-
Description
-
ToC 11th Annual Music Issue; What A Girl Wants [Interviews] (p40); Travel: Freaky in Fiji by Gillian Kendall (p34); Where Do We Draw the Line? by Kristen V. Brown (p36); The First Ladies of Cock Rock by Melany Walters-Beck (p56); Is Your Girlfriend Hot Like Me? by Melany Walters-Beck (p62); Ten Powerful Lesbians in Music by Jenny Sherwin (p64)
See all items with this value
-
Music Issue
See all items with this value
-
issue
-
6
-
Date Issued
-
July-August 2007
-
Format
-
PDF/A
-
Publisher
-
Frances Stevens
-
Identifier
-
Curve_Vol17_No6_July-August-2007_OCR_PDFa.pdf
-
extracted text
-
100 of the Sexiest Female Musicians on the Planet
THE BEST-SELLING LESBIAN MAGAZINE
The L Word's Shane
Speaks Out
FranklySpeaking
curve
THE BEST-SELLING LESBIAN MAGAZINE
Rockin' in the Free World
In the '?Os,lesbiansrecorded
their own albums under the
banner of "women's music."
That category today is so
much broader, but no less
important than that of those
rockin' female pioneers.
VOLUME
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 in Chief
Art Director
Photo Editor
Production Manager
Production Artist
Director of Operations
Catalog Manager
Catalog Department
Advertising Sales
M
usic has always been a big part of lesbian culture. In the '70s, when Olivia produced records instead
of cruises, lesbians recorded their own albums under the banner of"women's music:' The cassettes
were sold at almost~all~female concerts and passed along between lesbians, much like 'zines in the '80s
were, like a special brand of underground currency. Women's music distributors like Goldenrod and Lady
Slipper emerged to market these records and promote women-especially dykes-in music because main~
stream record producers and stores certainly didn't. Soon, women's music events, like the famed Michigan
Womyn's Music Festival, cropped up across the country, giving lesbians and their nonqueer sisters a safe
place to encourage, support and celebrate female musicians.
Of course, in the '90s came Lilith Fair and the emergence of openly queer female musicians, such as Melissa
Etheridge, Ani OiFranco and Indigo Girls, who all garnered attention not just from LGBT fans but from
the mainstream media as well. Today, the concept of'women's music" is so much broader, but no less impor~
tant than that of those revolutionary pioneers, such as Cris Williamson and Margie Adam.
1
This is why CURVE s music issue-our 11th annual-is so important. We've packed it with more women
than ever before, a whopping number of musicians (100 women and even some men) we think you should
know about, mostly independent artists whom you may never hear on the radio. Weve got exclusive inter~
views with mainstream performers such as Chrissie Hynde and Lily Allen, cool openly queer musicians
including Toshi Reagon, God~des & She and Erin McKeown, as well as newer bands that lesbians love:
Boyskout, Girl in a Coma, Lesbians on Ecstasy and the Shondes. In an age when women are eschewing
radio play in favor of iTunes and finding a cool dyke rocker is as easy as searching MySpace, it can still be
hard for indie artists like Skim and Kid Moxie to get noticed. There are always so many more women we
would love to cover, but were particularly happy with the way this issue turned out and hope you are, too.
Before you head out with your MP3 player, check out a few of the artists in this issue and then visit
curvemag.com for extra bonus interviews, video clips and so much more. And if you're in California
this summer, don't forget to come see us at one of these upcoming events: Monterey Pride (July 14),
San Diego Pride (July 21~22), Sacramento Rainbow Festival (Sept. 2) and Humboldt Pride (Sept. 30).
Rock on.
Web Producer
Online PR Manager
Marketing Coordinator
Marketing Representative
Editorial Assistants
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
Laura K. Cucullu
Michelle Ma
Katherine H. Nelson
Stefanie Liang
Amy Silverman
Ondine Kilker
Kelly Nuti
Flo Enriquez
Holly DeMaagd
Monier Ziaian
Diana L Berry,Joan Boccafola,
RivendellMedia
Nikki Woelk
Lindsey Taylor
Amanda Campa
Tammy Lam
Azania Baker, Asiana
Ponciano, Jaime Roca,
Lesley Seacrist
Contributing Writers Kathy Beige, Kristen V. Brown,
Ariane Conrad, Jennifer Corday, Gina DeVries,
Michele Fisher, Katrina Fox, Gillian Kendall, Elle
Kaycee, Kate Lacey, Myra LaVenue, Chartene
Lichtenstein, Karlyn Latney, Candace Moore, Sara
Schieron, Jenny Sherwin, Ursula Steck, Dave
Steinfeld, Melany Walters-Beck, Jocelyn Voo
Contributing Illustrators Julia Minamata, Phil Cho,
Katherine Streeter
Contributing Photographers Erica Beckman, Suzanne
Bernal, Eric Charbonneau, Cody Cobb, Sara
Corwin, Merry Cyr, Laura deWaal, Vicky Dawe,
Tim Flack, Chris Floyd, Matthew Furman, Vanessa
Garcia, Shawn Gersman, Amy Goldstein, Sophia
Hantzes, Amber Hopkins, Adrian Horn, Paul
Houston, Cal Joy, Michael Lavine, Liz Ligouri,
Nicola Marsh, RA McBride, Mary McCartney,
Clint McClean, Giselle Monte, Claire Norman,
Ary Nunez, Sean O'Hara, Sarah Quiara, Sherry
Rayn Barnett, Janet Rerecich, Annemarie Rewal,
Thos Robinson, Jess S. Erin Strater, Shari Swan,
Shomara Terceros, S. Theune, Michael Triplett,
Costas Vaniatis, Samantha West, Andrea Wing
Volume 17 Issue 6. CuNe (ISSN 1087-867X) is published monthly (except for
January and July) by Outspoken Enterprises, Inc., 1550 Bryant St., Ste. 510,
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 adcitional mailing offices (USPS 0010-355). Contents of CuNe
Magazine may not be reproduced in any manner, either whole or in part, without
written permission from the publisher. Publication of the name or photograph
of any persons or organizations appearing, advertising or listing in CuNe may
not be taken as an indication of the sexual orientation of that individual or
group unless specifically stated. CuNe welcomes letters, queries, unsolicited
manuscripts and artwork. Include SASE for response. Lack of any representation
only signifies insufficient materials. 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
Inquiries: Please write to CuNe, 1550 Bryant Street, Suite 510, San Francisco,
CA 94103, e-mail shop@cuNemag.com, or call 818-760-8983. Canadian
Agreement Number: 40793029. Postmaster: Send Canadian address changes
to shop@curvernag.com,
Curve, PO Box 122, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 688. Send
U.S. address changes to shop@curvemag.com,
Curve, PO Box 17138, N. Hollywood,
CA 91615-7138.Printedin the U.S.
A
2 j curve
17 NUMBER 6
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
Keyword: Curvemag Web site: curvemag.com
z::,
J:
Cl)
~
:5
LIJ
a:
Ol
c3
00
. ....
•
■ ■ II
I ■■■
..----
CEW ~ ru
WHJ c:JW rn
□ W
□ W
□
EDill ~ HJ
illill UJ:J [:El
CD
□ r:I:l
Will
I
rnw ~
oTC
-
~
QJ
BJ
C
~)I
0
L_JI_-_--
('j,
0
0
0
----'~•..____
•
~
•
_!__:..=--...;;:_-----"""----
f
OD
Features
July/August 2007
Volume 17#6
"Mainstream
media
and music
don'toffer
a spaceto
represent
queer
womenin a
waythat is
realisticand
empowering."
