Out In Maine -- March 2013

getting hitched? f ideas for a location p 6 f meet some already-wed couples

p 10

youthful inspiration a talk with 21-year-old lawmaker, activist, and leader justin chenette

p 34

same-sex pairings gone wild maine’s gbltq community & you | spring 2013

literally: black swan, bison, lizards

the wedding issue Celebrating same-sex marriage in Maine

p 38

Federal report on volunteering and civic life holds good news about Maine.

Published December 12, 2012. www.maineservicecommission.gov

Rate of Volunteerism in Maine Teenagers College Students Young Adults Parents

44% - 1st in national ranking 37% - 6th in national ranking 34% - 2nd in national ranking 44% - 6th in national ranking

The rate of volunteering earned Maine a rank of 12th among all states and the District of Columbia - that is a move up of four places from the 2011 report.

"Maine people take pride in their reputation of being involved in community life," said Drew Matlins, chair of the Maine Commission for Community Service.

ON ANOTHER NOTE: The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association released an economic study Wednesday that indicates organic farming is growing dramatically in Maine. The report states that organic producers generate at least $36.6 million in sales, support 1,600 jobs and keep 41,000 acres of farmland in organic production.

Although organic farming remains a small sector of Maine’s overall agriculture production, the study shows that organic farms are rapidly increasing, with 339 certified in 2008 and 582 selling organic products just a year later.

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4 out in maine | Spring 2013

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Spring 2013 | voL iii, no 1

06 DeStination: boothbay harbor

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A midcoAst destinAtion BoothBay harBor is a great spot to get married _B y a n th o n y G i a Mp et r u zzi Summer in Maine. Same-sex marriage in Maine. Never have two concepts been more perfectly aligned. Maine is a big, beautiful state with no shortage of venues for the big day, week or, heck, why not make a month of it? We’ve waited long enough, after all.

Many couples will choose Ogunquit, given its mantle as one of the pre-eminent gay destinations in the country and literally the only place in Maine other than Portland that boasts multiple bars and restaurants catering specifically to a gay clientele.

Others may opt for Camden, the jewel of the upper midcoast with its picturesque harbor, no shortage of local restaurants and plenty of shopping (and now the world’s largest collection of The Wizard of Oz memorabilia — really, check out nationalozmuseum.com).

However, if you want something slightly off-thebeaten path, still established enough to support a big party, and (here’s a real deal-maker) near enough to the Portland Jetport and other transportation but well away from the noise of Route 1, check out Boothbay Harbor for a nearly perfect wedding milieu.

For old-schoolers, there’s a little something in the air here. First, you know that you’re headed someplace special when you take that right off Route 1 and head down Route 27 immediately after the Wiscasset bridge; it makes for a more stress-free and adult-oriented destination, and it’s one of the only upscale seaside resort towns not severed in two by the noise and traffic of the old Boston Post Road.

Wherever you go in Boothbay, sociability abounds, as does a decent-sized gay and lesbian community ranging from 20-somethings in town for summer work at local music theaters, to year-round same-sex retirees who love the solitude of what is one of the most unpretentious of Maine’s seaside towns. You’ll see all kinds mingling at the traditional bars that dot the Boothbay waterfront. What’s more, this area is manna for the older gay set: the movie-musical Carousel was filmed on the Boothbay Harbor wharf, and old-timers still talk about the antics of Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae(!!). And, if you hop on Route 27, drive all the way out to the tip of Southport Island public landing, and gaze across the channel at Jerry’s Island, you’ll be looking at the former home of Margaret Hamilton — yes, the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz. So Boothbay has an Oz connection too.

In terms of wedding venues, at the top of your list should be one of the most visited places in all of Maine (one that’s large enough so that you and your party can enjoy lots of privacy): the Coastal Maine BotaniCal Gardens (mainegardens.org; 207.633.4333). Located on 250 acres of shorefront

F

Continued on p 8

flowers are taken Care of if you get married at Coastal maine Botanical gardens, choosing a spot picks your floral decoration.

510 Congress St. Portland, ME 207.772.5313 w w w. a n d rea s b r i d a l . n e t

8 out in maine | Spring 2013

froM Glen to Glen Waterfalls are just one feature of the Coastal maine Botanical gardens.

Continued from p 6

in Boothbay, just a mile or two from town, the gardens — rated among the most beautiful botanical gardens in the country — seem to be hundreds miles away from anything commercial.

“The gardens are automatically romantic and, yes, you will certainly save on flowers, so you’re already off to a good start when you consider us,” says Kris Colson, director of marketing for the CMBG. “This is a great place to celebrate any life event, but with the passage of the [samesex marriage] law last year, we are absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to host same-sex weddings, the real deal.”

Colson says that she and her team have been working with a number of couples on weddings booked for this year, and are already taking reservations for 2014.

