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Description
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ToC Travel: Cooling Down in Quebec by Carole Terwilliger Meyers (p38); The Mile High Club by Beren de Motier (p40); Queer Lit Hits by Stephanie Schroeder (p54); Cover: Foxy Jorja by Suzie Barnes (p62); 18 Stars Dish on Lesbian Sex compiled by Susan Granger (p80); The Annual Guide to All Things Pride: Where to Go (p45); What to Wear (p46); What to Bring (p48); Who Knew? (p50); Perfect Pride Parties (p52); LGBT Media - Where Do We Stand?: Lesbians Last by Stephanie Schroeder (p58); Endangered Reading by Melany Walters-Beck (p60); So Long, Farewell by Heather Boerner (p61); It's Our Anniversary! We're 17!: Curvettes Uncovered (p70); Where Are They Now? (p74); Our Favorite Peeps (p76); Who Are You? (p79); Cover photo by Robert Sebree.
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Pride Issue
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Anniversary Issue
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issue
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5
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Date Issued
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June 2007
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Format
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PDF/A
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Publisher
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Frances Stevens
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Identifier
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Curve_Vol17_No5_May-2007_OCR_PDFa.pdf
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extracted text
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PROPERTYOF:
OUTON THE SHELF
W~W.0UT0NTHESHELF.CA
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THE BEST-SELLING LESBIAN MAGAZINE
Jorja on
VOLUME: 1 7 "JUMBE:R 5
1550 Bryant Street, Suite 510
San Francisco, California 94103
Phone 415-863-6538 Facsimile 415-863-1609
Advertising Sales 415-863-6538 ext. 10 or 212-446-6700
Subscription Inquiries 818-760-8983
Advertising E-mail advertising@curvemag.com
Editorial E-mail editor@curvemag.com
Letters to the Editor E-mail letters@curvemag.com
My Mind
TV starsget morethan their
fair shareof kudoshere,too,
and when our editorsare busy
chasingcelebrityskirts,there
is no primetime actormore
soughtafterthan JorjaFox.
Publisher/Editor in Chief
Executive Editor
Associate Publisher
Associate Editor
Book Review Editor
Music Review Editor
Contributing Editors
Copy Chief
Proofreaders
Frances Stevens Publisher/Editor
E
in Chief
very year at our staff retreat, we have a long brainstorming session where each staffer is allowed to
call out the names of any celebrities they'd like to see on the cover of
CURVE
in the coming year.
Sometimes they're the usual suspects (Ellen DeGeneres and Melissa Etheridge always have a place in our
Art Director
Production Manager
Production Artists
Web Producer
Catalog Manager
Frances Stevens
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Sara Jane Keskula
Catherine Plato
Rachel Pepper
Margaret Coble
Julia Bloch, Victoria A.
Brownworth, Gina Daggett,
Sheryl Kay, Gretchen Lee,
Sarah Warn
Laura K. Cucullu
Michelle Ma, Katherine H.
Nelson
Stefanie Liang
Ondine Kilker
Kelly Nuti, Amy Silverman
Nikki Woelk
Holly DeMaagd
Director of Operations
Advertising Sales
Flo Enriquez
Diana L Berry, Joan Boccafola,
Rivendell Media
Marketing & PR Managers
Marketing Coordinator
Editorial Assistants
Bambi Weavil, Lindsey Taylor
Amanda Campa
Azania Baker, Asiana
Ponciano, Jaime Roca,
Lesley Seacrist
pages), our dream girls (Hilary Swank, Drew Barrymore, Lindsay Lohan - call us) or the women who are
impacting our lives in socially significant ways (Hillary Clinton is a much-debated candidate in our homes,
too). But TV stars get more than their fair share of kudos here, too, and when our editors are busy chasing celebrity skirts, there is no prime time actor more sought after thanJorja Fox. That's why we're thrilled
to run Suzie Barnes' interview with the CSI star, in which Fox talks about commitment issues, which cast
mates she's crushing on and why you should never wear lavender on a date.
Fox is a rare bird. Her quietly unassuming manners have kept her (and CSI) atop the Nielsen ratings.
Off-screen she shies away from the paparazzi but not from social responsibility. The sexy vegetarian is an
outspoken activist with the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and has used her star power not
just to protest animal cruelty but also to support lesbian and female-centric theater in Los Angeles. Though
Contributing Writers Elizabeth A. Allen, Suzie Barnes,
Kathy Beige, Heather Boerner, Beren deMotier,
Michele Fisher, Susan Granger, Tania Hammidi,
Jenna Humphrey, Kate Lacey, Sheela Lambert,
Charlene Lichtenstein, Karlyn Latney, Nicole
Makris, Candace Moore, Stephanie Schroeder,
Ursula Steck, Allison Steinberg, Carole Terwilliger
Meyers, Melany Walters-Beck, Jocelyn Voo
her LGBT fans are eager to know which team she bats for, we couldn't care less. Her support is commit-
Illustrators Phil Cho, Katherine Streeter, Seon Winn
ment enough for us.
Contributing Photographers Ed Araque), Erica Beckman,
Marina Dicerbo, Phyllis Christopher, Jane Philomen
Cleland, Lydia Daniller, Marina Dicerbo, Dakota Fine,
Jose Luis Gutierrez, Gabriela Hashun, Johanna
Hetherington, Lynnly Labovitz, Loree Hyde, Naomi
Kaltman, Kathryn Kirk, Cliff Lipson, Wayne Marquardt,
Janet Mayer, Paul Michaud, Mia Nakano, Naka
Nathaniel, Darcy Padilla, Maggie Parker, Brandi
Pettijohn, Annabel Reyes, Evelyn Reyes, Robert
Sebree, Elisa Shebaro, Brenda Timm, Michael Triplett,
Robert Voets, Jeffrey Walls, Yamisette Westerbrand
Fox, of course, isn't the only exciting woman in
CURVE
this issue. Queer author Felicia Luna Lemus and
her partner, T Cooper, are New York literary darlings (Cooper's been all but vaulted to rock star status
in Germany) so we had lesbian photographer Erica Beckman shoot them on their iconic home turf.
Meanwhile, Susan Granger compiled celebrity quotes about lesbian romance from 18 sexy stars including
Angelina Jolie, Rebecca Romijn and Kristy Swanson.
And, just in time for Pride, a roundup of all the great places
and Portland, Ore., are just a few -
CURVE
staffers will be -
New York, Atlanta
along with what we'll be doing, what we'll be wearing and why you
should come out and see us some time. We're also thrilled to be celebrating our 17th anniversary this summer and to revel, we're highlighing some of the folks behind the scenes and the women who've helped us
stay in the game for almost two decades (including you!). Enjoy!
Volume 17 Issue 5 Curve (ISSN 1087-867)() is published monthly (except for
January and July) by Outspoken Enterprises, Inc., 1550 Bryant St., Ste. 51o,
San Francisco, CA 94103. Subscription price: $49.95/year, $62.95 Canadian
(U.S. funds only) and $71.95 international (U.S. funds only). Returned checks
will be assessed a $25 surcharge. Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco,
CA 94114 and at additional mailing offices (USPS 0010-355). Contents of Curve
Magazine may not be reproduced in any manner, either whole or in part, without
wntten permIssIon from the publisher. Publication of the name or photograph
of any persons or organizations appearing, advertising or listing in Curve may
not be taken as an indication of the sexual orientation of that individual or
group unless specifically stated. Curve welcomes letters. queries, unsolicited
manuscnpts and artwork. Include SASE for response. Lack of any representation
only signifies Insuffic1entmaterials. Submissions cannot be returned unless a
self-addressed stamped envelope is included. No responsibility is assumed for
loss or damages. The_contents do not necessarily represent the opinions of
the editor, unless specifically stated. All magazines sent discreetly. Subscription
lnqu1nes:Please wnte to Curve, 1550 Bryant Street. Suite 510, San Francisco,
CA 94103, e-mail shop@curvemag.com, or call 818-760-8983. Canadian
Agreement Number: 40793029. Postmaster: Send Canadian address changes
to shop@curvemag.com. Curve, PO Box 122, Niagara falls, ON L2E 6S8. Send
U.S. address changes to shop@curvemag.com, Curve, PO Box 17138, N.
Hollywood, CA 91615-7138. Printed In the U.S.
A
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Features
"I did some
modeling
years ago
and shared
a cabin with
a woman.
I was in my
black pants
and T-shirt,
watching
television.
She was
in a little
G-string,
putting
lotionon
her whole
body.... She
looked all
glossy and
I wanted to
eat her.You
haveto live
for moments
like that."
June 2007
38
Volume 17#5
Travel: Cooling Down in Quebec Dream of
5
famed Ice Hotel. By Carole Terwilliger Meyers
5
Perfect Pride Parties Booze, broads and colorful glasses. What's missing?
40
The Mile High Club One lesbian navigates airport security without being humilated or arrested.
LC?T 1\11 i
By Beren deMotier
5
'lier Do W Stand?
Lesbians Last As some companies grow, some
dykes worry their voices will be left behind.
54
Queer Lit Hits Meet T Cooper and
Felicia Luna Lemus -the
By Stephanie Schroeder
(gender)queer world's
answer to Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath, only cuter,
6
hipper and less psychologically damaged.
Endangered Reading How bankruptcy leads to
censorship. By Melany Walters-Beck
COVER: Foxy Jorja The sexy star of CS/ says
So Long, Farewell A lesbian publisher says
goodbye to gays and hello to God.
she never wears lavender on a date. We wonder if
7
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Curvettes Uncovered Enough about me, let's talk
about you. OK, back to me.
on to glamorous jobs and faraway places.
Where to Go CuRVEjust might be passing through
Our Favorite Peeps A few dozen of our favorite
What to Wear Boxy rainbow T-shirts are so over.
6
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What to Bring A few easy must-haves will get
you through the parties and parades.
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Where Are They Now? Some CURVE
interns went
gals (and a couple of men, too).
Cover photo by
Robert Sebree
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Compiled by Susan Granger
your hometown this year. Check out our tour dates.
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18 Stars Dish on Lesbian Sex Angelina, Drew,
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Angelina Jolie
page 80
Who Knew? A few factoids about Pride season.
escaping the summer heat with a stay at the
Who Are You? You eat meat and drive pick up
trucks. Are you lesbians or country music stars?
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Departments
June 2007
Datingis not
a wasteof
time. Nor is it
drudgerydesigned
to makeyoufeel
inadequateand/or
lonely.Datingis
supposedto be
fun.Youget to
hearallkindsof
stories,eat
at different
restaurants
and
see lotsof
womennaked.
page 34
4
Frankly Speaking A note from our
28 Scene Just in case you didn't make it to
82 In the Stacks Rachel Pepper remi-
our L Word party, check out the pies and
founder and publisher, Frances Stevens.
nisces over Sassy and uncovers the next
see what you missed.
big thing in riot grrl lit. Plus, living legend
10 Letters We're doing our part to help
CURVE readers
hook up, one missed con-
Joan Nestle answers a few questions.
30 Ask Fairy Butch How do you deal with
getting ditched for a dude? Fairy Butch
nection at a time.
reveals the silver lining.
14 Out in Front From students to senior
citizens, these are some dykes to watch
31
out for.
Lipstick & Dipstick Lesbians sure do
have a lot of boy questions this month.
85
Music Watch Margaret Coble can't get
a:
a:
Icicles (pictured above).
fg_
32 Advice: First Date Locales Choose
Calif., are throwing a party you won't
wisely or lose out, says advice diva
want to miss. But what's this new gay
Kate Lacey.
why wasn't it around when we
33 Astro Grrl It looks like Aries babes are
34
gets her craft on.
20
Lesbofile Suze Orman's got gold-star
status; Kimora Lee Simmons is just
starting to dabble.
s j curve
36
Dyke Drama Is your relationship
making you yawn? Michele Fisher
suggests you get out, pronto.
Politics Victoria A Brownworth discusses pride, prejudice and privilege.
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18 Open Studio Oregon girl Bonnie Barrett
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San Francisco filmmaker Shani Heckman
the life of the party this June.
were kids?
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88 Sapphic Screen A few fun chick flicks
90 Tech Girl Some hot new gift ideas for
summer camp we're hearing about, and
<{
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make for a sweet gay girls' night in. Also,
16 Curvatures The lezzies of Oakland,
g
enough of the East Coast ladies like the
experiences the joy of Hellerwork.
96 Top Ten Reasons We Love
Butchlalis de Panochtitlan The only
thing better than a sexy, savvy butch
with a poetic streak? Four of 'em.
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200625
Letters
"I love that you have Jackie Warner on
the cover this month. She is strong and
an inspiration to me personally. I am
Gay Magazines
at Air orts?
overweight and struggling .to lose it and
get healthy. That's another story but
anyway, kudos to you for recognizing
I'vewonderedfor a
longtimewhy no LGBT
periodicals
areavailable
at airportnewsstands,
Editor's Note: It wasn't a joke, just an oversighton our part. Too
noteventhe Oakland Hot M mas
International
Airport. I enjoyed reading about the many different dyke styles in your re- many chefs ruin the stew, and sometimes too many people workCertainlyin the San cent fashion issue (Vol. 17, #3), but I'd like to suggest that next ing on photo captions isjust as dangerous.There must have been a
Francisco
BayAreait time you include ones for pregnant lesbians as well. Most mater- mix-up between the many hands the photo passed through before
wouldbe reasonable nity wear is designed for straight fashion sensibilities. Surely the finally landingon our pages.And boy, do wefeel stupid. Our sincerto assumethatthere crack investigative team at CURVE can track down someone out est apologiesto Michaela Gray, a talenteddesignerwhom we will be
aremanylesbianand there creating maternity fashions for pregnant dykes - femme, giving more attention to in a future issue.And by the way, who is
gaytravelers,sowhy
Tuesday Smille?Sadly, we don't even know. Sorry to Tuesday, too.
butch, and in between - or at least find a lesbian style guru who
arethereno LGBT
could put together some recommendations from the mainstream
magazines
availablefor
purchasefromairport shops.
concessionaires? - Alexandra Bauermeister, owner of lesbian mom Web site I realize that this may be a bit out of the norm, but I need your
mombian.com, Cambridge,Mass.
help. Saturday night, March 31, at the incredible Dinah Shore
I suggested
via e-mail
weekend, in the main hallway of the Doral, I locked eyes with
thattheycarrythe
·e d
Advocate,
Instinct,and
one the most amazingly beautiful women that I have ever seen.
cuRvEmagazines,
and I love that you have Jackie Warner on the cover this month (Vol.
There was something so mysterious about her; she had a
I'vebeensurprised: 17, #3 ). She is strong and an inspiration to me personally. I am smile like the sunrise and a gaze that gave me butterflies. She's
TheOaklandPorts overweight and struggling to lose it and get healthy. That's an- possibly white and Italian, late 20s, slender, about 5-foot-5 to 5authorityhasbeenwhat other story but anyway, kudos to you for recognizing what a foot-7, with short black hair and a very toned body. That night
I wouldconsiderto be fabulous person she is.
she was wearing a semi-sheer white turtleneck and black pants.
surprisinglyresponsive.
- Jennifer, via e-mail
She was also carrying a nice-size video camera. I realize that this
They'rein the process
may be an impossible task, and she may even be taken but I've
of questioning
their
I '
aea
got
to know. I'd simply like to meet her.
vendor,Delaware
I'm
a
bit
confused.
I
don't
know
what's
going
on,
but
since
when
CandicePhillips,Sacramento, Calif.
NorthCompany.
- GlendaSharp,San does CURVE not check their photos and make
Francisco sure the captions are correct:' The person on
Buy Dyke Tees Now, Dammit!
what a fabulous person she is."
page 41 of your April issue (Vol. 17, #3) is
Editor'sNote:Wayto
go, Glenda!Thanksfor
thesupport.Hopefully
we will be flying
togethersoon.
not Tuesday Smille, as the caption said. It's a
dear friend of mine who is a costume designer
named Michaela Grey. This was a costume
she wore at a show for the Femme Conference
in 2006 in San Francisco.
If humor was the intent, it only demeans
a queer femme costume-maker who doesn't
even get credit for her costume. If it's someone not checking to make sure the photo is
actually of the person who sent it in and
says it's her then the fact-checking at
CURVE
needs some serious going over. Because in one
quick Google search you can find a photo of
"Tuesday Smille" and it's obviously not the
person in the costume.
- ] Kimball, via e-mail
10
I curve
OK, we screwed the pooch with our fashion
spread featuring DykeTees.com ("Urban
Chic," V17#3). Since the company is an
online-only boutique, leaving out their Web
site address was a big oops. When dozens
of readers tried to Google "Dyke Tees" they
found 315,000 Web sites but none of the
first pages of search results were the real
DykeTees.com. (They are, however, the No. 1
site that comes up when you enter "lesbian T-shirt" -go figure.)
Though founder and lesbian extraordinare Stacy Bias was mum
on the subject (a direct quote: "Gift horse. Mouth. Etc. I still
adore you."), we got plenty of complaints. So here, in all it's
glory is one of our favorite lesbian T-shirts from the queen of
queer tees, Dyke Tees.com. - Editor
Letters I
Editor's Note: Hey, that's my girlfriend!Just kidding.
#4). We agree,it's especiallysad to hear of LGBT peoGoodluck,Candice.And if you'reout there,oh beautiful ple taking advantage of homophobiclegislationwhen
mysterywoman, e-mail Candiceat pjtwll@yahoo.com. they see it as somethingthat couldbenefitthem. .lfyou
Let us know how thefirst dategoes.
want tofight for LGBT rightsin your home state, considerjoining your state'schapterof the American Civil
Liberties Union. See acluutah.orgto learn more.
I don't know if you have covered the recent Utah
Supreme Court ruling that basically says that a
nonbiological parent does not have standing to seek
Covina Book Store in downtown Covina, Cali£,
visitation with a child they helped raise. Also that the
now sells CURVE magazine and The Advocate!
bio parent can "exercisetheir right as a parent" to cut
After 50 years of selling thousands of books and
off visitation at will. I am personally affected by that
magazines, our efforts paid off when the Covina
ruling. My ex-partner used that ruling as a way out.
Book Store called its distributor and began sellShe cut off my visitation with my 4-year-old daughing two of the largest gay and lesbian publications.
ter and I haven't seen or spoken with her for nearly
Members of the LGBT East San Gabriel Valley
two months. I feel that it is important to make our
area can buy these two magazines closer to home!
community more aware of how this is affecting our
- MichelleA. Bart, Helping HeroesProductions
children. Local papers are covering my story, but a
story in a national magazine would help us reach so
many more people. Is there any possibility of printI am currently in the process of researching where
ing my story?
my girlfriend and I can get married. We want to
- Gina Herrera, via e-mail
get married and go through all the same steps that
straight couples do. I believe that Massachusetts is
Editor's Note: Sorry to hear of your situation, Gina.
the only state that allows a gay couple to actually
We had some info on this in our May issue (Vol. 17, get married. The downside is that you have to live
there for six months and become a resident first. It
would be great if CURVE could do an article on this,
there are so many of us out here that need more
information and we need it from a reliable source!
- Stacy, via e-mail
Editor's Note: Oh, Canada!Our gay neighborsto the
north are allowedto marry regardlessof citizenshipor
residency in eight out of the country's 10 provinces.
Of course,onceyou're back in the Statesyou're out of
luck, as are Massachussettscoupleswho travelbeyond
the Bay State borders. Until we can get our federal
government to legally recognize our unions, there's
only so much we can do. Anyway, Stacy, if you want
to hear more about Canadian marriagesplus a few
more reasonswhy their country kick ass, check out a
new documentary called Escape to Canada - cold
weather'sstarting to look a little more inviting.
E-mail letters@curvemag.com;
write to
CURVE
Letters, 1550 Bryant St., Ste. 510, San Francisco,
CA 94103; fax to 415-863-1609.
Please include
your name, city and state. Letters may be edited
for clarity and length. ■
curve
rHE eEsr-sELL1Na
CURVE Magazine I BudLight I DeltaAirLines
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Business as Usual
Forever Young
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A former scenic carpenter for film and televi-
Some of us come out later than others.
At a quick glance, BethTeperlooks like a
sion, ChrisSchuster
left the entertainment
Even though she says that as a young teen-
teenager. It might be her petite stature or her
world two years ago to pursue a lifelong love of
ager she felt attracted to women, ElaineWeber
thousand-watt smile, but it's more likely the
math. It wasn't chat she didn't love her work, but
waited until her husband of 51 years passed
large group of children and young adults that
like many artists, Schuster had trouble making
away to come out, which she did just three
often surround her. Teper, who is actually 37
ends meet. With an exceptionally high GMAT
years ago, at 79.
years old, is the executive director of Children
score, Schuster entered NYU's Stern School of
Business and received her MBA last month.
"My girlfriends were all getting married back
then, and pressure from my parents led me to
of Lesbian and Gays Everywhere.
Teper is no stranger to the pain and alien-
dating men;' says Weber. "You didn't chink or act
ation some of these children experience. Her
nothing in common, but there's more than
on your feelings. God forbid you embarrassed
mother came out when she was 10, and Teper
meets the eye. "Success in both fields requires
your family:' But shortly after her husband died
lost many of her so-called friends throughout
taking risks, being a leader and bringing your
from Parkinson's disease, Weber watched two
her adolescence. It wasn't until she turned 24
whole self to your work;' Schuster says. "My
lesbian films and the feelings all rushed back in
chat she met several other children of gay par-
film and TV work was very team-based, and so
and, chis time, out into the open.
ents, when she attended her first CO LAGE
Superficially, she says, art and math have
is the treasury and security services business:•
Still, there were major differences; for
She was introduced to a local Metropolitan
meeting. She's worked with the group ever
Community Church, which focuses on min-
since, first as a volunteer and later moving up
the ranks.
example, Schuster was one of only two out
istering to LGBT congregants but is open to
lesbians in Stern's class of 400. The distinction
all, and the pastor gave her added strength and
became almost too much to bear until Schuster
support. And while some might wonder why
in the United Scates, Canada, England and
went to her first conference sponsored by
chat would matter to an octogenarian, well, you
Sweden -
Reaching Out MBA, a national organization of
haven't met Weber.
as "empower, mobilize and organize" these
LGBT students and professionals in business.
"In the lesbian community, we're encour-
Since her revelation, Weber has become an
active member of Silver Threads, a spinoff of
The group -
which now has 50 chapters
is not really there to help so much
children, Teper says.
More than ever before, Teper says,
aged to seek creative or activist careers;' she says.
Golden Threads, a social organization for lesbi-
COLAGE is a critical group in the fight for
''Almost all of the women I knew worked in
ans over 50. She's also become very active in
gay civil rights.
education, the arts and publishing. It was power-
Equality Florida and was recently interviewed
ful to meet older queer women who had profes-
for an upcoming cable documentary on late
opponents to LGBT family equality continue
sional careers impacting the course of business:'
bloomers. From time to time she's even spotted
to increase their power and strengthen their
Schuster quickly went on to co-chair the
in the Night Zone, a gay bar in her hometown
organizations, CO LAGE must be at the
ninth annual Reaching Out MBA Conference
last year and also serves as mentor to younger
of Ocala, Fla.
''As right-wing political and religious
forefront with our national, state and
"I am told chat you are never too old to
local partners and allies in consolidated and
come out and that age is only a number;'
well-executed strategies and campaigns that
Weber says. "Well, I am struggling with not
counter their efforts;' she says. "The children
the various experiences she's garnered to start a
having a woman on my arm or in bed with me,
of LGBT parents are at the center of both
company providing financial advice to queer and
but my younger friends cell me to be patient.
religious right-wing attacks and left-wing
arts-focused nonprofits. - Sheryl Kay
But at 81, how much time do I have left to
defense, so we're the best authorities on the
queer MBAs, through Stern's alumni association.
Eventually she hopes she can pull together
Are you or do you know of a woman
on the front lines of activism?
Write us at letters@curvemag.com.
14
J
curve
wait? I want to finish out my life with as much
subject. We're the experts who speak truth to
happiness chat is out there for me and my
power on behalf of ourselves, our families and
girlfriend:' -
our LGBT community:' -
Sheryl Kay
Sheryl Kay
Curvatures
Who Packed The S'mores:
For some, the smell of pine trees, sunscreen and toasted marshmallows connects to one thing: summer camp. The Triangle
Foundation, a Michigan-based
LGBT civil rights advocacy
organization, will host its second annual Camping.OUT
northern Michigan, Aug. 14-19. This unforgettable
in
camp
experience for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied
youth (ages 13 to 17) as well as children of queers offers
all the usual summer suspects (paddle canoes, hike trails,
direct drama skits and, of course, camp songs). According
MarkJune16- 17 on
yourcalendar,
all you
Southerndykes.It's
timefor OUTat the Park
(outatthepark.com),
the
officialqueerdayat
Tennessee's
Dollywood
andDolly'sSplash
Country(because
nothingsaysqueerlike
DollyParton'swater
park).Theannualfestivities,of whichthereare
expectedto betwice
as manythis year,
drawfolksfromaround
the countryto eastern
Tennessee
to play.But
don'tshowup expecting
a circuitparty;it's not
that kindof place,says
Executive
DirectorRyan
Salyer."It's simplya
fun,all-agessocial
eventfor all members
of the GLBTQ
community,alongwith all
of its friends,families
andsupporters."
Further
proofof just how"real"
thesefamiliesarekeeping it?Thehosthotelis
America'sBestValueInn
(abvipf.com).
- DAM
to Camping.OUT
Coordinator
Michigan's young people.
"They spoke of a safe space, away from the chaos of their
day-to-day lives, where they could truly be themselves;• he
says, "and have some fun with other youth that they felt
safe around:'
Camping.OUT's
staff
includes
trained
certified counselors from youth-oriented
and
organizations
stateand
colleges across the country. This seasonal getaway is funded
by the Triangle Foundation (tri.org) and individual donations;
those who can't afford the $525 registration fee can apply for
financial aid through the Generation.OUT
Scholarship Fund.
"We believe youth camps are a wonderful thing. They provide
a space where young people have the opportunity to create their
own world;'Varnum says. This year the Triangle Foundation has
aligned with several national organizations, such as the National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Youth Advocacy
Coalition, so that campers will have an opportunity to speak
with leaders of the LGBT community -
something you can't
get at Girl Scout camp, for sure. - AP
Lesbian Rabbi is First to Lead
Reconstructionist
Jews often feel out on the forefront. Of
the four main movements,
which also include Reform,
Conservative and Orthodox, the Reconstructionists
were the
first to perform a teenage girl's Bat Mitzvah, the first to ordain
Coalition for the General
Welfare, a group addressing
issues of poverty and welfare reform.
a female rabbi and the first to ordain gay clergy. Now they lead
While she doesn't think
the pack again, as Rabbi Toba Spitzer was just named head
being a lesbian will neces-
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinic Association, the first openly
sarily affect her job with the
gay person, man or woman, to lead such an organization.
Rabbinic Association, she
"I think it shows the growing normalizing of gays and les-
says that if her newfound
bians in mainstream Jewish life, and soon I would imagine we'll
visibility brings more atten-
see openly gay and lesbian folks in other positions of leader-
tion to the gay community,
then all is good.
ship in the major Jewish movements;' says Spitzer, rabbi of
Congregation Dorshei Tzedek in West Newton, Mass.
"I hope folks see and know that negative messages about
A Harvard-Radcliffe grad before rabbinical school, Spitzer
queer folks that they may have heard and experienced in Jewish
was involved in a variety of peace and social justice issues, from
circles should not keep them from finding Jewish community
young people's involvement in grassroots organizing to Israeli-
and living a Jewish life;' Spitzer says. "We are blessed to be
Palestinian co-existence. She went on to lead a human rights
living in America in the 21st century where there are many
places where all Jews can find a home:• - SK
mission to Haiti, and helped found the Philadelphia Interfaith
16 I curve
director and Triangle's Youth Initiative
Greg Varnum, the idea came directly from
A Radical in the Suburbs
When Carol Russell won a seat on the city council of the small
northern California city of Cloverdale last November, the big news
wasn't that she's an out lesbian. It was that she wanted to help control
the rapid growth of the small town and honor the city's history.
Her first move as a member of the council was to vote against a
housing development chat she thought wouldn't fiein the community. 'Tm not ancidevelopment at all, but I believe in balance and
Lily Allen
quality;' she explained. "I try to explain to people here, if you go to
a large city, there's a very big difference between high density on
Park Avenue and high density in the South Bronx. Ir's the quality
of the building and the design and its appropriateness to its surrounding, as well as the little things like the greenery that exists:'
Bueche fact chat 63-year-old Russell is free co concern herself
with planning and density levels sexuality -
and not with defending her
says something, both about the growing acceptance
of queer women in areas from which they had for generations fled
"The whole obsession with the fact that [Beth Ditto]'s
overweight and a lesbian - that's all anyone
seems to write about. Never mind the fact that
she's got an absolutely fucking incredible voice
and really good songs." >> Lily Allen, to BUST
and about Russell's charisma, optimism and leadership.
"[I] had been out and active in the community for four years,
when I ran for city council," said Russell, who speaks quickly and
with a lilting tone that drives home her point. "My partner and
I and a friend were co-founders of the North Bay Pride Music
Festival. It's not like our faces haven't been all around the city for
these things. Bue nothing happened. That's the great story. I was
able to run without any personal fear:'
A natural
optimist
and problem
solver, Russell is the
daughter of a Russian Jew who immigrated to avoid the Nazis.
She's also a woman who has always been out of the closet, even
before Stonewall, and who went from welfare as a teenager to the
founder of a multimillion-dollar
employment firm chat's been
studied by a Harvard professor and featured in Inc. magazine. In
other words, she isn't one to lee a small town or niggling fears stop
oc
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her from pursuing her dreams.
N
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woman I ever met, the most energetic and has the best sense of
~
humor in the world;' says Russell's partner of 37 years, Roz Katz.
!::
and I still carry chis today - is chat she's probably the smartest
[l'.l
I
I-
"Her sense of humor is one of the reasons she's been so successful
F
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in her life:'
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Russell, on the ocher hand, had no doubt that her life would
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turn out well. She knew all she had to do was work hard and have
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faith in herself and ochers; it's a lesson she thinks the queer com-
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gay brother and nothing surprised me about the
issues in the script. I know how it feels to be
thought of as 'different' as a deaf person, and
I also know my brother's experience. No one
should tell us who we should be with or shouldn't
be with. It's as simple as that. There should be
no judgment, no attitude toward the community
because we all live the same life. The only difference is who we choose to be with.">> L Word
actor Marlee Matlin, to Lesbian News
"IfI chink back to when I met Carol, my first impression of her
a:
z
"First of all, my brother is gay. So I grew up with a
(.)
munity could stand to learn a little better, as well.
'Tm an optimist but not a cockeyed optimise. Things only
work out if you work at them," she said. "I don't think we have
"I never came out. I never had to come out. I was
born knowing exactly who I am. As long as I can
remember, I've loved women. I remember hitting
on my babysitters immediately, as soon as I got a
new one. I was thrilled. The first time I ever had an
orgasm, I was watching The Bionic Woman. I just
came. I was 5." >> singer-songwriter Swati, to
EDGE Boston
enough pride in what we have accomplished as a community. We
tend to look at what we haven't accomplished, but we've battled
everything from bigotry to disease. We deserve to give ourselves
8: some credic:' - HB
June 2007
j
17
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For gift subscriptions, call (800) 705-0070 or (818) 760-8983. curvemag.com
of the building and the design and its appropriateness to its surrounding, as well as the little things like the greenery that exists:•
But the fact that 63-year-old Russell is free to concern herself
with planning and density levels sexuality -
and not with defending her
says something, both about the growing acceptance
of queer women in areas from which they had for generations fled
and about Russell's charisma, optimism and leadership.
"(I] had been out and active in the community for four years,
when I ran for city council;' said Russell, who speaks quickly and
with a lilting tone that drives home her point. "My partner and
I and a friend were co-founders of the North Bay Pride Music
Festival. It's not like our faces haven't been all around the city for
these things. But nothing happened. That's the great story. I was
able to run without any personal fear:•
A natural
optimist
and problem
solver, Russell is the
daughter of a Russian Jew who immigrated to avoid the Nazis.
She's also a woman who has always been out of the closet, even
before Stonewall, and who went from welfare as a teenager to the
founder of a multimillion-dollar
employment firm that's been
studied by a Harvard professor and featured in Inc. magazine. In
other words, she isn't one to let a small town or niggling fears stop
a:
LU
her from pursuing her dreams.
N
t:
~
LU
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ui
woman I ever met, the most energetic and has the best sense of
f-
a:
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and I still carry this today -
is that she's probably the smartest
~
humor in the world;' says Russell's partner of 37 years, Roz Katz.
f-
"Her sense of humor is one of the reasons she's been so successful
in her life:•
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seems to write about. Never mind the fact that
she's got an absolutely fucking incredible voice
and really good songs.">> Lily Allen, to BUST
"First of all, my brother is gay. So I grew up with a
gay brother and nothing surprised me about the
issues in the script. I know how it feels to be
thought of as 'different' as a deaf person, and
I also know my brother's experience. No one
should tell us who we should be with or shouldn't
be with. It's as simple as that. There should be
no judgment, no attitude toward the community
because we all live the same life. The only difference is who we choose to be with.">> L Word
actor Marlee Matlin, to Lesbian News
"If! think back to when I met Carol, my first impression of her
Cl.
z
1ct that [Beth Ditto]'s
overweight and a lesbian - that's all anyone
Russell, on the other hand, had no doubt that her life would
z:J
turn out well. She knew all she had to do was work hard and have
6
faith in herself and others; it's a lesson she thinks the queer com-
ti
LU
~
munity could stand to learn a little better, as well.
~0
'Tm an optimist but not a cockeyed optimist. Things only
Cl)
work out if you work at them," she said. "I don't think we have
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<t:
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...J
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a:
"I never came out. I never had to come out. I was
born knowing exactly who I am. As long as I can
remember, I've loved women. I remember hitting
on my babysitters immediately, as soon as I got a
new one. I was thrilled. The first time I ever had an
orgasm, I was watching The Bionic Woman. I just
came. I was 5." >> singer-songwriter Swati, to
EDGE Boston
enough pride in what we have accomplished as a community. We
tend to look at what we haven't accomplished, but we've battled
everything from bigotry to disease. We deserve to give ourselves
some credit:' - HB
June 2007 j 17
curvemag.com
Curvatures
NO POSTAGE
NECESSARY
IF MAILED
INTHE
UNITED STATES
w
BUSINESS REPLY MAIL
FIRST-CLASS MAIL
PERMIT NO 659
N HOLLYWOOD CA
POSTAGE Will BE PAID BY THE ADDRESSEE
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PO BOX 17138
N HOLLYWOOD CA 91615-9791
Dollywood, Here
We Come
MarkJune16- 17 on
yourcalendar,
all you
Southerndykes.It's
timefor OUTat the Park
(outatthepark.com),
the
officialqueerdayat
Tennessee's
Dollywood
andDolly'sSplash
Country(because
nothingsaysqueerlike
DollyParton'swater
park).Theannualfestivities,of whichthereare
expectedto betwice
as manythis year,
drawfolksfromaround
the countryto eastern
Tennessee
to play.But
don'tshowup expecting
a circuitparty;it's not
that kindof place,says
Executive
DirectorRyan
Salyer."It's simplya I
fun,all-agessocial
eventfor all members
of the GLBTO
community,alongwith all I
of its friends,families
andsupporters."Further
proofof just how"real"
thesefamiliesarekeeping it?Thehosthotelis
America'sBestValueInn
(abvipf.com).- DAM
11,I,,,,, II, II,,,,, II, I, I, I, I,, 1,,,II, I,,,,, II,, 1,II
safe around:'
Camping.OUT's
and
state-
organizations and
those who can't afford the $525 registration fee can apply for
financial aid through the Generation.OUT
Scholarship Fund.
"We believe youth camps are a wonderful thing. They provide
a space where young people have the opportunity to create their
own world;'Varnum says. This year the Triangle Foundation has
aligned with several national organizations, such as the National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Youth Advocacy
Coalition, so that campers will have an opportunity to speak
with leaders of the LGBT community -
something you can't
get at Girl Scout camp, for sure. - AP
Lesbian Rabbi is First to Lead
Reconstructionist
Jews often feel out on the forefront. Of
the four main movements,
Coalition for the General
which also include Reform,
Welfare, a group addressing
Conservative and Orthodox, the Reconstructionists were the
issues of poverty and wel-
first to perform a teenage girl's Bat Mitzvah, the first to ordain
fare reform.
a female rabbi and the first to ordain gay clergy. Now they lead
While she doesn't think
the pack again, as Rabbi Toba Spitzer was just named head
being a lesbian will neces-
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinic Association, the first openly
sarily affect her job with the
Rabbinic Association, she
er
UJ
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a:
~
UJ
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"I think it shows the growing normalizing of gays and les-
says that if her newfound
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bians in mainstream Jewish life, and soon I would imagine we'll
visibility brings more atten-
a: z
see openly gay and lesbian folks in other positions of leader-
tion to the gay community,
Congregation Dorshei Tzedek in West Newton, Mass.
A Harvard- Radcliffe grad before rabbinical school, Spitzer
then all is good.
"I hope folks see and know that negative messages about
queer folks that they may have heard and experienced in Jewish
was involved in a variety of peace and social justice issues, from
circles should not keep them from finding Jewish community
young people's involvement in grassroots organizing to Israeli-
and living a Jewish life;' Spitzer says. "We are blessed to be
Palestinian co-existence. She went on to lead a human rights
living in America in the 21st century where there are many
places where all Jews can find a home:• - SK
mission to Haiti, and helped found the Philadelphia Interfaith
curve
trained
colleges across the country. This seasonal getaway is funded
ship in the major Jewish movements;' says Spitzer, rabbi of
I
includes
by the Triangle Foundation (tri.org) and individual donations;
gay person, man or woman, to lead such an organization.
16
staff
certified counselors from youth-oriented
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Bonnie Barrett
I
ARTIST, CRAFTER
I
Vintage floral dinner plates sound kind of tacky until you see artist Bonnie Barrett work her magic on them. Barrett hones her craft power with her
weapons of choice -
glue guns, thumbtacks, found postcards and used stamps -
transforming old-school dishware into political art, superimposing
them with images of 1950s domestic living.
"The plates are from a concept I had, wanting to ridicule women's roles in the household;' says Barrett. "I was having fun creating art that juxtaposed
how some women view themselves versus how they are viewed or expected to be in any
given situation:' One example, titled "And a Baby Makes Three;' features a doll, turkey
baster in hand, secured to a retro dinner plate embellished with a baby picture. Not all
her work is so cheeky and politically driven, though. Barrett also designs accessories
from vintage ties, transforming the boring old Father's Day gift into fashionable cuffs
and hip wallets. "As a designer, I am good at putting things together, I see things differently and can pull them together;' she says.
Born in New Jersey and now based in Portland, Ore., Barrett attended Moore College
of Art and Design in Philadelphia and lived in New York City and San Francisco before
retreating to the Pacific Northwest where she designs by day and runs thatbonnieb.com
by night. Although she got her BFA in graphic design, Barrett considers herself a crafter
by nature, taking inspiration from Dadaism, surrealism and funky urban settings.
"I have always been a fan of collage. I spend a lot of time walking around, I find things
and use them;' Barrett says. - Asiana Ponciano
1s
I curve
Curvatures
Casey at the Bat
her family car get repossessed and had never
been outside the country. In fact, her financial
hardships, in part, helped land her the spot
on the trip. "I chose Casey partly because I
thought she would have an interesting perspective, having been ankle-deep in American
poverty as a child;' says Kristof. ''And I was
delighted with my choice, partly because
Casey really did bring something
table that I couldn't -
to the
that contrast between
African poverty and Mississippi poverty:'
But after returning from Africa and witnessing firsthand the hardships the people
there encountered, Parks says it's "hard to talk
about being poor after seeing stuff like chis:'
Despite Parks' unconventional background, Kristof admits he had a few reservations about traveling together before the trip's
beginning. "Frankly, I was a bit worried about
being stuck at close quarters with someone
who hadn't traveled much in difficult places,
Not many aspiring journalists get the opportunity to jumpstart
but Casey was a delight;' says Kristof. "Even when we were held
their careers by traveling with a Pulitzer Prize-winning New York
up at gunpoint, she managed to stay calm and keep her sense
Times columnist to Africa to report on the tragedies that have
of humor:'
befallen the continent's population. Casey Parks, 23, got to do just
Parks was, until recently, contributing editor for the Jackson
that this past September, as the winner of an essay contest spon-
Free Press, the alternative newsweekly in Jackson, Miss. She is
sored by the New York Times and writer Nicholas D. Kristo£
currently finishing her graduate school degree at the University
Parks' essay was chosen from a pool of more than 4,000
of Missouri School of Journalism and interning with The
entries. In the piece, she talks about her poor upbringing, her
Oregonian, an outlet she has long admired. "I try to be pretty
sexuality and her love of literature and journalism. About
level-headed and pretty open-minded about various things, but
reporting on social issues, Parks feels strongly chat"if a journalist
as far as wanting to do stories, certainly I'd rather do stories like
can do a really great job and use that subject to illuminate a larger
the one in Africa chat can make a difference:' Parks feels strongly
problem, I hope people are interested in getting more involved,
about dedicating her career to covering issues with a socially con-
and that's what I'd like to do."
scious theme.
Parks traveled by car with Kristof through some of the most
Parks came out to her parents in college. "I told my parents
poverty-stricken regions in the world, stopping in Equatorial
on Easter Sunday my freshman year of college, in church. At the
Guinea,
and the Central African Republic to
time my mother was really upset, writing me e-mails ~lling me
interview denizens about everything from infant mortality to
Cameroon
I was going to hell;' Parks says. The security department at her
human trafficking. They traveled for 14 days on dirt roads,
school, the University of Mississippi, even sent her tapes and lit-
through dangerous regions plagued by extreme poverty and
erature about how to absolve her sins. This didn't stop Parks,
towns with no running water or electricity. After her return, she
though, from being out and proud."! wrote chis column one time
blogged about their journey for the New York Times as well as for
for the Free Press about being a lesbian and being a Christian. I
MTVU, a multimedia division of MTV.
got letters from people who said, 'Come to my church and you
"I think that Casey's blogging was useful because someone
sparked some hateful reactions, Parks adds that others were sup-
I do;' says Kristof. His objective was to bring someone to Africa
portive. Her sexuality, in fact, may have helped her gain leverage
from a younger generation in the hopes that a fresh voice will
with Kristof' s search. "As a lesbian, I knew what it was like to feel
yield increased visibility for the media-consuming audience back
out of place;' Parks wrote in the winning essay.
read about Africa until they saw her blogging -
she connected
chem to all the problems in Africa in a way that I just couldn't:'
Parks grew up in a poor, rural neighborhood in Mississippi
where there wasn't always food in the refrigerator. She watched
The"LoveThy
Neighbor"scriptureis
becominga hit notjust
with the Jesusset but
with a numberof progressiveorganizations
andlesbianactivists
who'vebegunsporting
a newmessage
T-shirt
that positsthat sacred
sloganwith a number
of differentmodifiers (gay,black,trans,
ChristianandMuslim
amongthem).Thetees
werethe brainchild
of CyndiWileyand
JenniferHall,ownersof
the seven-year-old
St.
Louis-based
designfirm
Studio3B,whoalsorun
the gayChristianpride
Website gaybygod.org.
Topocketyours,goto
love-thy-neighbor.org.
-DAM
can be you:" Though her openness about her sexual identity
like her has so much more credibility among young people than
at home. "I heard from lots of students who said they never really
Passion of
The Tee
About traveling closely with Kristof for two weeks, Parks
says, "I learned so much from him about American things.
Sometimes we'd be traveling for eight hours a day and he's really,
really fearless. He would just say "stop;' and we'd go up to these
huts and just start talking to people:' -
AS
June 2007
I 19
Curvatures
Lesbofile
The Gossip Mill Keeps Churning
Some celebrities just can't seem to stay out of the tabloids. I ByJocelynVoo
The dirty little secrets of Anna Nicole Smith's life
continue to surface, even months after her death.
The 55-Year-Old Virgin
SteveCarellmay have popularized che notion of
the middle-age innocent in the film The 40-YearOld Virgin,but for money guru SuzeOrman,that's
the story of her life. In a February interview in
the New York Times Magazine, Orman came out
publicly to reveal that her relationship with partner Kathy Travis has been "going on seven years.
I have never been with a man in my whole life.
I'm still a 55-year-old virgin:' But, Orman being
Orman, she quickly turned the subject back to
money. Speaking of her roughly $25 million fortune, Orman said, "It's killing me that upon my
death, K.T. is going to lose 50 percent of everything I have to estate taxes. Or vice versa:' Who
says you can't put a price on love:'
Death Becomes Her
Even after death, AnnaNicoleSmithcontinues her
made-for-daytime-TV
bombshell
-
drama. The curvy blonde
known best as Playboy's 1992
Playmate of the Year, widow of 89-year-old oil billionaire J.Howard Marshall at age 26 and spiraling
drug-addled television personality - died in early
February from a drug overdose. As tabloids raced
to interview the survivors of the debacle, Smith's
baby daddy Larry Birkhead,partner HowardK.
Sternand estranged mother, Virgie Arthur, one of
Butchy Britney
It was "a friendly kiss hello to a party guest;'
Smith's other secrets surfaced: a lesbian lover.
Not everyone is hating on BritneySpears'shorn
Simmons' publicist explained the next day. Oh, to
Sandi Powledge told the Houston Chronicle head. Beth Ditto, frontwoman for the Gossip,
reportedly digs a smoothie: "Britney's new haircut
that she and Smith met in a Texas gay bar in 1991,
ultimately falling deeply in love and even having a
makes her look like a butch dyke. I like it. I chink
commitment ceremony. Smith gave Powledge a
I'll her marry her, but I'll have to do it in the U.K.;'
have friends like Kimora ...
Queer Quickie
Roseanneactor SaraGilbertis expecting her second
child with partner and TV writer Allison Adler.
The sperm donor:' Gilbert's not celling.
ring, though Smith decided against wearing a ring
she reportedly said. 'Tm sure K-Fed will send me
herself because it might raise eyebrows, Powledge
lots of hate mail, but I'll use my charms to calm
said. And though Smith soon went on to strip
him down:' Yeah, right. As if Federline would
down for Playboyand began seeing a number of
spring for the 39-cent stamps.
Farewell to an Activist
Barbara Gittings,75, a longtime
Air Kissing
Though not quite officially divorced from
estranged husband and rap mogul Russell
Simmons,6-foot glamazon and Baby Phat
designer KimoraLeeSimmons
wasn't wasting any
time at Cipriani in February. A leggy blond was
seen hanging with Simmons all night, then later
dirty dancing on the bar in front of her, according
to the New York Daily News. Blondie then bent
down for a little mouth-to-mouth with Simmons.
activist, died on Feb. 18. Her partner, KayTobin
men, Smith forbade Powledge from seeing anyone
else. "She told me, Td better not hear music in the
background when I call you: She didn't want me at a
club with my friends when she's going off doing her
thing," Powledge said. Their constant bickering is
what caused the months-old relationship to bottom
out, she said, but she still seemed to harbor some
affinity for her forgotten love: "She was just hungry
for love, hungry for approval - just like a bucket
with a hole in the bottom;' Powledge said. A hole
that, in so many ways, Powledge just couldn't fill.
20
I
curve
gay rights
Lahusen,
said the cause was breast cancer. Of her
many contributions, Gittings, known as a pioneer
of lesbian rights, founded the New York chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis, the first national
organization for lesbians, in the late '50s, and
she was the driving force behind the American
Library Association's Gay Task Force, now known
as the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered
Round Table. ■
fb..com/r nb
W'"
Cont~ct R FamilyVacations.com
American Airlines Discount Star Nto
get your
umber.
DESTINATION
DEPARTING
7/7/07
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FU FORTHEWHOLEFAMILYWHATEVER
YOURIDEAOF FUN AND FAMILYIS!
I
Curvatures
Girls Still Wanna Have Fun
Musicians Erasure, Debbie Harry and the
Gossip will join '80s icon Cyndi Lauper
on June 8 at the Las Vegas MGM Grand
Garden Arena to kick off the 15-city True
Colors Tour, a nationwide tour benefiting
the Human
Rights Campaign. Lauper,
motivated by an urge to give back to her
queer fans, decided to rally her musical pals
together to fight for LGBT rights while
value
American Express
branded award card
when you
buy a set
of four eligible*
Bridgestone tires.
rocking thousands of fans across the country. Hosted by queer comedian Margaret
Cho, this musical extravaganza will donate
$1 from every ticket sold to the Human
Rights Campaign. - AP
Meyerson Takes Top Honors
Few lesbians in Los Angeles have never heard
Meyers is getting kudos for her leadership. She's
of Andrea Meyerson. Producer of several docu-
the first out lesbian honored by the YWCA San
mentaries including Laughing Matters and Kate
Gabriel Valley Women of Achievement award,
Anniversary
after being nominated by producer
Tour and founder of the L.A.
Dee Jay Cox and L.A. mayor's senior
Women's Fest and Women
advisor Tori Osborn. Meyers picks
on a Roll (one of the coun -
up her award at the 23rd annual
cry's largest grassroots les-
Women
bian social organizations),
(ywcasgv.org) at the Pacific Palms
Meyerson is known as much
Resort in City of Industry, Cali£
Clinton: 25th
Gala
on June 1, at an event hosted by
her famous friends (every-
NBC anchor Beverly White and co-
one from Melissa Etheridge
coordinated
to Roseanne
CEO of Helping Heroes. - DAM
Barr). Now
Apparently we're not the only ones who
love the gay detective Donald Strachey. The
National
Association
in Communications
for Multi-Ethnicity
nominated
Shock to
the System: A Donald Strachey Mystery for a
Vision Award in the original movie category.
An original series from LG BT television
network here!, the Donald Strachey mysteries follow openly gay actor Chad Allen as
openly gay PI Donald Scrachey as he tries
to solve murders chat often involve guessed it -
you
more queer folks. In Shock,
the second installment
of the series, the
shamus goes undercover at a clinic for gay
conversion therapy.Two more Scrachey mysteries are due later this year. - AP
Toseea videotrailerof Shockto theSystem,goto heretv.com
I curve
Achievement
for her parties as she is for
Kudos to Sexy Gay Shamus
22
of
with Michelle Bart,
Curvatures
Steppin' Out for Pride
Golden Crown
Literary Festival
A handfulof newboard
members
were
announced
for theGolden
CrownLiterarySociety
(goldencrown.org),
hosts
of the annualcelebrationof modernlesbian
fictionthatdrawslit lovers
fromaroundtheworldto
AtlantafromJune7-10.
ThenewGCLS
board
Just across the Bay Bridge from the original San Francisco Dyke
of directorsincludes
March, a group of strong-willed women decided five years ago
authorsLynnAmesand
chat they had reason to spread the love eastward. The result
LoriL.Lake(above),
publishers
LenBarot was Siscahs Sceppin' in Pride, an annual festival in Oakland,
(president
of Bold Cali£, chat occurs chis year on Aug. 26. Organized primarily
Strokes),
LindaHill(CEO by women of color, Sistahs Steppin' celebrates the multiculof BellaBooks),
Cathy tural haven of the East Bay, especially when compared to larger
LeNoir(president
of Pride events which increasingly feature corporate sponsors and
RegalCrestEnterprises), tend to, say critics, de-emphasize the cultural diversity of the
Webdeveloper
Katherine dyke community.
Smith(ownerof ByteSize
"Oakland has the largest lesbian community in the
Media),bookcriticCheri
nation. That's based on the census;' says Sistahs' founder
Rosenberg
andevents
Peggy Moore. "le was never the intention for the event to
managerPattySchramm.
increase the visibility of women of color. It was just that, as
-DAM
Formore
aboutthese
enterprising
broads
anda rundown
onthe
awardwinnersfrom
GCLC,
seecurvemag
.comnextmonth.
ipate;' says Stage Coordinator Shalonda Ingram. "We also have
a children's area, so moms can bring their children. Those are
things that I think contribute to the visibility of women. That
people can come out and feel like they can, and don't have to
worry about getting a babysitter or what have you:'
In addition to providing a place for East Bay dykes to
socialize (and eat fried catfish), Sistahs Steppin' creates a space
for lesbian artists to showcase their talents -
and Oakland,
too oft overshadowed by San Francisco, brags some talented
ladies who aren't just messing around on the weekends. From
women of color, we know who lives here. And we needed to
create space for us. The truth is chat most festivals like chis,
they usually start with white women. And then later it's like,
'Oh, we gotta diversify: I chink that because we are women
of color that started this, we eliminated that afterthought
process ... [which was] beginning to drive me crazy:'
Sistahs Steppin' features a drum corps led by coordinator Afia Walking Tree, and the numbers of women
joining in to drum or simply march alongside the Corps has
increased steadily over the past five years. "It never crossed
our minds not to have drums;' says Moore with a laugh.
"Drums are a call, they tap into so many things. It's such a
FormorePrideeventsforwomenofcolor,visitcurvemag.com
foundation of so many communities of color:'
Organizers also work to make the event intergenerational so
all-female martial arts group Hand to Hand to female MCs the
the end result feels like a big family reunion in the park (except
Mamaz, the entertainment at the Sistahs Steppin' stage shows
with lots of hot women).
what so many Bay Area artists already know: the East Bay is
"We don't have any liquor on site, so that also supports
abuzz with creativity and queers ready to celebrate. Sistahs
women that are in recovery. It makes it easier for them to partic-
Steppin' is a celebration that brings pride back to its roots: com-
CURVATURES
WRITTEN
BY
AllisonSteinberg,
AsianaPonciano,
NicoleMakris,Heather
Boerner,
DianeAnderson-Minshall
andSherylKay
24
Icurve
munity, camaraderie and ladies that can do about anything (and
look hella good doing it). But, says Moore, you don't have to live
in California to join this party; why not just start your own?
"If you really bring forth the people in the community around
you, you can just make things happen;' she says. - NM
OnlY-inSan Francisco:
SAN f:RANCISCO CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
You'll have so many new stories to tell, you'll need proof. !=ind out what's new in SI= at onlyinsanfrancisco.com/gaytravel
~
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"1J
Curvatures
Where the Girls Are
Let's face it: despite the dreams and delusions of
many a Hollywood type, most women don't actually catch their big break by dancing in a cage.
Then again, Chris Chappon's not "most" women.
1
Chappan is the creative and business mastermind
behind Girl4GIRL, Seattle's wildly successful dance
The Verdict on
Britney Spears I party for women. But it wasn't always this way.
When Girl4GIRL first started as a series of
Betweenthe newtats house parties and small circuit dances, Chappan
andthe shavedhead,
was just another grateful lesbian who attended
everyone's
favorite
regularly and danced wildly. She was working a
Mouseketeer-turnedhigh-stress 9 to 5 at a major software company
tabloidqueenis looking
moreandmorelikethat and used the parties as a way to blow off steam
cutegenericbutchgirl and connect with other Seattle dykes.
"I spent 12 years climbing the corporate ladwe keeprunningintoat
the locallesbianbar.We der;' Chappan explains, "watching my life fly by.
askedour readerswhat I needed an outlet and Girl4GIRL events were
theythoughtof Brit's it:' Slowly, the events became less of a casual
transformation: pastime and more of a lifestyle, and Girl4GIRL
So,doesthe shaved founder Michelle Waye noticed. Waye eventually
headmeanshe's enlisted Chappon's seductive skills into the aforetotallygay,or what?
mentioned cage, enticing other women onto the
Forsure.Eversincethe
dance floor. Chappan was hooked, and officially
Madonnakiss,I knew
she'djoin ourteam! adopted her new mantra: "corporate by day, freak
6% by night:' By the time Waye decided it was time
Nah,it's a publicity to move on to other projects, Chappan was a
stunt.Canwe say dedicated regular who not only chose her dancdykesploitation? ing outfits a month in advance, but developed her
21% own vision for a bigger, flashier Girl4GIRL.
Whoknows?The'do
The move was a no-brainer, but not necesdoesn'tmakethe dyke. sarily easy on Chappan: "The transition from
22%
guaranteed paychecks and medical insurance to a
Whocares?
complete risk-taking club promoter job was very
.
51%
difficult in the beginning. I knew I always wanted
OK,so it doesn'tmake I
hergay,butdoesit to be my own boss. I knew how much I loved
makeherhotter? I the events, even as I got older while the crowd got younger.
Yes.Shemakesa I knew I wanted to ... use every single skill I acquired in the
greatbutch. corporate world to fascinate the entertainment world. Ta da!
9% I It happened:' Indeed it did, but not without some sacrifice on
No.Sheshouldhave Chappon's part: She has downsized into a small rental house
stuckwith the long she shares with her partner of five years (whom she met at a
blondlocks. Girl4GIRL event), her twin sister, her year-old nephew and
23% their two dogs. She frequently works 10- to 12-hour days at
She'shotterthesedays, I
a desk in her nephew's nursery, drives an old car and taunts
but it's notthe shaved
herself with the motivating reality behind Girl4GIRL: "It's
headso muchasthe
psychoticism
that hard enough to please one woman ... let alone 1,000!" Don't
turnsmeon. we know it. Yet, somehow, the job gets done gracefully month
6% after month.
Whatever the sacrifice, Chappo n's formula seems to be workThere'snothingBritney
coulddothat would ing. Sinceshetookholdof thereignsinearly2004,Girl4GIRLhas
makeherattractive exploded into Seattle's largest and hottest monthly dance party,
to me.Next!
62%
Togetinonthegirlieaction,seegirl4girlseattle.com
I
26
I curve
sometimes attracting as many as 1,000 women from Washington,
Oregon and even northern California.
But it's not just the
bikini-dad bodies, the "bisexual couch" and the promise of frequent hook-ups that keep the girls coming back. Chappan has
developed a reputation for bringing together good old-fashioned
hedonism and contemporary liberal activism, hosting fundraising events for groups including the Susan G. Kamen Breast
Cancer Foundation, the Human Rights Campaign, the Lifelong
AIDS Alliance and the Seattle LGBT Community Center. She
pulls out all the stops for these philanthropic events, booking
local acts aplenty as well as nationally-known artists like Goddes and Salt-n-Pepa's Spinderella. Girl4GIRL has raised thousands of dollars at their annual Rock Against Cancer benefits,
and even partnered up with Harley Davidson to create a custom
pink hog to be raffled at the Kamen Foundation benefit show.
Furthering her commitment
to Seattle's lesbian popula-
tion and feminist politics, Chappan
men at Girl4GIRL
limits the number of
events to just 10, charges them double
Curvatures
of Girl4GIRL. I have no
problem turning away
men at the door. I'd rather upset one man than
upset the hundreds of
women, which is what the
events are all about! You
could say I'm a 'feminazi'
on Girl4GIRL nights:'
Girl4GIRL is a labor
of love to the perpetually-swamped Chappan,
a self-described"trauma magnet" who has been a cheerleader, a ranch hand, a
prom queen and, wait for it, a member of a professional gay clogging troupe.
So at the end of the day, is all the work worth it? At February's Girl4GIRL,
two women from San Diego who were in town on business attended. One
proposed to the other in front of the whole crowd. "The crowd erupted
the normal $10 cover and requires every man be accompanied by a wom-
[when she accepted) and they kissed and all of us were floating on air;' says
an -
Chapp on." It was definitely a highlight in my career to be asked by a complete
a rule any dyke can't help but love. While it might irk the guys who
show up too late to get in, Chappan stands firmly behind her policy, simply
stranger to be involved with such a personal and life-changing experience!
explaining, "I am in business to provide for the community and to bring wom-
My photographer took photos of the proposal and they've invited me to the
en together. While numbers through the door are important, I'm a loyal and
wedding in San Diego. I'm forever blessed now:'
dedicated individual who believes in honesty and commitment to the vision
I'll take that as a yes. - Lily-RyghGlen
"Hidden Lake is a diverse and peaceful! living
environment where I can live, laugh and love
the one I want"
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ca.mping • hiking • ka.ya.king• hors•ha.ck riding • ca.no•ing • fishing
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• 256.634.1134
June 2007 \ 27
For those of you who couldn't make it to our L Word Meet Papi Party at the Bel Age Hotel
in West Hollywood last March, we've devoted our entire Scene section to the lovely lasses
at the event. 1 Margaret Cho shows her support alongside Sacramento's Kings of Drag
2 Double the fun as Janina Gavankar, aka Papi from the L Word, poses in front of our
March cover 3 Some sexy attendees 4 Girls adored the party favors supplied by Babeland 5
Dana Dane of Erocktavision (left) works on Work Out's Mimi 6 Watch out Pussycat Dolls:
the Pin Up Girls burlesque troupe gets our hearts beating faster
Allphotography
byElisaShebaro
(elisashebaro.com)
7 DJ Triple X (left) puts the spin on
CURVE
1
s L Word party, along with her
trusty assistant 8 Supersexy Diamond Daggers burlesque performer Jukie
Sunshine (aka San Francisco's Pussy Flambe) wowed everyone in the room
9 Everyone's a celebrity in LA. One lucky volunteer gets cozy with "Downtown
Donna" Merlino 10 Bloodrayne scribe Guinevere Turner (center) flanked by
two of her many adoring fans 11 Honey Labrador (right) with one partygoer
proudly sporting her very unique Babeland merchandise 12 Tattooed and oh
so cute partygoers strike a pose 13 The evenings emcee and host was freakin'
hilarious lesbian comic Sabrina Matthews (whose must-see one-chick stand up
is on constant rotation on Comedy Central)
June 2007
I29
Advice
Ask Fairy Butch
S . h. rr
ei~ti~:~;~WltC tng .learns
sHouLo
j
Soyouandyourlover
Dear Fairy Butch: How do I deal with the fact that the
arenomore- do
girl I was with for more than two years, my first true
youmakea clean
love, has somehow made the switch back to the othbreak,ditchher
numberandsellher
er side? Should I feel inferior because she has found
stuffoneBay,or
in a man what she could never find in me? Or should
try beingfriends? I be happy about the fact that it's not another lesbian
cuRvEinterns,ever she's left me for? - Left for a Man in Manchester
theexpertson
lesbianrelationships,
Dear Left: Well, hon, I could just send you off with a cursory
weighin:
"you should feel the way you feel;' but this is a sentiment that
crops up far too often around the Fairy Butch Dynasty to send
Whynot? Well,
you packing with a lollipop and a curt aphorism. That said, I
of coursethereare
can't tell you how to feel, lamb chop.
exceptions
to the rule.
