The Pride LA- Special Pride Edition

the pride PRIDE WEEKEND SPECIAL ISSUE 06.02 — 06.15.2017

| JUNE 2 – 15, ‘17

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⚫ WELCOME

CONTENTS

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EDITOR’S LETTER

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA, EDITOR

Hope in a Dark Time The isolation is supposed to be part of the allure.

But weirdly enough, for me, it felt different. I came out here expecting isolation, maybe even craving it. As a trans person who’s never really fit in with a specific queer community, I didn’t have high hopes for finding “my people” anywhere, especially in a place where everybody’s supposed to be career-driven to a fault, self-obsessed, and shallow.

But here’s the thing about people who actually know what they want – they’re actually some of the most kind, gracious, and utterly alive people you’ll ever meet.

That’s what I’ve found, at least so hen far. Being in the editor for The Pride, and I first came out to L.A. almost getting a chance to know about how the exactly a year ago, I’d never queer community works out here, has been. Never even visited. I been pretty enlightening. Coming out of barely even knew anyone out here, aside New York, where people cling together from a few friends I’d met only months be- against the harshness of the outside world, fore in an artist’s residency. What I knew and Boston, where people cling together about it I knew from the movies, and it had against the even harsher harshness of terbeen enough: Sunshine, palm trees, people rible, “Game of Thrones”– style winters, pursuing their often hopeless dreams to- it’s been interesting to see what people do ward often desperate ends. when they don’t have to spend their time I wanted in. fighting the elements and huddling togethI’d grown up in Western Massachusetts er for warmth. and stuck to the East Coast for my whole L.A.’s queer community comes togethlife. I hated the seasons, the darkness, the er because it wants to. We’re a group of oppressive weather. The idea of California, people who gather in the sun. Do we always a fantasy, hadn’t really seemed like face all the same stuff as everyone else? a plausible move. “I’ll move,” I told myself, Of course. There’s “when I decide I’m depression, despair, ready to be happy.” hopelessness, pain, So I suppose that’s disbelief. There’s even ... hope can grow here in a what I did. true terror when it different way. In a less harsh comes to the relentOne of the first things I figured out climate, nurtured by the sun. less, back-breaking after getting here is political news cycle.

And that’s wonderful. that the shape of L.A. But hope can grow – never conceived of here in a different by its settlers as an way. In a less harsh urban capital – isn’t climate, nurtured by exactly conducive to “finding your people.” the sun. And that’s wonderful.

This is one of its greatest cliches – the idea In these pages, you’ll find stories about that L.A. is a place full of driven, indepen- the ways in which L.A. is carving a path for dent people, driving in cars toward what- itself as one of the few places that’s stayever dream they came out here to pursue. ing true to the American vision. You’ll read

W

“

”

about how an All-American sport learned to embrace and celebrate the diversity of its players. You’ll hear about a queer gym – the first of its kind in the nation – that’s radicalizing how trans and gender nonconforming folk approach working out. You’ll hear about classic gay films getting a new audience, and how a group of educators are working to give religious education a queer-inclusive makeover. You’ll learn about history – the history of L.A.’s first pride, its first Dyke Day, and all the grassroots efforts that started long ago and keep growing with each year.

In short, you’ll hear about why L.A. hasn’t given up on America. And why you

shouldn’t either.

This year, let’s do away with despair. Let’s think about what’s good in life, and try to contribute to it in whatever ways we can.

That’s something that a group of driven, dream-obsessed people shouldn’t have any trouble doing.

INSIDE NEWS:

Dapper Boi Swimwear p. 53 EDITOR Henry Giardina CREATIVE DIRECTOR Amy Patton VP OF ADVERTISING JUDY SWARZ | judy@smmirror.com Please call (310) 310-2637 for advertising rates and availability.

BUSINESS MANAGER Max Montemer max@smmirror.com NATIONAL DISPLAY ADVERTISING

L.A.’s First Pride Parade p. 16

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L.A. Dodgers’ Pride Night p. 34

COMMUNITY: Drag Queen Story Hour p. 32

The Ultimate Pride Guide p. 26-27 Spotlight: “Today I am Here” p. 17 westsidetoday.com

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THE PRIDE L.A., The Newspaper Serving Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender L.A., is published by MIRROR MEDIA GROUP. Send all inquiries to: THE PRIDE L.A., 2116 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA. Phone: 310.310.2637 Written permission of the publisher must be obtained before any of the contents of this paper, in part or whole, can be reproduced or redistributed. All contents (c) 2017 The Pride L.A. THE PRIDE L.A. is a registered trademark of MIRROR MEDIA GROUP. T.J. MONTEMER, CEO 310.310.2637 x7

© 2017 The Pride L.A. All rights reserved.

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ENTERTAINMENT COMEDY

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

06.02 — 06.15.2017

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>

COMING TO L.A.

Chris Fleming’s Revolutionary Gender Comedy In recent years, stand-up comedy as a genre has become flooded with talent.

New talent, mediocre talent, old talent that found a new platform, very old talent that somehow scored an HBO special, you name it. Amidst all the chatter about sex and drinking and cancer and inappropriate moments at baby showers, you might start to wonder, “In queer stand-up, who’s doing the heavy lifting?” “Who’s left that hasn’t abandoned the medium for greener pastures? A comedy writing career, a TV show, a well-followed Twitter account?”

I’ll tell you who. Chris Fleming.

The reason you might not know his name is because he flies almost frustratingly under the radar at all times. From his random facebook sketch uploads (featuring comedy skits skewering everything from NYU theater majors to Gary Johnson) to the mysterious death of his 2012 web series “Gayle," Fleming’s work has remained defiantly, brilliantly niche, and yet it has all the earmarks of viral sketch comedy. So what gives?

Allow me to present a hypothesis: East Coast born, L.A.-based Fleming is one of the most fascinating gender critics around. Not just in comedy. Around. In the atmosphere, on the Internet. In the cultural ether. Fleming has been making fascinating split-judgments about the absurd way gender informs and defines our lives since roughly 2011, and he shows no signs of stopping.

From his creation of Gayle Waters-Waters, a send-up of a New England turbo-WASP housewife obsessed with Bed Bath and Beyond towels and angry jogs in the suburbs, to his lampooning of urban farmers, Fleming finds a way to excoriate the cultish, bizarre tendency of Americans to cling to their assigned gender like a weapon. And, in the best queer tradition, he gets away with it.

His more candid, confessional bits he usually sets to music.

“I Don’t Know How to Talk to Men” is a heartfelt, tuneless ballad about Fleming’s inability to – you guessed it – talk to men (he was raised with girls.) He laments this in the lyrics: “Do we talk about golf or birds?/ Only the nice ones want to talk about birds/ And if I talk about birds with the wrong one/ He’ll eat me for breakfast.”

He goes on, in a later verse, to describe himself as a “big gay poodle.”

Another song describes his problem of dating women who are just on the cusp of converting from bisexuality to purest lesbianism. The title of the track? “Back in the Subaru.”

His “Showpig Tour,” which hits LA on June 6, promises more of the same, but in person.

Watching Fleming’s act – equal parts noodly physical comedy and wordy gender criticism – we might be watching Eddie Izzard

or Noel Fielding at an early career stage.

The difference, of course, is that Fleming is American. Americans aren’t used to having comedians call out the national performance of gender for what it is: Absurdist comedy. What we find in Fleming is someone as unafraid – and unabashedly eager – to criticize pretentiousness and conformity as he is to cross gender lines. One sketch in his stand-up, listed on YouTube as “Am I a Man?” starts out with Fleming trying to address an actual question people have been asking. “Is it a dude, or a chick?”

Not once in the five-minute long sketch does he even try to answer the question: Which is perfect, because that’s the whole point. The question is absurd, and, in the service of actually enjoying his comedy, totally against the point. In fact, even a deterrent to that enjoyment. “Can I consider myself a man,” he asks, “if, in a pinch, I can dry myself off with a hand towel?”

Thank God someone is asking the right questions.

Chris Fleming will appear at Largo on June 6.

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ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION

⚫ BY GENNA RIVIECCIO

>

PEAK OF VISIBILITY

How “Twin Peaks” Got Trans Visibility Right the First Time Even for those who are devoted fans of "Twin Peaks" – regardless of whether they watched the show while it was on or whether they caught up with it recently via Netflix – it’s, at this point, been almost too much buildup for the revival, "Twin Peaks: The Return.” In spite of it being, as a number of critics have confessed, “unreviewable,” what’s not being said is that the show never stood a true chance against its original. This is perhaps why David Lynch and Mark Frost insist that fans don’t consider it season three, so much as a “continuation” or “limited series.”

But the one thing "Twin Peaks: The Return" has kept its trailblazing status intact, as one of the first primetime shows to feature a trans character prominently in the form of Denise Bryson, played by David Duchovny. In the fourth installment of the latest incarnation of the series, it is revealed that Denise has come a long way since her initial three-episode arc on the show. Indeed, she’s transcended from the man who discovered his innermost desire via a sting operation that required him to pose as a woman into the Chief of Staff of “the entire Federal Bureau of Investigation” – she just loves saying the entire acronym like that.

But more than Denise’s position of power standing as a rarely-seen positive portrayal of a trans woman on TV, it’s also her exchange with Gordon Cole (Lynch himself) that is telling of "Twin Peaks’" longstanding depiction of a trans woman as something to be embraced, not fought against.

As Denise questions Gordon about his motives in asking a young, attractive female agent named Tamara Preston (Chrysta Bell) – he has a notorious preference for this type – Gordon reminds her, “When you became Denise, I told all your colleagues to fix their hearts or die.” Although he’s merely reminding Denise that she still owes him a great debt, the manner in which he speaks is the verbal manifestation of the aesthetic beauty that is "Twin Peaks."

Sure, there’s a lot of ugliness in between (especially this season, with all the vomit-

ing.) But, like the hideous and unnecessary disputes that swirl around transness, at the core is beauty – the beauty of being able to become who you were truly meant to be.

And thus far, it seems that there’s been no better delineation of this in television than Denise – though it remains a bit unfortunate that a cis man still needs to fill a role like this. Granted, Lynch was already causing enough controversy in the early '90s by creating a trans character onto a

mainstream screen. Now he’s just employing continuity, otherwise he might have gone the extra mile had "Twin Peaks" been a brand new show in 2017 and actually gotten an actual trans actress to play the part.

But at least in the brief, five-minute span in which Denise appears, she manages to cover more ground in terms of addressing the plight of the trans person than most TV scriptwriters can wrangle up in an entire hour. For instance, her discussion of having

to continue to take hormones offers something tantamount to a Trans 101 class for the type of straight, cis folks that tend to gravitate toward the Lynchian canon. After all, most seem to think that all it takes to change sexes is a swift surgery with no upkeep afterward. Yet Denise, with one wave of her hand to indicate her overheated temperature, retains her place as the part of "Twin Peaks” that’s always been ahead of its time.

See something we should know about? Let know! editor@smmirror.com

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Join Macy’s as we celebrate Family + Friends + Love + Life + Equality + Respect We are proud to join the parade across America in honor of National Pride Month.

We think it’s really something to celebrate.

Plus, join us in our continued support of The Trevor Project!

The Trevor Project provides life-saving crisis intervention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.

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ENTERTAINMENT LITERATURE

06.02 — 06.15.2017

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COMPLETELY BOOKED

Amazon to Open First Brick-and-Mortar Bookstore in Los Angeles Century City is about to get a whole lot more cultured. Internet retail behemoth Amazon.com is spreading its wings in the form of an actual, physical bookstore set to land in the plush Westfield Century City mall in the near future. While Amazon hasn’t released an official opening date, both the Los Angeles Business Journal and the L.A. Times reported plans for an almost immediate expansion of Amazon Bookstores after the Century City opening, including locations in Melrose and Pasadena.

Amazon has had a physical presence all along the West Coast since 2015, with bookstores in Seattle, San Diego, and Oregon. The Westfield property will, of course, be the first Amazon Bookstore in Los Angeles. Amazon Books will also offer a different type of pricing to ensure that custom-

ers maintain a relationship with their digital platforms. Amazon members will be treated to discounts and special in-store deals, while non-members will be subjected to paying anywhere from 20-30 percent more for their purchases. Books will be presented without price tags in the store, and customers are encouraged to download the Amazon app and purchase by scanning. This is a purchase model that already exists at the company’s only current Amazon Go location in Seattle, where customers enjoy a check-out free experience, paying for items via the app as they exit the store.