According to their very comprehensive website mainegardens.org, depending on your olfactory desires, there are “a variety of outdoor gardens to choose from for a ceremony, from the fragrant and colorful rose arbor to the gazebo situated by the tranquil Back River . . . choose from the Cleaver Event Lawn with thousands of blooming perennials in the surrounding beds for a tented reception your guests will remember for

many years to come; or select our Bosarge Family Education Center for an indoor wedding in the ‘greenest’ building in Maine.”

A wedding is easy: Since you’re in the middle of a garden, it’s basically impossible to take a bad photo; the Garden’s staff will also work with a number of local caterers, entertainers, and other vendors to help you develop your big day.

“It’s a place that is just really, really beautiful, so it’s very much representative of such a special occasion,” Colson says.

The town of Boothbay Harbor is where the action is, so you’ll want to consider a centralized rehearsal dinner, reception, or both at one of the largest and most central venues, fisherMan’s wharf (fishermanswharfinn. com; 800.628.6872). With menu options that can be customized, a dance floor, cocktail lounge, outside deck, ample on-site valet parking, and 54 guest rooms with suites (and all with water views), it’s hard to beat this stalwart in the center of town.

“Obviously because of our location, you really can’t beat Fisherman’s as a place to celebrate, and one of the things we’re really focused on is the memory because, ostensibly, this is the only time that you want to have this event!” says manager Alan Baldwin. “Gay marriage opens a whole new chapter,

with great outdoor and indoor venues, lovely scenery, and great lodging, check out the midcoast for a wedding spot.

and, frankly, it’s a long time coming. So, we’re really happy to be a part of it.”

Baldwin, a native Manhattanite, also points out that many businesses and business owners share his sentiment. “There is a real diversity in Boothbay, it’s not your typical, sheltered small town on the coast. People here care about other people, so I think a lot of people are thrilled.”

One of the greatest advantages of having your wedding on the coast is the ability to capture scenic photographs. Don’t let the opportunity slip you by. Be sure to trot your party to one of two perfectly picturesque locations. hendriCk’s head, on Southport Island and at the mouth of the Sheepscot River, is one of the prettiest lighthouses in Maine. While the structure is private, you can get away with assembling your party on or near the only small beach within dozens of miles — it will serve as the perfect foreground. Do this as the sun descends over the trees across the river.

On the other side of town is oCean point in East Boothbay, which is a bit more dramatic with its swath of rocks and open sea. Parking here can be a bear, but the view is priceless.

One of the great things about Boothbay Harbor is that, for those who like to keep the party going, there’s no shortage of drinking and dancing holes.

Try Boathouse Bistro Tapas Restaurant and Wine Bar (theboathousebistro.com; 207.633.0400), where the bar tends to draw a surprisingly mixed crowd and the pour is generous. Or, for some true kitsch, wander down the street to the tuGBoat inn (thetugboatinn.com; 207.633.4434) — you never know who you’ll see, but you can be sure that folks from local theaters usually end their nights here with a toddy and some show tunes. ^

Spring 2013 | out in maine 9

Celebrate Marriage Equality! the view doCkside the Fisherman’s Wharf has the lovely aesthetics of the maine coast.

The Same Love, Same Rights®

PORTLAND Gay & Lesbian Wedding Expo

presented by RainbowWeddingNetwork.com

Planning your own ceremony? in addition to our business directory (see page 22), try these resources: F gaymarry.me — created by the portland-based might and main marketing agency, a directory of people willing to solemnize same-sex weddings in maine (both religious and secular) F gayweddingsinmaine.com — created by the portland-based proactive resources marketing firm, a fast-growing categorized list of vendors for planning a wedding

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10 out in maine | Spring 2013

Wedding announcements A look At the sAme-sex couples benefiting from mArriAge equAlity _By Ski p C o uS e n S

By the beginning of March, some 150 gay couples had tied the knot in Maine, according to the Associated Press. To some, that may be a surprisingly small number given the enthusiasm leading up to last year’s referendum — the first time a pro-marriage decision was made by voters. But it makes sense. As marriage equality becomes old hat for many in New England (come on, already, Rhode Island!), some couples are taking their time to plan and partake in the traditional process. To those continuing to plan, those who have already exchanged vows, and especially to those who dove all in during the first minutes of December 29: congratulations! Herewith is our version of wedding announcements saluting all of the above.

F

Long-distance Love

They are a real-life example of how federal marriage laws affect same-sex couples. Longtime Portlander Jill Barkley, who works at the ACLU of Maine, met her Canadian partner Trish Burkholder, a massage therapist who currently lives in Toronto, two years ago at a music festival. “It was love at first sight,” Jill says. “When you know, you know.”

They are planning to wed in July. But unless the

Supreme Court strikes down the federal Defense of Marriage Act (which it just may do this spring, see page 18), Jill will not be able to sponsor her spouse for immigration — one of several federal marriage benefits denied to same-sex couples who are legally married in their home states.

