butch Action. The two of them plan to

Going out as a real drag king wouldn’t

thing; we’re still that little community.

put on more parties together in the

be entertaining for me.”

I still meet people who have never

upcoming months. She will also soon

heard of drag kings.”

do drag master classes in makeup, for

It’s also true in most movies, at least

anyone who wants to learn how to put

the mainstream ones: think of Hilary

While most drag kings perform in a

on fantasy makeup. There’s more to

Swank in Boys Don’t Cry and of

troupe, Sexy Galexy usually performs

look forward to, as she’s got big plans:

Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie. You have

alone. Lately though, she has been

serious and credible versus fun and

performing in Amsterdam with a new

“I’d say my goal is to take that small

entertaining. Cool versus goofy. You

group of kings. So is the thrill really

community and take it out into the

don’t make too much fun of a drag

different?

main public. The straight audience

king because most of the time shows

is usually a great one as well. So

are funny, but in a cool way. On the

“I’m not a male impersonate, and a

that’s where I’d like to take it, make

other hand, you can openly laugh at

lot of groups do boy band stuff and

it happen no matter where I am in

a drag queen. While it might explain

it’s not my thing. During Pride for the

the world. People are very similar

why drag queens are more popular

Girlesque party, I performed for the

everywhere and looking for the same

than drag kings in the heterosexual

first time with a group of drag kings.

sort of thing.”

culture, it also shows that there is,

There was this great performing stage

indeed, a niche for performers like

there with just me on it, so I thought

24

all new. all european. all lesbian.

all new. all european. all lesbian.

Stay tuned, we’ll keep you posted!

Image copyright: Jan van Breda

king anything they

25 29

Where Are We on TV? Where Are We on TV? lists what to look out for in Europe when it comes to TV series with a lesBian storyline, lesBian characters, or just specific TV programs about lesBians. E-mail your lesBian TV tips to editor@eurout.org. both being lonely. Jean-François starts

Belgium

to develop feelings for her. When he

Thuis:

helps Céline out for a second time,

Mon-Fri at 20:15 on één Ann keeps on getting stomach pains.

Ann gets asked for help by Bianca, her colleague. Ann’s mother and brother, Marianne and Tom, are furious with Ann.

she – out of gratitude - accepts his invitation to a concert. Céline seems to have forgotten all about it though when Jean-François comes over to

he’ll never have a chance with Céline.

However, Jean-François is reluctant to give up.

Kotikatu:

Thu-Fri at 20:00 on YLE TV1.

Laura

and

Krisse

encounter

some

problems with their potential sperm donor. They change their plans and consider During

asking all

this

a

friend

instead.

Kerttu,

Laura’s

daughter, feels left out. Later, the ladies reconsider and deceide they’d still prefer an anonymous donor, so there wouldn’t be any problems with custody at a later stage. Krisse starts hormone therapy, but then has to go on a last-minute trip to the US with Laura.

Salatut Elämät: Mon-Fri at 19:30 on MTV3.

Cindy is dealing with an unwanted pregnancy, which leads Heli to suggest to her that she could give the baby up for adoption. It seems she is pushing for this because she’s desperate to have a child of her own.

Panelák:

Mon-Fri at 20:15 on TV JOJ. Currently

in

its

7th

season.

No

remarkable updates regarding Denisa and Lucia.

pick her up. He’s hurt by this and is even more hurt when Boher tells him

Finland

Slovakia

UK

Coronation Street: Mon, Thu & Fri at 19:30/20:30 on ITV. Sophie lands in a downward spiral

Germany

because

of

fighting.

She

her

parents’

gets

constant

expelled

from

college, turns to alcohol and falls of a

Anna und die Liebe:

roof. In hospital, Kevin and Sally seem

Mon-Fri at 18:30 on Sat.1.

Anna und die Liebe (Anna and Love) is a German telenovela which is currently in its 3rd season. Jasmin, a muslim girl originally from Lebanon, has fallen for her friend and house mate Lily. Lily has a boyfriend, Jojo, but is nevertheless intrigued by the revelation of Jasmin’s feelings. The two start an affair, but Jojo finds out by walking in on them.

Lily finds herself torn between the two of them. She begs Jojo for a second chance, but even though she gets it,

to finally come to their senses about what their personal war has done to their daughter. They try to handle their divorce as civil as possible, while Sian takes care of her injured girlfriend.

How long will this calm last? Read full, weekly recaps at bit.ly/eurout-corrie.