Plans for brick-and-mortar bookstore locations in East Coast locations such as Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York City are also in the works, also without any specific launch dates.

Lambda Award-Winning Author Renate Stendhal to Host Two L.A. Readings In 1994, Renate Stendhal set out to tell the story of Gertrude Stein as no one else had thought to do before: Through pictures.

“Gertrude Stein: In Words and Pictures” brought readers a new sense of the famously opaque literary stylist, through the hundreds of photographs she posed for throughout her life. Stendhal paired these images with words from Stein’s work and life, and called it a “photo-biography.” The result was entirely ahead of its time, setting the stage for the more ambitious forms of biography that would emerge in the next 20 years. Today, Stendhal has come out with another kind of biography. In “Kiss Me Again, Paris,” Stendhal turns her sharp eye toward her own personal history, writing about her time in Paris at the end of the ‘70s, where

Stendhal began to make her way as a journalist, iconoclast, and sexual being.“Kiss Me Again, Paris” is a story of romantic adventure and coming of age. A young Stendhal wandered the Parisian streets in men’s clothes, looking for the Paris she’d read about in so many books – the fabled place of literary icons, romantic tales, and sexual exploration. “Wasn’t this the life that everyone wanted?” She asks in the memoir, “The bohemian romance of unheated garrets, beautiful women, and broken hearts that turn artists into Artists?” For Stendhal, there was one way to find out. Stendhal will read from “Kiss Me Again, Paris” at Beyond Baroque in Venice on Saturday, June 3, at 1:00 p.m., and at Book Soup in West Hollywood on Sunday, June 4, at 3 p.m.

Get Your Business SEEN with an ad in one of our publications • judy@smmirror.com 310.310.2637 ext. 134

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ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

06.02 — 06.15.2017

LOS ANGELES

>

NOW STREAMING

“The Switch” is the First Transgender Sitcom in History No, really.

Getting a project made by trans people and for trans people is pretty impossible in America. Luckily, there’s Canada.^oIt’s taken a full seven years and two months for Amy Fox, co-creator and showrunner of “The Switch,” to get her vision to the screen. Back when Fox and her co-creator Elizabeth Marston first conceived of “The Switch” as the first scripted transgender sitcom in history, Caitlyn Jenner was still in the closet, Laverne Cox was unknown, and season one of “Transparent” was years away from airing. “We aired the pilot in 2014,” Fox tells me from her home in Vancouver, where "The Switch" was shot, “which makes it the first scripted show with a transgender lead anywhere. There are a couple of talk shows in other countries that have trans people hosting, but we’re the first thing with an actual script.”

Fox knew it wouldn’t be exactly easy to pitch the idea to a network. Getting “The Switch” made involved a kind of suspension of disbelief. Not only was it a project that put trans characters at the forefront – it would cast trans actors to play them: Pretty bold stuff for a show that wanted to go full network. Fox and Marston orchestrated a jam session between members of Vancouver’s queer and gender nonconforming community to workshop ideas for the script. “The Switch,” from the start, was conceived of as a radical show: A story written about trans people, by trans people. From film school to Kickstarter to (finally) a web series, Fox found a way to get her vision onto the small screen. And what a vision it is. “The Switch” details the daily lives of a group of down-and-out trans folks in Canada as they try to navigate the downswings and pitfalls of being trans in a world that doesn’t really know how to handle that fact. When Su, an American immigrant new to Vancouver, tries to pull off a workplace transition, she promptly gets fired. To avoid sudden homelessness, she has to move back in with a sort-of ex (Chris, playing by Fox) who’s also a sort-of contract killer: Hijinks ensue.

For Su, every day is a battle: Having to share a grotesque apartment with a lovable maniac, trying (and failing) to find work, and fighting for her life are just par for the

course. And that’s not even touching on pronouns, hormones, and legal struggles. “I think real world problems make for great stories,” says Fox. “And trans people have a lot of real-world problems.” In someone else’s hands, “The Switch” might have been bleak. But Fox wasn’t interested in making a tragedy about trans life. “There’s something great that happens with marginalized communities in media, especially in film and television,” says Fox. “It gives people access.

First, you’ll see talk shows with trans people, then you’ll see documentaries. Then depressing dramas, family dramas. And I’m like, ‘fuck it, let’s go straight to genre!’” Fox and Marston aired the web series pilot in 2013. The first season was shot in 2015 and aired in Canada last year. If you’re wondering why you haven’t heard of “The Switch” yet, it’s because it hasn’t made its way to

the U.S. yet. At least, not until June 13, when it begins streaming on Amazon Prime. So far, the reception has been positive. “Moreso from people under 50," jokes Fox. What makes “The Switch” a true standout is the fact that it even gets to be on the radar of people who are over 50. Fox’s radical experiment – to put nonconventional stories in that most conventional of formats, the sitcom – paid off. And it all began as a kind of community project. “There was this event called Gender Euphoria in 2009,” Fox recalls. “Having a celebration of trans people was radical at the time. It was a middle of the day, out in the open, everyone can come kind of thing. It made a difference in the way people felt about community.

Community is not a thing that you cling to in order to survive, it’s this wonderful thing to celebrate, that nourishes you. It doesn’t

pretend that things are okay or just, it just says that we don’t have to be miserable all the time. That doesn’t actually help accomplish anything. And really candid comedy is one of the better ways of also presenting stories to people. It makes them feel comfortable even when dealing with incredibly heavy topics. The great thing about a comedy is that there’s less to debate. Are people laughing? If they are, good!” Fox and her team are working on a second season as we speak. In addition to “The Switch,” Amy is currently working on a science fiction show called “Synthesis,” which she describes as an “optimistic space-faring adventure” with “cutting edge politics" and a “positive but nuanced view” of the future, which Fox is excited about. “We all need it right now.”

“The Switch” will be available to stream on Amazon Prime on June 13.

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06.02 — 06.15.2017

LOS ANGELES

> Trans Pride L.A. Celebrates Its 19th Year CULTURE HISTORY

PROUD AND LOUD

⚫ BY ANNETTE SEMERDJIAN

As L.A.’s most prominant trans pride festival, Trans Pride L.A. is a resource for the local trans community, helping with issues of health care, youth services, support groups, one-on-one counseling and legal assistance. Its support services are located at the L.A. LGBT Center.

The festival's social media pages also provide information and support for the trans community. Trans Pride L.A. reaches across the LGBTQ spectrum in providing an understanding of the trans experience and guidance for allies looking to be supportive figures.

The 19th annual Trans Pride L.A. will take place on Friday and Saturday, June 16-17,

at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza in Los Angeles. The festival will include the annual forum series Big Queer Convo with special guest and fitness model Aydian Dowling. Dowling also offers resources for the trans community, including information on how to bind safely, as well as a clothing line through his company, Point 5cc.

The "We Can Be Heroes" exhibit will also be featured at the Center’s Advocate & Gochis Galleries. A mural project by talented artists from the L.A. LGBT Center’s Youth program, as well as work from Julie Kaye, the artist behind Up and Out comics, will be on display to pay homage to those who paved the way in trans history.

The Transgender Law Center will provide name and gender change clinics as a resource alongside Dowling’s self-care workshop. A social networking and activism workshop will also be available with blogger, producer and LGBT activist Andrea James. Jen Rosenstein will also be present for a photo shoot for her book "Transformational Project."

Other activities include a self-defense workshop and a clothing swap, as well booths from over 30 organizations that

will be present to provide further resources and programs for the trans community.

The festival will close with a special dinner for over 500 people and a variety show.

Some of the performers include comedian Ian Harvie and the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles.

Don’t miss your chance to partake in this special summer weekend event for the trans community. Tickets for the festival are free and tickets for the Big Queer Convo must be reserved.

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CULTURE HISTORY

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

06.02 — 06.15.2017

LOS ANGELES

>

GAY L.A. HISTORY

L.A.’s First Pride Parade, a Celebration Born From Strife

L.A.’s first official Pride parade was held June 28, 1970, just one year after the start of the Stonewall riots in New York. The years before the first pride march had been defined by violence, police raids, and targeted protests by a queer community that was just starting to take up arms against oppression.

In May of 1959, trans women in L.A.’s “Skid Row” neighborhood found themselves taking arms against a sea of cops by chucking doughnuts and coffee cups for their own protection at Cooper's Donuts. In 1966, a raid on the Black Cat Tavern in Silver Lake spurred another round of protests from queer folks who had had their fill of police persecution.

In May of 1969, the L.A. City elections found queer people rioting against the appointment of openly-homophobic District 13 council member Paul Lamport (who claimed that gays were “molesters.”) In November of the same year, Reverend Troy Perry, enraged about his boyfriend’s recent arrest after a raid on the Patch Bar, organized a protest in Downtown L.A. calling for reform of the homophobic laws that existed to put gay men behind bars. In March of 1970, 200 L.A. citizens marched on Downtown’s Main Street in memory of the murder of Howard Effland, a gay man who had been beaten to death by police officers at the Dover Hotel.

By the time the one-year anniversary of Stonewall rolled around, L.A. queer activism had already been flexing its growing muscles in the face of injustice for some time. The seeds for Pride had been planted and sewn by widespread discrimination and violence.

On June 28, the queer community came out in full force to make sure its numbers would be seen, heard, and recognized. The revolution had already begun. Now it had a name.

The Christopher Street West Parade, as it was initially named, had a rocky start.

Organizers were denied a parade permit unless they could guarantee $1.5 million in securities, a ridiculously high number that no one expected the organizers to be able to pay. When Herb Selwyn, the attorney for the Mattachine Society, got involved in the process, he fought the police commission's discrimination and won the parade its permit. An early poster for the event proudly advertised the fact, inviting queer folks and allies to come rally at the intersection of Hollywood and McCadden: “parade permit granted!” Bob Humphries, Morris Kight, and Reverend Troy Perry planned the commemoration parade, plotted out its course,

and went about the near-impossible task of organizing a march to promote the rights and visibility of a group that was still, by and large, criminalized in the state of California. Within days of securing their permit, they'd planned the entire march with government-granted LAPD protection guaranteed for marchers and spectators. It wasn’t just a monumental win for gay rights – it was one of the first moments in American history when a denial of fundamental rights for queer folks was seen as a direct contradiction to the American constitution.^o This year’s march, with its theme of political resistance, has been set up as a kind of supplanting of the usual celebration. Instead of marching for Pride, we march for change.

But for the queer community in Los Angeles, Pride has never been just about celebration. It’s been about challenging the status quo, fighting for reform, and keeping sight of how much more work is still to be done.

The #Resist march is perfectly in league with the spirit of L.A.’s first pride celebration. It’s a rallying cry: We must change our country, and that change has to start here, in our own backyard.

ABOVE – In 1971, protesters organize to rally against police brutality.

LEFT – By 1974, L.A. Pride had already brought elephants into the mix.

Photos courtesy of ONE archives

06.02 — 06.15.2017 FEATURE PROFILE

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LOS ANGELES

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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Pride is About Saying, “Today, I am Here”

For years, Hollywood-based William Huth has made a career by making people look beautiful and helping them realize their self-worth. For this year’s Pride celebrations, he looks back on what Pride means to him, and what gives him hope for the future.

People think that the beauty industry is all about vanity, but it's much deeper than that. It's about representing the best that you can be and making people feel good about themselves. I mean, come on: Looking in a mirror all day every day for 20 years hasn’t been easy for me! But I love my job because it helps other people see themselves more clearly.

I live in…

The thing I’m most proud of...

Hollywood

I work in…

West Hollywood, at Chroma Studio where I style hair. I try to tap into people’s inner beauty to reveal their true confidence.When clients come to me, I put all the focus on them. It’s about how they want to look, and how they want to feel beautiful.

My work has shaped my feelings about community…

By teaching me to be secure in myself, and to realize that it's not about me anymore. It's about giving back and helping others. It’s about being of service.

Is letting go of my ego and learning to ask for help.

I'm excited about 2017 Pride because...

It's going to be a march instead focusing on queer rights as human rights. I'm awake and aware of what is at stake with this presidency.

Sometimes you just have to shout at the top of your lungs to be heard and stand up and say “Today, I am here.”

I’m working on...

A documentary on trans rights and what it means to be queer in this day and age.

My favorite movie is...

“Moulin Rouge.” The message is so simple: All we need is love.

What gives me hope...