If the Supreme Court rules that DOMA is unconstitutional, Jill and Trish will invite friends and family to a small civil ceremony at Portland’s City

federal marriage laws definitely affect same-sex couples, especially if one is from another country.

Continued on p 12

Jill and Trish

12 out in maine | Spring 2013

Bev, Sue, and their kids

seth and greg

Continued from p 10

Hall. They’ll celebrate afterward “with dinner and plenty of champagne and cupcakes,” Jill says.

From there, they’ll begin the immigration process almost immediately. For a time, they’ll be “longdistance spouses.” However, Jill is confident that “true love stands the test of time and distance.

Ours has done just that.”

The uncertainty of the law hasn’t prevented them from making some very specific future plans: Once Trish is able to move to Maine, the couple would like a larger, complete religious ceremony at Williston-Immanuel Church followed by a reception at Grace. “In July of 2014, I really want to walk with family and friends from the church to the reception sharing the city we love,” Jill says. “We’ll have to serve lots of local food and seafood for our out-of-town guests and whoopie pies for dessert.

And dancing. There will be lots of dancing!”

Jill won’t need much help finding vendors for her big day; she is currently planning “The Way Weddings Should Be: A Wedding Expo for ALL Couples.” While the event will highlight same-sex couples, all couples who value equality are welcome. With more than 50 vendors signed on to participate, Jill hopes that “many couples will attend to get ideas and help planning the wedding of their dreams, regardless of whom they are marrying.”

smaLL, coLd, and joyous

It only took about 30 seconds after the news came down on November 6, 2012, for Seth Thayer to propose to Greg Tinder. This April, the couple will celebrate 14 years together; after having been vehement same-sex marriage advocates for years, they finally tied the knot — outside, no less! — on December 29.

seth thayer and greg tinder will celebrate 14 years together in april. they married on december 29 — outside!

A Colby College graduate, Seth had a familiarity with Maine when he and Greg moved from Chicago to Northport (just south of Belfast) in 2001. These days, both men are self-employed with their own business as well as a couple of shared ventures.

They worked diligently for passage of the same sex marriage referendum and were “cautiously optimistic” on election night.

Early adopters of the new law, the pair was married in Northport, in the presence of two witnesses, on a very chilly day just shy of the new year. The ceremony, performed by a friend, was followed by a luncheon for 12. “We wanted to be married but the emotional effect it had on us was a surprise,” Seth admits. “It was a joyous occasion like nothing before when I realized that commitment.”

moms getting married

Bev and Sue Uhlenhake live in Brewer with their three children, two-year-old twin girls and a fiveyear-old son. While Sue, 42, is originally from Unity, Bev, 40, moved to Maine from Ohio in 1997. Sue is a community social worker assisting clients with intellectual disabilities, and Bev is a commercial real-estate agent.

The pair was married earlier this month on March 3, the seventh anniversary of their first “vows” to one another. Having been together for a number of years, and after suffering through the repeal at the ballot box of the law permitting same sex-marriages in 2009, Bev said that she was hesitant to be too optimistic about the referendum in 2012. In fact, she had rather conservative expectations of the ballot initiatives around the country, Continued on p 14

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14 out in maine | Spring 2013

But, Sue and Paula aren’t done celebrating: they are planning a larger celebration this spring.

Sue says, at the end of the day, she has been most impressed by the outpouring of support from family, community and others throughout the country, calling this “a very special reaction I did not anticipate.” She believes that “in a deep cultural way, people understand marriage in terms of a commitment that other forms of union cannot equate.”

Continued from p 12

hoping that “perhaps one of the four states might extend these rights.”

When the positive results of all four states that passed gay marriage in November, which bested her wildest dreams, were known, it didn’t take long for Bev and Sue to plan their wedding: a small ceremony with children, family, and a few close friends, followed by dinner which they describe as “a good excuse for cake.” Now, Bev says that her life with Sue and the children is like that of any other busy family: “kids, work, and in-laws.” “It’s the regular boring life that I love,” she says, adding that she hopes that some of the more socially conservative members of society could see that aspect of her family in action — business as usual.

a quarter-century of partnership

Sue Estler and Paula Johnson will celebrate 25 years as partners this year. They live in Orono where Sue, 68, is a retired professor from the University of Maine and Paula, 70, is a retired school social worker. On the night of last year’s election, Sue says that she experienced a sudden “sense of contentment . . . that this is right” after many years of working for social causes.

Because the Orono town office was to be closed on December 29, the night when any same-sex couple in Maine could exchange vows, Sue and Paula were permitted to complete the paperwork for their marriage license early. The town manager met them on the steps to issue the document and even offered to marry them. However, they elected a small ceremony in their home, conducted by a minister, with close family and friends in attendance. Sue’s great-nephew visiting from Seattle “was, at 23, too old to be the ring bearer, but was designated ‘Lord of the Rings,’” and a favorite furry friend served as “flower dog,” while strains from violins were provided by the children of neighbors and an local exchange student.

getting ready for juLy

sue estler and paula johnson got their license december 29, and had a small family ceremony, but they’re not done celebrating yet.

