the
Q&A
February 17, 2011 | Issue #230
y o u r. i n d y @ g m a i l . c o m
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
editor-in-chief: Ri l ey Ken ny s mith
This week’s issue almost didn’t happen, due to a series of events so unfortunate that we ended up hysterically wreaking havoc in our office. After 7 hours (literally, 7 hours!) of dicking around in the office, a disappointing episode of US Skins, most of an episode of Pretty Little Liars until the wifi got mean, multiple trips down the hall to the Hub resulting in 4 iced teas and 5 or 6 orange juices, a few dozen issues of The Load spanning 3 decades of Purchase publication, rearranging the furniture twice, bonding with the PSGA, frantic texts and desperate emails searching for last-minute copy, we finally managed to scrape together an issue. I’m still surprised that it happened, and I am so grateful to everyone who offered to help. The number of people who said, “sure, what can I do?” today really made me feel like my Purchase family will never let me down. Especially Tara who, nearly 11 hours after we sat down in the office this afternoon, is having a celebratory/stressrelieving dance party with me in the office’s newly-discovered floorspace. It’s been a crazy day. But it’s been a great day.
layout editor: Ta r a C on n elly writers: G a by F iore-Bolan d Ch r i stie Roton d o A l ex Stark M a da me Q u er y print managers: Ro byn Wilk in s To ny Pon tiu s cover photo by: Ri l ey Ken ny s mith artwork by: Su za n n e Bon an n o web design by: D a n i elle Lemp p
The Purchase Independent is a non-profit news magazine, paid for by the Mandatory Student Activity fee. We welcome and encourage submissions from readers. The Indy is a forum for campus issues and events, to give students the voice they deserve. Letters, articles, comics, ads, event photography and event listings are welcomed. The deadline for submissions is every Friday before midnight, and accepted pieces will be published the following Thursday. Publication of submissions is not guaranteed, but subject to the discretion of the editors. No anonymous submissions will be considered, but we will accept use of pseudonyms on a case-bycase basis. Send all submissions and inquiries to your.indy@gmail.com. Send questions to Madame Query at formspring.me/ madamequery. Back page quotes can be submitted to formspring.me/indybackpage or put in the Back Page Box that hangs on the office door. Our office is located on the first floor of Campus Center North, room 1011. Staff meetings are held in the office every Monday night at 9:30; anyone is welcome to join.
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CORRECTION: Last issue the date on the cover said that it was still 2010.
Oops. You guys obviously remember that New Years happened and the year changed. We obviously don’t.
OF F CA M PUS
OUT IN NYC BY ALEX STARK
There is something for every gay in Manhattan. Personally, I prefer bars and lounges off the beaten path and would love to share some of my favorites with you! While you’ll find fun almost every day, the best nights to go out in my eyes are at the end of the week. On Wednesdays, you should most definitely check out Urge Bar and Lounge (2nd Ave. between 1st and 2nd St. in the East Village, 21+), hosted by the always despicable Logan Hardcore. Prepare to be offended in the best way possible: at 1 am the infamous Ass Contest begins, and everyone pulls off their bottom halves for free shots and a chance to be the Ass Contest Winner and receive $100 cash. The place to be on Thursdays, my personal favorite night, is Vig 27 (27th St. between Park and Lexington, 21+) for Meaner Harder Leather. Hosted by Misty Meaner, Go-Go Harder and Stormy Leather, it’s the best free burlesque show in the city. The three hosts perform regularly and there are additional burlesque/boylesque performers that change week to week. Also, cheap drinks: $6 Margaritas and $5 Pearl Vodkas all night equal a win. The show starts at 11 pm and you will not be disappointed. If you haven’t been to Splash (17th St. between 5th Ave and 6th Ave) already, you’re not a gay man who likes to club. If you’re underage, try their popular 18+ night “Twink Tuesdays.” The best night at Splash is Friday’s F Word Party (21+). Hosted by the legendary Amanda Lepore, Devin Stone, King Ralphy and so many more,
this party is a staple of NYC gay nightlife. Expect scantily-clad dancers, strong (but expensive) drinks and tons of drag queens. I recommend you go to this party dressed in something you wouldn’t normally wear (think Chewbacca, the Pink Power Ranger, or just show up in your birthday suit! PS, you can check your pants at coat check). Oh also, the amazing drag queen that works the door, Ms. Thorgy Thor, is a Purchase College alum! So, my fellow Purchase Gays, this week instead of drinking your cheap whiskey in the Olde, I suggest you go out to the city and do something random!
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GLUTEN FREE AT D-HALL?