Living in the moment. Knowing that I can walk out my door every day and face the world and be ok with who William is. Understanding that I'm a part of something so big and amazingly beautiful as this life.

You can catch William on Instagram (@ william_huth33) at his website (wghhair.com) or at Chroma Studio in West Hollywood, where he turns out amazing hair looks on the regular.

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What is TRUVADA for PrEP? TRUVADA for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a prescription medicine that is used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1. To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health.

Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to prevent getting HIV. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION |What is the most important information I should know

about TRUVADA for PrEP?

Before taking TRUVADA for PrEP: u You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1.

Do not take TRUVADA to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-negative. u Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has

recently become infected. If you have flu-like symptoms, you could have recently become infected with HIV-1. Tell your healthcare provider if you had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting or at any time while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin.

While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: u You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for

PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1. u You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP:

• Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months.

• If you think you were exposed to HIV-1, tell your healthcare provider right away. u To further help reduce your risk of getting HIV-1:

• Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners.

• Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you.

• Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners.

• Do not miss any doses of TRUVADA. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection. u If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA

alone to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time.

TRUVADA can cause serious side effects: u Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved

to treat HBV. If you have HBV and stop taking TRUVADA, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.

|Who should not take TRUVADA for PrEP? Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP if you: u Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. If

you are HIV-1 positive, you need to take other medicines with TRUVADA to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. u Also take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.

|What are the other possible side effects of TRUVADA for PrEP? Serious side effects of TRUVADA may also include: u Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider

may do blood tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with TRUVADA. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking TRUVADA. u Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic

acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. u Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare

provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. u Bone problems, including bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may lead to

fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones.

Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP are stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away. |What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking

TRUVADA for PrEP?

u All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or

have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis. u If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if TRUVADA

can harm your unborn baby. If you become pregnant while taking TRUVADA for PrEP, talk to your healthcare provider to decide if you should keep taking TRUVADA. u If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If

you become HIV-positive, HIV can be passed to the baby in breast milk. u All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines,

vitamins, and herbal supplements. TRUVADA may interact with other medicines.

Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. u If you take certain other medicines with TRUVADA, your healthcare provider

may need to check you more often or change your dose. These medicines include certain medicines to treat hepatitis C (HCV) infection.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see Important Facts about TRUVADA for PrEP including important warnings on the following page.

TVDC0093_B_10x11-7_ThePrideLA_p3.indd 1-2

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⚫ 19

Have you heard about

TRUVADA for PrEP™?

The once-daily prescription medicine that can help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 when used with safer sex practices.

• TRUVADA for PrEP is only for adults who are at high risk of getting HIV through sex.

• You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Ask your doctor about your risk of getting HIV-1 infection and if TRUVADA for PrEP may be right for you.

visit start.truvada.com

5/22/17 1:26 PM

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06.02 — 06.15.2017

LOS ANGELES

20

IMPORTANT FACTS

This is only a brief summary of important information about taking TRUVADA for PrEPTM (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 infection. This does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your medicine.

(tru-VAH-dah) MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF TRUVADA FOR PrEP

Before starting TRUVADA for PrEP:

• Those in the “Most Important Information About TRUVADA for PrEP” section.

• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure.

• Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

• Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

• Bone problems.

• You must be HIV-1 negative. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-1 negative.

• Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include flu-like symptoms, tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin. Tell your healthcare provider if you have had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting TRUVADA for PrEP. While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: • You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1.

• You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you think you were exposed to HIV-1 or have a flu-like illness while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. • If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time.

• See the “How To Further Reduce Your Risk” section for more information.

TRUVADA may cause serious side effects, including: • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking TRUVADA. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP TRUVADA for PrEP is a prescription medicine used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1.

• To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health.

Do NOT take TRUVADA for PrEP if you: • Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status.

• Take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.

HOW TO TAKE TRUVADA FOR PrEP • Take 1 tablet once a day, every day, not just when you think you have been exposed to HIV-1.

• Do not miss any doses. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection.

• Use TRUVADA for PrEP together with condoms and safer sex practices.

• Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP.

TRUVADA can cause serious side effects, including:

Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP include stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight.

These are not all the possible side effects of TRUVADA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with TRUVADA for PrEP. BEFORE TAKING TRUVADA FOR PrEP Tell your healthcare provider if you: • Have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis.

• Have any other medical conditions.

• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

• Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can pass to the baby in breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: • Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

• Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with TRUVADA for PrEP. HOW TO FURTHER REDUCE YOUR RISK • Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners.

• Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you.

• Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners.

• Do not share needles or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them.

GET MORE INFORMATION • This is only a brief summary of important information about TRUVADA for PrEP. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more, including how to prevent HIV infection.

• Go to start.truvada.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 • If you need help paying for your medicine, visit start.truvada.com for program information.

TRUVADA, the TRUVADA Logo, TRUVADA FOR PREP, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.

Version date: April 2017 © 2017 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. TVDC0093 05/17

TVDC0093_B_10x11-7_ThePrideLA_p3.indd 3

5/22/17 1:26 PM

06.02 — 06.15.2017 ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS

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LOS ANGELES

⚫ 21

DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY

L.A. Dyke Day Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary

On Saturday, June 10, a L.A. institution gets its wings. That’s right: Dyke Day is turning 10.

It doesn’t seem like a full decade has passed since L.A.’s lesbian answer to Pride first kicked off. What started an answer to the more corporatized glitz and glamor of the L.A. Pride parade has become a legend in its own right.

"When we first started organizing Dyke Day, we didn't feel like West Hollywood Pride was something that made us very prideful," Kat Laukat, one of first five original organizers of the day, told KCET. In 2007, five women got together to plan

a less “Boy’s Town” oriented celebration for Pride. They landed on Barnsdall Art Park in East Hollywood for a location and opened the event up to everyone. It would be free, kid-friendly, and, most importantly, totally chill.

The turnout was epic. In past few years, Dyke Day has relocated to Elysian Park on the East Side to make room for the growing number of attendees. Last year’s celebration hosted over 600 people in one space, including families, inclusive religious groups, and nonprofit communities from all across L.A. This year’s celebration promises something even more special, in honor of its tenth year in business.

Dyke Day isn’t just a celebration of being lesbian or queer. It’s a celebration of being in L.A., where the persecution and fears that exist in so many other cities across the country are far less present. "There's no doubt that you get a lot of privilege being in a large city where being gay is much more of a norm,” Laukat told KCET. “In small towns in the U.S. and across the world, having an event like this wouldn't be an option unless you want to get killed."

The support from the community is also a crucial part of what keeps Dyke Day thriving. The event is completely community funded through donations and the help of volunteers. It’s a true example of how a

small (and always growing) community can positively shape the culture of even the largest of cities.

For more information, head to: Facebook. com/dykedayla

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06.02 — 06.15.2017

06.02 — 06.15.2017 CULTURE ART

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LOS ANGELES

⚫ 23

ART BEHIND THE MOVEMENT

⚫ BY GENNA RIVIECCIO

“Lesbians to Watch Out For” is Not to Be Missed These days, we all seem to share a nostalgic desire to return to what, in retrospect, seems like the perfect decade: The '90s. With its lack of internet, its surplus of radical feminism, and generally excellent music scene, it's no surprise that people living under the current regime would pine for those simpler times. Even though the surge of lesbian activism we remember was necessitated in the '90s by some pretty brutal political decisions,

CULTURE THEATRE

>

it's the beauty of the activism that we tend to remember and feel nostalgic for. Hence, a multimedia exhibit called "Lesbians to Watch Out For," reflecting the grassroots protest spirit of L.A. lesbians in the '90s, exists as part of Pride 2017's larger celebratory landscape.

Slated to take place at Plummer Park from June 2-16, the event will showcase a wide-ranging breadth of artistic mediums

both visual and performance-oriented. 2017 also happens to mark the 24th anniversary of the National Dyke March that first took place in Washington, D.C. on April 24, 1993.

So yes, a celebration of the majesty of '90s lesbian culture seems appropriate.

To further add to the authentic feel of the occasion, let it be known that "Lesbians to Watch Out For" is helmed by former members and volunteers of the very activist

groups that brought such chutzpah to the revolution of the Clinton era in collaboration with June Mazer Lesbian Archives and LEX (The Lesbian Exploratory.) And, as if you needed another reason to go, admission is free. So go ahead and live up to the '90s adage, “we recruit,” and stand up for the rights of lesbians – preferably by staging a kiss-in.

Though try not to do it in front of straight men. They don’t deserve the sight.

MIXED REVIEWS

⚫ BY GENNA RIVIECCIO

Ayn Rand’s Controversial Play Gets a Queer Makeover The phrases “Ayn Rand” and “sought after for a revival” don't exactly go fit together naturally.

Especially in the era of Trump, when Randian political extremism in art is more feared and frowned upon than ever. Nonetheless, the Lincoln Stegman Theater in North Hollywood dares to take on the polarizing figure through a medium she’s less known for: Playwriting.

Starting June 3 and running through June 18, the author’s seldom-staged "Night of January 16th" will present Darryl Maximilian Robinson in the role of District Attorney Flint. Originally produced in 1934 (under the title "Woman on Trial,") the play garnered positive reviews in part due to its engagement with the audience as interactive participants in the jury of the aforementioned trial.

The play will be imbued with a fresh take by The Emmanuel Lutheran Actors Theater Ensemble (ELATE), featuring Robinson as a prosecutor heavily invested in the case of The People of The State of New York vs. Karen Andre. Karen Andre, of course, is the secretary to business magnate Bjorn Faulkner (on whom Match King Ivan Kreuger was based.) Rand’s murdered character is based less on a single real person as the overall ambitious and fatally appetitive nature of the businessman in American culture – something that remains more resonant than ever in the current Reign of Orange Terror. Arguably the most detrimental character flaw in any man of power is his weakness for women, and Karen proves no exception, with her dual position as secretary and lover making her a force to be reckoned with in Faulkner’s life. Indeed, it rather sounds like Abel Ferrara’s "Body of Evidence" borrowed a lot of ideas from this play.

Directed by Jeff Zimmer, who also collaborated with Robinson for Tad Mosel’s "Impromptu," the

play will be given the revival it deserves after so long being forgotten in favor of some of Rand’s other, more controversial work (chiefly, "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged.") Plus, for good Shakespearean measure, actresses in roles traditionally played by males will include Gerrie Wilkowski as Judge Heath,Therese Hawes as the writing expert, Chandler, and Lisa Cicchetti as the

medical examiner, Dr. Kirkland.

There would probably be no pleasing Rand with any reinvented version of her original work, as, at the time of the play’s production, she ended up getting involved in a legal battle with the producer, Al Woods, who not only made numerous alterations Rand did not approve of, but also funneled a chunk of her royalties in order to com-

pensate the very script doctor she never wanted.

But ELATE might just have been able to bring a nod of approval from the stalwart playwright/ author by intending to stage the play off of the definitive 1968 version of her script. And, best of all, they plan to keep intact the most inventive aspect of the play: the involvement of the audience as the jury.

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24

EATS

DONUTS

>

NOT YOUR AVERAGE DONUT

⚫ BY ANNETTE SEMERDJIAN

Trejo’s Donuts Brings L.A.’s Favorite Snack Back to Its Roots

Character actor, Los Angeles native, and overall badass Danny Trejo has just opened the first of his namesake Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts shops on the corner of Highland Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard. Better known as the one and only "Machete" from the film series of the same name, Trejo’s first taco joint on La Brea proved to be a success and expanded to a second Hollywood location, as

STILL, NO WILL ORNo TRUST STILL, WILL Or TRUST ??

well as a taco truck. Now, with the opening of his new donut shop, Trejo brings to L.A. a donut place that captures the culture and flavors of the city’s prominent Latino community.

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The donut shop took over what used to be Donut Time, which made a cameo in the critically-acclaimed film "Tangerine." The storefront does not disappoint, with a hot pink facade and bold letters announcing “TREJO’S COFFEE AND DONUTS” with a caricature of the well-known face on the side.The opening on May 16 sold out of donuts that same morning.

Trejo’s restaurants make sure to cater to different diets such as vegan and gluten-free.

Trejo told Forbes, “When the food is good, people keep coming back. We started catering for vegans and vegetarians and people who want gluten-free. In the film industry, there will be nine of ten of you that all want to go dinner and inevitably people will want or need different things so, being in L.A., we took the lead from that.”