Sarah Dowling, a social worker, and Linda Wolfe, a geriatric nurse practitioner, live in Freeport on land that has been in Linda’s family for five generations. The pair had their “not legal marriage” 20 years ago, so Sarah describes being “ecstatic and jumping up and down with excitement” as the results of the referendum became known to the hundreds gathered at the Holiday Inn By The Bay ballroom party sponsored by Equality Maine. She underscores the contrast between the feeling of “devastation” in 2009 and “joy” in 2012.

Sarah and Linda plan to be married at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke in Portland in July on the seventeenth anniversary of their commitment ceremony. They are thrilled that all of their family will be there including Linda’s three adult daughters, five grandchildren, and their 11-yearold daughter. While they are looking forward to this day in July, Sarah is awaiting the results of the cases before the Supreme Court in June hoping that full legal recognition will soon be a reality.

a simpLe ceLebration

Suzanne Blackburn and Joanie Kunian live in Portland. Suzanne is 62 and Joanie is 51. Suzanne made her way to Maine from Ohio in 1974, and she says “Joanie foolishly came from Massachusetts to be with me!” This March will be the eighth year they have been together, so they are marking the Continued on p 16

Sue and paula

Sarah, L and Mayinda, a

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Suzanne and Joanie

chris and byron

Continued from p 14

occasion with a wedding this spring; however, they wish to keep the actual date private. They plan a simple celebration with a small group of family and friends, “something simple that is ours, not too traditional, but traditional.” Suzanne recalls “feeling overwhelmed the evening of the election while standing in the ballroom of the Holiday Inn.” She says, “It took a few days to sink in. I had to pinch myself.

The feeling was awesome.”

Like many others, they received their marriage license on December 29 even though they realized they would have to renew it for their spring date. For Suzanne, the joy of her situation continues to be bittersweet. “As wonderful and sweet as this is, it’s just a step,” she says.

“There’s a long way to go nationally, and especially internationally until everyone feels safe.”

‘in four or five years, the people may wonder why they worried. what was the big deal?’

Wed at midnight

Chris Kast and Byron Bartlett live in Portland. Chris, 52, works for Brand Co., an advertising firm, while Byron, 42, is a vice-president for TDBank. After six years together they were among those who married at midnight on December 29. The ceremony was performed by a notary public with their four daughters as witnesses.

Anxious to share vows, they had a “wedding” celebration at the Ocean Gateway Terminal in 2010 with a whopping 120 guests. Nonetheless,

they were thrilled at the result of the referendum on same-sex marriage and wasted no time to “get it done” legally.

Chris is pleased that the “people of Maine came around” in spite of the knowledge that it just might not pass. “The sky didn’t fall, and in four or five years the people may wonder why were people worried? What was the big deal?” ^

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Seeking juStice for all the US SUpreme CoUrt takeS on gay marriage _by De i r Dr e F ulto n

When I ask attorney Mary Bonauto, Civil Rights Project Director for the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, if she is more optimistic about either of the two gay rights cases being considered by the US Supreme Court this spring, she answers confidently: “We’re right on both of them.”

The two cases each address marriage equality from different angles. On March 26, the Supreme Court will hear arguments for and against Proposition 8, the 2008 California ballot proposition that overturned that state’s decision to allow same-sex marriages by codifying, in the state’s constitution, that marriage is between one man and one woman. In Hollingsworth v. Perry, the non-profit American Foundation for Equal Rights argues, on behalf of two California couples, that Prop 8 violates the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.

Even the Obama administration has weighed in on the side of gay rights, stating in a brief that “Proposition 8’s denial of marriage to same-sex couples, particularly where California at the same time grants same-sex partners all the substantive rights of marriage, violates equal protection.

The Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection embodies a defining constitutional ideal that ‘all persons similarly situated should be treated alike.’”

According to the authoritative SCOTUSblog.com, the Supreme Court has five options in this case:

F

F It could rule against AFER, deciding that Prop 8 is constitutional and that states can deny civil marriage rights to same-sex couples.

F “The Court could conclude that the Fourteenth Amendment categorically prohibits states from discriminating against same-sex couples in the conferral of marriage licenses — the so-called ‘fifty-state holding’.”

F The “eight-state solution” would apply to states, like California (and Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, and Rhode Island), that already offer same-sex couples all of the same rights and privileges that opposite-sex couples enjoy, except for the status of marriage.

In such cases, the Court would state there is no legitimate justification for denying those couples the status of “marriage” itself, “and that therefore it is fair to conclude that such a denial is designed only to stigmatize, or to deny respect, on the basis of sexual orientation, which the Constitution forbids.”

F The Court could rule positively in relation to California only.

F The Court could dismiss the case.