Ingrid Dahl of
Boyskout,
page 58
Special 11th Annual Music Issue: 100 Sexy Female Musicians
40
What a Girl Wants Interviews with tons of
56
The First Ladies of Cock Rock From AC/DShe
to Lez Zeppelin, girls rule. By Melany Walters-Beck
62
Is Your Girlfriend Hot Like Me? Do you feel
guilty playing Snoop Dagg and the Pussycat Dolls?
I don't. By Melany Walters-Beck
rockers, rappers and talkies including Toshi
Reagon (with Sarah Mclellan of Lez Zeppelin
above left), Girl in a Coma (bottom right), Team
Gina (top right), Miss Undastood, Swati, Erin
McKeown, the Shondes, Leslie Hall, Valkyrie,
Kid Moxie, the Cliks, Ebony Tay, Imogen Heap,
Chrissie Hynde, Billie Myers, Lesbians on Ecstasy,
God-des & She, Lily Allen, Lauren Wood,
Cover Girls: (from
G-Child, Grace Milla, Boyskout, Skim, Tika Milan,
CocoRosie and 23 more hot chicks.
left) Temim Fruchter
and Ingrid Dahl of
Ten Powerful Lesbians in Music Time to look
past the frontwomen and meet the ladies behind
the scenes. By Jenny Sherwin
Rachel Solomon of
the Shondes and
PICK YOUR FAVORITE COVER
34
Lynne T of Lesbians
Pacific's little island gets a bad rap but
this lesbian adores it. By Gillian Kendall
Erica Beckman
Hair: Deirdre Novella
Makeup:
Samantha Trinh
Assistant: Lori Naps
5
~
~
;f:
z
a
::?
~
Cl)
Cl)
0
(.)
1:i
(.)
36 Where Do We Draw the Line? As
Stylist: Karyn Larkin
<(
a:
<(
0
on Ecstasy
Cover photos by
~
I
Which cover would you rather see? In the end, the one you've
got won our debate. E-mail us at letters@curvemag.comwith
your favorite and why, and you just might win a free CURVEtee.
Travel: Freaky in Fiji The South
...J
a:
0
Also in This Issue
Boyskout, Louisa
::?
0
~
64
of the Shondes,
Leslie Satterfield
~
(.)
<(
lesbians flock to faraway places, how
do we play it safe and still explore the
world? By Kristen \I. Brown
Alternate Cover: (from left) Lynn T of
Lesbians on Ecstasy, Toshi Reagon,
Sarah Mclellan of Lez Zeppelin, and
God-des
z
:5
...J
~
(.)
(.)
::?
z
~
0
~
z<(
::?
::.::
(.)
w
Cl)
<(
(.)
cc
w
4
I curve
MIAMIANDBEACHES.COM or call 1-888-76-MIAMI
Four of Miami's most popular and renowned annual celebrations
highlight a noteworthy calendar of events, attracting visitors
from across the country and around the world.
For a complete
Additional
list of Miami events, visit FestivalSeason.com
information
can be found
at GoGayMiami.com
• White Party (11/21/2007- 11/27/2007)
• Winter Party Festival (2/27/2008 - 3/3/2008)
• Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (April 2008)
• Aqua Girl (May 2008)
Departments
July/August2007
"Iwantedto have
a realconversation
withthese kids
wherethey felt
comfortable
talkingabout
these really
difficultand
personalissues.
I thinkveryfew
peoplereally
listento what
these kids have
to say."
The L Word's Katherine
Moennig, on homeless
LGBT youth, page 22
2
Frankly Speaking Publisher Frances
Stevens reminisces on the history of
dyke rock.
24 Scene Dinah Shore gals sure know how
to have fun. In bikinis. Yeah, seriously.
26 Ask Fairy Butch The Fairy schools us
8
Contributors We've got some pretty
thoroughly on a super-hot topic.
68 Sapphic Screen Ah, the sweet taste
of revenge-all caught on camera in
these new girl-power flicks. Plus, feminist
filmmaker and activist Su Friedrich chats
about the biz.
new faces gracing our pages.
27· Lipstick & Dipstick Should a tried10 Letters Tell us how you really feel.
and-true lesbian uphold her dyke status
or try a guy? And why?
12 Out in Front Meet the latest queer
activists to catch our attention.
28 Astro Grrl Our resident astrologer
70 In the Stacks Rachel Pepper reviews
the latest and greatest lesbian lit, and
educator turned author Dorian Solot
teaches us about the big 0. Oh, and five
easy ways to indulge a cookbook fetish.
predicts that you'll read this column.
14 Curvatures Soccer babes, lesbofemme comics, MichFest and more.
74 Tech Girl These new gadgets make
30 Politics Victoria A. Brownworth's just
not down with misogyny, yo. Also, learn
about the ladies leading La Lucha.
16 Open Studio Glass artist Erika Brodie
shows her true colors.
your music sound better than ever. Plus,
you can take them with you.
18 Lesbofile Jane Pratt did not have sex
dykes behaving badly.
6
Icurve
~
~
her way to health, happiness and killer
abs. Time to get those hips shaking!
z
uf
a
a:
w
!:!:.
u
cc
z
66
Moennig talks about homelessness and
her new OurChart series, My Address.
J:
a:
<{
u
with that woman, she says.
22 Shane Speaks Out L Word star Kate
£Q.
(/)
0
76 I Tried It Ariane Conrad hula-hooped
32 Dyke Drama Michele Fisher's sick of
6
z
0
0
_J
Music Watch Margaret Coble rocks out
to the summer's hottest U.K. imports.
Also, a one-on-one with up-and-coming
alt-country chick Heather Janiga.
80 Top Ten Reasons We Love Michelle
Bolong This beautiful Cirque du Soleil
dancer has style, substance and a black
belt in tae kwon do.
~
w
!ci:
~
a:
0
z
_J
:::::>
~
Contributors
"My ex-girlfriend says that I've developed a sultrier
swagger to my step since starting to hoop;' says freelance writer ArianeConrad,
who penned "I Tried It" on
page 76. "The results of an inner transformation? Sure.
Also, though, according to my chiropractor, the hoop
is bringing more circulation to the mass of scar tissue
around an old hip injury of mine:' In any case, the
nearly daily practice is bringing much-needed balance
to the mostly computer-bound life of this nonprofiteer, writer and editor. Conrad's work appears in a forthcoming anthology Tipping
the SacredCow,published by AK Press. She recently finished editing the writing of
prison-system and green-jobs activist Van Jones for The VanJonesReader.Always
seeking further balance for her terribly serious pursuits, you'll find her hooping in the
desert later this summer at Burning Man 2007. Scantily clad, yes.
"I love what I do;' says freelance writer DaveSteinfeld.
"I just wish I could pay my rent:' Originally from
Connecticut, he has lived in the increasingly expensive
city of Manhattan since the '80s. At the moment,
Steinfeld contributes to a diverse group of radio
networks and magazines. In the last two years, he has
written about R&B for Essence,folk music for Sing Out!
and punk rock for Death + Taxes,among other publications. "If it's good music;' he says,"I enjoy writing about
it:' On that note, he is very happy to be contributing his first piece to CURVE, on the
hot new Toronto-based band the Cliks (page 50). "Meeting the Cliks was a positive
experience in more ways than one;' says Steinfeld. "In addition to getting to see and
talk to a talented new band, I learned about the transgender community, which,
admittedly, was not something I knew much about before:•
BI curve
"Being a passionate animal-rights advocate, I was
delighted to interview rock legend Chrissie Hynde;' says
Aussie-born, London-based freelance journalist Katrina
Fox,of her interview on page 52. "When she took time
out of her recent tour with the Pretenders to promote
a campaign for People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals, I asked her if she'd help me in my quest to turn
the queer community vegan by sharing her thoughts on
animal rights and meat eating and was thrilled when she
said yes!"Fox's work has appeared in various publications, including Diva and Nexus.