Proviso in hand, let's dance. I think you might feel parI canthinkof fourof my
exesthatwouldnotbe
ticularly hurt when your lover leaves you for a man for a few
greatfor anytype
reasons. First of all, she is going into a normative relationship,
of relationship. complete with the societal and familial approval that dyke relaOtherwise,
if myex
tionships often lack. Secondly, it can be hard to imagine an ex
andI still havea great
with a man because his body is different from your own. The
timeasfriends,without
penis gets a lot of primacy in this culture, and it's easy to feel
benefits,I don'tsee
jealous if you don't have one and her latest is sporting one of his
whyI shouldtoss
very own. Finally, some women seem to spend time in the dyke
themto the curb.
-Jaime Roca world only to later settle down and raise a family, white picket
Aftera few years,
maybe.Maybeneverif
it's the kindof exyou
can'thelpbutsleepwith
if she'sanywherenear
you.-Azania Baker
It dependson whether
youstill haveromantic
feelingsfor her.I think
the decisionis just that
simple:a yesor a no.
Andthenthe answer
followsfromthere.
- LesleySeacrist
from
any
such
loss. It's Surviving
the Loss of a Love, by
Melba Colgrove and
Harold
Bloomfield.
Also, if she's willing, you
may want to try couples' counseling, to
bring some closure and transition to a friendship, my dear.
Dear Fairy Butch: This weekend, the love of my life
and I decided that she could squeeze herself in a
little deeper while penetrating me. Though I was
incredibly pleased, I couldn't come, even though
she constantly turns me on and puts me on
the verge with just a glance. This time was
unsuccessful, and I was pretty upset and freaked
out afterward. I have absolutely consensual sex
and love with my sweetie, but this time, I got the
same sensation as after being raped. We are no
shrinking violets and have had our share of big
dildos and regular strap-on sex. Why was fisting so
different? - Confusedin Columbia
fence and all, with someone brandishing a Y chromosome. This
Dear Confused:Well, sugar plum, your Uncle Fairy's no
can cause their dyke exes to feel used, as if they were part of an
doctor, but I think it may be possible that you've unearthed a
early adult learning experience or some such malarkey.
sexual trigger. That is, you may have stumbled upon a sexual
Of course, she might just be bisexual and has found herself
act or sensation that has taken you back to a place -
perhaps
a better fit with her new partner. Likewise, if your lover leaves
unconscious and buried away, perhaps not -
you for another woman, you have to face that she has left for
you consternation, to say the least. Staci Haines, author of The
none of these aforementioned reasons and that there was just
Survivor's Guide to Sex, offers this description in an earlier in-
something that wasn't working for her in your relationship.
terview with
The great thing about her leaving you for a man rather than
tions or acts, smells, or something a lover says. When some-
for another lesbian is that the lesbian world is your oyster. You
thing triggers, the past rushes into the present and the person
won't have to worry about seeing the ex and her new partner at
can't tell the difference between the two:'
CURVE:
that has caused
"[Triggers are] anything -
sexual posi-
the neighborhood lesbian tavern or dodging them at Gay Skate
Why fisting as a trigger, when you've enjoyed trigger-free,
night down at the local rink! Go out there and get 'em, slugger.
hard-core penetration before? Well, fisting is indeed one spicy
meatball, my dear. There's little like the feeling of completely
Dear Fairy Butch: I was recently been dumped
by my wife of three years for no apparent reason.
She wants to start a friendship, which she says we
never had. How do I stop feeling the strong feelings that I'm having for her and just be her friend?
- Puzzled in Plains
enveloping an entire fist in your vagina, causing constant firm
stimulation of your G-spot while having your cervix pounded.
This intense physical stimulus might have been just the thing
to connect you back to your rape. It's important you know that
you can experience any kind of sex you desire, that you can
push through the triggers if you want to, and that you can make
empowered decisions around your sexuality.
Dear Puzzled: Honey, give it some time. I know that it's dif-
book and S.I.R. Video's Healing Sex: The Complete Guide
you're going to have an awful time standing by yourself on the
to Sexual Wholeness. If you need more help, don't hesitate
dance floor. You have the right to not be her friend, but if you
to contact a sex-positive counselor or group that deals with
sexual survivors. ■
do want to, I would advise you to give it some time. For now, try
to focus on some other friends, hobbies, exercise -
all those
things we do to heal. Speaking of which, I have an excellent
book to recommend to you, which is good for those suffering
30
I curve
Where to? I suggest you check Haines' aforementioned
ficult, but romance takes two to tango, and if she's not stepping,
0
:r:
E-mail Jb@fairybutch.com with your queries regarding lesbian life,
sexuality and romance.
0
..J
I
a.
Lipstick & Dipstick
Advice
Don't Play Games
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: This girl I really
likad broke it off with me, so in a pissedoff rage I went to the first guy I saw. When
she saw us together, she was outraged. But
why? She broke it off with me. I wanted to
get a reaction out of her because maybe
that would mean she still cared. Well, she
reacted, but now she won't even talk to me.
I know I was stupid. How can I get her to
forgive me? - Moody in Monterey
feelings for each other. She freaked out.
Then later, she settled down and told me
that she doesn't care if Dawn and I date,
but she will be hurt by it. I know it isn't true;
I know the minute Dawn and I start dating,
Tasha won't be my friend anymore. Tasha
and I continue to fight over everything, and
I really miss Dawn. What am I supposed to
do? - Dying to Be With Dawn
Dipstick: Oh sister, what were you thinking:'
broken up:' That makes a difference. If it's been over
Lipstick: Little critter, how long have they been
a year, and if Tasha said it is OK -
Lipstick: No kidding. If there's one thing that bugs
me more than dykes who play games, it's when they
involve a penis and they' re doing it to get a rise, so
to speak, out of an ex-lover. It backfires every time.
MM, I'm afraid you've shot your wad, and now it's
time to just move on. While you're waiting by the
phone for your scorned lover to return your calls,
she's grilling her friends about why they ever let her
date your immature ass.
being passive aggressive about it -
even if she's
then it's open
season. Bag the babe.
out. Eventually; my leg calmed down and things got
back to normal. Sure would have been a shame if I'd
cut the darn thing off.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: My girlfriend
recently cheated, then broke up with me
on our seven-month anniversary, yet there
are still times when she calls and pleads
for me to take her back. Then in the next
breath, she claims she's very much in love
with her new girlfriend. I hate to admit it,
but I think I still love her. She's hurt me so
much, but I just can't move on. How can I
make these feelings go away? - Losing It
in Las Vegas
Dipstick: Let me get this straight: You've known
Lipstick: Out of sight, out of mind -
this girl for three months, and she's your BFF. You'll
only way you're going to push this toxic woman our
do anything for her, even give up a chance for true
of your life. Change your phone number, block her
love -
while
e-mail and steer clear, no matter how bad you want
you get a lot of bitterness, insecure nonsense and
her back. If you lee this continue, she'll do it again,
the evil eye in return:' Explain to me again why
and again, and again until you've got your very own
Tasha's feelings are more important than yours. If
room at the Loony Bin Inn.
or at least a few nights of hot sex -
Dipstick: Yep, you're going to have to chalk this up
to a lesson learned, Moody Blues. We've all done
stupid things.
you think you can find happiness with Dawn, then
Lipstick: Some of us more than others. Dip, I'm
thinking Fort Lauderdale, 1990.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I'm in a longdistance relationship with an amazing girl.
We've been together for a year. This girl is
so perfect, and I love her so much that I'm
considering spending the rest of my life with
her. The catch: She's my first serious girlfriend. I've had flings before and some short
relationships, but none as intense as this
one. Part of me feels like I would be happy
and satisfied spending my life with her. The
other part thinks I need to fool around more,
that I want to try picking up girls, one-night
stands, love, lies, just nothingness. I feel as
if I skipped a step, even though I skipped
right to the good part. What to do? - Hot
and Bothered in Bethesda
that's the
by all means, have at her. If Tasha is a true friend,
Dipstick: Move on. Replace the unhealthy dynamic
she'll come around eventually.
with something constructive. Surround yourself
with positive friends, the kind that'll bank you on
Dipstick: Thanks for reminding me, Lip. I once
went on spring break with my ex-lover and her new
girlfriend. While I sat up late in the beach house
drinking beer and watching ESPN, they were making up their own sports in the bedroom. What was
I thinking:' That somehow the hot sunsets and cool
sand would make her suddenly want me back when
she was busy scoring with the captain of the hockey
team:' It was a lesson learned the hard way; like a
puck in the eye. You can't undo what you did, but
you can learn from your mistake.
0
I
U
0
I
0
...J _J
:i: :i:
a.
0...
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I moved to a
new town a few months ago. The first girl
I met was Tasha. We quickly became best
friends, and now we do everything together.
Recently, I started hanging out with Tasha's
ex-girlfriend, Dawn. Over time, Dawn and
I developed romantic feelings for each
other. The first thought that came to mind
was, "Tasha's my best friend, I can't do
this!" So, I told Tasha that Dawn and I had
the head every time you mention her name. ■
Ask us anything about sex, love or lesbiansat lipstick
dipstick.com.
Dipstick: Hand B, you've already played the field,
so you know what that's like. If you think chis girl
could be the one, my vote is to stay put and see if
these feelings get any stronger.
Lipstick: I've been there. Turns out it was just
restless leg syndrome. What you need to do, H and
B, is just what Dipstick said: Sit tight and wait it
June 2007
I31
I
Advice! Relationships
Planning the First Date
You only get one chance to make a first impression. Don't screw it up. I By Kate Lacey
The goal of any first date is to get a second date.
She might think you're confusing her with a cheap
CHUCK
E.CHEESE
As we know, this is a mere baby step away from
call girl, and if she easily goes along with this plan,
If you're a mother, you'll want to date someone
the lesbian wedding of your dreams. Don't forget:
you would be wise to lock up your valuables.
who loves kids -
mantra of your real estate agent, but also the key
factor of any first date. If you ever want to make it
to a second one, avoid these locations:
YOURBEDROOM
Beginning the date by whisking her immediately
into the bedroom might give the impression that
she should be asking you for a major credit card for
services to be rendered. Now, of course, the goal of
any date can be to get beneath the sheets, if you're
that kind of girl; however, your new friend won't
be impressed with simply being your booty call.
but even if your love inter-
est is the lesbian Mr. Rogers, you'll be pushing
location, location, location. It's not only the
Whiskingher immediately
the limits by taking her to your 4-year-old son's
intothe bedroommight
not going to get to know her better in the chaotic
givethe impressionthat
screaming children is not romantic, and it's no way
she shouldbe askingyou
birthday party with 16 of his toddler pals. You are
melee of the ball pit. Wrangling pizza-smeared,
to get your Elmo tickled after the kids are in bed.
THEGYM
for a majorcreditcard for
The gym is a prime pickup locale. All that
servicesto be rendered.
future activities that involve fewer pieces of
sweating and grunting can be very suggestive of
clothing and perhaps less equipment. However,
competing on a first date is a disaster. First, you're
walking on adjoining treadmills. The next thing
you know, you're trying to match her speed in
order not to appear outdone. The race is on. You'll
be sprinting to keep up, even though you haven't
moved that quickly since prom night. This date
will end up with you sucking face with a burly
EMT named Bubba.
A STEAKHOUSE
Going out to eat on the first date has worked
since the days of being denied a table in an
exclusive cave by a snotty, missing-link maitre d:
Choose your restaurant with care. If your date is
vegan -
this is the lesbian world, after all -
and
you take her to a steakhouse, you may be seen as
insensitive. What you see as your "bring it so rare
that it's mooing" entree is, to her, beloved Elsie at
the slaughter. Similarly, the buy-one-get-one-free
night at Denny's may give her the idea that you're
cheap and that she's not worth paying the full five
bucks for a Grand Slam breakfast. Picking the
wrong restaurant is no way to get to dessert.
THEFAMILY
FUNCTION
It hardly needs saying. Then again, you never
know: A first date anywhere that involves your
family is a bad, bad idea. Your family reunion, for
example, will overwhelm her, especially when your
mother grabs your first date in a crippling hug,
breaks into tears and says, "Finally!" Conceal your
dysfunctional family for as long as possible; your
date may believe the apple doesn't fall too far from
the tree, leaving many concussions in its wake. ■
32
J
curve
READ WITH
'
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Astra Grrl Advice
Is Summer Lovin' in the Stars?
Career:
Keep an eye on business associates, lest they get the upper
hand in a heated negotiation. Balance is everything, but sometimes
you have to stack the scale.
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
Sex:You heat up the gossip mill with some salty, unsubstantiated
rumor. Nothing like juicing up your own press, Scorp! Career:
They absolutely love you at work this June. You can do no wrong.
Do they have you confused with someone else2
Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 22)
Sex:Archers find true love in some far corner of the world. Don't
sit at home waiting for the phone to ring. Married? Time for a
second honeymoon. Career:
You're having too much fun to even
think of working hard this June. So what else is new2
Capricorn (Dec. 23-Jan. 20)
Sex:Even if you don't feel especially motivated, it's time to get
earthy this June. The atmosphere is right and the lady is waiting.
So where are you2 Career:Are you thinking of starting a home
$1
business? Well, stop thinking and start doing! Pretty soon you
can literally phone it in.
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Sex:When it comes to love, you can talk the talk, but can you
walk the walk2 Hmm, maybe you should just lie back instead.
Career:Are you stuck in a situation? Gal pals can help you
out of a professional jam. Good - you are a tree shaker, not a
jelly maker.
$1
Cancer (June 22-July 23)
Sex:Crabs can enjoy the cream of the social crop this June.
Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19)
Sex:Relationships seem to go especially well this June. Everything
is in harmony and balance, for a change. Be nice and supportive to
partners. ByJuly, you may go back to chasing the dust bunnies for
fun. Career:Bold moves can create new opportunities for you at
work, but be sure that you don't bite off more than you can chew
professionally. More than a mouthful is wasted.
e
lus
nless
to
Unfortunately, it all goes back to normal by July. Live it up while
Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20)
Sex:June brings you a light office flirtation. Will she be the same
you can. Career:Something or someone sets a fire under your
as April or May2 No. She will be much hotter! Enjoy the fun
,.
career and you cook on all four burners. Are you ready to make
through the summer. Career:
Don't slack off this June. Money and
a stir2 Ouch!
prestige only come to you through hard work, focus and perseverance. How nice is that2
club
ttems
lUr
your
ne
10W
,ping
1oks
etum
1ptat
rou'II
ed.
off
Bring on the dancing girls, and don't forget to tip generously!
When it
comesto
love,you
can talk the
talk, but can
you walk
the walk,
Gemini?
Hmm,
maybeyou
shouldjust
lie back
instead.
Leo (July 24-August 23)
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Sex:Lionesses cannot be caged in.Travel in June and explore breathtaking frontiers and majestic mountains. Anyone we know2 Career: Sex:Have fun in the sun this June. And if it rains, have fun in the
rain. Either way, you'll be hot and wet. Career:
Lambda Rams can
Your career boldly revives toward the end of the month. Conserve
your energies: Be cool, be calm and collect your paycheck.
rely on their sparky personalities to get ahead professionally now.
Increase the voltage and electrify upper management.
)
up
Virgo (August 24-Sept. 23)
Sex:Even though you attract a bevy of admirers, you have a
psychic sense about someone in particular. How particular will
you be, though? Career:
Queer Virgins can sleep their way to the
top if they so choose this June. Try not to snore, though; it's not
what will get you that promotion.
in
sent
ther
r's
ing
d no
1m
Jing .J
added.JlJ.J
a
k of
Libra (Sept. 24-Oct. 23}
1tted. 02
illus- 0
Sex:Platonic relationships can morph into something a bit more
C/J
<(
..., romantic wben you least expect it. Okay, so you sort of expect it ...
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Sex:Lock the door and cuddle with your cutie all through June.
Sapphic Bulls seeking like-minded ladies can meet, greet and
sweep them off their feet now. What are you waiting for2 Career:
You intuitively know what the bosses want. But will you give it to
them2 It's totally your call. ■
For more advice from the stars, visit our astrologer,Charlene
Lichtenstein,onlineat thestarryeye.com
.
June 2007
I
33
Dyke Drama
Michele Fisher
Relationship or a Coma:
Maybe things aren't bad per se, but they -
B
hey, wake up!
eing bored with a girl is way worse than hating her guts. In the movies,
agree that one has begun. A couple of gals might see 10 movies together
the girl whom you're not really in love with quickly and quietly fades
and sleep together a bunch of times before they start talking about their
away once your true love enters the picture.
In real life, you'll spend somewhere between two weeks and 20 years
working up the nerve to tell your girl that you're just not feeling it anymore.
And in real life, she doesn't take it well. She gets mad and hurt and lets you
situation as a "relationship:' Or they might just decide that it's been fun, but
now it's time to see a movie with someone new.
And, by the way, if it wasn't a relationship, then there isn't a breakup. She isn't an ex-girlfriend, but rather just a woman that you are not
know just how angry and pained she is, and then she tells all of her friends
seeing anymore. Your first step in avoiding boring relationships is to stop
how horrible you are. Then you have to make all new friends.
identifying every woman you have brushed up against in an elevator as
No wonder we stay in boring relationships. We linger in unhealthy rela-
an ex-lover.
tionships because they are exciting. We stay in boring relationships because
Time is precious to us dykes. A woman will hardly ever complain
there's nothing really wrong and we feel guilty about wanting to get out of
about the money an ex has cost her but will surelylament the waste of her
a situation that is not horrible. Relationships that are dull to both parties
time, no matter how short. I remember seeing a documentary
are the most difficult to escape; neither woman wants to be the bad one, so
philosophy class about a scientist going to his last day of work at the univer-
both settle for being bored.
If getting out of boring relationships is so difficult for us, then logically,
film in a
sity where he had been employed for the past 50 years. His steps were slow
and heavy, his speech labored, so I was thinking that it's about time that this
the smartest course of action is to avoid getting into them in the first place.
old guy retires. I was sure that the filmmaker was telling us to retire before we
A relationship does not begin on the second date. A first date, contrary to
grew too old to do anything fun. Then you realize that this is no retirement
the old lesbian cliche, is not the thing you do the night before you move in
party. The man is quitting because the hypothesis he's worked on for
together. It doesn't even need to be called a relationship until both parties
50 years has been proven incorrect by another scientist. As he shuffles
through his laboratory, tossing papers into boxes
and turning off complicated-looking
machines,
you are left to wonder what it feels like to have
devoted half a century to an incorrect assumption. That, in a nutshell, is how the average
lesbian acts when she leaves an unsatisfactory romantic situation chat lasted more than a
few hours.
But then again, she is willing to spend years
in a snooze of a relationship with someone just
so she doesn't have to think she wasted her time
all along. Come again:'
Dating is not a waste of time. Nor is it
drudgery designed to make you feel inadequate
and/ or lonely. Dating is supposed to be fun. You
get to hear all kinds of stories, eat at different restaurants and see lots of women naked.
And that's another thing: Seeing someone
naked does not mean you are in a relationship.
You have to be careful about what you say to
women you are dating. Maybe you think that
you have to be committed to someone spiritually
before you sleep with them, but save that useless
tidbit for the chat rooms. You might meet a girl
you just want to know carnally, and you don't
want to ruin a night of passion by following it up
with a totally inappropriate relationship.
Sex is success, ladies! It doesn't have to lead
...
to a relationship, it doesn't even have to lead to
breakfast. It can be just sex, which is a productive use of your time and energy. Decide what it
34
I
curve
means after you have it. You can't trust a horny brain anyway.
everybody else is fair game. We have spent a lot of time in these pages
If you want to stay out of mind- and soul-numbing
discussing computer dating options, so don't limit yourself to women in
situations, stop
acting like every woman you meet is the last woman on Earth. I know that
the flesh.
only 10 percent of the world is gay and half of those are gay men, but that
Let's get rid of the concept of failure when it comes to meeting people.
is still about a gazillion women, so relax. Unless you live on a small South
Just because it's not an instant love connection doesn't mean we should toss
Pacific island in a village of people who are waiting for some American pilot
a dyke on the scrap heap. She might just have something valuable to teach
named Frum to rescue their souls. In that case, then do cling on to any
us, like how not to trust instant love connections.
woman you find, no matter how ill-suited she is to you. To those of you on
There are bad dates, which make you appreciate your own situation, no
larger land masses, you really must take your time, meet many women and
matter how pathetic, and provide lots to talk about on good dates. I have
have faith that there are plenty more where the last few came from.
been on a couple of really scary dates that made me glad to be alive after
Spending your life with one woman is only admirable if it is the right
woman. Look for her and wait for her.
should have been filmed for a reality show, but I do not consider even those
No, it is not hard to meet women. It is hard to meet women at bars
because all we do is stand around and stare at each other. By the time
we are drunk enough to work up the nerve to talk to someone, she can't
understand
I made it home safe. I have even had crazy dates that made me feel like I
our slurred speech. There are women everywhere you go. Don't
wait until you are at the dyke bookstore or at the organic section of your
experiences a failure. As for how these women felt about me, I can only
hope that I was bad or scary. Anything but a drag.
A narrow definition
of success will impede your enjoyment
of life.
Waiting until life is perfect to grab some happiness is dull and makes for
long dry spells.
supermarket to start looking. Playing it safe is a great way to die of boredom.
If you want to stay out of boring relationships, then quit being a bore. It
Take advantage of the randomness of life. That woman pumping gas in the
really is that simple. You have to work for love in this life. You might just get
next car over might have a gay sister who just broke up with her lover and is
sex, a laugh or a hard-learned
going to a party tonight with her totally cute and single friend. Remember,
better than a yawn. Get out there and take some chances, change the way
lesbos are 5 percent of the population.
you think about dating. Do you want a long ride or a satisfying one?
That's a lot of women, so make
it a smaller world by making as many connections
girls wearing wedding rings or law-enforcement
as you can. Skip the
monitoring bracelets, but
lesson instead, but all of those things are a lot
Spending eternity with a woman is not so splendid if it is all done
on Earth. ■
June 2007
I 35
Politics
VictoriaA. Brownworth
In the Name of Love
In the post,Stonewall era, we sometimes forget that Pride is a privilege.
hen Pride month rolls around each year, I contem-
I mention Yates-Rist not just because during Pride
plate what I should say about it. I wonder if there's
I often think of all the queer friends I have loved and
anything new to say after all the years I have been writing
lost, but because the last book he wrote, Heartlands:A
W
about this annual celebration of our queer identity.
Gay Man's OdysseyAcrossAmerica, revealed one of the
I usually affirm my own pride: I like being a dyke/
secrets of gay America: Some gay men are incredibly
lesbian/ queer. I am not one of those queers who wants
poor and not very many feel that Christopher Street-
to be straight or wishes I could take a pill to make me
meets-the-Castro
heterosexual or needs to assimilate the queerness out
kind of pride we are all celebrating
of myself. I love my lesbian life. I love it so much that I
this and every other June.
The reality is, Pride is a concept of immense privi-
wish every lesbian could live the out queer life as I have
lege. I live in one of the five largest cities in America,
been since I was a sophomore in high school.
where I have been a queer activist for three decades.
The other night I was lying in bed, channel surfing,
Like Nestle and Edel, like the women forging over the
my sweetheart asleep beside me. I landed on an episode
of PBS' In the Life from late 2006, narrated by Martina
barren, blue-white landscape of the Arctic, like the cre-
Navratilova. The episode began with a story about the
ator of The L Word or the creator of Dykes to Watch Out
For,I am indeed privileged by my pride. I have been on
Lesbian Herstory Archives in Brooklyn, N.Y., with
the front lines. I have helped break silences and break
interviews with co-founders Joan Nestle and Deb Edel.
down barriers for other lesbians and other queers. But I
This wonderful museum of lesbianism is a post-Stonewall labor of love on
have always believed I could do it. And I have never once thought it might very
the part of two women who desired to capture lesbian history before it dis-
literally kill me. But the women who had to stay in the shadows in the In the
appeared. I felt such pride as I listened to Nestle and Edel talk about their
Life segment, their lives are indeed threatened if they expose their sexuality.
project. I felt such a wave of emotion: How fortunate we are to live in an era
when we can preserve our history for ourselves.
The program also had a segment on The L Word, and another on a lesbian American and a straight Scandinavian who became the first two women
to walk across the Arctic. There was a segment on the wonderful talents of
Alison Bechdel, creator of classic comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For.
Last year, the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival screened a
gut-wrenching documentary called Keep Not Silent about Orthodox Jewish
lesbians in Israel. Again, some of the women stayed in shadow. Their sadness
and secrecy was just as pitiful to me.
I have not always been a happy lesbian. I struggled as a teenager in the first
few years post-Stonewall, when the only lesbians I knew were dykes in the
The other segment of the program was about Muslim lesbians. Some of
bars I went to with a fake ID. I was expelled from my all-girls high school for
the women in the piece were shown in shadow. All felt they had to choose
being a lesbian and a bad moral influence on the 3,000 other students. That
between their faith and their sexual identity, and not one seemed happy. This
there were numerous lesbian teachers went unremarked.
was the segment that codified what I wanted to say about Pride.
I want to say how lucky I am to be a lesbian in America. Yes, we live under
I didn't see a place for myself in the world as a lesbian. I didn't look or live
like the other lesbians I knew. Like many women of my generation, I got mar-
the hate-mongering Bush regime. The evangelical Christian right and other
ried at 18 in an effort to become heterosexual. Despite the fact that the man I
en
right-wing extremists have made it harder to be queer in America. Ann Coulter
married was a great guy, I did us both a great disservice by getting married. I
and others still get away with calling people -
was a lesbian, I had always been a lesbian, and I would always be a lesbian.
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famous people, too - "faggots:'
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But as one of the women in the segment on Islam noted, "It's so easy to
But a majority of lesbians in the world are not as fortunate as I have been.
be a lesbian here in America:• It might not feel that way at times, but this
They are forced to marry. They are kept in marriages they do not want to be
tortured young woman was so right. If we peruse the materials in the Lesbian
in, as were the women in Keep Not Silent and the In the Life segment. They
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Herstory Archives, we can see just how much we have achieved in just the
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past 40 years. We only have to take a brief glance at other countries today to
cannot envision a life for themselves in which they are simply, irrevocably,
lesbians. And happy to be so.
see how other lesbians are forced to live. Were some of these women to choose
That is the fundament of pride, that we can see ourselves as joyful in our
~a
to celebrate their lesbianism, they would be imprisoned or even murdered.
discovering, by doing, the many firsts, be it the creation of a lesbian archive, a
are; those of us born before Stonewall certainly earned it. But perhaps we
should be thinking of Pride as a period of reflection, like the time between
trek across the Arctic or a TV drama in which only lesbians appear. That we
can all be dykes to watch out for.
Rosh Hashanah and Yorn Kippur, or the periods of Lent and Advent. Time
Most queers have experienced the pain of not having pride, of feeling alone
to think about what we have as queers. Time to think about what other
and marginalized. Pride is a privilege: It is accepting our queer lives, marginal-
queers do not have.
I had a good friend years ago, Darrell Yates-Rist, a gay writer, a leftist,
ized though they may be, as valid and validating. It is embracing all the other
Christmas in 1993. He was only 45.
36 I curve
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lesbianism, in our difference, in our marginality. That we can be thrilled by
Maybe we're selfish in our pridefulness this time of year. It's fine that we
a New Yorker. He co-founded GLAAD, and he died of AIDS just before
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queers: the Joan Nestles, the Martina Navratilovas and all the women in the
shadows. It is being able to say who we are, and in that declaration, even if it
is said in shadow, feel the frisson that comes with freedom. ■
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TheHumanServicesCommittee
of the Illinois
Houseof Representatives
passedHouse
Bill 1826,otherwiseknownasthe Religious
Freedom
Protection
andCivilUnionAct,with a 54 votein March.UnderH.B.1826,LGBTcouples
aregrantedthe samerightsthat marriedheterosexualcouplesreceive,suchasspousalpension
coverageandmedicaldecision-making
rights.
Religious
andpoliticallyconservative
groups
opposeH.B.1826,sayingit is onestepcloserto
legalizingsame-sex
marriages.
Bill
supporters,
suchas
LGBTlegalorganization LambdaLegal,
applauded
the ratificationof H.B.1826as
recognizing
that civil
unionsandmarriages
shouldofferthe
samerights.
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Thisyear,the NationalOrganization
of Gayand
LesbianScientistsandTechnology
Professionals
participated
in thethirdannualGlobalMarathon
For,ByandAboutWomen.Dr.AmyRoss,mentoringprogramcoordinator
for NOGLSTP
and
vicepresidentof researchanddevelopment
at
DiamicsInc.,gavea livetelephonepresentation
on mentoringfor LGBTscientists,engineers
and
technology
students.Sponsored
by National
Engineers
WeekFoundation,
this 24-hourevent
allowedaspiringfemalesin scientificand
technological
fieldsto network,partakein open
forumsandlistento presentations
fromwomen
professionals
acrossthe country.
UnderCalifornia's
SafePlaceto LearnAct,
AB394,schoolswill bea lot saferfor LGBT
students.
Thebill, if passed,wouldrequirethe
StateDepartment
of Education
to monitorits
publicschoolsandschooldistrictsto improve
implementation
of alreadyexistingantidiscriminationandantiharassment
policies(California
StudentSafetyandViolencePrevention
Actof
2000- AB537).EqualityCalifornia,
a co-sponsor
of the bill,citesa 2001-2002CaliforniaHealthy
KidsSurveythat reportedmorethan200,000
studentaccountsof harassment
basedon actual
or perceived
sexuality.
G AADM di Aw r
Exclud
TheGayandLesbianAllianceAgainst
Defamation
hasreceivedcomplaints
fromLGBT
mediaoutletssuchas Logoandhere!Networks
regardingits policyof notacceptingnominationsfromqueeroutletsfor its annualGLAAD
MediaAwards.According
to a statementbythe
nonprofit'spresident,
NeilG.Guiliano,
GLAAD's
maingoalis to changethe waymainstream
mediaportraythe LGBTcommunity.
Inthe
late1990s,GLAAD
includedLGBTmediain
its awardsceremony
butdiscontinued
those
categories
afterreceivingcriticismfromthose
whofelt the organization
shouldnotact as a
watchdogof LGBTmedia.
N w M xicoS n te I
Out!
TakeAmerica's
favoriteLGBTtravel
guideswith you!
ilentOv r
Thepassingof a domesticpartnerbill remains
stagnantin NewMexicoafterthe stateSenate's
refusalto discussthe legislation.
NewMexico
Gov.Bill Richardson
andthe stateHouseof
Representatives
passedthe bill,but it remains
onthe Senatefloor.
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LGBTandcivil rightsorganizations
suchas
the NationalCenterfor LesbianRightsand
theAmericanCivilLibertiesUnionhave
criticizedthe CityCommission
of Largo,Fla.
for violatingits owndiscrimination
policyafter
it terminatedStevenStanton,48,whohadbeen
CityManagerfor morethan14 years.Stanton's
dismissalcameafterhetoldthe commission
he
is transgender
andwill be undergoing
gender
reassignment
surgery.Thecommission
voted
5-2 in favorof firingStanton.Largo'smayor,Pat
Gerard,toldthe St.Petersburg
Times,"Wehave
a choiceto make:Wecango backto intolerance,
or we canbethe city of progress."
MissouriLGBTadvocacy
groupPROMO
stageda
protestat an International
Houseof Pancakes
in
KansasCity,Mo.,aftera
groupof womenwereaskedto
leavebecausea couplein the groupwaskissing.
In March,EvaSandoval
saidthat shegaveher
girlfriend,BlairFunk,a kissandwaslatertold
bythe restaurant's
managerthat otherpatrons
wereuncomfortable
withtheirpublicdisplayof
affection.According
to the IHOPCorp.,the ladies
wereactingovertlysexualandaskedto stop,not
leave,whichconflictswiththe statementsmade
bythe protesting
women.-Asiana Ponciano
Want more?Get LGBT
travel listings,city files,
events,tour operators,
and moreon our website
damron.com
CJ CD
June 2007
I 37
1n
It's hot as hell
outside time
to start dreaming
of a placethat
willchillyou out.
By Carole
Terwilliger Meyers
uebec
You can learn a lot about a person by spending
hotel can accommodate 88 people per night and
a night with her in the Ice Hotel: her ability to
also offers a popular day tour.
follow instructions, her tolerance level for adversity,
After checking in at the Regie Lodge, our small
her sense of humor. In fact, though couples do come
group of women and one gay man deposited lug~
here to get married in the Ice Chapel (its first lesbian
gage in lockers downhill at the Aigle Lodge and
wedding was held in March 2006), I think I'd rather
then gathered around the fireplace for instructions
test the preliminary waters here and then perhaps
on getting through the night. In a nutshell, the pre~
make it permanent later, somewhere warm.
bed procedure for a good night's sleep: hit the hot
First constructed in 2000, Canada's Ice Hotel
tub, dry off in the sauna, wear nothing or, at the
is rebuilt every winter using 500 tons of ice and
most, long underwear, put on a chapeau and wool
15,000 tons of snow. Though there are "snow"
socks, hop into a provided polyester sleep sack,
hotels in Finland and Norway, they use wood or
stuff all outer clothes into the sleeping bag and then
metal in their construction. Only this one in Quebec
jump in.
and another in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, are true "ice
hotels" made entirely of ice and snow.
Guests come from around the world -
38
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LU
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the bag allowed just my face to stick out, and all
a:
night I felt the tiny bit of air that let in. Also, my
told of visitors from Mexico who had never before
one pair of wool socks were damp from the day, so I
seen snow and others from Hawaii who brought
improvised with my wool mittens.
along leis -
Thoroughly tutored in the fine points of sleeping
on ice, we headed back into the sub~zero night and
months to 77 years. With 36 rooms and suites, the
a:
Later, I had trouble tightening rhe cords so that
the staff
and have ranged in age from nine
rt,
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trudged uphill to the Auberge Lodge for dinner
only 1 percent of the guests each season don't
(a complimentary buffet breakfast is also served
weather the entire night, many of them being
here each morning). In a large, open dining room
claustrophobic and discovering too late that there
with high ceilings and a fireplace, I feasted on a
are no windows in the rooms.
blueberry-spiked
terrine of organic farm-raised
elk, delicate lettuce soup and pan-roasted merou
Carnaval de Quebec
fish topped with guacamole. We discussed the
Few things are more enjoyable in winter than
upcoming challenges with glee, and, like some of
bundling up in warm gear and attending a festive
the other older women with weak bladders, I con-
outdoor event. Crowds add cheer and coziness.
sidered limiting my liquid intake in an attempt to
Quebec City's annual Carnaval de Quebec -
up my chances of getting through the night with-
called a"Mardi Gras on Ice" and said to be the larg-
out a run to the john. However, I was so thirsty
est winter carnival in the world -
that I just decided to drink until I wasn't. That
castle, snow and ice sculptures, horse-drawn car-
decision permitted
riage rides accompanied by the brilliant sound of
me a glass of wine, several
glasses of water and a cocktail chaser.
also
features an ice
also a wild and crazy Snow Bath, in which bathing
big plastic bag with necessities, then bundled up
suit-dad people of all sizes and shades frolic in the
and set out to explore the Ice Hotel's chapel, two
snow for what seems like a very long time. And all
art galleries and spectacular themed suites. My
the while, the sound of French chatter and deep-
Medieval Suite had a castle theme and two queen-
pitched horns fill the air, the latter originating
sized platform ice beds topped with insulating
from long, red, flute-like souvenir horns. Another
deer pelts and an Arctic-weight sleeping bag. My
favorite, the Boreal Suite, was filled with fragrant
popular souvenir is a hollow red plastic cane that
is filled with caribou, the carnival's potent, sweet,
pine boughs. Each bed has a light switch, and can-
port-like official drink.
dles add more light and atmosphere and also help
After sipping a colorful vodka-fruit juice cock-
Camavalde Quebec
866-4-CARNAVAL
carnaval.qc.ca
Runsforabout17 daysinlateJanuary,
earlyFebruary
After wandering
this winter
QuebecCityTourism
quebecregion.com
GayCanadaResources
gaycanada.com
wonderland,
visitors can explore the adjacent old walled city
-
the only one remaining in North America,
tail from a carved ice cube glass in the shimmering
N'Ice Club disco, where Pink did her best to "Get
it was designated a UNESCO
This Party Started" (though it never quite hap-
strolling winding cobblestone streets leading to
pened), I headed to the warm changing room to
unique boutique& and a bevy of fine restaurants.
don my bathing suit.
A vibrant gay area exists outside the walls, behind
I was surprised that I was the only one of my
Ice HotelQuebec-Canada
InSainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier,
30 minutes
fromQuebec
City
877-505-0423
icehotel-canada.com
Season:
January
5 toApril1
$170andup
sleigh bells, and a lighted evening parade. There's
Later, I rearranged my suitcase and filled a
suck out any damp air from the room.
MORE INFORMATION
Site in 1985 -
World Heritage
and slip gently back in time while
the Hilton hotel on Rue Saint Jean.
fellow travelers who followed the suggested regi-
As my plane soared off the runway, I sat sated
men for a good night's sleep. A few of the women
from my winter frolic and saw through my polar-
said they hadn't brought a swim suit and didn't
ized sunglasses what appeared to be streets paved
take to the suggestion that they wear bra and
with rainbows. Though the lenses were only play-
panties. Another didn't like public hot tubs. So I
ing with the bright sun and ice, the streets did
found myself the only one from my group in the
seem to be offering up to travelers both a gay wel-
tub, but I wound up having a good chin-wag with
come and goodbye. ■
a young Canadian couple stewing along with me.
I did appreciate that the tub area was forgivingly
dark, not to mention downright steamy, and I was
glad I always travel with a swim bag that holds flip
flops, as they protected my feet from the icy snow.
When I left the trailer, I heard giggling coming
from the men's changing room. Hmmm. Someone
figured out it was too cold in the rooms for
hanky panky.
I slept well from around 1 a.m., when I went to
bed, until before sunrise, when I got up at 6 a.m.
(/,
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Back at the Aigle next morning, I heard from
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the others in my entourage who shortchanged the
3
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they were cold. One guest hadn't made it through
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regimen that they had to get up during the night to
use the restroom, that they didn't sleep well, that
the night. No, he didn't die. He just walked back
ca oa:
up to the heated Aigle Lodge to sleep tight on
CJ 0
one of the six cots that are available. Apparently,
<(
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June 2007
I39
Fearof Flying
A lesbianmom rediscovers
the joysof the
airport.By Beren deMotier
My wife and I rarely travel. In the early days, it was because
and the inevitable line at airport security that, when she has to
we were barely out of college and had jobs that paid a pittance.
fly commercial, she navigates with ease, as she looks as whole-
Later, it was because we were busy with babies. Mostly, it's
some and harmless as a warm slice of wheat bread. Babies fall
because I could happily stay at home forever, and I am the
asleep in her arms as though they've arrived in Shangri-La, and
alpha female in the household, otherwise known as she who must
she absolutely breathes benign bonhomie.
be obeyed.
But, out of kindness to my spouse and our three children,
anniversary approaches. Shouldn't we go somewhere together:'
we do travel occasionally, though seldom by air. Driving seems a
fine way to get anywhere, and"if it isn't in the Pacific Northwest,
Without children:'
who needs itt is my regionist, never-been-to-New-York motto.
even I am temped. For the chance to finish a sentence, dress
This is not only because I'm unconsciously rebelling against
in something other than jeans, have food that is prepared by
my globe-trotting
I curve
My wife is ready to purchase tickets online as we speak, and
mother and her world-traveling kin, but
others and enthusiastic sex without worrying about waking
because taking small children on a plane can be a nightmare.
a child, I might brave my fear of flying, shrug off my latent
Even a short hop from Los Angeles to Seattle can seem an
xenophobia, sidestep my family-of-origin issues and risk security guards with stun guns.
eternity with a screaming toddler (though Benadryl with a
40
However, the question of joint travel has arisen. Our 20th
Dramamine chaser can work wonders for mother and child
It is actually the gravity-defying reality of flight that wor-
alike). And, over the last 15 years, thanks to a successful repro-
ries me more than any post-9 / 11 threat of terrorism, though
duction rate, it seems we always have a small child in tow.
the realistic fear of catching a new flu ranks up there with my
But those are excuses. Frankly, I'm afraid to fly.
statistically unsupported fear of falling from the sky. I'm prob-
My wife flies a lot for work, and it seems as inconsequential to her as catching a bus. Most of those flights are shuttles
ably nai:ve, but security gate searches are at the bottom of my
travel-related list of fears.
between company sites, not involving big airports, long waits
I have nothing embarrassing to pull out of my bag. Three
Thank
you
toour
2007
Park
City
Sponsors
Tosponsor
afutureQueer
Lounge,
emailsponsorship@queerlounge.org.
instinct- ~
:tourChart.com
You'reon it.
~
"toronto
unlimited"
www torontotouft,m
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OFFICIAL
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c;y.r_y_e
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GET YOUR
PRIDE ON
CuRvejust might be stopping by your
hometown this summer. Come by our
booth at one of these Pride fests and
find sexy women and exciting surprises.
May 19-20
Long Beach Pride
June 1-3
Girls in Wonderland during
Gay Day Disney (Orlando, Fla.)
June 15-16
Portland Pride
June 16-17
Sacramento Pride
June 22-24
Atlanta Pride
June 22-24
San Francisco Pride
July 21-22
San Diego Pride
>
We'realwaysaddingnew cities
to our tour.Tostay updatedon our
latestlocales,visit curvemag.com.
THE 2007 PRIDE GUIDE
WHAT TO WEAR
Photos by Lydia Daniller
No more boring tees for us. We're rocking Pride in style
this year and, at the risk of sounding like fashion shills,
we're going to show you how to get outfitted, too.
Here's what you need to look hot all summer .
./
••
•• ••
••
·•
.••
• • • ••
••
•
■
46 j curve
PORTLAND
PRIDE
••••••••••••• •
••
•
[
••
[
l
l
••
••
••
•
••
••
•
COOL, COMFY SHOES
••
••
•
•
•••••
◄
Whichone of our designersdoesa
Middle-Easternburlesquecomedy
called Dirty Phoenixand the Asses
1- of Evil?Findout at curvemag.com.
;:
ii:
JUNE 16-17,2007
TOMMcCALL
WATERFRONT
PARK
mm
WWW.PRIDENW.ORG
June 2007 \ 47
THE 2007 PRIDE GUIDE
WHAT TO TAKE
Whether you're heading to the Dyke March or the
LGBT Pride festival, these light items will make the
adventure all the more smooth.
48
I curve
Canada
Montreal
www.tourisme-montreal.org
~
PRIAPE.COM
aircanada.com
The freedom to fly your own way
illage
unmondeunvlllage.com
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DID YA KNOW.
■■
9
■
Lookingfor new ways to impressa drunkenlesbian?Good for cocktail
parties or whatever alcohol booth you have at your local Pride, here are
some fun facts about the queer world's High Holy Day.
The first Pride was held on
June 28, 1970 :
a year after the Stonewallriots.
San Francisco's first Pride celebration was called a
"gay-in." Later festivals were called Christopher Street
West (named after the street where the Stonewall Inn
is located) and Gay Freedom Day. It wasn't until 1995
that San Francisco included bisexual and transgender
in its official parade name.
THE FIRST LATVIAN PRIDE CELEBRATION TOOK PLACE IN 2005.
THE FIRST DYKE MARCH
HAPPENED IN 1992.
The rainbow Pride flag was created by San Franciscan Gilbert
Baker in 1978. The flag used to have eight colors instead of six
- turquoise and pink were in the original flag, but not today's.
The first gay Pride
march in Asia hap-
pened in Manila,
Philippinesin 1994.
Singaporedidn't have
their first public Pride
celebrationuntil 2005.
It was called lndigNation.
A crowd of about
2,000 showed up at
San Francisco's first
TRANS MARCH
in 2003.
Parada do Orgulho GLBT de Sao Paulo, organized in
Sao Paulo, Brazil, is the largest Gay Pride celebration
in the world, drawing an estimated 2 million in 2006.
so I curve
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THROW A PERFECT
PRIDE PARTY
What color do you drink? Find out with our handy guide
to the ubercoolcocktailsthat just scream "rainbow."
Absolut
HoneyBunny
Burning
ManTini
If you really want to go to town as self~employed bartendress, .YQ!!__
_!!light want to pick up a copy of Tini Bigs Martini Book, the recipe
book from the Tini Bigs Lounge, Seattle's premier martini bar. From
the Democrat Tini to the Republican Tini to the Dirty Girl Scout
Tini, there is a 'tini for us all. This is one of our favorites.
_What could be sweeter than a little honey bunny with your vodka?
2 oz. Absolut vodka
J 2_z.Bl~e Curacao liqu!::.!_lr
_____________
_
1 oz. DeKQY_perPeachtree_schn~~----------_2 oz. sweet and sour mix
1/2 oz._pear c_id_e_r
_________________
_
1/2 oz. Seven lJp soda __________________
_1/2oz.lemonjuice
___________________
_
_
P2gr ~l.~D-_gredi~nt§_~t.!!2.~
highJ:,2-llglass three fourths filled with ice
_cubes.Stir well and se_rv_e_.
______________
_
A FEWOFOURFAVORITE
DRINKS
If you'relikesomeof us,youdon'tknow
yourZinfandel
fromyourShirazor your
vodkafromyour,er,othertypeof vodka.
Here'sa quicksampling
of someof our
favoritewaysto getsloshed.
Frutezia:
Marketed
asa "sassier
fruitbouquet,"Frutezia
hasrecentlyintroduced
a
Tropical
Blendwhitewine,whichcombines
mango,
pineapple,
guava,grapefruit
and
limeflavors.
Agavero:
Agavero
is a blendof BlueAgave
tequilaandtheDamiana
flower,most
famousfor its legendary
reputation
asa
potentaphrodisiac.
Ole!
1 ½ oz. sweetened whipp_in.,..g-'-cr_e_am-'-------------Garnish with Stl!allThai chili p~p_,__er
___________
Bacardi
LimeBrokeback
Moon
S lash the Bacardi in our Pride
cocktail. We know it's not our
first time.
into chilled martini lass.
Happily
EverAfter
If it ou reall want to make an
impression., go with a neon-gr~~IL__
_Evetglo the first combination of
_
Aperol:
Italy'smostpopularliqueurhas
finallylandedonAmerican
soil.Aperol's
zestyorangeflavoris tart,sweetand
vibrant,andit's gota buzz-friendly
low
alcoholcontent.
tequila and vod~.;!~icy te uila cool
vodka and blasts of caffeine and gi_nsen-e,g
___
_make Everglo a hit with the My5pace se~t____
Pommery
PopChampagne:
Thisblend
of 90 percentChardonnay
and1Opercent
Pinotmakesfor a lessfizzychampagne
that'sslightlysweeterthanthe
traditional
Brut.
_Ev~r_gl~_
_Spash of Hennesse,_ ____
curve
_
_
-~9_Q'._y_~_f.r~~mg
cocktails with_n,;tmeslike "Ke11.t1J._<;ky
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CityofWestHollywood
California1984
June 2007 \ 53
LiteraryDarlings
Authors T Cooper and Felicia Luna Lemus have become New York's
sexiest and most provocative literary darlings - and they're a couple.
Text by Stephanie Schroeder * Photography by Erica Beckman
T Cooper and Felicia Luna Lemus are real writers' writers:
Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick, Cooper
serious about their craft, good storytelling and a structured
met Lemus after seeing her photo on the back cover of her
narrative. With two published novels each, they are, sepa-
first book, Trace Elements of Random Tea Parties. Cooper
rately and together, the current darlings of New York City's
immediately asked a mutual friend for her contact info.
literary scene. Cooper's current novel, the best-selling Lipshitz
Lemus says Cooper wrote her a "nerdy" e-mail about how they
Six, or Two Angry Blondesis also a bestseller in Germany; the
needed to have a luncheon to discuss ... something. They had
author has toured that country twice, is widely recognized on
a date a few weeks later when both were in Washington, D.C.,
the streets there and is worshipped like a rock star.
pounding the pavement and visiting almost every museum in
In their work, both writers find new ways of using language
the city. They went back to D.C. this past spring to celebrate
in a clever, innovative and compelling manner that is also nec-
their three years together and again visit those institutions and
the one they hadn't, the National Postal Museum.
essary to their respective writing styles. Much of their work
or
Lemus currently teaches writing at the New School in
"unlearn;' as Lemus put it at her book launch at the Lower East
NYC, but for Cooper, full-time touring has been a vocation
focuses on legacy, what to keep and what to throw away -
Side Tenement Museum on a mild night in late March. And if
for the past year, since the hardcover edition of Lipshitz Six was
you don't get their subject matter or even vehemently disagree
published (the paperback was released in February).
"I hope to be a full-time writer soon;' says Cooper. The two
with it, please, critique their work on its merits alone. Only a
well-constructed
argument about the actual work itself will
coo over each other at the coffee shop while discussing the state
convince Lemus to engage in a dialogue about the craft, but not
of both writing and popular culture today.
the subjects of her works.
We sat down with the couple just after the last big snow-
both fascinating and disconcerting, in part because the author
storm in New York City at a Lower East Side cafe for a chat and
eschews a gender label.Tis T and that is that. Cooper says that
coffee -
there need be no gender pronoun attached to T's being.
with soy milk only, of course. The night before, both
read to a jam-packed house at the popular downtown venue Mo
Pitkin's House of Satisfaction.
At 34 and 32 years old respectively, Cooper and Lemus
For the more-famous Cooper, the media attention has been
'Tm just me, and I'm not comfortable being pegged as either
'he' or 'she:"
"Bur;' says Lemus, "the mainstream press needs to label
make an ideal couple. Lemus is a queer girlie girl, a Mexican
people and feels entitled to make assessments and invent an
American who grew up in Southern California, graduated from
identity for us:' The New York Times referred to Cooper as "she"
CalArts and then taught at UCLA. Openly genderqueer, the
in its book review, as did many mainstream -
butchy Cooper, raised in Los Angeles with roots tracing back to
-
and even queer
publications that insisted there be a pronoun attached to
Russian Jewish immigrants, holds an MFA from Columbia and
Cooper's name. Some critics and editors called the lack of a
eschews allegiance to any one identity or community.
gender pronoun alternately a hoax, a fraud and a marketing effort.
With
one book published
(Some of the Parts) and a
Cooper laughed off the bewildering responses.
June 2007
I55
"There'sa misperceptionthat
"There's a misperception that I'm playing the gender card
a la JT
Leroy. There's no gender card; it's my life and it's all
I'm playingthe gendercard a
about context, whether it's gender, race, immigrant
la JT Leroy.There'sno gender
in between those places. Why is it so important to label people:"'
status,
ethnicity, whatever. I write about places of passing and the spaces
asks Cooper. "Sometimes I pass, sometimes I don't. Sometimes
card; it'smy lifeand it'sall
I want to, other times I don't:'
Lemus describes herself as queer. "I definitely don't ID as
about context,whetherit's
interviewer told me that the word 'queer' was specifically offen-
a lesbian. I had an interview with another publication and the
sive to him because there has been so much violence connected
gender,race, immigrantstatus,
with the word that it could never be reclaimed. I have a much
different point of view:'
ethnicity,whatever.I write
about placesof passingand
Lemus says that in her writing she is "constantly frustrated
by language and its limits. But all I can do is keep working with
different things, making my work better with new words, new
possibilities, new interpretations - anything that is human and
the spaces in betweenthose
keeps the story going:'
Cooper concurs "Everyone is so wedded to binaries: black
places.Why is it so important
Jews and non-Jews. People like to confine themselves because
to labelpeople?"
and white, women and men, immigrants and nonimmigrants,
they find it too scary to move outside of these constricted
arenas. I like to find the spaces in between because the binary is
so simple and so boring:'
In their newest books, both writers take on gender, identity,
sex, love, family, history and other issues that speak to today's
reader, but neither wants to be pigeonholed as a queer writer.
"It's ghettoizing," asserts Cooper. "It takes us of out of the larger
conversation. It's a ghetto based on capitalism that niches us
as a different type of writer, a different type of consumer, a
different type of brand and creates an entire ghetto of music,
arts and literature that is excluded from the mainstream. It does
an incredible disservice to a lot of work that is out there:'
It might seem that Lemus' work is informed by Cooper's
genderqueer / trans identity, but she says that's not true.
"[My new book] Like Son was a story that was percolating even before my first book came out. It is based on an historical Mexican figure that actually started me writing, to the
point where I thought I might like to do this full time;' she
says, smiling.
"The girl in Tea Parties goes through many identities and
identity changes, too. She finds out in 1940s bar culture about
'kiki; a lesbian identity;' recalls Lemus, "that is kind of in the
middle, neither butch nor femme. These are topics that I've been
interested in for a long time and writing about it probably puts
me in the 'other' category of literature. But, not expanding the
narrative in mainstream literature and media amounts to the
erasure of voices that are not merely transgressive, but that are
also real:'
The couple is again in agreement. 'J\lthough weve made
strides -
leaps and bounds -
we still need the gay and lesbian
section of Barnes & Noble for the punk or queer or trans kid
in the Midwest to find us;' says Cooper. "But, we don't need to
be ghettoized on those shelves only. We need to be on literary
shelves everywhere:' ■
perception that gay men have more money to spend and are
more fun to watch than lesbians. "There has always been a major
schism between gay men and lesbians. I've heard executives say
the same thing, and they just really are not into women or lesbians, they don't have whole lot of use for us:•
When Logo bought Erosion Media ( the lesbian-owned company behind AfrerEllen.com and AfrerElton.com) and 365gay.
com, critics worried about whether the new ownership would
impact diversity. "Buyouts are terrifying," says Linton. "It's just
not good for diversity across the board. And, I suspect that being owned by a large corporation might affect the editorial generated by the outlet. Editors might feel pressure not to critique
Logo -
or other Viacom properties -
in ways they might oth-
erwise if they were still independent:'
Others say that with the emergence of regional magazines
like Florida's She and social-networking
site OurChart.com
alongside established publications Lesbian News,
CURVE, GO
NYC and Velvetpark,lesbian-owned media will succeed and
prove the boys wrong.
One publisher commented, "It's really tough -
these are
issues that we face on a daily basis in terms of competition:' She
applauded the new independent lesbian publications as good
news that can help in the battle for readership versus the online
rselves may no
presence of the "big boys" sites.
hen Girlfriends
But another publisher balked at some new names in the
ks ceased pub-
lesbian publishing niche, dismissing several as simply shills for
d to New York
their parent media companies, such as here! Interactive Media's
male-owned LesbiaNation magazine, which recently featured
Katherine Linton and her series Lesbian Sex and Sexuality
-
which ran on the here! Networks. Other publications have
faced criticism as simply patchwork compilations of syndicated,
ready-made content.
Writer, playwright and cultural critic Sarah Schulman says
Lesbian and gay media talk diversity and visibility, but often doesn't walk the walk. Since LGBT
media have long written about the dangers of
"There'sa misperceptionthat
"There's a n media conglomeration, critics say it's surprising
a la JT
Leroy.
chat nobody has talked about what it means
I'm playingthe gendercard a
about context,
to have our biggest book-magazine- Internet
la JT Leroy.There'sno gender
in between thoi Inc., aka PNO, which includes Alyson Books,
card; it'smy lifeand it'sall •
ethnicity, whate publishers all under one roof at PlanetOut,
asks Cooper. "S The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, Gay.com and
I want to, other Kleptomaniac.com,
among ochers. PNO
has
Lemus des, gobbled up everything from small adult puba lesbian. I had lications to travel companies, becoming the
about context,whetherit's
interviewer tole largest queer media company in the United
sive to him beci States. Gay media conglomeration,
gender,race, immigrantstatus,
with the word
t
buyouts
and mergers are affecting lesbian visibility
different point c and leadership in a major way. The issue with
ethnicity,whatever.I write
Lemus says I PlanetOut,
which has a relatively new female
by language and CEO but otherwise all male board members,
different things, boils down to what some say is a great loss for
about placesof passingand
possibilities, new lesbians in terms of our visibility across media
the spaces in betweenthose
keeps the story g spectrums.
Cooper cone
Anne Moellering, vice president of U.S.
places.Why is it so important
Jews and non-Je would not be in our interest to be the largest
and white, worn marketing at PNO, couldn't disagree more: "It
they find it too LGBT media company seen and heard if we
to labelpeople?"
arenas. I like to f didn't span the scope of individuals in the gay
so simple and so community. No doubt we have a strong voice
In their new◄ in the community, but in the digital world there
sex, love, family, is an explosion taking place around the globe in
reader, but neid gay, straight and all other communities. There
"It's ghettoizing, is an enormous range of options for individuals
conversation. It to explore:'
as a different t
But, says one industry source, "There's a paldifferent rv.-.~ pable fear of going against PNO because with
all the mergers and acquisitions, if you want to work in this industry you only have so many options and, other than a few independent publications, you have no idea how long before you need to get
a job that has suddenly been eaten up by PNO:'
Palpable fear led most lesbians in media to speak to me only
on anonymity -
they're all various industry insiders: publishers,
editors, writers, producers, critics. The queer publishing world
is a scary place for lesbians, including those readers who prefer a
Does queer media
conglomeration
affect diversity and
lesbian visibility?
Stephanie Schroeder
investigates.
lesbian-owned and -operated outlet to find community news. 'Tm
hoping," says one editor, "that we can feel confident that actually
having lesbians write, photograph and produce for us will make
it so our product is a more accessible to dykes" than gay-malefocused outlets.
"Our interests just aren't going to be served unless lesbians control the media ourselves;' says filmmaker and film historian Jenni
Olson, who was one of the founders of PlanetOut.com in 1995 and
stayed on until 2002."It is really significant that with lesbian media
it's not only the bottom line that matters. Of course it's a business,
but a business that is about serving the best interests of lesbians,
which inherently means less revenue than selling gay porn to men:'
Olson says that Wolfe Video.com, where she currently serves as director of e-commerce and consumer marketing, will acquire lesserknown lesbian tides that may not sell as much and as often as a
gay male tides, but that the leadership is totally committed to that
type of diversity.
perception that gay men have more money to spend and are
It may say more about PNO that as a public company (with
more fun to watch than lesbians. "There has always been a major
the Nasdaq ticker symbol"LGBT"), the main thrust of the busi-
schism between gay men and lesbians. I've heard executives say
ness is more likely to keep shareholders happy than to serve the
the same thing, and they just really are not into women or lesbi-
interests of its audience, particularly lesbians. "We talk about
ans, they don't have whole lot of use for us:'
this a lot internally;' says Moellering, "and one of the reasons we
When Logo bought Erosion Media (the lesbian-owned com-
have not walked what we talk is that to be profitable and grow
pany behind AfterEllen.com and AfterElton.com) and 365gay.
to meet quarterly targets and shareholder expectations, we have
com, critics worried about whether the new ownership would
had to make some hard decisions and investments in properties
impact diversity. "Buyouts are terrifying;' says Linton. "It's just
such as Gay.com, which caters mostly to gay men, but is a strong
engine for all our brands:'
not good for diversity across the board. And, I suspect that be-
Such control, so often run or fueled by the gay boys' gang,
erated by the outlet. Editors might feel pressure not to critique
ing owned by a large corporation might affect the editorial gen-
affects lesbians in ways that are almost indistinguishable. We
Logo -
don't yet know how PNO's forthcoming women's brand, still
erwise if they were still independent:'
in the works and set for release sometime this year, will affect
or other Viacom properties -
in ways they might oth-
Others say that with the emergence of regional magazines
independent lesbian outlets. The projected subscription-model,
like Florida's She and social-networking
social-network-based
alongside established publications Lesbian News,
site will, according to Moellering, "con-
site OurChart.com
CURVE,
GO
nect women through a variety of ways and will particularly
NYC and Velvetpark, lesbian-owned media will succeed and
focus on local information that is critical to the lesbian audi-
prove the boys wrong.
ence, although it won't be a lesbian site per se:•
One publisher commented, "It's really tough -
these are
The mergers that keep happening around PNO, Window
issues that we face on a daily basis in terms of competition:' She
Media and other smaller media groups are perhaps an indica-
applauded the new independent lesbian publications as good
tion that the 'T' in LGBT is getting squeezed out of the queer
news that can help in the battle for readership versus the online
mainstream once again. Sisters doing it for ourselves may no
presence of the "big boys" sites.
longer be enough. Lesbians were surprised when Girlfriends
But another publisher balked at some new names in the
magazine and lesbian erotic staple On Our Backs ceased pub-
lesbian publishing niche, dismissing several as simply shills for
lication in 2006. The subscription lists were sold to New York
their parent media companies, such as here! Interactive Media's
City-based magazine Velvetpark, whose publisher, Grace Moon,
male-owned LesbiaNation magazine, which recently featured
says that the small On Our Backs core readership really has no-
Katherine Linton and her series Lesbian Sex and Sexuality
where new to go with their beloved magazine off the shelves.
-
"Now those readers -
faced criticism as simply patchwork compilations of syndicated,
and others who crave more coverage of
lesbian sexuality and lesbian porn -
have no outlet;' she says.
which ran on the here! Networks. Other publications have
ready-made content.
"It's an interesting genre and important to the fabric of queer
Writer, playwright and cultural critic Sarah Schulman says
culture:' Moon says that with nothing to fill the erotica void,
there is "profound censorship where very little is allowed to be
there is an imbalance in lesbian publishing today.
published from an authentic lesbian point of view within the
"There are like five lesbian magazines and 150 for gay men.
mainstream press," in both publishing houses and intellectual
And it seems lesbian media have limited story ideas;' says Moon.
publications such as The New Yorker and Harper's. "And this
"When Daniela Sea joined The L Word, every single lesbian
all has a chilling effect, which diminishes our existence in lit-
publication had her on its cover within a three-month period.
erature -
We just cannot have exclusives unless each publication or Web
writers and lesbian content came from within the gay move-
site looks at how they are going to differentiate themselves:'
ment itself, turning our movement into a consumer marker:' By
And what of broadcast media? The debate rages over whether
CBS, NBC/Universal
and Viacom owning the largest queer-
friendly networks (Showtime, Bravo and Logo respectively) make
it's a dire situation:' But, she adds, "Niching lesbian
reversing niche marketing, lesbians could move back into the
mainstream where we were more widely published and read
before being niched.
for lesbians in terms of vision and vis-
"Then there is what I call the ick factor," says Schulman, who
ibility. Moon believes that Logo, despite some limitations, is good
believes "mainstream editors are often embarrassed or bored by
because "gay is finally on the mainstream radar:'
lesbian content:'
it better -
or worse -
However, Katherine Linton, whose Linton Media, Inc. pro-
Schulman and other lesbians in media have begun to ques-
duced The Evolution Will Be Televised (the documentary special
tion the relevance of niche lesbian publishing -
that launched the Logo channel) is worried about the lack of
content and context -
its credibility,
dyke visibility and media diversity, even on queer cable chan-
example, when we are ignored by mainstream media to the point
nels. 'Tm scared for all independent voices these days;' she says
that lesbian publications are rarely if ever referenced in main-
in the broader cultural landscape. For
emphatically. "Everyone says they are looking for lesbian con-
stream press and few out lesbian intellectuals write regularly for
tent [but] lesbian and gay producers feel like we've pitched a
the mainstream media today, lesbians may begin to wonder how
whole lot, but not much is accepted. It may well be that media
relevant we even are to the larger conversation. Does what les-
executives don't really know what they're looking for in terms of
bians say, write, print and read make a difference in the world at
lesbian programming:'
Linton says that she is incredibly conscious about the false
large to individual lesbian lives? Do we have a place at the table?