The very next day, the nine justices will hear arguments in Windsor v. the United States, a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a New York couple. This case challenges Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, saying that couples who are legally married according to state law (such as those in Maine or Massachusetts) should be afforded federal marriage benefits.

According to GLAD, which, under Bonauto’s leadership, coordinated the “amicus strategy” (i.e., all those briefs supporting the ACLU’s case), “DOMA denies pensions to the surviving spouses of federal employees, prevents spouses from taking Family Medical Leave to care for one another during serious illness, separates binational couples, denies military spouses support and benefits, and costs thousands of dollars for families when spouses cannot file federal taxes jointly as married; and DOMA singles out gay people and our relationships as unequal, thus inviting discrimination from others and telling our children that their families are second class.”

Several lower courts have already found DOMA unconstitutional.

Bonauto notes that in addition to filing a brief in opposition to DOMA (more than 200 members of Congress did so as well), the United States is no longer defending the federal law in court because the Obama administration considers it unconstitutional. As a result, House Republicans authorized spending in the neighborhood of $3 million to hire an outside attorney — former US Solicitor General Paul Clement — to defend DOMA. “He’s doing a very professional job,” Bonauto offers, perhaps not wanting to seem overly confident. But, she adds, “the voice of the United States of America is a powerful one to have behind you.”

Rulings in both cases are expected in June. A win in either case, much less both, could change the gay-rights landscape forever. ^

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22 out in maine | Spring 2013

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wilD oliVe eVents 879-1074 | jen@wildolivemedia.com With over 15 years of event coordination experience, the professionals at Wild Olive can assist you with every detail for your special day or event. From helping to choose the right vendors, to day-of coordination, we can help you make your event go off without a hitch!

fReepoRtusa 207-865-1212 | www.freeportusa.com Celebrate your wedding or special event in Freeport! From weddings celebrated on the waterfront and hosted in a rustic barn to ceremonies held at quaint Maine inns, B&Bs, or four-star hotels, we’ve got it all – and the professionals to help you prepare every part of that special day. Call or click to order a FREE FreeportUSA Event Planning Guide!

FVENUES: wHiteHall inn 52 High St. Camden, ME 207-236-3391 or 800-789-6565 | www. whitehall-inn.com | reservations@whitehall-inn.com For more than a century, the Whitehall Inn has been the leading venue for wedding receptions and rehearsal dinners in midcoast Maine. The quintessential Inn is located in the heart of Continued on p 24

University of Southern Maine C O N N E C T I N G YO U W I T H T O M O R R O W

Queer History, Theory, and Community in Portland, Maine

Photo: USM students in February of 1998. Annette Dragon Papers, LGBT Collection, Sampson Center.

For information visit: USM Center for Sexualities and Gender Diversity usm.maine.edu/csgd Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine at USM library.usm.maine.edu/specialcollections/jbscenter.html Queer Straight Alliance glbtiqa@usm.maine.edu USM Women and Gender Studies usm.maine.edu/wgs USM Admission usm.maine.edu/admit Admission usm.maine.edu/admit

24 out in maine | Spring 2013

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Camden, one of Maine’s most picturesque towns. History abounds in our elegant and spacious facilities, with affordable reception plans customized to suit your desires. This historic 40 room Inn is the frequent host for destination weddings in Maine.

coastal maine Botanical GaRDens Niki Dabrio Janczura, Rentals and Group Sales Coordinator | 207633-4333 ext. 110 | www.MaineGardens.org | rentals@mainegardens.org Imagine exchanging vows and welcoming your guests amid ornamental gardens, artwork, and a remarkable natural landscape. Gardens are by nature romantic, and everywhere you look at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens you will see the scenery and the magic that can make your own wedding special. We offer a variety of gardens for your ceremony and both indoor and outdoor options for the reception.

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FShOppINg: poRtlanD potteRy stoRe & café 118-122 Washington Ave. Portland, ME 207-772-4334 | www.portlandpottery.com Portland Pottery Supply offers a wide variety of clay, glazes, kilns, wheels and pottery equipment. Our gift store & café features a large assortment of pottery, mostly made by local artists plus great food & coffee. The Studios at Portland Pottery offer clay, metalsmithing and sculpture classes for artists of all ages; eight week classes include 3 hours of instruction per week, materials, open studio time and discounted workshops.

tHe wine selleR 15 Tillson Ave. Rockland, ME 207-594-2621 | www.thewineseller.biz | wine@midcoast.com Since 1999, the Wine Seller has been meeting Midcoast Maine’s specialty wine and beer needs. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff will work within your budget to help you select just the right wines for your special event.

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FSALONS & SpAS: faBu salon anD Day spa 136 Commercial St. Portland, ME | 207-775-3228 | fabusalonandspa.com Fabu, because life is a special occasion. Specializing in fabulous weddings! Open 8-8, 7 days.

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26 out in maine | Spring 2013

‘I wrIte songs to transform myself’ A conversAtion with pop superstAr MikA _by An th o n y G i Am p et r u zzi

To quell any and all rumors and to publicly respond to the ubiquitous and pesky question that has plagued every gay couple since gay marriage became legal in Maine last year — When are you getting married?