She currently writes predominantly for LGBT media, including Australia's national
lesbian magazine, LOTL, and has a regular weekly column, "Keeping Abreast;' in SX
magazine. Fox is also the editor of two books on sex and gender diversity; a third by
Haworth Press is due out later this year. A self-described "high-femme militant vegan;'
Fox enjoys combining a sense of camp and glamor with cruelty-free living. Visit her
online at katrinafox.com.
"Su Friedrich's first feature, The Ties That Bind, had a
massive impact on me and completely changed the way
I looked at social responsibility, motherhood, daughterhood and the home;• says writer SaraSchieron.
"If
traditional documentary was stalwart, unquestioning
authority, feminist documentary saw fit to undo that
impersonally arrogant view of' truth: Once I saw Ties
and learned there was more out there, it was clear that
feminist documentary was going to change film for me:'
A journalist and film studies instructor from California's South Bay Area, Schieron's
interview with feminist documentary icon Su Friedrich appears on page 69. Schieron
has reviewed films and interviewed filmmakers for publications such as the San
FranciscoBay Guardian,ReleasePrint magazine and Box Officemagazine.
Letters
Wedding Belles
Thankyoufor your
article,"Goingto the
Chapel"(Vol.17,#4).
Yougaveanexcellent
smattering
of couples
frommanydifferent
states;however,
I was
wondering
whya couplefromMassachusetts
wasnotamongthose
featured.Beingthat
mywifeandI arefrom
Massachusetts
and
knowingwhata long,
arduousroller-coaster
ridewe enduredto
finallyhavethis right,
we reallymissedthe
factthatourstate
wasnotrepresented.
Perhaps
cuRvE
would
beinterested
in doing
a regularfeaturehighlightingmorecouples.
I believeothersneedto
hearthestoriesof why
peopledecideto tie
the knot.Somein our
LGBTcommunity
just
don'tcareabouthaving
thesamerightsand
benefitsas heterosexualcouples,sothey
don'tpushin theirown
states.Manyarejust
happyto acceptthat
theyhavea ceremony
to declaretheirloveand
promiseto oneanother.
Evenif theyfeelthis
way,it is importantto
supportequalitysowe
arenotsecond-class
citizens.- Christina
Huber-Regele
andMary
EllenRegele,
Worcester,
Mass.
10
I curve
What were you thinking,putting MichelleRodriguezon the
cover(Vol.17, #4)? The woman
is ashamedof her sexualityand
now is tryingto get back intothe
closet.How sad and pathetic!"
-Breanna, via e-mail
The Closet Controversy
I am writing in response to the article outing Michelle
Rodriquez. As a lesbian, I find it absolutely despicable that
your publication would do this to another human being without asking permission. It sets us back. We are human beings
first. It is magazines and writers like yourselves that give us a
bad name. I am disgusted with this community. I will never
read or purchase your magazine and will encourage other lesbian and gay people to do the same. How dare you do this to
people. You should be ashamed of yoursel£
- Anonymous, via e-mail
Editor'sNote:Ever sincePerez Hilton posted in his blog,in error,
that Rodriguez came out in our pages,we'vebeenfielding concerns
like yours. If you read the article,you will see that the author did
not, in fact, 'out" Rodriguez; rather, the articlestated both that
"Rodriguez has never publicly come out" and "Rodriguez has
said she is not a lesbian."After hearing rumors of her relationship with Kristanna Loken, then seeingher on the coverof CURVE,
many people like Hilton erroneouslyassumed that we published a
coming-outstory. However, beingfeatured in a lesbianmagazine
or being supportive of LGBT rights does not indicate a person's
sexuality. We would hope queerreadersknow this best.
The Revolution Will (Not) Be Breastfed
Are Rebecca Walker's sentiments revolutionary ("The
MommyTrack;'Vol.17, #4)? The feminist movement doesn't
need to place a high premium on "women raising perfectly
healthy daughters:' The rest of the world already does that.
Oh, and the marker of"health" is that those healthy daughters
devote their lives to raising perfectly healthy daughters (and
sons) of their own. Raising kids is a very important thing to
do, but I am wary of anybody who sees maternal desires as
intrinsic to womanhood.
- Elizabeth Cukor, Richmond, Va.
Just Say No
Regarding the advice Lipstick gave Tense Terry regarding
Denise (Lipstick & Dipstick, Vol.17, #4): this is a very delicate
situation. Never advise, "Now light that fucker and take a hit"
and never advise taking a drink. This is very, very bad advice.
People are asking you for advice. Take it seriously.
-Liezl Siojo,Long Beach,Calif.
Dipstickresponds:
Lipstick, I told you we'd be in trouble.Now
I'm afraid our editor will insistyou go to rehab.
Lipstickresponds:
I've got one wordfor you both: humor. Why
don't you take that heavy coat of seriousnessoff and stay for a
while?My comical bend on the issue, one which I agree can be
very serious (I don't live in a vacuum), was meant to make you
smile,not cringe.If Ann Landers had advisedthe same, it wouldn't
have beenfunny and your complaintwarranted.But I'm not Ann
Landers, I'm Lipstick, and I poke a lot of fun and get myself in
trouble.Besides,with all the negativityin thispsychoticworld-like
terroristattacks and melting ice caps-isn't spontaneouslaughter
what people need?
Photo Most Foul
I was just reading the latest issue and am stunned by the tasteless and unneccesary photo of fake blood around a bathtub
drain that accompanies the disturbing news piece on the murder of Priscilla Pimentel ("Murder Most Foul;' Vol. 17, #3).
What possible explanation-other
than perverse titillationcould you offer for mocking up a death scene "visual" to accompany a real story about a gruesome murder? Did you think the
graphic description of her unspeakably violent death was not
adequate for your readers to conjure up horrifying images of
their own?
- Jen Kern, Washington,D.C.
Got Something on Your Mind?
E-mail letters@curvemag.com; write to CURVELetters, 1550
Bryant St., Ste. 510, San Francisco, CA 94103; fax to 415-8631609. Please include your name, city and state. Letters may be
edited for clarity and length.
Corrections
In our May issue (Vol. 17, #4), we misspelled the following
Web address: thesimplyweddingscompany.co.uk. In "Going
to the Chapel" (Vol. 17, # 4), Carla Pfeffer is from Belleville,
Mich., and J.C. Ransom is from Traverse City, Mich; Pfeffer
brought the cherry pies to Ransom's doorstep; and the fourth
couple is Nicole Gagnon and Jenn Novesky. In our June
issue (Vol. 17, #5), the Joan Nestle interview was written by
Stephanie Schroeder. CuRVE sincerely regrets the errors. ■
She Walks the Walk
Lesbian Life Coach
You should never underestimate the power of
a soccer mom.
For almost two decades, she re-engineered
business processes and implemented com pany-wide Web technology solutions for the
Fortune 500.
Today, PaulaGregorowicz
is a personal
coach. Through one-on-one consultations,
Gregorowicz assigns work sheets, reading selections, visualizations, experiential
exercises and more to help clients look inside
themselves and develop unique strategies to
achieve their business-and life-objectives.