And if not, what do we have to do to reserve a space? ■
The downsizing of women's
publishing. By Melany Walters-Beck
Women's publishing in the United States is under-
In a similar situation, the Independent
Press
going some serious downsizi'ng. The announcement
Association blames a "very harsh newsstand mar-
of both the Advanced Marketing Services' and the
ket" for its financial woes and has "struck a strategic
Independent Press Association's bankruptcies sev-
partnership" with Canadian media giant Disticor
eral months ago heralded the collapse of a number
Newsstand Services, which will provide distribu-
of publications central to the lesbian community.
tion for some of the IPA's many former clients.
The fallout from this debacle will likely impact every
Lisa Jervis, founding editor and former publisher
facet of publishing, from the already limited acces-
of Bitch magazine and former editor at large to the
sibility oflesbian and feminist books and magazines
now online-only LiP, agrees that there's a particular-
to the opportunities available for writers and editors
ly hostile newsstand climate, though she expressly
in the field.
disagrees with the IPA's handling of che situation
Cleis Press, publisher of the wildly popular Best
both before and after its bankruptcy, stating that
Lesbian Erotica series, along with Soft Skull, Hylas,
it is "incredibly disingenuous of Richard Landry
Avalon, Goofy Foot and a handful of others for-
[executive director of the IPA] to be making that
merly distributed by a subsidiary of AMS, stand
statement as the reason the IPA is declaring bank-
to lose the last four months of revenue, including
ruptcy. It was a badly run business:'
that of the usually lucrative holiday season. This
Evidence of the IPA's financial instability goes
translates into some unpaid writers, a questionable
as far back as the summer of 2004, she says, when
future and ultimately fewer titles at your neighbor-
publishing advances began to be withheld. Though
hood bookstore.
not initially a problem, it became an unfortunate
This is not the first time AMS has found itself
trend that the publication was unable to endure.
in hot water; there was a financial scandal in 2003.
"Advances were small, so it didn't seem like a huge
However, publishers continued to work with the
deal;' says Jervis. "It wasn't until our full payments
company until the recent bankruptcy because of its
were overdue that we really got freaked:'
relationship with the distribution channels for big-
Afterward came contract disputes, a cessation
box retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Costco, Sam's
of royalty payments and a complete breakdown in
Club and others. The only bright side to this calam-
communication. Bitch was one of the lucky ones chat
ity is the fact that Perseus Books Group has offered
broke with the IPA early to sign its own distribution
a tentative plan that may enable some of these pub-
deal with Disticor, though it was by no means an
lishers to stay afloat. Only time will tell whether this
easy solution co their financial woes. The publishers
is a viable option for all of AMS' former clients.
"spent a tremendous amount of time and energy on
One way that consumers can be sure that at least
some of the proceeds from their purchases actually
reach the writers and publishers is to buy directly
emergency fundraising to replace the money from
the IPA and barely made it:'
Noc so lucky were many ocher queer-friendly
from their Web sites. A simple search of the Internet
publications, including Clamor, which folded and is
is usually enough to track down alternative sources
now embroiled in legal wrangling co save its pet proj-
for many of our favorite paperbacks.
ect, Infoshop.org, a loosely knit alternative-media
site focused on "che practical aspects of anarchism:'
As the media consolidations continue, the full
effect of these two behemoth bankruptcies on the
many scattered small presses and magazines is still
unknown. What is certain to remain is the passionate desire to promote independent
thought
and ideas in the lesbian and feminise communities
which are, and always have been, outside of the
mainstream media. As long as there are dedicated
and creative individuals seeking new means co share
ideas, there will be plenty of women anxious to hear
about them. Bue who will get the word out? ■
After 13 years in queer publishing, Venus founder
Charlene E. Cothran finds God. By Heather Boerner
When the 38,000 subscribers to the African-American queer
magazine Venus received the January issue, they got a shock,
The mission of the magazine had changed - a lot. It was no
longer simply for African Americans "in the life:' Now it's aimed
at African Americans looking to leave the life for a Christianity
that's incompatible with out-and-proud queerness.
The change came from Venus publisher and co-founder
Charlene E. Cothran, who recently announced that she's turned
her life over to Jesus Christ and is therefore no longer a lesbian.
"My message is to those who want to hear this;' Cothran
told the Windy City Times. "There are several people who are
not going to hear it. I know this is a message that isn't going to
be widely received by many. But those who are struggling, those
who are having the same issues that I had - those are the folks
I'm talking to:•
Cothran has published Venus for 13 years and is a co-
questioning Cothran's view
of spirituality and her ability to drop queerness like
an old suit.
REDEEMED!
"I cannot fully express
10 Ways to Get Out
of The Life" if
the disappointment and
You Want Out!
sadness I felt after reading
COLOR OF
your article;' wrote Angela
THE CROSS
Jordan. "Black lesbians
New Major Film
portrays Jesus
need as many leaders and
as a Black Man
fighters as we can get our
THE TRUTH
hands on. You have no idea
About the life of
GLADYS BENTLEY
what you have done. You
have no idea:'
At press time, a poll on
the Venus Web site showed that 83.9 percent of readers believed
founder of Hospitality Atlanta, a social-networking group
for lesbians of color. She also lobbied in 1995 for Atlanta's
domestic partnership law, and she helped found the Bayard
Rustin Rally and In the Life Atlanta. She didn't return calls
with certainty that they were "in a pleasing fellowship with God
and going to heaven even though [they are] gay:'
According to an article in the Windy City Times, only six
people had canceled their subscriptions in January, but the magazine got more subscriptions from the relatives of queer people.
Cothran insists the magazine is not a mouthpiece for the exgay movement, which claims to cure people of homosexuality
through religion.
Michelle Murrain is a 47-year-old African American and
former divinity student. She remembers picking up the magazine three years ago and thinking it was ''like The Advocate for
African Americans:' But now, she says the content focuses less
on the African-American community and more on the publication going ex-gay.
"It's a larger question about the ways in which people feel in
conflict with their faith," she said. "It's a bigger issue than this
one magazine with one editor:•
Having said that, Murrain can't relate to Cothran's struggle
between religion and sexuality.
"There is this sort of very unfortunate idea among Christians
in general and conservative Christians in particular that queerness and faith can't mix and that being gay is sinful;' she said .
"There's no really good biblical evidence for that. It's really unfortunate that this had to happen to Venus, that the editor feels she
has to give up a part of her identity to be faithful to God.
"The thing that bothers me the most about it, though, is
that there are so many subscribers. If you can imagine someone working really hard to be at peace with their identity,
and all of a sudden in the mail they get this magazine. That's
really problematic:' ■
seeking comment.
The change has drawn heated responses from both sides on
Venus' blog. For every reader who declared, "Congratulations
on leaving the lifestyle;' there were multiple comments
Is Lesbian Media the
Same as Feminist Media?
"ThecrisisfromwhereI sit,"saysAmyB.Hoffman,
editorof the Women's
Reviewof Books,"is lessaboutthe
consolidation
of ownership
thanthefactthatsmaller,radical politicalandliterarypublications
seemto be havinga
hardertimethanusualthesedays,andthe recentcollapse
of the Independent
PressAssociation
hasonlyexacerbatedthe problem.Also,lesbianmediahasalwaysbeen
closeto - or indistinguishable
from- feministmedia.
. . . Forexample,hereI amat Women's
Reviewof Books,
andwhenI goto conferences
or needsomeone
to talk to,
I sit downwithfolksfromBitch,Booksto WatchOutFor,
evenOffOurBacks,whichis still limpingalongevenas
OnOurBacksis gone- an interestingandunexpected
development
- In TheseTimes,PunkPlanet,Sinister
Wisdom,
Calyx,LambdaBookReport.It's a littlehardto
focusonlyon specificallylesbianmedia."
VENUS
•
•
•
curious JOrJa
Every lesbian's favorite CSI star,Jorja Fox, isn't your average sexpot. The attractive but geeky tomboy hasn't
graced the pages of Vogue,she doesn't spend each episode in impossibly high heels, and you're more likely to
find her at a PETA rally protesting animal cruelty than pitching Revlon products to you from a talk show on
the Oxygen Network. That's why we love her and her strong, sexy brand of androgyny and even her slightly
intoxicating don't--care--to--talk--about--my--personal--life
attitude. But, just once, wouldn't it be nice if she didn't
have to take herself so seriously? We turned the tables on the earnest star with an exclusive, old--fashioned
girlie--girlinterview that dares to ask the questions on everyone's mind (except, of course, that one) about work,
fashion and why you should never wear lavender perfume on a date.
What's the best part of doing CS/?
It's a multifold question. I think first and foremost, I love the character I get to play [element analyst Sara
Sidle]. I think she's totally fascinating and much braver than me and smarter than me. She studied
physics at Harvard and Berkeley, so I really get excited to go to work and get to be her. I think the
writers, who I think are geniuses, have done a really good job of trying to give us, or at least me, dif~
ferent things to do every season. I get to solve the crimes and get to sort of wear the superhero cape,
but at the same time I have something in my personal life going on. I'm really lucky that way.
It sounds like you can balance work with your own life.
I think it takes like a couple of years. We're in our fifth season now, and it's so much better in terms of
the amount of hours we work, and they try to split it up so nobody gets burned out. You'll be heavy
for a couple of shows, and then you'll be light for a couple of shows. I think the whole idea for our
show in the last couple years is like, well, how can we maintain this and not burn everybody out? And
they've done a great job at that, so it makes it, in many ways, a very easy job to go to. It's nothing like
doing a series like the first two seasons, you know, when you have no idea what you're doing, where
you' re going, what you' re shooting.
A lot of people with famllles like working on TV. Is that a draw for you?
I think it's probably really good for me, but it's not normally who I am at all. I'm a real nomad, so it has
been weird to sort of set roots down in Los Angeles and be here for the most part, for most of the
year. And if I get to travel, I travel on a normal schedule, sort of \' 7hen everyone else in America is
traveling, so that was actually something that I had to adapt to because I didn't consider that a plus
at the time.
Do you see yourself settling down, married with kids?
I don't know if I'll ever completely settle down, but I certainly believe in love, and I love love, and I hope
that I'm lucky enough that I'm able to sort of be with somebody in a way that I can see is for a long
time. That would be nice. I've definitely had commitment issues all my life about everything, whether
it's a job or a love interest or a place to live. Like I said, I'm really a nomad. I come from a long line of
nomads, so I think I'm part of that L.A. syndrome.
Plus, you meet other actors who are total nomads.
I am terrible at the long~distance relationship thing.
And you don't want to fall in love with co-stars because If it doesn't work you have to see
them every day.
I think I have been in love with every one of my co~stars at a different time or another.
I think I have been in love with your co-stars, too.
[Laughs]I'm lucky at that. And that would be a second thing, like, what do I love about my job? I really
love the people that I work with.
June 2007
I 63
You surf?
She was so happy to have money to have food on the table.
A little bit. I'm not great, but I love it, and I go out a lot. I grew
I was eating like five meals a day until I was about 16, and
up in a small beach town in Florida, so my whole life I was
then I realized, you know, maybe I could cut down to three.
swimming and boogie boarding, and then I moved to New
I'd probably be OK.
York City when I was 16, which is the exact same age that
How do you unwind?
my mother actually let me get a surfboard. So I never got
I like to go for hikes and, obviously stuff we already talked about,
good, but I had one, and I started. But I'd say like two years
surfing I love to do. I love massage. That's my big thing, even
ago in L.A., I got serious about it.
if I'm going to the spa, I'll almost always go for the massage
You can't surf in N.Y., can you? You'd have to take your
over any other treatment, but I do love to get a pedicure,
board on the train!
especially if it's the kind that comes with the little leg mas-
And that's what I used to do with my boogie board. I'd get on
How is your style different from your character's style?
funny? It was weird because I was there this summer, and I
Wow, this has been very lucky for me. Like obviously if I had
actually saw a guy walking down the street with a surfboard,
and it's the first time I'd ever seen that in New York, and I
day for five years, it would definitely be jeans and boots, and
lived there for like 12 years. I was like, where's the breaks,
that's mostly what the character wears. For a feature film, I'd
you know? Where are you going?
go off the cuff, like whatever, corsets, you name it. But it's
Yeah, usually. It gets harder in the winter with the rain because I
really great to go and get to be comfortable most of the time.
So jeans and a T-shirt and you're good.
like to wait like five or six days after it rains before I'm in the
For the most part, yeah. It goes with the guitar and the surfboard.
water. So between working and the rain pattern, that's when
The attention to beauty in Los Angeles, I think, is a really cool
I get a little rusty.
thing. It extends in everything: home decor, the cars people
Do you have to work out at all, or can you just surf to
drive ... everything, and certain neighborhoods, down to the
stay in shape?
medians and how well they're manicured, and I think that's so
If I can go out, that can be my workout. I do work out, and I
rare. There's so many visual artists here, and they pay a lot of
making life more beautiful and pleasing. In res-
mostly work out for stress because again, I find in L.A., if
attention
you don't actively go out and get exercise, you don't get any
taurants, the design is really cool, so I love all that, but I also
at all. Yeah, you sort of have
make a point of it, so here,
love being in Beverly Hills in my jeans and my boots because
usually I hike and I run, and I love to run because I can do
it feels actually kind of scandalous. Oops, forgot my Prada
to
that anywhere. No matter where I'm going, I can just throw
my sneakers in my suitcase, and I can go run.
How long do you run for?
to
today! I get a certain joy and satisfaction out of that.
Do you like vintage looks?
I'm a lot more likely to do that if I'm dressing up. You know what
I'm pretty lazy about that too. Probably like two miles. I have a
I also love? I love wearing business suits. That's something
big dog. The most loyal workout partner in the world! She's
that just happened to me in the last year. I never even owned
a boxer [8 years old). Her name is Ali, like Muhammad the
a tailored shirt in my life, and I guess I figured I have my
boxer .... And she never says no. Like, she never cancels on
whole life to move into business suits. This year I've been
me. She always wants to go, so we'll hike part, we'll run. I try
lucky enough, especially sort of like charity events and stuff
to work out every other day, and then sometimes I have a
that are often business attire, so it's the first year that I've
couple of days off in a row, and then I'll work out every day.
actually bought a couple of suits and some shirts. Off the
And then of course there's days that I'm shooting, because
rack, again I would go Theory at Fred Segal. They have really
if I'm shooting like 14 hours, it's the first thing to fall off
great stuff. And
my schedule book. It just doesn't work out for me because
suits .... [T]here's a store called Clover in Silverlake and Pull
J.Crew
makes great suits for ready-to-wear
I mostly like to work out outside. I'll go running up until
My Daisy, and they don't have a huge selection of suits, but
about 10 o'clock at night, but if I'm getting off after that, it
what they have is really interesting and it's cut nicely and
just doesn't happen.
it sort of has a little flair to it, like something different, but
So it sounds like you don't do anything too extreme.
I'm lucky because I'm really tall and I have really long limbs. I'm
I curve
to
pick something that I was going to wear pretty much every
How often can you go surfing? A couple of times a week?
64
sage. That's the best part.
the Long Island Expressway with my boogie board. Isn't that
really nice stuff and well made. I go there a lot.
Do you wish you could change your hairstyle?
actually not in great shape. I always think I can be in better
I've been acting since I was like 20, so there were years that I
shape, and I kind of wish I was one of those people that
wanted to have more punk rock or more rock 'n' roll style.
was more disciplined about being in better shape. That's the
Every time I would dye my hair, I'd get a job, and three days
thing, I could never spend like four hours a day in a gym.
later I'd be back in the place dyeing it back to my natural
I just couldn't do it. It's sort of a trade-off. I never think of
color. For a while, it was almost like that thing, like actors
myself as somebody that's in great shape. I don't have a scale
have little tricks, like when they need a job, they plan a vaca-
in my house. I was a chubby kid. I was chubby from like 8
tion, so [I would say to myself] if I color my hair purple, I'll
tu
to 16, and so that was like one of those things, it's just better
get work, and I kind of like that. There is still a part of me,
for me not to obsess over that. My mom was a Depression
>
~
[though] I think I'm getting a little too old for it. But a lot of
mom, and God bless her, there wasn't enough food in the
those really rebellious hairstyles, I would love to do some of
house [so) she just fed my brother and I. She just overfed us.
those. Like tiger stripes.
(/)
0
UI
ro
11
I
"I've definit ly had
commitment issues all
my life ab t everything,
whether it's a job or a
love interes or a place to
live. Lik I aid, I'm really
a nomad. I come from a
long line of nomads, so
I think I'm art of that
L.A. syndrome:'
You wore a vintage Chanel to the Emmys. Do you have a
the L.A. basin. The temperatures are sort of like the high
favorite red-carpet look?
desert. It's not like shooting in New York or Chicago, but
Oh my gosh, just barely presentable, really. Fashion is not my
it's really cold in the winter, and it's really, really hot in the
specialty, and especially like, black tie. It's really not my spe-
summer. Depending on that, they keep caking stuff on, you
cialty. Like, I know what I like. There's weird things because
know what I mean? Powder can get very thick. By 4 o'clock
it's specific, too. It's not like just kind of going to a regular
in the afternoon in July, you can like put a pin through your
party, as you know, so it's gotta be comfortable. It's gotta be
face. I just like to have a chance ... to give my skin a little
like nine-hour comfortable because, as you know, from the
break. And I'm at the beach a lot when I'm not working, and
time you have to hit the red carpet until the time you get
that's an excuse not to wear too much makeup. I'm literally
in the water and out of the water, and it never goes well, the
home, it's usually about nine or 10 hours.
mascara and the surfing.
And the shoes can be killers ...
That's the key. You learn these funny little things, you know, I've
had to leave those kinds of events because I just couldn't walk
anymore in my shoes. And I don't want that to happen any-
You sound low maintenance.
Yeah, I would probably put me in the extreme low maintenance
category.
more. I kind of feel like, I want to be able to stay to the end
What skin care products do you like?
and not leave because I can't feel my legs -
and have fun and
I'm a natural products kind of person because I'm a freak, so
be able to dance and eat and breathe. I'm a real stickler for
I'm a big Aveda person. I like their stuff. I'll go sometimes
that. I don't really wear any trains. I'm a clod, anyway. That's a
bad combination for me.
How do you describe your personal style?
for the oxygen facials.
AtAveda?
Not so much at Aveda. There's a couple places in town. I go to
Wow. I think I'd probably say for me, and it has a lot to do right
Burke Williams all the time. Ona Spa, I go there. Usually
now with just working so much and so long, I alwaysjust kind
I do something really noninvasive because that's the other
of want to look healthy and sort of really well rested, and a
thing, too, I don't go that much .... I'd like to go more, but
little like that just-got-out-of-bed look. And usually I'm tired,
again with my schedule, it's hard to commit, you know how
I haven't slept, I'm drinking six cups of coffee a day.
sometimes facials can mess up your skin for a few days.
Do you wear makeup off-set?
Because we're shooting nine months out of the year, I don't
Absolutely not, usually. And that's another thing, too. I would
really like to risk it, so I go for the very like, they have an
probably wear more if I wasn't working so much. I'm lucky
Ayurvedic facial, I think it's at the Four Seasons, like all this
enough to be working so much that if I'm not, I really like
Ayurvedic stuff, and it's really gentle stuff ... no peels or any-
my skin to have a chance to breathe. And the makeup's actu-
thing like that. I'm not big on that stuff.
ally quite heavy because it's full foundation, concealer and
Do you wear perfumes on the set?
powder, and then we get a little bit of extreme temperatures,
Again, because I'm kind of sensitive to chemicals, so I don't ever
so it can either be like up to 110 degrees, or it can be down
wear perfume, but I wear oils. I love oils. I get them at the
health food store.
to 40. We shoot like 40 minutes north of L.A., so it's not
Like lavender?
You know what? I love lavender, it's one of my favorite scents,
but I think I read in some ... big magazine that lavender
is a really great scent, but when people were tested on it,
it sort of was a nurturing, mothering scent to most people,
so I don't wear it all the time. I would never wear it on a
date. I would never wear it if I was trying to, you know, sort
of work my sensual side. Obviously if I'm hanging out with
my grandmother or I'm going to the beach, I'll douse myself
with the lavender because I love it.
Then which is a sexy scent? Musk?
Yeah, the musks I think are really sexy, and the Body Shop has
some really nice ones actually, and they do oils and they do
perfumes. And I still like the muskier scents like patchouli
and amber and ... even like citrus, sort of like an orange
spice something.
A lot of perfumes smell a little too frou-frou.
They will give me a headache, and I'll give myself a headache.
The other place I like a lot, there's a place called Andy's
Garden on Melrose, and they do a lot of sprays and mints
and like aura sprays, and their stuff is all natural; there's
no chemicals in it .... I wear a lot of those, and they're of
course very ethereal, so their scents are like Joy or Love or
Creativity. I love those. ■
66
I curve
e're a
Se
Jealous?
OK, last month was technically cuRvE's
17th anniversary but who really cares about
exact dates, anyway? Anyone who ever tried
to figure out a lesbian anniversary (first date?
first kiss? first U-Haul?) knows that. So here,
without further ado, is a little spread that's all
about us (and a little about you). Enjoy!
June 2007
I 69
/
-'~r------------------;;---.
Oh, the
CURVE
-----;,
staff, an elusive bunch we are, like lurkingjaguars in the dark murky magazine~ungle,
only showing our teeth when we catch somethingjuicy to munch on. No, we aren't nocturnal cre\itures
hashing away at a glossy cover collection of pure lesbiana: We have stories, honors and lovers just like
you. The truth is that most of y'all out there only see the people in the magazine: celebrities, activists,
the occasional sports star -
but what about us, the hardworking writers, editors, interns and sales
executives that deliver this wonderful package of queer information:' No more back burner for us, fot
these next few pages we consider our own place in the lesbian limelight.
~IANA
ALOH:I
Who are we anyway?
It's an age-old query
that, frankly, we'll
never be able to
~nswer. But we tried.
MARGARET
COBLE
MusicReview
Editor
PONCIANO
Editorial
Assistant
incredible assistant
Abouther:A DJ for 20 years, Margaret's retire-
resided in Honolulu, Hawaii, until she came to
ment has led her to focus more on her writing
San Francisco to break into the journalism busi-
and art these days. She is the editor in chief of the
ness. Currently she is finishing up her journalism degree with
Dance Music Authority, one of the US: leading club culture
an American literature minor at San Francisco State University, juggling an
glossies, and regularly contributes to local and national queer
internship at Performer and making ends meet as a waitress. However, when
publications. A N'awlins child at heart who calls Louisville,
Abouther: This super-duper
the opportunity to get a nibble of
life came, she wasn't afraid to add
Ky., home these days, Margaret has recently been focusing
another pig to the spit. When she isn't on the front of the interviewing line,
her attention on her arts and crafts business, artbymags.com,
Asiana enjoys karaoke (like any true Filipino) and Scrabble (like any true
where she is using her hands to develop her own line of T-
CURVE
writing nerd).
shirts and other screen-printed apparel.
Favoritel Wordcharacter:
Papi, because "ella es muy bonita:'
Favorite
l Wordcharacter:
Alice, for being deliciously funny.
CATHERINE
PLATO
Associate
Editor
NOAM
SZOKE
ITManager
About him: Without
Noam, there
Abouther:Send her a letter and she will answer it. Send her a drink and it
would be a lot of angry women and
better be a Bloody Mary. Catherine is all about health, or at least the healthiest
a lot of broken computers. Anyone
alcoholic cocktail you can order. When she's not bossing around the
who does IT, database
interns, she's answering readers' letters, freelancing for vegan magazines, climb-
and Web
CURVE
work is magical and revered as a
ing rocks and dreaming oflife as a YouTube celebrity. Like a bright pink track
savior -
office is no
jacket in a sea of earth tones, Catherine is out to inspire, hoping to continue to push the enve-
also helps other
lope and educate our audience about those lesbians who don't get as much recognition as they
and the
exception. Noam
CURVE
nonprofits and queer rights organi-
deserve. Keep those celery sticks coming, ladies.
zations run smoothly, keeping their
Favorite
l Wordcharacter:
Alice, because she's sexy, funny and a real-life queer.
computers happily functioning on the
desks rather than getting kicked and
cursed at. He also works with teachers
and principals on building community in their classrooms and schools
-
BAMBI
WEAVIL
Marketing
andPublic
Relations
Manager
how's that for making peace:'
Favoritel Wordcharacter:Noam is
Abouther:This pop culture junkie and avowed media hound is responsible for getting the word out,
too busy saving the world to watch
from managing our MySpace page to our L Word party promotions. When she isn't shouting out,
television.
she loves to get in touch with her creativity by writing poetry and exploring art of all kinds. You can
check out her work at artsy-goddess.com.
Favorite
l Wordcharacter:Alice, because she is relatable and a caring friend.
70 I curve
)
SARAJANEKESKULA
Associate
Publisher
RACHEL
PEPPER
BookReviewEditor
Abouther:This lady sure knows how to throw a party.
Before she began producing
CURVE
Abouther:This true blue Curvette knew
1
s L Word parties
Frances Stevens before it was cool to know the pub-
and Pride tours, Sara Jane worked on fundraising parties for Gay and Lesbian
lisher of
Advocates and Defenders. She just can't get enough of the queer community
to ride her first motorcycle. You know what they say
and desires to keep media representation of lesbians on the up and up, along
about the bond between a woman and her motorcycle:'
with getting a copy of
Well, it's even tighter with the person who showed her
CURVE
to every lesbian in America. A tall order, but not
CURVE.
As baby dykes, Franco taught her how
for this outstanding go-getter gal who has her hands in ad sales, publishing,
how to steer. From that day on Pepper was destined to
event planning and finding the perfect girlfriend.
give her dazzling prose to the magazine that she shares
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:
Papi, because after the Los Angeles L Word party
the most history with. This shy and socially reluctant
she found Janina Gavankar to be one of the "sweetest, delightfully warm, beautiful women I've ever met:'
coordinator oflesbian and gay Studies at Yale University
loves reviewing books, but loves it even more when girls
approach her, because if it were left up to her nothing
would happen. Hey baby, how you doing~
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:All the characters who are
LAURA
K.CUCULLU
CopyChief
GRETCHEN
LEE
Contributing
Editor
Abouther:Laura ensures
About her: Gardener,
that when
writer and sushi fiend, Gretchen
CURVE
comes
true-blue lesbians making up the background crowd
scenes behind the straight women acting like lesbians.
cook,
1
AMYSILVERMAN
PhotoAssistant
to your doorstep, it's (mostly) free
Lee served as CURVE s managing
of those pesky grammatical, spell-
editor for years before leaving
ing and syntax errors that our staff
just loves to make. When she's not
Today she's a contributing editor,
keeping our editors in line, Laura
a freelance journalist and a con-
film business lugging cameras around
keeps her inner tech junkie satis-
sulting editor for BabyCenter.
sets like Sex and the City, Amy was sick
fied by copy editing at a leading
com. Not only does she love
of New York and desired to break into the magazine
tech news site. A New Orleans
sushi, she loves writing celeb-
world, starting with a
native, she would like to ensure
rity interviews and chomping
up the ranks. However, recently her best friend came
another
her post to be a full-time mama.
Abouther:After working 10 years in the
CURVE
internship and working
through the many opportunities
knocking and bowled her over with another opportunity
in Louisiana by sturdying levees
that are offered up
to work in the big NYC on a new movie. She could not
and making sure that her culture
through
say no and left the
doesn't disappear.
hopefully not for long.
Favorite
L Wordcharacter:
Depends
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:"I love anything
on the episode and who's writing.
Pam Grier does!"
from The Wire to make a guest appearance.
150-year family history
CURVE.
CURVE
staff and San Francisco - but
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:I'm waiting for Lt. Greggs
FLOENRIQUEZ
Directorof Operations
AZANIA
BAKER
Editorial
Assistant
Abouther: Flo is
magazine, or at least
Abouther:This gal likes to get up in everyone's busi-
she is the one that allows everything that goes
ness: an excellent quality if you want to survive in
on within our six-wall office (it is a very strange
the magazine world. Azania spends her non-office
shape) to work smoothly. Previously she was
time writing for Out Now magazine and the San Jose
cuRvE
a manager for FedEx for a decade and, as you
may have learned from Cast Away with Tom Hanks, those ship-
City College Times, where she is studying to become a first-class
ping folks do not mess around. However, on that warm Gay Day in
freelance everything-and-anything journalist. However, if that
doesn't work out, Azania will be on the front line for teaching at-
Orlando in 2004, we saw the very determined, customer-oriented
risk youth. She is thrilled to intern for
guru in Flo's eyes and later hired her. Flo said goodbye to Florida and
a good company when she first came out. With such fond memo-
CURVE,
remembering us as
hello to foggy San Francisco. With her hard driving expertise and a
ries, Z, as we like to call her, is sure to give back what she was given
Mango A Go-Go with an energy boost fromJambaJuice, Flo is soft
from the LGBT community.
-spoken but knows how to raise it up when things need to get done.
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:
None, as she's not too happy with the
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:
Bette, because she knows what she wants
show's lack of Latina characters actually played by Latina actors.
and knows how to get it.
Give the entertainment industry time, Z.
June 2007
I 71
STEFANIE
LIANG
ArtDirector
Abouther:Who needs a show on Bravo when we have the real top designer
right here at CURVE?Stefanie began tapping into her lesbian professional
JAIMEROCA
Editorial
Assistant
career mere months ago, and already the magazine is undergoing awesome
transformations. She devotes much of her non-CURVE time to Hyphen, an
Asian American culture magazine, and is a part-time massage therapist. She enjoys find-
Abouther:A born journal-
ing new uses for old things and playing with her two cats. She actually aspires to have a
ist, Jamie did not listen to her mother
house full of cats, which only reminds us of the cat lady on The Simpsons.Maybe she will
when she told her not to talk to strangers. She
even find new uses for the cats when they get old.
recently graduated from San Francisco State
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:
Bette, because she is stylish and of mixed ethnicity and, of
University with a journalism
course, there was that Flashdanceshower scene.
degree and is
paying those pesky bills working at a booking
.............
company. She always has her ears up for something entertaining to absorb, especially the in-
FRANCES
STEVENS
Publisher
VICTORIA
A. BROWNWORTH
Contributing
Editor
likes to broadcast erotic weather reports via
Abouther: What's left
Abouther:Like a woven
mass text messaging, especially on a hot day.
Don't ask me, I'm just the messenger.
to say about the woman
fly to a rainbow trout,
who started it all 17 years ago? CuRvE's
CURVElured Victoria out
illustrious publisher is a dyke superstar
- in the office and across the coun-
of the Advocate and Out
try. When
she's not wheeling and
One of the CURVEoriginal gangstas,
dealing she's dreaming of vacationing
Victoria writes a book or two a year
office talks that compel her to pop up from her
workstation. But when she is not busy keeping
everyone in the know with juicy gossip, Jaime
Favoritel Wordcharacter:
Papi, because she is
"dang fine:•
DIANEANDERSON-MINSHALL
Executive
Editor
magazine-river and into our satchel.
in Hawaii.
(both fiction and non) in addition to
Favoritel Wordcharacter:Papi, Papi,
her smart and savvy column, and she
Papi. Though Alice and Dana will al-
is engaged. What a catch!
ways have a special place in her heart,
Favoritel Wordcharacter:Kit and
Abouther:Remember that wonderful cliche,
it's Papi, and star Janina Gavankar, who
Papi, but she still wants Marina back:
"if you can't handle the heat, get out of the
gets all the kudos from our top dog.
"Talk about a barista to die for:'
kitchen?" Same idea goes in the magazine
world, if you don't make it your lifestyle, you
won't go very far. Diane started early, working
on her high school paper in Payette, Idaho,
which triggered a stream of other media gigs,
KELLY
NUTI
Production
Artist
from broadcasting (Spectrum News) to newspapers (Crescent City Star) to mainstream
Abouther:A rare California native at the CURVEoffice, Kelly is the resident Photoshop
magazines (she was at Details for approxi-
guru. Lest you think she's a laid-back West Coaster, she can officially be called a worka-
mate 10 minutes, she says) to co-founding
holic between various photography jobs and video editing at a local production company.
Girlfriendsmagazine. She has been contribut-
There's one thing that she wants to make clear: "Whatever you do, don't call me nutty:'
Favoritel Wordcharacter:
Alice, of course.
ing to CURVEsince its second issue. Like a true
power lesbian, Diane keeps her hands busy
at all times, most recently as the co-author of
mystery novel Blind Curves,sold in bookstores
now. Watch for Blind Leap, number two in the
series, out in October.
LESLEY
SEACRIST
Editorial
Assistant
Favorite
l Wordcharacter:Jane
Lynch as Tina's
bitchy lawyer. "I dig women with power:'
Abouther:Lesley is a recent grad of San Francisco State University,
with the same old fears of growing up and becoming a tax-paying, low-cal dinner eating,
no-caffeine-after- 3 p.m. adult. But after a lifetime full of straight friends and devoid
of common lesbian trivia (like the fact that Melissa Etheridge's guitar swings for the
pink team), Lesley has loved working at CURVE.Among her many interests is opening a
brewery called Santa Nella Fella and drinking all the free beer she wants.
Favoritel Wordcharacter:Straight-washed Lesley has never watched an episode of
The L Word, but if she's forced to come up with one, she likes Leisha Hailey because
she has done some other excellent work, like "in Boy Meets World where she played Eric
72 j
curve
Matthews' upbeat folk-singing girlfriend turned dark emo angry girl with a guitar in one
episode. Pure genius:'
JOANBOCCAFOLA
Advertising
AccountExecutive
ONDINE
KILKER
Production
Manager
Abouther:A creative professional with more than 20 years of sales and marketing experience,
Joan is the latest addition to the CURVEcrew. She was the advertising director at Girlfriends
for three years and currently runs her own company, EZ Sleep Solutions. But her passion is
Abouther:Ondine Kilker
music: The songwriter and rock star extraordinaire has performed in various rock bands over
has a job
the years. If you aren't sold already, you might want to check your pulse and turn up the bass.
that
would
Favorite
L Wordcharacter:
We think Joan should be on the show herself.
make any lesbian jealous,
besides working at CURVE,of course.
She is a director, editor and film producer
who sometimes gets to direct, edit and film
girls in bikinis playing beach volleyball (at
last year's Gay Games). Talk about a dream
DIANABERRY
Advertising
AccountExecutive
job behind the camera. She is also a principal in the production company Kisser
Abouther:She joined the CURVEcrew in late January, but this newbie isn't new to the craft of
Productions and has in the past been a film
selling ads, drawing from past experience at Macworld.com, Adam Film Entertainment and
reviewer and a film fest worker, and she
Travelocity. Don't piss her off, though; she was the bantamweight boxing champion in the
worked for nonfilm companies including
military. On her own time, she enjoys anything that is risky and beneficial or just relaxing with
eTrade and the ODC Dance Company.
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:Carmen, be-
either a driver, putter or drum sticks in her hand.
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:
Not everyone here's an L Word fan, but if Diana had
cause she's a strong, positive Latina char-
to choose, she'd pick Bette.
acter played by a strong, positive Persian
woman.
GINADAGGITT
Contributing
Editor
SHERYL
KAY
Contributing
Editor
JULIABLOCH
Contributing
Editor
Abouther: Former Manhattan executive
Abouther:"I didn't get to party with
search consultant Sheryl Kay found her
Papi:' What:'" says contributing editor
About her: "The first
way to Tampa several years ago in search
Julia Bloch, who says she can't believe
time I kissed a girl, we
of warm weather and a much slower pace.
all the swank events she's missed since
were wearing matching
She brought a bathing suit, her vinyl col-
moved back east to become a Benjamin
sorority garb and both
had dates with boys the following night;'
lection (look, it was a few years ago), a pen
Franklin Fellow at the University of
and a camera. She settled into freelance
Pennsylvania. She's currently pursuing a
says Gina Daggett, aka Lipstick from the
journalism, writing and shooting photo-
Ph.D. in English literature, but we drag
punchy advice column Lipstick & Dipstick
graphs for numerous
her back to work on CURVEevery single
national publica-
and cuRvE's newest contributing editor.
tions, and started doing work for CURVE
school break she has. Bloch began as an
Shortly after, Daggett penned her way out
a little over a year ago (after pestering the
of the closet and went back to school for a
executive editor for six full months to look
evening editorial intern way back in the
'90s and over the years, she's served as
vi'
~
second bachelor's degree, graduating cum
at her clips. "She says she ran out of sticky
contributing writer, proofreader, copy
laude from Pacific University's Creative
notes reminding herself to call me back;'
editor, assistant editor, managing editor,
~
Writing program. "I love being a part of
Kay jokes). Now she writes our Out in
resider
the CURVEfamily. Career-wise, there are
Front column. Sheryl -
office tech1e. When she's not editing
!L
few things I hold so near and dear:' When
know by her Hebrew name, Sharone -
and studying, she's scouring the world
~
it
she's not bantering with Dipstick -
they
makes her home in suburbia with her two
for healthy vegetarian fare and penning
recently finished their first book, a humor-
awesome children, Simone and Elijah, and
love poems about Kelly Clarkson.
ous, over-the-top relationship guide with
their delicious Dalmatian, Xena.
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:She's too
Alyson Books that will hit the shelves in
Favorite
L Wordcharacter:
Bette it is.
busy to tell us.
~
(
![
e
![
!.)
~
LI
~![
u
January 2008 - Gina's working on a novel
1/)
which won a POWER UP grant in 2005.
~![
~
~
z
~
~p
z
t2
g
('.}
('.}
<(
e.
er
UJ
~
er
ct
UJ
a
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~
who most people
Jral compass and occasional
If she's not pounding the keys of her computer, she's pounding the pavement with
her running shoes (she finished her first
BRIANMOWBRAY
ChiefFinancial
Officer
marathon in 2003), digging in her garden and cooking elaborate dinners for her
Abouthim:Well, he may be one of the staff's only men but he's not, by any means, the most mas-
lovely wife.
culine person at CURVE.This avowed metrosexual keeps our checkbook balanced and keeps the
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:
Hello:'! Alice!
staff on their toes when it comes to budget time. In his spare time, he's a concert maniac, scoring
tickets to nearly every top chick-centric concert that comes to San Francisco.
Favorite
L Wordcharacter:
"Do men actually watch The L Wordt
Sometimes it's the
interns who get the
sexiest jobs of all.
Curve(;J@wwD@w
Behind every good editor is ... an intern. For CURVE, this group of fearless chicks are ready to tackle any task, from
scouring Los Angeles for the only known photo of a female celebrity kissing another girl to pinch~hitting at photo
shoots as model~gofer~makeup artists. CURVE has been launching careers of aspiring writers and photographers
since its debut in 1990, so it's only fitting we check on some alumni who are making their own waves.
ma!tOlf
m~
~ p~~
Wheresheis now:
I started Root magazine, an online magazine about
Wheresheis now:
global dance culture, where humanity
Right now, I'm nightlife editor at GO NYC
Wheresheis now:
together in movement (RootMag.typepad.com),
(theNew York City-based dyke mag), and I in-
I've recently moved back to San Francisco and am
shortly after I left CURVE.I am also a commercial
tern at Nerve.com. I freelance for Rap-Up, the
again pursuing my photography.
photographer (InnerCamera.com).
Not-For-Tourists Travel Guide and a bunch of
comes
Accomplishments:
other publications.
Generalinterests:
After CURVE,I went down to Los Angeles and
I'm currently recovering from a knee surgery and
Accomplishments:
started working in film and television. Some of the
can't wait to get better and start dancing again! I'm
I've been freelancing for the past couple years, and
most popular shows I worked on were at MTV
still managing Root magazine -
I've worked a million jobs.
building reader-
and NEXT and Date My Mom. My favorite show
ship and advertising interest since last spring and
loving every minute.
I worked on by far was Bravo's Kathy Griffin: My
Generalinterests:
My
Mostmemorable
cuRvE
moment:
dog. Writing
Life on the D List as a camera assistant. She's amazabout
interesting
things.
Sneakers, gold, people. That's all.
Searching for pies of Jenna Jameson and having to
ing! My first feature film that I've done as a camera
assistant was a great gay film tided Holding Trevor,
due out this spring (with Shortbus' Jay Brannan).
contact her book publisher was a surreal moment.
Mostmemorable
CURVE
article:
Not sure why it was surreal, but it was the last
My most memorable story was the piece I did
Generalinterests:
thing I expected to be doing that day.
for the 15th anniversary issue about the 15 most
stereotypical types oflesbians. It was most memo-
I am again pursuing my photography.
HowcuRvE
shapedher:
rable because it was my most significant under-
Mostmemorable
cuRvE
moment:
CuRVE gave me the wonderful experience of
taking -
working for a woman-owned business with a great
spread. Plus it was really fun to write.
it was an idea I pitched and a two-page
group of inspiring people. The publisher gave me
my photos for the horoscope page. It was the first
insight and advice into my own ambitions to start
HowcuRvE
shapedher:
a magazine, which was worth its weight in gold.
I learned a bunch of stuff at CURVE. Diane
[Anderson-Minshall)
74
I curve
I was really excited when Franco [Stevens, CURVE's
publisher) asked if I'd like to contribute some of
is really smart, and it was
of my photographs that were ever published.
HowcuRvE
shapedher:
lovely working with Julia Bloch [CURVE'sformer
CuRVE was a great springboard into entertain-
managing editor). Also, I got to know Jocelyn Voo,
ment and media. It definitely helped, when I was
who is responsible for me writing for the New
first looking for basic production work, to have
York Post.
the CURVEnotch on my belt.
Wheresheis now:
for The Advocate,
Velvetpark, Out Look, and other national mag-
Wheresheis now:
In August 2006, I took a new job as associate
Wheresheis now:
azines.
managing editor of Sugar Publishing, a start-up
that publishes a network of Web sites for women.
York Post.
I edit and write BuzzSugar.com, a site that covers
music, movies, books and TV.
Accomplishments:
I'm a regular contributor
Currently
I'm
touring
the
country
performing in my solo show, based on the memoir,
also called My One-Night Stand with Cancer. It's
next stop: Seattle in October 2007. I'm brought
into universities, writing conferences, cancer conand lucky to be actively doing what enlivens me
Accomplishments:
Writing for Business 2.0, SF Weekly and
and allows me to connect to amazing people! I've
other publications.
ferences as a guest lecturer. Basically, I feel happy
had my plays produced at Pacific Resident Theatre,
To date, I've written for the New York Post,
Psychology Today, FHM, New York magazine
online, Fitness magazine online, Ladies' Home
Journal online, American Baby online and the
Mount Sinai School of Medicine Healthy Aging
newsletter, to name a few.
The Painted Bride Art Center and other venues
Generalinterests:
throughout
Running
the United States. As far as book
Relationships and weddings editor at the New
and playing tennis, discovering new
Mostmemorable
cuRvE
moment:
publications: My One-Night Stand with Cancer,
music, going to movies and concerts, devouring
As I was settling into my desk on my first day in-
Mensch: On Being Queer and Jewish, Monologues
for Women by Women, and my forthcoming memoir Aiming for Mediocrity.In addition to running
books and magazines, and continuing to avoid real
terning at
adulthood.
Diane, the executive editor, and Julia, the then-
topless races to raise money for breast cancer
Mostmemorable
cuRvE
article:
research, I've been running marathons, 26.2 miles
My favorite story was probably the one about the
"They' re serving pasties downstairs in the cafe;'
with my top on.
women's professional football leagues popping
Julia said.
"Pasties?'' Diane repeated, incredulous. "Like,
CURVE,
I overheard a dialogue between
managing editor.
up across the country. I was just fascinated by
Memorable
cuRvE
article:
the demand for this sport as well as the diversity
I'm not sure if by "article" you mean what kind of
of the players involved, everyone from a lesbian
as in for boobs? Are you serious?"
"Yeah, that's what was written
milk I was asked to procure at the corner store
couple devoted to rescuing stray cats to a petite
chalkboard:'
for the legitimate
former cheerleader whose perkiness was almost
CURVE
staff, but it was half and
half. And if by "article" you mean how adept was
I at filing back issues of
CURVE
They continue their heated banter for a
few more minutes before the lone advertis-
HowcuRvE
shapedher:
ing guy in the office leaned over and politely
interjected, "Uh, I think it's pronounced
It helped hone my writing skills and also made
HowcuRvE
shapedher:
me realize how much I want to write about topics
The best thing that
did for me was it got
important to me and in a nurturing environment.
me out of Phoenix, Ariz. and into San Francisco,
I also did quite a bit of music coverage there,
and San Francisco reallychanged my life forever,
which is what I am doing now.
CURVE
the
overwhelming.
then, yes, I was
very adept.
on
PAH-sty, not PAY-sty. You know, like a meat
pie?" Silence.
"I like PAY-sty better;' Diane declares.
allowed me the space to grow up, to feel like I was
a part of several communities and quite frankly,
HowcuRvE
shapedher:
was the first publication to give me a
San Francisco contributed to my self-esteem. I
CURVE
had no idea I was cute until the cute ladies of San
shot in the industry. And no matter where I've
Francisco told me so, so really, if you think about
worked since then, it's true: You always remember
it, CURVE magazine made me cute.
your first. ■
June 2007
I75
A Few of Our Favorite Peeps
The CURVE staff gets all the glory, but it's these contributing editors, writers,
photographers and artists who make our pages pop with pride.
AngelaWatrous,
Oakland,
Calif.
author of the best-selling,a.strology sun sign book,
City, where she has found several legendary liter-
"One of my favorite things about writing for
HerScopes: A Guide to Astrology for Lesbians that
ary and activist lesbians also live.
CURVE;' says freelance writer Angela Watrous,
has recently been reissued. She's also the benevolent
"is that it allows me to learn about new places
webmistress of two blogs: Madam Lichtenstein's
AefaMulholland,
Vancouver,
BritishColumbia
and new people. Getting to cover
Cosmic World ( thestarryeye.typepad.com)
"CuRVE was the first U.S. publication to publish
international
The Starry Eye Q (thestarryeye.typepad.com/
my work -
Stockholm and Curas:ao, especially
queer). Lichtenstein's horoscopes are carried in
Mardi Gras -
from a lesbian perspective, is one of
newspapers and on Web sites worldwide.
destinations
like
and
a story on the delights of Sydney's
back in 2000. I still remember sitting in a 'Net cafe near the
women's pool in Coogee,
the greatest assignments ever. I'm
always excited when CURVEcalls,
Stephanie
Schroeder,
JerseyCity,N.J.
to see what they have in store for
me next:' Watrous is the editor
"I initially got CURVEs attention
1
editor Diane Anderson-Minshall
Sydney, thrilled at reading
by sending
that CURVEhad accepted
my pitch for a
my story:' In addition to
of the political action guide 50 Ways to Support
piece about fat chicks early
contributing
Lesbian and Gay Equality: The Complete Guide to
last
writer and filmmaker Aefa
Supporting Family, Friends, Neighbors or Yourself
Schroeder of her article "Fat
and the literary anthology Bare Your Soul: The
year;' says
Stephanie
Mulholland
to CURVE,
has worked
with the BBC, Irish national broadcaster R.T.E.
Thinking Girl's Guide to Enlightenment. Watrous is
Chicks Rock;' in the January/
February 2007 issue. "I have
currently at work on a novel, and she can always be
been working on all sorts of
cluding the Irish Times, Miami Herald and Atlanta
found at angelawatrous.com.
fun and interesting features
Journal-Constitution. She has been published or
since:' Schroeder is currently
broadcast on four continents, writing or present-
AimselPonti,Portland,
Maine
working
ing on subjects from mule racing to the hazards of
on
a
full-length
and a plethora of print and online publications, in-
Originally from the Boston area, Aimsel Ponti is
memoir, other freelance writing and finding house
a music columnist for the Portland Press Herald
and a freelancer for other publications. Ponti's had
swaps. Schroeder also works part time as the
media director for a small health care communica-
CandiceParker,Washington,
D.C.
the good fortune of interview -
tions firm in New York City. She resides in Jersey
"I consider myself quite fortunate to have made
ing Sarah
McLachlan,
bingo to partying with the Pixies.
Indigo
Girls, Melissa Ferrick and Ani
DiFranco, to name a few. From
BrieChilders,
LosAngeles
an early age she's been obsessed
with music, and although piano
"I have photographed a handful of covers for CURVEover the last year. One
lessons didn't stick, she's thrilled
of my favorites is the cover with Daniela Sea and Sarah Shahi together. That
to be able to write about music.
was a fun shoot because they made such a cute couple. The Dante's Cove cover
"For me, it's all about spreading the word and
shoot is one of my favorite group shots that I've ever taken. It was a really easy
sharing my joy. The interviews are a nice bonus,
day, which is unusual when you're speaking about photographing five sexy
though, especially being one on one with Ani
women. When I was photographing Alexandra Hedison I probably embar-
Difranco in a locker room:' Ponti also completely
rassed myself by flirting a bit too much that day ... but she's hot!" says celebrity
photographer Childers.
digs her girlfriend, Tracy, running, the Red Sox,
Jenny Schechter and airplanes.
"Photographing women for a women's magazine is a nice inspiration.
I get to photograph what women think is sexy, rather than trying to put
CharleneLichtenstein,
NewYork
myself in a co-ed frame of mind. I think it's a challenge shooting for a
CuRvE's resident astrologer reads every issue cov-
lesbian magazine because there are so many different things that turn
er to cover and even under the covers. She is not
women on, and I want to be able to capture something for everyone. Of
course, it's a challenge that I enjoy!"
shy about casting predictions based on the stars
and says with some certainty that, "One day a les-
Whether
it's for an editorial cover, bikini calendar or a young
bian will be elected president of the United States,
Hollywood poster shoot, Childers makes her subjects shine. Childers' cli-
although
ents include Sony Music, HBO, Paul Mitchell, Maui & Sons,Jane, People,
Playboy, Movieline and Fitness magazine.
definitely not before 2008:' (Note:
she correctly predicted the winners of the past
two presidential elections.) Lichtenstein is the
76
I curve
it into my 40s without having had my heart bro-
CURVEsince 2005 and is "proud to be a part of
publications including the San Francisco Chronicle,
ken;' muses Candy Parker, whose essay on the
the lesbian magazine with the best reach in the
Alternative Medicine magazine, teenwire.com and
transition from devastation to hope after the end
community:' She currently works as associate
BabyCenter.com.
of a relationship was a CURVEhit last year. "There
publisher of Tricycle magazine, a niche publica-
was definitely irony in this situation. I've always
tion for Western Buddhists run out of down-
JenniferCorday,
LosAngeles
wanted to see my work in a national publication,
town Manhattan, and she is completing her MF A
When she's not writing for CURVE,JenniferCorday
but it took an essay inspired by the end of my
degree in Integrated Media Arts at City University's
is rockin' the streets of Los Angeles with her band,
most meaningful relationship to date to bring it
to fruition:'
Hunter College.
gaining a large and loyal lesbian following. She is
poised to release
HeatherBoerner,
SanFrancisco
her fourth studio
DanaKaye,Chicago
When she was 22, freelance writer Boerner looked
album, Superhero,
"I never thought I could earn a living talking to
forward every month to a plain manila envelope
a
sticky,
deli-
such fascinating people," says Kaye, whose work
arriving in the mail: CURVE
cious pop
rock
has also appeared in the Windy City Times,
magazine. As a not-quite-out
record that will
OutOnTheNet.com
break rules, break
and Bitch magazine. She cur-
baby dyke, Boerner looked
rently reviews books for Crimespree and Time Out
to CURVE for information
hearts and be her
Chicago and is hard at work on her second novel.
about what it meant to be
breakthrough
queer. A decade later, there
to stardom.
As
AllisonSteinberg,
NewYorkCity
are lots of other places to
founder of Venus Envy, an organization celebrat-
Allison Steinberg is a multimedia artist, freelance
get information about queer
ing women who rock, Corday is creating a scene
writer, lesbian activist and native New Yorker. She
life, says Boerner, but CURVE booking top-notch talent to perform live at venues
feels the presence of lesbians in
readers still hold a special place in her heart. "My
the media "is in its most excit-
idea of what it means to be queer is a lot different
ing era, as we are beginning
now than it was 10 years ago, of course, but I still
to
in California.
"It's a great opportunity to write for CURVE
because I discover so many great new lesbian art-
see ourselves reflected and nor-
think of the newly out baby femme reading CURVE ists, many of whom I end up booking:' Corday will
malized in mainstream culture:'
secretly when I write my stories;' says Boerner, who
be hitting the road this summer, performing live at
Steinberg has been writing for
also covers health, pop culture and real estate for
Pride festivals across the nation. Her hit parody
June 2007 \ 77
single, "Redneck Lesbo;' has lesbians across the
CherylMazak,SanFranciscoandCanada
nation in a downloading craze. "I wrote it as a
"The energy of the crowd at cuRvE's L Word
The Lucifer Tree, a short, The Weeks Welcome,and
joke;' says Corday, "and it just took off!" Hell yeah.
party was high, and the celebrities were play-
is currently working on her second full-length
Get your copy at corday.net.
ful and generous for the lens;' says photographer
screenplay, NeighborhoodWatch.
recently completed her first full-length screenplay,
Cheryl Mazak. "It was a superb event:'
KarenLoftus,LosAngeles
International
comedian,
Mazak's work has been featured in several
Tennessee
Fellow and award-winning
Williams
playwright
Karen
Loftus has toured the world with her plays It's A
Man's, Man's, Man's, Man's World (a two-woman show), Barbie'sDolls, I'm Not the Blonde You
Think I Am and, most recently, her solo comedy
show American Woman, A One Woman Comedic
Invasion.Loftus also teaches Body Comedy, a pro-
Beren deMotier makes head colds funny and sex
capturing unique moments and knows how to
education fun in her humor and social commentary
play with colors and contrasts to give her photos
writing about life as a lesbian morn. "Writing 'Sex
their cool and unique edge. She adores her sub-
and the Pagan Symbol'
jects and creates a pos-
for CURVEmade for some
itive and
fascinating banter at our
gram she developed using humor to heal, working
supportive
atmosphere. Her bold
annual lesbian morns' pot-
and
portrait
luck chat December, as our
can be
friends glanced salaciously
vibrant
photography
with prostitutes, prisoners and abuse victims.
' found in the homes of
many art aficionados
KinaWilliams,
Portland,
Ore.
BerendeMotier,
Portland,
Ore.
North American publications. She has an eye for
at our
Christmas
tree
and considered the possibilities of their own pa-
within Canada and the United States.
gan symbols once the kids were in bed:' Her work
ReneeWestbrook,
CentralCalif.
Williams, who specializes in queer events and per-
For years, Renee Westbrook believed that a child-
has been published in And Baby, Proud Parenting,
Alternative Family Magazine and her book, The
Bridesof March:Memoir of a Same-Sex Marriageis
formers. She began her hot photography career
hood fraught with sexual abuse could only lead
out this month at chebridesofrnarch.corn.
more than six years ago with the
to misery and suicide. At the cast party celebrat-
help of her friend, burlesque queen
ing the student production of her play Spider in
HollyDolezalek,Minneapolis
Heather
Williams
a Dungeon, she discovered how wrong she was. It
Colorado native Holly Dolezalek is a freelance
organiza-
was there the lead actress thanked her for writing
writer who covers everything from art to engineer-
tions to document queer culture,
the play and shared similar
ing to religion, and that means she's finally found
including the Femme Conference,
experiences of abuse.
a profession where her short attention span is an
"I may not live in San Francisco, but I feel quite
at home with CURVE;'says photographer
MacAllister.
with
various
Kina
"For the
first time in
advantage. She gets a kick out of the fact chat she
Girl 4 Girl, in Seattle and Portland. "Thanks to
my life, I knew why God
can earn part of her living by writing about all
my ongoing relationship with the CURVEchicas,
put me on this earth;' says
things gay, including biker po-
I am able to achieve many of my goals;' she tells
Westbrook.
ets, chicks who buy Subarus
us, including helping the fat activism movement
play
by showing the world how gorgeous big girls are
others healed me, but the
Fat Girl Speaks, Dirty Queer and
and
"Writing
sharing
the
it with
and the Girls in Wonderland
party at Disneyworld. In her
and becoming a still photographer for the movie
most important thing is that it helped another
The EthicalSlut (being filmed in San Francisco this
woman recognize her worth:' Her work has ap-
she covered what it's like to
summer). Williams is so adored by CURVE'sexecu-
peared in GuitarGirls.corn and Rockrgrlmagazine
live in Minneapolis
tive editor, she was flown down to the Bay Area to
as she enjoyed stints at the StocktonRecordand the
feminist sex toy store not far
photograph her 16th anniversary re-commitment
San Diego Union-Tribune,but Westbrook credits
from where she lives. "It's all
ceremony in 2006. See more at kinawilliarns.corn.
CURVEwith putting her career on the map. She
just good clean fun;' she says. One of Dolezalek's
most recent work for CURVE,
and a
hobbies is to explain to Christians why she, as an
agnostic, has never joined a church. For more of
her ranting on this subject, check out her blog at
KathyBeige,Portland,
Ore.
hollydolezalek.wordpress.corn.
To contact
her
directly, go to her Web site at dolezalek.net.
Kathy Belge (aka "Dipstick") never dreamed when she
pitched her first story to CURVEthat she would one day be
PhilCho,Brooklyn,
N.Y.
a regular columnist and full-time freelance writer. "Back in
Cartoonist and Web designer Phil Cho was raised
2003, I interviewed classical composer Jennifer Higdon for
in Newton, Mass. where he learned to support
my local gay paper and thought she had a great story that
social activism, so long as it doesn't affect your
CURVEwould be interested in," she says. Belge also keeps
property value or your child's chances at Harvard.
lesbians around the world up to date with celebrity gossip,
His latest comic scrip, Skinny Panda, cries way too
gay marriage news, dating, sex and love advice as the guide
hard to be cute. (Check out skinnypanda.corn.)
to all things lesbian on lesbianlife.about.corn.
'Tve been waiting 10 years for something to 'click;
he says. "Where the hell is my 'click't
Favorite Peeps continued on page 92
78 I curve
"When Tom Cruise was
married to Nicole Kidman,
I fantasized about having
sex with both of them."
53% have cats
52% have dogs
24% have children
TORI SPELLING
n't be surprised if I ended
a woman .... It seems like
I bisexual, if you want to
of simple about it."
"If I was going to make a broad
generalization, I'd say that I prefer
the company of women. Sapphic
dalliances. I love men and I love
women. For a woman to say she
has had a dalliance with another
woman is quite trendy these
days, but I do not like that trendiness. Life isn't about dalliances
- it's about individuals. You
come across people in your life
that you find very interesting. It's
not about something flighty."
SAFFRON BURROWS
LILI TAYLOR
June 2007
I81
"It isn't that I hadn't ever
considered[a lesbianrela•
tionship).I'd say, 'Well,would
that be interesting?Would
I want to?' And I honestly
don't thinkthat the thought
ever resolveditself."
"I've had sex with women, yeah. I'm married to a
man. One of the things he loves about me is that I
find a lot of women really attractive - and I don't
find as many men attractive. My mother [literary
agent Charlotte Sheedy] is gay, and she's been
living with a woman for a long, long time. So what?"
ALLY SHEEDY
JULIE ANDREWS
"If I happen to fall in love
with a woman, everybody's
going to make a big deal
out of It. If I fall in love with
a man, nobody cares."
"Do I like women? I like women. Do I like
them sexually? Yeah, I do. Totally.... It's
weird. Women are so much more selec..
tive with women than they are with men.u
DREW BARRYMORE
LUCY LIU
"If a woman came into my life who
was absolutely stunning and satisfied
me emotionally, intellectually and sexually, I'm not going to draw the line and
say, 'I can't because you're a woman.' I
find it hard enough to find someone to
be with, why narrow the field?"
"My only regret in fife is that
none of my children are gay."
SHARON OSBOURNE
AMANDA DONOHOE
including the Femme Conference,
Fat Girl Speaks, Dirty Queer and
Girl 4 Girl, in Seattle and Portland. "Thanks to
my ongoing relationship with the CURVEchicas,
I am able to achieve many of my goals;' she tells
us, including helping the fat activism movement
by showing the world how gorgeous big girls are
and becoming a still photographer for the movie
The Ethical Slut (being filmed in San Francisco this
summer). Williams is so adored by cuRvE's executive editor, she was flown down to the Bay Area to
ex
my
put
Wes
play
others
most important thing is
woman recognize her wort
peared in GuitarGirls.com a
photograph her 16th anniversary re-commitment
as she enjoyed stints at the Sto~
San Diego Union-Tribune, but
ceremony in 2006. See more at kinawilliams.com.
CURVEwith putting her career on t
KathyBeige,Portland,
Ore.
''[SportsIllustrated
swimsuitmodel]
Patricia[Velasquez]
and I were together
five years [but]she
still had to have some
experiencesin life."
SANDRA BERNHARD
"Any woman who says
she never thought about
lesbian sex is lying."
KRISTY SWANSON
Kathy Belge (aka "Dipstick") never dreamed when she
pitched her first story to CURVEthat she would one day be
a regular columnist and full-time freelance writer. "Back in
2003, I interviewed classical composer Jennifer Higdon for
my local gay paper and thought she had a great story that
CURVEwould be interested in;' she says. Belge also keeps
lesbians around the world up to date with celebrity gossip,
gay marriage news, dating, sex and love advice as the guide
to all things lesbian on lesbianlife.about.com.
Just in time for Pride,
18 female celebrities
dish on sex and love
with other girls.
Compiled by Susan Granger
78
I curve
"I enjoy watching lesbians. Who doesn't
want to see good-looking girls make out?"
JANEANE GAROFALO
"It's one of my most common
fantasies ... one of the most
beautiful things - two women
that are lovers. I guess I haven't
found the right woman at the right
time yet. ... I think the [lesbianthemed] movie Bound was really
erotic. It's the hottest movie. I
can't think of a sex scene that
was as sexy and wonderful."
CYBILL SHEPHERD
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"I find it hornier looking at
women than men. I love experimenting with my sexuality. If
that means girls, then so be it.
It would be wrong to hide this
side of my personality. Girls are
nice to kiss - nice and soft. I
love to see a girl with a good
booty. Curves are super-sexy.
The thing I hate is a girl who's
got fake boobs and no butt. I'm
like, 'What happened to her?"'
CHRISTINA AGUILERA
cc
iii
"All of my sexual experiences when I
was young were with girls. I mean, we
didn't have all those sleep-over parties for nothing. Whether I'm gay or
not is irrelevant. Whether I slept with
Sandra Bernhard or not is irrelevant.