BY GABY FIORE-BOLAND
It’s not just ‘hold the meat’ at vegetarianfriendly Purchase, it’s ‘hold the gluten’ for some students with an autoimmune disease that cuts bread, pasta and all wheat products from their diet. Celiac is a disease where the small intestine views gluten (the sticky protein found in wheat, barley, and rye) as poison and it attacks itself, disrupting the absorption of nutrients and creating many health problems. Luckily, Chartwells is rolling out an entire new dining section just for these students in the next two weeks, according to Kyle Pleva, the marketing director. Your SPACE, which stands for for Special Products for Allergen Controlled Eating, will be in the main dining hall. “We’re setting up a whole other table,” Pleva said, including a separate toaster and cooler. The cooler would feature prepared gluten-free pasta, rice dishes, as well as gluten-free bagels and wraps. Gluten-free cereal, Rice Chex, is also now available. Previously, students were limited to gluten-free sandwiches at the Hub and Terra Ve. George and Antoinette Berns are twins who have to follow a gluten-free diet. The freshmen were diagnosed four years ago. On coming to Purchase, George said, “I was really restrained to hamburgers [without the bun] and salads for the first two months.” Now he mostly eats frozen foods kept in his mini-fridge. Ashley Odish, a junior with celiac who is also a vegetarian and has other food allergies, said that she too survived on garden burgers without a bun. Now she sticks to sandwiches, saying, “I
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pretty much eat the same thing every day.” It’s difficult to know what’s safe to eat. Wheat is found in unlikely places, sneaking into some brands of soy sauce, in soups as thickeners, oatmeal, even potato chips. Odish said, “If they could label things as being gluten-free, that would be awesome.” As of just last week, all of the soups at the Hub now have ingredient labels, which Pleva said he personally managed. Contamination is another issue. It only takes a crumb to make a celiac sick and many are unaware of the severity of the disease. “They’ll use the same knife,” said Odish, who has to watch and remind the deli workers. Ideally, there should be a separate space, utensils, and clean gloves for gluten-free food preparation. Now there will be a designated gluten-free area in the kitchen and the chefs have received special training. The meals will be made and put in the cooler for students to access. “Right now we’re focusing on the main dining hall,” Pleva said. If it’s successful, then they will see about expanding to the Hub and Terra Ve. “That’s really exciting!” Antoinette said of the new additions, adding that she had always stuck to the same thing because she didn’t want to bother the workers. Pleva only knows of six students with celiac this year, but said, “We like to accommodate all our students and make sure they’re eating.” This article is published courtesy of Her Campus. http:/hercampus.com/purchase
HER CAMPUS CR: What’s the demographic of your
SEX SELLS BY CHRISTIE ROTONDO ...and Jo-Anne Levins is making women more comfortable with that one vibrator at a time. Levins isn’t your typical saleswoman. She’s selling sex (and good sex at that.) Levins, 45, is a consultant for Pure Romance: a company that hosts at-home parties where women can buy “relationship aids,” anything from shaving cream to bondage kits to vibrators. Levins is charismatic, open, and reminiscent of your high school sex ed teacher—except she encourages nervous giggling and embarrassing questions. “One thing I know about myself is that I put on an awesome party,” she added.
parties?
JL: I’ve had all types of women. From college age to 67. My oldest customer is 67. She first came to a party when she was 62, and she had never had an orgasm. She cried to me in the ordering room for forty-five minutes. Now she’s my best customer, and she has all kinds of high end toys. CR: What’s the hardest part of your job?
JL: The hardest part of my job is getting through to women who have such a barrier put up about their sexual lives. I’ve actually had people walk out of my parties, and I’m not vulgar at all. I see myself as more of an educator. CR: Has anyone ever given you a hard time about it?
Christie Rotondo: What interested you most about Pure Romance?
Jo-Anne Levins: Pocket bullets [Vibrators]. No, I’m kidding. I went to a party while my husband was sick. At the time he was sick, disabled, and retired, and I needed to make some extra money. I just liked what Pure Romance stands for, how one woman started a business out of the basement of her house and turned it into a $100 million business.
JL: One woman did. I was stamping my brochures while watching my kids play football, and she just came up and said, “That’s disgusting what you do.” And I said, “Really? I’m sorry you have a problem discussing your sexuality, but a lot of women don’t.” CR: Which product is your favorite?
JL: Oh I have a lot of them, hun. Unfortunately my favorite vibe is discontinued, the One Eye Attack. CR: Do you always test the products?
CR: What’s your favorite part of your job?
JL: When that light bulb moment goes off for a customer. When she realizes she can take control of her sex life. When a woman takes control of her sex life, she’s more confident and happier. How many women just go through life on automatic pilot, not taking time for themselves?
JL: Absolutely. I demo what I like. So I can say, “Oh yeah, ten thumbs up on that one.” CR: You said you had two sons, how do they feel about your job?