Ironically, JennifeSchum
r
aker's
four children are involved with little league, swim team
and band practice, but none have ever played
soccer.
"I lifted that handle for myself because
people have this vision of a soccer mom;' says
Schumaker, a 40-year-old out LGBT rights
activist living in Escondido, Cali£ "I wanted to
get people's attention and let them know that a
lesbian mom is as much a mom as anyone else:'
Schumaker spends her life letting people
know. Last year, she embarked on a two-month
solo walk from San Diego to San Francisco
to bring attention not only to LGBT civil
rights, but to all those who feel marginalized.
Stopping people along her daily 10-mile route,
Schumaker talked to anyone she could engage
about how all people are interconnected.
"People really responded to me;' she says.
"Straight people were waiting ... [to] talk to
someone like me:'
Recently Schumaker faced off with the Boy
Scouts of America, where she couldn't be a den
mother because of the group's policy forbidding gays.
"Well, I mean, of course I could have lied,
and then they would have let me participate;'
says Schumaker, "but I find that just a little
ironic:'
Schumaker, who is engaged to Jamie Leno
Zimron, sister of Calif. state assemblymember
Mark Leno, promises an upcoming book and a
cross-country walk. - Sheryl Kay
Are you or do you know of a woman
on the front lines activism?
Writeua at letteraOcurvemag.com.
12
Icurve
As she was transitioning out of corporate
America and trying to handle the mental shift
from employee to business owner, Gregorowicz
herself turned to personal coaches.
The concept of coaching isn't new, but
Gregorowicz has personalized her company,
specializing in work with lesbians. She biogs
about her work at coaching4lesbians.com.
"I believe you shouldn't have to fear being
judged, or have to explain your personal life
or stress about coming out when you work
with a coach;' Gregorowicz says. "I work with
women on how to be comfortable in their own
skin anytime, anywhere, and [for] lesbians I
feel this really hits home, whether you choose
to live in or out of the closet:'
Being a gay woman, she says, gives her
needed insight and creates a comfortable
atmosphere for her clients.
"The women who work with me know
there's no unspoken elephant in the room;'
she says.
Gregorowicz says there's been no negative
feedback from her straight colleagues. In fact,
several have come to her wanting to know more
about the specific challenges lesbians face that
most people don't think about. And yes, she
happily coaches them, too. - Sheryl Kay
Sex and Death
Performance artist Pandora
Scootecalls
r
herself a "queermamasapien:'
"It means I'm queer-dyke, bi, omni, pan,
hetero, trisexual, all of the above-I'm a mom,
and I'm a human;' she explains,"and that's what
you need to know about me to know whatever it
is you want to know about me:'
Her candor, creativity and high energy are
evident in her provocative yet tender presentations, and her message is constant: Accept
yoursel£ whoever you are today.
Scooter gets her point across to her audiences
in hip-hop-inspired poetry, song and comedy.
The past three years have brought her national
acclaim with her two solo performances: Fear
Junkie: An Exploration of Fear, Consumerism
and Why I Sleep with the Lights On and
Samuraization: One Woman Learns to Have Her
Sushi and Eat It.
Her newest piece, still in development, is
called TheMommy Project: TheReal Poop on
Parenting, a spoken-word solo show about the
art of raising kids. She says she sees it as the
"antidote to Hallmark and Madison Avenue,
which tell us that parenting is all happiness and
gratitude, when really there's a pile of struggle,
pain and exhaustion in that mix, too:'
Community is key to Scooter, and she's
been known to sell her merchandise at her
performances on a sliding scale to accommodate
everyone'sfinancial situation.
Mommy project aside, much of Scooter's
work revolvesaround that three-letter word we
all seem to love:"sex:' She says it's a great way to
get the audience'sattention.
"I think we need to talk about sex a lot more
than we do;' says Scooter."Sex and death. Really.
Both. We need more fluency about both topics in
our culture:' - Sheryl Kay
~
NEWSWIMSUIT
SURFINGLESSONS
HOTGIRLFRIEND
(TAN LINES OPTIONAL)
ORBITZTLC
AlertsOrbitzTLC
Introducing
yourentiretravelexperience.
WhenyoubookonOrbitz,we'relookingoutfor youthroughout
like
travelinformation
Alertswithup-to-the-minute
Signupto receiveexclusiveOrbitzTLC
do arise,our
If problems
andgatechanges.
potentialweatherdelays,flight cancellations
travelexpertsarereadyto assistyou24/7.
a littleTLCwhenyoutravel?
Don'tyoudeserve
Curvatures
Is the Michigan Debate Over?
Lesbian Kiss
FromBoundto Buffy,
lesbiankissesin media
havealwayspiqued
ourinterest.Nowthat
Courtney
CoxArquette
hasbecomethe latest
Arquetteto garner
a Sapphicsmooch
(albeita boringone),
whoranksamongyour
hottestlesbiankiss?
Inclusion of transgender women at the Michigan Womyn's
Katherine
Moennig Music Festival has been a hotly debated issue for more than 15
andRosanna
Arquette years. Last year signaled a step toward resolution.
(above)in TheL Word
First, a brief history: In 1991, a woman named Nancy Jean
Rosanna
Arquetteand Burkholder was escorted off festival land because she was transHollyHunterin Crash sexual. After Burkholder's ejection, a policy that permitted only
"womyn-born womyn'' access to MichFest was retroactively
Courteney
CoxArquette
announced, and even postoperative male-to-female transgenandJenniferAniston
der
women were banned. Camp Trans, an annual pro-trans
in Dirt
woman activist event (camp-trans.org) held across the road from
AlexisArquetteand MichFest, began in 1994. For critics, the"womyn-born womyn''
JenniferTillyin Brideof
policy has become symbolic of trans women being frequently
Chucky
discriminated against within the lesbian community and being
PatriciaArquetteand excluded from women's spaces as diverse and vital as domestic
EllenDeGeneres
in violence shelters and community centers.
Goodbye
Lover
In 2006, Lorraine Donaldson, an out trans woman and
Camp Trans rep, was admitted to MichFest. "I declared myWhaddya
think? self as an out-of-the-closet trans woman at the gate;' she says.
Letus knowat "They informed me that there was an expectation that anyletters@curvemag.com.
one who bought a ticket would not be trans. I informed them
Yourresponse
just that I violate people's expectations every day, and that many
mightmakeit intoour women do. They said 'OK,' and sold me a ticket:' Shortly afnextissue. ter Donaldson's entrance, out trans woman Emilia Lombardi
facilitated a discussion at the festival on the newly retired policy.
"For the first time in years;' Lombardi says, "trans women were
part of the conversation:'
Soon after, though, MichFest management issued a press release stating that "the festival remains a rare and precious space
intended for womyn-born womyn:' Activist Jessica Snodgrass
says, "Festival management would rather erase the history of
our struggle than admit that times have changed ... :•
MichFest founder Lisa Vogel declined to comment for
this article, but directed us to a 2006 press release, in which
she states, "If a trans woman purchased a ticket, it represents nothing more than that womon choosing to disrespect
the stated intention of this festival:' But an intention and an
official policy are different, critics say. At no point in the press
release does MichFest ban trans women from attending, and
numerous MichFest attendees-including
the trans woman
advocacy group, Yellow Armbands-are
supportive of trans
women attending festival. Policing the womyn-born womyn
policy hasn't been easy. A 2001 MichFest handout promised
attendees that "no womon's gender will be questioned on the
land .. . Butch/ gender-ambiguous womyn should be able to
move about our community with confidence that their right to
be here will not be questioned:' But it too reinforced that their
policy "may mean denying admission to individuals who selfdeclare as male-to-female transsexuals or female-to-male transsexuals now living as men:'
So how are lesbian supporters of trans women encouraging
people to respond now that they say MichFest management has
asked trans women to ban themselvesf
Lina Corvus, Camp Trans 2007 representative, says"[We support] the efforts of groups like Yellow Armbands to work from
within to change the atmosphere of the festival.... [Camp Trans]
will remain activepromoting a spirit of tolerance and respect:'
Donaldson herself will be back at fest with YellowArmbands
this year, and she also encourages people to check out Camp
Trans. "There are ways to move forward that are respectful for
all the women involved, that are good for Camp Trans and good
for MichFest:' - GD
i::-·
en
w
u.