I'm perfectly willing to have people
think that I did. You know, I'd almost
rather they thought that I did."
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"I did some modeling
years ago and shared
a cabin with a woman.
I was in my black pants
and T-shirt, watching
television. She was in
a little G-string, putting
lotion on her whole body.
... It was sexy for me to
see a woman like that.
She looked all glossy and
I wanted to eat her. You
have to live for moments
like that. Anything that
felt that good couldn't
possibly be bad."
TORI SPELLING
"In my early 20s, I wondered
if I was interested in women
and so I kind of ... well ... did
my homework."
REBECCA
ROMIJN
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"When Tom Cruise was
married to Nicole Kidman,
I fantasized about having
sex with both of them."
ANGELINA
JOLIE
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WHOOPIGOLDBERG
MADONNA
w
0
"There hasn't been a studio
head I've worked for who hasn't
come out and asked me if I'm
a lesbian. I say, 'Normally, this
would be none of your business.' However, I will answer
you .... It's possible. I'm not
practicing at the moment, but I
will not say it will never happen
or hasn't happened in my past."
"I wouldn't be surprised if I ended
up with a woman .... It seems like
we're all bisexual, if you want to
get kind of simple about it."
"If I was going to make a broad
generalizat on, I'd say that I prefer
the company of women. Sapphic
dalliances. I love men and I love
women. For a woman to say she
has had a dalliance with another
woman is quite trendy these
days, but I do not like that trendiness. Life isn't about dalliances
- it's about individuals. You
come across people in your life
that you find very interesting. It's
not about something flighty."
SAFFRON BURROWS
~
~
z
LILI TAYLOR
June 2007
I81
Reviews
In the Stacks
She's Bringing Sassy Back
Two generations of girls keep the pages turning. I By Rachel Pepper
EDITOR'S
PICK
Sassy magazine's been gone for more than a decade, but a new
change your life" did indeed have that impact on a generation
generation proudly carries the torch. Nostalgic ge~-Xers and
of disenfranchised kids. Its influence can still be felt in feminist
their younger sisters will be enamored with these new reads.
TheGolden
Ageof
LesbianErotica, How Sassy Changed My Life, Kara Jesella and
·s
eds.VictoriaA.
Brownworth
and Remember Sassy magazine:' Smart, sharp and revolutionary, Sassy
JudithM. Redding paved the way for a new generation of feminists, riot grrls, indie
(MagicCarpet):CuRVEhipsters, zines and blogs. True, its target audience was straight
contributingeditor girls ages 13 to 20, but during its brief reign (1988 to 1994) lots
VictoriaA. Brownworth of LGBTQ folks read it too, and we weren't all teenagers.
andJudithRedding
Sassy matched straight-shooting articles on real issues (like
haveminedthefieldof the reader-written column "It Happened to Me") with lifestyle
lesbianeroticwritingof
coverage that challenged
the early20thcentury
all previous teen media,
andproduceda volume
burstingwith literary including better-financed,
dispatches
froma stodgier competitors like
revolutionin lesbian Seventeen. Sassy pioneered
sensibility.
Theyrightly many ideas that eventually
identify1920-1940 trickled into mainstream
asa periodthat saw culture, like its legendthe evolutionof fully ary and oft-copied brand
realizedlesbiansexual- of cultured cattiness. The
ity in literature,with magazine was exceptional
full-bodieddepictions
at capturing burgeoning
of Sapphicencounters,
trends like baby tees and
unlikethe ribaldand
male-penned
lesbian hobnobbed with a groweroticaof theVictorian ing pack of celebrities, including R.E.M. and Nirvana. In fact,
erathat precededit or Sassy was the first magazine to have a cover photo featuring
the buttoned-up
repres- Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love together. How Sassy Changed
sionof the McCarthy My Life is the first book-length treatise of the magazine's rise
yearsthatfollowed.But and fall, tracing its Australian roots, the assemblage of its first
Brownworth's
introduc- young editorial team in New York (including the personalities
tion is worththe cover that would lead it, like Jane Pratt and Christina Kelly), its devpricealone:Hercritical astating boycott by the religious right, the struggle to find suphistoryof the literature
portive advertisers, the path it blazed through feminism and the
urgesusto lookbeyond
magazine's eventual downfall.
TheWellof Loneliness
As the authors of this new book point out, in its campy
to the widediversity
of lesbianwritingthat way, Sassy "deconstructed gender . . . and looked good while
characterized
nearly doing ir:' One fashion spread on using boy beauty products
threedecades.(magic- even featured a butch woman as the model. In fact, many queers
carpet-books.
com) lovingly called the magazine "Sissy,"and as a gay reader recalls in
- JuliaBloch the book, "It certainly wasn't mainstream and sort of had a 'we
aren't them and aren't they ridiculous' sort of mentality that a
Checkout
lot of gays have:' I know I have many memories of reading Sassy
curvemag.com
foran interviewwith
with my gay boy roommates back around 1990, relishing its culVictoriaA. Brownworth
tural coverage, its smart columns like "Zine of the Month;' new
band alerts and badass girl attitude. Sassy's aura, which media
critic Ann Powers recalls was infused "with a sense that it could
s21curve
magazines like Bust and Bitch (Bitch editors Andi Zeisler and
Lisa Jervis were, in fact, Sassy interns) and the tremendously
strong, current DIY culture of zines and blogs it helped spawn.
So what made Sassy fall:' In part, editor Jane Pratt's
rising star, in part a clueless publisher. And in part the
realities of the publishing
world, which didn't then and
doesn't now financially reward innovators who buck bigbusiness practices. But don't read How Sassy Changed My
Life to mourn, read it to remember and celebrate the reality of a short-lived magazine that lives on in attitude, new
media forms and, luckily for collectors everywhere, eBay.
Baby Remember My Name: An Anthology of
New Queer Girl Writing, ed. Michelle Tea (Carroll
What constitutes queer girl writing these days, and who gets
to decide:' There's been some debate recently in lesbian literary circles about what passes and what doesn't. But if you
were going to trust anyone to decide, you'd probably want to
trust Michelle Tea. Lammy
award-winning
novator
word
of
troupe
author,
dyke
Sister
in-
spoken
Spit,
experienced anthology editor and current curator of
the monthly Radar Reading
series at the San Francisco
Public Library, Tea's got her
ear to the ground, and what
she hears is dyke writing.
In her newest collection,
Baby Remember My Name,
the spirit of dyke fiction or the more loosely encircled
"queer girl" fiction -
rages on. In her introduction, Tea says, "I
hate to become the sort of person who talks about how once
they were young and now they're not .... [but) All the girls in
this book are there right now. Ir's so exciting. I'm rooting for
the bunch of them -
on their lonely drug adventures, won-
dering melancholy about girls they left behind as they moved
deeper into their wild queer lives:' There are stories here about
doing the laundry, road trips, dating a stripper and being a
bondage model with tummy trauma. Most take place in San
Francisco and are true to the spirit of Tea's own classic memoir
Valencia, if not as good. There's spirit here, yes, just not an
abundance of riveting writing.
93
Key Wests DistinctiveResortfor UfJmen
PAGE TURNERS
thesecondary
sex?(dukeupress games,anonymous
drug-addled
.edu)- JennaHumphrey
orgiesandeventhe occasional
stabat commitment,
without
Indestructible,
CristyC.Road
muchthoughtasto why.Those
(Microcosm
Publishing):
This
wholikethe depravityof Dennis
reflectivenarrativeanalyzes
Cooper'sworkor the disillusion
Road'sformativehighschool
of BretEastonEllis'will enjoy
yearsasa queerLatinaoutcast
this darkcelebrationof a city
in 1980sMiami.Roadusesgritty notoriousfor sexualliberaillustrationsandwaywardtext
tion.Thewholeproblemwith
to examineteenagepromiscuity freedom,though,is that people
andcopingmechanisms
(read:
rarelyknowwhatto do with it.
SeeJaneWrite,Sarah
gettingstoned,wiredor shit(kensingtonbooks.com)
- JH
Mlynowskiant f; ri Jacobs
faced).Indestructible
explores
(Quirk):Admitit, withchicklit
thetoxicimpactgenderbias
novelspoppingupall overthe
andproscribednormshaveon a
place,you'vesecretlydreamed
of questioning
youth,whileencourwritingthatbestseller
andditchaginginquiryandprotestagainst
ingyourjob for good.Mlynowski socialconstraints.Sopowerful
didjustthat,andshe'shereto tell is Road'scandidportrayalof
youhow. Herbasicsoncharacter growingpains,it providesthe
mapping,plottingandfindingan
perfectcomfortfor angsty,selfagentarehelpfulfor absolutebe- loathingyouthandsendsolder
ginners,andwhilethere'snothing readersbackdownmemorylane
specificallylesbianaboutthis
throughtheirownadventures
book,thatdoesn'tmeanyoucan't andmishapsof youngadulthood.
useit to subvertthegenreand
(microcosmpublishing.com)
PrettyLittleMist kt?s,
makeyourchicklit heroinecome - AzaniaBaker
HeatherMcElhatton
(Harper):
out in the middleof herquestfor
Remember
thosefun chooseloveandliberty.(quirkbooks.com)
your-own-adventure
books?
- DianeAnderson-Minshall
AuthorHeatherMcElhatton's
debutnovelis a chicklit-meetsGoth,eds.LaurenM. E.
noirversionwherethe choices
Goodlad
andMichaelBibby
aretougher,the stakeshigher,
(DukeUniversity
Press):This
andthe characterssexierand
collectionof essays,focusing
far moredisturbed.Asthe
heavilyongothandgender,dembookopens,our protagonist
onstratesthe complexity
of an
is facedwith herfirst decioftenmisunderstood
subculture.
sion.Solid,addictivelydark
Prevailing
questionsrelateto
proseleadsreadersto oneof
whygothmenemphasize
femme SoMaKemble
Scott
150differentoutcomes,most
appearance,
goth'sacceptance
of (Kensington
Books):
The
of whicharereachablein a
sexualminorities,its resistance founderandeditorof SoMa
fast-paced,10-minutes-or-less
to gendernormsandits preocLiteraryReview,KembleScott
read- McElhatton's
gota
cupationwiththeskinnyfeminine channeled
hisfascinationwith
wildlycreativecatalogof quick
ideal.NineInchNails,death
SanFrancisco's
Southof Market andunexpected
deaths.Queer
chic,FlanneryO'Connor,
Emily
district- an industrialdead
contentis ample,too,from East
the Strange,Columbine,
Edward landpopulatedbysexualfetishIndiantranssexuals
with saucy
Scissorhands
andothercultural
ists' havens- intoan extended, little sistersto real-dealsamereferences
savethis collection
cohesivepieceof fiction.Scott
sexmarriage.Yes,if youplay
fromacademicobtuseness.
doesn'tdelivera conventional
yourcardsjust right,youcanget
Ultimately,
its examination
of
novelso muchasa studyin
the heroineto hookupwith a hot
lesbian-andfemale-centered
kink,foregoinghighlynuanced
Irishchick.Butnotsofast - the
culturerevealsa complicated
psychology
to packplot,plotand happycouplejust mightdriveoff
relationship;
in a lifestylewhere
moreplotin thetraditionof noir
the Cliffsof Moherwhileswervmenareusuallytheonestranor comicbookwriters.Three20- ingto avoida straysheep.Don't
scendinggenderroles,howare
somethings
becomeentangled
sayI didn'twarnyou.(harper
womento escapeassignment
as
in bondageclubs,dangerous
sex co/fins.com)
- Catherine
Plato
Find someone
you click with on
pinksofa.com
1 week free trial
Just enter the promo code
curve06 when you join
June 2007
I 83
I have never written about my abusive relationships with women. Because there
was so much judgment around my sexual writing, I didn't want to feed into
easy stereotypes. Also, my batterers are still alive, and in a way only other
battered women can understand, I've wanted to protect them and still do. I
feel more ashamed for them than they do themselves, I think.
xuality,
I've met the most incredible young women who have grown up with different historical tensions -
or lack of tension -
around sexuality and don't
freight their sexuality with the same sense of shame or sense of rebellion.
But, I still think I also have a lot to learn about how complex sexuality is
to them. Also, I'm beginning to see a new backlash against young women's
sexuality, a new Puritanism that sets up the bad old dichotomy of good girls
versus bad girls. There is real judgment around hooking up, labeling girls
and women "sluts"just for exploring their sexuality openly and freely.
Joan Nestle
I WRITER,
TEACHER, ARCHIVIST, ACTIVIST
I
ary
with Clare Howell and Riki Wilchms. What is your role, if any, m the
,.,.
Just as I've been really lucky enough to be a part of a historical time when
things that were born that had never existed, such as the national gay and
lesbian archiving movement, I am witnessing the community building and
At 67 years old, Joan Nestle is a living lesbian legend; in 1976, she opened
political organization of the trans community as a historical movement.
the Lesbian Herstory Archives in her pantry with her then-partner Deborah
I am seeing new kinds of courage and new people who will force deeper
Edel. Nestle continues to make and record herstory, writing explicitly about
societal thinking about gender. I'm also very curious about how histories
love, lust, play, creativity, illness and social issues. CuRVE caught up with Nestle
-
when she was in New York City this spring on what has become an annual
end result, but with new kinds of men and women and other genders,
personal and cultural -
will happen. I won't be here to find out the
visit to her hometown from Melbourne, Australia, where she has settled with
such as a transman who lived his first 20 or 30 years of his life as ales-
her partner, international human rights activist and law professor Dianne Otto.
bian feminist, I am interested to see how he grows and matures. And, of
- SheelaLambert
course, we have yet to see the effects of long-term use of testosterone. It
You've written extensively and extremely openly on so many taboo
genders or how we will make society open to them. These are once again
pioneer times. ■
is also yet to be seen whether our society will be open to new types of
topics. What haven't you written about?
SIZE MATTERS
enoughto defendagainstpeskyraccoons.(tenspeed.com)
Theysayonecluetellsyouwhata gift
is worth:it's size.Themostexpensive
giftsareeitherhuge(aBMWor an
HDlV)or tiny (aTiffanydiamondtennis
bracelet).
Thesamecouldbesaidfor
readingmaterial.-Azania Baker
ModernWords#8 and#9,ed.
GarlandRichardKyle:Lit buffswill
lovethissharp-witted
assortment
of LGBHhemed
shorts,poetryand
prose.(suspectthoughts.com)
Let'sGetPrimitive,Heather
Menicucci:
Lessis morewhen
weathering
the wild.Thiscamping
guidefor the urban
girl is a how-tothat
won'tweighyou
down.Pro:it won't
cluttera backpack
full
of othertravel-size
must-haves
brought
fromthe city.Con:
it probablyisn't big
84
J
curve
SomePoemsByPeopleI Like,Ed.
SandraAlland:Thisgreatanthology
featuresa groupof poetsfromaround
the globe,fouroutof fiveof whom
identifyas queer.(blissfultimes.ca)
TheZinester'sGuideto Portland,
ed.ShawnGranton:
Thiscoolno
budgetguideto Portland,
Ore.,is thin
enoughto carrywithoutmajorbulge.
(microcosmpublishing.com)
RagingBeauties:Confessions
andAdvice,TimWright:Thissquat,
colorfulmini-bookis perfectfor a
goodlaugh.Cleverassertions
and
bitchyproverbsmeeta bonusspinning
wheel.(redwheelweiser.com)
GirlsIn Pearls,Claudia
Lanfranconi:
Thisclassy,upscale
collectionof paintings,
drawings
andphotoscelebrates
women,you
guessedit, adornedwith pearls.
(merrellpulishers.com)
LynnHechtSchafran:
Thisfun popup bookfromthe women'sadvocacy
groupLegalMomentum
includes
essaysfromAnnaQuindlen
and
EdwidgeDanticat,amongothers.
(Jegalmomentum.
org)
FeministsWho
Changed
America
1963-1975,ed.
BarbaraJ. Love:
Thischunkydirectoryalphabetically
lists
In Praiseof theNeedlewoman,
progressive
women
GailCarolyn
Sirna:Thisassemblage whospearheaded
civilrightsmovecapturesthe quietconcentration
and
ments- andprobablydida lot of bra
simplisticbeautydevotedto needleburningin the process.
A primeron
work.Delightfuldescriptions
opposite women'sstudiesanda must-havein
eachpaintingmakefor an engaging
anylesbianlibrary,Feminists
is a vast
read.(merrillpublishers.com)
tributeto the railblazing
womenof the
'60sand'70s.(press.uillinois.edu)
Women:
A Celebration
of Strength,
Tinyortome?Seecurvemag.com
LouiseA.Gikow,KathyRodgers,
Music Watch
They Began to Rock Steady
Reviews
The
Gospel
Truth
Is there an East Coast monopoly on hot rocker chicks? I By Margaret Coble
punches
chat keep the tunes
driving
steadily along. The album is bookended by
the sly opener "Yankee on My Shoulder;'
which sets the scene driving into Yalobusha
(I love the way Swingle slurs chis word!),
encountering
the
bored, mean cops along
way, and
instrumental
the
closing
acoustic
"Blackwing," which clearly
vibes off the ghosts of Money Shoe. Ocher
highlights include the slow-burning social
commentary "Monkey Tongue;' the '70s
blaxploitation-referencing
"Foxy Brown;'
as well as Swingle's throaty Southerndialect French on "French Song:' A mesmerizing 40-minute listen from beginning
to end, be prepared to gee lost in the thick
swamp-punk fuzz. Catch these gals live on
tour, if you can - they put on a helluva
show. ( themoaners.com)
I first heard out lesbian singer-songwriter
Swati (whose name appropriately means
"birth of a star" in Hindu) on the Day Stage
at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival
last summer. She was a complete unknown
I can't guarantee that you'll be seeing any of the following female
to me at the time, and I was instantly impressed by her virtuos-
rockers at your local Pride celebration this month (though you
ity on the guitar, which ranged between the folky complexity of
never know!), but the Moaners, Swati and Joan as Police Woman
Joni Mitchell to the distorted chaos ofJimi Hendrix, reminiscent
are definitely pricking up lesbian ears and emerging as dyke
of the percussive artistry of fellow Michfesc performer Pamela
favorites, regardless. And for good reason.
Means. I've since learned that she hails from New York City's
thriving East Village music scene, made her first demo disc with
noted rock-pop producer Steve Lillywhite (known for his work
This dynamic dyke duo from Chapel Hill, N.C., thankfully is
with U2, Morrissey and Dave Matthews Band), and g
back with a follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2005 debut,
quite the industry buzz via her 1999 Lilith Fair appearance.
ed
Dark Snack. Recorded in the northern Mississippi backwoods
After a several-year hiatus from the music biz, she's back with
at the infamous Fat Possum Records' Money Shot Studios
this impressive debut album which should have heads turning all
(now dubbed Blackwings, located in Yalobusha
over again. The 50-minute, 10-
County, Miss., hence the album title), home of
track disc runs the gamut from
southern blues giants R.L. Burnside and Junior
quiet folk to ethereal pop and
Kimbrough, the 12-track album retains the
pulsating rock, often within
duo's trademark distortion-filled garage blues
twang but is infused with an extra layer of
the same song, largely falling
into the "hard to describe" cat-
location-inspired
singer
egory but consistently melodic
Melissa Swingle reprises her
sluggish Southern drawl, sliding and scaling
and always lyrically engaging.
"Big Bang" opens with a fiery
over loping bass lines and slide guitar riffs
wall of acoustic guitar frenzy,
chat make you want co drink whiskey -
and
accompanying Swati's lyrical
while drummer and backup vo-
equivalent of ripping her heart
and guitarist
lots of it -
atmosphere.
Lead
EDITOR'S
p
TheGospelTruth,
SusanWerner(Sleeve
DogRecords):
In a
worldwhereflashy
bandslikethe Pussycat
Dollsgetall the attention,it's a welcome
reliefto find an artist
likeSusanWerner,
who
hasmadea compellinglittle CDthat might
just bethe world'sfirst
gospelrecordingfor
agnostics.
Tapping
intothe zeitgeistof
Americanreligiousculture, TheGospelTruthis
a beautifulvocalization
of the kindof universal
doubtsthat eventhe
mostdevoutprobably
have.Thisbreathtakingcombination
of
bluegrass,
gospeland
country(thinkthe
CarterFamilymeets
FernJones),is perfect
for womenwho- like
Werner'sfriendKenni
- askof gospelmusic,
"Is therea wayto get
all thisjoy withoutthe
Jesus?"(susan
werner.
com)- DAM
calist Laura King counters with thunderous
June 2007
I
85
since they really demand sensitive listening.
Who',; been your biggest influence?
My biggest influence is probably Prince. I started listening to him when I was 11,
and I saw him live for the first time when I was 12. Kate Bush's music was
the first I had ever heard that sounded anything like the music in my head. I
started listening to her and Throwing Muses when I was about 14. The Muses'
main writer, Kristin Hersh, has continued to be a huge influence on me.
With R,:wengirlfini"'hPd,wha do you have o s y abol
he journrJ?
I love the album so much, and I love performing a lot of the work on that
album. The audiences are loving it, and all of that has been very exciting,
and it's getting good reviews. It [was] featured on NPR in January. It's
just been a very powerful experience to find that going that deeply into
something so painful is bringing so much love and support out in the
world, like it's just like a remarkable process .... I have five brand-new
songs already, and I love the new songs. I am so excited about the new
direction that my music is going. I feel so uninhibited. It feels almost like
I can do anything right now. ■
Kristi Martel
I
SINGER-SONGWRITER
I
QUEER ARTS FEST
Rhode Island-based singer, songwriter, composer and pianist Kristi Martel
San Francisco's National
dives into an emotional abyss and lives to tell about it on Ravengirl, her
(queerculturalcenter.org)
fifth full-length release on Sealed Lip Records. Martel has shared the stage
versary May 26 to June 30 with an unbelieveable
with Melissa Ferrick and Jason Mraz, played in venues from Kimo's in San
offering of theater, spoken word, dance, exhibitions
Francisco to New York's famed Knitting Factory, and spent the spring touring
and unbridled performances from artists includ-
both solo and with the Kristi Martel Trio. - Jaime Roca
Queer
Arts Festival
celebrates its 10th anni-
ing Kate Bornstein, Alison Bechdel, Ariel Schrag, Cindy Emch, Rally the
Troupes and Chloe Atkins. Madeleine Lim brings the Queer Women of
Tell me the story behind Ravengirl.
Color Festival to Queer Arts, too, with 42 new films. We caught NQAF
In 2003 my former life partner [Amy"Litdebird" Nuara] died by suicide in
San Francisco, and it was such a traumatic experience and it was so pain-
executive director Pamela Peniston (above) to talk up the fest. - DAM
ful every day.... A lot of the songs on Ravengirl, maybe half of them ...
very much deal with my partner's death, but even more so deal with my
healing and my transformation after her death.
How rtid it feel to record th·c:;
album, given th~ subj~ct matter?
• , ·,.
I'),
- j
)
We have used the festival to bring up issues such as war, marriage, cultural
and ethnic differences, gender and age, and challenged artists of every
discipline to address this in their work. I'm all about telling stories
Fear isn't really the right word, but just a recognition that this is such a big
and when you assemble a great group of artists to address a topic, the
project. [I] felt very scared. A lot of joy. A lot of grief. A lot of power in
stories that explode out of that experience create community in a much
the community developed to record this album, and I guess love and joy
more profound way than we ever could have imagined. There are cer-
in that community and sort of a freedom. A feeling like the culmination
tain things that are central to our vision of the festival and to Queer
of the album has opened up so much for me, and there is that special,
Cultural Center: giving a platform to queer artists -
sparkly, on the edge of that freedom feeling.
ginalized artists - paying them for their work; bringing diverse artists
especially mar-
How wo lid you de">cribeit '3ound?
of every discipline to center stage and providing the assistance artists
I can never really talk in terms of genre. It just doesn't work for my song-
need to present that work, whether it's providing a venue, technical
writing. I write from the inside of the song. The emotion or story of the
song determines the sound. Sometimes it's alternative rock. Sometimes
it's blues or jazz. Sometimes it's very avant-garde and experimental. It's
assistance or publicity support.
)d
...10
I
(
;?
I
')
Wonderful, terrifying and really really exhausting.
always soulful. It's always real.
albu~ • at reeia 'm less bass, played by Kurt Meyer. How did
th~t ~lo achie ~ ti,~ sound you WP.rA going for?
Almost every single one. Last year, I had two nights off during the entire
I realized that the bass sounds in the arrangements that I was creating in my
immensely capable staff, so other than having to get up on stage, which
head were fredess and upright bass lines. They were more melodic, more
terrifies me every time, and welcome people ... it's strictly about enjoy-
like Peter Gabriel or Kate Bush bass lines than like standard rock bass
ing the show. It's wonderful to see audiences inspired by ... what they
lines. And I knew that a fredess bass player would have a more developed
see. Some remain avid audience members, and some come up with new
ideas themselves for shows. ■
T 1
ear because of the nature of the instrument, and that suited my songs well,
86 \ curve
month of June .... Once the festival gets rolling, it's in the hands of our
OTHER LICKS
open, and lead-off single "Blackjack"
seems musically innocent enough as a
solid, straight-ahead pop-folk song bur
surprises with its poignant tale of an
emotionally telling encounter with a
prostitute. Also notable are her dark and
moody cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'Tm
on Fire" and the album closer "Dodge;'
a hushed, honest credo that details
just what Swati is all about. If you're
looking for a comparison, the best I
can do is a deeper, richer, more rockin'
Suzanne
Vega
(Swati's
storytelling
reminds me of her), but really, she's one
of a kind. (swatilive.com)
Real Life, Joan as Police Woman
(Ch fl
Joan Wasser, the namesake and lead
singer for the NYC trio Joan as Police
Woman -
Arrivals De11artur
he c e (Microindie):
HailingfromGrandRapids,
Mich.,this retro-fabulous
female-fronted
quintetgot
a handupfroma Motorola
campaign,
whichused
their infectious2004single
"SugarSweet."Theband's
latestreleasecontinues
the candy-coated
indiepop
formulawith bouncy,playful
dittieslike "Crazy"and"La
Ti Da."(theicicles.com)
o
o e (EMI):
Celebrating
the Swedish
popduo's20thanniversary,
this single-disccompilation
cullsall of the band'smajor
hits plustwo brand-new
songs,"OneWish"and
"Reveal."(roxette.se)
... BESURETOVISIT
RACHAELSAGE.COM
FORA COMPLETE
SCHEDULE!
yes, named for TV Police
Woman Angie Dickinson -
(OneLittleIndian):With
soundtrack-perfect
pop
songslike"Superman
2"
and"Shhh... ," the U.K.
sensationaimsforAmerican
audiences
with hermelodic
folk-popin thisthirdsolo
release.(astridwilliamson.nelj
may not
throngs of dykes in the front rows at
her shows don't seem to care. Aside
from fixing their gaze on androgynous
"reformed goth" bassist Rainy Orteca,
dyke fans are simply tuning in to the sublime beauty of JAPW's unique amalgam
of theatrical pop, R&B soul, jazz and
Wome
indie punk
(Putumayo):
Offeringlinernotesin
English,FrenchandSpanish,
thissuperb,11-track,global
acousticcollectionincludes
severalartistspreviously
featuredin cuRvE
(Icelander
Emiliana
Torrini,Cape
Verde'sLura,andCanadians
theWailin'Jennys),
plus
I
somenewdiscoveries,
like
Brazil'sLucaMundaca,
I
Greece's
Anastasia
Moutsatsou
andCameroon's
Kaissa.(putumayo.com)
the
*
CATCH
RACHAEL
AT MILWAUKEE
PRIDEFEST,
6/09&
ALBANYPRIDE,6110
Grime,
a r,
a
(Blufire/
TommyBoy):Oneof
clubland'smosttalented
ANer
e
andenduringsinger(Manhattan/EM!):
songwriter-DJs
resurfaces ThisfemaleIrishensemble
with herfifthfull-length
(fourvocalistsplusa fidalbumon herownindie
dler)haswowedaudiences
imprint,featuringreworked aroundthe worldandsold
versionsof herearly
millionsof albums.This
singles"It's OverNow"and
third CDoffersa mixof
"Scandal,"
interspersed
with traditionalIrishfolk songs,
the newGraceJones-and
classicalstandardsand
GiorgioMoroder-inspired
contemporary
offeringslike
hit "Love'sthe OnlyDrug"
"Scarborough
Fair"and
anda deliciouselectro
"Overthe Rainbow."
coverof the PointerSisters' (celticwoman.
com)
"Automatic."
(ultranate.com)
Dayof theLoneWolf,
be a lesbian (best as I can tell), but the
on
RACHABL
SABB
rock. Sitting somewhere
continuum
between
Rufus
Wainwright, the Scissor Sisters and Nick
Cave (all of whom, interestingly, Wasser
has collaborated with in the past, among
many others),JAPW's sound is eloquent
and raw at the same time, and their 10track, finally-released-in-the-US.
debut
album is a cohesive collection of smoldering torch songs and arty pop tunes.
It's a toss up between sedate, emotional
"The Ride" and the soul-soaked, pianobased "Save Me" for my personal pick,
but the horn-filled, beat-laden Northern
Soul cut"I Defy" and more upbeat rocker
"Christobel" are also contenders. Simply
gorgeous. (joanaspolicewoman.com)
■
A Collection
of Roxette
Hits:Their20 Greatest
Backspin:
A SixDegrees
10 r.
n
(SixDegrees):
Thelittleworldmusic
label-that-could
celebrates
1Oyearsin businesswith
this 12-trackcoverset,
featuringsignatureartists
like electronicsuperstar
KarshKalethrowingskitteringdrum'n' bassbeats
underthe Police's"Spirits
in the MaterialWorld"and
Persian-American
trio Niyaz
turningthe Cure's"Love
Song"intoa languorous,
atmospheric
ballad.(six
degreesrecords.
com)- MC
-~
"Oneof themost
romanticlesbian
,I .
destinations
on
rJiland§
CJnn theplanet."
since t9a3
-PlanetOut
~
,
"\
CJ!l1
WORLD'SFOREMOST
GAY& lfSBIANHOms
POBox118,Bethlehem,
NH03574
877LEs-B-INN
(537-2466)
❖ 603869-3978
vacation@highlandsinn-nh.com
❖ www.highlandsinn-nh.com
June 2007
I 87
Reviews Sapphic Screen
No Dog Day Afternoon
I
It's finally time for a light~hearted girls' night in. By Candace Moore
Daly. I may be outnumbered
on this one.
Finally available on DVD
are the first 22 episodes of
the
Wife,Mom,Bount1
H nter(We):Didyou
watchDog,theBounty
Hunterandthink,damn,
he'dbe hotif only
he hada vaginaand
a doseof post-'90s
feminism?Well,we've
gota showfor you.Wife
is a realityshowabout
SandraScott,a toughbitchbountyhunterwho
balancesnitty-gritty
crimefightingwith dayto-dayminutiaelike PTA
meetingsandfeeding Get the girls together! A new funny buddy movie out
the dogs.A former from Wolfe and two TV shows, one you probably grew up
wrestleronthe hitTV watching and one your kids might, offer lesbian hijinks, subtext
showGLOW
(Gorgeous and plenty of palling around.
Ladiesof Wrestling),
Scottworkedunderthe Big Dre ms i I i le Ho e (V'Jofe)
tutelageof ZekeUnger A small-town, large-hearted comedy in the vein of Groundhog
(thetechnicaladvisor
Day (for dykes) finds two native New Yorkers, butch cameraon KeiraKnightley's
woman Linda (Julie Goldman) and straight-laced (and straight)
Domino)
andwasonce
halfof the female wannabe broadcast star Kelly (Emily Burton), stuck in the
bounty-hunting
team figurative mud of Little Hope, a rural community that revolves
TuffGirlz.
Andsure, around its yearly chili cook-off. Bunking at a hippie women's
she'sgota husband hostel while interviewing"ordinary" types on tape for a marketing
insteadof a wife,but research firm, this odd couple Q&A their way into the hearts of
sheis oneroughbutch the local yokels. Kelly inquires about every Joe Schmo's taste in
no matterhowyou breakfast foods, toothpaste and fragrances (one lonely bachelor
defineit. ScottgivesTV suggests a spaghetti sauce-scented air freshener) but stuffs her
a nicedoseof strong, own thoughts down. She's the type A to Linda's charming, jokey
femalemasculinity
voltage, and of course her tight wind is liable to get unstrung
andbringsviewersa
some time. While Kelly dabs polish on her resume, Linda's out
wholenewmeaningto
the phrase"working tattooing oranges and developing a mysterious rash of hickeys,
mom."(we.tv)- Diane likely planted by a married female client. Kelly flips a hissy fit,
Anderson-Minshallbut calm stud Linda just throws on a ludicrous neck brace. With
groundbreaking
early
'80s show about two NYPD
policewomen,
smart-witted
and kick-ass crime-fighters
who called their own shots
and
left the
short-shorts
( think Charlie's Angels) at
home. While
Mary
Beth
Lacey had the technically
butcher haircut, she also had
the (requisite, for ratings)
hubby and two kids at home,
while
Chris
Cagney,
on
the other hand, loved softball, deep rasping and the
occasional rolled-up scarf look. Cagney also seemed particularly squirmy about the idea of dating men while she flirted,
in the line of duty, with a rich widow in the "Beauty Burglars"
episode. In her book De.fining Women, Julie D'Acci argues that
the reason an earlier "Cagney;' Meg Foster, got canned, had to
do with reading as too lesbian. The documentary included as
part of this four-disc set, "Breaking the Laws of TV," paints it
slightly differently. It includes interviews with D'Acci, as well
as with Gless, Daly, Ms. founder Gloria Steinem and executive
producer Barney Rosenzweig. (mgm.com)
Dottie "s Magic Poe/ ets (Pink Pea)
Beavers who crave "cheese, please;' instead of the wood that
keeps their teeth filed down, flowers with French accents
and haughty tastes, soda cans who burst into manic arias
and sweet-natured
mice who want to see everybody happy,
except, perhaps, the cats on the prowl. These are some of stayat-home mom Dottie's magic puppet friends who burst out
of ordinary objects and couch cushions when sprinkled with
the glitter from her polka-dotted
pockets after her girlfriend
and their young son head off to work and school. A TV show
pitched to our children families -
kids, aged 2 to 6, of lesbian and gay
Dottie's Magic Pockets provides a new uncloseted
fresh characters, mockumentary interludes and a loose sketch-
playhouse, where a young cartoon bee's two bee dads buzz by
comedy feel, director Erin Greenwell's second feature is fun
his side within a colorful claymation sequence in between a
fare. (wolfevideo.com)
dynamic counting exercise, a quick lesson about saying "excuse
me" after a burp and a little ditty strummed by Dottie on her
3(
BBI curve
I
,..
I ----
•
G
swirl-painted guitar. Jen Plante's good-natured
kookiness as
A whole generation of us grew up wishing either Tyne Daly or
Sharon Gless would axe through our door (in character), say
format, give this pilot a shot at entertaining (and educating) a
"Freeze!" and cuff us. I'm of the Gless camp; a dear friend votes
much underserved audience. (pinkpea.com) ■
figurehead Dottie, along with the show's carefully thought-out
DVD PICKS
creepyseductiondayor night,
withthe addedbonusof
commentary
anddeleted
scenes.Hot.(foxhome.com)
-Azania Baker
(Colton
Lawrence}:
If you'vealways
dreamedof watchingfour
people- two menandtwo
women- togetherin a room,
talkingaboutsex,yellingat and
crudelypsychoanalyzing
one
anotherwhilethrowingaround
platitudes,
thenthis is the right
moviefor you.If you'relonging
for a funny,steamy,romantic
movie,though,skipthisoneand
go rentsomething
with a more
originaltitle. Andwhatis it with
havingto constantlydoubteach
other'ssexualorientation?
OK,it
leadsto cutesame-sexkissing
scenesat the end,butit makes
the characters
so muchmore
annoying.(thesexmovie.
com)
- UrsulaSteck
(Dillonwood
Productions}:
Shotduringthe
GayandLesbian
Association
of Choruses
7th International
Festivalheldin Montreal,
this docfollowschoirsingers
throughtheirrehearsals
and
performances.
It is for manyreasonsthattheysing- for freedom,for fun,for faith,for change
- andsinginghastransformed
theirlives.Particularly
moving
arethe storiesof the choirof
transgender
singersandthe
chorusfor LGBTandstraight
youth.Thecommunityand
visibilitythatthesechoruses
providefor theirmembersis
immense,
andits impact
comesthroughthe screen.And
that'sthe onlyreasonwhythis
reviewincludesa disclaimer:
Thismoviewill infectyouwith
the compulsion
to sing.
(whywesing.org)-US
Shani Heckman
I
FILMMAKER, MEDIA GADFLY
I
Shani Heckman has been producing queer events for more than a decade in San
Francisco, but recently her films have garnered her the most attention. Her short, the
silent film Another Day, explored gender fluidity; her documentary, Wrong Bathroom,
went from the festival circuit to academic curriculum at numerous universities. In
addition to garnering a following among queers and gender rebels, Bathroom helped
Heckman win the Tee A. Corrine Prize for Lesbian Media Artists -
a cash award
she's using to fund her next project, a film about kids in the foster care system.
-Diane
Anderson-Minshall
T.
f'
Very surprised. I'm sure there were many qualified applicants and probably even some
of my friends who applied, so I feel especially honored. I have dedicated a long
time to promoting lesbian, trans and genderqueer arts and artists, so it is nice to
also know that this work is appreciated .... Filmmaking can be an emotionally
z
<(
~
~
0
w
~
0
en
a:
w
0
0
<(
z
ii
<(
~
(FirstRun
Features}:
Yes,a documentary
againstthe backdropof the
Clintonimpeachment
hearingscanbeentertaining,
even
hilarious.Thisportraitof openly
gaycongressman
BarneyFrank
guidesusthroughthe popular
politician'slife usingthe most
infamousof allWashington
sexscandalsasthe recurring
theme- supposedly
because
Frankis a survivorof hisown
sexscandal.Thisfilm isn't big
newsfor poli-sciaficianados.
For
everybody
else,it's an intriguing
viewof Washington's
workings
andthe life andcharacterof an
unusuallycourageous
andlikablepolitician.(firstrunfeatures
.com)-US
(Newline}:
WhenPan'sLabyrinthwas
robbedof theAcademy
Award
for bestforeignfilm (because
of
theAcademy's
stringentvoting
rulesin thatcategory)
youcould
havehearda giantcollective
curseword.Nowon DVD,Panis
actuallya betterexperience
at
homebecuase
the bonusteaturesturnthis darklyferocious
queer
(FoxHome andunimagineably
fable
into
an
interactive
mythoEntertainment}:
Goodnewsfor
fansof twistedluststories:Now logicalviewingexperience.
(panslabyrinth.com)
- DAM
youcanwatchJudiDench's
laced activity wherein we must find tools for self-motivation to actually make the
film. Winning grants here and there really helps because suddenly, someone else
believes the project should happen, too.
The project will blend footage with current foster kids and their daily lives, documenting their achievements in moving from high school to college utilizing the
Chafee College Grant Program -
the Chafee College Grant Program is a state-
run program that provides financial assistance p 1ficallyto foster youth for college -
with footage from adults who were former foster kids, who are successful,
by society's standards, as adults. Rather than focus on the dismal statistics and
experiences of foster youth, this film will focus on the successful former foster
youth. Since the immediate goal of the project is to provide positive role models
for youth currently in state care, it will be a how-to film made by a former foster
kid for current foster youth.
?
I keep meeting other foster kids who are queer and really amazing. I also keep reading
horrible stories about foster youth and their lives, almost daily in various newspapers, and it makes me want to help tell the other side of the tale as a former foster kid
myself I feel very passionate about making life better for others through film ... so I
am using these connections I am making as I go forward with the film's production.
I had it really hard getting through college and life in general with no adult support.
Like these other folks I keep meeting, I used overachievement to survive. This film
is unique in that it isn't made for the general public to understand foster youth, but
rather, it is made by and for foster youth as a tool for survival. ■
June 2007
I 89
Reviews Tech Girl
Boys and Their Toys
Father's Day gifts to thrill boys and bois alike. I y Diane Anderson ..Minshall
Sorry, Morn, but it's this masculine rite of passage known as Father's Day that attracts the coolest gifts
around. Whether
you're shopping for dad, that special butch in your life or even yourself, try these
fun tech trifles.
r
i'1t.
\Al't
O
tT
8
s·rns
Yes, The Sims lets you play gay on screen, but it's not the only video game to do so. The new series
of Law & Order PC games lets you work alongside district attorney Serena Southerlyn: the cool,
smart, snarky dyke (played by Elisabeth Rohm) who came out on her final episode of the TV
show (but we knew, oh, how we knew). The disappointment of having her corning-out and her
departure happen within the same 60 minutes was, of course, crushing, but now Serena lives with
you. First, scour the crime scene with Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and arrest the killer before
Lt. Anita Van Buren (the so sexy S. Epatha Merkerson) gets on your ass, then team up with
Serena to compile a compelling case that'll put your guy behind bars. These first person irnrnersive
Law & Order mysteries - the Triple Pack includes Double or Nothing, Dead on the Money and
Justice Is Served - let you get as involved as you like (run background checks, analyze evidence,
interrogate suspects). And each is almost as riveting as the show itself. (Free on Web, $20 to
download or buy CD, lawandordergame.com)
c· gs' '3r I') n
If you haven't heard of the Dance Dance Revolution craze yet, consider yourself warned. This
global phenomenon, where social dancers play a very advanced game of Simon Says to musical
accompaniment, is completely infectious. Now Xbox has ratched up the game a notch with Dance
Dance Revolution Universe, a version that links to the Internet and lets you download dance
steps, compete head to head with girls in Tokyo, view Internet rankings and host all-night marathons with chicks around the globe. The music is top-notch, too; everyone from Depeche Mode
to DJ Miko and Goldfrapp is included, plus some exclusive tracks. There are different modes for
beginners, people trying to get their cardio and those seeking companionship via flashing lights
and Internet sites, as well as continuous DJ modes if you just want the party to go all night.
($50 and up, konami.com)
0
~sn•?
This hybrid motorized
trike, the Can-Am
Spyder Roadster, has got to be one of the
sexiest things on the road. It combines the safety of a car (with the A-frame front suspension
and antilock brakes), the look of a motorcycle and the unbridled fun of an all-terrain vehicle. The
joy of off-roading in an on-road vehicle makes this sports car-style bike all the more thrilling.
Clockwise from top
left: Law & Order,
the Dance Dance
Revolution mascot
shakin' his thang,
the Can-Am Spyder
Roadster, SkipDR
AutoMax and the
Clocky
($15,000, can-am.brp.com)
1
e
·ng It Cl
You're 20 minutes into your 50th screening of Bound, when suddenly Gina Gershon's face freezes
mid-frame. What do you do? Instead of screaming and tossing the DVD out with the trash, you
can now use SkipDR AutoMax, a mini desktop gizrno that resurfaces damaged music, movie,
game, photo and software discs with a quick spin of it's motorized wheel. ($40, bestbuy.com)
There are few things we hate more than the alarm clock. Buzzing, screeching, chimes, loud rock
or the soothing sounds of Enya, they all suck. One of my colleagues is so bad (ahem, Sarajane)
that she has a series of different alarm clocks that each go off, usually to no avail. That's why she
needs Clocky, a cute, rolling alarm clock that goes up and then runs away and hides, leaving you to
toodle around the room desperately searching for it to shut the damn thing off. Now that might
even get Sarajane out of her bed. ($50, nandahome.com)■
I Tried It Reviews
A Hell of a Massage
Hellerwork goes way beyond the simple rubdown. I Diane Anderson ...Minshall
I'll be the first to admit it: I am a massage slut. It's no deep secret among my
of our body's ills is rooted in the emotional and physiological. So, for example,
friends and family that I'll do almost anything for a massage. My woeful tales
if your practitioner is taking you through session two ("Standing on Your
of bizarre experiences are legendary, from the Nevada masseuse who offered
Own Two Feet"), the touch will be on the musculature of your legs and feet.
happy endings, to the foot fetishist, to the college kid who used to come to my
When she or he hits a painful spot in your quadriceps, you'll be asked to stay
dorm room every night offering a free but chaste massage. That last one was
there in the moment with that pain and explore why the pain is there, what it
there, I'm sure, for the thrill of touching a lesbian, but it didn't matter to me.
might signify and how to realign that leg so the pain will go away.
When I'm on the hunt for a massage, I have surprisingly few inhibitions. So I
If it sounds slightly New Agey, well, it is - but just slightly. It's also pretty
leapt at the chance to try something new: Hellerwork.
Turns out Hellerwork is not really a massage; it's a series of sessions
damn intuitive from a psychological perspective. Body issues are cyclical: Pain
(usually 12) that combine deep-tissue bodywork with movement educa-
tion, a changed composition creates pain. Not one for 12-session commit-
tion to help realign the body and release chronic tension and stress. The
ments, I got a crash course in Hellerwork from Paskal that included a booklet
focus of Hellerwork, which was founded in the '70s by Polish-born Joseph
of movement lessons and a primer on Hellerwork that shows how truly queer
Heller (the first president of the Rolf Institute), is not temporary pain or
the practice is. Chapters focus on anatomical areas (the arms, the back) but
each is tied in with a theme (like "The Feminine': "The Masculine" and my
stress relief; rather, it's a program aimed at returning the body to a more
realigned, balanced state that devotees say few people experience in their
day-to-day lives.
I learned early in my first session that although I had walked into a rather
holds us back, being held back gives us pain; pain changes our body composi-
fave, "Control and Surrender"). The last two session are particularly telling;
they're titled "Integration" and "Coming Out:'
Among the hundreds of certified Hellerwork practicioners, there are a
traditional massage therapy room (it was, perhaps, a bit funkier than those
number of lesbians and a sizable portion of women. And it's women who
sterile, all-white rooms). Hellerwork is not one of those types of treatments
make up a majority of clients.
where you can zone out or fall asleep. My Hellerwork practicioner, Philip
"Women, in my experience;' says Paskal, "really benefit in experiencing
Paskal, who became a convert 22 years ago after injuring his back, was ver-
their feminine power and their ease in expressing it in their lives after the
Hellerwork series:'
bose and curious, and within minutes of my arrival I was in my skivvies doing
so he could study
But don't think this is a femmes-only operation. It feels more like sports
my gait, my structural imbalances, where my muscles are overutilized. When
massage meets New Age psychology than it does a mani-pedi session. Though I
things that felt like exercise -
stretching and walking -
I did get to lie down and get something approximating a traditional mas-
haven't gone back, my two-hour treatment did feel oddly moving. A:fi:er"staying
sage, Paskal would use movement and massage to find areas of concern. Then
with the pain'' through the massage and talking about the movement and pain
when he hit them, we'd have what I call "the talk:'
"The talk" is part of Hellerwork's focus on dialogue and a belief that part
issues, I lefi: Paskal's treatment room and cried. For no reason. Kind of what I
do with my therapist, except she never gives me a massage while we talk. ■
June 2007
J
91
Favorite Peeps continued from page 78
Katherine
Streeter,
NewYorkCity
Association, Bi Teachers Association, co-founder
TaniaHammidi,
LosAngeles
Artist Katherine Streeter illustrates for various
of the Coalition of Unity and Inclusion and lead
A columnist and freelance writer, Tania Hammidi
publications, designers and agencies worldwide.
organizer of Bialogue. She and transgender activ-
has been pumping out difficult and not always bril-
She has balanced her commercial career with
ist Pauline Park spearheaded the successful inclu-
liant academic prose
teaching and creating work for gallery exhibits.
sion campaigns convincing The Center, Heritage
for a decade on such
of Pride's Annual Pride March, Pride Rally and
lesbian/
She has been illustrating for CURVE for a very long
time, using Michele Fisher's colorful stories about
topics
as
Pride Festival and The Film Festival in New York
queer fashion, politi-
love and life as inspiration for the collage vignettes
City to change their names from "Lesbian and
cal theatre and butch
that accompany Dyke Drama. You can see more of
Gay" to "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender:'
identity.
her work at katherinestreeter.com.
Hammidi
Her latest effort the successful campaign to
add a bisexual award category to the Lambda
hopes to pick up her
experimental
video
past in her produc-
CaroleT.Meyers,Berkeley,
Calif.
"The articles I have written for
Book Awards. She is editor of the forthcoming
CURVE
are among
tion of Queer Threads,
my personal favorites;' says travel writer Carole
a visual story about
Terwilliger Meyers, the author
anthology Best Bi Short Stories.
of 18 books,
LydiaDaniller,
SanFrancisco
the
Hotshot portraiture photographer Lydia Daniller
queer fashion and community. She has a wonder-
including
ful brother, who appeared with her in their reality
published
TV debut on Monster House [Discovery Channel],
of Weekend Adventures in
writer Michelle Tea, hip-hop artist Katastrophe
where she and four men built a magician's play-
San Francisco & Northern
and choreographer Sean Dorsey among her many
ground while the sky dumped buckets of rain on
California, about
their Marina del Rey construction site.
Kenny Kramer, the real
is
-life inspiration
on a book project with
UrsulaSteck,SanFrancisco
Seinfeld
Raised in Europe and the U.S., Ursula Steck spent
recently
eighth edition
(lydiadaniller.com)
memorable clients. She
which
for the
character,
counts Rep. Nancy Pelosi,
currently
Michelle
says,
"[Meyers'] guide is to Northern California as my
working
Tea,
docu-
most of her adult life in Cologne, Germany, until
tour is to NYC. Almost. Not that there's anything
menting queer artists
and activists. "I want my
she met her partner, a resident of San Francisco,
wrong with that!"
portraits to convey people in their complexity
in 2001. Steck has published three mystery novels in German and numerous short stories in
MaggieParker,Portland,
Ore.
German and English. Her first American nov-
Maggie Parker's fascination with photography
identities. I try and work
el, The Next World, was a finalist for the 2006
began in the early '70s, when she started shoot-
with each artist to create
Goldie Debut Award. Her second American
ing black and white nudes -
novel, Laura's War, will come out this month.
model -
Steck was a contributor to the Lambda Award-
After a phase of macro-lens close-ups of the natu-
nominated anthology Women of Mystery, edited
ral world, Parker returned to portraiture and her
and in their constructed
using herself as
and portraits of an elderly neighbor.
a collaborative portrait. I hope to capture something intimate and playful in the subjects that I
photograph:'
Steck writes
passion for docu-
KimBurgess,
SaltLakeCity
tiny, fun movie reviews. For more about her work,
menting people. "I
"When I first heard about fundamentalist Mormon
visit ursulasceck.com.
love giving voice
polygamists aligning themselves with gay mar-
to
riage activists, my first thought was, 'Something's
by Katherine V. Forrest. For
CURVE,
Charlotte
Rice,Dallas
Charlotte
Lipstick
Dipstick
Rice is the author
of My Heroes
and
through
rotten in Salt Lake City;'' Kim Burgess says of
be-
her article on same-sex marriage and polygamy
Have Always Been Dead, Creeping Aphrodite,
cause they have so
from 17#1. "Growing up in Utah, I saw disturbing
The Sweet Grime of Summer and Eye Contact. A
homophobia
pianist,
much spirit;' says
Parker.
"They're
former
concert
photographs
from the Mormon
Church,
ho-
mophobia so extreme that all noncurricular clubs
Rice has been a freelance
witty and fun, and yet their column advice is re-
were banned from my high school to prevent the
journalist for 12 years, was
ally thoughtful and sincere:' Born to a family of
formation of a gay/ straight alliance. Of course, this
a literary agent for seven
Polish, Republican Catholics in Detroit and raised
isn't true of all Mormons, but the official church
years and owner of the Oven
in Philadelphia, Parker lived on a Navajo Indian
stance states that it
Agency. "As an advocate for
reservation for 10 years working as a teacher.
is sinful to engage
SheelaLambert,NewYorkCity
lationships.
lesbians, I find it fulfilling
chat my job with
allows me
in homosexual
re-
People
showcase
Sheela Lambert is a veteran bi writer, presenter
with chis kind of
artistic, talented and am-
and activist living in New York City with her
mentality
bitious women who deserve to have their stories
son and her dust collection. She is the founder
rather
told and their experiences shared. Too often we
of the Bi Writers Association, organizer of the
couples to 'repara-
fail to recognize the superb efforts of women do-
Bisexual Speakers Bureau in the NYC
tive therapy' than to
ing great things:'
founder of the Bi Mental Health Professionals
92
Icurve
to
CURVE
area,
the altar:'
would
send
gay
Though Burgess has her own perspective on
Kendall,
who
has
Candace
Moore,LosAngeles
polygamy, she stresses that she wrote the article to
been a reader since the
A former film editor at Girlfriends magazine,
inspire dialogue within the gay community, not to
journalist Candace Moore has written numerous
advance an agenda."! just think the gay community
beginning of the magazine, admits, "I used to
needs to look at polygamists' beliefs and ways of life
read the issues cover to
articles on the representation of queer women in
the media for After Ellen.
and ask, 'Is this something we want to get behind:'"'
cover when I was com-
com, Girlfriends and On
Burgess is a higher education reporter for the
ing out, looking for clues
on how· to be a lesbian.
Our Backs. Currently a
Ph.D. candidate in cin-
Herald Journal, a daily newspaper in Logan, Utah,
and a contributor to lesbian magazine Girl Guide.
...
She has also taught English in the Czech Republic
Editor] Diane Anderson-
Having
ema and media studies
[Executive
and creative writing at Salt Lake Community
Minshall blurb my book, Mr. Dings Chicken Feet
at UCLA,
also
Moore
published
has
essays
College. If she's had enough to drink, Burgess also
meant a lotto me, and I hope that
admits that she has worked in public relations. In
enjoy the story of coming out -
her spare time, she enjoys hiking, camping, yoga,
- while I was the only woman on board a ship
full of Chinese men."
Women and Cinema Journal.
clubbing and sitting in coffee shops.
LaurieKoh,SanFrancisco
KateLacey,Cincinnati
"I have my dream job;' says contributing photogra-
Laurie Koh is associate editor of Release Print,
Kate Lacey was raised by a dysfunctional wolf pack
in the suburban wilds. She is a sellout to corporate
pher Mia Nakano, who photographed the staff of
of San Francisco's Film Arts
Foundation. She has previously worked as copy
America by day and trolls the alleys of Cincinnati,
center, shoot only what I want and collaborate
chief of Girlfriends magazine and written for
by night in search for drivel to add into her great
with some of the best artists
the San Francisco Bay Guardian, On Our Backs
American lesbian novel, which is in a perpetual
around:' Nakano
and Inside Pride. In her free time, Koh enjoys
state of being unfinished. Lacey collects abandoned
much of her life in darkrooms
salsa dancing, Argentinian tango and yard sail-
cocker spaniels, Cincinnati Reds paraphernalia and
and photo labs, printing, tin-
ing around her neighborhood. Koh is also a film-
ex-girlfriends. She would like you to know that the
kering, and at times sleeping
maker whose works include the shorts Between the
"Lacey" is the other L-word.
next to processors.
readers will
in Reading the L Word:
in my own mind
Outing Contemporary Television, Televising Queer
CURVE
MiaNakano,Berkeley,
Calif.
the magazine
CURVE. "I get to work at an unbelievable photo
has spent
Some
strange part of her truly en-
Lines and Sisterz of the Underground: Extra Credit.
This year, Koh was thrilled to publish her first
LaurenPalmigia:io,
LosAngeles
story in
magazine, a travel piece about her
trip to the incredible city
Lauren Palmigiano is a comedian and writer
She yearns to learn about cen-
who can be seen performing some of her funny
turies-old printing processes and currently shoots
of Berlin. In these pages,
stuff at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater
with a digital camera. Oh, and before her dream
she hopes to continue re-
or, most likely, in her leather recliner being mas-
job, she was an art team co-founder of Hyphen
porting on exciting getaways for the ladies. "To
saged by a Swedish jazz ensemble. Palmigiano, a
freelance writer for CURVE since 2004, has also
magazine and an intern at Mother Jones magazine,
while working on her 9-year bachelor's degree. See
me, lesbian media is the
written for Go NYC and was the first place win-
what she's up to now at mianakano.com (her origi-
map that tells folks how
ner of TVWriter.com's Spec Scriptacular contest
nally named Web site, which is continually under
to get to the coolest club-
in 2005. For her first
construction), or what her dream job is really about
house on the block. Not
CURVE
everyone undertakes the
pride
CURVE
joys the smell of chemistry.
article,
tattoos,
on
at raykophoto.com. ■
she
journey, but that's their loss because inside that
had the arduous task
clubhouse is a whole fantastic world of film, music,
of asking women to
travel and culture. You just gotta learn the secret
show some skin for
knock:'
the sake of journalism. "Every time I've
Claudia
written an article for
birth name is Erica clearly knows that he's a
rve
boy. Struggling to convince his family and playmates that he's not Erica, but Juan, he finds an
GillianKendell,
Melbourne,
Australia
"One of the first features I wrote for
CURVE
was
CURVE,
something
an account of working at the Michigan Womyn's
learned
new
or
Bringing Sassy Back continued from page 82
A few stories do shine, though, especially
Rodriguez's
exceptional
Brave:' In this story, a transgender
"Juan
the
child whose
Music Festival and getting to meet my idol, Ferron.
met someone interesting:' Palmigiano is addict-
The next August, at the festival, the
ed to iced coffee, doesn't go anywhere without a
unlikely ally in a teenage girl named Marisol.
'"Hey curie ... are you still my novio:1 You're
CURVE
booth
had my article laminated and on display, and I
baseball cap and was the sixth grade girls pull-up
so strong: Marisol teased Juan and made him
got to meet [publisher] Frances Stevens for the
champion at Newington Forest Elementary. She
smile. .. . Sometimes
first time. I was excited but uncharacteristically
hopes to someday get even more tattoos and be
or do other bike tricks to show Marisol how
shy. As well as being an important publisher, she's
able to sleep in regularly until 11 a.m. Palmigiano
strong he really was:' As the traditional
cute. Later, I asked Ferron if she'd read the piece
currently works at Gary Sanchez Productions
tions of dyke lit continue to shatter, stories like
in
where she is surrounded by comedy. That makes
this will be in the forefront of a new lesbian
her happy.
fictional world. ■
CURVE;
she said, 'Read it:' I have it by my bed! I
read it every night!"'
he would pop wheelies
defini-
June 2007 \ 93
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June 2007
I 95
Top Ten Reasons We Love Butchlalis de Panochtitlan
Ready to be fisted with fierce theatrical talent?
The Butchlalis de Panochtitlan
is hot on our
tails. These four Latina/ o butches are poetic pros
making national theatrical waves. Native Los
Angelinos Mari Garcia, Nadine Romero, Claudia
·"Ugly'is a stand-infor honestyand truthfulness.
Truthcan be unprettyand painful.We tryto look
inward,allowthe rawnessto comeout."
Rodriguez and Raquel Gutierrez form the col-
4.Theydoregularpantyraids.When they say they
East L.A.;' the bois set an example for Chicana/ o
packing
seek to "create a site of radical possibilities from a
butches and all other butches out there.
theaters throughout their home city and beyond.
masculine framework;' you can be sure the plea-
-
sure will be yours.
lective Butchlalis de Panochtitlan,
experimental
sketch-driven
or BdP, an
troupe
Tania Hammidi
8. Yes, they MySpace. Befriend
MySpace.com/butchlalis.
Ladies,
them
take
at
note:
1.They'retheatricalandtheoretical.
Their work is a
5. Theyknowthatthetruthcan be ugly.The title
They're especially into meeting "cool muthaphuk-
critical commentary on racism, classism and urban
of their last show, "BdP: Get Ugly;' may sound hip,
kas;"'theater thugs" and "scandalistas:'
development, dressed up in cute butch or trans-
but "getting ugly" is about tumbling into an honest
leaning duds and sent out with a fierce Panochtitlan
response. Raquel Gutierrez says, "'Ugly' is a stand-
dialect. You'll find no direct citations of Jacques
in for honesty and truthfulness. Truth can be
Each butch de Panochtitlan
Derrida, Gayatri Spivak or any of the other
unpretty and painful. We try to look inward, allow
resume of accomplishments, such as Rodriguez's
absolutely crucial texts that expand on queer
the rawness to come out:'
2001 Emerging Lesbian Writer award from the
has an impressive
Astraea Foundation and Gutierrez's training as a
butch lives of color in the U.S., though these guys
have certainly done their research.
9. They act like pros and interact like bros.
6. Yes,they'recute.Hot, in fact. They self-iden-
former employee of Los Angeles theater institu-
tify as "performance perverts, installation artists
tion Highways Performance Space and Gallery.
2. Theycan tell you wherebutchescomefrom.
and. creepy curators" who use absurdity and the
The
According to Claudia Rodriguez, that's "pussy
satirical to disrupt business-as-usual. Is your heart
bravery and brotherhood into the rehearsal space,
villa:' But you'll have to ask her for a longer ver-
starting to pitter-patter yet? The next step is
coaching and supporting each other.
sion of that story, which begins with the myth
witness Mari Garcia's transformation from butch
of Aztlan.
dapper performance artist in one monologue to an
10. They're not vanilla. Stirring up conven-
El Salvadoran MTF in the next. And then there's
tional
the character Betty Basta. Hot.
and
3. Their appealspansgenerations.
Their work
to
echoes the past, reminiscent of Cherrie Moraga in
BdP
bring
notions
their
of
transgender
embodiment
collective experience,
Chicana
identity,
sexuality
and
queer
masculine
is a dirty business requiring deli-
1986's Giving up the Ghost: Teatro in Two Acts and
7. Theysharethe work.Like good butches, they
ciously dirty minds. Thankfully, the BdP hap-
Harry Dodge's first floppy-dog number at Luna
Sea. From "Teenage Papi" to "Fat Chocha Ghetto
take care of the house and are there for the baby.
pily comply, as "risk takers, charismatic border
Whether
genre-crossing piece
crossers, smart, troubling and trembling:' One
Gurl!!" BdP's humor connects the dots across
"Beautiful Torture;' which shares the birth of
audience member described them as a "mental
generations. But does this mean you should bring
Romero and partner Ada's
orgasm:' Touche.
grandma to the show? Um, maybe not.
symbolic exchanges of the broom in "Barber of
96
I curve
it's theater/video
son, Adan, or the
■
(/)
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My Mind
TV starsget morethan their
fair shareof kudoshere,too,
and when our editorsare busy
chasingcelebrityskirts,there
is no primetime actormore
soughtafterthan JorjaFox.
Publisher/Editor in Chief
Executive Editor
Associate Publisher
Associate Editor
Book Review Editor
Music Review Editor
Contributing Editors
Copy Chief
Proofreaders
Frances Stevens Publisher/Editor
E
in Chief
very year at our staff retreat, we have a long brainstorming session where each staffer is allowed to
call out the names of any celebrities they'd like to see on the cover of
CURVE
in the coming year.
