THE FIGHT SOCAL'S LGBTQ MONTHLY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2018

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THECONTENTS

FEATURES 18 THE JOY OF BEING QUEER LIVING OUTSIDE OF THE HETEROSEXUAL NORM

22 LATE BLOOMER

QUEER RAPPER BIG DIPPER

26 THE CROWN JEWEL

THE LEGENDARY JEWEL THAIS-WILLIAMS

30 TREATMENT MATTERS PRIDE RECOVERY’S MATTHEW BIANCHI

34 SAFE RECOVERY

LA FUENTE’S MANNY RODRIGUEZ

36 QUEERING YOUR SEX

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH THE PLEASURE CHEST

39 BITCH PLEASE

BRETCHEN TOWERS AND JACOB VAN HALEN

43 EVERYBODY HURTS

STEVEN GANZELL, PH.D. ON THERAPY

DEPARTMENTS 08 THE TALK

RUBY ROSE

12 THE CITY

CARING FOR SENIORS

14 THE ROSTOW REPORT LEGAL NEWS

16 THE TRANSACTION

TRANS FOSTER KIDS

32 THE SHARE

LOCAL RECOVERY

38 THE MUSIC

JAKE SHEARS

44 THE EPIDEMIC

UNDETECTABLE

46 THE EVENT

ALL PRIDES

48 THE CALENDAR THINGS TO DO

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ON THE COVER JEWEL THAIS-WILLIAMS COVER PHOTO, TOC PHOTO AND MAIN FEATURE PHOTO BY DUSTI CUNNINGHAM MAKEUP ARTIST: ANTHONY GORDON

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THEEDITOR

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stanford Altamirano MANAGING EDITOR Mark Ariel ART DIRECTOR Nadeen Torio MARKETING CONSULTANTS Grey Crouch Tom Pardoe Sean Galuszka Jacci Ybarra SOCIAL MEDIA Mark Ariel Sinan Shihabi WEBMASTER Nadeen Torio ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Sinan Shihabi EVENTS MANAGER Joseph Arellano

>> IN THIS ISSUE <<

In recognition of National Recovery Month a portion of this issue of THE FIGHT focuses on sobriety.

The founder of the legendary Catch One Disco—Jewel Thais-Williams has been sober for 31 years. “After being sober for a while you realize, ‘wow I can do better than that.’

Everybody has gifts that you can bring out better sober, better than if you’re high,” she says. See “The Crown Jewel,” on page 26.

Sober for almost 7 years queer rapper Big Dipper says that he links his “slow growing success of my career as an entertainer with my sobriety, so I have great reverence for my journey.” (“Late Bloomer,” page 22).

Regarding that journey, he reveals that “there have been easy periods and super hard moments too. I’ve been in and out of the program, had a failed sponsor or two… and spent a lot of my time chemically sober, but maybe not making good decisions.

Life is fucking hard… most of the

time. The more time I have the more grateful I am that my day to day decisions aren’t clouded by the bullshit of getting high.”

Also in this issue Syd Peterson writes about “The Joy Of Being Queer,” page 18.

“Being queer has filled my life with extraordinary people,” writes Peterson.

“I’ve met countless inspiring babyboomer era gay men who survived the plague of AIDS and lived to tell the story. I’ve met countless dykes who redefined what it means to be a woman and who fought diligently and effectively for civil rights and to protect our environment. My transgender and gender nonconforming friends continue to inspire me by the way they persevere against daily injustices and make tough decisions in order to live their lives authentically. My LGBTQ community is filled with people who rose—and continue to rise—to the occasion, and my life is so much fuller because of it.”

CONTRIBUTORS Randy Carmenaty Dusti Cunningham Rakeem Cunningham Dr. Steve Ganzell Jeremy Lucido Victor Melamed Paulo Murillo Roxie Perkins Syd Peterson Pickle Ann Rostow Brenden Shucart GET THE FIGHT AT HOME Sent Via First Class Mail 12 Issues: $36 6 Issues: $24 Mail check or money order to: Third Step, LLC 611 S. Catalina St. Suite 307 Los Angeles, CA 90005 PUBLISHER Third Step, LLC DISTRIBUTION Pride In Media The Fight Magazine is published monthly by Third Step, LLC. 611 South Catalina Street, Suite 307 Los Angeles, CA 90005 Telephone (323) 297-4001 Fax (213) 281-9648 Email info@TheFightMag.com THE FIGHT MAGAZINE LEGAL CAVEATS By listing in The Fight Magazine, advertisers acknowledge that they do business in the spirit of cooperation, fairness and service, maintaining a high level of integrity and responsibility. Providers of products or services are fully and solely responsible for providing same as advertised. The Fight Magazine assumes no liability for improper or negligent business practices by advertisers.

Advertisers and their agencies assume responsibility and liability for the content of their advertisements in The Fight Magazine.

STANFORD ALTAMIRANO Editor-In-Chief

Publisher assumes no liability for safe-keeping or return of unsolicited art, manuscripts or other materials. The Fight Magazine reserves the right to edit all material for clarity, length and content. All contents © 2018 Third Step LLC. All rights reserved. Content may be reproduced with permission.

The Fight Magazine assumes no liability for any claims or representations contained anywhere in this magazine and reserves the right to cancel or refuse advertising at publisher’s discretion.

TheFightMag.com For Display Advertising, please call (323) 297-4001

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THETALK > > W H AT T H E Y ’ R E S AY I N G < <

NEVER FELT

“This is a childhood dream. This is something I would have died to have seen on TV when I was a young member of the LGBT community who never felt represented on TV and felt alone and different.”

—Actress Ruby Rose on being cast as Batwoman for Greg Berlanti’s series of Arrowverse shows on the CW, on Instagram last month.

RUBY ROSE

GAY THINGS

“I have two gay brothers in my family and we love being surrounded by gay people and gay things.”

—Actress Chloë Grace Moret (The Miseducation Of Cameron Post ) in an interview last month with Porter.

NEVER COME BACK

DOWNPLAY MY QUEERNESS

“To the woman in our audience who felt it was appropriate to yell, ‘You’re not welcome here!’ at Kate Bornstein, our beloved friend, co-worker, and now family member... feel free never to come back.”

“I always thought that when I got into this business that I was going to have to downplay my Asianness and downplay my queerness, which is not an easy thing for me to do… But now, I feel really honored that I get to play these characters.”

—Crazy Rich Asians actor Nico Santos in an interview with The Advocate.

—Armie Hammer in a tweet to an audience member who verbally attacked fellow cast member and trans performer Kate Bornstein during a performance of Straight White Men on Broadway, last month.

ARMIE HAMMER

NICO SANTOS

DEFINE YOUR LIFE

“I dealt with a lot of repressive attitudes growing up Southern Black and Catholic, and I wrote this book because I want anyone who needs to hear it to know that what you are told early in your life does not have to define your life.”

MICHAEL ARCENEAUX

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CHLOË GRACE MORET

—Michael Arceneaux in an interview with NewNowNext about his debut memoir I Can’t Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons I’ve Put My Faith in Beyoncé.

HOLLYWOOD ASSISTANT

QUENTIN LEE, WITH SON CASPER

“Having a kid really makes you put his life ahead of yours. You have to provide for him, and you have to be on alert 24/7. It’s like a Hollywood assistant on call.”

—Amazon’s Gay Hollywood Dad documentary creator Quentin Lee, in an interview with Queerty.

IBRAHIM EREN

MENTALITY HERE

“There is some kind of confusion of mentality here… once this is corrected we will return to Eurovision.”

—Turkish Radio and Television Corporation’s Ibrahim Eren, ruling out a return to the Eurovision Song Contest until the show bans LGBTQ contestants, in an interview with The New Arab.