— my answer is: No clue. We honestly haven’t really given it much thought. However, there are certain incentives that might influence our decision . . . like, for instance, if Mika agreed to perform at our reception. In that case, we’d order the cake today.

If you have a passion for pop music (and know a great hook when you hear it), Mika’s music is likely chewing up a few megabytes on your iPod, Android, or whatever music-storage device is tops when this story is published. A self-described chameleon of song and personality, Mika, a/k/a Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr., exploded onto the scene in 2007 with the award-winning album Life in Cartoon Motion. It garnered his first number-one single in Britain, the infectious “Grace Kelly,” a song that was accompanied by an exuberant and highly praised video. A slew of other cuts and critical success followed, leading to his sophomore effort, The Boy Who Knew Too Much.

With powerful pop-rock hits like “We Are Golden” and “Blame It on the Girls,” it became evident to fans that if Life in Cartoon Motion represented the whimsy of Mika’s childhood comingof-age, The Boy Who Knew Too Much was a deep dive into his adolescence.

The Origin of Love, released in the United States late last year, completes the trilogy. To be sure, it represents how Mika, 29, has evolved into an out adult who values commercial success now as much as he valued eccentricity and a devil-may-care attitude with his first two ventures. Described as ”completely self-created and self-imagined, a two-year DIY labor of love” for which Mika enlisted collaborators the likes of William Orbit, Benny Benassi, FrYars, and Greg Wells as well as some brand-new unsigned musicians whom he found online, The Origin of Love is mature and methodical, with fewer layers and more of an up-front approach.

With the new album, Mika is embarking on a long overdue, sold-out tour of the United States — you can still get tickets to his April 13 show in Boston, but be prepared to pay scalper rates. Our advice? Splurge.

F

Continued on p 28

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28 out in maine | Spring 2013

Continued from p 26

Oh, and who would believe that this Brit who with his family fled Lebanon in the 1980s and has since called London and Paris home, has deep ties to Maine? Read on for Out in Maine’s inside scoop.

So you’re At home in London riGht now, where i reCentLy viSited And enjoyed A reSpite from the inSAne SnowStormS we’ve been hAvinG in mAine. Oh, I love Maine; I love Maine! you Love . . . mAine? When I was growing up I had a lot of family who lived in Maine, so we would go there during the summer and jump in ponds and play in waterfalls, and I just have these wonderfully romantic memories of Maine. I think I just want to grow old somewhere like that. Actually, never mind when I’m old, I’d like to be there right now, just to go and hide in the woods. thAt SAid, you wiLL be in the neiGhborhood next month, pLAyinG in boSton. juSt About every SeAt At every Show you’re pLAyinG on your uS tour iS Spoken for. how doeS thAt mAke you feeL? I’m kinda stupefied. It’s really

heartwarming. It’s also really good for me because I want to do as much as I can in the US. I look at the US over the past few years, and I’m so incredibly fond of it. I really like how niches within music are really allowed to occur in America.

You’ve got this real wealth of melodic pop music, and I don’t think that people in the US always realize that that’s not the case in the rest of the world, especially in the UK. We just don’t have it.

We don’t have Regina Spektor; we don’t have the Shins. Sure, they come here and stuff, but it’s not the same.

your uS fAnS mAy be puzzLed by SuCh A deCLArAtion. Well, music is alive and well in the US

from melodic folk to melodic pop, even all the way through to music theater in a way that it really isn’t available over here. I think I may just spend more time in America. I have a house there already.

ASSuminG it’S not in mAine...? It’s in Miami. I love it. Just about every person who surrounds me speaks Spanish as their first language. your new Show iS reALLy Stripped down, juSt you And A CoupLe inStrumentALiStS. why did you ChooSe thiS formAt for your uS tour? it SeemS you CouLd be SeLLinG out StAdiumS. Because I want to show how I constructed my record. I just wanted something where people could breathe a little bit. The venues are smaller and during the actual show there will be moments when it’s just me and a piano and then other moments when it’s me and a couple other musicians. There’s a lot of potential to make a lot of noise, but it will be really intimate. I think by watching this show, people will really understand how I make my music.

your ALbumS CertAinLy portrAy A Life CyCLe of SortS, in both Content And mAturity. they Seem very AutobioGrAphiCAL, with your moSt reCent ALbum, Origin Of LOve, beinG reALLy Stripped down, more SeriouS, more driven by voCALS. iS thAt An ACCurAte AnALySiS? Yes, it is. It is

more serious and at the same time more wickedly candid than ever before. There’s less deflection; it’s more about taking that step forward and saying, “Okay, you want to talk about love and life?