Sometimes they're the usual suspects (Ellen DeGeneres and Melissa Etheridge always have a place in our
Art Director
Production Manager
Production Artists
Web Producer
Catalog Manager
Frances Stevens
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Sara Jane Keskula
Catherine Plato
Rachel Pepper
Margaret Coble
Julia Bloch, Victoria A.
Brownworth, Gina Daggett,
Sheryl Kay, Gretchen Lee,
Sarah Warn
Laura K. Cucullu
Michelle Ma, Katherine H.
Nelson
Stefanie Liang
Ondine Kilker
Kelly Nuti, Amy Silverman
Nikki Woelk
Holly DeMaagd
Director of Operations
Advertising Sales
Flo Enriquez
Diana L Berry, Joan Boccafola,
Rivendell Media
Marketing & PR Managers
Marketing Coordinator
Editorial Assistants
Bambi Weavil, Lindsey Taylor
Amanda Campa
Azania Baker, Asiana
Ponciano, Jaime Roca,
Lesley Seacrist
pages), our dream girls (Hilary Swank, Drew Barrymore, Lindsay Lohan - call us) or the women who are
impacting our lives in socially significant ways (Hillary Clinton is a much-debated candidate in our homes,
too). But TV stars get more than their fair share of kudos here, too, and when our editors are busy chasing celebrity skirts, there is no prime time actor more sought after thanJorja Fox. That's why we're thrilled
to run Suzie Barnes' interview with the CSI star, in which Fox talks about commitment issues, which cast
mates she's crushing on and why you should never wear lavender on a date.
Fox is a rare bird. Her quietly unassuming manners have kept her (and CSI) atop the Nielsen ratings.
Off-screen she shies away from the paparazzi but not from social responsibility. The sexy vegetarian is an
outspoken activist with the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and has used her star power not
just to protest animal cruelty but also to support lesbian and female-centric theater in Los Angeles. Though
Contributing Writers Elizabeth A. Allen, Suzie Barnes,
Kathy Beige, Heather Boerner, Beren deMotier,
Michele Fisher, Susan Granger, Tania Hammidi,
Jenna Humphrey, Kate Lacey, Sheela Lambert,
Charlene Lichtenstein, Karlyn Latney, Nicole
Makris, Candace Moore, Stephanie Schroeder,
Ursula Steck, Allison Steinberg, Carole Terwilliger
Meyers, Melany Walters-Beck, Jocelyn Voo
her LGBT fans are eager to know which team she bats for, we couldn't care less. Her support is commit-
Illustrators Phil Cho, Katherine Streeter, Seon Winn
ment enough for us.
Contributing Photographers Ed Araque), Erica Beckman,
Marina Dicerbo, Phyllis Christopher, Jane Philomen
Cleland, Lydia Daniller, Marina Dicerbo, Dakota Fine,
Jose Luis Gutierrez, Gabriela Hashun, Johanna
Hetherington, Lynnly Labovitz, Loree Hyde, Naomi
Kaltman, Kathryn Kirk, Cliff Lipson, Wayne Marquardt,
Janet Mayer, Paul Michaud, Mia Nakano, Naka
Nathaniel, Darcy Padilla, Maggie Parker, Brandi
Pettijohn, Annabel Reyes, Evelyn Reyes, Robert
Sebree, Elisa Shebaro, Brenda Timm, Michael Triplett,
Robert Voets, Jeffrey Walls, Yamisette Westerbrand
Fox, of course, isn't the only exciting woman in
CURVE
this issue. Queer author Felicia Luna Lemus and
her partner, T Cooper, are New York literary darlings (Cooper's been all but vaulted to rock star status
in Germany) so we had lesbian photographer Erica Beckman shoot them on their iconic home turf.
Meanwhile, Susan Granger compiled celebrity quotes about lesbian romance from 18 sexy stars including
Angelina Jolie, Rebecca Romijn and Kristy Swanson.
And, just in time for Pride, a roundup of all the great places
and Portland, Ore., are just a few -
CURVE
staffers will be -
New York, Atlanta
along with what we'll be doing, what we'll be wearing and why you
should come out and see us some time. We're also thrilled to be celebrating our 17th anniversary this summer and to revel, we're highlighing some of the folks behind the scenes and the women who've helped us
stay in the game for almost two decades (including you!). Enjoy!
Volume 17 Issue 5 Curve (ISSN 1087-867)() is published monthly (except for
January and July) by Outspoken Enterprises, Inc., 1550 Bryant St., Ste. 51o,
San Francisco, CA 94103. Subscription price: $49.95/year, $62.95 Canadian
(U.S. funds only) and $71.95 international (U.S. funds only). Returned checks
will be assessed a $25 surcharge. Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco,
CA 94114 and at additional mailing offices (USPS 0010-355). Contents of Curve
Magazine may not be reproduced in any manner, either whole or in part, without
wntten permIssIon from the publisher. Publication of the name or photograph
of any persons or organizations appearing, advertising or listing in Curve may
not be taken as an indication of the sexual orientation of that individual or
group unless specifically stated. Curve welcomes letters. queries, unsolicited
manuscnpts and artwork. Include SASE for response. Lack of any representation
only signifies Insuffic1entmaterials. Submissions cannot be returned unless a
self-addressed stamped envelope is included. No responsibility is assumed for
loss or damages. The_contents do not necessarily represent the opinions of
the editor, unless specifically stated. All magazines sent discreetly. Subscription
lnqu1nes:Please wnte to Curve, 1550 Bryant Street. Suite 510, San Francisco,
CA 94103, e-mail shop@curvemag.com, or call 818-760-8983. Canadian
Agreement Number: 40793029. Postmaster: Send Canadian address changes
to shop@curvemag.com. Curve, PO Box 122, Niagara falls, ON L2E 6S8. Send
U.S. address changes to shop@curvemag.com, Curve, PO Box 17138, N.
Hollywood, CA 91615-7138. Printed In the U.S.
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Features
"I did some
modeling
years ago
and shared
a cabin with
a woman.
I was in my
black pants
and T-shirt,
watching
television.
She was
in a little
G-string,
putting
lotionon
her whole
body.... She
looked all
glossy and
I wanted to
eat her.You
haveto live
for moments
like that."
June 2007
38
Volume 17#5
Travel: Cooling Down in Quebec Dream of
5
famed Ice Hotel. By Carole Terwilliger Meyers
5
Perfect Pride Parties Booze, broads and colorful glasses. What's missing?
40
The Mile High Club One lesbian navigates airport security without being humilated or arrested.
LC?T 1\11 i
By Beren deMotier
5
'lier Do W Stand?
Lesbians Last As some companies grow, some
dykes worry their voices will be left behind.
54
Queer Lit Hits Meet T Cooper and
Felicia Luna Lemus -the
By Stephanie Schroeder
(gender)queer world's
answer to Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath, only cuter,
6
hipper and less psychologically damaged.
Endangered Reading How bankruptcy leads to
censorship. By Melany Walters-Beck
COVER: Foxy Jorja The sexy star of CS/ says
So Long, Farewell A lesbian publisher says
goodbye to gays and hello to God.
she never wears lavender on a date. We wonder if
7
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Curvettes Uncovered Enough about me, let's talk
about you. OK, back to me.
on to glamorous jobs and faraway places.
Where to Go CuRVEjust might be passing through
Our Favorite Peeps A few dozen of our favorite
What to Wear Boxy rainbow T-shirts are so over.
6
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What to Bring A few easy must-haves will get
you through the parties and parades.
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Where Are They Now? Some CURVE
interns went
gals (and a couple of men, too).
Cover photo by
Robert Sebree
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Compiled by Susan Granger
your hometown this year. Check out our tour dates.
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By Stephanie Schroeder
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Angelina Jolie
page 80
Who Knew? A few factoids about Pride season.
escaping the summer heat with a stay at the
Who Are You? You eat meat and drive pick up
trucks. Are you lesbians or country music stars?
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June 2007
Datingis not
a wasteof
time. Nor is it
drudgerydesigned
to makeyoufeel
inadequateand/or
lonely.Datingis
supposedto be
fun.Youget to
hearallkindsof
stories,eat
at different
restaurants
and
see lotsof
womennaked.
page 34
4
Frankly Speaking A note from our
28 Scene Just in case you didn't make it to
82 In the Stacks Rachel Pepper remi-
our L Word party, check out the pies and
founder and publisher, Frances Stevens.
nisces over Sassy and uncovers the next
see what you missed.
big thing in riot grrl lit. Plus, living legend
10 Letters We're doing our part to help
CURVE readers
hook up, one missed con-
Joan Nestle answers a few questions.
30 Ask Fairy Butch How do you deal with
getting ditched for a dude? Fairy Butch
nection at a time.
reveals the silver lining.
14 Out in Front From students to senior
citizens, these are some dykes to watch
31
out for.
Lipstick & Dipstick Lesbians sure do
have a lot of boy questions this month.
85
Music Watch Margaret Coble can't get
a:
a:
Icicles (pictured above).
fg_
32 Advice: First Date Locales Choose
Calif., are throwing a party you won't
wisely or lose out, says advice diva
want to miss. But what's this new gay
Kate Lacey.
why wasn't it around when we
33 Astro Grrl It looks like Aries babes are
34
gets her craft on.
20
Lesbofile Suze Orman's got gold-star
status; Kimora Lee Simmons is just
starting to dabble.
s j curve
36
Dyke Drama Is your relationship
making you yawn? Michele Fisher
suggests you get out, pronto.
Politics Victoria A Brownworth discusses pride, prejudice and privilege.
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91 I Tried It Diane Anderson-Minshall
18 Open Studio Oregon girl Bonnie Barrett
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San Francisco filmmaker Shani Heckman
the life of the party this June.
were kids?
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88 Sapphic Screen A few fun chick flicks
90 Tech Girl Some hot new gift ideas for
summer camp we're hearing about, and
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make for a sweet gay girls' night in. Also,
16 Curvatures The lezzies of Oakland,
g
enough of the East Coast ladies like the
experiences the joy of Hellerwork.
96 Top Ten Reasons We Love
Butchlalis de Panochtitlan The only
thing better than a sexy, savvy butch
with a poetic streak? Four of 'em.
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Buildinga bridgethat
everyonecan cross.
At Aetna, we understand the business
case for diversity as well as the moral
imperative. Our commitment to this
core value, both inside and outside our
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diversity, Aetna was listed as one of the
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200625
Letters
"I love that you have Jackie Warner on
the cover this month. She is strong and
an inspiration to me personally. I am
Gay Magazines
at Air orts?
overweight and struggling .to lose it and
get healthy. That's another story but
anyway, kudos to you for recognizing
I'vewonderedfor a
longtimewhy no LGBT
periodicals
areavailable
at airportnewsstands,
Editor's Note: It wasn't a joke, just an oversighton our part. Too
noteventhe Oakland Hot M mas
International
Airport. I enjoyed reading about the many different dyke styles in your re- many chefs ruin the stew, and sometimes too many people workCertainlyin the San cent fashion issue (Vol. 17, #3), but I'd like to suggest that next ing on photo captions isjust as dangerous.There must have been a
Francisco
BayAreait time you include ones for pregnant lesbians as well. Most mater- mix-up between the many hands the photo passed through before
wouldbe reasonable nity wear is designed for straight fashion sensibilities. Surely the finally landingon our pages.And boy, do wefeel stupid. Our sincerto assumethatthere crack investigative team at CURVE can track down someone out est apologiesto Michaela Gray, a talenteddesignerwhom we will be
aremanylesbianand there creating maternity fashions for pregnant dykes - femme, giving more attention to in a future issue.And by the way, who is
gaytravelers,sowhy
Tuesday Smille?Sadly, we don't even know. Sorry to Tuesday, too.
butch, and in between - or at least find a lesbian style guru who
arethereno LGBT
could put together some recommendations from the mainstream
magazines
availablefor
purchasefromairport shops.
concessionaires? - Alexandra Bauermeister, owner of lesbian mom Web site I realize that this may be a bit out of the norm, but I need your
mombian.com, Cambridge,Mass.
help. Saturday night, March 31, at the incredible Dinah Shore
I suggested
via e-mail
weekend, in the main hallway of the Doral, I locked eyes with
thattheycarrythe
·e d
Advocate,
Instinct,and
one the most amazingly beautiful women that I have ever seen.
cuRvEmagazines,
and I love that you have Jackie Warner on the cover this month (Vol.
There was something so mysterious about her; she had a
I'vebeensurprised: 17, #3 ). She is strong and an inspiration to me personally. I am smile like the sunrise and a gaze that gave me butterflies. She's
TheOaklandPorts overweight and struggling to lose it and get healthy. That's an- possibly white and Italian, late 20s, slender, about 5-foot-5 to 5authorityhasbeenwhat other story but anyway, kudos to you for recognizing what a foot-7, with short black hair and a very toned body. That night
I wouldconsiderto be fabulous person she is.
she was wearing a semi-sheer white turtleneck and black pants.
surprisinglyresponsive.
- Jennifer, via e-mail
She was also carrying a nice-size video camera. I realize that this
They'rein the process
may be an impossible task, and she may even be taken but I've
of questioning
their
I '
aea
got
to know. I'd simply like to meet her.
vendor,Delaware
I'm
a
bit
confused.
I
don't
know
what's
going
on,
but
since
when
CandicePhillips,Sacramento, Calif.
NorthCompany.
- GlendaSharp,San does CURVE not check their photos and make
Francisco sure the captions are correct:' The person on
Buy Dyke Tees Now, Dammit!
what a fabulous person she is."
page 41 of your April issue (Vol. 17, #3) is
Editor'sNote:Wayto
go, Glenda!Thanksfor
thesupport.Hopefully
we will be flying
togethersoon.
not Tuesday Smille, as the caption said. It's a
dear friend of mine who is a costume designer
named Michaela Grey. This was a costume
she wore at a show for the Femme Conference
in 2006 in San Francisco.
If humor was the intent, it only demeans
a queer femme costume-maker who doesn't
even get credit for her costume. If it's someone not checking to make sure the photo is
actually of the person who sent it in and
says it's her then the fact-checking at
CURVE
needs some serious going over. Because in one
quick Google search you can find a photo of
"Tuesday Smille" and it's obviously not the
person in the costume.
- ] Kimball, via e-mail
10
I curve
OK, we screwed the pooch with our fashion
spread featuring DykeTees.com ("Urban
Chic," V17#3). Since the company is an
online-only boutique, leaving out their Web
site address was a big oops. When dozens
of readers tried to Google "Dyke Tees" they
found 315,000 Web sites but none of the
first pages of search results were the real
DykeTees.com. (They are, however, the No. 1
site that comes up when you enter "lesbian T-shirt" -go figure.)
Though founder and lesbian extraordinare Stacy Bias was mum
on the subject (a direct quote: "Gift horse. Mouth. Etc. I still
adore you."), we got plenty of complaints. So here, in all it's
glory is one of our favorite lesbian T-shirts from the queen of
queer tees, Dyke Tees.com. - Editor
Letters I
Editor's Note: Hey, that's my girlfriend!Just kidding.
#4). We agree,it's especiallysad to hear of LGBT peoGoodluck,Candice.And if you'reout there,oh beautiful ple taking advantage of homophobiclegislationwhen
mysterywoman, e-mail Candiceat pjtwll@yahoo.com. they see it as somethingthat couldbenefitthem. .lfyou
Let us know how thefirst dategoes.
want tofight for LGBT rightsin your home state, considerjoining your state'schapterof the American Civil
Liberties Union. See acluutah.orgto learn more.
I don't know if you have covered the recent Utah
Supreme Court ruling that basically says that a
nonbiological parent does not have standing to seek
Covina Book Store in downtown Covina, Cali£,
visitation with a child they helped raise. Also that the
now sells CURVE magazine and The Advocate!
bio parent can "exercisetheir right as a parent" to cut
After 50 years of selling thousands of books and
off visitation at will. I am personally affected by that
magazines, our efforts paid off when the Covina
ruling. My ex-partner used that ruling as a way out.
Book Store called its distributor and began sellShe cut off my visitation with my 4-year-old daughing two of the largest gay and lesbian publications.
ter and I haven't seen or spoken with her for nearly
Members of the LGBT East San Gabriel Valley
two months. I feel that it is important to make our
area can buy these two magazines closer to home!
community more aware of how this is affecting our
- MichelleA. Bart, Helping HeroesProductions
children. Local papers are covering my story, but a
story in a national magazine would help us reach so
many more people. Is there any possibility of printI am currently in the process of researching where
ing my story?
my girlfriend and I can get married. We want to
- Gina Herrera, via e-mail
get married and go through all the same steps that
straight couples do. I believe that Massachusetts is
Editor's Note: Sorry to hear of your situation, Gina.
the only state that allows a gay couple to actually
We had some info on this in our May issue (Vol. 17, get married. The downside is that you have to live
there for six months and become a resident first. It
would be great if CURVE could do an article on this,
there are so many of us out here that need more
information and we need it from a reliable source!
- Stacy, via e-mail
Editor's Note: Oh, Canada!Our gay neighborsto the
north are allowedto marry regardlessof citizenshipor
residency in eight out of the country's 10 provinces.
Of course,onceyou're back in the Statesyou're out of
luck, as are Massachussettscoupleswho travelbeyond
the Bay State borders. Until we can get our federal
government to legally recognize our unions, there's
only so much we can do. Anyway, Stacy, if you want
to hear more about Canadian marriagesplus a few
more reasonswhy their country kick ass, check out a
new documentary called Escape to Canada - cold
weather'sstarting to look a little more inviting.
E-mail letters@curvemag.com;
write to
CURVE
Letters, 1550 Bryant St., Ste. 510, San Francisco,
CA 94103; fax to 415-863-1609.
Please include
your name, city and state. Letters may be edited
for clarity and length. ■
curve
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Business as Usual
Forever Young
Friend of
A former scenic carpenter for film and televi-
Some of us come out later than others.
At a quick glance, BethTeperlooks like a
sion, ChrisSchuster
left the entertainment
Even though she says that as a young teen-
teenager. It might be her petite stature or her
world two years ago to pursue a lifelong love of
ager she felt attracted to women, ElaineWeber
thousand-watt smile, but it's more likely the
math. It wasn't chat she didn't love her work, but
waited until her husband of 51 years passed
large group of children and young adults that
like many artists, Schuster had trouble making
away to come out, which she did just three
often surround her. Teper, who is actually 37
ends meet. With an exceptionally high GMAT
years ago, at 79.
years old, is the executive director of Children
score, Schuster entered NYU's Stern School of
Business and received her MBA last month.
"My girlfriends were all getting married back
then, and pressure from my parents led me to
of Lesbian and Gays Everywhere.
Teper is no stranger to the pain and alien-
dating men;' says Weber. "You didn't chink or act
ation some of these children experience. Her
nothing in common, but there's more than
on your feelings. God forbid you embarrassed
mother came out when she was 10, and Teper
meets the eye. "Success in both fields requires
your family:' But shortly after her husband died
lost many of her so-called friends throughout
taking risks, being a leader and bringing your
from Parkinson's disease, Weber watched two
her adolescence. It wasn't until she turned 24
whole self to your work;' Schuster says. "My
lesbian films and the feelings all rushed back in
chat she met several other children of gay par-
film and TV work was very team-based, and so
and, chis time, out into the open.
ents, when she attended her first CO LAGE
Superficially, she says, art and math have
is the treasury and security services business:•
Still, there were major differences; for
She was introduced to a local Metropolitan
meeting. She's worked with the group ever
Community Church, which focuses on min-
since, first as a volunteer and later moving up
the ranks.
example, Schuster was one of only two out
istering to LGBT congregants but is open to
lesbians in Stern's class of 400. The distinction
all, and the pastor gave her added strength and
became almost too much to bear until Schuster
support. And while some might wonder why
in the United Scates, Canada, England and
went to her first conference sponsored by
chat would matter to an octogenarian, well, you
Sweden -
Reaching Out MBA, a national organization of
haven't met Weber.
as "empower, mobilize and organize" these
LGBT students and professionals in business.
"In the lesbian community, we're encour-
Since her revelation, Weber has become an
active member of Silver Threads, a spinoff of
The group -
which now has 50 chapters
is not really there to help so much
children, Teper says.
More than ever before, Teper says,
aged to seek creative or activist careers;' she says.
Golden Threads, a social organization for lesbi-
COLAGE is a critical group in the fight for
''Almost all of the women I knew worked in
ans over 50. She's also become very active in
gay civil rights.
education, the arts and publishing. It was power-
Equality Florida and was recently interviewed
ful to meet older queer women who had profes-
for an upcoming cable documentary on late
opponents to LGBT family equality continue
sional careers impacting the course of business:'
bloomers. From time to time she's even spotted
to increase their power and strengthen their
Schuster quickly went on to co-chair the
in the Night Zone, a gay bar in her hometown
organizations, CO LAGE must be at the
ninth annual Reaching Out MBA Conference
last year and also serves as mentor to younger
of Ocala, Fla.
''As right-wing political and religious
forefront with our national, state and
"I am told chat you are never too old to
local partners and allies in consolidated and
come out and that age is only a number;'
well-executed strategies and campaigns that
Weber says. "Well, I am struggling with not
counter their efforts;' she says. "The children
the various experiences she's garnered to start a
having a woman on my arm or in bed with me,
of LGBT parents are at the center of both
company providing financial advice to queer and
but my younger friends cell me to be patient.
religious right-wing attacks and left-wing
arts-focused nonprofits. - Sheryl Kay
But at 81, how much time do I have left to
defense, so we're the best authorities on the
queer MBAs, through Stern's alumni association.
Eventually she hopes she can pull together
Are you or do you know of a woman
on the front lines of activism?
Write us at letters@curvemag.com.
14
J
curve
wait? I want to finish out my life with as much
subject. We're the experts who speak truth to
happiness chat is out there for me and my
power on behalf of ourselves, our families and
girlfriend:' -
our LGBT community:' -
Sheryl Kay
Sheryl Kay
Curvatures
Who Packed The S'mores:
For some, the smell of pine trees, sunscreen and toasted marshmallows connects to one thing: summer camp. The Triangle
Foundation, a Michigan-based
LGBT civil rights advocacy
organization, will host its second annual Camping.OUT
northern Michigan, Aug. 14-19. This unforgettable
in
camp
experience for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied
youth (ages 13 to 17) as well as children of queers offers
all the usual summer suspects (paddle canoes, hike trails,
direct drama skits and, of course, camp songs). According
MarkJune16- 17 on
yourcalendar,
all you
Southerndykes.It's
timefor OUTat the Park
(outatthepark.com),
the
officialqueerdayat
Tennessee's
Dollywood
andDolly'sSplash
Country(because
nothingsaysqueerlike
DollyParton'swater
park).Theannualfestivities,of whichthereare
expectedto betwice
as manythis year,
drawfolksfromaround
the countryto eastern
Tennessee
to play.But
don'tshowup expecting
a circuitparty;it's not
that kindof place,says
Executive
DirectorRyan
Salyer."It's simplya
fun,all-agessocial
eventfor all members
of the GLBTQ
community,alongwith all
of its friends,families
andsupporters."
Further
proofof just how"real"
thesefamiliesarekeeping it?Thehosthotelis
America'sBestValueInn
(abvipf.com).
- DAM
to Camping.OUT
Coordinator
Michigan's young people.
"They spoke of a safe space, away from the chaos of their
day-to-day lives, where they could truly be themselves;• he
says, "and have some fun with other youth that they felt
safe around:'
Camping.OUT's
staff
includes
trained
certified counselors from youth-oriented
and
organizations
stateand
colleges across the country. This seasonal getaway is funded
by the Triangle Foundation (tri.org) and individual donations;
those who can't afford the $525 registration fee can apply for
financial aid through the Generation.OUT
Scholarship Fund.
"We believe youth camps are a wonderful thing. They provide
a space where young people have the opportunity to create their
own world;'Varnum says. This year the Triangle Foundation has
aligned with several national organizations, such as the National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Youth Advocacy
Coalition, so that campers will have an opportunity to speak
with leaders of the LGBT community -
something you can't
get at Girl Scout camp, for sure. - AP
Lesbian Rabbi is First to Lead
Reconstructionist
Jews often feel out on the forefront. Of
the four main movements,
which also include Reform,
Conservative and Orthodox, the Reconstructionists
were the
first to perform a teenage girl's Bat Mitzvah, the first to ordain
Coalition for the General
Welfare, a group addressing
issues of poverty and welfare reform.
a female rabbi and the first to ordain gay clergy. Now they lead
While she doesn't think
the pack again, as Rabbi Toba Spitzer was just named head
being a lesbian will neces-
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinic Association, the first openly
sarily affect her job with the
gay person, man or woman, to lead such an organization.
Rabbinic Association, she
"I think it shows the growing normalizing of gays and les-
says that if her newfound
bians in mainstream Jewish life, and soon I would imagine we'll
visibility brings more atten-
see openly gay and lesbian folks in other positions of leader-
tion to the gay community,
then all is good.
ship in the major Jewish movements;' says Spitzer, rabbi of
Congregation Dorshei Tzedek in West Newton, Mass.
"I hope folks see and know that negative messages about
A Harvard-Radcliffe grad before rabbinical school, Spitzer
queer folks that they may have heard and experienced in Jewish
was involved in a variety of peace and social justice issues, from
circles should not keep them from finding Jewish community
young people's involvement in grassroots organizing to Israeli-
and living a Jewish life;' Spitzer says. "We are blessed to be
Palestinian co-existence. She went on to lead a human rights
living in America in the 21st century where there are many
places where all Jews can find a home:• - SK
mission to Haiti, and helped found the Philadelphia Interfaith
16 I curve
director and Triangle's Youth Initiative
Greg Varnum, the idea came directly from
A Radical in the Suburbs
When Carol Russell won a seat on the city council of the small
northern California city of Cloverdale last November, the big news
wasn't that she's an out lesbian. It was that she wanted to help control
the rapid growth of the small town and honor the city's history.
Her first move as a member of the council was to vote against a
housing development chat she thought wouldn't fiein the community. 'Tm not ancidevelopment at all, but I believe in balance and
Lily Allen
quality;' she explained. "I try to explain to people here, if you go to
a large city, there's a very big difference between high density on
Park Avenue and high density in the South Bronx. Ir's the quality
of the building and the design and its appropriateness to its surrounding, as well as the little things like the greenery that exists:'
Bueche fact chat 63-year-old Russell is free co concern herself
with planning and density levels sexuality -
and not with defending her
says something, both about the growing acceptance
of queer women in areas from which they had for generations fled
"The whole obsession with the fact that [Beth Ditto]'s
overweight and a lesbian - that's all anyone
seems to write about. Never mind the fact that
she's got an absolutely fucking incredible voice
and really good songs." >> Lily Allen, to BUST
and about Russell's charisma, optimism and leadership.
"[I] had been out and active in the community for four years,
when I ran for city council," said Russell, who speaks quickly and
with a lilting tone that drives home her point. "My partner and
I and a friend were co-founders of the North Bay Pride Music
Festival. It's not like our faces haven't been all around the city for
these things. Bue nothing happened. That's the great story. I was
able to run without any personal fear:'
A natural
optimist
and problem
solver, Russell is the
daughter of a Russian Jew who immigrated to avoid the Nazis.
She's also a woman who has always been out of the closet, even
before Stonewall, and who went from welfare as a teenager to the
founder of a multimillion-dollar
employment firm chat's been
studied by a Harvard professor and featured in Inc. magazine. In
other words, she isn't one to lee a small town or niggling fears stop
oc
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her from pursuing her dreams.
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woman I ever met, the most energetic and has the best sense of
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humor in the world;' says Russell's partner of 37 years, Roz Katz.
!::
and I still carry chis today - is chat she's probably the smartest
[l'.l
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I-
"Her sense of humor is one of the reasons she's been so successful
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Russell, on the ocher hand, had no doubt that her life would
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turn out well. She knew all she had to do was work hard and have
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faith in herself and ochers; it's a lesson she thinks the queer com-
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gay brother and nothing surprised me about the
issues in the script. I know how it feels to be
thought of as 'different' as a deaf person, and
I also know my brother's experience. No one
should tell us who we should be with or shouldn't
be with. It's as simple as that. There should be
no judgment, no attitude toward the community
because we all live the same life. The only difference is who we choose to be with.">> L Word
actor Marlee Matlin, to Lesbian News
"IfI chink back to when I met Carol, my first impression of her
a:
z
"First of all, my brother is gay. So I grew up with a
(.)
munity could stand to learn a little better, as well.
'Tm an optimist but not a cockeyed optimise. Things only
work out if you work at them," she said. "I don't think we have
"I never came out. I never had to come out. I was
born knowing exactly who I am. As long as I can
remember, I've loved women. I remember hitting
on my babysitters immediately, as soon as I got a
new one. I was thrilled. The first time I ever had an
orgasm, I was watching The Bionic Woman. I just
came. I was 5." >> singer-songwriter Swati, to
EDGE Boston
enough pride in what we have accomplished as a community. We
tend to look at what we haven't accomplished, but we've battled
everything from bigotry to disease. We deserve to give ourselves
8: some credic:' - HB
June 2007
j
17
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For gift subscriptions, call (800) 705-0070 or (818) 760-8983. curvemag.com
of the building and the design and its appropriateness to its surrounding, as well as the little things like the greenery that exists:•
But the fact that 63-year-old Russell is free to concern herself
with planning and density levels sexuality -
and not with defending her
says something, both about the growing acceptance
of queer women in areas from which they had for generations fled
and about Russell's charisma, optimism and leadership.
"(I] had been out and active in the community for four years,
when I ran for city council;' said Russell, who speaks quickly and
with a lilting tone that drives home her point. "My partner and
I and a friend were co-founders of the North Bay Pride Music
Festival. It's not like our faces haven't been all around the city for
these things. But nothing happened. That's the great story. I was
able to run without any personal fear:•
A natural
optimist
and problem
solver, Russell is the
daughter of a Russian Jew who immigrated to avoid the Nazis.
She's also a woman who has always been out of the closet, even
before Stonewall, and who went from welfare as a teenager to the
founder of a multimillion-dollar
employment firm that's been
studied by a Harvard professor and featured in Inc. magazine. In
other words, she isn't one to let a small town or niggling fears stop
a:
LU
her from pursuing her dreams.
N
t:
~
LU
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ui
woman I ever met, the most energetic and has the best sense of
f-
a:
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and I still carry this today -
is that she's probably the smartest
~
humor in the world;' says Russell's partner of 37 years, Roz Katz.
f-
"Her sense of humor is one of the reasons she's been so successful
in her life:•
I
~
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seems to write about. Never mind the fact that
she's got an absolutely fucking incredible voice
and really good songs.">> Lily Allen, to BUST
"First of all, my brother is gay. So I grew up with a
gay brother and nothing surprised me about the
issues in the script. I know how it feels to be
thought of as 'different' as a deaf person, and
I also know my brother's experience. No one
should tell us who we should be with or shouldn't
be with. It's as simple as that. There should be
no judgment, no attitude toward the community
because we all live the same life. The only difference is who we choose to be with.">> L Word
actor Marlee Matlin, to Lesbian News
"If! think back to when I met Carol, my first impression of her
Cl.
z
1ct that [Beth Ditto]'s
overweight and a lesbian - that's all anyone
Russell, on the other hand, had no doubt that her life would
z:J
turn out well. She knew all she had to do was work hard and have
6
faith in herself and others; it's a lesson she thinks the queer com-
ti
LU
~
munity could stand to learn a little better, as well.
~0
'Tm an optimist but not a cockeyed optimist. Things only
Cl)
work out if you work at them," she said. "I don't think we have
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0
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<t:
I
0
~
...J
::,
a:
"I never came out. I never had to come out. I was
born knowing exactly who I am. As long as I can
remember, I've loved women. I remember hitting
on my babysitters immediately, as soon as I got a
new one. I was thrilled. The first time I ever had an
orgasm, I was watching The Bionic Woman. I just
came. I was 5." >> singer-songwriter Swati, to
EDGE Boston
enough pride in what we have accomplished as a community. We
tend to look at what we haven't accomplished, but we've battled
everything from bigotry to disease. We deserve to give ourselves
some credit:' - HB
June 2007 j 17
curvemag.com
Curvatures
NO POSTAGE
NECESSARY
IF MAILED
INTHE
UNITED STATES
w
BUSINESS REPLY MAIL
FIRST-CLASS MAIL
PERMIT NO 659
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POSTAGE Will BE PAID BY THE ADDRESSEE
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Dollywood, Here
We Come
MarkJune16- 17 on
yourcalendar,
all you
Southerndykes.It's
timefor OUTat the Park
(outatthepark.com),
the
officialqueerdayat
Tennessee's
Dollywood
andDolly'sSplash
Country(because
nothingsaysqueerlike
DollyParton'swater
park).Theannualfestivities,of whichthereare
expectedto betwice
as manythis year,
drawfolksfromaround
the countryto eastern
Tennessee
to play.But
don'tshowup expecting
a circuitparty;it's not
that kindof place,says
Executive
DirectorRyan
Salyer."It's simplya I
fun,all-agessocial
eventfor all members
of the GLBTO
community,alongwith all I
of its friends,families
andsupporters."Further
proofof just how"real"
thesefamiliesarekeeping it?Thehosthotelis
America'sBestValueInn
(abvipf.com).- DAM
11,I,,,,, II, II,,,,, II, I, I, I, I,, 1,,,II, I,,,,, II,, 1,II
safe around:'
Camping.OUT's
and
state-
organizations and
those who can't afford the $525 registration fee can apply for
financial aid through the Generation.OUT
Scholarship Fund.
"We believe youth camps are a wonderful thing. They provide
a space where young people have the opportunity to create their
own world;'Varnum says. This year the Triangle Foundation has
aligned with several national organizations, such as the National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Youth Advocacy
Coalition, so that campers will have an opportunity to speak
with leaders of the LGBT community -
something you can't
get at Girl Scout camp, for sure. - AP
Lesbian Rabbi is First to Lead
Reconstructionist
Jews often feel out on the forefront. Of
the four main movements,
Coalition for the General
which also include Reform,
Welfare, a group addressing
Conservative and Orthodox, the Reconstructionists were the
issues of poverty and wel-
first to perform a teenage girl's Bat Mitzvah, the first to ordain
fare reform.
a female rabbi and the first to ordain gay clergy. Now they lead
While she doesn't think
the pack again, as Rabbi Toba Spitzer was just named head
being a lesbian will neces-
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinic Association, the first openly
sarily affect her job with the
Rabbinic Association, she
er
UJ
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a:
~
UJ
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"I think it shows the growing normalizing of gays and les-
says that if her newfound
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bians in mainstream Jewish life, and soon I would imagine we'll
visibility brings more atten-
a: z
see openly gay and lesbian folks in other positions of leader-
tion to the gay community,
Congregation Dorshei Tzedek in West Newton, Mass.
A Harvard- Radcliffe grad before rabbinical school, Spitzer
then all is good.
"I hope folks see and know that negative messages about
queer folks that they may have heard and experienced in Jewish
was involved in a variety of peace and social justice issues, from
circles should not keep them from finding Jewish community
young people's involvement in grassroots organizing to Israeli-
and living a Jewish life;' Spitzer says. "We are blessed to be
Palestinian co-existence. She went on to lead a human rights
living in America in the 21st century where there are many
places where all Jews can find a home:• - SK
mission to Haiti, and helped found the Philadelphia Interfaith
curve
trained
colleges across the country. This seasonal getaway is funded
ship in the major Jewish movements;' says Spitzer, rabbi of
I
includes
by the Triangle Foundation (tri.org) and individual donations;
gay person, man or woman, to lead such an organization.
16
staff
certified counselors from youth-oriented
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Bonnie Barrett
I
ARTIST, CRAFTER
I
Vintage floral dinner plates sound kind of tacky until you see artist Bonnie Barrett work her magic on them. Barrett hones her craft power with her
weapons of choice -
glue guns, thumbtacks, found postcards and used stamps -
transforming old-school dishware into political art, superimposing
them with images of 1950s domestic living.
"The plates are from a concept I had, wanting to ridicule women's roles in the household;' says Barrett. "I was having fun creating art that juxtaposed
how some women view themselves versus how they are viewed or expected to be in any
given situation:' One example, titled "And a Baby Makes Three;' features a doll, turkey
baster in hand, secured to a retro dinner plate embellished with a baby picture. Not all
her work is so cheeky and politically driven, though. Barrett also designs accessories
from vintage ties, transforming the boring old Father's Day gift into fashionable cuffs
and hip wallets. "As a designer, I am good at putting things together, I see things differently and can pull them together;' she says.
Born in New Jersey and now based in Portland, Ore., Barrett attended Moore College
of Art and Design in Philadelphia and lived in New York City and San Francisco before
retreating to the Pacific Northwest where she designs by day and runs thatbonnieb.com
by night. Although she got her BFA in graphic design, Barrett considers herself a crafter
by nature, taking inspiration from Dadaism, surrealism and funky urban settings.
"I have always been a fan of collage. I spend a lot of time walking around, I find things
and use them;' Barrett says. - Asiana Ponciano
1s
I curve
Curvatures
Casey at the Bat
her family car get repossessed and had never
been outside the country. In fact, her financial
hardships, in part, helped land her the spot
on the trip. "I chose Casey partly because I
thought she would have an interesting perspective, having been ankle-deep in American
poverty as a child;' says Kristof. ''And I was
delighted with my choice, partly because
Casey really did bring something
table that I couldn't -
to the
that contrast between
African poverty and Mississippi poverty:'
But after returning from Africa and witnessing firsthand the hardships the people
there encountered, Parks says it's "hard to talk
about being poor after seeing stuff like chis:'
Despite Parks' unconventional background, Kristof admits he had a few reservations about traveling together before the trip's
beginning. "Frankly, I was a bit worried about
being stuck at close quarters with someone
who hadn't traveled much in difficult places,
Not many aspiring journalists get the opportunity to jumpstart
but Casey was a delight;' says Kristof. "Even when we were held
their careers by traveling with a Pulitzer Prize-winning New York
up at gunpoint, she managed to stay calm and keep her sense
Times columnist to Africa to report on the tragedies that have
of humor:'
befallen the continent's population. Casey Parks, 23, got to do just
Parks was, until recently, contributing editor for the Jackson
that this past September, as the winner of an essay contest spon-
Free Press, the alternative newsweekly in Jackson, Miss. She is
sored by the New York Times and writer Nicholas D. Kristo£
currently finishing her graduate school degree at the University
Parks' essay was chosen from a pool of more than 4,000
of Missouri School of Journalism and interning with The
entries. In the piece, she talks about her poor upbringing, her
Oregonian, an outlet she has long admired. "I try to be pretty
sexuality and her love of literature and journalism. About
level-headed and pretty open-minded about various things, but
reporting on social issues, Parks feels strongly chat"if a journalist
as far as wanting to do stories, certainly I'd rather do stories like
can do a really great job and use that subject to illuminate a larger
the one in Africa chat can make a difference:' Parks feels strongly
problem, I hope people are interested in getting more involved,
about dedicating her career to covering issues with a socially con-
and that's what I'd like to do."
scious theme.
Parks traveled by car with Kristof through some of the most
Parks came out to her parents in college. "I told my parents
poverty-stricken regions in the world, stopping in Equatorial
on Easter Sunday my freshman year of college, in church. At the
Guinea,
and the Central African Republic to
time my mother was really upset, writing me e-mails ~lling me
interview denizens about everything from infant mortality to
Cameroon
I was going to hell;' Parks says. The security department at her
human trafficking. They traveled for 14 days on dirt roads,
school, the University of Mississippi, even sent her tapes and lit-
through dangerous regions plagued by extreme poverty and
erature about how to absolve her sins. This didn't stop Parks,
towns with no running water or electricity. After her return, she
though, from being out and proud."! wrote chis column one time
blogged about their journey for the New York Times as well as for
for the Free Press about being a lesbian and being a Christian. I
MTVU, a multimedia division of MTV.
got letters from people who said, 'Come to my church and you
"I think that Casey's blogging was useful because someone
sparked some hateful reactions, Parks adds that others were sup-
I do;' says Kristof. His objective was to bring someone to Africa
portive. Her sexuality, in fact, may have helped her gain leverage
from a younger generation in the hopes that a fresh voice will
with Kristof' s search. "As a lesbian, I knew what it was like to feel
yield increased visibility for the media-consuming audience back
out of place;' Parks wrote in the winning essay.
read about Africa until they saw her blogging -
she connected
chem to all the problems in Africa in a way that I just couldn't:'
Parks grew up in a poor, rural neighborhood in Mississippi
where there wasn't always food in the refrigerator. She watched
The"LoveThy
Neighbor"scriptureis
becominga hit notjust
with the Jesusset but
with a numberof progressiveorganizations
andlesbianactivists
who'vebegunsporting
a newmessage
T-shirt
that positsthat sacred
sloganwith a number
of differentmodifiers (gay,black,trans,
ChristianandMuslim
amongthem).Thetees
werethe brainchild
of CyndiWileyand
JenniferHall,ownersof
the seven-year-old
St.
Louis-based
designfirm
Studio3B,whoalsorun
the gayChristianpride
Website gaybygod.org.
Topocketyours,goto
love-thy-neighbor.org.
-DAM
can be you:" Though her openness about her sexual identity
like her has so much more credibility among young people than
at home. "I heard from lots of students who said they never really
Passion of
The Tee
About traveling closely with Kristof for two weeks, Parks
says, "I learned so much from him about American things.
Sometimes we'd be traveling for eight hours a day and he's really,
really fearless. He would just say "stop;' and we'd go up to these
huts and just start talking to people:' -
AS
June 2007
I 19
Curvatures
Lesbofile
The Gossip Mill Keeps Churning
Some celebrities just can't seem to stay out of the tabloids. I ByJocelynVoo
The dirty little secrets of Anna Nicole Smith's life
continue to surface, even months after her death.
The 55-Year-Old Virgin
SteveCarellmay have popularized che notion of
the middle-age innocent in the film The 40-YearOld Virgin,but for money guru SuzeOrman,that's
the story of her life. In a February interview in
the New York Times Magazine, Orman came out
publicly to reveal that her relationship with partner Kathy Travis has been "going on seven years.
I have never been with a man in my whole life.
I'm still a 55-year-old virgin:' But, Orman being
Orman, she quickly turned the subject back to
money. Speaking of her roughly $25 million fortune, Orman said, "It's killing me that upon my
death, K.T. is going to lose 50 percent of everything I have to estate taxes. Or vice versa:' Who
says you can't put a price on love:'
Death Becomes Her
Even after death, AnnaNicoleSmithcontinues her
made-for-daytime-TV
bombshell
-
drama. The curvy blonde
known best as Playboy's 1992
Playmate of the Year, widow of 89-year-old oil billionaire J.Howard Marshall at age 26 and spiraling
drug-addled television personality - died in early
February from a drug overdose. As tabloids raced
to interview the survivors of the debacle, Smith's
baby daddy Larry Birkhead,partner HowardK.
Sternand estranged mother, Virgie Arthur, one of
Butchy Britney
It was "a friendly kiss hello to a party guest;'
Smith's other secrets surfaced: a lesbian lover.
Not everyone is hating on BritneySpears'shorn
Simmons' publicist explained the next day. Oh, to
Sandi Powledge told the Houston Chronicle head. Beth Ditto, frontwoman for the Gossip,
reportedly digs a smoothie: "Britney's new haircut
that she and Smith met in a Texas gay bar in 1991,
ultimately falling deeply in love and even having a
makes her look like a butch dyke. I like it. I chink
commitment ceremony. Smith gave Powledge a
I'll her marry her, but I'll have to do it in the U.K.;'
have friends like Kimora ...
Queer Quickie
Roseanneactor SaraGilbertis expecting her second
child with partner and TV writer Allison Adler.
The sperm donor:' Gilbert's not celling.
ring, though Smith decided against wearing a ring
she reportedly said. 'Tm sure K-Fed will send me
herself because it might raise eyebrows, Powledge
lots of hate mail, but I'll use my charms to calm
said. And though Smith soon went on to strip
him down:' Yeah, right. As if Federline would
down for Playboyand began seeing a number of
spring for the 39-cent stamps.
Farewell to an Activist
Barbara Gittings,75, a longtime
Air Kissing
Though not quite officially divorced from
estranged husband and rap mogul Russell
Simmons,6-foot glamazon and Baby Phat
designer KimoraLeeSimmons
wasn't wasting any
time at Cipriani in February. A leggy blond was
seen hanging with Simmons all night, then later
dirty dancing on the bar in front of her, according
to the New York Daily News. Blondie then bent
down for a little mouth-to-mouth with Simmons.
activist, died on Feb. 18. Her partner, KayTobin
men, Smith forbade Powledge from seeing anyone
else. "She told me, Td better not hear music in the
background when I call you: She didn't want me at a
club with my friends when she's going off doing her
thing," Powledge said. Their constant bickering is
what caused the months-old relationship to bottom
out, she said, but she still seemed to harbor some
affinity for her forgotten love: "She was just hungry
for love, hungry for approval - just like a bucket
with a hole in the bottom;' Powledge said. A hole
that, in so many ways, Powledge just couldn't fill.
20
I
curve
gay rights
Lahusen,
said the cause was breast cancer. Of her
many contributions, Gittings, known as a pioneer
of lesbian rights, founded the New York chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis, the first national
organization for lesbians, in the late '50s, and
she was the driving force behind the American
Library Association's Gay Task Force, now known
as the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered
Round Table. ■
fb..com/r nb
W'"
Cont~ct R FamilyVacations.com
American Airlines Discount Star Nto
get your
umber.
DESTINATION
DEPARTING
7/7/07
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R11 SummerAdventureCruise
11
FU FORTHEWHOLEFAMILYWHATEVER
YOURIDEAOF FUN AND FAMILYIS!
I
Curvatures
Girls Still Wanna Have Fun
Musicians Erasure, Debbie Harry and the
Gossip will join '80s icon Cyndi Lauper
on June 8 at the Las Vegas MGM Grand
Garden Arena to kick off the 15-city True
Colors Tour, a nationwide tour benefiting
the Human
Rights Campaign. Lauper,
motivated by an urge to give back to her
queer fans, decided to rally her musical pals
together to fight for LGBT rights while
value
American Express
branded award card
when you
buy a set
of four eligible*
Bridgestone tires.
rocking thousands of fans across the country. Hosted by queer comedian Margaret
Cho, this musical extravaganza will donate
$1 from every ticket sold to the Human
Rights Campaign. - AP
Meyerson Takes Top Honors
Few lesbians in Los Angeles have never heard
Meyers is getting kudos for her leadership. She's
of Andrea Meyerson. Producer of several docu-
the first out lesbian honored by the YWCA San
mentaries including Laughing Matters and Kate
Gabriel Valley Women of Achievement award,
Anniversary
after being nominated by producer
Tour and founder of the L.A.
Dee Jay Cox and L.A. mayor's senior
Women's Fest and Women
advisor Tori Osborn. Meyers picks
on a Roll (one of the coun -
up her award at the 23rd annual
cry's largest grassroots les-
Women
bian social organizations),
(ywcasgv.org) at the Pacific Palms
Meyerson is known as much
Resort in City of Industry, Cali£
Clinton: 25th
Gala
on June 1, at an event hosted by
her famous friends (every-
NBC anchor Beverly White and co-
one from Melissa Etheridge
coordinated
to Roseanne
CEO of Helping Heroes. - DAM
Barr). Now
Apparently we're not the only ones who
love the gay detective Donald Strachey. The
National
Association
in Communications
for Multi-Ethnicity
nominated
Shock to
the System: A Donald Strachey Mystery for a
Vision Award in the original movie category.
An original series from LG BT television
network here!, the Donald Strachey mysteries follow openly gay actor Chad Allen as
openly gay PI Donald Scrachey as he tries
to solve murders chat often involve guessed it -
you
more queer folks. In Shock,
the second installment
of the series, the
shamus goes undercover at a clinic for gay
conversion therapy.Two more Scrachey mysteries are due later this year. - AP
Toseea videotrailerof Shockto theSystem,goto heretv.com
I curve
Achievement
for her parties as she is for
Kudos to Sexy Gay Shamus
22
of
with Michelle Bart,
Curvatures
Steppin' Out for Pride
Golden Crown
Literary Festival
A handfulof newboard
members
were
announced
for theGolden
CrownLiterarySociety
(goldencrown.org),
hosts
of the annualcelebrationof modernlesbian
fictionthatdrawslit lovers
fromaroundtheworldto
AtlantafromJune7-10.
ThenewGCLS
board
Just across the Bay Bridge from the original San Francisco Dyke
of directorsincludes
March, a group of strong-willed women decided five years ago
authorsLynnAmesand
chat they had reason to spread the love eastward. The result
LoriL.Lake(above),
publishers
LenBarot was Siscahs Sceppin' in Pride, an annual festival in Oakland,
(president
of Bold Cali£, chat occurs chis year on Aug. 26. Organized primarily
Strokes),
LindaHill(CEO by women of color, Sistahs Steppin' celebrates the multiculof BellaBooks),
Cathy tural haven of the East Bay, especially when compared to larger
LeNoir(president
of Pride events which increasingly feature corporate sponsors and
RegalCrestEnterprises), tend to, say critics, de-emphasize the cultural diversity of the
Webdeveloper
Katherine dyke community.
Smith(ownerof ByteSize
"Oakland has the largest lesbian community in the
Media),bookcriticCheri
nation. That's based on the census;' says Sistahs' founder
Rosenberg
andevents
Peggy Moore. "le was never the intention for the event to
managerPattySchramm.
increase the visibility of women of color. It was just that, as
-DAM
Formore
aboutthese
enterprising
broads
anda rundown
onthe
awardwinnersfrom
GCLC,
seecurvemag
.comnextmonth.
ipate;' says Stage Coordinator Shalonda Ingram. "We also have
a children's area, so moms can bring their children. Those are
things that I think contribute to the visibility of women. That
people can come out and feel like they can, and don't have to
worry about getting a babysitter or what have you:'
In addition to providing a place for East Bay dykes to
socialize (and eat fried catfish), Sistahs Steppin' creates a space
for lesbian artists to showcase their talents -
and Oakland,
too oft overshadowed by San Francisco, brags some talented
ladies who aren't just messing around on the weekends. From
women of color, we know who lives here. And we needed to
create space for us. The truth is chat most festivals like chis,
they usually start with white women. And then later it's like,
'Oh, we gotta diversify: I chink that because we are women
of color that started this, we eliminated that afterthought
process ... [which was] beginning to drive me crazy:'
Sistahs Steppin' features a drum corps led by coordinator Afia Walking Tree, and the numbers of women
joining in to drum or simply march alongside the Corps has
increased steadily over the past five years. "It never crossed
our minds not to have drums;' says Moore with a laugh.
"Drums are a call, they tap into so many things. It's such a
FormorePrideeventsforwomenofcolor,visitcurvemag.com
foundation of so many communities of color:'
Organizers also work to make the event intergenerational so
all-female martial arts group Hand to Hand to female MCs the
the end result feels like a big family reunion in the park (except
Mamaz, the entertainment at the Sistahs Steppin' stage shows
with lots of hot women).
what so many Bay Area artists already know: the East Bay is
"We don't have any liquor on site, so that also supports
abuzz with creativity and queers ready to celebrate. Sistahs
women that are in recovery. It makes it easier for them to partic-
Steppin' is a celebration that brings pride back to its roots: com-
CURVATURES
WRITTEN
BY
AllisonSteinberg,
AsianaPonciano,
NicoleMakris,Heather
Boerner,
DianeAnderson-Minshall
andSherylKay
24
Icurve
munity, camaraderie and ladies that can do about anything (and
look hella good doing it). But, says Moore, you don't have to live
in California to join this party; why not just start your own?
"If you really bring forth the people in the community around
you, you can just make things happen;' she says. - NM
OnlY-inSan Francisco:
SAN f:RANCISCO CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
You'll have so many new stories to tell, you'll need proof. !=ind out what's new in SI= at onlyinsanfrancisco.com/gaytravel
~
AMTRAK"
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"1J
Curvatures
Where the Girls Are
Let's face it: despite the dreams and delusions of
many a Hollywood type, most women don't actually catch their big break by dancing in a cage.
Then again, Chris Chappon's not "most" women.
1
Chappan is the creative and business mastermind
behind Girl4GIRL, Seattle's wildly successful dance
The Verdict on
Britney Spears I party for women. But it wasn't always this way.
When Girl4GIRL first started as a series of
Betweenthe newtats house parties and small circuit dances, Chappan
andthe shavedhead,
was just another grateful lesbian who attended
everyone's
favorite
regularly and danced wildly. She was working a
Mouseketeer-turnedhigh-stress 9 to 5 at a major software company
tabloidqueenis looking
moreandmorelikethat and used the parties as a way to blow off steam
cutegenericbutchgirl and connect with other Seattle dykes.
"I spent 12 years climbing the corporate ladwe keeprunningintoat
the locallesbianbar.We der;' Chappan explains, "watching my life fly by.
askedour readerswhat I needed an outlet and Girl4GIRL events were
theythoughtof Brit's it:' Slowly, the events became less of a casual
transformation: pastime and more of a lifestyle, and Girl4GIRL
So,doesthe shaved founder Michelle Waye noticed. Waye eventually
headmeanshe's enlisted Chappon's seductive skills into the aforetotallygay,or what?
mentioned cage, enticing other women onto the
Forsure.Eversincethe
dance floor. Chappan was hooked, and officially
Madonnakiss,I knew
she'djoin ourteam! adopted her new mantra: "corporate by day, freak
6% by night:' By the time Waye decided it was time
Nah,it's a publicity to move on to other projects, Chappan was a
stunt.Canwe say dedicated regular who not only chose her dancdykesploitation? ing outfits a month in advance, but developed her
21% own vision for a bigger, flashier Girl4GIRL.
Whoknows?The'do
The move was a no-brainer, but not necesdoesn'tmakethe dyke. sarily easy on Chappan: "The transition from
22%
guaranteed paychecks and medical insurance to a
Whocares?
complete risk-taking club promoter job was very
.
51%
difficult in the beginning. I knew I always wanted
OK,so it doesn'tmake I
hergay,butdoesit to be my own boss. I knew how much I loved
makeherhotter? I the events, even as I got older while the crowd got younger.
Yes.Shemakesa I knew I wanted to ... use every single skill I acquired in the
greatbutch. corporate world to fascinate the entertainment world. Ta da!
9% I It happened:' Indeed it did, but not without some sacrifice on
No.Sheshouldhave Chappon's part: She has downsized into a small rental house
stuckwith the long she shares with her partner of five years (whom she met at a
blondlocks. Girl4GIRL event), her twin sister, her year-old nephew and
23% their two dogs. She frequently works 10- to 12-hour days at
She'shotterthesedays, I
a desk in her nephew's nursery, drives an old car and taunts
but it's notthe shaved
herself with the motivating reality behind Girl4GIRL: "It's
headso muchasthe
psychoticism
that hard enough to please one woman ... let alone 1,000!" Don't
turnsmeon. we know it. Yet, somehow, the job gets done gracefully month
6% after month.
Whatever the sacrifice, Chappo n's formula seems to be workThere'snothingBritney
coulddothat would ing. Sinceshetookholdof thereignsinearly2004,Girl4GIRLhas
makeherattractive exploded into Seattle's largest and hottest monthly dance party,
to me.Next!
62%
Togetinonthegirlieaction,seegirl4girlseattle.com
I
26
I curve
sometimes attracting as many as 1,000 women from Washington,
Oregon and even northern California.
But it's not just the
bikini-dad bodies, the "bisexual couch" and the promise of frequent hook-ups that keep the girls coming back. Chappan has
developed a reputation for bringing together good old-fashioned
hedonism and contemporary liberal activism, hosting fundraising events for groups including the Susan G. Kamen Breast
Cancer Foundation, the Human Rights Campaign, the Lifelong
AIDS Alliance and the Seattle LGBT Community Center. She
pulls out all the stops for these philanthropic events, booking
local acts aplenty as well as nationally-known artists like Goddes and Salt-n-Pepa's Spinderella. Girl4GIRL has raised thousands of dollars at their annual Rock Against Cancer benefits,
and even partnered up with Harley Davidson to create a custom
pink hog to be raffled at the Kamen Foundation benefit show.
Furthering her commitment
to Seattle's lesbian popula-
tion and feminist politics, Chappan
men at Girl4GIRL
limits the number of
events to just 10, charges them double
Curvatures
of Girl4GIRL. I have no
problem turning away
men at the door. I'd rather upset one man than
upset the hundreds of
women, which is what the
events are all about! You
could say I'm a 'feminazi'
on Girl4GIRL nights:'
Girl4GIRL is a labor
of love to the perpetually-swamped Chappan,
a self-described"trauma magnet" who has been a cheerleader, a ranch hand, a
prom queen and, wait for it, a member of a professional gay clogging troupe.
So at the end of the day, is all the work worth it? At February's Girl4GIRL,
two women from San Diego who were in town on business attended. One
proposed to the other in front of the whole crowd. "The crowd erupted
the normal $10 cover and requires every man be accompanied by a wom-
[when she accepted) and they kissed and all of us were floating on air;' says
an -
Chapp on." It was definitely a highlight in my career to be asked by a complete
a rule any dyke can't help but love. While it might irk the guys who
show up too late to get in, Chappan stands firmly behind her policy, simply
stranger to be involved with such a personal and life-changing experience!
explaining, "I am in business to provide for the community and to bring wom-
My photographer took photos of the proposal and they've invited me to the
en together. While numbers through the door are important, I'm a loyal and
wedding in San Diego. I'm forever blessed now:'
dedicated individual who believes in honesty and commitment to the vision
I'll take that as a yes. - Lily-RyghGlen
"Hidden Lake is a diverse and peaceful! living
environment where I can live, laugh and love
the one I want"
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ca.mping • hiking • ka.ya.king• hors•ha.ck riding • ca.no•ing • fishing
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• 256.634.1134
June 2007 \ 27
For those of you who couldn't make it to our L Word Meet Papi Party at the Bel Age Hotel
in West Hollywood last March, we've devoted our entire Scene section to the lovely lasses
at the event. 1 Margaret Cho shows her support alongside Sacramento's Kings of Drag
2 Double the fun as Janina Gavankar, aka Papi from the L Word, poses in front of our
March cover 3 Some sexy attendees 4 Girls adored the party favors supplied by Babeland 5
Dana Dane of Erocktavision (left) works on Work Out's Mimi 6 Watch out Pussycat Dolls:
the Pin Up Girls burlesque troupe gets our hearts beating faster
Allphotography
byElisaShebaro
(elisashebaro.com)
7 DJ Triple X (left) puts the spin on
CURVE
1
s L Word party, along with her
trusty assistant 8 Supersexy Diamond Daggers burlesque performer Jukie
Sunshine (aka San Francisco's Pussy Flambe) wowed everyone in the room
9 Everyone's a celebrity in LA. One lucky volunteer gets cozy with "Downtown
Donna" Merlino 10 Bloodrayne scribe Guinevere Turner (center) flanked by
two of her many adoring fans 11 Honey Labrador (right) with one partygoer
proudly sporting her very unique Babeland merchandise 12 Tattooed and oh
so cute partygoers strike a pose 13 The evenings emcee and host was freakin'
hilarious lesbian comic Sabrina Matthews (whose must-see one-chick stand up
is on constant rotation on Comedy Central)
June 2007
I29
Advice
Ask Fairy Butch
S . h. rr
ei~ti~:~;~WltC tng .learns
sHouLo
j
Soyouandyourlover
Dear Fairy Butch: How do I deal with the fact that the
arenomore- do
girl I was with for more than two years, my first true
youmakea clean
love, has somehow made the switch back to the othbreak,ditchher
numberandsellher
er side? Should I feel inferior because she has found
stuffoneBay,or
in a man what she could never find in me? Or should
try beingfriends? I be happy about the fact that it's not another lesbian
cuRvEinterns,ever she's left me for? - Left for a Man in Manchester
theexpertson
lesbianrelationships,
Dear Left: Well, hon, I could just send you off with a cursory
weighin:
"you should feel the way you feel;' but this is a sentiment that
crops up far too often around the Fairy Butch Dynasty to send
Whynot? Well,
you packing with a lollipop and a curt aphorism. That said, I
of coursethereare
can't tell you how to feel, lamb chop.
exceptions
to the rule.
Proviso in hand, let's dance. I think you might feel parI canthinkof fourof my
exesthatwouldnotbe
ticularly hurt when your lover leaves you for a man for a few
greatfor anytype
reasons. First of all, she is going into a normative relationship,
of relationship. complete with the societal and familial approval that dyke relaOtherwise,
if myex
tionships often lack. Secondly, it can be hard to imagine an ex
andI still havea great
with a man because his body is different from your own. The
timeasfriends,without
penis gets a lot of primacy in this culture, and it's easy to feel
benefits,I don'tsee
jealous if you don't have one and her latest is sporting one of his
whyI shouldtoss
very own. Finally, some women seem to spend time in the dyke
themto the curb.
-Jaime Roca world only to later settle down and raise a family, white picket
Aftera few years,
maybe.Maybeneverif
it's the kindof exyou
can'thelpbutsleepwith
if she'sanywherenear
you.-Azania Baker
It dependson whether
youstill haveromantic
feelingsfor her.I think
the decisionis just that
simple:a yesor a no.
Andthenthe answer
followsfromthere.
- LesleySeacrist
from
any
such
loss. It's Surviving
the Loss of a Love, by
Melba Colgrove and
Harold
Bloomfield.
Also, if she's willing, you
may want to try couples' counseling, to
bring some closure and transition to a friendship, my dear.
Dear Fairy Butch: This weekend, the love of my life
and I decided that she could squeeze herself in a
little deeper while penetrating me. Though I was
incredibly pleased, I couldn't come, even though
she constantly turns me on and puts me on
the verge with just a glance. This time was
unsuccessful, and I was pretty upset and freaked
out afterward. I have absolutely consensual sex
and love with my sweetie, but this time, I got the
same sensation as after being raped. We are no
shrinking violets and have had our share of big
dildos and regular strap-on sex. Why was fisting so
different? - Confusedin Columbia
fence and all, with someone brandishing a Y chromosome. This
Dear Confused:Well, sugar plum, your Uncle Fairy's no
can cause their dyke exes to feel used, as if they were part of an
doctor, but I think it may be possible that you've unearthed a
early adult learning experience or some such malarkey.
sexual trigger. That is, you may have stumbled upon a sexual
Of course, she might just be bisexual and has found herself
act or sensation that has taken you back to a place -
perhaps
a better fit with her new partner. Likewise, if your lover leaves
unconscious and buried away, perhaps not -
you for another woman, you have to face that she has left for
you consternation, to say the least. Staci Haines, author of The
none of these aforementioned reasons and that there was just
Survivor's Guide to Sex, offers this description in an earlier in-
something that wasn't working for her in your relationship.
terview with
The great thing about her leaving you for a man rather than
tions or acts, smells, or something a lover says. When some-
for another lesbian is that the lesbian world is your oyster. You
thing triggers, the past rushes into the present and the person
won't have to worry about seeing the ex and her new partner at
can't tell the difference between the two:'
CURVE:
that has caused
"[Triggers are] anything -
sexual posi-
the neighborhood lesbian tavern or dodging them at Gay Skate
Why fisting as a trigger, when you've enjoyed trigger-free,
night down at the local rink! Go out there and get 'em, slugger.
hard-core penetration before? Well, fisting is indeed one spicy
meatball, my dear. There's little like the feeling of completely
Dear Fairy Butch: I was recently been dumped
by my wife of three years for no apparent reason.