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THECITY >> BY PAULO MURILLO <<

philanthropist Ariadne Getty at the 49th anniversary Gala Vanguard Awards on Saturday, September 22, at The Beverly Hilton.

For tickets and more info visit: www.lgbtvanguardawards.org.

S AN DI E G O

HILLCREST AREA MAY GET FREE DOWNTOWN SHUTTLE

SA CRA MEN T O

NEW BILL APPROVED SUPPORTING LGBTQ SENIORS California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a new bill into law that will support the inclusion of LGBTQ seniors in state-administered programs and services for the elderly, reports NewNowNext.

AB 2719, authored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin and co-sponsored by SAGE and Equality California, adds sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to the definition of elderly communities that will receive priority for resources from California’s Department of Aging. The department helps seniors across the state find employment opportunities, receive healthcare and support, and find community among other elders.

Previously, the bill passed unanimously through both chambers of California’s state legislature earlier this year.

O RAN GE CO UNTY

MAN DENIES HATE CRIME WAS MOTIVE FOR KILLING GAY EX-CLASSMATE Samuel Woodward, 21, the man who was charged in the stabbing death of his former high school classmate Blaze Berstein, 19, denied an allegation in a sentencing enhancement that states hate crime was the motive behind the slaying, during his appearance at Orange County Superior Court last month.

Woodward is accused of stabbing Bernstein and burying him in a shallow grave at Borrego Park in Foothill Ranch.

Woodward told investigators that Bernstein kissed him while they were sitting in a parked car, and that the kiss was unwanted and he pushed Bernstein away. He and Woodward both had attended the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana. www.thefightmag.com 1 2 T H E F IGH T | www.thefi ghtmag.com

Prosecutors believe Woodward killed Bernstein because he was gay. Woodward could face life in prison without parole if convicted with the sentencing enhancement.

L OS AN G E L E S

RICKY MARTIN TO BE HONORED AT CENTER’S VANGUARD AWARDS Ricky Martin is set to be honored at the 49th anniversary Gala Vanguard Awards, held annually by the Los Angeles LGBT Center. The charity event honors Los Angeles-based leaders and influencers for their LGBT advocacy. Previous recipients of the Vanguard Awards include the likes of Miley Cyrus, Jane Fonda, Elton John, George and Brad Takei, and Wanda Sykes.

Others to be honored at the Gala include producer, writer, director Greg Berlanti and his husband producer Robbie Rogers, and

The app-based free shuttle service known as FRED (Free Ride Everywhere Downtown) is being considered to expand to Mission Hills, Hillcrest, University Heights and Barrio Logan areas in San Diego. The app launched throughout downtown two years ago, and has become very popular, reports San Diego Union-Tribune.

What started out as a fleet of 15 has grown to 22 and will increase to 25 and then 30 by 2020.

FRED is funded by parking meter revenue and private advertising.

For more info visit www.thefreeride.com/fred.

PAL M S P R I N G S

TOUCANS’ NEW OWNERS VOW TO STAY TRUE TO SPIRIT OF GAY NIGHTCLUB The new owners of the recently purchased Toucans say they will “stay true” to the spirit of beloved gay nightclub, which was recently purchased by chef, restaurateur and hotelier Tara Lazar, who founded hospitality company Foundation 10 Creative, along with F10 beverage director and partner Steen Bojsen-Moller and Dave Morgan, CEO of local marketing agency Reaction Marketing & Promotions.

“We are so excited to nurture Toucans in its new era, cultivating the best of it, while elevating the experience for locals and visitors alike,” Morgan stated in a press release. “Live entertainment will continue to be at the forefront.”

According to Morgan the city’s longest continuously running drag show, Tommi Rose & The Playgirls, as well as popular after-parties for the Palm Springs International Film Festival and Cinema Diverse will continue at Toucans.

The new owners plan to enhance the charm, but stay true to its familiar roots. ■

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THEROSTOWREPORT >> BY ANN ROSTOW <<

RUSTY ARTIFACTS OF ANOTHER AGE Good morning FIGHT readers. I write from the open road, the Great Plains.

No interstates for us; we drive along the two-lane blacktops, the asphalt ahead seeming to melt in the hot sun. In Kansas, we pass the small creeks, the fields of maize and pasture where the cottonwoods fight the wind, the stunted sunflowers crowd the shoulders of the highway and grain elevators beckon on the horizon.

In Oklahoma, the land turns red and the oil derricks pop up like rusty artifacts of another age. Then comes Texas, the windmills marching like giants in a bad movie.

Here and there a longhorn feeds along the fence line.

In the car, the temperature hits three digits and it’s time for another drink. Deadline?

What deadline? Who cares about LGBT news when the heartland of America is calling its name? Hays, Vernon, White City, Electra, Mineral Wells.

58-YEAR-OLD KEVIN BICKERSTAFF, WHO REPORTEDLY ENCOURAGED CLASSMATES TO BEAT UP A 12-YEAR-OLD TRANS GIRL SO SHE WOULD LEAVE THE SCHOOL, HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FROM HIS JOB AS A PILOT FOR FRONTIER AIRLINES PENDING AN INVESTIGATION INTO HIS CONDUCT.

ACHILLE, OKLAHOMA, POPULATION 492

We were going to take a small detour and drive through Achille, Oklahoma, population 492, where a 12-year-old trans girl named Maddie just entered middle school.

Faced with new surroundings, Maddie used the girl’s room rather than the staff bathroom she had used at her previous school. At once, Facebook came alive, with parents calling her a “maggot” a “thing,” suggesting a beating and threatening to take action against her “with a sharp knife.” Authorities closed the school for two days to investi-

gate the cyber outburst, while Maddie’s family now says they will move, for the second time in a few years, in search of a safe community.

Achille wasn’t on our route.

But I think we may have driven through a few Achillelike towns all the same. You can’t tell and I shouldn’t generalize. One of the people attacking Maddie online was 58-year-old Kevin Bickerstaff, who reportedly encouraged

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Maddie’s classmates to beat her up so she would leave the school. Bickerstaff has been suspended from his job as a pilot for Frontier Airlines pending an investigation into his conduct.

HARSHER, DARKER: ROCKY MOUNTAIN LOW It’s always been dicey being gay or lesbian, and it’s been

even dicier being trans.

But it seems to be getting harder out there, don’t you think? Harsher. Darker. I just saw a story about a nine-year-old Denver boy who summoned up his courage to come out to his mother. Because, yes he’s young. But you often know if you’re gay by that age. His mother was so accepting that the boy drew courage from that and came out to his classmates on the first day of school. The reaction was so vicious, that after four days the boy killed himself. According to his mother, he told his sister that some of the other boys told him to commit suicide.

Google Jamel Myles if you have the stomach for it.

Nine years old. That means his classmates were presumably the same age. Little kids can be cruel, but since when are they that cruel? I guess it began about the same time that the grandparents of those little kids started telling children to beat up little girls.

Mel and I have a bumper sticker that quotes Michelle Obama’s famous line: “when they go low, we go high.” I still think it’s a nice idea, but it’s not going on the car. First, I don’t like bumper stickers. We have a round H and another thing, but I don’t want the car looking like a college student owns it. Second, it’s a little self-righteous. Not coming from Michelle in the campaign context, but on the car it’s as if we’re lecturing our fellow drivers.

But I also want to say that “going low” was not a common thing for many years. I’m not talking about racism, or even homophobia. I’m talking about general discourse.

People used to hide their ugly side from public view. Today, not so much.

> > R U S T Y A R T I F A C T S • A C H I L L E , O K L A H O M A • R O C K Y M O U N T A I N L O W • S T O R M Y. • C I V I L R I G H T S L A W < <

TWO MINUTES WITH STORMY Mel is telling me that Stormy Daniels was interviewed the other day, and that she said Trump was not great in bed. She called him “Speedy Gonzales.” Mel just quoted from the Vogue article: “How many details can you really give after about two minutes,” Stormy asked her interviewer? Daniels said it takes longer to microwave a breakfast burrito than to have sex with Trump. (Drumroll/ cymbal clash.)