Okay, let’s do it through my eyes, let’s talk about my version of it.” It’s almost self-deprecating at

‘i had a lot of family who lived in maine, so we would go there during the summer . . . i have wonderful memories of maine.’

times, and violent or funny at other times. But all of it is real, and extremely autobiographical.

how iS it different from the other ALbumS? I really wanted my vocals to evolve on this one because I do have this fear of repeating myself and becoming a caricature of myself. I guess I wanted to break my own formula and construct something that was funny, jarring, beautiful, but also really well-performed. That was the task I set for myself, and that’s why it took me a year and a half to get this album out.

whAt’S your fAvorite SonG from the ALbum?

I don’t really know. It kind of changes. I don’t really listen to my records, but, this one — because it was such a challenge to make — I’m still fascinated by. It seems like such a haze, this mysterious mission that I was on. It’s only now that I think I understand, myself, what it is that I made. What’s really interesting for me is that Continued on p 30

Perseverance If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it.

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30 out in maine | Spring 2013

Continued from p 28

even my very, very best friends who I’ve known my entire life are telling me only now that they understand the record I’ve made. It’s just now that they get it and I guess it’s taken me time to look at a the record I’ve made and appreciate it. And, I am proud of it.

So, About thAt fAvorite SonG . . .

It would probably be, oooh, I don’t know, I think it would have to be “Origin of Love.”

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And thAt’S why it’S the titLe trACk. Exactly. But, imagine someone telling you that they love you with that song?

your videoS, “LoLLipop,” “we Are GoLden,” “GrACe keLLy,” Are A totAL bLASt At A time when produCtion vALue iS AiLinG. your oriGin videoS — “CeLebrAte” And “underwAter” — Are beAutifuL And quite A SeriouS depArture from whAt we’ve Come to expeCt from mikA. whAt’S next, viSuALLy SpeAkinG? “Popular” is an

amazing video that’s in post-production now. It’s really great ... you will love it.

We filmed it in Los Angeles, and it’s styling.

So, Let’S tALk About your voiCe — it’S very diStinCt And iS often CompAred to the LikeS of freddie merCury. i underStAnd you’re not fond of the CompAriSon. (Laughs) I

for mAny yeArS, deSpite muCh proddinG from the preSS, you didn’t Come out AS GAy, expLAininG thAt you didn’t wAnt to uSe LAbeLS. do you feeL thAt you were forCed by your fAnS, pArtiCuLArLy your uS fAnS, into ChooSinG A LAbeL when you AnnounCed LASt yeAr thAt you’re GAy? No, I never felt forced

into it. And, there was never any deception on my part. I think among journalists there was a lot of frustration with me because I refused to say, “Okay, I’m this thing, now put me in my box.” The reason why I didn’t do that is because I hadn’t picked my box. Why would I put myself into a box that I hadn’t chosen for myself?

It’s my choice. If you look at me now compared to, say, when I was 13 years old, going through some really serious, confusing stuff, I am happy and secure, and I’ve gotten to this great stage. So I picked a box. I’m happy with it. And, let me just say it was a passage; it wasn’t a huge event, it was a punctuation.

‘depending on the song, i’m an old man, a 16-yearold who just had his first kiss, or a sevenyear-old girl with the devil in her.’

don’t think it’s like Freddie’s. I keep thinking, when are they gonna find out it’s actually not like Freddie’s. Yeah, I don’t know who I’d compare myself to. Basically, what I do is all about transformation. I write songs to transform myself.

That’s why I started to write songs, because I hated the situation I found myself in. I wanted to be someone else, or I wanted to be somewhere else. Depending on the song, I’m a old man; sometimes I’m a 16-yearold who just had his first kiss; or I’m a seven-year-old girl with the devil in her. That’s why I love writing music, because I’m allowed to be all those things.

you hAve A reALLy diverSe bACkGround with A dAd who’S AmeriCAn And A LebAneSe mom. you’ve Lived And trAveLed ALL over the pLACe And hAd LotS of experienCeS. whiLe there were hintS of poLitiCS in your former ALbumS, there doeSn’t Seem to be A Lot of poLitiCS in Origin Of LOve. Are you A poLitiCAL perSon And iS there Stuff in there thAt we’re juSt not heArinG?

Absolutely. Origin of Love is inherently political, and I think being from an immigrant family plays into my music a lot. I was born in Beirut and we were evacuated before the war got too bad in the ’80s. Then I was this strange transplant in Paris.

I think it definitely shapes my desires and shapes my music but without any explicit political references. I don’t put politics verbatim into my lyrics because I find that it locks them down and hurts the potential that any song has.

So Let’S Go bACk to the beGinninG. there wAS thAt one SonG, whiCh ALSo iS perhApS one of your beSt Continued on p 32

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32 out in maine | Spring 2013

‘a week after leaving damascus on a donkey, my grandmother is at a hollywood party with grace kelly.’