The menu combines taqueria favorites and donuts with flavors like horchata, tres leches, churro, and nachos (jalapeño and cheddar flavor). Other donut flavors that capture the essence of L.A. culture include O.G. and Low Rider. And if you’re going to pay three dollars

for a donut, it should be the Machete donut at Trejo’s.

Trejo told Forbes that it was his mother’s dream to open a restaurant and, although he always talked about it, it only came to fruition in the past couple of years and is now a growing success. He also told the magazine that plans to expand the restaurants to Pasadena, Silver Lake and the University of Southern California in South L.A. What’s so great about Trejo’s businesses is that they keep the culture of L.A. going strong, fighting off the hipsterfication by selling donuts in the flavor 'Gringo' on the busy streets of Hollywood. Trejo and his business partner Jeff Georgino plan to take Trejo’s unique L.A. brand to a national level telling Forbes, "We’re growing naturally and every location seems to be doing well. I would love to see two Trejo’s Tacos in Las Vegas, two in San Antonio, Texas and two in New York."

Forbes has estimated the business could eventually turn into a $100 million venture – but did you expect any less from the man they call Machete?

06.02 — 06.15.2017

LOS ANGELES

IF YOU WANT A SINGING CAREER, STAY AWAY FROM SECONDHAND SMOKE. Ellie’s severe asthma attacks were triggered by secondhand smoke at work.

She and her partner have to live with its effects forever. If you or someone you know wants free help to quit smoking, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW. #CDCTips

Ellie, Age 57 Her partner, Karen Florida

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LOS ANGELES

THE ULTIMATE PRIDE GUIDE

SATURDAY, JUNE 3

5 P.M. REEL IN THE CLOSET 11 A.M. WHAT: A feature-length docuDrag Queen Storytime mentary piecing together the lives WHO: RADAR Productions (who of our queer elders through the first brought Drag Queen Storyhome movies they left behind time to San Francisco in 2015) in WHERE: 625 N. San Vicente Blvd. conjunction with WeHo Arts and ADMISSION: Free the West Hollywood Library “L.A.: A Queer History” will be WHAT: Drag Queens, kids books, shown on a loop in the City Council and crafts WHERE: West Hollywood Library Chambers all day on June 3.

Community Meeting Room, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd.

SUNDAY, JUNE 4, ADMISSION: Free 3 P.M. 11 A.M. - 1 P.M. VOX FEMINA: WOMAN RISSTUART TIMMONS LGBTQ ING, A TASTE OF SEASON HISTORY TOUR 20 WHAT: Scripted by the late, acWHAT: A concert honoring VOX claimed author and historian Stuart Femina's 20th Anniversary season Timmons (“The Trouble With HarWHERE: Congregation Kol Ami, ry Hay,” “GAY L.A.”) this tour will 1200 N. La Brea Ave bring visitors a taste of L.A.’s rich ADMISSION: Free gay history. Prepare for costumed 7 P.M. characters, hikes, and queens. Shut#LASTDANCE tles depart every 15 minutes from WHAT: Written and directed by 11 am to 1 pm. from the West HolMiss Barbie Q and Cinnamon Rilywood City Council Chambers. vera for One City One Pride/HolWHERE: 625. N. San Vicente. lywood Fringe, #LASTDANCE is a (Tours last between 90-120 minplay about what happens when drag utes) queens stop being polite and start ADMISSION: Free getting real about performance, L.A.,

and life in general.

WHERE: McCadden Place Theatre, 1157 N. McCadden Pl. ADMISSION: Sliding scale ($0$12)

FRIDAY, JUNE 9,

6 P.M. DYKE MARCH WHAT: Beginning at 6 p.m. with a special protest sign-making workshop, followed by a march down Santa Monica Blvd. at 8 p.m.

WHO: Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Patrisse Cullors and janaya khan (#blacklivesmatter), Sue Dunlap, Lynn Harris Ballen and Judy Sisneros are all confirmed speakers WHERE: Sal Guarriello Veterans' Memorial, 8447 Santa Monica Blvd.

ADMISSION: Free 6 P.M.-9 P.M. LAAA “OUT THERE” EXHIBIT WHAT: An all-media exhibition by local queer artists WHERE: Gallery 825, 825 N. La Cienega Blvd.

ADMISSION: Free 7 P.M.-9 P.M. MIGRATION OF THE MONARCHS WHAT: A 3-part conceptual art project by Trans artist Yozmit.

WHEN: Part One: June 3, 11-3pm: Yozmit will collect prayers and stitch a ribbon or bead onto a wearable art costume Part Two: June 9, 7-9pm, Yozmit will perform the art while walking down Santa Monica Blvd.

Part Three: June 10, 10 p.m., Yozmit will perform during the Hollywood Fringe ADMISSION: Free 7 P.M.-11 P.M. TRANS PARTY AND #SIZZLE The LA Pride Festival grounds will feature performances by trans artists and activists, as well as a #SIZZLE sober area.

WHERE: West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd.

ADMISSION: Free

9 P.M.- 2 A.M. LEZ CROIX WHAT: Vanessa Craigslist, HOMOCCULT, and other special guests will take over the Airliner for an allnight dance party.

WHERE: 2419 N Broadway, Los Angeles, California 90031 ADMISSION: $7 before 10pm, $10 after

PRIDE CELEBRATIONS COMING UP IN CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO Pride June 24-25, sfpride.org SAN DIEGO Pride Music Festival July 14-16, sdpride.org SANTA ANA: OC Pride Festival & Parade June 24, prideoc.com VENTURA COUNTY - PRIDE Festival August 18-20, vcpride.org OAKLAND Pride September 10, oaklandpride.org PALM SPRINGS Pride November 1-5, Pspride.org OCEANSIDE: Pride by the Beach October, northcountypride.com

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THE ULTIMATE PRIDE GUIDE ... continued SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, JUNE 10-11

LA PRIDE FESTIVAL WHAT: This year’s Pride lineup includes singers Chromeo and Brandy, along with a host of other entertainers.

WHERE: West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd ADMISSION: $20-$30 per ticket

SUNDAY, JUNE 11,

8 A.M.-1 P.M. #RESISTMARCH WHAT: Starting in Hollywood, the LGBTQ+ community and its allies will march in solidarity with and on the same day as the National Equality March for Unity and Pride in Washington DC WHERE: Meet at 8 a.m. on Hollywood and Highland ADMISSION: Free

MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY, JUNE

12 AND 14, 7 P.M. “CALIFORNIA DREAMS” PRESENTED BY NEW STAGES WHAT: “California Dreams” explores the world and experiences of LGBTQ seniors on their journeys west literally.

WHERE: Renberg Theatre, The Village at Ed Gould Plaza’s LA LGBT Center, 1125 N. McCadden Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90028.

ADMISSION: Free

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14,

7 P.M. RAINBOW KEY AWARDS WHAT: Citizens who have done outstanding work for the LGBTQ+ community will be awarded Rainbow Keys to the city. The 2017 Honorees

WHERE: The Other Space Theatre, are: Cleve Jones (former aide to Harvey Milk, author of “When We Rise”), 916 N Formosa Ave. ADMISSION: $8 online, $10 at the JQ International; Eric Paul Leue (Mr. LA Leather 2014); LA Gay & Lesbi- door an Chamber of Commerce; Michaela Ivri Mendelsohn (Transgender activist, public speaker, and business leader); Jewel Thais-Williams (operator of Catch One); and Ruth Tittle (16year member of the Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board).

WHERE: West Hollywood City Council Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd.

ADMISSION: Free

THURSDAY, JUNE 15

8:30 P.M. THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF DRAG IN A FEW MO-MO WHAT: A new play by David LeBarron for the Hollywood Fringe about history, tradition, and drag.

⚫ ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS

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CELEBRATIONS

Pride Commemorates Bill Rosendahl with Beach Dedication For the two-year anniversary of Venice Beach’s independent celebrations foar pride, Grant Turck, executive director of Venice Pride, had something special up his sleeve. On Thursday, June 1, a day before Venice Pride officially kicked off, Turck held a celebration to dedicate a part of Venice City Beach as the Bill Rosendahl Memorial Beach in honor of the first openly gay person elected to L.A. City Council. Rosendahl passed away in March of last year and was mourned by the queer community all across Los Angeles. The part of Venice City Beach that will bear his name runs from Parks Avenue to Breeze Avenue. “Commemorating Venice’s 100-year history of inclusion and diversity is at the heart of Venice Pride,” said Turck. “As we look towards June’s festivities we are excited to again bring our community together to celebrate their differences and are grateful for all the support we have received from our sponsors, partners, and the public.” The dedication was at 10 a.m., at the Ocean Front Walk near Breeze Avenue.

Both L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and L.A. Councilmember Mike Bonin were in attendance. “Venice Pride is more than an annual celebration on the first weekend in June,” said Turck. “We are an organization committed to reinvigorating the LGBTQ

community on L.A.’s westside 365-days a year. Whether through public art projects like the Venice Pride Flag Lifeguard Tower,

pop-up celebrations like Unity Sungays, or advocating for other non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting LGBTQ peo-

ple like APAIT, Venice Pride will continue to seek out ways to empower our community year-round.”

⚫ BY STAFF WRITER

JQ International Hosts Beverly Hills Gala Over 200 people were in attendance at JQ International’s 2017 Garden Brunch on Sunday, May 7, to celebrate the greater inclusion of LGBTQ members of the Jewish community. The event, hosted at a private home in Beverly Hills, brought together some of the most influential members of L.A.’s Jewish LGBTQ community to honor the recipients of three prestigious awards.

Legal consultant Courtney Mizel was given the “Community Leadership” Award for her 20-year body of work in Jewish non-profit organizations.

Producer, writer and actor Howard Rosenman was given the “Trailblazer Award” for his work expanding queer Jewish representation in film.

“I’ve made five documentaries, three of which had gay content. I’ve made five movies that have gay content. I’m out there. So whatever you can do to further inclusion, do it,” Rosenman told

JQ. His latest project, “Call Me by Your Name,” is an adaptation of an Andre Aciman novel about two gay men falling in love in Italy, and is one of the most anticipated films to come out of Sundance this year. Liana Chaouli brought home the “Inspiration Award” for her extensive work in writing and self-help. Of JQ, Chaouli said: “I am proud of this organization as it’s the first of its kind, with such a focus on the Persian community, that has had the courage, coupled with nobility to pull itself up by the bootstraps.”

In addition to uplifting and addressing the issues of marginalized LGBTQ Jews in the community - with a special emphasis on Transgender, Orthodox, and Persian Jewish communities – JQ International has provided a safe space for gathering, learning, and networking since its inception in 2004.

⚫ COMMUNITY FAMILY

06.02 — 06.15.2017

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STORIES IN STILLETTOS

⚫ BY CONNOR DUFFEY

Drag Queen Story Hour: A Force for Communal Good

Drag queens have long served as a brilliant, bombastic presence in gay nightlife and the culture at large. With their glamorous, cartoonish appearances and larger-than-life personas, these gutsy entertainers have positioned themselves as joyous mascots for gay culture, albeit primarily limiting their presence to more adult enjoyment in clubs and bars.

Given their candy-coated exterior, why then has the shimmering grandeur of drag queens been limited to more mature audiences?

Wouldn’t their seismic, effervescent presence end up a hit with a younger demographic as well?

Writer Michelle Tea, alongside RADAR Productions in San Francisco, has put a stop to this with Drag Queen Story Hour, a read-aloud program for children that embraces edification, kindness and a more inclusive environment for the younger generation.

Drag Queen Story Hour is a fairly self-explanatory program: drag queens visit city libraries to read children’s stories to an audience of excitable kids and ponderous parents, leaving their more risqué performance flairs at home. The queens read from a pre-approved list of books from the library, sometimes delving into issues such as gender fluidity or general LGBT acceptance.

Such was the case when the drag queen Harmonica Sunbeam read “Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress” by Christine Baldacchino to a group of children six and under at the New York Public Library in Greenwich Village.The story concerns a boy who enthusiastically wears a dress to school each day, despite any potential backlash from his peers.

In a report from The New Yorker, Tea divulged that one of her main inspirations for the program was her belief that drag queens make ideal performers for children: “‘I have long thought that drag queens need to be the performers at children’s parties, rather than magicians or clowns,’ she said. ‘Drag has become more mainstream. Kids might have seen one on a billboard or on TV.’ ” Barbara “Bix” Warden, a librarian at the San Francisco Public Library, where the program has been hosted since 2015, told NBC News that she believed the Story Hour elicited delight from its young attendees:

“‘The children react very positively…They love the drag queens and want to have their picture taken with them. They adore the face-painting which we have had accompanying the readings at our programs.’"