The reason we drove from Austin to Topeka a couple of weeks ago was to attend two family weddings. After my stepson got married in wedding number one, he and his new wife went to Jamaica for their honeymoon, where—wait for it!—Stormy Daniels was also on vacation

at the same resort! According to Nathan, she was on the phone most of the time and seemed busy. He also snuck a photograph of her in the pool...from the rear. Really?

Are you sure we’re related?

You have a chance to take a shot of Stormy, and you get the back of her head?

And while we’re on the subject of beautiful beach escapes, I’ll have you know that a court date has been set for an appeal of the Bermuda high court decision to reinstate marriage equality on the island territory. We’ve gone back and forth on this subject so I don’t blame you for being sick of it. Just know that some visiting judges will arrive to tackle the appeal on November 7-9, and once they rule, I assume that marriage will remain legal and everyone will live happily ever after.

THE GREAT BOARD GAME OF CIVIL RIGHTS LAW I have a lot of legal updates.

Cases being petitioned to the soon-to-be-hostile Supreme Court. A transgender woman has won her discrimination case against the Florida prison system in lower court. An elderly lesbian, who won a fair housing case against her assisted living facility, has now won a unanimous appellate victory in the Seventh Circuit. A transgender man has settled his discrimination claim against Oswego County, New York. And yet, we have to ask: Whither these victories? Will everything come to a dead stop before the nine justices, who will then turn us around smartly and march us back to square one, or maybe two, on the great board game of civil rights law?

I’ve been reading about Brett Kavanaugh, as have all of us, I suppose. And it’s not clear what he thinks about gay rights or Title VII or fair housing or the Price Waterhouse precedent or marriage equality. I know he’s a religious freedom advocate, which these days seems ominous. But on the whole, he looks to me like he might be better than a number of jurists on the Heritage Foundation shortlist.

I’ve said this before, referencing Sam Alito, and Neil Gorsuch. I was dead wrong on both those men, who now appear to be in competition both for most antigay justice and for worst justice in modern era. Harriet Miers would surely have been preferable to the former, and yet, I bitched when her name was in circulation.

Readers, I just don’t know anymore. Where’s that bartender? n arostow@aol.com

SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 15

THETRANSACTION >> BILL AB-2119 <<

SUPPORT FOR TRANS FOSTER KIDS Groundbreaking state bill approved ensuring hormone access for transgender youth in foster care.

C

BY VICTOR MELAMED

alifornia lawmakers have passed a historic bill ensuring that trans youth in foster care can access proper medical care, reports Gay Star News.

The bill, AB-2119, introduced by gay Assemblymember Todd Gloria, mandates that the California Department of Social Services develop guidelines by 2020. The guidelines are to outline best practices, ensuring trans youth are aware of their options. Additionally, the guidelines would allow them to access Medi-Cal services to pursue hormone or other medically necessary treatments.

“With this bill, I hope those foster youth will be assured that we see you. We care about you, and there is a place for you in

TODD GLORIA California,” Gloria said in a statement.

Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur believes this bill has the possibility to save lives. “[The bill] gives LGBTQ foster youth room to focus

on other important aspects of their lives, including succeeding in school, building healthy relationships, and fully engaging in positive youth development programs,” Zbur said in a statement. n

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>> FOLSOM STREET FAIR <<

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BY S

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RSON

>> QUEERNESS <<

I don’t think being gay is a choice. But if it were, I’d choose it.

Messaging about LGBTQ people has evolved a lot in the past 15 years. About thirty ballot measures, a SCOTUS case or two, and fifty celebrity comingsout ago, there was a short-lived campaign message in response to a ballot measure to outlaw marriage equality in some state. It went something like this: “Why would anyone choose to be gay?”

The obviously-heterosexual yet well-meaning campaign marketing wonk that I imagine created this message meant well. S/he was trying to express that sexual orientation can’t be a choice because nobody would choose to experience antigay violence and discrimination. That nobody would choose the hardships associated with being LGBTQ. The thing is, I think a lot of heterosexuals are so horrified by the idea of experiencing social hardships that they can’t see how satisfying being queer can be.

Heterosexual Marketing Wonk was partially correct: part of being LGBTQ means being an outsider. Part of the outsider experience includes being mistreated, discriminated against, and ignored. It’s because we’re a minority: we vary from the norm and there are fewer of us. But to define LGBTQ lives solely by our hardships is to be blind to the joys and advantages of queerness.

Let me explain, because there are a bunch of reasons why living outside of the heterosexual norm is awesome. First of all, there’s the sex. I can’t speak for women’s experiences, but for men who have sex with men, the absence of women allows us to explore and push the limits of our sexualities. In addition, physically and emotionally experiencing sex as a man definitely gives us insights into, and makes us better at, having sex with men. But it’s even more than that. Being gay activates me to explore and expand my desires. I love how, compared to most of my straight friends, my sex life is adventurous and kinky, but compared to most of my gay friends, it’s tame and even a little prudish.

Of course, being queer is so much more than sex. For example, being an outsider means I get to opt out of societal expectations that don’t serve me. It helps me follow my own path. For example, I fought for marriage equality for the better part of two decades because it was the right thing to do and because marriage can be a great thing for some people.

But my queer experience taught me that marriage and monogamy aren’t the right fit for me. It’s not just the sex: I embrace the complicated webs of relationships that connect me with other men. I learned that I can love more than one person at the same time.

It’s like I added another dimension to my heart. While it’s possible for heterosexuals to examine institutions, the pull of mainstream culture is incredibly strong.

Most humans find it hard to question the status quo unless the status quo isn’t an option.

Being outsiders puts LGBTQ people in a position to critique norms. I’d love to write a book called, I Was A Sissy Elementary School Kid. I wore a bow tie nonironically. I was gentle and sensitive. I didn’t like play-

ing outside because it got my clothes dirty. I identified with female superheroes as much as I did bespectacled nerd boy cartoon characters. I rehearsed show tunes—I kid you not—with the girls on the playground at recess instead of playing football and soccer with the boys. I was bulled and ostracized because I didn’t act the way that boys were supposed to act.

Years later, part of coming out felt like embracing my inner sissy 5th grader. I could own my sissyness because nobody could use it is as a weapon against me any longer. What were they going to do, accuse me of being gay? But it was more than that. Loving my authentic self led me to conclusions about gender roles in our society. Why do we have these rules about how boys should and shouldn’t act? What negative effects occur when boys and men feel pressure to appear strong and emotionless? How might I help my male friends—heterosexual or otherwise—to break out of these rigid roles and expand our common understanding about what it means to be a man? My outsider status helped me think about these issues and take steps to change society.

Further, being outsiders has led LGBTQ people to develop our own subcultures. We create distinct and groundbreaking art, music, literature, drama, theory, and scientific advances. Have you ever wondered why so many important historical figures would be called lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans today? I think it’s because their outsider status helped them see the world in a different way.

Being queer also made me a better person.

Experiencing homophobia from an early age made me more attuned to other forms of discrimination and disenfranchisement. I’ll never truly understand what it feels like to be a woman, or person of color, or a trans person, or a person with a disability, but my queer life has enabled me to have empathy for people who experience bias and ignorance because they’re different.

Being queer has filled my life with extraordinary people. I’ve met countless inspiring baby-boomer era gay men who survived the plague of AIDS and lived to tell the story. I’ve met countless dykes who redefined what it means to be a woman and who fought diligently and effectively for civil rights and to protect our environment. My transgender and gender nonconforming friends continue to inspire me by the way they persevere against daily injustices and make tough decisions in order to live their lives authentically. My LGBTQ community is filled with people who rose—and continue to rise—to the occasion, and my life is so much fuller because of it.