I
()
~
z
aa:
::J
ID
<(
z
0
~
w
0
en
w
0
~
z
~
l-
All About Michigan Womyn's Music Fest
a.
~
~
CJ:i
en
en
Despite the trans controversy, Michigan Womyn's
Music Festival (Mich Fest to attendees) has been a
CURVATURES
WRITTENBY preeminent women's gathering, offering community,
safety and solidarity (and rocking music) since 1976,
ArianeConrad,
when
it was founded by then 19-year-old Lisa Vogel
AzaniaBaker,Sheryl
Kay,MyraLaVenue, with her sister Kristie and Mary Kindig. Musicans
LesleySeacrist, themselves, they wanted a feminist alternative for
DianeAnderson- women in the music scene. For decades, it's been
Minshall,
Jaime
built, staffed and run by women and has launched
Roca,GinaDevries
the careers of notables like Tracy Chapman and at-
14
I
curve
tracted hot indie performers like this year's roster,
which includes Stacyann Chin (left), Bitch, and
God-des & She. It's because Michigan is so iconic
of the ideal feminist experience that many trans
women want to attend. Though the costs can be
steep for a week (up to $480, though sliding-scale
rates exist), a week at MichFest is seen, in some
dyke circles, as a queer rite of passage. But, whether this rite is a, well, right is still up for debate. For
more info, see MichFest.com. - DAM
~
g
~
dw
~
~
I
~::J
<(
I
()
~
_J
::J
~
Fightingfor Her Family
If you think a nine-time world champion kickboxer fights a tough
fight, you should meet the daughter of one. Raised by her champion mother, Ramona, and her mother's partner, Arzu, Marina
Gatto had to deal with not only general societal prejudice but
sometimes fierce taunting by local neighborhood kids, all because
she has two moms.
"I grew up with constant vandalism ... to our house, our cars
(and our] property, and constant threats;' says Gatto, now 18 and
a freshman at UC Berkeley."People threw rocks and fireworks at
us while yelling 'dykes, faggots, burn in hell:"
Luckily for Gatto, her moms were loving,doting parents who cultivated a tight-knit family of friends. Together, they supported her as
she grew up and helped her cultivate an incredibly strong self image
while nurturing her powerful desire to advance LGBT rights.
At age 14, she was already developing a national reputation for
speaking out on behalf of the LGBT community and appeared on
a Nickelodeon television special with Linda Ellerbee and Rosie
O'Donnell, tided My FamilyIs Different. That same year, 2003,
she was the youngest grand marshal in the history of the San
f
~
a:
w
::j
~
J
5
w
a:
:::>
(.)
w
J
(.)
~
~
. zw
~
~
J
w
z
z
ct:
:x:
(.)
u:::
c3
~
a:
:::>
t-
z
zw
a.
c§
z
~
~
Francisco LGBT Pride Parade.
Even through high school, Gatto worked on more than half
a dozen legislative bills regarding various LGBT and other civil
rights issues, confronted White House officials in Washington,
spoke at schools, appeared on numerous TV shows, achieved
National Honor Society status and even played varsity soccer.
Last summer, Gatto was honored with the Hispanic Heritage
Award, one of the most prestigious recognitions of Latinos in the
United States.
It was an especially important honor for Gatto because, she
says, "They are recognizing that as a young_Latina leader who is
also an LGBT rights leader, my work fighting for the rights of my
community, the LGBT community, is important and viral:'
And by the way, yes, Gatto is asked all the time, and no, she is
not a lesbian, just a lesbian activist. Her current significant others?
"The Latino Pre- Law Society, the Undergraduate Political
Science Association and the Issues Committee, the Peer Review
Board for the dorms, and BAMN (By Any Means Necessary],
which is currently organizing a march on Washington in support
of affirmative action and desegregation;' she says. "My work takes
a lot of time, but someday I'd like to find a special someone, and
that person would have to be as dedicated and passionate about
Kristanna Loken
Sarah Silverman
"First thing would have to be a really hot woman!
Someone very physically fit with big luscious lips
and a nice ass. A female version of MacGyver
would be hot." >> Kristanna Loken, on what
she would want if stranded on a desert island,
to Passport
"I don't want this government to be any part of our
love, so I have no interest in getting married. What
makes it less wrong than when interracial marriage was illegal? It's fucking barbaric.,; >> Sarah
Silverman, to The Advocate
"I love Eartha Kitt's Catwoman. She's now 80 years old
and still singing and wearing a velvet catsuit, so
she's my hero.">> Vanessa Williams, to
Entertainment Weekly
"I have always been really grateful that I wasn't in the
closet, and I didn't have to spend so much energy
concealing, because it really does change the
integrity of your work. And when you see somebody perform and then they come out, you just
see a freedom ... there's a certain freedom and
power in regaining your authentic self.">> Kate
Clinton, in The Bottom Line
the fight for equality and justice as I am:' - SK
July/ August 2007
I 15
Erika Brodie
IGLASS ARTIST I
Erika Brodie has electric rainbows flowing through her blood. A self,trained glass artist, Brodie, 29, discovered her passion for
color after
dyeing her sister's and brother's hair while growing up in Monroe, Mich.
'J\fter coloring hair and having so much fun with it, I realized you can't paint hair and have everyone be satisfied;' Brodie says.
"I took
the color back to my roots, literally, and began.drawing and painting again:'
Brodie channeled her innate creativity and began experimenting with various techniques
and mediums before settling on glass as her favorite, for its frailty and flexibility.To construct
her one,of,a,kind creations, she adheres glass to molds painted the day before, completing
each piece with a clear coat. "The great thing is that they have the appearance of stained glass
but are more diverse [because) you can do more with it;' Brodie says.
Her biggest sellers are vases and candleholders, but Brodie displays her art in its various
forms at several Michigan galleries. Her most recent work, titled "Picking up the Pieces;' was
largely inspired by the Virginia Tech shootings in April. "I wanted it to be uplifting and magi,
cal and full of hope;' says Brodie, who describes the piece as "fairies flowing with the planets,
which are o.ff,kilter:' "Picking up the Pieces" and some of Brodie's other glass pieces, photo,
graphs and paintings are also featured on Artwanted.com.
The kaleidoscope of Brodie's work is diverse and vivid, expressing her passion for the
diversity of life. "Happiness is something different to everyone, [and] my art is my happy
place;' she says with a smile. - Asiana Ponciano
16
Icurve
Curvatures
Babe Basics
Babes Kicking Balls
players and goofy names for the tournament divisions. Keeping with the
Gay Games program, they included
an opening ceremony to kick off the
tournament.