JL: I don’t advertise it on my car or anything because they ask me not to. (continued on page 7)
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MADAME QUERY
HAS YOUR REMEDY
I saw a cute guy in the Bookstore today,
How do I get my boyfriend to have sex
Tuesday 2/1 at around 2 pm and it makes
with me?
me sad that I’ll probably never even know
his name. How can I find him?
It’s time for you to find your inner Nancy Drew to uncover the mystery of the cute guy of the Bookstore. This case shouldn’t be to hard to solve. In this day and age do you really think you’ll never know his name? First off, you know you saw him at the Bookstore around 2 on Tuesday, think about it. It is very likely he got out of class and like most people who get out of class around mail time he thought “Well, I got see if anything is in my box.” Second off you go to a smaller school, so you will most likely see him other places and times besides the Bookstore on Tuesdays at 2. To go along with that, you probably don’t even realize it, but you two may actually have mutual friends. If you are really impatient and want to make moves like Madame, in a desperate hot flash you wildly check Facebook. Think about who you saw him with, anyone who looked familiar? Did anyone say his name? Even a first initial of a name can help you out. If none of this works, you know you can get old school, hit up craigslist. They have a missed connections section, you’ll find him and like five other people who do not go to Purchase, claiming to be him. I want you to find out the name of the guy, but the truth is you will just have to be patient. You may not have any leads in this mystery, but eventually an answer will come up. Just forget about it for now and then I’m sure you’ll bump into him again when you least expect it. Who knows, maybe you’ll bump into him when getting your mail after class.
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Madame is positive that you are one foxy lady, and you should not be disgruntled by any negativity in the bedroom. It probably has nothing to do with you, he just may be less passionate than yourself. Ways Madame likes to ensure lovemaking are Fresh Laundry scented Yankee Candles lit throughout the whole bedroom (not for dorm dwellers), rose petals sprinkled across the bed, soft melodic Lionel Richie tunes booming from an iHome my mother bought me. These little thoughts will let him understand it is time for lovemaking. He will truly appreciated the effort. He will understand, but whether he participates is up to him. Just because your boyfriend does not want to have sex, does not mean he doesn’t like you or doesn’t find you attractive, he just isn’t in the mood or he’s not ready. I know the term “not ready” is usually associated with virginal demure girls, who’ve never had their boobies touched, but guys feel not ready as well. You have to consider him not wanting sex could be a situation totally out of your hands. It is his decision. Instead of coming up with elaborate plans to get him to stick it in you, sit him down and ask him. If he’s a good boyfriend he’ll tell you everything going through his head concerning the issue, just to give you some piece of mind.
A DV I C E So my best friend just came out of the
(continued from page 5)
closet and no one seems to be amazed. Now everyone is waiting and asking me
CR: I bet that “birds and the bees” talk
when I’m going come out, but I’m not
was interesting.
gay. What do I do?
JL: I had an in-depth conversation with my older son regarding sex. That he as the man, has to wrap it, wrap it, wrap it, wrap it, and wrap it again. You‘ve got to think smart- you have to think with the big head and not the little head.
Are you sure you’re not gay? Madame is all jokes, but you have to admit this is a slightly funny mix up. Well, you tell them you’re not gay right? That is really all you can do. I mean except having heterosexual sex in front of all your friends at a party, but that would be too much proof and no one wants to see that. It seems to Madame like your friends don’t have too much of an exciting life if their main discussion is “Who’s the next gay to come out?” It could be that there really is amazement over the real gay friend coming out, that they just want to witness more of it. Who can really say? Your friends could be entertained by the idea of a lot of things, but you know who you are and just keeping doing that. If your friends start telling people you want to sleep with that you’re gay, then you might have a problem. For now though, keep correcting the misconception and just keep being who you are.
CR: Why are the parties for women only?
JL: Other companies do couple parties, but Pure Romance doesn’t. We’ve learned that when men are in the room and you’re talking about sex, men are like, “Are you kidding me? I’m perfect. I don’t need toys.” Women tend to shut down when men are around. CR: Do you think that’s just nerves?
JL: Some of it. Some of it is culture. Some of it is generational. I always start my parties with this joke to relax everyone, “Vibrators are the perfect partners. They’re there when you need them, they’re not tired half way through, they don’t need conversations, and you can just put them away when you’re done with them.” CR: So this is the new Tupperware party.
JL: In sales, we’re the number one party for women. CR: Really?
JL: Sex sells, babe.
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS
TO MADAME QUERY
Want to book a party? Contact Jo-Ann here: http://www.joannlevins.pureromance.com
http://www.formspring.me/madamequery
This article is published courtesy of Her Campus. http:/hercampus.com/purchase
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