Why would anyone choose to be LGBTQ? Because the sex is great. Because we don’t have to waste time caged in institutions that don’t serve us. Because it provides us a special perspective on mainstream culture. Because it can make us more empathetic.

Because being part of LGBTQ cultures is inspiring.

In 1968, gay activist pioneer Frank Kameny coined the slogan, “Gay is Good!” I’d take it one step further: “Queer is Colossal!”

“Being queer is so much more than sex. For example, being an outsider means I get to opt out of societal expectations that don’t serve me. It helps me follow my own path.”

SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 19

Fifteenth Statewide Conference Integrating Substance Use, Mental Health, and Primary Care Services:

Disruptive Innovations and sustaining change Featured Track:

Proposed Presentations: Increasing Cultural Humility: Working with Transgender Clients Role of Family Support for LGBTQ Transitional Age Youth Meeting the Unique Legal Needs of LGBTQ Seniors

Hilton Universal City Hotel at Universal City October 24-25, 2018 Register at: www.uclaisap.org/COD 2 0 T H E F IGH T | www.thefightmag.com

SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 21

“Everyday

Late Bloomer

LA-based queer rapper Big Dipper on body positivity, recovery and his new album.

BY MARK ARIEL | PHOTO BY RAKEEM CUNNINGHAM

2 2 T H E F IIGH 22 GH T | www.thefightmag.com

is an uphill battle…

I’m a white person making hip hop and rap music. I’m a queer person fighting to cut through a predominantly heteronormative industry. I’m a fat person sexualizing my body. These are all things that aren’t normally seen or accepted in mainstream culture,” explains LA-based queer rapper Big Dipper (BD) in an interview with THE FIGHT. When asked if he thinks the LGBTQ community has evolved over the past few years regarding attitudes towards different body types, BD has a straightforward answer: “I think the people who like fucking fat people still like fucking fat people and the people who think we are gross still think we are gross. I find most cultural evolution is less about an actual shift in mindset, and more about a greater visibility for the alternative point of few.”

Sober for almost 7 years BD says that he links his “slow growing success of my career as an entertainer with my sobriety, so I have great reverence for my journey.”

Regarding that journey, BD reveals that “there have been easy periods and super hard moments too. I’ve been in and out of the program, had a failed sponsor or two… and spent a lot of my time chemically sober, but maybe not making good decisions.

Life is fucking hard… most of the time. The more time I have the more grateful I am that my day to day decisions aren’t clouded by the bullshit of getting high.”

Nowadays, after the huge success of his recent video Lookin, an electronic-pop bop showing big men joyously dancing, celebrating their bodies, and singing in unison at a car wash in jean cut-offs, (check it out on YouTube!) BD has a lot to look forward to. His new album Late Bloomer has been receiving rave reviews (“Queer rap at its finest,” wrote Out magazine) and the future looks bright for this up and coming star.

“I’m so happy that Late Bloomer is finally out on iTunes and available everywhere. This is my first full length album project and it’s like my baby. I’ve got dope features on the album from Shea Coulée, Uncle Meg, Will Sheridan, Peppermint, Show You Suck, Rena, Divoli S’vere, and others. It really flows from start to finish and has songs for all your moods. Plus a bonus track!… I’m so super proud of this body of work. It’s my most authentic and honest collection of songs ever and I think it really represents me as a songwriter, an artist, and a person.”

Contact info: bigdipperjelly.com, youtube.com/bigdippermusic, bigdippermusic. tumblr.com, facebook.com/bigdipperjelly.

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THECROWNJEWEL

Jewel Thais-Williams, founder of the legendary Jewel’s Catch One Disco, on activism, life in sobriety and her holistic care organization.

BY PICKLE | PHOTO BY DUSTI CUNNINGHAM

In

the early 70s, a young Jewel Thais-Williams purchased the Diana Club on Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles and, against resistance and all odds, transformed the space into the legendary Jewel’s Catch One Disco.

At a time when the idea of even a female bartender was controversial, Thais-Williams, a queer woman of color, stood at the helm of what would become one of the most famous gay nightclubs in the world, an oasis for queer people of color and their allies.

Frequented by celebrities, personalities and queer people from all walks of life, the club provided community in an otherwise harsh and oppressive world. Gathered by the music, dancing, and the common heartbeat of people looking for love and acceptance, Catch One and indeed all of Thais-William’s ventures have had activism and community at their core. After handing the keys to the club over to what is now called Union, ThaisWilliams shifted her focus to her holistic care organization, The Village Health Foundation.

In an interview with THE FIGHT Jewel talks about spiritual teachers, activism and her life in sobriety.

Who is someone that inspires you today?

There’s so many people. Most recently, my mentor and friend Donald Kilhefner, who was one of the founders of the LGBT Center. He is a psychologist and he helped shaped who am, and especially made it so that I was appreciate and accepting of who I was. Black, lesbian, alcohol and drug abuse, whatever my issues were, he was always there, first as my psychologist and since then as a friend for the last 25 years.

Celebrities and personalities often frequented Catch One. Do you have a favorite celebrity story?

Well, I really liked the idea of how the patrons of the club, the gays and lesbians who came to the club, perceived themselves as being personalities. Celebrities would feel comfortable coming and partying without security guards because it was actually about the music and being yourself. They were there for the party! There was one individual

2 6 T H E F IGH T | www.thefightmag.com

who came and she was really the only one that people tried to rush for her autograph.

And who was that?

Janet Jackson.

Do you have a favorite look or costume that really blew you away at Catch One? Just about every Halloween folks really went out for the costume contest. These folks looked like they had professional made costumes but they were their own looks and their own creativity. All the drag and hair and make up that these people did themselves, some people don’t realize.

You are drug and alcohol free?

Yes, for the last 31 years.

Alcohol and drug abuse is a big issue in the gay community. What would you say to someone struggling with that right now?

I would try to get to the bottom of why it was they were doing it, what it made them feel like. Then I would want to convince them that they’re better than that.

You don’t really know what skills or talents you really have that after being sober for a while you realize, “wow I can do better than that.” Everybody has gifts that you can bring out better sober, better than if you’re high. You are better than that.

Courage is not the absence of fear so much as it is doing something in spite of fear. Tell me about a time you faced a fear and overcame it.

There’s so many. There’s constant fear of failing and not making it. What if this happens, what if that happens. But wow, all my life there was some kind of obstacle, whether it was about being black or being gay or being a woman. About being overweight, it was always about something. Somewhere along the line I came to the conclusion that fear was the absence of faith. So if I turn it around, instead of being afraid of what might happen, believing that whatever it is, I have what it takes to overcome what may be coming my way. You go from that to finally

after years and help from spiritual teachers to realizing that most of what you fear, a big part of it, like 90 percent of it, never happens. We spend a lot of energy worrying about stuff that’s not going to happen anyway. So whenever a fear comes up I put that belief to work. I have a mantra: “I let go of the past, I am at peace.”

Your activism in the community has been at the heart of everything you’ve done. Can you describe your organization, Village Health Foundation?

We provide nutritional counseling and holistic care and my job as an elder in the community too is to make sure I’m available for counseling needs, whatever they are whether they’re health related or not.

How long have you been interested in holistic care?

Pretty much as long as I can remember.

My folks are from the South and believed in herbal remedies, and it worked. My older sister is 87 and the youngest is 52 and we’re all in good health. And my dad lived to be 91, my mom was 96 and my grandmother was 93 and she had never been to a doctor in her entire life!

What is something you’d like to say to a new generation of queer people of color who are coming up in the world today?