Pobol y Cwm: Mon-Fri at 20:00 on BBC Wales No

remarkable

updates

regarding

Gwyneth and Yvonne.

she can’t stop thinking about Jasmin.

Hand aufs Herz: Mon-Fri at 18:00 on Sat.1.

Hand aufs Herz (Cross My Heart) is a new German soap about a high school, currently in its 1st season. Jenny is in love with Emma and tells her so.

France

Plus belle la vie: Mon-Fri at 20:10 on France3.

When Céline attempts to defend a bum that attacked Jean-François, the bum tries to make a pass at her. JeanFrançois intervenes to protect Céline, and they confide in each other about

26

Emma

is

uncomfortable

with

this

and doesn’t know how to handle the situation. She tries to hide her feelings for Jenny by telling her to leave her alone, even though she really enjoyed an earlier kiss. Distraught by her emotions, things don’t go so well for Emma at school.

Lily & Jasmin

A List of Helpful LGBT Organizations per Country European

France

Lithuania

Egalite

Association de Médecins

Lithuanian Gay League

Slovakia

www.egalite-online.eu

Gais. www.medecins-gays.

www.lgl.lt/indexe.php

Altera

LGBT Network

com/femmes-entre-elles

www.lgbtnetwork.eu

SOS Homophobie

Malta

IGLYO

www.sos-homophobie.org

Malta Gay Rights Move-

Slovenia

ment

DIH www.dih.si

www.maltagayrights.net

SkuC-LL

www.iglyo.com ILGA Europe

Georgia

www.ilga-europe.org

Inclusive Foundation www.inclusive-foundation.org

Austria

www.altera.sk

www.ljudmila.org/lesbo Moldova GenderDoc-M

Spain

www.gay.md/rus

Federación

Estatal

de

Rechtskomitee Lambda

Greece

(RKL) www.rklambda.at/e/

Greek Sapphites

index.htm

www.sapphogr.net

The Netherlands

sexuales

Greek Lesbian

COC Nederland

www.felgtb.org

www.lesbian.gr

www.coc.nl

Confederación

Outway

de Lesbianas, Gays, Tran-

www.outway.nl

sexuales y Bisexuales

Belgium

Lesbianas,

Çavaria www.cavaria.be Wel Jong Niet Hetero

Germany

www.weljongniethetero.be

Lesbian and Gay FedeNorway

Belarus

http://typo3.lsvd.

N

TEMA information center

de/229.0.html

National

Hungary Bosnia and Herzegovina

Labrisz

Queer Bosnia and Herze-

ciation www.labrisz.hu

Lesbian

Asso-

govina. www.queer.ba/en Bulgaria Bulgarian

Gay

Organi-

o

r

w

e

g

i

a

Bisexuales

Sweden Swedish Federation for Lesbian,

Gay Liberation

and Transgender Rights

www.llh.no

www.rfsl.se

Gay,

www.homo.se

Campaign Against Homo-

Samtökin ‘78

phobia

Switzerland

www.samtokin78.is

http://world.kph.org.pl

Pink Cross

Lambda Warsaw

www.pinkcross.ch

www.lambdawarszawa.org

INFOBI

Network www.glen.ie

Kontra

www.infobi.net Portugal ILGA Portugal

Turkey

www.kontra.hr/cms

Italy

www.ilga-portugal.pt

KAOS GL

LORI

Arcigay

Opus Gay

www.kaosgl.com

www.lori.hr

www.arcigay.it

www.opusgay.org

LEGATO

GlobaLES Czech Republic

www.globa-les.com

Gay and Lesbian League www.mujvztah.cz

Kosovo

www.unilegato.org Romania ACCEPT

Ukraine

http://accept-romania.ro

Nash Mir

QESh Denmark

http://qesh.org

Danish National Association for Gays and Les-

Latvia

bians www.lbl.dk

Mozaika www2.mozaika.lv

Bisexual

HomO

Iceland

Ireland

Española

ciation for Lesbian and

Gay & Lesbian Equality Croatia

n

Asso-

Poland

sation Gemini www.bgogemini.org/eng

y

Tran-

www.colegaweb.org

ration in Germany

www.pride.by

Gays,

www.gay.org.ua Russia Krilija

United Kingdom

www.krilija.sp.ru

Stonewall http://sites.stonewall-

Serbia

communities.org

Finland

QueerBeograd

Queer Youth

SETA

www.queerbeograd.org

www.queeryouth.org.uk

www.seta.fi

27

eur ut .org european.lesbian.news

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