Kyle Casey Chu, who performs in drag as Panda Dulce and took part in the program at the San Francisco Public Library, also spoke to NBC News about why he believes Drag Queen Story Hour is a positive experience for children and helps in de-stigmatization of the LGBT community: “'More than just exposing youth to different forms of beauty, performance, and experience, it

dispels the stigma and stereotypes of predation and lechery that are so often and unfortunately projected onto LGBTQ youth workers…And it does so in such an innocent, playful, and positive way. It's a beautiful thing.’ ” RADAR Productions’ executive director Juliana Delgado Lopera echoed sentiments to SF Gate that children being a part of queer spaces was a general rarity and could ultimately be wholly positive in execution: “'I think generally queers are not mixed with kids – especially drag queens…It’s really beautiful to have drag queens painting children's faces and

telling stories. It's disrupting that idea that queers can't mix with kids.’ ” With the advent of a program like Drag Queen Story Hour, children are seeing LGBT individuals in a more normalized and friendly atmosphere, even if they may not yet realize it. Hopefully, as a result, some of these children will be a little less afraid to tell their parents if they too feel similarly to Morris Micklewhite.

Drag Queen Story Hour has locations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City. Visit dragqueenstoryhour.org to find out how you and your child can attend.

FOLLOW US ON ON SOCIAL MEDIA! AND AT THEPRIDELA.COM

06.02 — 06.15.2017

COMMUNITY PETS

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LOS ANGELES

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FURRY FESTIVITIES

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

“Glassell Bark” Makes Pet Adoption a Neighborhood Affair If you live in or near Glassell Park in East L.A., chances are you’ll have noticed something peculiar about the neighborhood. It belongs to the dogs.

No, seriously. Dogs are everywhere.

Some have owners, some don’t. Many just show up whenever they please to walk along Division street – Glassell Park’s main drag – to socialize and show off their total independence.

Street dogs aren't just a thing in GP: They run this town.

The neighborhood, with its plentitude of dog-friendly hikes and parks, is one of the more ideal L.A. locations for firsttime and veteran dog owners alike.

That’s why the citizens of Glassell will be coming out in full force for “Glassell Bark,” an adoption event and block party, set to take over Verdugo Ave between 34 and 35 streets on June 10.

Sponsored by the Fitzburgh Realty Team, City Councilmember Gil Cedillo, and famed

neighborhood hangout Verdugo Bar, Glassell Bark will bring together residents of Glassell for a range of family-friendly (not to mention dog-friendly) activities, including work showcased by local artists and vendors, free microchipping for pets, and a “human bark contest.” Family photo shoots (pets included, of course) are also on offer.

Even folks who aren’t dog owners will most likely find something to love about “Glassell Bark.” Maybe you enjoy the company of dogs but aren’t quite ready to adopt one. Or perhaps you’re thinking about adopting but aren’t quite sure.

For pet owners and the pet-curious, “Glassell Bark” will offer a wealth of information from neighborhood residents. The event is volunteer-run and totally free, and Verdugo Bar will be serving its signature cocktails all day long, offering all proceeds to Freedom Service Dogs of America charity.

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SPORTS

BASEBALL

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

06.02 — 06.15.2017

LOS ANGELES

>

DUGOUT AND PROUD

L.A. Dodgers Pride Night Sends a Message of Hope, Progress L.A.’s home team shows love to a community that has always been close to its heart.

When Billy Bean was asked to participate in the fifth annual Dodgers Pride night, he didn’t have to think twice. As a former Dodgers player and Major League Baseball’s Ambassador of Inclusion since 2014, Bean’s connection to the team goes way back.

“Lon Rosen [Dodgers Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer] and Erik Braverman [Vice President of Marketing and Broadcasting] asked me to participate,” he says. “Lon is an incredible personality in our sport, and Erik is not only a colleague but a very good friend. I’m inclined to say ‘yes’ to whatever they ask.”

For Bean, it was also deeply personal.

“I want to use whatever visibility I have in this sport to encourage people to know about the game and why it’s important.

It's so wonderful to have this great olive branch out there to the community in Los Angeles,” Bean says. “I depend on this city to be a leader, to be progressive and to push harder because it sets a wonderful example not only to the rest of baseball but the rest of the sports world.”

When Bean came out as gay in 1999, the world – particularly the sports world – was a very different place. The AIDS crisis was still at large. Matthew Shepard had been brutally murdered the year before. And when it came to being openly gay in sports, Bean was one of the first. In 1995, shortly after the death of his longtime partner, he’d retired from the sport altogether rather than face the backlash of a public coming out. It took him four years after his retirement to feel comfortable telling the world who he was.

Today, Bean is more than just a celebrated player and member of the sports world.

His story is an integral part of sports history. As Major League Baseball Vice President & Special Assistant to the Commissioner, he has an opportunity to represent a new image of what the sport can be for generations to come. For Bean, Dodgers Pride Night is part of that.

“The fact that we can be out and proud and share that visibility does make people sometimes think 'wow, our differences are so much smaller than the things we have in common,'” says Bean. “And that to me is how we get closer and closer as a community. Hopefully, soon enough, days like this do not need to be elevated or magnified as much because it’s just commonplace.”

On June 9, Bean will join the Dodgers,

along with a host of special guests, for their fifth annual Pride Night in Los Angeles. This is the first year the Dodgers will official-ly team up with L.A. Pride for the celebration.

Matt Bomer will throw the ceremonial pitch, queer icon Dot-Marie Jones will sing the national anthem, and both the Gay Men’s Chorus and the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles will be in attendance.

But for gay fans and players of baseball, the night represents much more than an isolated gesture toward the LGBT community. It’s a measure of progress.

“I keep thinking about the days when I was a player and these kinds of nights did not exist,” Bean recalls, “and the darkness that I was living in, playing in. Self-imposed darkness. It would have been a life-changing experience, not only to see someone who was a part of my own community watching a baseball game and bring brave enough or comfortable enough to display that, nevermind my actual employer saying that tonight is a night where we salute this community.”

Bean isn't the only one who sees the night as a mark of progress. Erik Braverman, who serves as the Dodgers Vice President of marketing and broadcasting, knew just what he was doing when he helped set up Pride Night five years ago.

“Being a gay man living in West Hollywood who also happened to be a huge baseball fan, I thought the market had been underserved,” says Braverman. “It was an opportunity, not just from a ticketing standpoint.

I really thought of this as outreach for fellow people like myself who happened to be LGBT and also had a real passion for baseball.

That’s how this whole thing started.”

Bean and Braverman have both seen the two sides of baseball culture: the era of the sport during which players were too frightened to come out, and the current era, where teams like the Dodgers show a commitment to diversity and community in increasingly public, meaningful ways.

“That first year, we were trying to explain what the night was. The initial response was, is this going to be pandering?” Recalls Braverman. “I think now that we have ties in the community – helping out with the Trevor Project, being involved with the Varsity Gay League – we’re more visible in the community at large. I think that’s made it more authentic.”

Authenticity is a key aspect of the sport as national identity. It always has been.

Baseball, at home and abroad, stands for American values at their core. Adding inclusivity and diversity to those values does

BASEBALL, see page 49

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> Ani DiFranco Returns, Just in Time for Pride ENTERTAINMENT MUSIC

MUSIC TO MY EARS

In the few years since we last heard from Ani DiFranco, quite a bit has changed. The original lesbian-indie-folk superstar, creator of her own label, and spitter of spoken word-style truth tracks hasn’t put out anything new since the halcyon days of 2014 with “Allergic to Water.” This year, perhaps as a kind of counterbalance to the political chaos of the first half of 2017, DiFranco announced that her 19th studio album “Binary” will be released on June 9, just in time for L.A. Pride.

It’s the kind of news that might have, in a

“

35

more innocent time, been a bit more exciting to the queer populace. Of all the artists to have emerged in that specific moment of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s – that time of “My So-Called Life," Lilith Fair, and Monica Lewinsky – DiFranco is probably the one whose style has remained the most consistent. In her new record, we can still hear the twang of the early, angry radical feminist who decided to set off on her own to create her own label, Righteous Babe records – an almost unprecedented move for the time. We can hear the sadness and conviction of someone who has

always been unafraid to piss people off.

That’s always who DiFranco has been, and no one has really learned, even after all these years, how to forgive her for it.

Everyone has their own reason for this: It’s because she got too conceptual. It’s because she mellowed out. It’s because she moved away from her roots. It’s because she cried radical lesbianism and then married a dude.

But the DiFranco on “Binary” still has as much to say as she’s always had about gender, feminism, and the messed-up world. It's only that her brand of political preaching has gone out of fashion.

“Binary” is heavy on the political “I” in a style that belongs to a less complicated folk tradition.

“Deferred Gratitude”, a track dedicated to the Obama presidency, is a melancholy call to arms:“I vote in every election/ I hope someday these kids

are gonna help us win.”

In “Play God,” she sings: “I feel I’ve earned my right to choose/You don’t get the right to play God/I do.” The title track asks “where are my sisters/where are my brothers.” It’s the question many of us are asking, but DiFranco has an almost cringingly naively hippie way of putting it.This has always been DiFranco’s problem: Her earnestness has lost her a lot through the years. Lyrics like “I feel your anger/I feel your pain” are almost directly opposed to the modern style of social activism, which thrives on the belief that no one can ever really, truly know anyone’s pain: That to even try is, in a way, offensive. For DiFranco and the generation that grew up on her music, it’s hard to even calculate the ways in which things have become so much more complicated than they were in the world that produced “Both Hands.”

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INTERNATIONAL

⚫ BY CONNOR DUFFY

>

LOS ANGELES

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SUPPORTING OUR BROTHERS

Gay Men in Chechnya Find Support from Lithuania Recently, disturbing news reports have emerged of kidnappings that lead to torture and murder of gay and bisexual Chechen men in concentration camps in the Russian nation. There have been attempts at relief for these men within Chechnya from the Russian LGBT Network, albeit undergone in utmost secrecy. Expectedly, there has been a stunning lack of action or admission from Russian political figures.

However, a new ally has emerged to aid Chechen men in danger attempting to flee the nation: Lithuania.

The small country has granted visas to two Chechen men, signaling a strong message of support for the persecuted community, whom their leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, apparently believes do not exist. Lithuanian foreign minister Linas Linkevicius made the announcement of the visa granting during last week’s International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.

Linkevicius also tweeted a strong message of solidarity, opposing the Chechen government’s denial of gay and bisexual men in the country:

Today is zero-tolerance day against hatred, fear, discrimination of all forms of sexuality. Denying reality is not an option | #IDAHOT2017 — Linas Linkevicius (@LinkeviciusL) May 17, 2017

Meanwhile, the US has not offered visas to gay and bisexual Chechen men attempting to flee the country. An anonymous Russian LGBT Network spokesperson gave a statement to Buzzfeed News divulging that she was not optimistic that the U.S. would grant the men visas based on talks she had with U.S. Embassy offi-

cials: “'We were informed there was no political will,’ said the spokesperson, who asked her name be withheld because of security concerns.

‘They’re not going to provide visas. They’re going to support us in other ways, but not with visas.’”

Vladimir Putin agreed on May 11 to launch an investigation into the violent persecution and imprisonment of the Chechen men after he was subjected to outside pressure from international criticism to do so. However, the Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv told Israeli newspaper Haaretz on the same day that Putin made the announcement that the investigation had ended and there was no evidence to support the claims: “‘There are no victims of persecution, threats or violence…[the reports are an] excuse for the beginning of a propaganda campaign against Russia around the world.’”

Lithuania remains one of the first countries to extend a humanitarian hand to gay and bisexual men seeking asylum in Chechnya. The Russian LGBT Network has stated that at least 40 men have escaped concentration camps and are in hiding, hoping to soon secure visas.

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NEWS

POLITICS

>

MAKING HISTORY

⚫ BY DOUG MONTGOMERY

For the First Time, a Trans Person Sues Under ACA The story of Kate Lynn Blatt followed the pattern of most of her fellow Pottsville, Pennsylvania residents—only, for a period of her life, she woke up as a woman and went to work as a man. In 2006, after a difficult six-year transition, Blatt began working a new job at the outdoor equipment and apparel chain Cabela’s, this time as a woman.