Respect, remember and carry on the legacy that we’ve already laid down for them. Be appreciative that there were hard-fought battles for everything they might take for granted now. We were the ones who did that. I’m here to aid them if they need it. I have several young people who make an appointment and come by the clinic because they just want to talk. I appreciate being there for them.

For more information about Village Health Foundation, you can visit www.villagehealthfoundation.org. A feature length documentary detailing Thais-Williams and her experience with the nightclub, Jewel’s Catch One, is available for streaming on Netflix.

“ … All my life there was some kind of obstacle,

> > C O V E R F E AT U R E < <

whether it was about being black or being gay or being a woman.

Somewhere along the line I came to the conclusion that fear was the absence of faith. So if I turn it around, instead of being afraid of what might happen, believing that whatever it is, I have what it takes to overcome what may be coming my way.”

SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 27

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MATTHEW BIANCHI

Treatment Matters Pride Recovery LA delivers evidence-based addiction treatment to serve the whole queer person.

BY MATTHEW BIANCHI | PHOTO BY DUSTI CUNNINGHAM

LGBTQ

people are outsiders everywhere they go. Sure, “things get better,” but “better” is in comparison to centuries of “other.”

Under the best of circumstances, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) people are accepted or included or allowed. Unlike members of other minority communities, queer folk aren’t even guaranteed inclusion in their own families. To live with this burden day in and day out is to live with a traumatic injury, a traumatic injury that many members of our LGBTQ world treat with things like alcohol, drugs, food, shopping, and the compulsive pursuit of sex and love.

Traditional treatment populations mirror those found in the larger culture, exposing LGBTQ people to the same relational trauma that brought them into treatment in the first place. To cope, queer people use old broken coping skills, sometimes reinforcing their trauma instead of healing it. It’s no wonder that many LGBTQ people often relapse, sometimes even before treatment is finished.

LGBTQ-Affirmative addiction treatment addresses the relational wounding associated with being LGBTQ while delivering evidence-based addiction treatment to serve the whole queer person.

If you’re reading this, you likely work with people who suffer from addiction. If you’re reading this, you’re more aware than you want to be about the stories behind the statistics.

You understand that when The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports annual national opioid death rates surpassing 15,400, we’re talking about people—many of them under 30—who were once hopeful about and even committed to recovery. If you’re reading this, you’re probably on the front lines of an epidemic that is killing off a generation. You’re probably thinking of members of that last generation right now.

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably watched methamphetamine destroying a generation. You know that while direct overdose from this drug is not as common as death from other drugs, collateral death from things like dehydration, meth-induced violence,

3 0 T H E F IGH 30 I GH T | www.thefightmag.com www.thefightmag.com

and fentanyl- laced meth are on the rise.

You know that meth use increases risk for transmission of diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C. You know that meth leaves an ugly corpse. It leaves thinning bodies, facial acne and sores, rotting teeth and droopy facial skin. Before it kills, it just makes its users crazy, leaving them paranoid and scratching and psychotic.

If you’re reading this, you’ve been exposed to discussions that poo-poo marijuana’s damaging properties. As cannabis products become more and more legal, so does abuse of those products. The CDC reports that 22.2 million Americans use marijuana at least once a week. With a rise in use comes a rise in things like marijuanarelated psychosis and related disorders.

For all the ongoing discussion about drugs like heroin and meth, alcohol remains the number one killer of people who abuse it. According to the CDC, 54,379 people died from alcohol and alcohol-related death in 2016. Among people between the ages of 18 and 34, binge drinking is common; one in six Americans binge drink on the weekends, consuming a yearly average of 467 drinks each. That’s about 10 drinks per binge. If someone were to have those 10 drinks within a two-hour sitting, they would be at risk for alcohol poisoning or death... or more treatment, if they survive.

Scary statistics generally, but let’s look at them proportionally.

A 2016 Gallup poll reported that 4.1% of Americans identify as LGBTQ. So why is it that members of this relatively small population are 200% more likely to smoke cigarettes than their heterosexual, genderconforming counterparts? Why are LGBTQ people 12.2% more likely to use meth and 9.5% more likely to use heroin than their heterosexual counterparts? Why are LGBTQ instances of alcohol abuse more than 10% higher than that of the general population?

When all is said and done, does it matter? Or does it matter that we meet this population with treatment that understands the degree of risk LGBTQ people face? Affirmative addiction treatment not only acknowledges these risks, but it addresses the traumatic wounding of LGBTQ people while providing evidencebased treatment. More than providing a safe space, Affirmative treatment provides fertile ground for real healing, and points LGBTQ people toward a sober future.

For more info on LGBTQ-Affirmative addiction treatment call Pride Recovery Los Angeles at 844-303-5551.

SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 31

THIS PAGE IS SPONSORED BY

THESHARE >> BY PAULO MURILLO <<

KEEP COMING BACK

We asked a few local clean and sober individuals why they stay sober and what they do to maintain their continuous recovery.

ADAHIN GUILLEN

HAVE CONTROL “I’m sober because I choose to be alive and I choose to have control over my life. When I’m sober, I am able to be loved and care for people and not be selfish. I help people achieve their goals. I choose to be a person who has knowledge and is aware of the things that are happening in his life. That wasn’t the case before. I didn’t care about anybody. I did not have control of my life and I was almost crazy outside on the streets. I don’t want that future for myself. I maintain my sobriety by being honest. I have a few people that I love and trust and whenever I feel like I need to talk to someone when my head is going crazy, I reach out to them. I also try to stay in the middle of the boat. I go out there. I talk to people. I reach out my hand. I commit to things even if I’m not comfortable, like today, I don’t feel comfortable talking over the phone because of my English barrier. But today, I overcome those fears and I choose to be a better person.”

—Adahin Guillen, sober since December 21, 2015.

LOVE MYSELF “I stay sober because when I was out there using, I was a mess. I just couldn’t cope with it anymore. I have to stay sober because I want

AYANNA MILLER

www.thefightmag.com 3 2 T H E F IGH T | www.thefi ghtmag.com

different things. The more I get sober, the better my life becomes. I make a great connection with different people who I never thought I would be friends with.

I started to learn to love myself and not beat myself up. I keep my sobriety by reaching out to my support group and doing things like going back to the Van Ness Recovery House and being of service to the newer residents and just helping out.

I also work the 12 steps with my sponsor. Now I’m a worker among workers.

And I’m learning to have hobbies, instead of just having free time and just being in my head. Today I’m happy.”

—Ayanna Miller, sober since January 9, 2018.

BEING PRESENT “I’m sober today is because I like being present. I like having more self-esteem. I like being able to support myself. I have friends now and I can be a friend and I have peace and serenity in my life. How I stay sober is I remember what my consequences of drugs and alcohol use are for me. Today I’m honest with people about how I feel. I BRANDON DEHART reach out and call people, I try to help other people and I practice discipline by doing what I am supposed to do and doing what I say I’m going to do.”

—Brandon DeHart, sober since August 26, 2016.

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SAFE RECOVERY 7 reasons why choosing an LGBTQ-affirmative program matters.

BY MAN NY RODRI GUE Z

P H O T O B Y A A R O N J AY Y O U N G

There

is much to consider when choosing a treatment program for substance abuse and addiction, but one of the most important aspects of this process is to make sure the facility of your choice takes all your needs, even those that don’t specifically focus on your addiction, into account. This can mean anything from helping you learn to cope with psychological disorders to respecting your culture, religion, or ethnicity. It can also include your sexuality and/or gender, which is why finding an LGBTQ-affirmative program is important to a safe recovery.

LGBTQ-IDENTIFYING PEOPLE NEED SPECIALIZED CARE. If you identify as LGBTQ, you will often require some sort of specialized treatment for addiction (National Institute on Drug Abuse). For example, people in the LGBTQ community who have addictions are more likely to have a secondary diagnosis in addition to their substance use disorders.