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Days and Evenings By Appointment Only www.kosmeindayspa.com | 854-0110 Continued from p 30

videoS, thAt foCuSed entireLy on Someone who At LeASt mArried into poLitiCS: GrACe keLLy. teLL uS more About thAt SonG. Ahhh, so

here’s a great example of what I was just talking about. My Lebanese grandmother, who is 15, marries a man in his late 50s and he flies her over to America after seeing her for one day. Within a space of a week, she’s been primped up, had her hair bouffanted and she’s sitting at a table in California with her husband, after leaving Damascus on a donkey. So, here she is at a Hollywood party and sitting at the table with her is Grace Kelly. Grace Kelly is going on and on and sud-

denly my grandmother bursts out crying, and Grace Kelly goes, “What’s wrong?!” And my grandmother cries to her in Arabic: “I don’t speak English, I don’t speak English!” For some reason, I love that story because it perfectly illustrates the frustration of how it feels to be asked to be something or someone you’re not.

[Note: According to other sources, Mika says the song was also inspired by a bad experience with a record company executive, in which he was told to be more like Craig David, another British pop star.] So, when I was making my first record I decided I was going to be who I wanted to be, and the first name that came to my mind was Grace Kelly — I think I’ll try to be a bit more like her. ^

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‘Just skip steps’ Justin Chenette urges young people to take the reins of the Country right now _by Je f f I n g l Is

Justin Chenette may be, at 21, the youngest out gay legislator in the country, and already a member of the Advocate’s “40 Under 40” for 2013, but the group he most wants to impress with his energy and accomplishments isn’t solely in the LGBT arena. Rather, it’s America’s youth at-large, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation.

He was elected to represent his Saco district on the same day Maine approved same-sex marriage, which was “definitely an interesting dynamic,” Chenette says. But while he favors marriage equality — and assisted in the petition drive to put it on the ballot — “it wasn’t something that I campaigned on.” Rather, he wanted to be judged on the merits of his ideas, not his identity.

“I’m of the belief that at some point . . . being different won’t be a headline,” he says. “That’s what true equality is.” Rather than engaging in politics based on his own sexual orientation — “I wouldn’t want anybody’s vote just for” being gay — he kept his focus on his constituents. “I’m seeking to represent a group of people trying to formulate public policy.”

This puts him solidly in the current postmodern political mainstream, he says, observing that Barack Obama mostly avoided making race an issue in his presidential campaigns, and noting Hillary Clinton’s reluctance to highlight the fact that she is a woman until she figured out how to turn her perspective into an appeal to all people.

That said, he admits “it’s a positive thing for others to see and look up to somebody like them.”

He has gotten emails from people far and wide who are inspired by his example. And he is a founding member of the fledgling informal LGBT caucus in the State House, which has five other members.

Still, it’s not gay people he’s trying to inspire, but young people in general. And he’s wasting no time, winning election to the Maine House while finishing the final semester of his senior year at Lyndon State College in Vermont. (He was sworn in shortly after he graduated.)

His secret, if there is one in so personable and open a man, is this: “Just skip steps. Find your own unique creative way” to achieve your goals, he says. That’s going to be the key not only to activism or political success in the coming years, but in all matters in a rapidly changing economy, where traditional paths to prosperity are utterly gone.

It used to be, Chenette says, that education and a little bit of life experience instilled confidence in young people, but in looking at the United States today, he believes “my generation has lost a little bit of that.”

He urges people of all ages to embrace creativ-

F

‘You can do what You want in life, but You might have to get creative about it,’ chenette advises his peers who have big dreams.

ity and adaptability. “You can do what you want in life, but you might have to get creative about it,” he says. Certainly his own story bears that out: He ran an educational TV station in Saco while still in high school (for which he won the 2009 Student Broadcast Journalist of the Year award from the national Student Television Network), served as the first student member of the State Board of Education, and hosted the Youth In Politics show on WGME, among other high-profile, demanding volunteer and work commitments.

Chenette’s underlying philosophy is simple: “If this isn’t working, can’t we just change it?” He wants to teach young people about how government works — including, based on the fact that civics was only an elective in his high school, requiring a class on democracy before graduation.

He hasn’t found age to be a barrier; as one of roughly a dozen members of the Legislature under the age of 30, Chenette says he appreciated all the support and help from fellow lawmakers and legis-

lative staff, who have helped him learn about new issues and parliamentary machinations.

“You’re not going to be able to create change if you don’t understand the problem,” he says. Part of his work in that vein is to explain politics and government to people “in everyday terms,” noting that in many concrete ways our daily lives depend on government — consider that mattresses are regulated, and the government protects food safety.

It is, perhaps, his ability to connect with people, whether in the urban and rural parts of his legislative district, or lawmakers with various political positions, or members of different age groups, that gives Chenette his power.

“It is so easy in politics to dehumanize people and dehumanize issues,” he says. He resists the pull to do that in policy discussions, and certainly doesn’t see his own humanity as setting him apart: “I’m me, and I may just so happen to be a little bit different from someone else, but it doesn’t make me any better.” ^

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