The following six months have become the focus of a game-changing lawsuit that has already shifted the landscape of transgender legal protection.

A Philadelphia-based judge has permitted Blatt to sue Cabela’s under the Americans with Disabilities Act, making her the first transgender person to do so.

Blatt, now 35, alleges in a lawsuit that Cabela’s subjected her to humiliating treatment. Although she was excited to begin work as Kate, the problems arose as soon as she punched in.

"Oh my God, it was the most liberating thing I've ever experienced in my entire life," Blatt said in an interview with Reuters. "And then slam," she said, punching her hand. "Employee discrimination."

She was told by management to use the men’s bathroom at first. Later, they allowed her to use use the gender-neutral restroom. The suit also

alleges that Cabela’s required her to wear two name tags: one for her self-selected name, Kate, and another for her birth name, James.

She had already legally changed her name and

gender with the state of Pennsylvania.

In many instances, people who feel discriminated have sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark piece of legislation

that prohibits discrimination on the basis of physical or mental disability.

When the ADA was passed 1990, there was controversy about classifying being transgender as a disability, and so transgender people were specifically excluded from the ADA. However, today, transgender advocates argue that although being transgender is not a disability, it can lead to gender dysphoria, a type of anxiety that stems from being incorrectly gendered. This, according to advocates, should be covered by the ADA. The lawyers representing Blatt, Neelima Vanguri and Brian Farrell of Philadelphia-based Sidney L. Gold & Associates, argued before U.S. District Judge Joseph Leeson that the exclusion of transgender people was discriminatory.

The lawyers for Cabela’s asked that the judge dismiss the motion altogether.

On May 18, Judge Leeson sided with Blatt’s lawyers and allowed her to become the first transgender person to sue for discrimination under the ADA. Going forward, although the decision is not binding for other courts, this ruling opens the door for others to file similar suits.

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06.02 — 06.15.2017 NEWS

POLITICS

>

LOS ANGELES

⚫ 39

A FRIEND IN JOE

⚫ BY DOUG MONTGOMERY

Joe Biden: A True Champion of LGBT Rights Appreciating the fierce ally we had in our last Vice President “My father taught me that everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect,” Joe Biden began in an Op-Ed for The Washington Post. Although it might sound like political lip service coming from the previous Vice President, we’re inclined to believe him. "This notion girds our very identity as Americans," Biden wrote, and it continues to drive him today: “particularly when it comes to full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.”

In the May 16 article, posted on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, Biden confronted the disturbing global trends in violence and discrimination towards the LGBT community.

In addition, the former Veep promised that his foundation, The Biden Foundation, will prioritize “promoting LGBT equality and will use its resources to convene networks and catalyze action on issues ranging from transgender equality to LGBT youths to global human rights.”

Despite the tremendous progress made in the United States, “important work remains,” according to Biden.

“In 28 states, you can still be fired for being a lesbian, gay or bisexual—30 if you’re transgender.”

Never one to mince words even while in office, Biden points an accusatory finger towards members of the international community. Conditions in some countries have never been worse.

In Syria and Iraq, “LGBT individuals face terror and torture, often at the hands of the Islamic State.”

“Countries such as Russia—where appalling reports recently surfaced that authorities in Chechnya were imprisoning and torturing individuals believed to be gay or bisexual— Uganda and Tanzania continue to be openly hostile to LGBT people, and their political leaders have used anti-American sentiment to fuel anti-LGBT hate. And in many parts of the world, the horrific assault of 'corrective rape' is used as an extreme form of conversion therapy to try to turn women straight.”

Biden’s article highlights a key dynamic of the Obama-Biden legacy. Even though Obama receives much of the praise for the advancement of LGBT rights, the real accolades go to Joe. It's worth remembering that, after repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Obama appeared reluctant to throw his weight behind

the growing issue of same-sex marriage. It wasn’t until his Vice President was asked about his “personal views” on the question that Obama himself had to come out in support.

At an event hosted by a gay couple with two children, the Human Rights Campaign’s Chad Griffin asked Biden for his thoughts on same-sex marriage.

Biden appeared uncomfortable at first.

But then he answered with this: “I look at those two beautiful kids. I wish everybody could see this. All you gotta do is look in the eyes of those kids. And no one can wonder, no one can wonder whether or not they are cared for and nurtured and loved and reinforced. And folks, what’s happening is, everybody is beginning to see it.

Things are changing so rapidly, it’s going to become a political liability in the near term for an individual to say, ‘I oppose gay marriage.’ Mark my words.”

His piece in the Post resounds with similar prescience and calls to action.

Biden writes: “Progress is possible. But we cannot wait, we cannot stand by.”

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COCKTAILS

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TASTE THE RAINBOW

Colorful Cocktails for Every Stage of Pride

For many of us, Pride means one thing, and one thing only: Day drinking. Consider this your friendly reminder to pace yourself, drink plenty of water in between cocktails, and by all means, whatever your poison, keep it gay. Here are a few drink options to keep you welloiled through each and every stage of the Pride celebrations. Stock up on that blue curaçao, my friends: you’ll be needing it.

For Early on in the Festivities The Cheever

Featuring notes of pineapple, coconut, and (most importantly) vodka, this cocktail is the perfect kickoff to what is likely to become a weekend of nonstop insanity.

1 part (oz) vodka ½ part cream ½ part cream of coconut ½ part blue curaçao 3 parts pineapple juice Pour pineapple juice, vodka, cream and cream of coconut with ice into a blender, blend it and strain into a large glass with ice cubes. float the blue curacao on top and dive into that swimming pool!

For the Post-Parade Slump The Sour Melon

Take a minute to chill out with this delightfully warhead-reminiscent beverage.

1 1/2 parts melon liqueur 1 1/2 parts Sweet and Sour Mix 1 part citrus vodka Lemon juice (to taste) 2 1/2 inch square of fresh Ginger Orange liqueur If fancy: Garnish with Candied Ginger Pour the melon liqueur first, then muddle the fresh ginger and lemon juice. Add sweet & sour and citrus vodka. Shake with ice.

Strain and pour over the bottom layer. Finally, carefully top with cranberry

juice and a floater of orange liqueur.

For your friend who just HAS to do Jell-O shots Gelatinis

Just the right amount of trashy, sexy, and and cool.

4 boxes of colored Jello mix: blue, green, yellow, and red Your choice of clear liquor (tequila, vodka, etc.)

A few ice cubes Jello mix 1. Mix the blue Jello powder with 3/4 cup boiling water, then throw in a couple of ice cubes and stir, allowing the mixture to cool to around room temperature. Once no longer warm, add 3/4 cup vodka, and pour your first layer into each shot glass. Place shot glasses in the refrigerator to solidify (30 to 60 minutes.)

2. Repeat this process with the green Jello mix, then yellow, then red, pouring each layer on top of the last, allowing each layer to solidify in the fridge before adding the next.

For the Final Brunch Rainbow Sangrigio

Kick back, and let the fact sink in that you’ve survived yet another Pride.

1 refrigerated bottle dry white wine 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar or honey 2 Tbsp. lime juice 8 cups diced rainbow fruit 2 oz. brandy (optional) 1/2 cup club soda or ginger ale (optional) In a pitcher (or in the wine bottle), combine wine, sugar/honey, lime juice, and stir until combined.

Add fruit to your serving glasses or (separate) pitcher in your desired color order.

Then pour the wine over the fruit until the fruit is covered. Refrigerate the drinks for 15 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Top with a splash of brandy and club soda if desired.

06.02 — 06.15.2017

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⚫ 41

© 2017 Cedars-Sinai

S:10 in

Sometimes I underestimate.

Sometimes I search it.

Sometimes I put it off.

Sometimes I freak out.

But, I trust my Cedars-Sinai doctor every time.

cedars-sinai.edu

1-800-CEDARS-1

T:11.7 in

Sometimes I overreact.

B:11.7 in

Sometimes I just ignore it.

S:11.7 in

Sometimes I self-diagnose.

⚫ NEWS

EDUCATION

06.02 — 06.15.2017

LOS ANGELES

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>

LGBT+ IN THE CLASSROOM

⚫ BY STAFF WRITER | RESEARCH BY NDINDI KITONGA

NI

How Are Religious Schools Dealing with LGBT Issues?

For a lot of LGBTQ kids, going to a school with a faith-based curriculum means staying in the closet. Or worse.

Ndindi Kitonga is a faculty member at the Longy School of Music in L.A., as well as the founder of Angeles Workshop School, a small progressive secondary school also in Southern California. As an educator focusing on the intersection of faith-based teaching, people of color, and the LGBTQ community, Kitonga wanted to see how religious-based schools were integrating LGBT issues into their curriculum. She and a few of her graduate students (Jeremy Boersma, Amber Hansen, Jessica Mesa, and Emily Rutherford) came together to figure out how Title IX measures up against the policies of religious schools.

Jeremy Boersma, who contributed to their overall understating of the laws surrounding LGBTQ issues and title IX, noted that: “The progression of Title IX’s interpretation, from enfranchisement of women within sports to protection of queer students from sexual harassment is a testament both to the amendment’s plasticity and American society’s ponderouslyopening bias towards gender issues. A lasting challenge, however, lies in the third of the amendment’s explicit exemptions which states: ‘This section shall not apply to any educational institution which is controlled by a religious organization if the application of this subsection would not be consistent with the religious tenets of such organization; (Title 20 U.S.C. Section 1681(3)).’ This clause allows faithbased institutions to seek exemption from Title IX. It was this that prompted the group to not only examine the implications of title IX for queer students in Christian schools, but to attempt to understand the experience of queerness in a faith-based contexts that are often unaccepting of LGBTQ folks.”

“As an educator,” said Kitonga, “I have found that there are many LGBTQ students in Los Angeles in Catholic or Protestant schools against their will, and others who are genuinely interested in an inclusive faith and want an education in a faith-based institution. If these schools are to accept any federal dollars for offering a curriculum, they should and must be inclusive.”

Kitonga’s study included a wide range of schools throughout Southern California, including seventeen Christian Grade K-16

schools, 10 non-denominational evangelical K-12 schools, five Evangelical universities, and one Catholic secondary school. The study’s findings showed that most non-denominational Evangelical K-12 schools and Evangelical universities were forming new coalitions on campus as LGBT issues become more salient. Most departments even included a legal component so that universities could fight to exclude LGBTQ folks from their Title IX rights.

Schools that had less defined policies had bigger issues to deal with. Not having a clear policy on how LGBTQ people are to be included resulted in students being expelled for actions such as kissing or holding hands, and the disciplinary action taken was never consistent or fair. The majority of the faculty at these schools attended seminaries or Christian universities themselves, and were not prepared to discuss issues of human sexuality, gender, sexual identity and

other sexual-related issues from religious and theological perspectives. Course catalog descriptions of the programs of the five university schools Kitonga studied revealed few (if any) courses discussing issues of LGBTQ youth or any sexuality-related issues except marriage.

All the K-12 Evangelical schools in the study included a “Marriage clause” in their policies, defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. This policy was one of the ways these schools could exclude non-traditional families and avoid the discussion of LGBTQ folks in the classroom. Sexism and heterosexism were greatly intertwined as far as policy was concerned. Girls had stricter dress codes and were punished more severely for certain behaviors. The moral clauses were also very vague. For example: “Boys must dress like boys and girls must dress like girls.” This policy allowed the administration to enforce the policy as they saw fit.

When it came to more affirming schools, the response to difference was much more thought out. These schools provided resources for families and educators consistently and enforced explicit anti-bullying policies. The values of the school were upheld equally for all students. Sexual misconduct of any kind was not permitted. These schools also provided courses across the fields of theology, psychology, education that examined all aspects of identity, culture and Christian life.

Emily Rutherford and Jess Mesa gained further insights from interviewing Jason, an openly gay man attending a Christian university in Santa Barbara, and Nila, a bisexual woman of color who attended a conservative Christian college in Los Angeles but now is a professor at a secular university. Jason, who has struggled with being accepted in

SCHOOL, see page 50

06.02 — 06.15.2017 OPINION POLITICS

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AMERICA’S GUN PROBLEM

⚫ BY CHUCK STEWART

NI

If Anyone Can Stand Up to the Gun Lobby, It’s Us Revisiting America’s gun problem, one year after Pulse.