Co-occurring disorders in general require care by qualified professionals, and facilities that specifically work with LGBTQ individuals should also be versed on presenting problems that are unique to this population.

LGBTQ PEOPLE HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

MANNY RODRIGUEZ, LA FUENTE HOLLYWOOD TREATMENT CENTER

A recent study by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that people who identify as “sexual minorities” or those in the LGBTQ community have a higher rate of substance abuse and addiction, just like they have a higher rate of psychological disorders. This intensifies the need in this community, not only for treatment, but for care that takes one’s sexuality and/or gender into account, care that focuses on helping people who are both LGBTQ and addicted individuals.

An LGBTQ-specific program can offer this.

LGBTQ PEOPLE OFTEN NEED TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE. People who identify as a sexuality other than straight or as a non-cis gender have a higher rate of experiencing trauma and violence throughout their lives. These trauma rates can be higher in certain populations within the LGBTQ community, especially for trans women of color (Office for Victims of Crime). Trauma-informed care is a specific type of addiction treatment that focuses on helping a person work through their experiences and avoiding further traumatization, a type of care that is easier to find at LGBTQ-affirmative programs.

PATIENTS CAN BE NEAR OTHERS WITH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. If you choose an LGBTQ-affirmative program, you will be around other people who have experienced many of the same 3 4 THE T H E F IGH T | www.thefi www.thefightmag.com 34 ghtmag.com

things you have, people who belong to the same community you do. This not only makes being in treatment easier for many individuals, but it can promote healing, especially since it strengthens the sense of safety patients receive in their treatment programs.

THESE PROGRAMS SEE PATIENTS AS INDIVIDUALS. The LGBTQ community is vast and nuanced; not everyone who fits under this umbrella is the same, has had the same experiences, or needs the same treatment. Facilities that offer LGBTQ-affirmative care are more likely to treat patients as individuals because of this fact, rather than giving everyone a one-size-fitsall treatment program.

Individualized treatment is often the cornerstone of a strong recovery.

LGBTQ PROGRAMS OFFER ADDITIONAL OPTIONS. Often, these programs offer more than just evidencebased treatments like medication and behavioral therapy. In addition, they may offer group sessions where patients can talk about issues like discrimination, coming out, identity, and other important topics to the LGBTQ community. These programs may also provide options like holistic treatments, nutrition and smoking cessation classes, and others. After all, these programs should be focused on going beyond basic addiction treatment and truly helping people recover mind, body, and soul.

LGBTQ PROGRAMS ARE JUDGEMENT-FREE. Many people who define themselves as gay, lesbian, trans, bisexual, queer, or have a non-conforming gender struggle with judgement: at home, at work, from friends, and from society. This almost always creates isolation can sometimes lead to substance abuse. At a treatment center like La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center that offers LGBTQ-affirmative care, you will be able to find a space that does not judge people and allows patients to be themselves. Simply put, it is a space to recover from drug abuse and to begin to feel like you again, no matter whom you are.

For more info visit La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center at: www.lafuentehollywood.com.

SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 35

Back to school with The Pleasure Chest, the only sex industry store to host free weekly sex education workshops.

At While the

mainstreaming of the embrace of sexuality has taken sex toys out of the shadows, we still aim to create a carefully crafted balance of putting people at ease.

the Pleasure Chest we often say that your sexiest body part is your mind. It’s even printed on our class flyers every month along with a list of free workshops we offer at four of our five locations in Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. You can have all the new toys and goodies in your tool box, but if you don’t know how to use them, chances are you aren’t getting the most out of them.

We didn’t start out selling sex toys though. Fun Fact: Founded in 1971, The Pleasure Chest was originally a waterbed retailer. Waterbeds were crammed into a 47” wide and 12’ long storefront in the West Village, with some mood-lighting and a few cock rings, handcuffs and French ticklers thrown in for inspiration and décor. When it became clear the waterbed sales were sinking and the toys were flying off the shelves, we switched gears and have since grown to become one of the largest retailers of sex toys in the US. At our founding, Pleasure Chest challenged convention by refusing to block out the store windows with XXX, which was standard for sex industry retailers at the time. From the start, our bold embrace of sexuality, particularly alternative sexualities, as a healthy part of life has garnered loyal fans such as Joan Jett, who has been quoted saying she bought her leather ringed belt from the Pleasure Chest’s Los Angeles store in the 70s, which she later gifted to Sid Vicious.

While the evolution of the sex positive movement and eventual mainstreaming of the embrace of sexuality has taken sex toys out of the shad-

36 6 TTH HEE FFIGH IGHTT || www.thefi www.thefightmag.com 3 ghtmag.com

ows, we still aim to create a carefully crafted balance of putting people at ease and pushing some past their comfort zone. Upon entering our stores you may encounter a life-sized, black silicone fist in view of beginner butt plugs barely the size of a finger—the fist suggestively placed as if to say “someday you may be coming back for me.” Our mission to meet every customer wherever they are on their sexual journey is illustrated in our approach to sex education and our commitment to offer the same diversity in our programming as in our product selection and clientele.

The Pleasure Chest is the only sex industry store to host free weekly sex education workshops nationwide and we firmly believe that everyone has a fundamental right to pursue sexual fulfillment.

By offering free pleasure-based education and keeping it accessible and inclusive, we are staying true to our mission: to help you have the best sex of your life. Since we launched our Pleasure Ed program in 2009, we have presented classes every week ranging from Butt Sex Basics, Blowjobs & Beyond, and Advanced Anal, to Japanese Rope Bondage, Talk Dirty to Me, and Queering Your Sex which have been attended by tens of thousands of participants. As the sexual landscape evolves and sex toys start popping up on every lifestyle blog and pharmacy website, one thing will remain true as it has for nearly five decades; Pleasure Chest will continue to embrace sexuality in all its forms and will never stop spreading the pleasure gospel.

Now get your ass to class!

SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 37

THEMUSIC >>

SCISSOR SISTER

<<

MASTER SHOWMAN

Full of campy, glitzy, queer swagger and some deeply personal lyrics, lead Scissor Jake Shears has just dropped his first official solo album.

F

BY PAUL V. VITAGLIANO

or those of you (like myself) who were beyond forlorn when our beloved Scissor Sisters announced they were on an indefinite hiatus in 2012, I have some awesome news for you: Lead Scissor Jake Shears has just dropped his first official solo album, and it’s a firecracker! And in fact, much of his output here could easily be where any new Scissor Sisters album could have headed. Or at least partially.

Shears has always been a master showman and purveyor of glistening melodies and a gift of crafting earworms. But what he’s so comfortably fine-tuned and mastered here is much of the Elton John 70s FM radio gold vibes that have crept out over the years. It should also be noted that much of what inspired this record was the ending of his 11-year relationship, and just a general feeling of “Who the hell am I now, and what the hell do I 3 8 TT TH HE E FF FIGH IGHTT T ||| www.thefightmag.com www.thefightmag.com 3 38 8 H E IGH www.thefightmag.com

do next?” And that need for some reinvention really permeates the results.

The other difference is in the production and the playing: Shears was able to assemble an ace team of session cats (members of My Morning Jacket and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, among others), headed off to New Orleans to write it, then to Kentucky to record it, and basically said: “Let’s make an album that sounds live, organic, ballsy and fun!”

And by sending his demos to producer Kevin Ratterman (Ray LaMontagne, The Flaming Lips), and collaborating with people like Lance Horn and SSION, he got his wish in spades.