FOB has come a long way from
that humble inaugural event, lovingly
described by participant Julie Johnson
as her "first lesbian Christmas:' After
years of being the host city, San Francisco
passed the ball to Vancouver. FOB has
since also been held in Portland, Ore.,
and in Seattle. Co-founder Millie Supple
reflects, "It grew year by year into what
a Halloween, slash
it is now-almost
Gay Pride, slash Burning Woman soccer
event-that now has to tum teams away:'
The nightly FOB parties are usually
held in clubs around the host city and
Imagine a gathering of 300 queer women who play soccer by
day, dance together at night and, through it all, celebrate each
other and sportsmanship. We live in a time when many lesbians still stay closeted just to make a sports team, when NCAA
coaches make news for resigning after allegations of harassing their lesbian players. Homophobia in sports is still quite
prevalent, but not all women are willing to hide who they are
while they play the sports they love. Every Labor Day weekend
since 1991, a lesbian soccer tournament has
brought together women who love women
and love the game. It's called Festival of the
Babes, FOB for short, and it's publicized pri-
:J'
~
(/)
a:
I
~
UJ
:::i
z
UJ
~
<(
a:
>~
uf
~
(!)
Cl)
Q.
~
~
t-
a:
I
(!)
z
3:
~
a:
0
z<(
feature entertainment, such as skits, drag king performances
and go-go dancers. Countless numbers of couples have met at
these parties, and the atmosphere is much more intimate than
a Pride party filled with strangers. The parties from the 13th
FOB still resonate with bar owners in Portland four years later:
Bartenders were swarmed, they ran out of some liquors, and
the Saturday-night venue was packed. (The impact of 300 funseeking soccer players cannot be described, only experienced.)
Whocomesto FOB?:
lesbians
Soccer-playing
andwomenwillingto be
for lesbians
mistaken
Playersperteam:12
Gamesperteam:Four
(fiveif youmakethe
finals)
24
attendees:
Lesbian
teamsmadeupof 288
soccerplayers,plusall
thosefans
Playerscomefrom:
Oregon,
California,
Vancouver,
Washington,
andanywhere
Canada
that lesbiansplaysoccer
marily by word of mouth.
"We thought up FOB as a tournament
that would welcome and celebrate the participation of lesbians in the soccer community. It was about challenging homophobia in
sports and creating an environment in which
lesbians could be comfortable expressing
themselves;' says Alexa Wilkie, one of the
founders of FOB.
Babes began in 1991 after a San Francisco
lesbian soccer team, the Follies, returned
from the 1990 Gay Games in Vancouver, reveling in all the gay athleticism. The following spring, the Follies
played in a soccer tournament at the gay and lesbian Seattle
Sports Festival. The founding organizing committee, known
as the FOB Squad, left that event knowing they could put on
their own tournament and do an even better job. With very
little time to prepare, they each chipped in $100 to cover costs
and pulled together an eight-team tournament in San Francisco
that Labor Day weekend. They thought of ways to make FOB
fun and less focused on competition than other soccer tournaments. There were special "strip soccer" rules, costumed
Anannualseven-onsevensoccerfestival
heldby lesbiansfor
lesbiansoverLaborDay
weekend,FOBfeatures
anopeningceremony,
in
teamsbedecked
nightlydance
costumes,
partiesandkudosfor
actingFOBly(fun-loving).
Anexampleof FOBliness
is writtenin therule
book:Anyteamleading
by morethanfivepoints
hasto removeanarticle
of clothingfor each
pointscored.
subsequent
Anotherlong-heldtradition is to kissthe referee
at theendof eachgame.
Pastteamnames:
Beaver
Babeticians,
TheBrides,
Believers,
Stunts,DVB,
Cunning
EvilPop
Dzunukwa,
Half
Tarts,TheGrooms,
Kitties,LumberDykes,
Troop69
PurpleHooters,
Sometournament
names:The
division
"FOB is a safe and special event for women who love women
The
Tops,TheBottoms,
to come, play soccer and get as outrageous as they want;' says • Switches
Megan McNeal, a festival virgin until 2006.
Supple says she's amazed that"what we started 17 years ago
is still going strong and can still bring so many lesbians from all
walks of life together. It is a true spectacle ... and I hope to hell
it outlasts me!"
This year's 24-team festival is themed "Barely Legal" and will
forFOBroChance
manceand/ornewFOB
friends:100 percent
Website:festivalofthe
babes.com
be held in Portland, Aug. 31 through Sept. 2. - ML
July/ August 2007
I 17
Curvatures
Lesbofile
The Stars Come Out to Play
This summer a few new players join our team-or
News of public outings, secret rendezvous and
nymphomania abounds! Gay, straight, let's call the
whole thing off.
Role Call
Trouble's been brewing on the set of Greys
Anatomy. The upheaval started when Isaiah
Washington
called co-star T.R.Knighta "faggot" on
set in a less-than-playful tone, amid rumors that
Knight was closeted. Knight eventually-and
unapologetically-came
out after Washington's
less-than-graceful comment hit the news.
Although Washington publicly apologized for
using the slur and began attending anger management courses, few in Tinseltown believed that the
mea culpa was sincere.
But there's at least one gay person in Hollywood
sticking up for Washington: actor TammyLynn
Michaels,
wife of rocker MelissaEtheridge.
"(H]e
is not a bad man;' Michaels wrote on her blog in
Rosie O'Donnell-like free form. "[I] forgive his
words/because truth be told/ i do not believe/
the word/faggot/lives in his heart:' Oh, really?
confess past membership.
I By Jocelyn Voo
"I have had lesbian experiences in the past," Fergie
said. "I won't say how many men I've had sex with,
but I am a very sexual person." Inspiration for her
lesbian role in Grindhouse, perhaps?
cc'
~
~
<(
0
~
...J
w
Because we beg/ to differ.
<(
I
()
~
That's So Jane!
uf
a
a:
Talk about a comeback. JanePratt,founder and
recently ousted editor in chief of the eponymous
female-forward magazine Jane, told the New York
Post, "One of my dreams is to return to Howard
[Stern]'s show and tell him the truth about Drew
Barrymore
and me:' Huh? Years ago, when Pratt
was a regular guest on Stern's radio show, she
admitted that she'd had sex with a woman before
but didn't drop names. Now Pratt, who has a 4year-old daughter with her longtime boyfriend,
finally opened up the can of worms: "It was someone famous. I did have sex with Drew Barrymore:'
Incidentally, Barrymore was the cover girl for
Jane's debut issue in 1997. But immediately after
the issue hit stands, Pratt denied the reports. "The
quote that was in (the Post] was not exactly what
I said;' she told Metro, a free daily newspaper. "I
wouldn't just bring it up out of the blue .... I didn't
say,'I had sex with Drew Barrymore' or 'I had sex
with a famous person' or whatever it says there:•
Backpedaling ... it's so Jane!
w
!:!:.
()
co
~
w
!;;:
~
cc
0
z
...J
::,
a:
~
w
~
()
hump" in the inanely worded guilty-pleasure song
"My Humps;' she's talking to both sides. Men
just aren't enough for the insatiable Fergie, who
has always been candid with the press about her
sexuality. Britain's Mirror reported that the singer
rebelled against her Catholic upbringing when
she hit legal age, going on a drug-and-sex binge
that would put Lindsay Lohan to shame. "I have
had lesbian experiences in the past;' Fergie said.
"I won't say how many men I've had sex with, but
I am a very sexual person:• Inspiration for her lesbian role in Grindhouse, perhaps?