She wants to start a friendship, which she says we
never had. How do I stop feeling the strong feelings that I'm having for her and just be her friend?
- Puzzled in Plains
enveloping an entire fist in your vagina, causing constant firm
stimulation of your G-spot while having your cervix pounded.
This intense physical stimulus might have been just the thing
to connect you back to your rape. It's important you know that
you can experience any kind of sex you desire, that you can
push through the triggers if you want to, and that you can make
empowered decisions around your sexuality.
Dear Puzzled: Honey, give it some time. I know that it's dif-
book and S.I.R. Video's Healing Sex: The Complete Guide
you're going to have an awful time standing by yourself on the
to Sexual Wholeness. If you need more help, don't hesitate
dance floor. You have the right to not be her friend, but if you
to contact a sex-positive counselor or group that deals with
sexual survivors. ■
do want to, I would advise you to give it some time. For now, try
to focus on some other friends, hobbies, exercise -
all those
things we do to heal. Speaking of which, I have an excellent
book to recommend to you, which is good for those suffering
30
I curve
Where to? I suggest you check Haines' aforementioned
ficult, but romance takes two to tango, and if she's not stepping,
0
:r:
E-mail Jb@fairybutch.com with your queries regarding lesbian life,
sexuality and romance.
0
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I
a.
Lipstick & Dipstick
Advice
Don't Play Games
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: This girl I really
likad broke it off with me, so in a pissedoff rage I went to the first guy I saw. When
she saw us together, she was outraged. But
why? She broke it off with me. I wanted to
get a reaction out of her because maybe
that would mean she still cared. Well, she
reacted, but now she won't even talk to me.
I know I was stupid. How can I get her to
forgive me? - Moody in Monterey
feelings for each other. She freaked out.
Then later, she settled down and told me
that she doesn't care if Dawn and I date,
but she will be hurt by it. I know it isn't true;
I know the minute Dawn and I start dating,
Tasha won't be my friend anymore. Tasha
and I continue to fight over everything, and
I really miss Dawn. What am I supposed to
do? - Dying to Be With Dawn
Dipstick: Oh sister, what were you thinking:'
broken up:' That makes a difference. If it's been over
Lipstick: Little critter, how long have they been
a year, and if Tasha said it is OK -
Lipstick: No kidding. If there's one thing that bugs
me more than dykes who play games, it's when they
involve a penis and they' re doing it to get a rise, so
to speak, out of an ex-lover. It backfires every time.
MM, I'm afraid you've shot your wad, and now it's
time to just move on. While you're waiting by the
phone for your scorned lover to return your calls,
she's grilling her friends about why they ever let her
date your immature ass.
being passive aggressive about it -
even if she's
then it's open
season. Bag the babe.
out. Eventually; my leg calmed down and things got
back to normal. Sure would have been a shame if I'd
cut the darn thing off.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: My girlfriend
recently cheated, then broke up with me
on our seven-month anniversary, yet there
are still times when she calls and pleads
for me to take her back. Then in the next
breath, she claims she's very much in love
with her new girlfriend. I hate to admit it,
but I think I still love her. She's hurt me so
much, but I just can't move on. How can I
make these feelings go away? - Losing It
in Las Vegas
Dipstick: Let me get this straight: You've known
Lipstick: Out of sight, out of mind -
this girl for three months, and she's your BFF. You'll
only way you're going to push this toxic woman our
do anything for her, even give up a chance for true
of your life. Change your phone number, block her
love -
while
e-mail and steer clear, no matter how bad you want
you get a lot of bitterness, insecure nonsense and
her back. If you lee this continue, she'll do it again,
the evil eye in return:' Explain to me again why
and again, and again until you've got your very own
Tasha's feelings are more important than yours. If
room at the Loony Bin Inn.
or at least a few nights of hot sex -
Dipstick: Yep, you're going to have to chalk this up
to a lesson learned, Moody Blues. We've all done
stupid things.
you think you can find happiness with Dawn, then
Lipstick: Some of us more than others. Dip, I'm
thinking Fort Lauderdale, 1990.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I'm in a longdistance relationship with an amazing girl.
We've been together for a year. This girl is
so perfect, and I love her so much that I'm
considering spending the rest of my life with
her. The catch: She's my first serious girlfriend. I've had flings before and some short
relationships, but none as intense as this
one. Part of me feels like I would be happy
and satisfied spending my life with her. The
other part thinks I need to fool around more,
that I want to try picking up girls, one-night
stands, love, lies, just nothingness. I feel as
if I skipped a step, even though I skipped
right to the good part. What to do? - Hot
and Bothered in Bethesda
that's the
by all means, have at her. If Tasha is a true friend,
Dipstick: Move on. Replace the unhealthy dynamic
she'll come around eventually.
with something constructive. Surround yourself
with positive friends, the kind that'll bank you on
Dipstick: Thanks for reminding me, Lip. I once
went on spring break with my ex-lover and her new
girlfriend. While I sat up late in the beach house
drinking beer and watching ESPN, they were making up their own sports in the bedroom. What was
I thinking:' That somehow the hot sunsets and cool
sand would make her suddenly want me back when
she was busy scoring with the captain of the hockey
team:' It was a lesson learned the hard way; like a
puck in the eye. You can't undo what you did, but
you can learn from your mistake.
0
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I
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:i: :i:
a.
0...
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I moved to a
new town a few months ago. The first girl
I met was Tasha. We quickly became best
friends, and now we do everything together.
Recently, I started hanging out with Tasha's
ex-girlfriend, Dawn. Over time, Dawn and
I developed romantic feelings for each
other. The first thought that came to mind
was, "Tasha's my best friend, I can't do
this!" So, I told Tasha that Dawn and I had
the head every time you mention her name. ■
Ask us anything about sex, love or lesbiansat lipstick
dipstick.com.
Dipstick: Hand B, you've already played the field,
so you know what that's like. If you think chis girl
could be the one, my vote is to stay put and see if
these feelings get any stronger.
Lipstick: I've been there. Turns out it was just
restless leg syndrome. What you need to do, H and
B, is just what Dipstick said: Sit tight and wait it
June 2007
I31
I
Advice! Relationships
Planning the First Date
You only get one chance to make a first impression. Don't screw it up. I By Kate Lacey
The goal of any first date is to get a second date.
She might think you're confusing her with a cheap
CHUCK
E.CHEESE
As we know, this is a mere baby step away from
call girl, and if she easily goes along with this plan,
If you're a mother, you'll want to date someone
the lesbian wedding of your dreams. Don't forget:
you would be wise to lock up your valuables.
who loves kids -
mantra of your real estate agent, but also the key
factor of any first date. If you ever want to make it
to a second one, avoid these locations:
YOURBEDROOM
Beginning the date by whisking her immediately
into the bedroom might give the impression that
she should be asking you for a major credit card for
services to be rendered. Now, of course, the goal of
any date can be to get beneath the sheets, if you're
that kind of girl; however, your new friend won't
be impressed with simply being your booty call.
but even if your love inter-
est is the lesbian Mr. Rogers, you'll be pushing
location, location, location. It's not only the
Whiskingher immediately
the limits by taking her to your 4-year-old son's
intothe bedroommight
not going to get to know her better in the chaotic
givethe impressionthat
screaming children is not romantic, and it's no way
she shouldbe askingyou
birthday party with 16 of his toddler pals. You are
melee of the ball pit. Wrangling pizza-smeared,
to get your Elmo tickled after the kids are in bed.
THEGYM
for a majorcreditcard for
The gym is a prime pickup locale. All that
servicesto be rendered.
future activities that involve fewer pieces of
sweating and grunting can be very suggestive of
clothing and perhaps less equipment. However,
competing on a first date is a disaster. First, you're
walking on adjoining treadmills. The next thing
you know, you're trying to match her speed in
order not to appear outdone. The race is on. You'll
be sprinting to keep up, even though you haven't
moved that quickly since prom night. This date
will end up with you sucking face with a burly
EMT named Bubba.
A STEAKHOUSE
Going out to eat on the first date has worked
since the days of being denied a table in an
exclusive cave by a snotty, missing-link maitre d:
Choose your restaurant with care. If your date is
vegan -
this is the lesbian world, after all -
and
you take her to a steakhouse, you may be seen as
insensitive. What you see as your "bring it so rare
that it's mooing" entree is, to her, beloved Elsie at
the slaughter. Similarly, the buy-one-get-one-free
night at Denny's may give her the idea that you're
cheap and that she's not worth paying the full five
bucks for a Grand Slam breakfast. Picking the
wrong restaurant is no way to get to dessert.
THEFAMILY
FUNCTION
It hardly needs saying. Then again, you never
know: A first date anywhere that involves your
family is a bad, bad idea. Your family reunion, for
example, will overwhelm her, especially when your
mother grabs your first date in a crippling hug,
breaks into tears and says, "Finally!" Conceal your
dysfunctional family for as long as possible; your
date may believe the apple doesn't fall too far from
the tree, leaving many concussions in its wake. ■
32
J
curve
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Astra Grrl Advice
Is Summer Lovin' in the Stars?
Career:
Keep an eye on business associates, lest they get the upper
hand in a heated negotiation. Balance is everything, but sometimes
you have to stack the scale.
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
Sex:You heat up the gossip mill with some salty, unsubstantiated
rumor. Nothing like juicing up your own press, Scorp! Career:
They absolutely love you at work this June. You can do no wrong.
Do they have you confused with someone else2
Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 22)
Sex:Archers find true love in some far corner of the world. Don't
sit at home waiting for the phone to ring. Married? Time for a
second honeymoon. Career:
You're having too much fun to even
think of working hard this June. So what else is new2
Capricorn (Dec. 23-Jan. 20)
Sex:Even if you don't feel especially motivated, it's time to get
earthy this June. The atmosphere is right and the lady is waiting.
So where are you2 Career:Are you thinking of starting a home
$1
business? Well, stop thinking and start doing! Pretty soon you
can literally phone it in.
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Sex:When it comes to love, you can talk the talk, but can you
walk the walk2 Hmm, maybe you should just lie back instead.
Career:Are you stuck in a situation? Gal pals can help you
out of a professional jam. Good - you are a tree shaker, not a
jelly maker.
$1
Cancer (June 22-July 23)
Sex:Crabs can enjoy the cream of the social crop this June.
Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19)
Sex:Relationships seem to go especially well this June. Everything
is in harmony and balance, for a change. Be nice and supportive to
partners. ByJuly, you may go back to chasing the dust bunnies for
fun. Career:Bold moves can create new opportunities for you at
work, but be sure that you don't bite off more than you can chew
professionally. More than a mouthful is wasted.
e
lus
nless
to
Unfortunately, it all goes back to normal by July. Live it up while
Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20)
Sex:June brings you a light office flirtation. Will she be the same
you can. Career:Something or someone sets a fire under your
as April or May2 No. She will be much hotter! Enjoy the fun
,.
career and you cook on all four burners. Are you ready to make
through the summer. Career:
Don't slack off this June. Money and
a stir2 Ouch!
prestige only come to you through hard work, focus and perseverance. How nice is that2
club
ttems
lUr
your
ne
10W
,ping
1oks
etum
1ptat
rou'II
ed.
off
Bring on the dancing girls, and don't forget to tip generously!
When it
comesto
love,you
can talk the
talk, but can
you walk
the walk,
Gemini?
Hmm,
maybeyou
shouldjust
lie back
instead.
Leo (July 24-August 23)
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Sex:Lionesses cannot be caged in.Travel in June and explore breathtaking frontiers and majestic mountains. Anyone we know2 Career: Sex:Have fun in the sun this June. And if it rains, have fun in the
rain. Either way, you'll be hot and wet. Career:
Lambda Rams can
Your career boldly revives toward the end of the month. Conserve
your energies: Be cool, be calm and collect your paycheck.
rely on their sparky personalities to get ahead professionally now.
Increase the voltage and electrify upper management.
)
up
Virgo (August 24-Sept. 23)
Sex:Even though you attract a bevy of admirers, you have a
psychic sense about someone in particular. How particular will
you be, though? Career:
Queer Virgins can sleep their way to the
top if they so choose this June. Try not to snore, though; it's not
what will get you that promotion.
in
sent
ther
r's
ing
d no
1m
Jing .J
added.JlJ.J
a
k of
Libra (Sept. 24-Oct. 23}
1tted. 02
illus- 0
Sex:Platonic relationships can morph into something a bit more
C/J
<(
..., romantic wben you least expect it. Okay, so you sort of expect it ...
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Sex:Lock the door and cuddle with your cutie all through June.
Sapphic Bulls seeking like-minded ladies can meet, greet and
sweep them off their feet now. What are you waiting for2 Career:
You intuitively know what the bosses want. But will you give it to
them2 It's totally your call. ■
For more advice from the stars, visit our astrologer,Charlene
Lichtenstein,onlineat thestarryeye.com
.
June 2007
I
33
Dyke Drama
Michele Fisher
Relationship or a Coma:
Maybe things aren't bad per se, but they -
B
hey, wake up!
eing bored with a girl is way worse than hating her guts. In the movies,
agree that one has begun. A couple of gals might see 10 movies together
the girl whom you're not really in love with quickly and quietly fades
and sleep together a bunch of times before they start talking about their
away once your true love enters the picture.
In real life, you'll spend somewhere between two weeks and 20 years
working up the nerve to tell your girl that you're just not feeling it anymore.
And in real life, she doesn't take it well. She gets mad and hurt and lets you
situation as a "relationship:' Or they might just decide that it's been fun, but
now it's time to see a movie with someone new.
And, by the way, if it wasn't a relationship, then there isn't a breakup. She isn't an ex-girlfriend, but rather just a woman that you are not
know just how angry and pained she is, and then she tells all of her friends
seeing anymore. Your first step in avoiding boring relationships is to stop
how horrible you are. Then you have to make all new friends.
identifying every woman you have brushed up against in an elevator as
No wonder we stay in boring relationships. We linger in unhealthy rela-
an ex-lover.
tionships because they are exciting. We stay in boring relationships because
Time is precious to us dykes. A woman will hardly ever complain
there's nothing really wrong and we feel guilty about wanting to get out of
about the money an ex has cost her but will surelylament the waste of her
a situation that is not horrible. Relationships that are dull to both parties
time, no matter how short. I remember seeing a documentary
are the most difficult to escape; neither woman wants to be the bad one, so
philosophy class about a scientist going to his last day of work at the univer-
both settle for being bored.
If getting out of boring relationships is so difficult for us, then logically,
film in a
sity where he had been employed for the past 50 years. His steps were slow
and heavy, his speech labored, so I was thinking that it's about time that this
the smartest course of action is to avoid getting into them in the first place.
old guy retires. I was sure that the filmmaker was telling us to retire before we
A relationship does not begin on the second date. A first date, contrary to
grew too old to do anything fun. Then you realize that this is no retirement
the old lesbian cliche, is not the thing you do the night before you move in
party. The man is quitting because the hypothesis he's worked on for
together. It doesn't even need to be called a relationship until both parties
50 years has been proven incorrect by another scientist. As he shuffles
through his laboratory, tossing papers into boxes
and turning off complicated-looking
machines,
you are left to wonder what it feels like to have
devoted half a century to an incorrect assumption. That, in a nutshell, is how the average
lesbian acts when she leaves an unsatisfactory romantic situation chat lasted more than a
few hours.
But then again, she is willing to spend years
in a snooze of a relationship with someone just
so she doesn't have to think she wasted her time
all along. Come again:'
Dating is not a waste of time. Nor is it
drudgery designed to make you feel inadequate
and/ or lonely. Dating is supposed to be fun. You
get to hear all kinds of stories, eat at different restaurants and see lots of women naked.
And that's another thing: Seeing someone
naked does not mean you are in a relationship.
You have to be careful about what you say to
women you are dating. Maybe you think that
you have to be committed to someone spiritually
before you sleep with them, but save that useless
tidbit for the chat rooms. You might meet a girl
you just want to know carnally, and you don't
want to ruin a night of passion by following it up
with a totally inappropriate relationship.
Sex is success, ladies! It doesn't have to lead
...
to a relationship, it doesn't even have to lead to
breakfast. It can be just sex, which is a productive use of your time and energy. Decide what it
34
I
curve
means after you have it. You can't trust a horny brain anyway.
everybody else is fair game. We have spent a lot of time in these pages
If you want to stay out of mind- and soul-numbing
discussing computer dating options, so don't limit yourself to women in
situations, stop
acting like every woman you meet is the last woman on Earth. I know that
the flesh.
only 10 percent of the world is gay and half of those are gay men, but that
Let's get rid of the concept of failure when it comes to meeting people.
is still about a gazillion women, so relax. Unless you live on a small South
Just because it's not an instant love connection doesn't mean we should toss
Pacific island in a village of people who are waiting for some American pilot
a dyke on the scrap heap. She might just have something valuable to teach
named Frum to rescue their souls. In that case, then do cling on to any
us, like how not to trust instant love connections.
woman you find, no matter how ill-suited she is to you. To those of you on
There are bad dates, which make you appreciate your own situation, no
larger land masses, you really must take your time, meet many women and
matter how pathetic, and provide lots to talk about on good dates. I have
have faith that there are plenty more where the last few came from.
been on a couple of really scary dates that made me glad to be alive after
Spending your life with one woman is only admirable if it is the right
woman. Look for her and wait for her.
should have been filmed for a reality show, but I do not consider even those
No, it is not hard to meet women. It is hard to meet women at bars
because all we do is stand around and stare at each other. By the time
we are drunk enough to work up the nerve to talk to someone, she can't
understand
I made it home safe. I have even had crazy dates that made me feel like I
our slurred speech. There are women everywhere you go. Don't
wait until you are at the dyke bookstore or at the organic section of your
experiences a failure. As for how these women felt about me, I can only
hope that I was bad or scary. Anything but a drag.
A narrow definition
of success will impede your enjoyment
of life.
Waiting until life is perfect to grab some happiness is dull and makes for
long dry spells.
supermarket to start looking. Playing it safe is a great way to die of boredom.
If you want to stay out of boring relationships, then quit being a bore. It
Take advantage of the randomness of life. That woman pumping gas in the
really is that simple. You have to work for love in this life. You might just get
next car over might have a gay sister who just broke up with her lover and is
sex, a laugh or a hard-learned
going to a party tonight with her totally cute and single friend. Remember,
better than a yawn. Get out there and take some chances, change the way
lesbos are 5 percent of the population.
you think about dating. Do you want a long ride or a satisfying one?
That's a lot of women, so make
it a smaller world by making as many connections
girls wearing wedding rings or law-enforcement
as you can. Skip the
monitoring bracelets, but
lesson instead, but all of those things are a lot
Spending eternity with a woman is not so splendid if it is all done
on Earth. ■
June 2007
I 35
Politics
VictoriaA. Brownworth
In the Name of Love
In the post,Stonewall era, we sometimes forget that Pride is a privilege.
hen Pride month rolls around each year, I contem-
I mention Yates-Rist not just because during Pride
plate what I should say about it. I wonder if there's
I often think of all the queer friends I have loved and
anything new to say after all the years I have been writing
lost, but because the last book he wrote, Heartlands:A
W
about this annual celebration of our queer identity.
Gay Man's OdysseyAcrossAmerica, revealed one of the
I usually affirm my own pride: I like being a dyke/
secrets of gay America: Some gay men are incredibly
lesbian/ queer. I am not one of those queers who wants
poor and not very many feel that Christopher Street-
to be straight or wishes I could take a pill to make me
meets-the-Castro
heterosexual or needs to assimilate the queerness out
kind of pride we are all celebrating
of myself. I love my lesbian life. I love it so much that I
this and every other June.
The reality is, Pride is a concept of immense privi-
wish every lesbian could live the out queer life as I have
lege. I live in one of the five largest cities in America,
been since I was a sophomore in high school.
where I have been a queer activist for three decades.
The other night I was lying in bed, channel surfing,
Like Nestle and Edel, like the women forging over the
my sweetheart asleep beside me. I landed on an episode
of PBS' In the Life from late 2006, narrated by Martina
barren, blue-white landscape of the Arctic, like the cre-
Navratilova. The episode began with a story about the
ator of The L Word or the creator of Dykes to Watch Out
For,I am indeed privileged by my pride. I have been on
Lesbian Herstory Archives in Brooklyn, N.Y., with
the front lines. I have helped break silences and break
interviews with co-founders Joan Nestle and Deb Edel.
down barriers for other lesbians and other queers. But I
This wonderful museum of lesbianism is a post-Stonewall labor of love on
have always believed I could do it. And I have never once thought it might very
the part of two women who desired to capture lesbian history before it dis-
literally kill me. But the women who had to stay in the shadows in the In the
appeared. I felt such pride as I listened to Nestle and Edel talk about their
Life segment, their lives are indeed threatened if they expose their sexuality.
project. I felt such a wave of emotion: How fortunate we are to live in an era
when we can preserve our history for ourselves.
The program also had a segment on The L Word, and another on a lesbian American and a straight Scandinavian who became the first two women
to walk across the Arctic. There was a segment on the wonderful talents of
Alison Bechdel, creator of classic comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For.
Last year, the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival screened a
gut-wrenching documentary called Keep Not Silent about Orthodox Jewish
lesbians in Israel. Again, some of the women stayed in shadow. Their sadness
and secrecy was just as pitiful to me.
I have not always been a happy lesbian. I struggled as a teenager in the first
few years post-Stonewall, when the only lesbians I knew were dykes in the
The other segment of the program was about Muslim lesbians. Some of
bars I went to with a fake ID. I was expelled from my all-girls high school for
the women in the piece were shown in shadow. All felt they had to choose
being a lesbian and a bad moral influence on the 3,000 other students. That
between their faith and their sexual identity, and not one seemed happy. This
there were numerous lesbian teachers went unremarked.
was the segment that codified what I wanted to say about Pride.
I want to say how lucky I am to be a lesbian in America. Yes, we live under
I didn't see a place for myself in the world as a lesbian. I didn't look or live
like the other lesbians I knew. Like many women of my generation, I got mar-
the hate-mongering Bush regime. The evangelical Christian right and other
ried at 18 in an effort to become heterosexual. Despite the fact that the man I
en
right-wing extremists have made it harder to be queer in America. Ann Coulter
married was a great guy, I did us both a great disservice by getting married. I
and others still get away with calling people -
was a lesbian, I had always been a lesbian, and I would always be a lesbian.
~l<'
famous people, too - "faggots:'
a
z
()
But as one of the women in the segment on Islam noted, "It's so easy to
But a majority of lesbians in the world are not as fortunate as I have been.
be a lesbian here in America:• It might not feel that way at times, but this
They are forced to marry. They are kept in marriages they do not want to be
tortured young woman was so right. If we peruse the materials in the Lesbian
in, as were the women in Keep Not Silent and the In the Life segment. They
ifJ
Herstory Archives, we can see just how much we have achieved in just the
(j
past 40 years. We only have to take a brief glance at other countries today to
cannot envision a life for themselves in which they are simply, irrevocably,
lesbians. And happy to be so.
see how other lesbians are forced to live. Were some of these women to choose
That is the fundament of pride, that we can see ourselves as joyful in our
~a
to celebrate their lesbianism, they would be imprisoned or even murdered.
discovering, by doing, the many firsts, be it the creation of a lesbian archive, a
are; those of us born before Stonewall certainly earned it. But perhaps we
should be thinking of Pride as a period of reflection, like the time between
trek across the Arctic or a TV drama in which only lesbians appear. That we
can all be dykes to watch out for.
Rosh Hashanah and Yorn Kippur, or the periods of Lent and Advent. Time
Most queers have experienced the pain of not having pride, of feeling alone
to think about what we have as queers. Time to think about what other
and marginalized. Pride is a privilege: It is accepting our queer lives, marginal-
queers do not have.
I had a good friend years ago, Darrell Yates-Rist, a gay writer, a leftist,
ized though they may be, as valid and validating. It is embracing all the other
Christmas in 1993. He was only 45.
36 I curve
ci:
<l:
I
CJ)
uJ
6:
lesbianism, in our difference, in our marginality. That we can be thrilled by
Maybe we're selfish in our pridefulness this time of year. It's fine that we
a New Yorker. He co-founded GLAAD, and he died of AIDS just before
0
h
~
queers: the Joan Nestles, the Martina Navratilovas and all the women in the
shadows. It is being able to say who we are, and in that declaration, even if it
is said in shadow, feel the frisson that comes with freedom. ■
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TheHumanServicesCommittee
of the Illinois
Houseof Representatives
passedHouse
Bill 1826,otherwiseknownasthe Religious
Freedom
Protection
andCivilUnionAct,with a 54 votein March.UnderH.B.1826,LGBTcouples
aregrantedthe samerightsthat marriedheterosexualcouplesreceive,suchasspousalpension
coverageandmedicaldecision-making
rights.
Religious
andpoliticallyconservative
groups
opposeH.B.1826,sayingit is onestepcloserto
legalizingsame-sex
marriages.
Bill
supporters,
suchas
LGBTlegalorganization LambdaLegal,
applauded
the ratificationof H.B.1826as
recognizing
that civil
unionsandmarriages
shouldofferthe
samerights.
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Thisyear,the NationalOrganization
of Gayand
LesbianScientistsandTechnology
Professionals
participated
in thethirdannualGlobalMarathon
For,ByandAboutWomen.Dr.AmyRoss,mentoringprogramcoordinator
for NOGLSTP
and
vicepresidentof researchanddevelopment
at
DiamicsInc.,gavea livetelephonepresentation
on mentoringfor LGBTscientists,engineers
and
technology
students.Sponsored
by National
Engineers
WeekFoundation,
this 24-hourevent
allowedaspiringfemalesin scientificand
technological
fieldsto network,partakein open
forumsandlistento presentations
fromwomen
professionals
acrossthe country.
UnderCalifornia's
SafePlaceto LearnAct,
AB394,schoolswill bea lot saferfor LGBT
students.
Thebill, if passed,wouldrequirethe
StateDepartment
of Education
to monitorits
publicschoolsandschooldistrictsto improve
implementation
of alreadyexistingantidiscriminationandantiharassment
policies(California
StudentSafetyandViolencePrevention
Actof
2000- AB537).EqualityCalifornia,
a co-sponsor
of the bill,citesa 2001-2002CaliforniaHealthy
KidsSurveythat reportedmorethan200,000
studentaccountsof harassment
basedon actual
or perceived
sexuality.
G AADM di Aw r
Exclud
TheGayandLesbianAllianceAgainst
Defamation
hasreceivedcomplaints
fromLGBT
mediaoutletssuchas Logoandhere!Networks
regardingits policyof notacceptingnominationsfromqueeroutletsfor its annualGLAAD
MediaAwards.According
to a statementbythe
nonprofit'spresident,
NeilG.Guiliano,
GLAAD's
maingoalis to changethe waymainstream
mediaportraythe LGBTcommunity.
Inthe
late1990s,GLAAD
includedLGBTmediain
its awardsceremony
butdiscontinued
those
categories
afterreceivingcriticismfromthose
whofelt the organization
shouldnotact as a
watchdogof LGBTmedia.
N w M xicoS n te I
Out!
TakeAmerica's
favoriteLGBTtravel
guideswith you!
ilentOv r
Thepassingof a domesticpartnerbill remains
stagnantin NewMexicoafterthe stateSenate's
refusalto discussthe legislation.
NewMexico
Gov.Bill Richardson
andthe stateHouseof
Representatives
passedthe bill,but it remains
onthe Senatefloor.
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LGBTandcivil rightsorganizations
suchas
the NationalCenterfor LesbianRightsand
theAmericanCivilLibertiesUnionhave
criticizedthe CityCommission
of Largo,Fla.
for violatingits owndiscrimination
policyafter
it terminatedStevenStanton,48,whohadbeen
CityManagerfor morethan14 years.Stanton's
dismissalcameafterhetoldthe commission
he
is transgender
andwill be undergoing
gender
reassignment
surgery.Thecommission
voted
5-2 in favorof firingStanton.Largo'smayor,Pat
Gerard,toldthe St.Petersburg
Times,"Wehave
a choiceto make:Wecango backto intolerance,
or we canbethe city of progress."
MissouriLGBTadvocacy
groupPROMO
stageda
protestat an International
Houseof Pancakes
in
KansasCity,Mo.,aftera
groupof womenwereaskedto
leavebecausea couplein the groupwaskissing.
In March,EvaSandoval
saidthat shegaveher
girlfriend,BlairFunk,a kissandwaslatertold
bythe restaurant's
managerthat otherpatrons
wereuncomfortable
withtheirpublicdisplayof
affection.According
to the IHOPCorp.,the ladies
wereactingovertlysexualandaskedto stop,not
leave,whichconflictswiththe statementsmade
bythe protesting
women.-Asiana Ponciano
Want more?Get LGBT
travel listings,city files,
events,tour operators,
and moreon our website
damron.com
CJ CD
June 2007
I 37
1n
It's hot as hell
outside time
to start dreaming
of a placethat
willchillyou out.
By Carole
Terwilliger Meyers
uebec
You can learn a lot about a person by spending
hotel can accommodate 88 people per night and
a night with her in the Ice Hotel: her ability to
also offers a popular day tour.
follow instructions, her tolerance level for adversity,
After checking in at the Regie Lodge, our small
her sense of humor. In fact, though couples do come
group of women and one gay man deposited lug~
here to get married in the Ice Chapel (its first lesbian
gage in lockers downhill at the Aigle Lodge and
wedding was held in March 2006), I think I'd rather
then gathered around the fireplace for instructions
test the preliminary waters here and then perhaps
on getting through the night. In a nutshell, the pre~
make it permanent later, somewhere warm.
bed procedure for a good night's sleep: hit the hot
First constructed in 2000, Canada's Ice Hotel
tub, dry off in the sauna, wear nothing or, at the
is rebuilt every winter using 500 tons of ice and
most, long underwear, put on a chapeau and wool
15,000 tons of snow. Though there are "snow"
socks, hop into a provided polyester sleep sack,
hotels in Finland and Norway, they use wood or
stuff all outer clothes into the sleeping bag and then
metal in their construction. Only this one in Quebec
jump in.
and another in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, are true "ice
hotels" made entirely of ice and snow.
Guests come from around the world -
38
Icurve
LU
>u;
the bag allowed just my face to stick out, and all
a:
night I felt the tiny bit of air that let in. Also, my
told of visitors from Mexico who had never before
one pair of wool socks were damp from the day, so I
seen snow and others from Hawaii who brought
improvised with my wool mittens.
along leis -
Thoroughly tutored in the fine points of sleeping
on ice, we headed back into the sub~zero night and
months to 77 years. With 36 rooms and suites, the
a:
Later, I had trouble tightening rhe cords so that
the staff
and have ranged in age from nine
rt,
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trudged uphill to the Auberge Lodge for dinner
only 1 percent of the guests each season don't
(a complimentary buffet breakfast is also served
weather the entire night, many of them being
here each morning). In a large, open dining room
claustrophobic and discovering too late that there
with high ceilings and a fireplace, I feasted on a
are no windows in the rooms.
blueberry-spiked
terrine of organic farm-raised
elk, delicate lettuce soup and pan-roasted merou
Carnaval de Quebec
fish topped with guacamole. We discussed the
Few things are more enjoyable in winter than
upcoming challenges with glee, and, like some of
bundling up in warm gear and attending a festive
the other older women with weak bladders, I con-
outdoor event. Crowds add cheer and coziness.
sidered limiting my liquid intake in an attempt to
Quebec City's annual Carnaval de Quebec -
up my chances of getting through the night with-
called a"Mardi Gras on Ice" and said to be the larg-
out a run to the john. However, I was so thirsty
est winter carnival in the world -
that I just decided to drink until I wasn't. That
castle, snow and ice sculptures, horse-drawn car-
decision permitted
riage rides accompanied by the brilliant sound of
me a glass of wine, several
glasses of water and a cocktail chaser.
also
features an ice
also a wild and crazy Snow Bath, in which bathing
big plastic bag with necessities, then bundled up
suit-dad people of all sizes and shades frolic in the
and set out to explore the Ice Hotel's chapel, two
snow for what seems like a very long time. And all
art galleries and spectacular themed suites. My
the while, the sound of French chatter and deep-
Medieval Suite had a castle theme and two queen-
pitched horns fill the air, the latter originating
sized platform ice beds topped with insulating
from long, red, flute-like souvenir horns. Another
deer pelts and an Arctic-weight sleeping bag. My
favorite, the Boreal Suite, was filled with fragrant
popular souvenir is a hollow red plastic cane that
is filled with caribou, the carnival's potent, sweet,
pine boughs. Each bed has a light switch, and can-
port-like official drink.
dles add more light and atmosphere and also help
After sipping a colorful vodka-fruit juice cock-
Camavalde Quebec
866-4-CARNAVAL
carnaval.qc.ca
Runsforabout17 daysinlateJanuary,
earlyFebruary
After wandering
this winter
QuebecCityTourism
quebecregion.com
GayCanadaResources
gaycanada.com
wonderland,
visitors can explore the adjacent old walled city
-
the only one remaining in North America,
tail from a carved ice cube glass in the shimmering
N'Ice Club disco, where Pink did her best to "Get
it was designated a UNESCO
This Party Started" (though it never quite hap-
strolling winding cobblestone streets leading to
pened), I headed to the warm changing room to
unique boutique& and a bevy of fine restaurants.
don my bathing suit.
A vibrant gay area exists outside the walls, behind
I was surprised that I was the only one of my
Ice HotelQuebec-Canada
InSainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier,
30 minutes
fromQuebec
City
877-505-0423
icehotel-canada.com
Season:
January
5 toApril1
$170andup
sleigh bells, and a lighted evening parade. There's
Later, I rearranged my suitcase and filled a
suck out any damp air from the room.
MORE INFORMATION
Site in 1985 -
World Heritage
and slip gently back in time while
the Hilton hotel on Rue Saint Jean.
fellow travelers who followed the suggested regi-
As my plane soared off the runway, I sat sated
men for a good night's sleep. A few of the women
from my winter frolic and saw through my polar-
said they hadn't brought a swim suit and didn't
ized sunglasses what appeared to be streets paved
take to the suggestion that they wear bra and
with rainbows. Though the lenses were only play-
panties. Another didn't like public hot tubs. So I
ing with the bright sun and ice, the streets did
found myself the only one from my group in the
seem to be offering up to travelers both a gay wel-
tub, but I wound up having a good chin-wag with
come and goodbye. ■
a young Canadian couple stewing along with me.
I did appreciate that the tub area was forgivingly
dark, not to mention downright steamy, and I was
glad I always travel with a swim bag that holds flip
flops, as they protected my feet from the icy snow.
When I left the trailer, I heard giggling coming
from the men's changing room. Hmmm. Someone
figured out it was too cold in the rooms for
hanky panky.
I slept well from around 1 a.m., when I went to
bed, until before sunrise, when I got up at 6 a.m.
(/,
Cf)
Back at the Aigle next morning, I heard from
aLJ; a:
w
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the others in my entourage who shortchanged the
3
~
a a:
they were cold. One guest hadn't made it through
~
g
LJ; llJ
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regimen that they had to get up during the night to
use the restroom, that they didn't sleep well, that
the night. No, he didn't die. He just walked back
ca oa:
up to the heated Aigle Lodge to sleep tight on
CJ 0
one of the six cots that are available. Apparently,
<(
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June 2007
I39
Fearof Flying
A lesbianmom rediscovers
the joysof the
airport.By Beren deMotier
My wife and I rarely travel. In the early days, it was because
and the inevitable line at airport security that, when she has to
we were barely out of college and had jobs that paid a pittance.
fly commercial, she navigates with ease, as she looks as whole-
Later, it was because we were busy with babies. Mostly, it's
some and harmless as a warm slice of wheat bread. Babies fall
because I could happily stay at home forever, and I am the
asleep in her arms as though they've arrived in Shangri-La, and
alpha female in the household, otherwise known as she who must
she absolutely breathes benign bonhomie.
be obeyed.
But, out of kindness to my spouse and our three children,
anniversary approaches. Shouldn't we go somewhere together:'
we do travel occasionally, though seldom by air. Driving seems a
fine way to get anywhere, and"if it isn't in the Pacific Northwest,
Without children:'
who needs itt is my regionist, never-been-to-New-York motto.
even I am temped. For the chance to finish a sentence, dress
This is not only because I'm unconsciously rebelling against
in something other than jeans, have food that is prepared by
my globe-trotting
I curve
My wife is ready to purchase tickets online as we speak, and
mother and her world-traveling kin, but
others and enthusiastic sex without worrying about waking
because taking small children on a plane can be a nightmare.
a child, I might brave my fear of flying, shrug off my latent
Even a short hop from Los Angeles to Seattle can seem an
xenophobia, sidestep my family-of-origin issues and risk security guards with stun guns.
eternity with a screaming toddler (though Benadryl with a
40
However, the question of joint travel has arisen. Our 20th
Dramamine chaser can work wonders for mother and child
It is actually the gravity-defying reality of flight that wor-
alike). And, over the last 15 years, thanks to a successful repro-
ries me more than any post-9 / 11 threat of terrorism, though
duction rate, it seems we always have a small child in tow.
the realistic fear of catching a new flu ranks up there with my
But those are excuses. Frankly, I'm afraid to fly.
statistically unsupported fear of falling from the sky. I'm prob-
My wife flies a lot for work, and it seems as inconsequential to her as catching a bus. Most of those flights are shuttles
ably nai:ve, but security gate searches are at the bottom of my
travel-related list of fears.
between company sites, not involving big airports, long waits
I have nothing embarrassing to pull out of my bag. Three
Thank
you
toour
2007
Park
City
Sponsors
Tosponsor
afutureQueer
Lounge,
emailsponsorship@queerlounge.org.
instinct- ~
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You'reon it.
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GET YOUR
PRIDE ON
CuRvejust might be stopping by your
hometown this summer. Come by our
booth at one of these Pride fests and
find sexy women and exciting surprises.
May 19-20
Long Beach Pride
June 1-3
Girls in Wonderland during
Gay Day Disney (Orlando, Fla.)
June 15-16
Portland Pride
June 16-17
Sacramento Pride
June 22-24
Atlanta Pride
June 22-24
San Francisco Pride
July 21-22
San Diego Pride
>
We'realwaysaddingnew cities
to our tour.Tostay updatedon our
latestlocales,visit curvemag.com.
THE 2007 PRIDE GUIDE
WHAT TO WEAR
Photos by Lydia Daniller
No more boring tees for us. We're rocking Pride in style
this year and, at the risk of sounding like fashion shills,
we're going to show you how to get outfitted, too.
Here's what you need to look hot all summer .
./
••
•• ••
••
·•
.••
• • • ••
••
•
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46 j curve
PORTLAND
PRIDE
••••••••••••• •
••
•
[
••
[
l
l
••
••
••
•
••
••
•
COOL, COMFY SHOES
••
••
•
•
•••••
◄
Whichone of our designersdoesa
Middle-Easternburlesquecomedy
called Dirty Phoenixand the Asses
1- of Evil?Findout at curvemag.com.
;:
ii:
JUNE 16-17,2007
TOMMcCALL
WATERFRONT
PARK
mm
WWW.PRIDENW.ORG
June 2007 \ 47
THE 2007 PRIDE GUIDE
WHAT TO TAKE
Whether you're heading to the Dyke March or the
LGBT Pride festival, these light items will make the
adventure all the more smooth.
48
I curve
Canada
Montreal
www.tourisme-montreal.org
~
PRIAPE.COM
aircanada.com
The freedom to fly your own way
illage
unmondeunvlllage.com
'
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DID YA KNOW.
■■
9
■
Lookingfor new ways to impressa drunkenlesbian?Good for cocktail
parties or whatever alcohol booth you have at your local Pride, here are
some fun facts about the queer world's High Holy Day.
The first Pride was held on
June 28, 1970 :
a year after the Stonewallriots.
San Francisco's first Pride celebration was called a
"gay-in." Later festivals were called Christopher Street
West (named after the street where the Stonewall Inn
is located) and Gay Freedom Day. It wasn't until 1995
that San Francisco included bisexual and transgender
in its official parade name.
THE FIRST LATVIAN PRIDE CELEBRATION TOOK PLACE IN 2005.
THE FIRST DYKE MARCH
HAPPENED IN 1992.
The rainbow Pride flag was created by San Franciscan Gilbert
Baker in 1978. The flag used to have eight colors instead of six
- turquoise and pink were in the original flag, but not today's.
The first gay Pride
march in Asia hap-
pened in Manila,
Philippinesin 1994.
Singaporedidn't have
their first public Pride
celebrationuntil 2005.
It was called lndigNation.
A crowd of about
2,000 showed up at
San Francisco's first
TRANS MARCH
in 2003.
Parada do Orgulho GLBT de Sao Paulo, organized in
Sao Paulo, Brazil, is the largest Gay Pride celebration
in the world, drawing an estimated 2 million in 2006.
so I curve
~,~;r«;~~
l&'
~~
THROW A PERFECT
PRIDE PARTY
What color do you drink? Find out with our handy guide
to the ubercoolcocktailsthat just scream "rainbow."
Absolut
HoneyBunny
Burning
ManTini
If you really want to go to town as self~employed bartendress, .YQ!!__
_!!light want to pick up a copy of Tini Bigs Martini Book, the recipe
book from the Tini Bigs Lounge, Seattle's premier martini bar. From
the Democrat Tini to the Republican Tini to the Dirty Girl Scout
Tini, there is a 'tini for us all. This is one of our favorites.
_What could be sweeter than a little honey bunny with your vodka?
2 oz. Absolut vodka
J 2_z.Bl~e Curacao liqu!::.!_lr
_____________
_
1 oz. DeKQY_perPeachtree_schn~~----------_2 oz. sweet and sour mix
1/2 oz._pear c_id_e_r
_________________
_
1/2 oz. Seven lJp soda __________________
_1/2oz.lemonjuice
___________________
_
_
P2gr ~l.~D-_gredi~nt§_~t.!!2.~
highJ:,2-llglass three fourths filled with ice
_cubes.Stir well and se_rv_e_.
______________
_
A FEWOFOURFAVORITE
DRINKS
If you'relikesomeof us,youdon'tknow
yourZinfandel
fromyourShirazor your
vodkafromyour,er,othertypeof vodka.
Here'sa quicksampling
of someof our
favoritewaysto getsloshed.
Frutezia:
Marketed
asa "sassier
fruitbouquet,"Frutezia
hasrecentlyintroduced
a
Tropical
Blendwhitewine,whichcombines
mango,
pineapple,
guava,grapefruit
and
limeflavors.
Agavero:
Agavero
is a blendof BlueAgave
tequilaandtheDamiana
flower,most
famousfor its legendary
reputation
asa
potentaphrodisiac.
Ole!
1 ½ oz. sweetened whipp_in.,..g-'-cr_e_am-'-------------Garnish with Stl!allThai chili p~p_,__er
___________
Bacardi
LimeBrokeback
Moon
S lash the Bacardi in our Pride
cocktail. We know it's not our
first time.
into chilled martini lass.
Happily
EverAfter
If it ou reall want to make an
impression., go with a neon-gr~~IL__
_Evetglo the first combination of
_
Aperol:
Italy'smostpopularliqueurhas
finallylandedonAmerican
soil.Aperol's
zestyorangeflavoris tart,sweetand
vibrant,andit's gota buzz-friendly
low
alcoholcontent.
tequila and vod~.;!~icy te uila cool
vodka and blasts of caffeine and gi_nsen-e,g
___
_make Everglo a hit with the My5pace se~t____
Pommery
PopChampagne:
Thisblend
of 90 percentChardonnay
and1Opercent
Pinotmakesfor a lessfizzychampagne
that'sslightlysweeterthanthe
traditional
Brut.
_Ev~r_gl~_
_Spash of Hennesse,_ ____
curve
_
_
-~9_Q'._y_~_f.r~~mg
cocktails with_n,;tmeslike "Ke11.t1J._<;ky
Krac&_
-~mtthis one.
_
Pinea_pplejuice ______________
S~y_enlJ.P. _____
____________________
M!~ tggregJ~!lt~.~njoy.
52 j
Rimz).ass with cayenne~spiked cocoa powder
2 oz. mazama vodka
2 oz. chocolate liquer
...... •··-
_____ _
_
_
LucyBrennan's
DragonMilkSaketini
SKYY
WhenMaryMetSally
_SKY.YJ~Y-L.fl!!im as the fa_s~~~Lgr.qwing super-premium
vogl_gL __
_
__dµe to_ its _revolutionasy _quadruple distilfa.tion _and triple filtration _____
_
_kQ_~!'
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~n even less tr~g_i_tiQn~_m._~_njp.i?
Che!=k9..m.th~-~;ike_tir1i.1
_b_i;:g_µgn_LtQ_y.ou
by one of AmerkiU.QP ..mi'!'.C219gi~_t..,_P.Qrtl<!-1ld
le$-__
_ technolog:}:,_A.dd!l0me summertime flavor ro-rour Pride_p_att.}'with
bian Lucy_Brennan.1_and SakeOne_,__thee>nl_yAmerican-owned
__SKYYMelon a mix of car1taloype,_hon~ydew and watermelQ!hm:_g_o____
_
sweet and spicy(the_way you_like ;::our_girlfriends} with this dit~y._________
_
_-operatedJakeryjn
the world.___
and
_ ______ _
2_QZ,Momokawa Pearl sake
3_m;. SKYY Vanilla ________________
_
_ Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
_
__ ____ _ _
1 oz. fresh simple syrup____________
__ __ ____________
_ _ __
___
S_plash of cream
Shake vigorously Jtnd strain into a chilled martini .,,,gla==ss=-.
____
l_02;. fresh lemon/Jimejuice _________________
l_Q_z,Monin cocqnut ~mp_
__l oz. Fra11gdico
_
¼oz.half
and~half~----------
_______
_
_Sh.<!k~_yigorously.
Serve l!J'-_}Vith
tropical flQW.t_!Lgarnish.
featuring
h and AfterPartyMe'ShellNdegeocello
The3rdAnnual
WeHoDyke Marc
Friday,
June
8, 2007 at7:30 p.m.SanVicenteBoulevardat SantaMonicaBoulevard
Co-sponsoredby ChristopherStreet West
The LesbianVisibility Committeeis a sub-committeeof the Lesbian& GayAdvisory Board
Info: (323) 848-6510 [TTYfor hearing impaired (323) 848-6496)
www.weho.orgor www.myspace.com/wehodykemarch
J~/lHIMi
........,....
••
••••••••
••••••••••••
••••••
•••
••••
•••
CityofWestHollywood
California1984
June 2007 \ 53
LiteraryDarlings
Authors T Cooper and Felicia Luna Lemus have become New York's
sexiest and most provocative literary darlings - and they're a couple.
Text by Stephanie Schroeder * Photography by Erica Beckman
T Cooper and Felicia Luna Lemus are real writers' writers:
Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick, Cooper
serious about their craft, good storytelling and a structured
met Lemus after seeing her photo on the back cover of her
narrative. With two published novels each, they are, sepa-
first book, Trace Elements of Random Tea Parties. Cooper
rately and together, the current darlings of New York City's
immediately asked a mutual friend for her contact info.
literary scene. Cooper's current novel, the best-selling Lipshitz
Lemus says Cooper wrote her a "nerdy" e-mail about how they
Six, or Two Angry Blondesis also a bestseller in Germany; the
needed to have a luncheon to discuss ... something. They had
author has toured that country twice, is widely recognized on
a date a few weeks later when both were in Washington, D.C.,
the streets there and is worshipped like a rock star.
pounding the pavement and visiting almost every museum in
In their work, both writers find new ways of using language
the city. They went back to D.C. this past spring to celebrate
in a clever, innovative and compelling manner that is also nec-
their three years together and again visit those institutions and
the one they hadn't, the National Postal Museum.
essary to their respective writing styles. Much of their work
or
Lemus currently teaches writing at the New School in
"unlearn;' as Lemus put it at her book launch at the Lower East
NYC, but for Cooper, full-time touring has been a vocation
focuses on legacy, what to keep and what to throw away -
Side Tenement Museum on a mild night in late March. And if
for the past year, since the hardcover edition of Lipshitz Six was
you don't get their subject matter or even vehemently disagree
published (the paperback was released in February).
"I hope to be a full-time writer soon;' says Cooper. The two
with it, please, critique their work on its merits alone. Only a
well-constructed
argument about the actual work itself will
coo over each other at the coffee shop while discussing the state
convince Lemus to engage in a dialogue about the craft, but not
of both writing and popular culture today.
the subjects of her works.
We sat down with the couple just after the last big snow-
both fascinating and disconcerting, in part because the author
storm in New York City at a Lower East Side cafe for a chat and
eschews a gender label.Tis T and that is that. Cooper says that
coffee -
there need be no gender pronoun attached to T's being.
with soy milk only, of course. The night before, both
read to a jam-packed house at the popular downtown venue Mo
Pitkin's House of Satisfaction.
At 34 and 32 years old respectively, Cooper and Lemus
For the more-famous Cooper, the media attention has been
'Tm just me, and I'm not comfortable being pegged as either
'he' or 'she:"
"Bur;' says Lemus, "the mainstream press needs to label
make an ideal couple. Lemus is a queer girlie girl, a Mexican
people and feels entitled to make assessments and invent an
American who grew up in Southern California, graduated from
identity for us:' The New York Times referred to Cooper as "she"
CalArts and then taught at UCLA. Openly genderqueer, the
in its book review, as did many mainstream -
butchy Cooper, raised in Los Angeles with roots tracing back to
-
and even queer
publications that insisted there be a pronoun attached to
Russian Jewish immigrants, holds an MFA from Columbia and
Cooper's name. Some critics and editors called the lack of a
eschews allegiance to any one identity or community.
gender pronoun alternately a hoax, a fraud and a marketing effort.
With
one book published
(Some of the Parts) and a
Cooper laughed off the bewildering responses.
June 2007
I55
"There'sa misperceptionthat
"There's a misperception that I'm playing the gender card
a la JT
Leroy. There's no gender card; it's my life and it's all
I'm playingthe gendercard a
about context, whether it's gender, race, immigrant
la JT Leroy.There'sno gender
in between those places. Why is it so important to label people:"'
status,
ethnicity, whatever. I write about places of passing and the spaces
asks Cooper. "Sometimes I pass, sometimes I don't. Sometimes
card; it'smy lifeand it'sall
I want to, other times I don't:'
Lemus describes herself as queer. "I definitely don't ID as
about context,whetherit's
interviewer told me that the word 'queer' was specifically offen-
a lesbian. I had an interview with another publication and the
sive to him because there has been so much violence connected
gender,race, immigrantstatus,
with the word that it could never be reclaimed. I have a much
different point of view:'
ethnicity,whatever.I write
about placesof passingand
Lemus says that in her writing she is "constantly frustrated
by language and its limits. But all I can do is keep working with
different things, making my work better with new words, new
possibilities, new interpretations - anything that is human and
the spaces in betweenthose
keeps the story going:'
Cooper concurs "Everyone is so wedded to binaries: black
places.Why is it so important
Jews and non-Jews. People like to confine themselves because
to labelpeople?"
and white, women and men, immigrants and nonimmigrants,
they find it too scary to move outside of these constricted
arenas. I like to find the spaces in between because the binary is
so simple and so boring:'
In their newest books, both writers take on gender, identity,
sex, love, family, history and other issues that speak to today's
reader, but neither wants to be pigeonholed as a queer writer.
"It's ghettoizing," asserts Cooper. "It takes us of out of the larger
conversation. It's a ghetto based on capitalism that niches us
as a different type of writer, a different type of consumer, a
different type of brand and creates an entire ghetto of music,
arts and literature that is excluded from the mainstream. It does
an incredible disservice to a lot of work that is out there:'
It might seem that Lemus' work is informed by Cooper's
genderqueer / trans identity, but she says that's not true.
"[My new book] Like Son was a story that was percolating even before my first book came out. It is based on an historical Mexican figure that actually started me writing, to the
point where I thought I might like to do this full time;' she
says, smiling.
"The girl in Tea Parties goes through many identities and
identity changes, too. She finds out in 1940s bar culture about
'kiki; a lesbian identity;' recalls Lemus, "that is kind of in the
middle, neither butch nor femme. These are topics that I've been
interested in for a long time and writing about it probably puts
me in the 'other' category of literature. But, not expanding the
narrative in mainstream literature and media amounts to the
erasure of voices that are not merely transgressive, but that are
also real:'
The couple is again in agreement. 'J\lthough weve made
strides -
leaps and bounds -
we still need the gay and lesbian
section of Barnes & Noble for the punk or queer or trans kid
in the Midwest to find us;' says Cooper. "But, we don't need to
be ghettoized on those shelves only. We need to be on literary
shelves everywhere:' ■
perception that gay men have more money to spend and are
more fun to watch than lesbians. "There has always been a major
schism between gay men and lesbians. I've heard executives say
the same thing, and they just really are not into women or lesbians, they don't have whole lot of use for us:•
When Logo bought Erosion Media ( the lesbian-owned company behind AfrerEllen.com and AfrerElton.com) and 365gay.
com, critics worried about whether the new ownership would
impact diversity. "Buyouts are terrifying," says Linton. "It's just
not good for diversity across the board. And, I suspect that being owned by a large corporation might affect the editorial generated by the outlet. Editors might feel pressure not to critique
Logo -
or other Viacom properties -
in ways they might oth-
erwise if they were still independent:'
Others say that with the emergence of regional magazines
like Florida's She and social-networking
site OurChart.com
alongside established publications Lesbian News,
CURVE, GO
NYC and Velvetpark,lesbian-owned media will succeed and
prove the boys wrong.
One publisher commented, "It's really tough -
these are
issues that we face on a daily basis in terms of competition:' She
applauded the new independent lesbian publications as good
news that can help in the battle for readership versus the online
rselves may no
presence of the "big boys" sites.
hen Girlfriends
But another publisher balked at some new names in the
ks ceased pub-
lesbian publishing niche, dismissing several as simply shills for
d to New York
their parent media companies, such as here! Interactive Media's
male-owned LesbiaNation magazine, which recently featured
Katherine Linton and her series Lesbian Sex and Sexuality
-
which ran on the here! Networks. Other publications have
faced criticism as simply patchwork compilations of syndicated,
ready-made content.
Writer, playwright and cultural critic Sarah Schulman says
Lesbian and gay media talk diversity and visibility, but often doesn't walk the walk. Since LGBT
media have long written about the dangers of
"There'sa misperceptionthat
"There's a n media conglomeration, critics say it's surprising
a la JT
Leroy.
chat nobody has talked about what it means
I'm playingthe gendercard a
about context,
to have our biggest book-magazine- Internet
la JT Leroy.There'sno gender
in between thoi Inc., aka PNO, which includes Alyson Books,
card; it'smy lifeand it'sall •
ethnicity, whate publishers all under one roof at PlanetOut,
asks Cooper. "S The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, Gay.com and
I want to, other Kleptomaniac.com,
among ochers. PNO
has
Lemus des, gobbled up everything from small adult puba lesbian. I had lications to travel companies, becoming the
about context,whetherit's
interviewer tole largest queer media company in the United
sive to him beci States. Gay media conglomeration,
gender,race, immigrantstatus,
with the word
t
buyouts
and mergers are affecting lesbian visibility
different point c and leadership in a major way. The issue with
ethnicity,whatever.I write
Lemus says I PlanetOut,
which has a relatively new female
by language and CEO but otherwise all male board members,
different things, boils down to what some say is a great loss for
about placesof passingand
possibilities, new lesbians in terms of our visibility across media
the spaces in betweenthose
keeps the story g spectrums.
Cooper cone
Anne Moellering, vice president of U.S.
places.Why is it so important
Jews and non-Je would not be in our interest to be the largest
and white, worn marketing at PNO, couldn't disagree more: "It
they find it too LGBT media company seen and heard if we
to labelpeople?"
arenas. I like to f didn't span the scope of individuals in the gay
so simple and so community. No doubt we have a strong voice
In their new◄ in the community, but in the digital world there
sex, love, family, is an explosion taking place around the globe in
reader, but neid gay, straight and all other communities. There
"It's ghettoizing, is an enormous range of options for individuals
conversation. It to explore:'
as a different t
But, says one industry source, "There's a paldifferent rv.-.~ pable fear of going against PNO because with
all the mergers and acquisitions, if you want to work in this industry you only have so many options and, other than a few independent publications, you have no idea how long before you need to get
a job that has suddenly been eaten up by PNO:'
Palpable fear led most lesbians in media to speak to me only
on anonymity -
they're all various industry insiders: publishers,
editors, writers, producers, critics. The queer publishing world
is a scary place for lesbians, including those readers who prefer a
Does queer media
conglomeration
affect diversity and
lesbian visibility?
Stephanie Schroeder
investigates.
lesbian-owned and -operated outlet to find community news. 'Tm
hoping," says one editor, "that we can feel confident that actually
having lesbians write, photograph and produce for us will make
it so our product is a more accessible to dykes" than gay-malefocused outlets.
"Our interests just aren't going to be served unless lesbians control the media ourselves;' says filmmaker and film historian Jenni
Olson, who was one of the founders of PlanetOut.com in 1995 and
stayed on until 2002."It is really significant that with lesbian media
it's not only the bottom line that matters. Of course it's a business,
but a business that is about serving the best interests of lesbians,
which inherently means less revenue than selling gay porn to men:'
Olson says that Wolfe Video.com, where she currently serves as director of e-commerce and consumer marketing, will acquire lesserknown lesbian tides that may not sell as much and as often as a
gay male tides, but that the leadership is totally committed to that
type of diversity.
perception that gay men have more money to spend and are
It may say more about PNO that as a public company (with
more fun to watch than lesbians. "There has always been a major
the Nasdaq ticker symbol"LGBT"), the main thrust of the busi-
schism between gay men and lesbians. I've heard executives say
ness is more likely to keep shareholders happy than to serve the
the same thing, and they just really are not into women or lesbi-
interests of its audience, particularly lesbians. "We talk about
ans, they don't have whole lot of use for us:'
this a lot internally;' says Moellering, "and one of the reasons we
When Logo bought Erosion Media (the lesbian-owned com-
have not walked what we talk is that to be profitable and grow
pany behind AfterEllen.com and AfterElton.com) and 365gay.
to meet quarterly targets and shareholder expectations, we have
com, critics worried about whether the new ownership would
had to make some hard decisions and investments in properties
impact diversity. "Buyouts are terrifying;' says Linton. "It's just
such as Gay.com, which caters mostly to gay men, but is a strong
engine for all our brands:'
not good for diversity across the board. And, I suspect that be-
Such control, so often run or fueled by the gay boys' gang,
erated by the outlet. Editors might feel pressure not to critique
ing owned by a large corporation might affect the editorial gen-
affects lesbians in ways that are almost indistinguishable. We
Logo -
don't yet know how PNO's forthcoming women's brand, still
erwise if they were still independent:'
in the works and set for release sometime this year, will affect
or other Viacom properties -
in ways they might oth-
Others say that with the emergence of regional magazines
independent lesbian outlets. The projected subscription-model,
like Florida's She and social-networking
social-network-based
alongside established publications Lesbian News,
site will, according to Moellering, "con-
site OurChart.com
CURVE,
GO
nect women through a variety of ways and will particularly
NYC and Velvetpark, lesbian-owned media will succeed and
focus on local information that is critical to the lesbian audi-
prove the boys wrong.
ence, although it won't be a lesbian site per se:•
One publisher commented, "It's really tough -
these are
The mergers that keep happening around PNO, Window
issues that we face on a daily basis in terms of competition:' She
Media and other smaller media groups are perhaps an indica-
applauded the new independent lesbian publications as good
tion that the 'T' in LGBT is getting squeezed out of the queer
news that can help in the battle for readership versus the online
mainstream once again. Sisters doing it for ourselves may no
presence of the "big boys" sites.
longer be enough. Lesbians were surprised when Girlfriends
But another publisher balked at some new names in the
magazine and lesbian erotic staple On Our Backs ceased pub-
lesbian publishing niche, dismissing several as simply shills for
lication in 2006. The subscription lists were sold to New York
their parent media companies, such as here! Interactive Media's
City-based magazine Velvetpark, whose publisher, Grace Moon,
male-owned LesbiaNation magazine, which recently featured
says that the small On Our Backs core readership really has no-
Katherine Linton and her series Lesbian Sex and Sexuality
where new to go with their beloved magazine off the shelves.
-
"Now those readers -
faced criticism as simply patchwork compilations of syndicated,
and others who crave more coverage of
lesbian sexuality and lesbian porn -
have no outlet;' she says.
which ran on the here! Networks. Other publications have
ready-made content.
"It's an interesting genre and important to the fabric of queer
Writer, playwright and cultural critic Sarah Schulman says
culture:' Moon says that with nothing to fill the erotica void,
there is "profound censorship where very little is allowed to be
there is an imbalance in lesbian publishing today.
published from an authentic lesbian point of view within the
"There are like five lesbian magazines and 150 for gay men.
mainstream press," in both publishing houses and intellectual
And it seems lesbian media have limited story ideas;' says Moon.
publications such as The New Yorker and Harper's. "And this
"When Daniela Sea joined The L Word, every single lesbian
all has a chilling effect, which diminishes our existence in lit-
publication had her on its cover within a three-month period.
erature -
We just cannot have exclusives unless each publication or Web
writers and lesbian content came from within the gay move-
site looks at how they are going to differentiate themselves:'
ment itself, turning our movement into a consumer marker:' By
And what of broadcast media? The debate rages over whether
CBS, NBC/Universal
and Viacom owning the largest queer-
friendly networks (Showtime, Bravo and Logo respectively) make
it's a dire situation:' But, she adds, "Niching lesbian
reversing niche marketing, lesbians could move back into the
mainstream where we were more widely published and read
before being niched.
for lesbians in terms of vision and vis-
"Then there is what I call the ick factor," says Schulman, who
ibility. Moon believes that Logo, despite some limitations, is good
believes "mainstream editors are often embarrassed or bored by
because "gay is finally on the mainstream radar:'
lesbian content:'
it better -
or worse -
However, Katherine Linton, whose Linton Media, Inc. pro-
Schulman and other lesbians in media have begun to ques-
duced The Evolution Will Be Televised (the documentary special
tion the relevance of niche lesbian publishing -
that launched the Logo channel) is worried about the lack of
content and context -
its credibility,
dyke visibility and media diversity, even on queer cable chan-
example, when we are ignored by mainstream media to the point
nels. 'Tm scared for all independent voices these days;' she says
that lesbian publications are rarely if ever referenced in main-
in the broader cultural landscape. For
emphatically. "Everyone says they are looking for lesbian con-
stream press and few out lesbian intellectuals write regularly for
tent [but] lesbian and gay producers feel like we've pitched a
the mainstream media today, lesbians may begin to wonder how
whole lot, but not much is accepted. It may well be that media
relevant we even are to the larger conversation. Does what les-
executives don't really know what they're looking for in terms of
bians say, write, print and read make a difference in the world at
lesbian programming:'
Linton says that she is incredibly conscious about the false
large to individual lesbian lives? Do we have a place at the table?