I will never forget the morning of June 12, 2016. I was up early, eager to drive to the Los Angeles Pride parade, when I heard the terrible news of the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. The contrast between my exuberance for the parade and the shock signalled by so many deaths in Florida seemed otherworldly. I was in a daze. I wanted to speak to friends, but it was too early to call or text anyone. Not until I arrived at the festival and experienced the increased security did the reality of the situation set in. Cops were everywhere. Everyone was on edge. It was surreal.

Over the next few weeks, I read endless articles and news reports about the massacre.When out dancing with friends that week, I was aware of how we all looked around our favorite bar with an eye for something being out of place. Anxiety set in. It was unnerving.

We were all looking over our shoulders anticipating a gunshot or worse.

One of the articles I read suggested that the LGBT community could be leaders in the call for gun control. Up until then, I had been indifferent about guns. I knew the U.S. had too many guns, and that tragedies at Sandy Hook and elsewhere occurred too often. Still, progress was stymied. I personally never owned a gun, nor ever shot one. I had no interest in guns.

The deaths of so many gay people and families and friends hit my consciousness hard. I educated myself about guns and the incident at Pulse. What an education!

There was much speculation about the shooter, Omar Mateen. Was he a terrorist?

Was he a self-loathing gay? The FBI investigation was ultimately inconclusive, and a motive was not established. What is known is that he entered a gay nightclub with the intention to specifically kill the people in the bar. This was an anti-gay hate crime. Yet much of the media, especially the conservative outlets, began to “straight-wash” the event and continued to claim that it was an Islamic “terrorist” attack – tregardless of the fact that there was no direct evidence to support that claim. Even the Republican National Committee used the term “terrorist,” but failed to use the word “gay” in describing

the nightclub in their press releases. Groups were cashing in the event to promote their own agenda. A couple of Christian pastors applauded the shooting and called for more gays to be killed. They even recorded their sermons on YouTube to spread their hate.

LGBT people are very aware of how much anti-gay hate permeates our culture.

Religious and political conservatives, the Republican Party, Fox News, NRA, televangelists and others continue to spew their anti-gay hate. I did a quick online search and found direct quotes from fourteen “world leaders” either denying our existence, keeping us as second-class citizens, or outright advocating for our deaths. There is nothing new here, but it is disconcerting to see so many people still wanting us dead in 2017.

Unfortunately, hate crimes are on a rise, with crimes against transgender people leading the way. Gay suicides are up. Guns play a major, deadly part in this violence. It is common to hear about gun rights being expressed as “second amendment” rights. Even

President Trump used this coded language to predict that Hillary Clinton could be killed

by Second Amendment zealots to stop her from gutting the law. But what does the Second Amendment actually say?

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

After reviewing many legal articles, court documents, and legal histories, this is what I learned: the Second Amendment has nothing to say about personal ownership of guns, but rather defines the relationship between the federal government and state militias. For over 220 years the court was very clear about this understanding with no dissension. The Second Amendment is a vestige of slavery. That may seem an odd statement, but here’s why: If runaway slaves made it to the North and joined a militia, they were often granted freedom. The newly constructed Constitution of 1789 gave federal control over state militias. The South-

ern states feared that if that happened, the North would simply make the militias ineffective (in the South, militia were known as “slave patrols”) and declare slaves to be free.

By including the Second Amendment, states maintained control over their slave patrols.

A policy decision made by the NRA in the 1970s targeted changing the understanding of the Second Amendment to advocate for unfettered access to all kinds of weapons.

By 2008, a conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court expanded the Second Amendment to include personal ownership of guns, but within limits. This confusion spawned thousands of lawsuits across the country. If pro-gun lobbyists were honest, they would have crafted their own Constitutional amendment and processed it through the steps necessary to ratify the amendment.

Instead, they used the Second Amendment to meet their goals. Unfortunately, that is now the common understanding of the law,

GUN, see page 49

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> Escape From Russia CULTURE

LITERATURE

⚫ 45

TRUE ROMANCE

In a new book, one woman tells the true story of her daring leavetaking of Russia’s homophobic regime

It seems like each day brings us face to face with a new, harrowing story from out of Russia. Since the passing of the controversial “gay propaganda” law in 2013, the country, under Putin’s infamous anti-gay leadership, has become more and more hostile to same-sex love. Queer communities in Russia do all they can to stay afloat and keep each other sane. Still, more and more, it’s seeming like the best thing that queer people in Russia can do is get out.

That’s what Elena, a Russian woman from a Moscow-adjacent town known as “the city of brides,” decided to do when she realized she couldn’t live a lie anymore. Elena had always known she wasn’t straight. She’d also been well aware that her desire to be with a woman would not make for an easy life in her home country. In a recent article, Elena told a reporter for Prospekt Maga-

zine that she had done all she could to hide who she was, including trying to look like a “proper woman” according to her mother, who encouraged her to wear high heels and makeup and to “catch” a man.

When Elena turned to the Internet for companionship, she found Meg, a Canadian lesbian with whom she felt an instant connection.

Six months passed, and the time came for Meg and Elena to meet in person.

Ukraine was the destination. Elena packed her bags, told her parents she was headed to the Opera and made up her mind to never return. She kept this mission a secret even from Meg herself.

This was in 2006, well before the political situation in Russia would reach its homophobic nadir. Still, when Elena made the initial leap, it was with a deeply prescient sense of how bad things would get in her homeland. She knew had further to go.

After fighting with her parents and telling them she wanted to stay in Kiev with Meg, Elena lost her passport and had to plan a seabound escape, from Kiev to Turkey and across the North Pacific into Canada. The

journey took ten months by boat.

By 2007, the couple arrived in Canada, where Elena received refugee status. This past April marked the ten year anniversary of the couple’s escape. In Elena’s new book,

“Talking to the Moon,” she tells the full story of what she did for love, in stunning detail. It’s a book we need right about now, if only to remind us that there still such things as happy endings.

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06.02 — 06.15.2017 COMMUNITY FITNESS

⚫ BY STAFF WRITER

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LOS ANGELES

⚫ 47

SWEATING WITH EASE NI

EveryBody Gym is Setting a Radical Standard

L.A.’s approach to most life processes is in the service of the holistic, the organic, and the progressive. We add bee pollen to our coffee and all manner of strange, leafy greens to our cocktails. We try to incorporate the beauty of our surroundings into everyday life, and sometimes get caught up in the idea of ‘no-tox living’ to the point of self-parody.

So why haven’t gyms and fitness centers followed suit?

For all the emphasis on personal wellness and physical health in California, going to the gym can actually be one of the more stressful things a person can do here. A gym is a place that’s often rigidly gendered, shockingly corporate, and more about outperforming the people around you than actually focusing on your own wellness. And if you’re trans, nonbinary, or differently-abled, chances are you’re going to have more than a few nasty encounters.

So far, there’s only one gym so far that goes out of its way to promise a safe, non-judgmental, and community-based experience in all of the U.S. And—surprise!—

it’s located here, in L.A.’s very own Glassell Park neighborhood.

Started by Lake Sharp and Sam Rypinski (who met in a feminist business course)

We love that they’ve served the LGBTQ community for decades.

EveryBody promises an approach to fitness that’s less about getting ripped and more about getting comfortable with your body.

The project was announced last year, and

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a fundraiser followed in June of 2016. EveryBody officially opened up shop in early 2017.

The setup of EveryBody—a modest space with an array of weight machines, wellness rooms, and a spacious outdoor area—exists in a perfect counter-balance to the usual gym scene. You know: bright lights, awkward changing rooms, tons of TVs blasting the news? The whole point of EveryBody is to build a space that's not a fitness dungeon, shut off from the rest of the world. Their 'radical inclusion' model is about allowing bodies of all types to practice healthy rituals in a non-judgmental environment. EveryBody’s changing rooms are gender neutral to suit the needs of the gym’s clientele and staff, many of whom are trans and nonbinary. It’s also community-based, offering discounts for folks in the neighborhood, and sliding scale payments to make sure it stays accessible. For folks who have too long avoided the gym because of money, gender, or sheer intimidation, EveryBody provides a perfect alternative. One can only hope that the rest of the country catches on soon.

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06.02 — 06.15.2017 SPORTS

BASEBALL

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LOS ANGELES

immeasurable work towards pushing both the sport and the culture further.

“The key for us, for me, is that it has to be real," Braverman says. "It has to have a goal of being a year-round connection. Otherwise, it really is nothing more than a sale, and that’s not what this is about for me.”

When Braverman came out in 2015, he was the only person in a high executive position to be out in the baseball world. The Dodgers’ dedication to inclusiveness was something that made it easier for him to do.

“We rely on [baseball having power in America,]” said Bean. “I think there’s an understanding with baseball being the sport of Jackie Robinson, and that it goes all the way back to that moment 70 years ago.

The origin of that moment, when Robinson made his major league debut, was on the Dodger baseball field. And how the Dodgers’ fearlessness in creating an inclusive message has always been there. Not only is it great, but it’s important.”

Baseball has always been a powerful ideological force in America. The fact that it’s now becoming a place where kids and adults can see a diverse cross-section of

OPINION

>

49

Continued ... BASEBALL from page 34 NI

⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA

POLITICS

⚫

players of different sexualities is a testament to its ability to change and progress with time and to keep representing America as it goes through its own changes.

On June 9, some of the crowd will be there to watch a baseball game. Others will be there to support a community that’s had its fair share of struggle in the past year alone. Others still will be there to introduce a great American tradition to the youngest members of their families. And others will be there for the fireworks, the lights, the celebration.

“For me,” says Bean, “I’ll be sitting there, hopeful and excited and wishing a part of me was young enough to still be a player, and wishing I had had this as a player. But for me, to be still in baseball and see where our sport is going and the fearlessness to be an example of change, and make a conversation that wasn’t common not so long ago one that’s commonplace, it’s very rewarding. People of my generation, we’ll be feeling a lot of that on that evening.”

All images courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers

Continued ... GUN from page 43

⚫ BY CHUCK STEWART and it’s utterly confusing.

There has always been gun control in the U.S. at local, state, and federal levels. It is important to have a rational discussion about gun ownership that dispels all the myths and misinformation. And this is where the LGBT community can have an impact. Coming out as gay gives us strength to stand up to bullies. Our community has shown great ability at organizing. As gay people, we need to stand up against all the falsehoods perpetrated by the pro-gun lobby.

For example, gun violence is a real problem; a “good guy” with a gun is not an effective way to stop a “bad guy” with a gun; dictators have not used the confiscation of weapons as an effective means to consolidate power; and more. We can’t let the gun bullies push us around. Our LGBT support organizations need to encourage academic research into gun violence and enact comprehensive gun control legislation that reflects programs that are effective at reducing gun violence.

LGBT people have the temperament and organizational skill to lead the way for ending gun violence.

Chuck Stewart, Ph.D. is an editor and writer for ABC-CLIO and other publishers.

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⚫ NEWS

EDUCATION

06.02 — 06.15.2017

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50

>

Continued ... SCHOOL from page 42

⚫ BY STAFF WRITER | RESEARCH BY NDINDI KITONGA his university, noted: “In a lot of ways, the gay controversy has been likened to other controversies of the past, like slavery. In a hundred years, the idea is that no one will be arguing about this anymore.” Rutherford feels that the same way and is hopeful that the same way the church take for granted that slavery was evil, the church will eventually take for granted that homosexual relationships are not immoral.”

Nila, who has since left mainstream Christianity struggled to find acceptance in Christian communities, admitted that: “The narrow-minded evangelical Christian environment is toxic for people. Some people say they will never step into a church again.

Some people will try to be straight. Some will embrace their identity but remain unhappy because they want to be part of a faith community. There are some places [denominations/churches] that are accepting but they aren’t really enough to drown out the noise of everyone else.” According to Mesa, “The interviews we conducted highlight the deep need for reconciliation between queer communities and Christian communities, especially because the issue of queer students in religious schools demonstrates that these two seemingly incompatible groups can sometimes overlap and leave individuals

NI

caught in the middle. Because churches represent Christian communities on the most basic level, a change in attitudes towards the queer community needs to happen within American churches. As powerful as legal action can be, change within Christian churches will need to come from within the Christian community itself.”

When Kitonga was invited to speak on these issues after her study at one of the Evangelical schools, “several persons made it clear that they would choose not to associate with me. I also received several hateful and judgmental anonymous emails threatening me not to come to campus.”

She came for the talk anyway.