Lovely Lady Lumps
When Black Eyed Peas' frontwoman Fergiesings
that she's going to get you "love-drunk off my
18 I curve
Setting the Record Straight ... Sort Of
Out magazine's "50 Most Powerful Gay Men and
Women in America'' issue recently hit newsstands,
with two not-quite-out celebs on the cover. CNN
anchor Anderson
Cooperand actor JodieFoster
stand as loud and proud as two allegedly closeted
figures can, ranking No. 2 and No. 43, respectively,
on their power list. Foster, who was Forbes magazine's highest-earning female actor in 2005 at $27
million, has long refused to talk about her private
life. Her biography, Foster Child, written by her
brother, Buddy Foster, says she and her three siblings were raised by their mom and her mom's lesbian lover, whom Foster was named after. Forget
that Silence of the Lambs Oscar: Some say her
longtime denial of the L-word has been her best
acting yet, but looks like Oat's not buying it. ■
~
a:
w
::.::
()
w
0
z
w
a:
a:
c3
uf
a:
0
~
1I:
a:
~
~
~
~
w
I
Cl)
<(
z
a
a:
5
Curvatures
More GLAAD Tidings
Real lesbians (as opposed
to women who play lesbians on TV) were few and
far between at the 18th
Media
annual GLAAD
Awards in San Francisco
on April 28.
Emcee Kim Coles, while
stunning, went on at length
about how she'd love for all
the gay men in the room to get married already,
so she could see which male specimens would be
left for her.
But no matter; the dykes who were in attendance did us proud.
Phyllis Lyon (minus her partner, Del Martin,
who was under the weather) received the Pioneer
Award for the duo's lifetime of activism on behalf
oflesbian rights, from their 1955 founding of the
Daughters of Bilitis and publishing of The Ladder
to their historic marriage in February 2004 at San
Francisco's City Hall.
Singer-songwriter
and longtime gay rights
activist Margie Adam
presented Lyon's award,
explaining that Martin
and Lyon, now in their
80s, have always been at
the vanguard of LGBT
activism and are now
turning their attention to
LGBT elders as well as to marriage rights.
'Tm not saying y'all have to get married;' clarified Lyon, "we just should be able to get married.
Before Del and I pass on, we'd like to see all of
equal members of this country
us-L,G,B,T-be
... of the world! Not second-class citizens anymore:• She received the only standing ovation of
the night, and brought tears to many in the room.
One attendee commented afterward: "See,
LA. gets the superstars. But in San Francisco, we
have substance:• - AC
Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Lesbian
Remember dressing up as your favorite character and forgetting that it was
make-believe-or hell, even knowing it wasn't make-believe? From Japan
to the States, the pop-culture phenomenon of "cosplay"-a blend of the
words "costume"and "play"-has meandered into clubs, events and everyday
life in a subculture photographer Elena Dorfman describes as "unpredictable"and 'open-ended:' In her new book, Fandomania:Characters& Cosplay
(Aperature), Dorfman examines the blurred realities of costume and fan-
TakeAmerica's
travel
favoriteLGBT
tasy. Her images are sharp against black backgrounds, and the gender-bending roleplay is queer, colorful and generally fantastic: From a schoolgirl named Matthew to Amarant Coral
of FinalFantasyIX, Dorfman's subjects are all just who they want to be. - JR
:::E
0
(.)
u..i
~
:::E
jjj
a:
~
(!)
z
z
zw
-,
w
~
July/ August 2007
I 19
Curvatures
Never Fear, Superles Is Here!
It's not a bird, a plane or even that bastion of heroism,
Superman. Nope, it's Superles, the Spanish,tongued
lesbo,femme from the hilarious premiere issue of *7717,
a collage of comic strip illustrations, historic LGBT facts
and realistically detailed erotica.
The magazine,size comic book guarantees "100 per,
cent aventura gay" (that means 'gay adventure"), and
that's exactly what it delivers. Using WMDs (Weapons
of Makeup and Dresses), Superles spars with an angry
butch, encounters an anti,gay,marriage mob and helps
a femme desperate to escape her boyfriend. Her clever
combat maneuvers will have you laughing out loud.
Real photos of celebs including Angelina Jolie and Kate
Moennig add an entertaining bonus to the comic-a sort
of Where's Waldo? with sexy stars instead of geeky car,
toon boys.
The overall tongue,in,cheek narration is a true
delight. Even if you're not bilingual, *7717 is fun to
check out if only for its delicious depictions oflesbians getting it on and Superles' exquisite form in her
violet,clad suit. - AB
4.. gtacg'sgocialsTips for a Jammin' July 4th
~1~
Celebrate
your independence
with
a barbecue straight from the heartland,
Texas style. Yee-ha!
Mix It up.
Start by inviting a few friends over. Ask them to don their
favorite western attire. Why not mix up the grub, too?
Keep it blazin' with Stacy's®Texarkana.Hot Pita Chips. Or
cool it down with Stacy's®SimplyCheese"' Soy Thin Crisps.
Stay Quenched.
Drink in the reel,white and blue, with
homemade soda coolers. Add your
favorite fruit juice to any sparkling
beverage to create a colorful treat.
Cool off Inside.
When it's time to come in from the
blazing sun, don't lose that western
spirit. Pop in your favorite campy,
classic western DVD and grab some
Stacy's®Pita Chips.
Visit ~tac-gs~nacks.com
20 I curve
~tacg's Guacamole
Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados, peeled and mashed
I jalapeiio pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons tightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of I lime
I tablespoon red onion, chopped
Salt to taste
1-2 tablespoons chopped bacon (optional)
Tomato, chopped with seed removed (optional)
Directions:
Combine avocados with
jalapeiio, cilantro, lime
juice, and onion. Add
salt to taste. Garnish
with or mix in bacon
and tomato if desired.
Serve with Stacy's®Texarkana
Hot Pita Chips for dipping.
lJJ
~
0
z
w
a:
en
lJJ
0
C0XJ7Slal:¥'s
Pia 0.., ~.
n:.H nq,asanainadlll1inautesy ctSia!:¥'•
Pia0.., ~-
lJJ
U9edwillpanission.
0
a:
lJJ
~
I call this position
"U pwa rd-Facing
Pita Chip:'
Curvatures
"*
.. '\:
~.u
..
••
r
..
~
Las Vegas
Lesbians
Shane Speaks Up for Youth
The L Word's Katherine Moennig talks about teen homelessness.
When the new social-networking site
OurChart.com was launched by a handful of powerful women from The L Word
(including creator Ilene Chaiken and
actor Leisha Hailey), some expected it to
be merely another place for fans to gather
and discuss the hit Showtime dyke drama.
Turns out it's much more than that, with
some of the most innovative and original
lesbian programming coming down the
pike as well as an audience so vast it tops
other lesbian-centric sites, says OurChart
president Hilary Rosen. We chatted with
L Word star Katherine Moennig (aka
Shane) about her fascinating multi part
documentary, My Address: A Look at Gay
Youth Homelessness, just one of the Web
site's new series that promises to make an
impact on lesbian culture.
If youdon'thaveplans
for theweekend
after
July4, or you'realready
thinkingof takingyour
ownVegasvacation,
a groupof queerLas
Vegastravelpromotershastheanswer:
GayDays& Nights
LasVegas,
a series
of eventshappeningJuly4 to July7.