That classic falsetto of his is stronger than ever, and this record is all things Shears: full of campy, glitzy, queer swagger and some deeply personal lyrics. And potential hit singles abound: “Big Bushy Mustache”, “Creep City”, and “S.O.B.” (Sex On The Brain)” are all as funky and deliciously decadent as any early Scissors’ classics; “Sad Song Backwards” is a horny, jazz-hands honky-stomp; “Everything I’ll Ever Need” is (another) nod to any classic Bee Gees weeper; “The Bruiser” builds its dark infectiousness on the rhythm track from Iggy Pop’s “Nightclubbing”; and “Palace In The Sky” just might be one of the most gorgeous things he’s ever written or recorded.

Another element here, is that as a selffunded project (without the trappings of record label pressure or a “band democracy” going on), Shears clearly felt comfortable to really stretch out. But he also knew that everything pretty much rested on his shoulders to hit the mark. So welcome back, Jake. We hella missed you! n Shears will also be playing his first solo LA show at The El Rey Theatre on November 15th.

>> BRETCHEN TOWERS & JACOB VAN HALEN <<

A no holds barred expression of queer identity and a yearning for solace in a world on the brink.

B

BY KIAN KAMATAKI

itch Please was formed during the last gay gasps of San Francisco’s freak culture before the tech belch blew up and swallowed the scene whole. Broke, distressed and disillusioned, Bretchen Towers and Jacob Van Halen found each other in a dumpster fire of their own making.

Bretchen, a drag superstar on the rise, was desperate to start a new band after her solo act Worthless began to peter out. Jacob, a hermit savant recently out of melodic hiding after a post college stint eating his way across Amuricah, found his muse shortly before moving to LA to pursue his music career.

The chance encounter, a one off performance at SoMa leather bar Powerhouse—with Bretchen on vocals and Jacob on guitar, proved ecstatic and wholly unpredictable.

Feed Me Poppers, Tell Me I’m Pretty, the debut record by Bitch Please, is a no holds barred expression of queer identity and a yearning for solace in a world on the brink. Born on

the streets of San Francisco and produced in the Hollywood Hills, “Feed Me Poppers” encapsulates nearly a decade’s worth of friendship, love and resilience in the face of adversity and increasingly rapid change.

Check out their upcoming show dates at www.thebitchplease.com.

Lotus Place Recovery is a gender diverse conscious organization whose goal is to help clients grow into their authentic selves as they work towards self-acceptance and sobriety. Utilizing our team of experienced professionals, we provide a vast array of therapeutic modalities unique to each client’s journey towards healing. Clients explore multiple components of Self and Safety in Gender Expression, Emotional Intelligence, Self-Acceptance, Grief and Loss, Deconstruction of the Critical/Negative Self and the Impact of Trauma on the Self Experience while learning to live a substance-free lifestyle.

Lotus Place Recovery’s core foundation is the SelfAcceptance ProgramÓ uniquely designed by Heidi Wells, Clinical Director and Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, whose extensive background in diversity and trauma recovery contributed to the formulation of a program tailored to address the needs of the LGBTQIA? Community. The SelfAcceptance Program seeks to increase client awareness of the Self (strengths and challenges) while decreasing negative belief systems that mediate the daily functioning experience and contribute to chronic relapse and selfdestructive behaviors. This is accomplished by facilitating trauma resolution; deconstructing negative self-concepts and helping clients discover their unique journey to healing the Self while maintaining long-term sobriety.

For more information about Lotus Place Recovery in Orange County, California please contact our staff 24/7 at (888) 735-3832.

SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 39

at the

OctOber 5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;7

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saturDay, OctOber 6 featuring

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DJ Roland Belmares Visit GayDaysanaheim.cOm fOr Details!

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Political pundit, cultural critic and bestselling author

FRAN LEBOWITZ in Conversation with Matt Holzman Sun, Sep 30 | The Theatre at Ace Hotel

cap.ucla.edu

310 825 2101

JOIN THE CONVERSATION >> @CAP_UCLA #CAPUCLA

CUTIES COFFEE OUR HOMETOWN QUEER OWNED AND OPERATED COFFEE BAR IN LOS ANGELES. HELP KEEP JOBS FOR AND BY THE LA QUEER COMMUNITYâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; CONTRIBUTING $5 A MONTH KEEPS US OPEN! PLEASE VISIT: WWW.HICUTIES.COM/FUND SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 41

42 2 T TH HE E F F IGH IGH T T || www.thefightmag.com www.thefightmag.com 4

>> STEVEN GANZELL, PH.D. <<

STEVEN GANZELL, PH.D.

Everybody HURTS

Therapists try to create a space and a relationship that allows you to examine your concerns and understand them.

BY DR. STEVE GANZELL

Most

people don’t go to therapy because they have a serious mental illness. Most people try therapy because they feel stuck or are grappling with an issue they don’t quite understand. Sometimes they just hurt. Usually they have discussed these issues with their friends or family and find they still struggle. They don’t go to a therapist to get better advice, they go to try to understand and make some changes.

Therapists try to create a space and a relationship that allows you to examine your concerns and understand them. Sometimes this process is described as making the unconscious, conscious and whether the therapy focuses on uncovering aspects of your experience or building on your strengths It may take a couple of tries to find the therapist who is a good fit for you.

This is a normal part of the process. You should feel comfortable asking anything you want. I always tell people if I’m not a good fit, I’ll be glad to refer them to a colleague. This can be for all kinds of reasons, and they are all valid.

Your therapist is supposed to be someone you can talk to. If you aren’t made to feel comfortable asking about your concerns, that can be a good indicator of a less than optimal fit. n Steven Ganzell, Ph.D. Is a licensed psychologist (CA PSY12321) with over 25 years of experience in clinical practice. He is an active organizer, author, and activist in the LGBT and BDSM/Kink communities. His office is located in Hollywood and there is no fee for an initial consultation.

Call or text 323-717-0002.

SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 43

THEEPIDEMIC >> UNDETECTABLE VIRAL LOAD <<

UNDETECTABLE— UNTRANSMITTABLE

Dr. Steven Ganzell, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist Over 25 years of experience in the clinical practice of psychotherapy. Specializing in depth psychology and neuropsychology.

Flexible scheduling and free initial consultations available.

(323) 717 0002 6115 Selma Ave, Suite 200 Hollywood, CA 90028 (CA PSY 12321)

4 44 4 TTH HE E F FIGH IGHTT || www.thefightmag.com www.thefightmag.com

Confidence in the protective power of an undetectable viral load is strengthened by receiving consistent test results, study reports.

H

BY VICTOR MELAMED

aving a relationship based on trust, commitment and familiarity helps gay men rely on undetectable viral load as a means of HIV prevention, according to interviews with HIV-positive and HIV-negative members of serodifferent couples, reports aidsmap.com.

Confidence in the protective power of an undetectable viral load is also strengthened by receiving consistent test results after repeated condomless sex, according to a qualitative study recently published in AIDS and Behavior.

Steven Philpot of the Kirby Institute in Australia interviewed 21 men who were taking part in Opposites Attract—one of the pivotal studies which demonstrated that HIV-positive people who have an undetectable viral load do not transmit HIV to their sexual partners. Although the first results of the PARTNER study had already been publicized at the time of the interviews (2015-2016), the study demonstrates that applying scientific data to one’s own life is not always a straightforward process.

Philpot and colleagues suggest that health promotion organizations could help couples to navigate the issues by describing “viral load agreements.” Couples could be encouraged to negotiate a clear, spoken agreement, similar to the “negotiated safety” agreements that are promoted to couples who have other sexual partners, they argue.