“My talk was well received by students and faculty.” Said Kitonga. “Many students expressed gratitude for my work. They also mentioned feeling empowered and heard in a way that has not happened for them on their campus. Several students came out to me via email, and demonstrated great distress, fear, shame and confusion. They were lacking the proper resources and support to navigate their identities at the university and did not know what to do.”

The research is far from over, and most schools throughout the country have yet to try and come to terms with what Title IX actually means for LGBTQ students.

Amber Hansen shared her final thoughts at the end of the study. “Churches and religious institutions are the front lines in the battle against heterosexism and homophobia in our society. But through continued action towards protecting queer students on a legal level, as well as working to provide support and open dialogue on a personal level, we have the power to bring change for the better.”

For Kitonga, the change cannot come soon enough. She harkens back to the words of Sam Cooke: “It’s been a long time, a long time coming but I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will.”

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06.02 — 06.15.2017 CULTURE FILM

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LOS ANGELES

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GROWING UP

“Handsome Devil” is the Queer Coming of Age Film You Wish You’d Had When Irish director John Butler set out to make a story about growing up queer, emo, and rugby-obsessed in south Dublin in the 1980s, he didn’t exactly have a template to follow.

Except, of course, his own story. The result, “Handsome Devil,” turned out pretty spectacular, blowing audiences away at TIFF with the heartbreaking story of Ned, a gay, Smiths-obsessed who develops an intense friendship with his boarding school roommate.

The Pride sat down with Butler to talk about music, growing up, and what he wants LGBTQ audiences to take away from the film.

Did you set out to make a different kind of coming of age film with “Handsome Devil?”

I wanted to make a buddy comedy with a happy ending in which at least one of the characters isn’t straight.Too often, our stories aren’t told in the area of comedy. It’s time! Also, although I loved American high school comedies such as the films of John Hughes, the homophobia in them is a little hard to endure in 2017, so it is fun to update that subgenre.

Tell us a bit about the casting process for this film.

As is the way in 2017 it involved actors taping on the iPhones, and that’s how I came across Fionn O’Shea, who was on his first feature in South Africa, and Nick Galitzine, who’s Irish accent was so convincing I thought he was an Irish actor living in London and not a London boy as Nick is. It was a joy – casting is 99 percent of the director’s job.

?

E V I S S AGGRE

PREFER

What were some of the things that made it easier for you growing up?

I went to a fee-paying, rugby playing all-boys school and found it... tricky. I was gay, and I loved sport and found it hard to reconcile what I thought were two incompatible aspects of myself. They're not, of course, but it felt that way. My family was loving and supportive, though, and I had – and have – good friends. Also, it must be said that when you are young, very often things like music and sport mean more to you than they can to any adult.That was certainly the case for me. Escape!

Do you think the world has changed significantly for queer kids since then?

There's still no "out" premiership soccer player of rugby union player in 2017. Incredible, and sad.

So it’s gotten better, but it’s easy to forget that we don’t all live in liberal bubbles like WeHo, or South Beach, or Dublin, Ireland which was the first country in the world to pass marriage equality by popular vote. It’s still incredibly rough for LGBT kids the world over. And if you buy into the idea that human sexuality is an identity, then that begins at a much younger age that one’s sexual awakening. So yes,

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it gets better, but it should be getting better much, much earlier – when kids are young and in school.

That’s the responsibility of adults.

(562) 206-2012 “Wishing EVERYONE a Happy Pride”

⚫ COMMUNITY PRIDE

⚫ BY AMY PATTON

06.02 — 06.15.2017

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52

>

INTERNATIONAL CITY PRIDE NI

A Gay Ol’ Time in Long Beach

Thousands of LGBT+ community members and supports flocked to the streets of Long Beach to celebrate the 34th annual Pride Parade and Festival May 20-21.

No longer under the radar, the 34th annual Long Beach Pride weekend waved its rainbow flags high and proud May 20-21.

Fourteen years L.A. Pride's senior, Long Beach Pride is catching up in attendance and, well, pride.

Now attracting over 80,000 participants annually, Long Beach Pride consists primarily of a festival Saturday and Sunday, and a parade Sunday morning. LGBT+ members and supporters could have also shown their stripes this year in the 25th annual Pride 5K/10K just before the parade.

This year's parade began with a tribute to the Orlando Pulse 49, who were murdered in a mass shooting in an Orlando, Fl. nightclub last June.

Pulse Manager and shooting survivor Brian Reagan and Milan D’Marco, a dancer and entertainer at Pulse Nightclub both attended the tribute before the parade.

“Your love, your support from all over the world has truly meant the world to all of us," Reagan said during the tribute.

Love was in abundance throughout the parade and into the night with festival headliners Chaka Khan, and Jody Walter and SRL.

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Thanks to Dapper Boi, Swimsuits Are Finally Going Gender Neutral

For gender nonconforming people of any stripe, the struggle to find something to wear to the beach is painfully real.The days of 1920s full-body wool swimsuits are sadly gone – they’ve been replaced with an uncomfortable, heavily-gendered model when it comes to swimwear. Even the most progressive stores don’t tend to carry bathing suits for anyone who wants to wear something other than a bikini or board shorts.

San Diego-based clothing company Dapper Boi is changing all that. Started in 2015 by CEO Vicky Pasche, Dapper Boi was conceived of as a modern, butch-focused approach to the classic jean. “We were thinking when we started, let’s do this one thing, [jeans that had a male style and a female fit] and let’s do it really well,” said Pasche. After figuring out how to design the perfect androgynous jean, Dapper Boi launched a Kickstarter for the $18,000 it would take to cover production costs.

Today, they’ve taken the crowdfunding model even further, and have started to produce new products with the same, gender-free ethos in mind. Most notably – and just in time for summer – the Dapper Boi bathing suit.

A promo video for the as-yet-unreleased bathing suit model shows a struggling butch trying to figure out what to wear to the pool.

Frilly bikini top? Sports bra with stretched-out tank top and shorts? At last, the Dapper Boi solution is proposed – a snug compression top paired with shorts to provide the best amount of coverage for all those often beach-avoidant folks who, at the end of the day, just want to

go swimming and not have to think about body politics.

It’s a struggle so many people can identify with, wherever they fall on the gender spectrum. For a community that’s too often ignored or underserved by clothing companies, Dapper Boi’s swimsuit is a game-changer. For Pasche, its creation came from a very personal place.

“When writing the script for that video, it really just was about my struggle every year.

And I know a lot of people who go through that, too. Even just talking to my friends, they’re like ‘oh my god! Yes!’ Because I don’t have the body for just a sports bra or a bikini top, and that’s not even my style. What I normally wore to the pool is one of those under tanks that gets all faded and crunchy and gross. We took that simple concept of like, seeing a lot of people in that position at the pool and we just made it into a bathing suit. It’s a simple thing but sometimes those simple things really help.”

In a retail world where chest support is almost never a priority in swimwear, the compression top is something unique that Dapper Boi is bringing to the market.“It’s not a binder,” said Pasche. “It just keeps you snug in there so there’s not a lot of bounce.” Starting in July, the bathing suits, which Pasche is selling at wholesale for a limited time before introducing the retail price, will start shipping out. Keeping the price at wholesale, for a least a short amount of time, is important to Dapper Boi’s sustainable model. The company makes their jeans in L.A., their bathing suits in Colombia, and has plans to produce other items in ethical facto-

ries in China. Taking a tip from Everlane’s ‘radical transparency’ model, Dapper Boi keeps its buyers aware of exactly how the clothes are being made.

“It’s expensive, and we do get a lot of complaints about that. But people don’t understand what it costs to produce ethically. I didn’t understand it before I started.” Pasche said. As a small company, Pasche takes on more than most in terms of keeping products sustainable and affordable. It’s an aspect of the job that keeps her up until all hours: In fact, Pasche was so intent on completely the perfect design for the suit that she almost missed her deadline.

“We were down to the wire with this one. Literally, I just approved it a couple of days before the launch – that night we were up until 5:30 in the morning signing off on designs. I wasn’t sure if it was going to happen!”

The creation of the design was a labor of love, and a perfect compliment to Dapper Boi’s style of bold, gender-questioning attire, including shirts and hats that proudly bear the slogan, “not a boy.”

When asked about the future of the company, Pasche expressed excitement about Dapper Boi’s growing market.

“I started it to be about androgynous, butch women. But we’re realized down the line that we’re getting more and more people who are saying, ‘I fit in your clothes as well.’ So that is the game plan. We had to start somewhere, and butch was a great place to start. But we want to end up being a completely genderless brand. I don’t even want to mention gender. I’d like to keep our brand as simple as possible and just welcome all.”

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Two Queer Classics Make a Big Screen Return MAURICE (1987)

For so many gay kids growing up in the era before “Fire Island,” “Will and Grace,” and “Queer as Folk,” Rupert Brooke’s penis was a landmark of epic proportion.

I should specify: It was actually Rupert Brooke’s penis in the Merchant Ivory production of “A Room With a View,” – a film containing a scene in which a very naked, very young Brooke cavorts with a naked, less young Simon Callow in a stream – that was the event. The scene lasts only a minute or two, but its cultural influence was immense.

Almost every gay boy has a personal relationship to it, and for so many, it was the first instance where the high culture of a beautiful, polished literary adaptation joined forces with full frontal nudity in a way that was joyous, uncontradictory, and completely natural.

Such was the gift of the Merchant Ivory films of the ‘80s. Producer Ismail Merchant and Director James Ivory teamed up in the ‘60s to create a production company that

would focus on classical, richly visual adaptations of English literature, featuring the work of Henry James, writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, and – most heavily – E.M. Forster.

Merchant and Ivory were lovers from almost the moment of their meeting until

Merchant’s death in 2005. Their professional and artistic partnership created some of the most exquisite literary adaptations on screen, and together, they found a way to make fully overt the undertones of works written by men like James and Forster who, while alive, wrote their truth, of necessity, from deep within the closet of Edwardian society.

The gayness of the Merchant Ivory films – including “A Room With A View,” “Howard’s End,” and the Bostonians – was an implicit selling point. And yet it took “Maurice,” in 1987, to bring a fully-developed, feature-length portrait of gay life onto the screen. The history of “Maurice” was legendary – E.M. Forster had written his one and only “out” gay novel in the ‘10s. It only saw publication in the ‘70s, well after his death.

By 1987, Merchant and Ivory had brought to life the story of a high-class, long-suffering gay man (the titular Maurice, played by James

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Wilby) and his relationship with a lower class worker (Alec Scudder, played by Rupert Graves.)

This time, penises weren’t even remotely the most exciting part.

This year, on its 30th anniversary, “Maurice” will receive another big screen release just in time for Pride. A new 4K restoration by the Cohen Media Group will play in select cities starting in June. Folks in L.A. who want to catch it on the big screen can head to the Nuart Theater in Hollywood from June 2 to June 7.

“Remember that Maurice came out at a time of great tragedy and unhappiness, at the height of the AIDS epidemic.” James Ivory, who is still very much alive and thriving, told Westword when asked about the re-release.

“There was no cure yet, and people were losing their lives, and their family and friends.”

As if we could possibly forget.

THE NAKED CIVIL SERVANT (1975)

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On the other side of things, there’s Quentin Crisp, a man who, for quite a long period of time, represented everything that the Gay

Rights movement wanted to ignore: Flamboyance, open sexuality, and proud difference.

In short, Crisp was being flamingly gay in

an era when even being slightly, quietly gay was an open liability. During the ‘30s and ‘40s in England, Crisp led as close as he

could get at the time to an openly gay life.

His groundbreaking 1968 memoir “The Naked Civil Servant” chronicles the hilarity – and nail-biting terror – of this unique position.

In the 1975 adaptation of the book, Crisp is played by the late, great John Hurt with grace, beauty, and perfect comic timing. What could have been a grim story of violence, domestic abuse, and grueling back-to-back encounters with a homophobic justice system becomes, in the hands of Hurt and director Jack Gold, a story about triumph.

Filmed with intertitles and in the spedup manner of a silent comedy, “The Naked Civil Servant” tells its story with a bouncy, tongue-in-cheek emphasis on the absurd. It never loses its spirit, and it never stops being enlightening.

The adaptation gets to the heart of Crisp’s entire life philosophy: If you truly believe in who you are, no one can beat you down.

The film just got a new theatrical and Blu-ray release in the UK this May. With any luck, we’ll be seeing a restored version soon enough stateside.

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