And if not, what do we have to do to reserve a space? ■
The downsizing of women's
publishing. By Melany Walters-Beck
Women's publishing in the United States is under-
In a similar situation, the Independent
Press
going some serious downsizi'ng. The announcement
Association blames a "very harsh newsstand mar-
of both the Advanced Marketing Services' and the
ket" for its financial woes and has "struck a strategic
Independent Press Association's bankruptcies sev-
partnership" with Canadian media giant Disticor
eral months ago heralded the collapse of a number
Newsstand Services, which will provide distribu-
of publications central to the lesbian community.
tion for some of the IPA's many former clients.
The fallout from this debacle will likely impact every
Lisa Jervis, founding editor and former publisher
facet of publishing, from the already limited acces-
of Bitch magazine and former editor at large to the
sibility oflesbian and feminist books and magazines
now online-only LiP, agrees that there's a particular-
to the opportunities available for writers and editors
ly hostile newsstand climate, though she expressly
in the field.
disagrees with the IPA's handling of che situation
Cleis Press, publisher of the wildly popular Best
both before and after its bankruptcy, stating that
Lesbian Erotica series, along with Soft Skull, Hylas,
it is "incredibly disingenuous of Richard Landry
Avalon, Goofy Foot and a handful of others for-
[executive director of the IPA] to be making that
merly distributed by a subsidiary of AMS, stand
statement as the reason the IPA is declaring bank-
to lose the last four months of revenue, including
ruptcy. It was a badly run business:'
that of the usually lucrative holiday season. This
Evidence of the IPA's financial instability goes
translates into some unpaid writers, a questionable
as far back as the summer of 2004, she says, when
future and ultimately fewer titles at your neighbor-
publishing advances began to be withheld. Though
hood bookstore.
not initially a problem, it became an unfortunate
This is not the first time AMS has found itself
trend that the publication was unable to endure.
in hot water; there was a financial scandal in 2003.
"Advances were small, so it didn't seem like a huge
However, publishers continued to work with the
deal;' says Jervis. "It wasn't until our full payments
company until the recent bankruptcy because of its
were overdue that we really got freaked:'
relationship with the distribution channels for big-
Afterward came contract disputes, a cessation
box retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Costco, Sam's
of royalty payments and a complete breakdown in
Club and others. The only bright side to this calam-
communication. Bitch was one of the lucky ones chat
ity is the fact that Perseus Books Group has offered
broke with the IPA early to sign its own distribution
a tentative plan that may enable some of these pub-
deal with Disticor, though it was by no means an
lishers to stay afloat. Only time will tell whether this
easy solution co their financial woes. The publishers
is a viable option for all of AMS' former clients.
"spent a tremendous amount of time and energy on
One way that consumers can be sure that at least
some of the proceeds from their purchases actually
reach the writers and publishers is to buy directly
emergency fundraising to replace the money from
the IPA and barely made it:'
Noc so lucky were many ocher queer-friendly
from their Web sites. A simple search of the Internet
publications, including Clamor, which folded and is
is usually enough to track down alternative sources
now embroiled in legal wrangling co save its pet proj-
for many of our favorite paperbacks.
ect, Infoshop.org, a loosely knit alternative-media
site focused on "che practical aspects of anarchism:'
As the media consolidations continue, the full
effect of these two behemoth bankruptcies on the
many scattered small presses and magazines is still
unknown. What is certain to remain is the passionate desire to promote independent
thought
and ideas in the lesbian and feminise communities
which are, and always have been, outside of the
mainstream media. As long as there are dedicated
and creative individuals seeking new means co share
ideas, there will be plenty of women anxious to hear
about them. Bue who will get the word out? ■
After 13 years in queer publishing, Venus founder
Charlene E. Cothran finds God. By Heather Boerner
When the 38,000 subscribers to the African-American queer
magazine Venus received the January issue, they got a shock,
The mission of the magazine had changed - a lot. It was no
longer simply for African Americans "in the life:' Now it's aimed
at African Americans looking to leave the life for a Christianity
that's incompatible with out-and-proud queerness.
The change came from Venus publisher and co-founder
Charlene E. Cothran, who recently announced that she's turned
her life over to Jesus Christ and is therefore no longer a lesbian.
"My message is to those who want to hear this;' Cothran
told the Windy City Times. "There are several people who are
not going to hear it. I know this is a message that isn't going to
be widely received by many. But those who are struggling, those
who are having the same issues that I had - those are the folks
I'm talking to:•
Cothran has published Venus for 13 years and is a co-
questioning Cothran's view
of spirituality and her ability to drop queerness like
an old suit.
REDEEMED!
"I cannot fully express
10 Ways to Get Out
of The Life" if
the disappointment and
You Want Out!
sadness I felt after reading
COLOR OF
your article;' wrote Angela
THE CROSS
Jordan. "Black lesbians
New Major Film
portrays Jesus
need as many leaders and
as a Black Man
fighters as we can get our
THE TRUTH
hands on. You have no idea
About the life of
GLADYS BENTLEY
what you have done. You
have no idea:'
At press time, a poll on
the Venus Web site showed that 83.9 percent of readers believed
founder of Hospitality Atlanta, a social-networking group
for lesbians of color. She also lobbied in 1995 for Atlanta's
domestic partnership law, and she helped found the Bayard
Rustin Rally and In the Life Atlanta. She didn't return calls
with certainty that they were "in a pleasing fellowship with God
and going to heaven even though [they are] gay:'
According to an article in the Windy City Times, only six
people had canceled their subscriptions in January, but the magazine got more subscriptions from the relatives of queer people.
Cothran insists the magazine is not a mouthpiece for the exgay movement, which claims to cure people of homosexuality
through religion.
Michelle Murrain is a 47-year-old African American and
former divinity student. She remembers picking up the magazine three years ago and thinking it was ''like The Advocate for
African Americans:' But now, she says the content focuses less
on the African-American community and more on the publication going ex-gay.
"It's a larger question about the ways in which people feel in
conflict with their faith," she said. "It's a bigger issue than this
one magazine with one editor:•
Having said that, Murrain can't relate to Cothran's struggle
between religion and sexuality.
"There is this sort of very unfortunate idea among Christians
in general and conservative Christians in particular that queerness and faith can't mix and that being gay is sinful;' she said .
"There's no really good biblical evidence for that. It's really unfortunate that this had to happen to Venus, that the editor feels she
has to give up a part of her identity to be faithful to God.
"The thing that bothers me the most about it, though, is
that there are so many subscribers. If you can imagine someone working really hard to be at peace with their identity,
and all of a sudden in the mail they get this magazine. That's
really problematic:' ■
seeking comment.
The change has drawn heated responses from both sides on
Venus' blog. For every reader who declared, "Congratulations
on leaving the lifestyle;' there were multiple comments
Is Lesbian Media the
Same as Feminist Media?
"ThecrisisfromwhereI sit,"saysAmyB.Hoffman,
editorof the Women's
Reviewof Books,"is lessaboutthe
consolidation
of ownership
thanthefactthatsmaller,radical politicalandliterarypublications
seemto be havinga
hardertimethanusualthesedays,andthe recentcollapse
of the Independent
PressAssociation
hasonlyexacerbatedthe problem.Also,lesbianmediahasalwaysbeen
closeto - or indistinguishable
from- feministmedia.
. . . Forexample,hereI amat Women's
Reviewof Books,
andwhenI goto conferences
or needsomeone
to talk to,
I sit downwithfolksfromBitch,Booksto WatchOutFor,
evenOffOurBacks,whichis still limpingalongevenas
OnOurBacksis gone- an interestingandunexpected
development
- In TheseTimes,PunkPlanet,Sinister
Wisdom,
Calyx,LambdaBookReport.It's a littlehardto
focusonlyon specificallylesbianmedia."
VENUS
•
•
•
curious JOrJa
Every lesbian's favorite CSI star,Jorja Fox, isn't your average sexpot. The attractive but geeky tomboy hasn't
graced the pages of Vogue,she doesn't spend each episode in impossibly high heels, and you're more likely to
find her at a PETA rally protesting animal cruelty than pitching Revlon products to you from a talk show on
the Oxygen Network. That's why we love her and her strong, sexy brand of androgyny and even her slightly
intoxicating don't--care--to--talk--about--my--personal--life
attitude. But, just once, wouldn't it be nice if she didn't
have to take herself so seriously? We turned the tables on the earnest star with an exclusive, old--fashioned
girlie--girlinterview that dares to ask the questions on everyone's mind (except, of course, that one) about work,
fashion and why you should never wear lavender perfume on a date.
What's the best part of doing CS/?
It's a multifold question. I think first and foremost, I love the character I get to play [element analyst Sara
Sidle]. I think she's totally fascinating and much braver than me and smarter than me. She studied
physics at Harvard and Berkeley, so I really get excited to go to work and get to be her. I think the
writers, who I think are geniuses, have done a really good job of trying to give us, or at least me, dif~
ferent things to do every season. I get to solve the crimes and get to sort of wear the superhero cape,
but at the same time I have something in my personal life going on. I'm really lucky that way.
It sounds like you can balance work with your own life.
I think it takes like a couple of years. We're in our fifth season now, and it's so much better in terms of
the amount of hours we work, and they try to split it up so nobody gets burned out. You'll be heavy
for a couple of shows, and then you'll be light for a couple of shows. I think the whole idea for our
show in the last couple years is like, well, how can we maintain this and not burn everybody out? And
they've done a great job at that, so it makes it, in many ways, a very easy job to go to. It's nothing like
doing a series like the first two seasons, you know, when you have no idea what you're doing, where
you' re going, what you' re shooting.
A lot of people with famllles like working on TV. Is that a draw for you?
I think it's probably really good for me, but it's not normally who I am at all. I'm a real nomad, so it has
been weird to sort of set roots down in Los Angeles and be here for the most part, for most of the
year. And if I get to travel, I travel on a normal schedule, sort of \' 7hen everyone else in America is
traveling, so that was actually something that I had to adapt to because I didn't consider that a plus
at the time.
Do you see yourself settling down, married with kids?
I don't know if I'll ever completely settle down, but I certainly believe in love, and I love love, and I hope
that I'm lucky enough that I'm able to sort of be with somebody in a way that I can see is for a long
time. That would be nice. I've definitely had commitment issues all my life about everything, whether
it's a job or a love interest or a place to live. Like I said, I'm really a nomad. I come from a long line of
nomads, so I think I'm part of that L.A. syndrome.
Plus, you meet other actors who are total nomads.
I am terrible at the long~distance relationship thing.
And you don't want to fall in love with co-stars because If it doesn't work you have to see
them every day.
I think I have been in love with every one of my co~stars at a different time or another.
I think I have been in love with your co-stars, too.
[Laughs]I'm lucky at that. And that would be a second thing, like, what do I love about my job? I really
love the people that I work with.
June 2007
I 63
You surf?
She was so happy to have money to have food on the table.
A little bit. I'm not great, but I love it, and I go out a lot. I grew
I was eating like five meals a day until I was about 16, and
up in a small beach town in Florida, so my whole life I was
then I realized, you know, maybe I could cut down to three.
swimming and boogie boarding, and then I moved to New
I'd probably be OK.
York City when I was 16, which is the exact same age that
How do you unwind?
my mother actually let me get a surfboard. So I never got
I like to go for hikes and, obviously stuff we already talked about,
good, but I had one, and I started. But I'd say like two years
surfing I love to do. I love massage. That's my big thing, even
ago in L.A., I got serious about it.
if I'm going to the spa, I'll almost always go for the massage
You can't surf in N.Y., can you? You'd have to take your
over any other treatment, but I do love to get a pedicure,
board on the train!
especially if it's the kind that comes with the little leg mas-
And that's what I used to do with my boogie board. I'd get on
How is your style different from your character's style?
funny? It was weird because I was there this summer, and I
Wow, this has been very lucky for me. Like obviously if I had
actually saw a guy walking down the street with a surfboard,
and it's the first time I'd ever seen that in New York, and I
day for five years, it would definitely be jeans and boots, and
lived there for like 12 years. I was like, where's the breaks,
that's mostly what the character wears. For a feature film, I'd
you know? Where are you going?
go off the cuff, like whatever, corsets, you name it. But it's
Yeah, usually. It gets harder in the winter with the rain because I
really great to go and get to be comfortable most of the time.
So jeans and a T-shirt and you're good.
like to wait like five or six days after it rains before I'm in the
For the most part, yeah. It goes with the guitar and the surfboard.
water. So between working and the rain pattern, that's when
The attention to beauty in Los Angeles, I think, is a really cool
I get a little rusty.
thing. It extends in everything: home decor, the cars people
Do you have to work out at all, or can you just surf to
drive ... everything, and certain neighborhoods, down to the
stay in shape?
medians and how well they're manicured, and I think that's so
If I can go out, that can be my workout. I do work out, and I
rare. There's so many visual artists here, and they pay a lot of
making life more beautiful and pleasing. In res-
mostly work out for stress because again, I find in L.A., if
attention
you don't actively go out and get exercise, you don't get any
taurants, the design is really cool, so I love all that, but I also
at all. Yeah, you sort of have
make a point of it, so here,
love being in Beverly Hills in my jeans and my boots because
usually I hike and I run, and I love to run because I can do
it feels actually kind of scandalous. Oops, forgot my Prada
to
that anywhere. No matter where I'm going, I can just throw
my sneakers in my suitcase, and I can go run.
How long do you run for?
to
today! I get a certain joy and satisfaction out of that.
Do you like vintage looks?
I'm a lot more likely to do that if I'm dressing up. You know what
I'm pretty lazy about that too. Probably like two miles. I have a
I also love? I love wearing business suits. That's something
big dog. The most loyal workout partner in the world! She's
that just happened to me in the last year. I never even owned
a boxer [8 years old). Her name is Ali, like Muhammad the
a tailored shirt in my life, and I guess I figured I have my
boxer .... And she never says no. Like, she never cancels on
whole life to move into business suits. This year I've been
me. She always wants to go, so we'll hike part, we'll run. I try
lucky enough, especially sort of like charity events and stuff
to work out every other day, and then sometimes I have a
that are often business attire, so it's the first year that I've
couple of days off in a row, and then I'll work out every day.
actually bought a couple of suits and some shirts. Off the
And then of course there's days that I'm shooting, because
rack, again I would go Theory at Fred Segal. They have really
if I'm shooting like 14 hours, it's the first thing to fall off
great stuff. And
my schedule book. It just doesn't work out for me because
suits .... [T]here's a store called Clover in Silverlake and Pull
J.Crew
makes great suits for ready-to-wear
I mostly like to work out outside. I'll go running up until
My Daisy, and they don't have a huge selection of suits, but
about 10 o'clock at night, but if I'm getting off after that, it
what they have is really interesting and it's cut nicely and
just doesn't happen.
it sort of has a little flair to it, like something different, but
So it sounds like you don't do anything too extreme.
I'm lucky because I'm really tall and I have really long limbs. I'm
I curve
to
pick something that I was going to wear pretty much every
How often can you go surfing? A couple of times a week?
64
sage. That's the best part.
the Long Island Expressway with my boogie board. Isn't that
really nice stuff and well made. I go there a lot.
Do you wish you could change your hairstyle?
actually not in great shape. I always think I can be in better
I've been acting since I was like 20, so there were years that I
shape, and I kind of wish I was one of those people that
wanted to have more punk rock or more rock 'n' roll style.
was more disciplined about being in better shape. That's the
Every time I would dye my hair, I'd get a job, and three days
thing, I could never spend like four hours a day in a gym.
later I'd be back in the place dyeing it back to my natural
I just couldn't do it. It's sort of a trade-off. I never think of
color. For a while, it was almost like that thing, like actors
myself as somebody that's in great shape. I don't have a scale
have little tricks, like when they need a job, they plan a vaca-
in my house. I was a chubby kid. I was chubby from like 8
tion, so [I would say to myself] if I color my hair purple, I'll
tu
to 16, and so that was like one of those things, it's just better
get work, and I kind of like that. There is still a part of me,
for me not to obsess over that. My mom was a Depression
>
~
[though] I think I'm getting a little too old for it. But a lot of
mom, and God bless her, there wasn't enough food in the
those really rebellious hairstyles, I would love to do some of
house [so) she just fed my brother and I. She just overfed us.
those. Like tiger stripes.
(/)
0
UI
ro
11
I
"I've definit ly had
commitment issues all
my life ab t everything,
whether it's a job or a
love interes or a place to
live. Lik I aid, I'm really
a nomad. I come from a
long line of nomads, so
I think I'm art of that
L.A. syndrome:'
You wore a vintage Chanel to the Emmys. Do you have a
the L.A. basin. The temperatures are sort of like the high
favorite red-carpet look?
desert. It's not like shooting in New York or Chicago, but
Oh my gosh, just barely presentable, really. Fashion is not my
it's really cold in the winter, and it's really, really hot in the
specialty, and especially like, black tie. It's really not my spe-
summer. Depending on that, they keep caking stuff on, you
cialty. Like, I know what I like. There's weird things because
know what I mean? Powder can get very thick. By 4 o'clock
it's specific, too. It's not like just kind of going to a regular
in the afternoon in July, you can like put a pin through your
party, as you know, so it's gotta be comfortable. It's gotta be
face. I just like to have a chance ... to give my skin a little
like nine-hour comfortable because, as you know, from the
break. And I'm at the beach a lot when I'm not working, and
time you have to hit the red carpet until the time you get
that's an excuse not to wear too much makeup. I'm literally
in the water and out of the water, and it never goes well, the
home, it's usually about nine or 10 hours.
mascara and the surfing.
And the shoes can be killers ...
That's the key. You learn these funny little things, you know, I've
had to leave those kinds of events because I just couldn't walk
anymore in my shoes. And I don't want that to happen any-
You sound low maintenance.
Yeah, I would probably put me in the extreme low maintenance
category.
more. I kind of feel like, I want to be able to stay to the end
What skin care products do you like?
and not leave because I can't feel my legs -
and have fun and
I'm a natural products kind of person because I'm a freak, so
be able to dance and eat and breathe. I'm a real stickler for
I'm a big Aveda person. I like their stuff. I'll go sometimes
that. I don't really wear any trains. I'm a clod, anyway. That's a
bad combination for me.
How do you describe your personal style?
for the oxygen facials.
AtAveda?
Not so much at Aveda. There's a couple places in town. I go to
Wow. I think I'd probably say for me, and it has a lot to do right
Burke Williams all the time. Ona Spa, I go there. Usually
now with just working so much and so long, I alwaysjust kind
I do something really noninvasive because that's the other
of want to look healthy and sort of really well rested, and a
thing, too, I don't go that much .... I'd like to go more, but
little like that just-got-out-of-bed look. And usually I'm tired,
again with my schedule, it's hard to commit, you know how
I haven't slept, I'm drinking six cups of coffee a day.
sometimes facials can mess up your skin for a few days.
Do you wear makeup off-set?
Because we're shooting nine months out of the year, I don't
Absolutely not, usually. And that's another thing, too. I would
really like to risk it, so I go for the very like, they have an
probably wear more if I wasn't working so much. I'm lucky
Ayurvedic facial, I think it's at the Four Seasons, like all this
enough to be working so much that if I'm not, I really like
Ayurvedic stuff, and it's really gentle stuff ... no peels or any-
my skin to have a chance to breathe. And the makeup's actu-
thing like that. I'm not big on that stuff.
ally quite heavy because it's full foundation, concealer and
Do you wear perfumes on the set?
powder, and then we get a little bit of extreme temperatures,
Again, because I'm kind of sensitive to chemicals, so I don't ever
so it can either be like up to 110 degrees, or it can be down
wear perfume, but I wear oils. I love oils. I get them at the
health food store.
to 40. We shoot like 40 minutes north of L.A., so it's not
Like lavender?
You know what? I love lavender, it's one of my favorite scents,
but I think I read in some ... big magazine that lavender
is a really great scent, but when people were tested on it,
it sort of was a nurturing, mothering scent to most people,
so I don't wear it all the time. I would never wear it on a
date. I would never wear it if I was trying to, you know, sort
of work my sensual side. Obviously if I'm hanging out with
my grandmother or I'm going to the beach, I'll douse myself
with the lavender because I love it.
Then which is a sexy scent? Musk?
Yeah, the musks I think are really sexy, and the Body Shop has
some really nice ones actually, and they do oils and they do
perfumes. And I still like the muskier scents like patchouli
and amber and ... even like citrus, sort of like an orange
spice something.
A lot of perfumes smell a little too frou-frou.
They will give me a headache, and I'll give myself a headache.
The other place I like a lot, there's a place called Andy's
Garden on Melrose, and they do a lot of sprays and mints
and like aura sprays, and their stuff is all natural; there's
no chemicals in it .... I wear a lot of those, and they're of
course very ethereal, so their scents are like Joy or Love or
Creativity. I love those. ■
66
I curve
e're a
Se
Jealous?
OK, last month was technically cuRvE's
17th anniversary but who really cares about
exact dates, anyway? Anyone who ever tried
to figure out a lesbian anniversary (first date?
first kiss? first U-Haul?) knows that. So here,
without further ado, is a little spread that's all
about us (and a little about you). Enjoy!
June 2007
I 69
/
-'~r------------------;;---.
Oh, the
CURVE
-----;,
staff, an elusive bunch we are, like lurkingjaguars in the dark murky magazine~ungle,
only showing our teeth when we catch somethingjuicy to munch on. No, we aren't nocturnal cre\itures
hashing away at a glossy cover collection of pure lesbiana: We have stories, honors and lovers just like
you. The truth is that most of y'all out there only see the people in the magazine: celebrities, activists,
the occasional sports star -
but what about us, the hardworking writers, editors, interns and sales
executives that deliver this wonderful package of queer information:' No more back burner for us, fot
these next few pages we consider our own place in the lesbian limelight.
~IANA
ALOH:I
Who are we anyway?
It's an age-old query
that, frankly, we'll
never be able to
~nswer. But we tried.
MARGARET
COBLE
MusicReview
Editor
PONCIANO
Editorial
Assistant
incredible assistant
Abouther:A DJ for 20 years, Margaret's retire-
resided in Honolulu, Hawaii, until she came to
ment has led her to focus more on her writing
San Francisco to break into the journalism busi-
and art these days. She is the editor in chief of the
ness. Currently she is finishing up her journalism degree with
Dance Music Authority, one of the US: leading club culture
an American literature minor at San Francisco State University, juggling an
glossies, and regularly contributes to local and national queer
internship at Performer and making ends meet as a waitress. However, when
publications. A N'awlins child at heart who calls Louisville,
Abouther: This super-duper
the opportunity to get a nibble of
life came, she wasn't afraid to add
Ky., home these days, Margaret has recently been focusing
another pig to the spit. When she isn't on the front of the interviewing line,
her attention on her arts and crafts business, artbymags.com,
Asiana enjoys karaoke (like any true Filipino) and Scrabble (like any true
where she is using her hands to develop her own line of T-
CURVE
writing nerd).
shirts and other screen-printed apparel.
Favoritel Wordcharacter:
Papi, because "ella es muy bonita:'
Favorite
l Wordcharacter:
Alice, for being deliciously funny.
CATHERINE
PLATO
Associate
Editor
NOAM
SZOKE
ITManager
About him: Without
Noam, there
Abouther:Send her a letter and she will answer it. Send her a drink and it
would be a lot of angry women and
better be a Bloody Mary. Catherine is all about health, or at least the healthiest
a lot of broken computers. Anyone
alcoholic cocktail you can order. When she's not bossing around the
who does IT, database
interns, she's answering readers' letters, freelancing for vegan magazines, climb-
and Web
CURVE
work is magical and revered as a
ing rocks and dreaming oflife as a YouTube celebrity. Like a bright pink track
savior -
office is no
jacket in a sea of earth tones, Catherine is out to inspire, hoping to continue to push the enve-
also helps other
lope and educate our audience about those lesbians who don't get as much recognition as they
and the
exception. Noam
CURVE
nonprofits and queer rights organi-
deserve. Keep those celery sticks coming, ladies.
zations run smoothly, keeping their
Favorite
l Wordcharacter:
Alice, because she's sexy, funny and a real-life queer.
computers happily functioning on the
desks rather than getting kicked and
cursed at. He also works with teachers
and principals on building community in their classrooms and schools
-
BAMBI
WEAVIL
Marketing
andPublic
Relations
Manager
how's that for making peace:'
Favoritel Wordcharacter:Noam is
Abouther:This pop culture junkie and avowed media hound is responsible for getting the word out,
too busy saving the world to watch
from managing our MySpace page to our L Word party promotions. When she isn't shouting out,
television.
she loves to get in touch with her creativity by writing poetry and exploring art of all kinds. You can
check out her work at artsy-goddess.com.
Favorite
l Wordcharacter:Alice, because she is relatable and a caring friend.
70 I curve
)
SARAJANEKESKULA
Associate
Publisher
RACHEL
PEPPER
BookReviewEditor
Abouther:This lady sure knows how to throw a party.
Before she began producing
CURVE
Abouther:This true blue Curvette knew
1
s L Word parties
Frances Stevens before it was cool to know the pub-
and Pride tours, Sara Jane worked on fundraising parties for Gay and Lesbian
lisher of
Advocates and Defenders. She just can't get enough of the queer community
to ride her first motorcycle. You know what they say
and desires to keep media representation of lesbians on the up and up, along
about the bond between a woman and her motorcycle:'
with getting a copy of
Well, it's even tighter with the person who showed her
CURVE
to every lesbian in America. A tall order, but not
CURVE.
As baby dykes, Franco taught her how
for this outstanding go-getter gal who has her hands in ad sales, publishing,
how to steer. From that day on Pepper was destined to
event planning and finding the perfect girlfriend.
give her dazzling prose to the magazine that she shares
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:
Papi, because after the Los Angeles L Word party
the most history with. This shy and socially reluctant
she found Janina Gavankar to be one of the "sweetest, delightfully warm, beautiful women I've ever met:'
coordinator oflesbian and gay Studies at Yale University
loves reviewing books, but loves it even more when girls
approach her, because if it were left up to her nothing
would happen. Hey baby, how you doing~
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:All the characters who are
LAURA
K.CUCULLU
CopyChief
GRETCHEN
LEE
Contributing
Editor
Abouther:Laura ensures
About her: Gardener,
that when
writer and sushi fiend, Gretchen
CURVE
comes
true-blue lesbians making up the background crowd
scenes behind the straight women acting like lesbians.
cook,
1
AMYSILVERMAN
PhotoAssistant
to your doorstep, it's (mostly) free
Lee served as CURVE s managing
of those pesky grammatical, spell-
editor for years before leaving
ing and syntax errors that our staff
just loves to make. When she's not
Today she's a contributing editor,
keeping our editors in line, Laura
a freelance journalist and a con-
film business lugging cameras around
keeps her inner tech junkie satis-
sulting editor for BabyCenter.
sets like Sex and the City, Amy was sick
fied by copy editing at a leading
com. Not only does she love
of New York and desired to break into the magazine
tech news site. A New Orleans
sushi, she loves writing celeb-
world, starting with a
native, she would like to ensure
rity interviews and chomping
up the ranks. However, recently her best friend came
another
her post to be a full-time mama.
Abouther:After working 10 years in the
CURVE
internship and working
through the many opportunities
knocking and bowled her over with another opportunity
in Louisiana by sturdying levees
that are offered up
to work in the big NYC on a new movie. She could not
and making sure that her culture
through
say no and left the
doesn't disappear.
hopefully not for long.
Favorite
L Wordcharacter:
Depends
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:"I love anything
on the episode and who's writing.
Pam Grier does!"
from The Wire to make a guest appearance.
150-year family history
CURVE.
CURVE
staff and San Francisco - but
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:I'm waiting for Lt. Greggs
FLOENRIQUEZ
Directorof Operations
AZANIA
BAKER
Editorial
Assistant
Abouther: Flo is
magazine, or at least
Abouther:This gal likes to get up in everyone's busi-
she is the one that allows everything that goes
ness: an excellent quality if you want to survive in
on within our six-wall office (it is a very strange
the magazine world. Azania spends her non-office
shape) to work smoothly. Previously she was
time writing for Out Now magazine and the San Jose
cuRvE
a manager for FedEx for a decade and, as you
may have learned from Cast Away with Tom Hanks, those ship-
City College Times, where she is studying to become a first-class
ping folks do not mess around. However, on that warm Gay Day in
freelance everything-and-anything journalist. However, if that
doesn't work out, Azania will be on the front line for teaching at-
Orlando in 2004, we saw the very determined, customer-oriented
risk youth. She is thrilled to intern for
guru in Flo's eyes and later hired her. Flo said goodbye to Florida and
a good company when she first came out. With such fond memo-
CURVE,
remembering us as
hello to foggy San Francisco. With her hard driving expertise and a
ries, Z, as we like to call her, is sure to give back what she was given
Mango A Go-Go with an energy boost fromJambaJuice, Flo is soft
from the LGBT community.
-spoken but knows how to raise it up when things need to get done.
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:
None, as she's not too happy with the
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:
Bette, because she knows what she wants
show's lack of Latina characters actually played by Latina actors.
and knows how to get it.
Give the entertainment industry time, Z.
June 2007
I 71
STEFANIE
LIANG
ArtDirector
Abouther:Who needs a show on Bravo when we have the real top designer
right here at CURVE?Stefanie began tapping into her lesbian professional
JAIMEROCA
Editorial
Assistant
career mere months ago, and already the magazine is undergoing awesome
transformations. She devotes much of her non-CURVE time to Hyphen, an
Asian American culture magazine, and is a part-time massage therapist. She enjoys find-
Abouther:A born journal-
ing new uses for old things and playing with her two cats. She actually aspires to have a
ist, Jamie did not listen to her mother
house full of cats, which only reminds us of the cat lady on The Simpsons.Maybe she will
when she told her not to talk to strangers. She
even find new uses for the cats when they get old.
recently graduated from San Francisco State
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:
Bette, because she is stylish and of mixed ethnicity and, of
University with a journalism
course, there was that Flashdanceshower scene.
degree and is
paying those pesky bills working at a booking
.............
company. She always has her ears up for something entertaining to absorb, especially the in-
FRANCES
STEVENS
Publisher
VICTORIA
A. BROWNWORTH
Contributing
Editor
likes to broadcast erotic weather reports via
Abouther: What's left
Abouther:Like a woven
mass text messaging, especially on a hot day.
Don't ask me, I'm just the messenger.
to say about the woman
fly to a rainbow trout,
who started it all 17 years ago? CuRvE's
CURVElured Victoria out
illustrious publisher is a dyke superstar
- in the office and across the coun-
of the Advocate and Out
try. When
she's not wheeling and
One of the CURVEoriginal gangstas,
dealing she's dreaming of vacationing
Victoria writes a book or two a year
office talks that compel her to pop up from her
workstation. But when she is not busy keeping
everyone in the know with juicy gossip, Jaime
Favoritel Wordcharacter:
Papi, because she is
"dang fine:•
DIANEANDERSON-MINSHALL
Executive
Editor
magazine-river and into our satchel.
in Hawaii.
(both fiction and non) in addition to
Favoritel Wordcharacter:Papi, Papi,
her smart and savvy column, and she
Papi. Though Alice and Dana will al-
is engaged. What a catch!
ways have a special place in her heart,
Favoritel Wordcharacter:Kit and
Abouther:Remember that wonderful cliche,
it's Papi, and star Janina Gavankar, who
Papi, but she still wants Marina back:
"if you can't handle the heat, get out of the
gets all the kudos from our top dog.
"Talk about a barista to die for:'
kitchen?" Same idea goes in the magazine
world, if you don't make it your lifestyle, you
won't go very far. Diane started early, working
on her high school paper in Payette, Idaho,
which triggered a stream of other media gigs,
KELLY
NUTI
Production
Artist
from broadcasting (Spectrum News) to newspapers (Crescent City Star) to mainstream
Abouther:A rare California native at the CURVEoffice, Kelly is the resident Photoshop
magazines (she was at Details for approxi-
guru. Lest you think she's a laid-back West Coaster, she can officially be called a worka-
mate 10 minutes, she says) to co-founding
holic between various photography jobs and video editing at a local production company.
Girlfriendsmagazine. She has been contribut-
There's one thing that she wants to make clear: "Whatever you do, don't call me nutty:'
Favoritel Wordcharacter:
Alice, of course.
ing to CURVEsince its second issue. Like a true
power lesbian, Diane keeps her hands busy
at all times, most recently as the co-author of
mystery novel Blind Curves,sold in bookstores
now. Watch for Blind Leap, number two in the
series, out in October.
LESLEY
SEACRIST
Editorial
Assistant
Favorite
l Wordcharacter:Jane
Lynch as Tina's
bitchy lawyer. "I dig women with power:'
Abouther:Lesley is a recent grad of San Francisco State University,
with the same old fears of growing up and becoming a tax-paying, low-cal dinner eating,
no-caffeine-after- 3 p.m. adult. But after a lifetime full of straight friends and devoid
of common lesbian trivia (like the fact that Melissa Etheridge's guitar swings for the
pink team), Lesley has loved working at CURVE.Among her many interests is opening a
brewery called Santa Nella Fella and drinking all the free beer she wants.
Favoritel Wordcharacter:Straight-washed Lesley has never watched an episode of
The L Word, but if she's forced to come up with one, she likes Leisha Hailey because
she has done some other excellent work, like "in Boy Meets World where she played Eric
72 j
curve
Matthews' upbeat folk-singing girlfriend turned dark emo angry girl with a guitar in one
episode. Pure genius:'
JOANBOCCAFOLA
Advertising
AccountExecutive
ONDINE
KILKER
Production
Manager
Abouther:A creative professional with more than 20 years of sales and marketing experience,
Joan is the latest addition to the CURVEcrew. She was the advertising director at Girlfriends
for three years and currently runs her own company, EZ Sleep Solutions. But her passion is
Abouther:Ondine Kilker
music: The songwriter and rock star extraordinaire has performed in various rock bands over
has a job
the years. If you aren't sold already, you might want to check your pulse and turn up the bass.
that
would
Favorite
L Wordcharacter:
We think Joan should be on the show herself.
make any lesbian jealous,
besides working at CURVE,of course.
She is a director, editor and film producer
who sometimes gets to direct, edit and film
girls in bikinis playing beach volleyball (at
last year's Gay Games). Talk about a dream
DIANABERRY
Advertising
AccountExecutive
job behind the camera. She is also a principal in the production company Kisser
Abouther:She joined the CURVEcrew in late January, but this newbie isn't new to the craft of
Productions and has in the past been a film
selling ads, drawing from past experience at Macworld.com, Adam Film Entertainment and
reviewer and a film fest worker, and she
Travelocity. Don't piss her off, though; she was the bantamweight boxing champion in the
worked for nonfilm companies including
military. On her own time, she enjoys anything that is risky and beneficial or just relaxing with
eTrade and the ODC Dance Company.
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:Carmen, be-
either a driver, putter or drum sticks in her hand.
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:
Not everyone here's an L Word fan, but if Diana had
cause she's a strong, positive Latina char-
to choose, she'd pick Bette.
acter played by a strong, positive Persian
woman.
GINADAGGITT
Contributing
Editor
SHERYL
KAY
Contributing
Editor
JULIABLOCH
Contributing
Editor
Abouther: Former Manhattan executive
Abouther:"I didn't get to party with
search consultant Sheryl Kay found her
Papi:' What:'" says contributing editor
About her: "The first
way to Tampa several years ago in search
Julia Bloch, who says she can't believe
time I kissed a girl, we
of warm weather and a much slower pace.
all the swank events she's missed since
were wearing matching
She brought a bathing suit, her vinyl col-
moved back east to become a Benjamin
sorority garb and both
had dates with boys the following night;'
lection (look, it was a few years ago), a pen
Franklin Fellow at the University of
and a camera. She settled into freelance
Pennsylvania. She's currently pursuing a
says Gina Daggett, aka Lipstick from the
journalism, writing and shooting photo-
Ph.D. in English literature, but we drag
punchy advice column Lipstick & Dipstick
graphs for numerous
her back to work on CURVEevery single
national publica-
and cuRvE's newest contributing editor.
tions, and started doing work for CURVE
school break she has. Bloch began as an
Shortly after, Daggett penned her way out
a little over a year ago (after pestering the
of the closet and went back to school for a
executive editor for six full months to look
evening editorial intern way back in the
'90s and over the years, she's served as
vi'
~
second bachelor's degree, graduating cum
at her clips. "She says she ran out of sticky
contributing writer, proofreader, copy
laude from Pacific University's Creative
notes reminding herself to call me back;'
editor, assistant editor, managing editor,
~
Writing program. "I love being a part of
Kay jokes). Now she writes our Out in
resider
the CURVEfamily. Career-wise, there are
Front column. Sheryl -
office tech1e. When she's not editing
!L
few things I hold so near and dear:' When
know by her Hebrew name, Sharone -
and studying, she's scouring the world
~
it
she's not bantering with Dipstick -
they
makes her home in suburbia with her two
for healthy vegetarian fare and penning
recently finished their first book, a humor-
awesome children, Simone and Elijah, and
love poems about Kelly Clarkson.
ous, over-the-top relationship guide with
their delicious Dalmatian, Xena.
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:She's too
Alyson Books that will hit the shelves in
Favorite
L Wordcharacter:
Bette it is.
busy to tell us.
~
(
![
e
![
!.)
~
LI
~![
u
January 2008 - Gina's working on a novel
1/)
which won a POWER UP grant in 2005.
~![
~
~
z
~
~p
z
t2
g
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<(
e.
er
UJ
~
er
ct
UJ
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~
who most people
Jral compass and occasional
If she's not pounding the keys of her computer, she's pounding the pavement with
her running shoes (she finished her first
BRIANMOWBRAY
ChiefFinancial
Officer
marathon in 2003), digging in her garden and cooking elaborate dinners for her
Abouthim:Well, he may be one of the staff's only men but he's not, by any means, the most mas-
lovely wife.
culine person at CURVE.This avowed metrosexual keeps our checkbook balanced and keeps the
FavoriteL Wordcharacter:
Hello:'! Alice!
staff on their toes when it comes to budget time. In his spare time, he's a concert maniac, scoring
tickets to nearly every top chick-centric concert that comes to San Francisco.
Favorite
L Wordcharacter:
"Do men actually watch The L Wordt
Sometimes it's the
interns who get the
sexiest jobs of all.
Curve(;J@wwD@w
Behind every good editor is ... an intern. For CURVE, this group of fearless chicks are ready to tackle any task, from
scouring Los Angeles for the only known photo of a female celebrity kissing another girl to pinch~hitting at photo
shoots as model~gofer~makeup artists. CURVE has been launching careers of aspiring writers and photographers
since its debut in 1990, so it's only fitting we check on some alumni who are making their own waves.
ma!tOlf
m~
~ p~~
Wheresheis now:
I started Root magazine, an online magazine about
Wheresheis now:
global dance culture, where humanity
Right now, I'm nightlife editor at GO NYC
Wheresheis now:
together in movement (RootMag.typepad.com),
(theNew York City-based dyke mag), and I in-
I've recently moved back to San Francisco and am
shortly after I left CURVE.I am also a commercial
tern at Nerve.com. I freelance for Rap-Up, the
again pursuing my photography.
photographer (InnerCamera.com).
Not-For-Tourists Travel Guide and a bunch of
comes
Accomplishments:
other publications.
Generalinterests:
After CURVE,I went down to Los Angeles and
I'm currently recovering from a knee surgery and
Accomplishments:
started working in film and television. Some of the
can't wait to get better and start dancing again! I'm
I've been freelancing for the past couple years, and
most popular shows I worked on were at MTV
still managing Root magazine -
I've worked a million jobs.
building reader-
and NEXT and Date My Mom. My favorite show
ship and advertising interest since last spring and
loving every minute.
I worked on by far was Bravo's Kathy Griffin: My
Generalinterests:
My
Mostmemorable
cuRvE
moment:
dog. Writing
Life on the D List as a camera assistant. She's amazabout
interesting
things.
Sneakers, gold, people. That's all.
Searching for pies of Jenna Jameson and having to
ing! My first feature film that I've done as a camera
assistant was a great gay film tided Holding Trevor,
due out this spring (with Shortbus' Jay Brannan).
contact her book publisher was a surreal moment.
Mostmemorable
CURVE
article:
Not sure why it was surreal, but it was the last
My most memorable story was the piece I did
Generalinterests:
thing I expected to be doing that day.
for the 15th anniversary issue about the 15 most
stereotypical types oflesbians. It was most memo-
I am again pursuing my photography.
HowcuRvE
shapedher:
rable because it was my most significant under-
Mostmemorable
cuRvE
moment:
CuRVE gave me the wonderful experience of
taking -
working for a woman-owned business with a great
spread. Plus it was really fun to write.
it was an idea I pitched and a two-page
group of inspiring people. The publisher gave me
my photos for the horoscope page. It was the first
insight and advice into my own ambitions to start
HowcuRvE
shapedher:
a magazine, which was worth its weight in gold.
I learned a bunch of stuff at CURVE. Diane
[Anderson-Minshall)
74
I curve
I was really excited when Franco [Stevens, CURVE's
publisher) asked if I'd like to contribute some of
is really smart, and it was
of my photographs that were ever published.
HowcuRvE
shapedher:
lovely working with Julia Bloch [CURVE'sformer
CuRVE was a great springboard into entertain-
managing editor). Also, I got to know Jocelyn Voo,
ment and media. It definitely helped, when I was
who is responsible for me writing for the New
first looking for basic production work, to have
York Post.
the CURVEnotch on my belt.
Wheresheis now:
for The Advocate,
Velvetpark, Out Look, and other national mag-
Wheresheis now:
In August 2006, I took a new job as associate
Wheresheis now:
azines.
managing editor of Sugar Publishing, a start-up
that publishes a network of Web sites for women.
York Post.
I edit and write BuzzSugar.com, a site that covers
music, movies, books and TV.
Accomplishments:
I'm a regular contributor
Currently
I'm
touring
the
country
performing in my solo show, based on the memoir,
also called My One-Night Stand with Cancer. It's
next stop: Seattle in October 2007. I'm brought
into universities, writing conferences, cancer conand lucky to be actively doing what enlivens me
Accomplishments:
Writing for Business 2.0, SF Weekly and
and allows me to connect to amazing people! I've
other publications.
ferences as a guest lecturer. Basically, I feel happy
had my plays produced at Pacific Resident Theatre,
To date, I've written for the New York Post,
Psychology Today, FHM, New York magazine
online, Fitness magazine online, Ladies' Home
Journal online, American Baby online and the
Mount Sinai School of Medicine Healthy Aging
newsletter, to name a few.
The Painted Bride Art Center and other venues
Generalinterests:
throughout
Running
the United States. As far as book
Relationships and weddings editor at the New
and playing tennis, discovering new
Mostmemorable
cuRvE
moment:
publications: My One-Night Stand with Cancer,
music, going to movies and concerts, devouring
As I was settling into my desk on my first day in-
Mensch: On Being Queer and Jewish, Monologues
for Women by Women, and my forthcoming memoir Aiming for Mediocrity.In addition to running
books and magazines, and continuing to avoid real
terning at
adulthood.
Diane, the executive editor, and Julia, the then-
topless races to raise money for breast cancer
Mostmemorable
cuRvE
article:
research, I've been running marathons, 26.2 miles
My favorite story was probably the one about the
"They' re serving pasties downstairs in the cafe;'
with my top on.
women's professional football leagues popping
Julia said.
"Pasties?'' Diane repeated, incredulous. "Like,
CURVE,
I overheard a dialogue between
managing editor.
up across the country. I was just fascinated by
Memorable
cuRvE
article:
the demand for this sport as well as the diversity
I'm not sure if by "article" you mean what kind of
of the players involved, everyone from a lesbian
as in for boobs? Are you serious?"
"Yeah, that's what was written
milk I was asked to procure at the corner store
couple devoted to rescuing stray cats to a petite
chalkboard:'
for the legitimate
former cheerleader whose perkiness was almost
CURVE
staff, but it was half and
half. And if by "article" you mean how adept was
I at filing back issues of
CURVE
They continue their heated banter for a
few more minutes before the lone advertis-
HowcuRvE
shapedher:
ing guy in the office leaned over and politely
interjected, "Uh, I think it's pronounced
It helped hone my writing skills and also made
HowcuRvE
shapedher:
me realize how much I want to write about topics
The best thing that
did for me was it got
important to me and in a nurturing environment.
me out of Phoenix, Ariz. and into San Francisco,
I also did quite a bit of music coverage there,
and San Francisco reallychanged my life forever,
which is what I am doing now.
CURVE
the
overwhelming.
then, yes, I was
very adept.
on
PAH-sty, not PAY-sty. You know, like a meat
pie?" Silence.
"I like PAY-sty better;' Diane declares.
allowed me the space to grow up, to feel like I was
a part of several communities and quite frankly,
HowcuRvE
shapedher:
was the first publication to give me a
San Francisco contributed to my self-esteem. I
CURVE
had no idea I was cute until the cute ladies of San
shot in the industry. And no matter where I've
Francisco told me so, so really, if you think about
worked since then, it's true: You always remember
it, CURVE magazine made me cute.
your first. ■
June 2007
I75
A Few of Our Favorite Peeps
The CURVE staff gets all the glory, but it's these contributing editors, writers,
photographers and artists who make our pages pop with pride.
AngelaWatrous,
Oakland,
Calif.
author of the best-selling,a.strology sun sign book,
City, where she has found several legendary liter-
"One of my favorite things about writing for
HerScopes: A Guide to Astrology for Lesbians that
ary and activist lesbians also live.
CURVE;' says freelance writer Angela Watrous,
has recently been reissued. She's also the benevolent
"is that it allows me to learn about new places
webmistress of two blogs: Madam Lichtenstein's
AefaMulholland,
Vancouver,
BritishColumbia
and new people. Getting to cover
Cosmic World ( thestarryeye.typepad.com)
"CuRVE was the first U.S. publication to publish
international
The Starry Eye Q (thestarryeye.typepad.com/
my work -
Stockholm and Curas:ao, especially
queer). Lichtenstein's horoscopes are carried in
Mardi Gras -
from a lesbian perspective, is one of
newspapers and on Web sites worldwide.
destinations
like
and
a story on the delights of Sydney's
back in 2000. I still remember sitting in a 'Net cafe near the
women's pool in Coogee,
the greatest assignments ever. I'm
always excited when CURVEcalls,
Stephanie
Schroeder,
JerseyCity,N.J.
to see what they have in store for
me next:' Watrous is the editor
"I initially got CURVEs attention
1
editor Diane Anderson-Minshall
Sydney, thrilled at reading
by sending
that CURVEhad accepted
my pitch for a
my story:' In addition to
of the political action guide 50 Ways to Support
piece about fat chicks early
contributing
Lesbian and Gay Equality: The Complete Guide to
last
writer and filmmaker Aefa
Supporting Family, Friends, Neighbors or Yourself
Schroeder of her article "Fat
and the literary anthology Bare Your Soul: The
year;' says
Stephanie
Mulholland
to CURVE,
has worked
with the BBC, Irish national broadcaster R.T.E.
Thinking Girl's Guide to Enlightenment. Watrous is
Chicks Rock;' in the January/
February 2007 issue. "I have
currently at work on a novel, and she can always be
been working on all sorts of
cluding the Irish Times, Miami Herald and Atlanta
found at angelawatrous.com.
fun and interesting features
Journal-Constitution. She has been published or
since:' Schroeder is currently
broadcast on four continents, writing or present-
AimselPonti,Portland,
Maine
working
ing on subjects from mule racing to the hazards of
on
a
full-length
and a plethora of print and online publications, in-
Originally from the Boston area, Aimsel Ponti is
memoir, other freelance writing and finding house
a music columnist for the Portland Press Herald
and a freelancer for other publications. Ponti's had
swaps. Schroeder also works part time as the
media director for a small health care communica-
CandiceParker,Washington,
D.C.
the good fortune of interview -
tions firm in New York City. She resides in Jersey
"I consider myself quite fortunate to have made
ing Sarah
McLachlan,
bingo to partying with the Pixies.
Indigo
Girls, Melissa Ferrick and Ani
DiFranco, to name a few. From
BrieChilders,
LosAngeles
an early age she's been obsessed
with music, and although piano
"I have photographed a handful of covers for CURVEover the last year. One
lessons didn't stick, she's thrilled
of my favorites is the cover with Daniela Sea and Sarah Shahi together. That
to be able to write about music.
was a fun shoot because they made such a cute couple. The Dante's Cove cover
"For me, it's all about spreading the word and
shoot is one of my favorite group shots that I've ever taken. It was a really easy
sharing my joy. The interviews are a nice bonus,
day, which is unusual when you're speaking about photographing five sexy
though, especially being one on one with Ani
women. When I was photographing Alexandra Hedison I probably embar-
Difranco in a locker room:' Ponti also completely
rassed myself by flirting a bit too much that day ... but she's hot!" says celebrity
photographer Childers.
digs her girlfriend, Tracy, running, the Red Sox,
Jenny Schechter and airplanes.
"Photographing women for a women's magazine is a nice inspiration.
I get to photograph what women think is sexy, rather than trying to put
CharleneLichtenstein,
NewYork
myself in a co-ed frame of mind. I think it's a challenge shooting for a
CuRvE's resident astrologer reads every issue cov-
lesbian magazine because there are so many different things that turn
er to cover and even under the covers. She is not
women on, and I want to be able to capture something for everyone. Of
course, it's a challenge that I enjoy!"
shy about casting predictions based on the stars
and says with some certainty that, "One day a les-
Whether
it's for an editorial cover, bikini calendar or a young
bian will be elected president of the United States,
Hollywood poster shoot, Childers makes her subjects shine. Childers' cli-
although
ents include Sony Music, HBO, Paul Mitchell, Maui & Sons,Jane, People,
Playboy, Movieline and Fitness magazine.
definitely not before 2008:' (Note:
she correctly predicted the winners of the past
two presidential elections.) Lichtenstein is the
76
I curve
it into my 40s without having had my heart bro-
CURVEsince 2005 and is "proud to be a part of
publications including the San Francisco Chronicle,
ken;' muses Candy Parker, whose essay on the
the lesbian magazine with the best reach in the
Alternative Medicine magazine, teenwire.com and
transition from devastation to hope after the end
community:' She currently works as associate
BabyCenter.com.
of a relationship was a CURVEhit last year. "There
publisher of Tricycle magazine, a niche publica-
was definitely irony in this situation. I've always
tion for Western Buddhists run out of down-
JenniferCorday,
LosAngeles
wanted to see my work in a national publication,
town Manhattan, and she is completing her MF A
When she's not writing for CURVE,JenniferCorday
but it took an essay inspired by the end of my
degree in Integrated Media Arts at City University's
is rockin' the streets of Los Angeles with her band,
most meaningful relationship to date to bring it
to fruition:'
Hunter College.
gaining a large and loyal lesbian following. She is
poised to release
HeatherBoerner,
SanFrancisco
her fourth studio
DanaKaye,Chicago
When she was 22, freelance writer Boerner looked
album, Superhero,
"I never thought I could earn a living talking to
forward every month to a plain manila envelope
a
sticky,
deli-
such fascinating people," says Kaye, whose work
arriving in the mail: CURVE
cious pop
rock
has also appeared in the Windy City Times,
magazine. As a not-quite-out
record that will
OutOnTheNet.com
break rules, break
and Bitch magazine. She cur-
baby dyke, Boerner looked
rently reviews books for Crimespree and Time Out
to CURVE for information
hearts and be her
Chicago and is hard at work on her second novel.
about what it meant to be
breakthrough
queer. A decade later, there
to stardom.
As
AllisonSteinberg,
NewYorkCity
are lots of other places to
founder of Venus Envy, an organization celebrat-
Allison Steinberg is a multimedia artist, freelance
get information about queer
ing women who rock, Corday is creating a scene
writer, lesbian activist and native New Yorker. She
life, says Boerner, but CURVE booking top-notch talent to perform live at venues
feels the presence of lesbians in
readers still hold a special place in her heart. "My
the media "is in its most excit-
idea of what it means to be queer is a lot different
ing era, as we are beginning
now than it was 10 years ago, of course, but I still
to
in California.
"It's a great opportunity to write for CURVE
because I discover so many great new lesbian art-
see ourselves reflected and nor-
think of the newly out baby femme reading CURVE ists, many of whom I end up booking:' Corday will
malized in mainstream culture:'
secretly when I write my stories;' says Boerner, who
be hitting the road this summer, performing live at
Steinberg has been writing for
also covers health, pop culture and real estate for
Pride festivals across the nation. Her hit parody
June 2007 \ 77
single, "Redneck Lesbo;' has lesbians across the
CherylMazak,SanFranciscoandCanada
nation in a downloading craze. "I wrote it as a
"The energy of the crowd at cuRvE's L Word
The Lucifer Tree, a short, The Weeks Welcome,and
joke;' says Corday, "and it just took off!" Hell yeah.
party was high, and the celebrities were play-
is currently working on her second full-length
Get your copy at corday.net.
ful and generous for the lens;' says photographer
screenplay, NeighborhoodWatch.
recently completed her first full-length screenplay,
Cheryl Mazak. "It was a superb event:'
KarenLoftus,LosAngeles
International
comedian,
Mazak's work has been featured in several
Tennessee
Fellow and award-winning
Williams
playwright
Karen
Loftus has toured the world with her plays It's A
Man's, Man's, Man's, Man's World (a two-woman show), Barbie'sDolls, I'm Not the Blonde You
Think I Am and, most recently, her solo comedy
show American Woman, A One Woman Comedic
Invasion.Loftus also teaches Body Comedy, a pro-
Beren deMotier makes head colds funny and sex
capturing unique moments and knows how to
education fun in her humor and social commentary
play with colors and contrasts to give her photos
writing about life as a lesbian morn. "Writing 'Sex
their cool and unique edge. She adores her sub-
and the Pagan Symbol'
jects and creates a pos-
for CURVEmade for some
itive and
fascinating banter at our
gram she developed using humor to heal, working
supportive
atmosphere. Her bold
annual lesbian morns' pot-
and
portrait
luck chat December, as our
can be
friends glanced salaciously
vibrant
photography
with prostitutes, prisoners and abuse victims.
' found in the homes of
many art aficionados
KinaWilliams,
Portland,
Ore.
BerendeMotier,
Portland,
Ore.
North American publications. She has an eye for
at our
Christmas
tree
and considered the possibilities of their own pa-
within Canada and the United States.
gan symbols once the kids were in bed:' Her work
ReneeWestbrook,
CentralCalif.
Williams, who specializes in queer events and per-
For years, Renee Westbrook believed that a child-
has been published in And Baby, Proud Parenting,
Alternative Family Magazine and her book, The
Bridesof March:Memoir of a Same-Sex Marriageis
formers. She began her hot photography career
hood fraught with sexual abuse could only lead
out this month at chebridesofrnarch.corn.
more than six years ago with the
to misery and suicide. At the cast party celebrat-
help of her friend, burlesque queen
ing the student production of her play Spider in
HollyDolezalek,Minneapolis
Heather
Williams
a Dungeon, she discovered how wrong she was. It
Colorado native Holly Dolezalek is a freelance
organiza-
was there the lead actress thanked her for writing
writer who covers everything from art to engineer-
tions to document queer culture,
the play and shared similar
ing to religion, and that means she's finally found
including the Femme Conference,
experiences of abuse.
a profession where her short attention span is an
"I may not live in San Francisco, but I feel quite
at home with CURVE;'says photographer
MacAllister.
with
various
Kina
"For the
first time in
advantage. She gets a kick out of the fact chat she
Girl 4 Girl, in Seattle and Portland. "Thanks to
my life, I knew why God
can earn part of her living by writing about all
my ongoing relationship with the CURVEchicas,
put me on this earth;' says
things gay, including biker po-
I am able to achieve many of my goals;' she tells
Westbrook.
ets, chicks who buy Subarus
us, including helping the fat activism movement
play
by showing the world how gorgeous big girls are
others healed me, but the
Fat Girl Speaks, Dirty Queer and
and
"Writing
sharing
the
it with
and the Girls in Wonderland
party at Disneyworld. In her
and becoming a still photographer for the movie
most important thing is that it helped another
The EthicalSlut (being filmed in San Francisco this
woman recognize her worth:' Her work has ap-
she covered what it's like to
summer). Williams is so adored by CURVE'sexecu-
peared in GuitarGirls.corn and Rockrgrlmagazine
live in Minneapolis
tive editor, she was flown down to the Bay Area to
as she enjoyed stints at the StocktonRecordand the
feminist sex toy store not far
photograph her 16th anniversary re-commitment
San Diego Union-Tribune,but Westbrook credits
from where she lives. "It's all
ceremony in 2006. See more at kinawilliarns.corn.
CURVEwith putting her career on the map. She
just good clean fun;' she says. One of Dolezalek's
most recent work for CURVE,
and a
hobbies is to explain to Christians why she, as an
agnostic, has never joined a church. For more of
her ranting on this subject, check out her blog at
KathyBeige,Portland,
Ore.
hollydolezalek.wordpress.corn.
To contact
her
directly, go to her Web site at dolezalek.net.
Kathy Belge (aka "Dipstick") never dreamed when she
pitched her first story to CURVEthat she would one day be
PhilCho,Brooklyn,
N.Y.
a regular columnist and full-time freelance writer. "Back in
Cartoonist and Web designer Phil Cho was raised
2003, I interviewed classical composer Jennifer Higdon for
in Newton, Mass. where he learned to support
my local gay paper and thought she had a great story that
social activism, so long as it doesn't affect your
CURVEwould be interested in," she says. Belge also keeps
property value or your child's chances at Harvard.
lesbians around the world up to date with celebrity gossip,
His latest comic scrip, Skinny Panda, cries way too
gay marriage news, dating, sex and love advice as the guide
hard to be cute. (Check out skinnypanda.corn.)
to all things lesbian on lesbianlife.about.corn.
'Tve been waiting 10 years for something to 'click;
he says. "Where the hell is my 'click't
Favorite Peeps continued on page 92
78 I curve
"When Tom Cruise was
married to Nicole Kidman,
I fantasized about having
sex with both of them."
53% have cats
52% have dogs
24% have children
TORI SPELLING
n't be surprised if I ended
a woman .... It seems like
I bisexual, if you want to
of simple about it."
"If I was going to make a broad
generalization, I'd say that I prefer
the company of women. Sapphic
dalliances. I love men and I love
women. For a woman to say she
has had a dalliance with another
woman is quite trendy these
days, but I do not like that trendiness. Life isn't about dalliances
- it's about individuals. You
come across people in your life
that you find very interesting. It's
not about something flighty."
SAFFRON BURROWS
LILI TAYLOR
June 2007
I81
"It isn't that I hadn't ever
considered[a lesbianrela•
tionship).I'd say, 'Well,would
that be interesting?Would
I want to?' And I honestly
don't thinkthat the thought
ever resolveditself."
"I've had sex with women, yeah. I'm married to a
man. One of the things he loves about me is that I
find a lot of women really attractive - and I don't
find as many men attractive. My mother [literary
agent Charlotte Sheedy] is gay, and she's been
living with a woman for a long, long time. So what?"
ALLY SHEEDY
JULIE ANDREWS
"If I happen to fall in love
with a woman, everybody's
going to make a big deal
out of It. If I fall in love with
a man, nobody cares."
"Do I like women? I like women. Do I like
them sexually? Yeah, I do. Totally.... It's
weird. Women are so much more selec..
tive with women than they are with men.u
DREW BARRYMORE
LUCY LIU
"If a woman came into my life who
was absolutely stunning and satisfied
me emotionally, intellectually and sexually, I'm not going to draw the line and
say, 'I can't because you're a woman.' I
find it hard enough to find someone to
be with, why narrow the field?"
"My only regret in fife is that
none of my children are gay."
SHARON OSBOURNE
AMANDA DONOHOE
including the Femme Conference,
Fat Girl Speaks, Dirty Queer and
Girl 4 Girl, in Seattle and Portland. "Thanks to
my ongoing relationship with the CURVEchicas,
I am able to achieve many of my goals;' she tells
us, including helping the fat activism movement
by showing the world how gorgeous big girls are
and becoming a still photographer for the movie
The Ethical Slut (being filmed in San Francisco this
summer). Williams is so adored by cuRvE's executive editor, she was flown down to the Bay Area to
ex
my
put
Wes
play
others
most important thing is
woman recognize her wort
peared in GuitarGirls.com a
photograph her 16th anniversary re-commitment
as she enjoyed stints at the Sto~
San Diego Union-Tribune, but
ceremony in 2006. See more at kinawilliams.com.
CURVEwith putting her career on t
KathyBeige,Portland,
Ore.
''[SportsIllustrated
swimsuitmodel]
Patricia[Velasquez]
and I were together
five years [but]she
still had to have some
experiencesin life."
SANDRA BERNHARD
"Any woman who says
she never thought about
lesbian sex is lying."
KRISTY SWANSON
Kathy Belge (aka "Dipstick") never dreamed when she
pitched her first story to CURVEthat she would one day be
a regular columnist and full-time freelance writer. "Back in
2003, I interviewed classical composer Jennifer Higdon for
my local gay paper and thought she had a great story that
CURVEwould be interested in;' she says. Belge also keeps
lesbians around the world up to date with celebrity gossip,
gay marriage news, dating, sex and love advice as the guide
to all things lesbian on lesbianlife.about.com.
Just in time for Pride,
18 female celebrities
dish on sex and love
with other girls.
Compiled by Susan Granger
78
I curve
"I enjoy watching lesbians. Who doesn't
want to see good-looking girls make out?"
JANEANE GAROFALO
"It's one of my most common
fantasies ... one of the most
beautiful things - two women
that are lovers. I guess I haven't
found the right woman at the right
time yet. ... I think the [lesbianthemed] movie Bound was really
erotic. It's the hottest movie. I
can't think of a sex scene that
was as sexy and wonderful."
CYBILL SHEPHERD
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"I find it hornier looking at
women than men. I love experimenting with my sexuality. If
that means girls, then so be it.