Opposites Attract enrolled gay male couples in which one partner had HIV and the other did not (“serodifferent” or “serodiscordant” couples). Participation was not restricted to couples with any particular HIV prevention strategy or sexual practice. n

SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 45

THEEVENT >> PHOTOS BY TOM PARDOE <<

VENTURA COUNTY

BEACHSIDE

PRIDE FESTIVAL

FOLSOMSTREETEVENTS.ORG

S U N DA Y SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 11AM - 6PM FOLSOM STREET BETWEEN 8TH & 13TH SAN FRANCISCO, CA

PRESENTING:

PREMIER:

C H A RT E R :

S U P P O RT I N G :

MEDIA:

@FolsomStEvents @FolsomStreetEvents @FolsomStreetEvents

4 46 6 T TH HE E F F IGH IGH T T || www.thefightmag.com www.thefightmag.com

>> PHOTOS BY JEREMY LUCIDO <<

DTLA PROUD IN PERSHING SQUARE

>> PHOTOS BY TOM PARDOE <<

THE FIRST ANNUAL

VALLEY PRIDE

STREET FESTIVAL

SEP OTEMB CTO B ER ER 2018 2017 || THE THE F F II GH GH T T 47 47

THECALENDAR

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

WOMEN IN CONCERT. SEE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

RUSH—TOM OF FINLAND FOUNDATION 9PM–2AM

Tom of Finland Foundation, 1421 Laveta Ter, Los Angeles, 90026. Tickets & Info: www.labandofbrothers.com/rush-2018.

A play party for men presented by the Los Angeles Band of Brothers. Discover the depths of fraternity. Pledging is only the beginning!

JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, 900 West Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90015.

Equality California’s Equality Awards honor the inspirational leaders and organizations whose selfless work helps create a world that is healthy, just and fully equal for all LGBTQ people.

STANDUP COMEDY WORKSHOP 3PM–5PM

The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, Los Angeles LGBT Center, 1125 N McCadden Pl, Los Angeles, 90038. RSVP: seniors@lalgbtcenter.org.

Join Caitlin Durante for another six weeks of her Standup Comedy Workshop. Students will learn the basics of standup comedy and how to perform a short set.

OUT ON MAGIC MOUNTAIN 8AM–11PM

26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia, CA Six Flags Magic Mountain’s annual “Out on the Mountain”—the entire park goes gay for the night, which provides an safe and inclusive environment of fun for the LGBTQ community, with rides, dance parties, and performers.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

THE ROCKY LEATHER PORNO SHOW 8PM–2AM

Come up to the lab and see what’s on the slab. Hosted by Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

FILMS4FAGS—TORCH SONG 7PM–10PM

The Resources

Tom of Finland Foundation,

AIDS PROJECT LOS ANGELES 611 S. Kingsley Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90010. www.apla.org.

(213) 201-1600.

ASIAN PACIFIC AIDS INTERVENTION TEAM

FILMS4FAGS—BORN TO RAISE HELL 7PM–10PM

1421 Laveta Ter, Los Angeles, 90026.

Arnold Beckoff (Harvey Fierstein) is looking for love and acceptance, but as a Gay man working as a female impersonator in 1970s New York City, neither come easily.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

JQ LGBTQ+ & ALLY MARCH OF THE LIVING 7:30PM–9PM

JQ International, 801 Larrabee St., #10, West Hollywood, 90069.

For more info visit: www.motl.org.

The single largest Jewish educational program in the world, bringing together over 12,000 individuals from 50+ countries to experience Yom HaShoah in Poland commemorating the Holocaust, marching OUT of the concentration camps, and then going to Israel to celebrate

CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT

14530 Sylvan Street, Van Nuys, CA 91411. www.childrenofthenight.org. 800) 551-1300 .

Shelter for sexually exploited LGBT youth ages up to 17 yrs old.

COVENANT HOUSE

605 West Olympic Boulevard Suite 610, Los Angeles, CA 90025. www.apaitonline.org.

(213) 553-1830.

Provides services to all Asian and Pacific Islanders.

1325 North Western Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90027. www.covenanthousecalifornia.org.

(323) 461-3131.

Shelter for youth ages 14-24 yrs old, HIV support, employment assistance, counseling.

BIENESTAR AIDS PROJECT

GAY AND LESBIAN CENTER OF LONG BEACH

4955 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027. www.bienestar.org.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

2018 LOS ANGELES EQUALITY AWARDS 6PM–11PM

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

dedication to creating positive change in the world.

2017 East 4th Street, Long Beach, CA 90814. www.centerlb.org.

4 8 T H E F IGH T | www.thefightmag.com

Yom Ha’Atzmaut.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

SOUND OF MUSIC SING-A-LONG 5PM–9PM

Hollywood Bowl, 2301 North Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90068 UCLA Lambda Alumni Association and Ivy Pride Alliance L.A. present Sing-A-Long Sound of Music at the Hollywood Bowl.

VANGUARD AWARDS—49TH ANNIVERSARY GALA 6PM–10PM

The Beverly Hilton, 9876 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, 90210.

Tickets: lalgbtcenter.org/gala.

More than 1,000 leaders from the civic, corporate, entertainment, and philanthropic communities celebrate this year’s inspirational honorees for their unwavering support of the LGBT community and their

GAY AND LESBIAN CENTER OF LOS ANGELES

1625 Schrader Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028. www.laglc.org.

Supports groups, legal help, counseling, HIV+ services, substance abuse treatment and more.

GENDER WELLNESS OF LOS ANGELES

116 North Robertson Boulevard, Suite 702, Los Angeles, CA 90048. www.genwell.org Counseling for individuals, couples, families coping with gender identity issues.

JEFFREY GRIFFITH YOUTH CENTER 7051 Santa Monica Boulevard,

Tom of Finland Foundation, 1421 Laveta Ter, Los Angeles, 90026 The standard that all Gay SM films are judged by around the world. The SM is authentic and the men are very masculine, very real. Legendary filmmaker Fred Halsted said, “The best SM film I’ve ever seen.”

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

CRIS WILLIANSON, BARBARA HIGBIE, TERESA TRULL: THE REUNION TOUR 7PM

Plaza del Sol Performance Hall, CSUN, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA 91330.Tickets: Ticketmaster https://tinyurl. com/ybugc9x5 and CSUN box office 818-677-3000.

This power trio of Women’s Music brings an evening of rollicking music and friendship.

Gutsy blues/rock vocal dynamo and songwriter, Teresa Trull; Grammy-nominated multiinstrumentalist and singer, Barbara Higbie; and the iconic singer/songwriter Cris Williamson, bring a mixture of brand new material and old favorites to the stage—for a deep, joyfilled musical event.

West Hollywood, CA 90038. www.laglc.org. (323) 461-8163.

Drop-in services, support for at risk, homeless trans youth.

LOS ANGELES FREE CLINIC

8405 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048. www.sabancommunityclinic.org. (323) 653-1990.

LOS ANGELES GENDER CENTER

1923 1/2 Westwood Boulevard #2, Westwood, CA 90025. www.lagendercenter.com. (310) 475-8880. Sliding scale clinic.

ORANGE COUNTY THE CENTER

12832 Garden Grove Boulevard, Suite A, Garden Grove, CA 92843. www.thecenteroc.org.

PHOTO BY JILL CRUSE

>> THINGS TO DO <<

Hookups =

Visit www.squirt.org to hook up today SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 49

5 0 T H E F IGH T | www.thefightmag.com

ONLINE NOW!

Prty SEXY

Paranoid, Desperate and Horny Looking 4 Sameâ&#x20AC;Ś

A hungry bottom, can party all night and always available. HIV STATUS: UNKNOWN

CALL: 323-463-7001

VISIT: friendsgettingoff.org

Friends Getting Off provides free drug counseling for gay and bisexual men who use methamphetamine. The program combines group counseling with an intervention that gives rewards for negative urine samples. Participation is 8 weeks followed by a 16 week support group and one follow-up assessment.

1419 North La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028 A clinic of Friends Community Center, a division of Friends Research Institute, Inc. This project is supported by funds received from the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Division of HIV and STD Programs and the City of West Hollywood.

SEP TEMB ER 2018 | THE F I GH T 51

5 2 T H E F IGH T | www.thefightmag.com