It would be wrong to hide this
side of my personality. Girls are
nice to kiss - nice and soft. I
love to see a girl with a good
booty. Curves are super-sexy.
The thing I hate is a girl who's
got fake boobs and no butt. I'm
like, 'What happened to her?"'
CHRISTINA AGUILERA
cc
iii
"All of my sexual experiences when I
was young were with girls. I mean, we
didn't have all those sleep-over parties for nothing. Whether I'm gay or
not is irrelevant. Whether I slept with
Sandra Bernhard or not is irrelevant.
I'm perfectly willing to have people
think that I did. You know, I'd almost
rather they thought that I did."
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"I did some modeling
years ago and shared
a cabin with a woman.
I was in my black pants
and T-shirt, watching
television. She was in
a little G-string, putting
lotion on her whole body.
... It was sexy for me to
see a woman like that.
She looked all glossy and
I wanted to eat her. You
have to live for moments
like that. Anything that
felt that good couldn't
possibly be bad."
TORI SPELLING
"In my early 20s, I wondered
if I was interested in women
and so I kind of ... well ... did
my homework."
REBECCA
ROMIJN
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2
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"When Tom Cruise was
married to Nicole Kidman,
I fantasized about having
sex with both of them."
ANGELINA
JOLIE
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~0
WHOOPIGOLDBERG
MADONNA
w
0
"There hasn't been a studio
head I've worked for who hasn't
come out and asked me if I'm
a lesbian. I say, 'Normally, this
would be none of your business.' However, I will answer
you .... It's possible. I'm not
practicing at the moment, but I
will not say it will never happen
or hasn't happened in my past."
"I wouldn't be surprised if I ended
up with a woman .... It seems like
we're all bisexual, if you want to
get kind of simple about it."
"If I was going to make a broad
generalizat on, I'd say that I prefer
the company of women. Sapphic
dalliances. I love men and I love
women. For a woman to say she
has had a dalliance with another
woman is quite trendy these
days, but I do not like that trendiness. Life isn't about dalliances
- it's about individuals. You
come across people in your life
that you find very interesting. It's
not about something flighty."
SAFFRON BURROWS
~
~
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LILI TAYLOR
June 2007
I81
Reviews
In the Stacks
She's Bringing Sassy Back
Two generations of girls keep the pages turning. I By Rachel Pepper
EDITOR'S
PICK
Sassy magazine's been gone for more than a decade, but a new
change your life" did indeed have that impact on a generation
generation proudly carries the torch. Nostalgic ge~-Xers and
of disenfranchised kids. Its influence can still be felt in feminist
their younger sisters will be enamored with these new reads.
TheGolden
Ageof
LesbianErotica, How Sassy Changed My Life, Kara Jesella and
·s
eds.VictoriaA.
Brownworth
and Remember Sassy magazine:' Smart, sharp and revolutionary, Sassy
JudithM. Redding paved the way for a new generation of feminists, riot grrls, indie
(MagicCarpet):CuRVEhipsters, zines and blogs. True, its target audience was straight
contributingeditor girls ages 13 to 20, but during its brief reign (1988 to 1994) lots
VictoriaA. Brownworth of LGBTQ folks read it too, and we weren't all teenagers.
andJudithRedding
Sassy matched straight-shooting articles on real issues (like
haveminedthefieldof the reader-written column "It Happened to Me") with lifestyle
lesbianeroticwritingof
coverage that challenged
the early20thcentury
all previous teen media,
andproduceda volume
burstingwith literary including better-financed,
dispatches
froma stodgier competitors like
revolutionin lesbian Seventeen. Sassy pioneered
sensibility.
Theyrightly many ideas that eventually
identify1920-1940 trickled into mainstream
asa periodthat saw culture, like its legendthe evolutionof fully ary and oft-copied brand
realizedlesbiansexual- of cultured cattiness. The
ity in literature,with magazine was exceptional
full-bodieddepictions
at capturing burgeoning
of Sapphicencounters,
trends like baby tees and
unlikethe ribaldand
male-penned
lesbian hobnobbed with a groweroticaof theVictorian ing pack of celebrities, including R.E.M. and Nirvana. In fact,
erathat precededit or Sassy was the first magazine to have a cover photo featuring
the buttoned-up
repres- Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love together. How Sassy Changed
sionof the McCarthy My Life is the first book-length treatise of the magazine's rise
yearsthatfollowed.But and fall, tracing its Australian roots, the assemblage of its first
Brownworth's
introduc- young editorial team in New York (including the personalities
tion is worththe cover that would lead it, like Jane Pratt and Christina Kelly), its devpricealone:Hercritical astating boycott by the religious right, the struggle to find suphistoryof the literature
portive advertisers, the path it blazed through feminism and the
urgesusto lookbeyond
magazine's eventual downfall.
TheWellof Loneliness
As the authors of this new book point out, in its campy
to the widediversity
of lesbianwritingthat way, Sassy "deconstructed gender . . . and looked good while
characterized
nearly doing ir:' One fashion spread on using boy beauty products
threedecades.(magic- even featured a butch woman as the model. In fact, many queers
carpet-books.
com) lovingly called the magazine "Sissy,"and as a gay reader recalls in
- JuliaBloch the book, "It certainly wasn't mainstream and sort of had a 'we
aren't them and aren't they ridiculous' sort of mentality that a
Checkout
lot of gays have:' I know I have many memories of reading Sassy
curvemag.com
foran interviewwith
with my gay boy roommates back around 1990, relishing its culVictoriaA. Brownworth
tural coverage, its smart columns like "Zine of the Month;' new
band alerts and badass girl attitude. Sassy's aura, which media
critic Ann Powers recalls was infused "with a sense that it could
s21curve
magazines like Bust and Bitch (Bitch editors Andi Zeisler and
Lisa Jervis were, in fact, Sassy interns) and the tremendously
strong, current DIY culture of zines and blogs it helped spawn.
So what made Sassy fall:' In part, editor Jane Pratt's
rising star, in part a clueless publisher. And in part the
realities of the publishing
world, which didn't then and
doesn't now financially reward innovators who buck bigbusiness practices. But don't read How Sassy Changed My
Life to mourn, read it to remember and celebrate the reality of a short-lived magazine that lives on in attitude, new
media forms and, luckily for collectors everywhere, eBay.
Baby Remember My Name: An Anthology of
New Queer Girl Writing, ed. Michelle Tea (Carroll
What constitutes queer girl writing these days, and who gets
to decide:' There's been some debate recently in lesbian literary circles about what passes and what doesn't. But if you
were going to trust anyone to decide, you'd probably want to
trust Michelle Tea. Lammy
award-winning
novator
word
of
troupe
author,
dyke
Sister
in-
spoken
Spit,
experienced anthology editor and current curator of
the monthly Radar Reading
series at the San Francisco
Public Library, Tea's got her
ear to the ground, and what
she hears is dyke writing.
In her newest collection,
Baby Remember My Name,
the spirit of dyke fiction or the more loosely encircled
"queer girl" fiction -
rages on. In her introduction, Tea says, "I
hate to become the sort of person who talks about how once
they were young and now they're not .... [but) All the girls in
this book are there right now. Ir's so exciting. I'm rooting for
the bunch of them -
on their lonely drug adventures, won-
dering melancholy about girls they left behind as they moved
deeper into their wild queer lives:' There are stories here about
doing the laundry, road trips, dating a stripper and being a
bondage model with tummy trauma. Most take place in San
Francisco and are true to the spirit of Tea's own classic memoir
Valencia, if not as good. There's spirit here, yes, just not an
abundance of riveting writing.
93
Key Wests DistinctiveResortfor UfJmen
PAGE TURNERS
thesecondary
sex?(dukeupress games,anonymous
drug-addled
.edu)- JennaHumphrey
orgiesandeventhe occasional
stabat commitment,
without
Indestructible,
CristyC.Road
muchthoughtasto why.Those
(Microcosm
Publishing):
This
wholikethe depravityof Dennis
reflectivenarrativeanalyzes
Cooper'sworkor the disillusion
Road'sformativehighschool
of BretEastonEllis'will enjoy
yearsasa queerLatinaoutcast
this darkcelebrationof a city
in 1980sMiami.Roadusesgritty notoriousfor sexualliberaillustrationsandwaywardtext
tion.Thewholeproblemwith
to examineteenagepromiscuity freedom,though,is that people
andcopingmechanisms
(read:
rarelyknowwhatto do with it.
SeeJaneWrite,Sarah
gettingstoned,wiredor shit(kensingtonbooks.com)
- JH
Mlynowskiant f; ri Jacobs
faced).Indestructible
explores
(Quirk):Admitit, withchicklit
thetoxicimpactgenderbias
novelspoppingupall overthe
andproscribednormshaveon a
place,you'vesecretlydreamed
of questioning
youth,whileencourwritingthatbestseller
andditchaginginquiryandprotestagainst
ingyourjob for good.Mlynowski socialconstraints.Sopowerful
didjustthat,andshe'shereto tell is Road'scandidportrayalof
youhow. Herbasicsoncharacter growingpains,it providesthe
mapping,plottingandfindingan
perfectcomfortfor angsty,selfagentarehelpfulfor absolutebe- loathingyouthandsendsolder
ginners,andwhilethere'snothing readersbackdownmemorylane
specificallylesbianaboutthis
throughtheirownadventures
book,thatdoesn'tmeanyoucan't andmishapsof youngadulthood.
useit to subvertthegenreand
(microcosmpublishing.com)
PrettyLittleMist kt?s,
makeyourchicklit heroinecome - AzaniaBaker
HeatherMcElhatton
(Harper):
out in the middleof herquestfor
Remember
thosefun chooseloveandliberty.(quirkbooks.com)
your-own-adventure
books?
- DianeAnderson-Minshall
AuthorHeatherMcElhatton's
debutnovelis a chicklit-meetsGoth,eds.LaurenM. E.
noirversionwherethe choices
Goodlad
andMichaelBibby
aretougher,the stakeshigher,
(DukeUniversity
Press):This
andthe characterssexierand
collectionof essays,focusing
far moredisturbed.Asthe
heavilyongothandgender,dembookopens,our protagonist
onstratesthe complexity
of an
is facedwith herfirst decioftenmisunderstood
subculture.
sion.Solid,addictivelydark
Prevailing
questionsrelateto
proseleadsreadersto oneof
whygothmenemphasize
femme SoMaKemble
Scott
150differentoutcomes,most
appearance,
goth'sacceptance
of (Kensington
Books):
The
of whicharereachablein a
sexualminorities,its resistance founderandeditorof SoMa
fast-paced,10-minutes-or-less
to gendernormsandits preocLiteraryReview,KembleScott
read- McElhatton's
gota
cupationwiththeskinnyfeminine channeled
hisfascinationwith
wildlycreativecatalogof quick
ideal.NineInchNails,death
SanFrancisco's
Southof Market andunexpected
deaths.Queer
chic,FlanneryO'Connor,
Emily
district- an industrialdead
contentis ample,too,from East
the Strange,Columbine,
Edward landpopulatedbysexualfetishIndiantranssexuals
with saucy
Scissorhands
andothercultural
ists' havens- intoan extended, little sistersto real-dealsamereferences
savethis collection
cohesivepieceof fiction.Scott
sexmarriage.Yes,if youplay
fromacademicobtuseness.
doesn'tdelivera conventional
yourcardsjust right,youcanget
Ultimately,
its examination
of
novelso muchasa studyin
the heroineto hookupwith a hot
lesbian-andfemale-centered
kink,foregoinghighlynuanced
Irishchick.Butnotsofast - the
culturerevealsa complicated
psychology
to packplot,plotand happycouplejust mightdriveoff
relationship;
in a lifestylewhere
moreplotin thetraditionof noir
the Cliffsof Moherwhileswervmenareusuallytheonestranor comicbookwriters.Three20- ingto avoida straysheep.Don't
scendinggenderroles,howare
somethings
becomeentangled
sayI didn'twarnyou.(harper
womento escapeassignment
as
in bondageclubs,dangerous
sex co/fins.com)
- Catherine
Plato
Find someone
you click with on
pinksofa.com
1 week free trial
Just enter the promo code
curve06 when you join
June 2007
I 83
I have never written about my abusive relationships with women. Because there
was so much judgment around my sexual writing, I didn't want to feed into
easy stereotypes. Also, my batterers are still alive, and in a way only other
battered women can understand, I've wanted to protect them and still do. I
feel more ashamed for them than they do themselves, I think.
xuality,
I've met the most incredible young women who have grown up with different historical tensions -
or lack of tension -
around sexuality and don't
freight their sexuality with the same sense of shame or sense of rebellion.
But, I still think I also have a lot to learn about how complex sexuality is
to them. Also, I'm beginning to see a new backlash against young women's
sexuality, a new Puritanism that sets up the bad old dichotomy of good girls
versus bad girls. There is real judgment around hooking up, labeling girls
and women "sluts"just for exploring their sexuality openly and freely.
Joan Nestle
I WRITER,
TEACHER, ARCHIVIST, ACTIVIST
I
ary
with Clare Howell and Riki Wilchms. What is your role, if any, m the
,.,.
Just as I've been really lucky enough to be a part of a historical time when
things that were born that had never existed, such as the national gay and
lesbian archiving movement, I am witnessing the community building and
At 67 years old, Joan Nestle is a living lesbian legend; in 1976, she opened
political organization of the trans community as a historical movement.
the Lesbian Herstory Archives in her pantry with her then-partner Deborah
I am seeing new kinds of courage and new people who will force deeper
Edel. Nestle continues to make and record herstory, writing explicitly about
societal thinking about gender. I'm also very curious about how histories
love, lust, play, creativity, illness and social issues. CuRVE caught up with Nestle
-
when she was in New York City this spring on what has become an annual
end result, but with new kinds of men and women and other genders,
personal and cultural -
will happen. I won't be here to find out the
visit to her hometown from Melbourne, Australia, where she has settled with
such as a transman who lived his first 20 or 30 years of his life as ales-
her partner, international human rights activist and law professor Dianne Otto.
bian feminist, I am interested to see how he grows and matures. And, of
- SheelaLambert
course, we have yet to see the effects of long-term use of testosterone. It
You've written extensively and extremely openly on so many taboo
genders or how we will make society open to them. These are once again
pioneer times. ■
is also yet to be seen whether our society will be open to new types of
topics. What haven't you written about?
SIZE MATTERS
enoughto defendagainstpeskyraccoons.(tenspeed.com)
Theysayonecluetellsyouwhata gift
is worth:it's size.Themostexpensive
giftsareeitherhuge(aBMWor an
HDlV)or tiny (aTiffanydiamondtennis
bracelet).
Thesamecouldbesaidfor
readingmaterial.-Azania Baker
ModernWords#8 and#9,ed.
GarlandRichardKyle:Lit buffswill
lovethissharp-witted
assortment
of LGBHhemed
shorts,poetryand
prose.(suspectthoughts.com)
Let'sGetPrimitive,Heather
Menicucci:
Lessis morewhen
weathering
the wild.Thiscamping
guidefor the urban
girl is a how-tothat
won'tweighyou
down.Pro:it won't
cluttera backpack
full
of othertravel-size
must-haves
brought
fromthe city.Con:
it probablyisn't big
84
J
curve
SomePoemsByPeopleI Like,Ed.
SandraAlland:Thisgreatanthology
featuresa groupof poetsfromaround
the globe,fouroutof fiveof whom
identifyas queer.(blissfultimes.ca)
TheZinester'sGuideto Portland,
ed.ShawnGranton:
Thiscoolno
budgetguideto Portland,
Ore.,is thin
enoughto carrywithoutmajorbulge.
(microcosmpublishing.com)
RagingBeauties:Confessions
andAdvice,TimWright:Thissquat,
colorfulmini-bookis perfectfor a
goodlaugh.Cleverassertions
and
bitchyproverbsmeeta bonusspinning
wheel.(redwheelweiser.com)
GirlsIn Pearls,Claudia
Lanfranconi:
Thisclassy,upscale
collectionof paintings,
drawings
andphotoscelebrates
women,you
guessedit, adornedwith pearls.
(merrellpulishers.com)
LynnHechtSchafran:
Thisfun popup bookfromthe women'sadvocacy
groupLegalMomentum
includes
essaysfromAnnaQuindlen
and
EdwidgeDanticat,amongothers.
(Jegalmomentum.
org)
FeministsWho
Changed
America
1963-1975,ed.
BarbaraJ. Love:
Thischunkydirectoryalphabetically
lists
In Praiseof theNeedlewoman,
progressive
women
GailCarolyn
Sirna:Thisassemblage whospearheaded
civilrightsmovecapturesthe quietconcentration
and
ments- andprobablydida lot of bra
simplisticbeautydevotedto needleburningin the process.
A primeron
work.Delightfuldescriptions
opposite women'sstudiesanda must-havein
eachpaintingmakefor an engaging
anylesbianlibrary,Feminists
is a vast
read.(merrillpublishers.com)
tributeto the railblazing
womenof the
'60sand'70s.(press.uillinois.edu)
Women:
A Celebration
of Strength,
Tinyortome?Seecurvemag.com
LouiseA.Gikow,KathyRodgers,
Music Watch
They Began to Rock Steady
Reviews
The
Gospel
Truth
Is there an East Coast monopoly on hot rocker chicks? I By Margaret Coble
punches
chat keep the tunes
driving
steadily along. The album is bookended by
the sly opener "Yankee on My Shoulder;'
which sets the scene driving into Yalobusha
(I love the way Swingle slurs chis word!),
encountering
the
bored, mean cops along
way, and
instrumental
the
closing
acoustic
"Blackwing," which clearly
vibes off the ghosts of Money Shoe. Ocher
highlights include the slow-burning social
commentary "Monkey Tongue;' the '70s
blaxploitation-referencing
"Foxy Brown;'
as well as Swingle's throaty Southerndialect French on "French Song:' A mesmerizing 40-minute listen from beginning
to end, be prepared to gee lost in the thick
swamp-punk fuzz. Catch these gals live on
tour, if you can - they put on a helluva
show. ( themoaners.com)
I first heard out lesbian singer-songwriter
Swati (whose name appropriately means
"birth of a star" in Hindu) on the Day Stage
at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival
last summer. She was a complete unknown
I can't guarantee that you'll be seeing any of the following female
to me at the time, and I was instantly impressed by her virtuos-
rockers at your local Pride celebration this month (though you
ity on the guitar, which ranged between the folky complexity of
never know!), but the Moaners, Swati and Joan as Police Woman
Joni Mitchell to the distorted chaos ofJimi Hendrix, reminiscent
are definitely pricking up lesbian ears and emerging as dyke
of the percussive artistry of fellow Michfesc performer Pamela
favorites, regardless. And for good reason.
Means. I've since learned that she hails from New York City's
thriving East Village music scene, made her first demo disc with
noted rock-pop producer Steve Lillywhite (known for his work
This dynamic dyke duo from Chapel Hill, N.C., thankfully is
with U2, Morrissey and Dave Matthews Band), and g
back with a follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2005 debut,
quite the industry buzz via her 1999 Lilith Fair appearance.
ed
Dark Snack. Recorded in the northern Mississippi backwoods
After a several-year hiatus from the music biz, she's back with
at the infamous Fat Possum Records' Money Shot Studios
this impressive debut album which should have heads turning all
(now dubbed Blackwings, located in Yalobusha
over again. The 50-minute, 10-
County, Miss., hence the album title), home of
track disc runs the gamut from
southern blues giants R.L. Burnside and Junior
quiet folk to ethereal pop and
Kimbrough, the 12-track album retains the
pulsating rock, often within
duo's trademark distortion-filled garage blues
twang but is infused with an extra layer of
the same song, largely falling
into the "hard to describe" cat-
location-inspired
singer
egory but consistently melodic
Melissa Swingle reprises her
sluggish Southern drawl, sliding and scaling
and always lyrically engaging.
"Big Bang" opens with a fiery
over loping bass lines and slide guitar riffs
wall of acoustic guitar frenzy,
chat make you want co drink whiskey -
and
accompanying Swati's lyrical
while drummer and backup vo-
equivalent of ripping her heart
and guitarist
lots of it -
atmosphere.
Lead
EDITOR'S
p
TheGospelTruth,
SusanWerner(Sleeve
DogRecords):
In a
worldwhereflashy
bandslikethe Pussycat
Dollsgetall the attention,it's a welcome
reliefto find an artist
likeSusanWerner,
who
hasmadea compellinglittle CDthat might
just bethe world'sfirst
gospelrecordingfor
agnostics.
Tapping
intothe zeitgeistof
Americanreligiousculture, TheGospelTruthis
a beautifulvocalization
of the kindof universal
doubtsthat eventhe
mostdevoutprobably
have.Thisbreathtakingcombination
of
bluegrass,
gospeland
country(thinkthe
CarterFamilymeets
FernJones),is perfect
for womenwho- like
Werner'sfriendKenni
- askof gospelmusic,
"Is therea wayto get
all thisjoy withoutthe
Jesus?"(susan
werner.
com)- DAM
calist Laura King counters with thunderous
June 2007
I
85
since they really demand sensitive listening.
Who',; been your biggest influence?
My biggest influence is probably Prince. I started listening to him when I was 11,
and I saw him live for the first time when I was 12. Kate Bush's music was
the first I had ever heard that sounded anything like the music in my head. I
started listening to her and Throwing Muses when I was about 14. The Muses'
main writer, Kristin Hersh, has continued to be a huge influence on me.
With R,:wengirlfini"'hPd,wha do you have o s y abol
he journrJ?
I love the album so much, and I love performing a lot of the work on that
album. The audiences are loving it, and all of that has been very exciting,
and it's getting good reviews. It [was] featured on NPR in January. It's
just been a very powerful experience to find that going that deeply into
something so painful is bringing so much love and support out in the
world, like it's just like a remarkable process .... I have five brand-new
songs already, and I love the new songs. I am so excited about the new
direction that my music is going. I feel so uninhibited. It feels almost like
I can do anything right now. ■
Kristi Martel
I
SINGER-SONGWRITER
I
QUEER ARTS FEST
Rhode Island-based singer, songwriter, composer and pianist Kristi Martel
San Francisco's National
dives into an emotional abyss and lives to tell about it on Ravengirl, her
(queerculturalcenter.org)
fifth full-length release on Sealed Lip Records. Martel has shared the stage
versary May 26 to June 30 with an unbelieveable
with Melissa Ferrick and Jason Mraz, played in venues from Kimo's in San
offering of theater, spoken word, dance, exhibitions
Francisco to New York's famed Knitting Factory, and spent the spring touring
and unbridled performances from artists includ-
both solo and with the Kristi Martel Trio. - Jaime Roca
Queer
Arts Festival
celebrates its 10th anni-
ing Kate Bornstein, Alison Bechdel, Ariel Schrag, Cindy Emch, Rally the
Troupes and Chloe Atkins. Madeleine Lim brings the Queer Women of
Tell me the story behind Ravengirl.
Color Festival to Queer Arts, too, with 42 new films. We caught NQAF
In 2003 my former life partner [Amy"Litdebird" Nuara] died by suicide in
San Francisco, and it was such a traumatic experience and it was so pain-
executive director Pamela Peniston (above) to talk up the fest. - DAM
ful every day.... A lot of the songs on Ravengirl, maybe half of them ...
very much deal with my partner's death, but even more so deal with my
healing and my transformation after her death.
How rtid it feel to record th·c:;
album, given th~ subj~ct matter?
• , ·,.
I'),
- j
)
We have used the festival to bring up issues such as war, marriage, cultural
and ethnic differences, gender and age, and challenged artists of every
discipline to address this in their work. I'm all about telling stories
Fear isn't really the right word, but just a recognition that this is such a big
and when you assemble a great group of artists to address a topic, the
project. [I] felt very scared. A lot of joy. A lot of grief. A lot of power in
stories that explode out of that experience create community in a much
the community developed to record this album, and I guess love and joy
more profound way than we ever could have imagined. There are cer-
in that community and sort of a freedom. A feeling like the culmination
tain things that are central to our vision of the festival and to Queer
of the album has opened up so much for me, and there is that special,
Cultural Center: giving a platform to queer artists -
sparkly, on the edge of that freedom feeling.
ginalized artists - paying them for their work; bringing diverse artists
especially mar-
How wo lid you de">cribeit '3ound?
of every discipline to center stage and providing the assistance artists
I can never really talk in terms of genre. It just doesn't work for my song-
need to present that work, whether it's providing a venue, technical
writing. I write from the inside of the song. The emotion or story of the
song determines the sound. Sometimes it's alternative rock. Sometimes
it's blues or jazz. Sometimes it's very avant-garde and experimental. It's
assistance or publicity support.
)d
...10
I
(
;?
I
')
Wonderful, terrifying and really really exhausting.
always soulful. It's always real.
albu~ • at reeia 'm less bass, played by Kurt Meyer. How did
th~t ~lo achie ~ ti,~ sound you WP.rA going for?
Almost every single one. Last year, I had two nights off during the entire
I realized that the bass sounds in the arrangements that I was creating in my
immensely capable staff, so other than having to get up on stage, which
head were fredess and upright bass lines. They were more melodic, more
terrifies me every time, and welcome people ... it's strictly about enjoy-
like Peter Gabriel or Kate Bush bass lines than like standard rock bass
ing the show. It's wonderful to see audiences inspired by ... what they
lines. And I knew that a fredess bass player would have a more developed
see. Some remain avid audience members, and some come up with new
ideas themselves for shows. ■
T 1
ear because of the nature of the instrument, and that suited my songs well,
86 \ curve
month of June .... Once the festival gets rolling, it's in the hands of our
OTHER LICKS
open, and lead-off single "Blackjack"
seems musically innocent enough as a
solid, straight-ahead pop-folk song bur
surprises with its poignant tale of an
emotionally telling encounter with a
prostitute. Also notable are her dark and
moody cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'Tm
on Fire" and the album closer "Dodge;'
a hushed, honest credo that details
just what Swati is all about. If you're
looking for a comparison, the best I
can do is a deeper, richer, more rockin'
Suzanne
Vega
(Swati's
storytelling
reminds me of her), but really, she's one
of a kind. (swatilive.com)
Real Life, Joan as Police Woman
(Ch fl
Joan Wasser, the namesake and lead
singer for the NYC trio Joan as Police
Woman -
Arrivals De11artur
he c e (Microindie):
HailingfromGrandRapids,
Mich.,this retro-fabulous
female-fronted
quintetgot
a handupfroma Motorola
campaign,
whichused
their infectious2004single
"SugarSweet."Theband's
latestreleasecontinues
the candy-coated
indiepop
formulawith bouncy,playful
dittieslike "Crazy"and"La
Ti Da."(theicicles.com)
o
o e (EMI):
Celebrating
the Swedish
popduo's20thanniversary,
this single-disccompilation
cullsall of the band'smajor
hits plustwo brand-new
songs,"OneWish"and
"Reveal."(roxette.se)
... BESURETOVISIT
RACHAELSAGE.COM
FORA COMPLETE
SCHEDULE!
yes, named for TV Police
Woman Angie Dickinson -
(OneLittleIndian):With
soundtrack-perfect
pop
songslike"Superman
2"
and"Shhh... ," the U.K.
sensationaimsforAmerican
audiences
with hermelodic
folk-popin thisthirdsolo
release.(astridwilliamson.nelj
may not
throngs of dykes in the front rows at
her shows don't seem to care. Aside
from fixing their gaze on androgynous
"reformed goth" bassist Rainy Orteca,
dyke fans are simply tuning in to the sublime beauty of JAPW's unique amalgam
of theatrical pop, R&B soul, jazz and
Wome
indie punk
(Putumayo):
Offeringlinernotesin
English,FrenchandSpanish,
thissuperb,11-track,global
acousticcollectionincludes
severalartistspreviously
featuredin cuRvE
(Icelander
Emiliana
Torrini,Cape
Verde'sLura,andCanadians
theWailin'Jennys),
plus
I
somenewdiscoveries,
like
Brazil'sLucaMundaca,
I
Greece's
Anastasia
Moutsatsou
andCameroon's
Kaissa.(putumayo.com)
the
*
CATCH
RACHAEL
AT MILWAUKEE
PRIDEFEST,
6/09&
ALBANYPRIDE,6110
Grime,
a r,
a
(Blufire/
TommyBoy):Oneof
clubland'smosttalented
ANer
e
andenduringsinger(Manhattan/EM!):
songwriter-DJs
resurfaces ThisfemaleIrishensemble
with herfifthfull-length
(fourvocalistsplusa fidalbumon herownindie
dler)haswowedaudiences
imprint,featuringreworked aroundthe worldandsold
versionsof herearly
millionsof albums.This
singles"It's OverNow"and
third CDoffersa mixof
"Scandal,"
interspersed
with traditionalIrishfolk songs,
the newGraceJones-and
classicalstandardsand
GiorgioMoroder-inspired
contemporary
offeringslike
hit "Love'sthe OnlyDrug"
"Scarborough
Fair"and
anda deliciouselectro
"Overthe Rainbow."
coverof the PointerSisters' (celticwoman.
com)
"Automatic."
(ultranate.com)
Dayof theLoneWolf,
be a lesbian (best as I can tell), but the
on
RACHABL
SABB
rock. Sitting somewhere
continuum
between
Rufus
Wainwright, the Scissor Sisters and Nick
Cave (all of whom, interestingly, Wasser
has collaborated with in the past, among
many others),JAPW's sound is eloquent
and raw at the same time, and their 10track, finally-released-in-the-US.
debut
album is a cohesive collection of smoldering torch songs and arty pop tunes.
It's a toss up between sedate, emotional
"The Ride" and the soul-soaked, pianobased "Save Me" for my personal pick,
but the horn-filled, beat-laden Northern
Soul cut"I Defy" and more upbeat rocker
"Christobel" are also contenders. Simply
gorgeous. (joanaspolicewoman.com)
■
A Collection
of Roxette
Hits:Their20 Greatest
Backspin:
A SixDegrees
10 r.
n
(SixDegrees):
Thelittleworldmusic
label-that-could
celebrates
1Oyearsin businesswith
this 12-trackcoverset,
featuringsignatureartists
like electronicsuperstar
KarshKalethrowingskitteringdrum'n' bassbeats
underthe Police's"Spirits
in the MaterialWorld"and
Persian-American
trio Niyaz
turningthe Cure's"Love
Song"intoa languorous,
atmospheric
ballad.(six
degreesrecords.
com)- MC
-~
"Oneof themost
romanticlesbian
,I .
destinations
on
rJiland§
CJnn theplanet."
since t9a3
-PlanetOut
~
,
"\
CJ!l1
WORLD'SFOREMOST
GAY& lfSBIANHOms
POBox118,Bethlehem,
NH03574
877LEs-B-INN
(537-2466)
❖ 603869-3978
vacation@highlandsinn-nh.com
❖ www.highlandsinn-nh.com
June 2007
I 87
Reviews Sapphic Screen
No Dog Day Afternoon
I
It's finally time for a light~hearted girls' night in. By Candace Moore
Daly. I may be outnumbered
on this one.
Finally available on DVD
are the first 22 episodes of
the
Wife,Mom,Bount1
H nter(We):Didyou
watchDog,theBounty
Hunterandthink,damn,
he'dbe hotif only
he hada vaginaand
a doseof post-'90s
feminism?Well,we've
gota showfor you.Wife
is a realityshowabout
SandraScott,a toughbitchbountyhunterwho
balancesnitty-gritty
crimefightingwith dayto-dayminutiaelike PTA
meetingsandfeeding Get the girls together! A new funny buddy movie out
the dogs.A former from Wolfe and two TV shows, one you probably grew up
wrestleronthe hitTV watching and one your kids might, offer lesbian hijinks, subtext
showGLOW
(Gorgeous and plenty of palling around.
Ladiesof Wrestling),
Scottworkedunderthe Big Dre ms i I i le Ho e (V'Jofe)
tutelageof ZekeUnger A small-town, large-hearted comedy in the vein of Groundhog
(thetechnicaladvisor
Day (for dykes) finds two native New Yorkers, butch cameraon KeiraKnightley's
woman Linda (Julie Goldman) and straight-laced (and straight)
Domino)
andwasonce
halfof the female wannabe broadcast star Kelly (Emily Burton), stuck in the
bounty-hunting
team figurative mud of Little Hope, a rural community that revolves
TuffGirlz.
Andsure, around its yearly chili cook-off. Bunking at a hippie women's
she'sgota husband hostel while interviewing"ordinary" types on tape for a marketing
insteadof a wife,but research firm, this odd couple Q&A their way into the hearts of
sheis oneroughbutch the local yokels. Kelly inquires about every Joe Schmo's taste in
no matterhowyou breakfast foods, toothpaste and fragrances (one lonely bachelor
defineit. ScottgivesTV suggests a spaghetti sauce-scented air freshener) but stuffs her
a nicedoseof strong, own thoughts down. She's the type A to Linda's charming, jokey
femalemasculinity
voltage, and of course her tight wind is liable to get unstrung
andbringsviewersa
some time. While Kelly dabs polish on her resume, Linda's out
wholenewmeaningto
the phrase"working tattooing oranges and developing a mysterious rash of hickeys,
mom."(we.tv)- Diane likely planted by a married female client. Kelly flips a hissy fit,
Anderson-Minshallbut calm stud Linda just throws on a ludicrous neck brace. With
groundbreaking
early
'80s show about two NYPD
policewomen,
smart-witted
and kick-ass crime-fighters
who called their own shots
and
left the
short-shorts
( think Charlie's Angels) at
home. While
Mary
Beth
Lacey had the technically
butcher haircut, she also had
the (requisite, for ratings)
hubby and two kids at home,
while
Chris
Cagney,
on
the other hand, loved softball, deep rasping and the
occasional rolled-up scarf look. Cagney also seemed particularly squirmy about the idea of dating men while she flirted,
in the line of duty, with a rich widow in the "Beauty Burglars"
episode. In her book De.fining Women, Julie D'Acci argues that
the reason an earlier "Cagney;' Meg Foster, got canned, had to
do with reading as too lesbian. The documentary included as
part of this four-disc set, "Breaking the Laws of TV," paints it
slightly differently. It includes interviews with D'Acci, as well
as with Gless, Daly, Ms. founder Gloria Steinem and executive
producer Barney Rosenzweig. (mgm.com)
Dottie "s Magic Poe/ ets (Pink Pea)
Beavers who crave "cheese, please;' instead of the wood that
keeps their teeth filed down, flowers with French accents
and haughty tastes, soda cans who burst into manic arias
and sweet-natured
mice who want to see everybody happy,
except, perhaps, the cats on the prowl. These are some of stayat-home mom Dottie's magic puppet friends who burst out
of ordinary objects and couch cushions when sprinkled with
the glitter from her polka-dotted
pockets after her girlfriend
and their young son head off to work and school. A TV show
pitched to our children families -
kids, aged 2 to 6, of lesbian and gay
Dottie's Magic Pockets provides a new uncloseted
fresh characters, mockumentary interludes and a loose sketch-
playhouse, where a young cartoon bee's two bee dads buzz by
comedy feel, director Erin Greenwell's second feature is fun
his side within a colorful claymation sequence in between a
fare. (wolfevideo.com)
dynamic counting exercise, a quick lesson about saying "excuse
me" after a burp and a little ditty strummed by Dottie on her
3(
BBI curve
I
,..
I ----
•
G
swirl-painted guitar. Jen Plante's good-natured
kookiness as
A whole generation of us grew up wishing either Tyne Daly or
Sharon Gless would axe through our door (in character), say
format, give this pilot a shot at entertaining (and educating) a
"Freeze!" and cuff us. I'm of the Gless camp; a dear friend votes
much underserved audience. (pinkpea.com) ■
figurehead Dottie, along with the show's carefully thought-out
DVD PICKS
creepyseductiondayor night,
withthe addedbonusof
commentary
anddeleted
scenes.Hot.(foxhome.com)
-Azania Baker
(Colton
Lawrence}:
If you'vealways
dreamedof watchingfour
people- two menandtwo
women- togetherin a room,
talkingaboutsex,yellingat and
crudelypsychoanalyzing
one
anotherwhilethrowingaround
platitudes,
thenthis is the right
moviefor you.If you'relonging
for a funny,steamy,romantic
movie,though,skipthisoneand
go rentsomething
with a more
originaltitle. Andwhatis it with
havingto constantlydoubteach
other'ssexualorientation?
OK,it
leadsto cutesame-sexkissing
scenesat the end,butit makes
the characters
so muchmore
annoying.(thesexmovie.
com)
- UrsulaSteck
(Dillonwood
Productions}:
Shotduringthe
GayandLesbian
Association
of Choruses
7th International
Festivalheldin Montreal,
this docfollowschoirsingers
throughtheirrehearsals
and
performances.
It is for manyreasonsthattheysing- for freedom,for fun,for faith,for change
- andsinginghastransformed
theirlives.Particularly
moving
arethe storiesof the choirof
transgender
singersandthe
chorusfor LGBTandstraight
youth.Thecommunityand
visibilitythatthesechoruses
providefor theirmembersis
immense,
andits impact
comesthroughthe screen.And
that'sthe onlyreasonwhythis
reviewincludesa disclaimer:
Thismoviewill infectyouwith
the compulsion
to sing.
(whywesing.org)-US
Shani Heckman
I
FILMMAKER, MEDIA GADFLY
I
Shani Heckman has been producing queer events for more than a decade in San
Francisco, but recently her films have garnered her the most attention. Her short, the
silent film Another Day, explored gender fluidity; her documentary, Wrong Bathroom,
went from the festival circuit to academic curriculum at numerous universities. In
addition to garnering a following among queers and gender rebels, Bathroom helped
Heckman win the Tee A. Corrine Prize for Lesbian Media Artists -
a cash award
she's using to fund her next project, a film about kids in the foster care system.
-Diane
Anderson-Minshall
T.
f'
Very surprised. I'm sure there were many qualified applicants and probably even some
of my friends who applied, so I feel especially honored. I have dedicated a long
time to promoting lesbian, trans and genderqueer arts and artists, so it is nice to
also know that this work is appreciated .... Filmmaking can be an emotionally
z
<(
~
~
0
w
~
0
en
a:
w
0
0
<(
z
ii
<(
~
(FirstRun
Features}:
Yes,a documentary
againstthe backdropof the
Clintonimpeachment
hearingscanbeentertaining,
even
hilarious.Thisportraitof openly
gaycongressman
BarneyFrank
guidesusthroughthe popular
politician'slife usingthe most
infamousof allWashington
sexscandalsasthe recurring
theme- supposedly
because
Frankis a survivorof hisown
sexscandal.Thisfilm isn't big
newsfor poli-sciaficianados.
For
everybody
else,it's an intriguing
viewof Washington's
workings
andthe life andcharacterof an
unusuallycourageous
andlikablepolitician.(firstrunfeatures
.com)-US
(Newline}:
WhenPan'sLabyrinthwas
robbedof theAcademy
Award
for bestforeignfilm (because
of
theAcademy's
stringentvoting
rulesin thatcategory)
youcould
havehearda giantcollective
curseword.Nowon DVD,Panis
actuallya betterexperience
at
homebecuase
the bonusteaturesturnthis darklyferocious
queer
(FoxHome andunimagineably
fable
into
an
interactive
mythoEntertainment}:
Goodnewsfor
fansof twistedluststories:Now logicalviewingexperience.
(panslabyrinth.com)
- DAM
youcanwatchJudiDench's
laced activity wherein we must find tools for self-motivation to actually make the
film. Winning grants here and there really helps because suddenly, someone else
believes the project should happen, too.
The project will blend footage with current foster kids and their daily lives, documenting their achievements in moving from high school to college utilizing the
Chafee College Grant Program -
the Chafee College Grant Program is a state-
run program that provides financial assistance p 1ficallyto foster youth for college -
with footage from adults who were former foster kids, who are successful,
by society's standards, as adults. Rather than focus on the dismal statistics and
experiences of foster youth, this film will focus on the successful former foster
youth. Since the immediate goal of the project is to provide positive role models
for youth currently in state care, it will be a how-to film made by a former foster
kid for current foster youth.
?
I keep meeting other foster kids who are queer and really amazing. I also keep reading
horrible stories about foster youth and their lives, almost daily in various newspapers, and it makes me want to help tell the other side of the tale as a former foster kid
myself I feel very passionate about making life better for others through film ... so I
am using these connections I am making as I go forward with the film's production.
I had it really hard getting through college and life in general with no adult support.
Like these other folks I keep meeting, I used overachievement to survive. This film
is unique in that it isn't made for the general public to understand foster youth, but
rather, it is made by and for foster youth as a tool for survival. ■
June 2007
I 89
Reviews Tech Girl
Boys and Their Toys
Father's Day gifts to thrill boys and bois alike. I y Diane Anderson ..Minshall
Sorry, Morn, but it's this masculine rite of passage known as Father's Day that attracts the coolest gifts
around. Whether
you're shopping for dad, that special butch in your life or even yourself, try these
fun tech trifles.
r
i'1t.
\Al't
O
tT
8
s·rns
Yes, The Sims lets you play gay on screen, but it's not the only video game to do so. The new series
of Law & Order PC games lets you work alongside district attorney Serena Southerlyn: the cool,
smart, snarky dyke (played by Elisabeth Rohm) who came out on her final episode of the TV
show (but we knew, oh, how we knew). The disappointment of having her corning-out and her
departure happen within the same 60 minutes was, of course, crushing, but now Serena lives with
you. First, scour the crime scene with Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and arrest the killer before
Lt. Anita Van Buren (the so sexy S. Epatha Merkerson) gets on your ass, then team up with
Serena to compile a compelling case that'll put your guy behind bars. These first person irnrnersive
Law & Order mysteries - the Triple Pack includes Double or Nothing, Dead on the Money and
Justice Is Served - let you get as involved as you like (run background checks, analyze evidence,
interrogate suspects). And each is almost as riveting as the show itself. (Free on Web, $20 to
download or buy CD, lawandordergame.com)
c· gs' '3r I') n
If you haven't heard of the Dance Dance Revolution craze yet, consider yourself warned. This
global phenomenon, where social dancers play a very advanced game of Simon Says to musical
accompaniment, is completely infectious. Now Xbox has ratched up the game a notch with Dance
Dance Revolution Universe, a version that links to the Internet and lets you download dance
steps, compete head to head with girls in Tokyo, view Internet rankings and host all-night marathons with chicks around the globe. The music is top-notch, too; everyone from Depeche Mode
to DJ Miko and Goldfrapp is included, plus some exclusive tracks. There are different modes for
beginners, people trying to get their cardio and those seeking companionship via flashing lights
and Internet sites, as well as continuous DJ modes if you just want the party to go all night.
($50 and up, konami.com)
0
~sn•?
This hybrid motorized
trike, the Can-Am
Spyder Roadster, has got to be one of the
sexiest things on the road. It combines the safety of a car (with the A-frame front suspension
and antilock brakes), the look of a motorcycle and the unbridled fun of an all-terrain vehicle. The
joy of off-roading in an on-road vehicle makes this sports car-style bike all the more thrilling.
Clockwise from top
left: Law & Order,
the Dance Dance
Revolution mascot
shakin' his thang,
the Can-Am Spyder
Roadster, SkipDR
AutoMax and the
Clocky
($15,000, can-am.brp.com)
1
e
·ng It Cl
You're 20 minutes into your 50th screening of Bound, when suddenly Gina Gershon's face freezes
mid-frame. What do you do? Instead of screaming and tossing the DVD out with the trash, you
can now use SkipDR AutoMax, a mini desktop gizrno that resurfaces damaged music, movie,
game, photo and software discs with a quick spin of it's motorized wheel. ($40, bestbuy.com)
There are few things we hate more than the alarm clock. Buzzing, screeching, chimes, loud rock
or the soothing sounds of Enya, they all suck. One of my colleagues is so bad (ahem, Sarajane)
that she has a series of different alarm clocks that each go off, usually to no avail. That's why she
needs Clocky, a cute, rolling alarm clock that goes up and then runs away and hides, leaving you to
toodle around the room desperately searching for it to shut the damn thing off. Now that might
even get Sarajane out of her bed. ($50, nandahome.com)■
I Tried It Reviews
A Hell of a Massage
Hellerwork goes way beyond the simple rubdown. I Diane Anderson ...Minshall
I'll be the first to admit it: I am a massage slut. It's no deep secret among my
of our body's ills is rooted in the emotional and physiological. So, for example,
friends and family that I'll do almost anything for a massage. My woeful tales
if your practitioner is taking you through session two ("Standing on Your
of bizarre experiences are legendary, from the Nevada masseuse who offered
Own Two Feet"), the touch will be on the musculature of your legs and feet.
happy endings, to the foot fetishist, to the college kid who used to come to my
When she or he hits a painful spot in your quadriceps, you'll be asked to stay
dorm room every night offering a free but chaste massage. That last one was
there in the moment with that pain and explore why the pain is there, what it
there, I'm sure, for the thrill of touching a lesbian, but it didn't matter to me.
might signify and how to realign that leg so the pain will go away.
When I'm on the hunt for a massage, I have surprisingly few inhibitions. So I
If it sounds slightly New Agey, well, it is - but just slightly. It's also pretty
leapt at the chance to try something new: Hellerwork.
Turns out Hellerwork is not really a massage; it's a series of sessions
damn intuitive from a psychological perspective. Body issues are cyclical: Pain
(usually 12) that combine deep-tissue bodywork with movement educa-
tion, a changed composition creates pain. Not one for 12-session commit-
tion to help realign the body and release chronic tension and stress. The
ments, I got a crash course in Hellerwork from Paskal that included a booklet
focus of Hellerwork, which was founded in the '70s by Polish-born Joseph
of movement lessons and a primer on Hellerwork that shows how truly queer
Heller (the first president of the Rolf Institute), is not temporary pain or
the practice is. Chapters focus on anatomical areas (the arms, the back) but
each is tied in with a theme (like "The Feminine': "The Masculine" and my
stress relief; rather, it's a program aimed at returning the body to a more
realigned, balanced state that devotees say few people experience in their
day-to-day lives.
I learned early in my first session that although I had walked into a rather
holds us back, being held back gives us pain; pain changes our body composi-
fave, "Control and Surrender"). The last two session are particularly telling;
they're titled "Integration" and "Coming Out:'
Among the hundreds of certified Hellerwork practicioners, there are a
traditional massage therapy room (it was, perhaps, a bit funkier than those
number of lesbians and a sizable portion of women. And it's women who
sterile, all-white rooms). Hellerwork is not one of those types of treatments
make up a majority of clients.
where you can zone out or fall asleep. My Hellerwork practicioner, Philip
"Women, in my experience;' says Paskal, "really benefit in experiencing
Paskal, who became a convert 22 years ago after injuring his back, was ver-
their feminine power and their ease in expressing it in their lives after the
Hellerwork series:'
bose and curious, and within minutes of my arrival I was in my skivvies doing
so he could study
But don't think this is a femmes-only operation. It feels more like sports
my gait, my structural imbalances, where my muscles are overutilized. When
massage meets New Age psychology than it does a mani-pedi session. Though I
things that felt like exercise -
stretching and walking -
I did get to lie down and get something approximating a traditional mas-
haven't gone back, my two-hour treatment did feel oddly moving. A:fi:er"staying
sage, Paskal would use movement and massage to find areas of concern. Then
with the pain'' through the massage and talking about the movement and pain
when he hit them, we'd have what I call "the talk:'
"The talk" is part of Hellerwork's focus on dialogue and a belief that part
issues, I lefi: Paskal's treatment room and cried. For no reason. Kind of what I
do with my therapist, except she never gives me a massage while we talk. ■
June 2007
J
91
Favorite Peeps continued from page 78
Katherine
Streeter,
NewYorkCity
Association, Bi Teachers Association, co-founder
TaniaHammidi,
LosAngeles
Artist Katherine Streeter illustrates for various
of the Coalition of Unity and Inclusion and lead
A columnist and freelance writer, Tania Hammidi
publications, designers and agencies worldwide.
organizer of Bialogue. She and transgender activ-
has been pumping out difficult and not always bril-
She has balanced her commercial career with
ist Pauline Park spearheaded the successful inclu-
liant academic prose
teaching and creating work for gallery exhibits.
sion campaigns convincing The Center, Heritage
for a decade on such
of Pride's Annual Pride March, Pride Rally and
lesbian/
She has been illustrating for CURVE for a very long
time, using Michele Fisher's colorful stories about
topics
as
Pride Festival and The Film Festival in New York
queer fashion, politi-
love and life as inspiration for the collage vignettes
City to change their names from "Lesbian and
cal theatre and butch
that accompany Dyke Drama. You can see more of
Gay" to "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender:'
identity.
her work at katherinestreeter.com.
Hammidi
Her latest effort the successful campaign to
add a bisexual award category to the Lambda
hopes to pick up her
experimental
video
past in her produc-
CaroleT.Meyers,Berkeley,
Calif.
"The articles I have written for
Book Awards. She is editor of the forthcoming
CURVE
are among
tion of Queer Threads,
my personal favorites;' says travel writer Carole
a visual story about
Terwilliger Meyers, the author
anthology Best Bi Short Stories.
of 18 books,
LydiaDaniller,
SanFrancisco
the
Hotshot portraiture photographer Lydia Daniller
queer fashion and community. She has a wonder-
including
ful brother, who appeared with her in their reality
published
TV debut on Monster House [Discovery Channel],
of Weekend Adventures in
writer Michelle Tea, hip-hop artist Katastrophe
where she and four men built a magician's play-
San Francisco & Northern
and choreographer Sean Dorsey among her many
ground while the sky dumped buckets of rain on
California, about
their Marina del Rey construction site.
Kenny Kramer, the real
is
-life inspiration
on a book project with
UrsulaSteck,SanFrancisco
Seinfeld
Raised in Europe and the U.S., Ursula Steck spent
recently
eighth edition
(lydiadaniller.com)
memorable clients. She
which
for the
character,
counts Rep. Nancy Pelosi,
currently
Michelle
says,
"[Meyers'] guide is to Northern California as my
working
Tea,
docu-
most of her adult life in Cologne, Germany, until
tour is to NYC. Almost. Not that there's anything
menting queer artists
and activists. "I want my
she met her partner, a resident of San Francisco,
wrong with that!"
portraits to convey people in their complexity
in 2001. Steck has published three mystery novels in German and numerous short stories in
MaggieParker,Portland,
Ore.
German and English. Her first American nov-
Maggie Parker's fascination with photography
identities. I try and work
el, The Next World, was a finalist for the 2006
began in the early '70s, when she started shoot-
with each artist to create
Goldie Debut Award. Her second American
ing black and white nudes -
novel, Laura's War, will come out this month.
model -
Steck was a contributor to the Lambda Award-
After a phase of macro-lens close-ups of the natu-
nominated anthology Women of Mystery, edited
ral world, Parker returned to portraiture and her
and in their constructed
using herself as
and portraits of an elderly neighbor.
a collaborative portrait. I hope to capture something intimate and playful in the subjects that I
photograph:'
Steck writes
passion for docu-
KimBurgess,
SaltLakeCity
tiny, fun movie reviews. For more about her work,
menting people. "I
"When I first heard about fundamentalist Mormon
visit ursulasceck.com.
love giving voice
polygamists aligning themselves with gay mar-
to
riage activists, my first thought was, 'Something's
by Katherine V. Forrest. For
CURVE,
Charlotte
Rice,Dallas
Charlotte
Lipstick
Dipstick
Rice is the author
of My Heroes
and
through
rotten in Salt Lake City;'' Kim Burgess says of
be-
her article on same-sex marriage and polygamy
Have Always Been Dead, Creeping Aphrodite,
cause they have so
from 17#1. "Growing up in Utah, I saw disturbing
The Sweet Grime of Summer and Eye Contact. A
homophobia
pianist,
much spirit;' says
Parker.
"They're
former
concert
photographs
from the Mormon
Church,
ho-
mophobia so extreme that all noncurricular clubs
Rice has been a freelance
witty and fun, and yet their column advice is re-
were banned from my high school to prevent the
journalist for 12 years, was
ally thoughtful and sincere:' Born to a family of
formation of a gay/ straight alliance. Of course, this
a literary agent for seven
Polish, Republican Catholics in Detroit and raised
isn't true of all Mormons, but the official church
years and owner of the Oven
in Philadelphia, Parker lived on a Navajo Indian
stance states that it
Agency. "As an advocate for
reservation for 10 years working as a teacher.
is sinful to engage
SheelaLambert,NewYorkCity
lationships.
lesbians, I find it fulfilling
chat my job with
allows me
in homosexual
re-
People
showcase
Sheela Lambert is a veteran bi writer, presenter
with chis kind of
artistic, talented and am-
and activist living in New York City with her
mentality
bitious women who deserve to have their stories
son and her dust collection. She is the founder
rather
told and their experiences shared. Too often we
of the Bi Writers Association, organizer of the
couples to 'repara-
fail to recognize the superb efforts of women do-
Bisexual Speakers Bureau in the NYC
tive therapy' than to
ing great things:'
founder of the Bi Mental Health Professionals
92
Icurve
to
CURVE
area,
the altar:'
would
send
gay
Though Burgess has her own perspective on
Kendall,
who
has
Candace
Moore,LosAngeles
polygamy, she stresses that she wrote the article to
been a reader since the
A former film editor at Girlfriends magazine,
inspire dialogue within the gay community, not to
journalist Candace Moore has written numerous
advance an agenda."! just think the gay community
beginning of the magazine, admits, "I used to
needs to look at polygamists' beliefs and ways of life
read the issues cover to
articles on the representation of queer women in
the media for After Ellen.
and ask, 'Is this something we want to get behind:'"'
cover when I was com-
com, Girlfriends and On
Burgess is a higher education reporter for the
ing out, looking for clues
on how· to be a lesbian.
Our Backs. Currently a
Ph.D. candidate in cin-
Herald Journal, a daily newspaper in Logan, Utah,
and a contributor to lesbian magazine Girl Guide.
...
She has also taught English in the Czech Republic
Editor] Diane Anderson-
Having
ema and media studies
[Executive
and creative writing at Salt Lake Community
Minshall blurb my book, Mr. Dings Chicken Feet
at UCLA,
also
Moore
published
has
essays
College. If she's had enough to drink, Burgess also
meant a lotto me, and I hope that
admits that she has worked in public relations. In
enjoy the story of coming out -
her spare time, she enjoys hiking, camping, yoga,
- while I was the only woman on board a ship
full of Chinese men."
Women and Cinema Journal.
clubbing and sitting in coffee shops.
LaurieKoh,SanFrancisco
KateLacey,Cincinnati
"I have my dream job;' says contributing photogra-
Laurie Koh is associate editor of Release Print,
Kate Lacey was raised by a dysfunctional wolf pack
in the suburban wilds. She is a sellout to corporate
pher Mia Nakano, who photographed the staff of
of San Francisco's Film Arts
Foundation. She has previously worked as copy
America by day and trolls the alleys of Cincinnati,
center, shoot only what I want and collaborate
chief of Girlfriends magazine and written for
by night in search for drivel to add into her great
with some of the best artists
the San Francisco Bay Guardian, On Our Backs
American lesbian novel, which is in a perpetual
around:' Nakano
and Inside Pride. In her free time, Koh enjoys
state of being unfinished. Lacey collects abandoned
much of her life in darkrooms
salsa dancing, Argentinian tango and yard sail-
cocker spaniels, Cincinnati Reds paraphernalia and
and photo labs, printing, tin-
ing around her neighborhood. Koh is also a film-
ex-girlfriends. She would like you to know that the
kering, and at times sleeping
maker whose works include the shorts Between the
"Lacey" is the other L-word.
next to processors.
readers will
in Reading the L Word:
in my own mind
Outing Contemporary Television, Televising Queer
CURVE
MiaNakano,Berkeley,
Calif.
the magazine
CURVE. "I get to work at an unbelievable photo
has spent
Some
strange part of her truly en-
Lines and Sisterz of the Underground: Extra Credit.
This year, Koh was thrilled to publish her first
LaurenPalmigia:io,
LosAngeles
story in
magazine, a travel piece about her
trip to the incredible city
Lauren Palmigiano is a comedian and writer
She yearns to learn about cen-
who can be seen performing some of her funny
turies-old printing processes and currently shoots
of Berlin. In these pages,
stuff at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater
with a digital camera. Oh, and before her dream
she hopes to continue re-
or, most likely, in her leather recliner being mas-
job, she was an art team co-founder of Hyphen
porting on exciting getaways for the ladies. "To
saged by a Swedish jazz ensemble. Palmigiano, a
freelance writer for CURVE since 2004, has also
magazine and an intern at Mother Jones magazine,
while working on her 9-year bachelor's degree. See
me, lesbian media is the
written for Go NYC and was the first place win-
what she's up to now at mianakano.com (her origi-
map that tells folks how
ner of TVWriter.com's Spec Scriptacular contest
nally named Web site, which is continually under
to get to the coolest club-
in 2005. For her first
construction), or what her dream job is really about
house on the block. Not
CURVE
everyone undertakes the
pride
CURVE
joys the smell of chemistry.
article,
tattoos,
on
at raykophoto.com. ■
she
journey, but that's their loss because inside that
had the arduous task
clubhouse is a whole fantastic world of film, music,
of asking women to
travel and culture. You just gotta learn the secret
show some skin for
knock:'
the sake of journalism. "Every time I've
Claudia
written an article for
birth name is Erica clearly knows that he's a
rve
boy. Struggling to convince his family and playmates that he's not Erica, but Juan, he finds an
GillianKendell,
Melbourne,
Australia
"One of the first features I wrote for
CURVE
was
CURVE,
something
an account of working at the Michigan Womyn's
learned
new
or
Bringing Sassy Back continued from page 82
A few stories do shine, though, especially
Rodriguez's
exceptional
Brave:' In this story, a transgender
"Juan
the
child whose
Music Festival and getting to meet my idol, Ferron.
met someone interesting:' Palmigiano is addict-
The next August, at the festival, the
ed to iced coffee, doesn't go anywhere without a
unlikely ally in a teenage girl named Marisol.
'"Hey curie ... are you still my novio:1 You're
CURVE
booth
had my article laminated and on display, and I
baseball cap and was the sixth grade girls pull-up
so strong: Marisol teased Juan and made him
got to meet [publisher] Frances Stevens for the
champion at Newington Forest Elementary. She
smile. .. . Sometimes
first time. I was excited but uncharacteristically
hopes to someday get even more tattoos and be
or do other bike tricks to show Marisol how
shy. As well as being an important publisher, she's
able to sleep in regularly until 11 a.m. Palmigiano
strong he really was:' As the traditional
cute. Later, I asked Ferron if she'd read the piece
currently works at Gary Sanchez Productions
tions of dyke lit continue to shatter, stories like
in
where she is surrounded by comedy. That makes
this will be in the forefront of a new lesbian
her happy.
fictional world. ■
CURVE;
she said, 'Read it:' I have it by my bed! I
read it every night!"'
he would pop wheelies
defini-
June 2007 \ 93
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I 95
Top Ten Reasons We Love Butchlalis de Panochtitlan
Ready to be fisted with fierce theatrical talent?
The Butchlalis de Panochtitlan
is hot on our
tails. These four Latina/ o butches are poetic pros
making national theatrical waves. Native Los
Angelinos Mari Garcia, Nadine Romero, Claudia
·"Ugly'is a stand-infor honestyand truthfulness.
Truthcan be unprettyand painful.We tryto look
inward,allowthe rawnessto comeout."
Rodriguez and Raquel Gutierrez form the col-
4.Theydoregularpantyraids.When they say they
East L.A.;' the bois set an example for Chicana/ o
packing
seek to "create a site of radical possibilities from a
butches and all other butches out there.
theaters throughout their home city and beyond.
masculine framework;' you can be sure the plea-
-
sure will be yours.
lective Butchlalis de Panochtitlan,
experimental
sketch-driven
or BdP, an
troupe
Tania Hammidi
8. Yes, they MySpace. Befriend
MySpace.com/butchlalis.
Ladies,
them
take
at
note:
1.They'retheatricalandtheoretical.
Their work is a
5. Theyknowthatthetruthcan be ugly.The title
They're especially into meeting "cool muthaphuk-
critical commentary on racism, classism and urban
of their last show, "BdP: Get Ugly;' may sound hip,
kas;"'theater thugs" and "scandalistas:'
development, dressed up in cute butch or trans-
but "getting ugly" is about tumbling into an honest
leaning duds and sent out with a fierce Panochtitlan
response. Raquel Gutierrez says, "'Ugly' is a stand-
dialect. You'll find no direct citations of Jacques
in for honesty and truthfulness. Truth can be
Each butch de Panochtitlan
Derrida, Gayatri Spivak or any of the other
unpretty and painful. We try to look inward, allow
resume of accomplishments, such as Rodriguez's
absolutely crucial texts that expand on queer
the rawness to come out:'
2001 Emerging Lesbian Writer award from the
has an impressive
Astraea Foundation and Gutierrez's training as a
butch lives of color in the U.S., though these guys
have certainly done their research.
9. They act like pros and interact like bros.
6. Yes,they'recute.Hot, in fact. They self-iden-
former employee of Los Angeles theater institu-
tify as "performance perverts, installation artists
tion Highways Performance Space and Gallery.
2. Theycan tell you wherebutchescomefrom.
and. creepy curators" who use absurdity and the
The
According to Claudia Rodriguez, that's "pussy
satirical to disrupt business-as-usual. Is your heart
bravery and brotherhood into the rehearsal space,
villa:' But you'll have to ask her for a longer ver-
starting to pitter-patter yet? The next step is
coaching and supporting each other.
sion of that story, which begins with the myth
witness Mari Garcia's transformation from butch
of Aztlan.
dapper performance artist in one monologue to an
10. They're not vanilla. Stirring up conven-
El Salvadoran MTF in the next. And then there's
tional
the character Betty Basta. Hot.
and
3. Their appealspansgenerations.
Their work
to
echoes the past, reminiscent of Cherrie Moraga in
BdP
bring
notions
their
of
transgender
embodiment
collective experience,
Chicana
identity,
sexuality
and
queer
masculine
is a dirty business requiring deli-
1986's Giving up the Ghost: Teatro in Two Acts and
7. Theysharethe work.Like good butches, they
ciously dirty minds. Thankfully, the BdP hap-
Harry Dodge's first floppy-dog number at Luna
Sea. From "Teenage Papi" to "Fat Chocha Ghetto
take care of the house and are there for the baby.
pily comply, as "risk takers, charismatic border
Whether
genre-crossing piece
crossers, smart, troubling and trembling:' One
Gurl!!" BdP's humor connects the dots across
"Beautiful Torture;' which shares the birth of
audience member described them as a "mental
generations. But does this mean you should bring
Romero and partner Ada's
orgasm:' Touche.
grandma to the show? Um, maybe not.
symbolic exchanges of the broom in "Barber of
96
I curve
it's theater/video
son, Adan, or the
■
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