(Getit? 07-07-07,a
luckynumberin Vegas
we hear.)Amongthe
tentativehighlightsas
of presstime:Cirque
du Soleilshows(trythe
Now airing on OurChart.com, My Address follows
lesbo-erotic
Zumanity Moennig as she meets and spends time with LGBT teens
for sure),a special who have experienced homelessness. With her usual craggy
VIPreception
with
togs, stocking caps and cigarettes, Moennig fits right in with
performersspecial
,
the young adults and teens whom she meets. She never comes
packages
at ParisHotel,
across as a Hollywood star, but more like a concerned older
a hotlesbianpartyat
sibling who understands and shares their pain.
GirlBarLasVegas,
and
"I wanted to have a real conversation with these kids where
additional
lesbo-centric
they
felt comfortable talking about these really difficult and pertouropportunitiefrom
s
sonal
issues;• Moennig says."I think very few people really listen
ThanksBabs.com
and
to
what
these kids have to say:'
LasVegasandMore.com.
Moennig does more than
Formoreinfo,visit
GayDaysandNights.com.listen, though. Each segment
-DAM
of the documentary follows an
individual through their day,
talking about what homelessness
means for them, how they got
where they are, and what other
folks-especially
queers-can
do to remedy the situation.
The doc sprinkles in factoids
(one in five trans kids will need
homelessness assistance at some
point) with sometimes startling
commentary from social-service
experts (did you know that
hundreds of beds are needed
for homeless queer or trans
kids in New York every night?),
but it's surprisingly nonpreachy.
Moennig lets the kids speak for
themselves. She says that though
the filmmakers relied heavily on
22
j
curve
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force report on LGBT
youth homelessness for recent statistics, the report itself wasn't
the inspiration.
"I was originally inspired to do this project after visiting a
gay homeless youth shelter in Los Angeles last year;' she says.
Incredibly committed to getting the message out about homeless queer and trans kids-despite her hectic filming and production schedule for The L Word-Moennig talks to anyone
who will listen about the issue. But, that doesn't mean she's
willing to answer for them.
So what does she want the American public to know about
LGBT teenagers?
"This is actually one of the
questions we asked the kids in
My Address. I think I'd rather
let them answer for themselves;'
she says humbly. Don't think she
doesn't have recommendations
for how average women can
help change the plight of these
LGBT teens, one of the more
underserved populations in the
country.
"There are several social service organizations dedicated to
serving LBGT teens, such as
the Hetrick Martin Institute (in
New YorkJ;'Moennig says. "You
can look into donating to or
volunteering at these organizations. It's also important to just
stay aware of the issue so that it's
not forgotten:• - DAM
1ii
f2
~
s>-::E
0
(.)
~
~
(.)
a:
:::::,
0
your
part of
a
e
b
s
tting u
ou for le
Thank y
nity.
commu
m/pride
wamu.co
ton
Washing
Mutual
Insured.
are FDIC
1 Former CURVE cover girl Megan Morris (left) and friend Courtney get comfy at the
Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center Women's Night in April 2 Ladies enjoy the Center's
Women's Night bash 3 A bevy of beauties at Women's Night 4 Burlesque troupe the Pinup
Girls mix up trouble at the Gay & Lesbian Center event 5 Girl Bar founders Robin Gans
(left) and Sandy Sachs (right) flank the Dinah Shore Week Pure WHITE Party perfomer
Lucy Lawless 6 Two lovely women get close at the Pure WHITE Party during Dinah Shore
Week in April
~
>-
0
-,
...J
c3
~
7 More sexy ladies at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Women's Night celebration 8
Dressed to the nines for Women's Night 9 Lindsay Marsak of here! Networks (left) with
cuRvE's associate publisher Sara Jane Keskula 10 Lucy Lawless, looking fabulous at the
Dinah Shore Week Pure WHITE Party 11 Katherine Brooks (right), with a fellow film~
maker friend, received the L.A.C.E. Arts and Entertainment Award on Women's Night
12 Actor Jane Lynch was host of the Center's Women's Night 13 CuRvE's director of
operations, Flo Enriquez (center), happily gets sandwiched by Cal Joy (left) and CURVE's
Monier Ziaian at the Pure WHITE Party 14 Founders of the popular L.A. women's party
Ladies Touch (from left) DJ Syrehn, MC Shay Shay, Vivienne Perez and Mi Amour spun
their magic at Women's Night
July/ August 2007
I25
Advice
Is She Cheating?
Isyourbeloved
littlepork
chopknocking
bootswith
someothersidedish?
Somewarningsigns:
Ask Fairy Butch
Start From Scratch
Dear Fairy Butch: I've recently become interested in
vaginal fisting. My lover has been trying to get her enHertechnological
tire fist in me, but she can only manage to get four finhabitsaredifferentShe
.
hasa newcellphone gers and part of her thumb inside. We're using Comfort
number
andconve- brand lube and a glove. I can take a large dildo, so I'm
quite used to being penetrated. I figure if someone can
nientlykeepsthecall
historydeleted.
take
a fist in the ass, I should at least be able to take
Shehas
a newIMscreenname: one in my vagina. I hear of women being fisted all the
"HotForDykeNookie."time. Any idea as to what the problem
might be? Shehaspassword- Frustrated Fargo Fistee
protecteher
d laptopand
hourlyerases
allInternet
Dear Frustrated: I am absolutely delighted that you have
history.
Shequickly
decided to broaden, or should I say widen, your horizons.
minimizethe
s computer
The thought of all you marvelous Heartland lassies out
screenthemoment
you
there
demanding your sexual fulfillment makes this former
entertheroom.
Midwesterner more than a little verklempt.
She'sbuyingsuspiLike any act performed for the sake of sexual pleasure,
ciousthingsfor herself.
Lingerie,
a sportySUV though, a goal,oriented approach in the boudoir is more likely
andJ-Lostylebutt
to produce frustration than orgasms. While exploring uncharted
implantsShe's
?
usually territory is often mystifying and understandably sends many
a
socheapthatshereuses left,brained gal straight
to the nearest compass, slide rule and to,
teabagsfourtimes.The
do list, resist: Sex is supposed to be fun.
lasttimesheboughtyou
Though a certain amount of technical
flowers,everyone
was
information is crucial in successful fist,
WangChunging,
but
ing,
focusing on the product rather than
nowshehasa platinum
the
process
will diminish the joy of either.
chargeaccount
with
Here
are
some
tips:
1-800-Buy-the-Skank1. You're using a glove. Fabulous. In
Flowers.com
Shehasnew"friends," addition to safer,sex protection, a latex glove provides a won,
whokeepheroutall
derfully smooth, slick surface which eliminates rough skin,
night Shehasnightly banishes unsightly hangnails and makes the
whole shebang
amnesia
asto where loads more aerodynamic. Wearing
a glove on your nonfisting
theydragged
her,blindpaw can also come in handy for stimulating your partner's clit
folded,andforce-fed
her
or anus while fisting.
tequilabodyshots.When
2. Even though you've gloved your love, na;ls are best kept
thetwoofyouruninto
filed
and short for this project, and for goodness' sake, remove all
yourgirl's"workfriends,"
jewelry
before you tak~the plunge. Attention Viva Glam femmes:
theyaresurprised
to
sexpert Carol Queen says stick cotton in the tips of that glove and
hearthatshehasa wife.
have the best of both worlds. For ultrasensitivity, you can put a bit
She'slostthatlovin'
feelingin bed. But
of water,based lube on your paw underneath the glove.
beware,
because
the
3. Speaking of that divine elixir, it's important to keep a
opposite
couldalsobe
water,based lubricant on hand, so to speak. Though Comfort
true.Suddenllittle
y, Miss
fits the bill just fine, some fisting aficionados do prefer a thicker
MissionaPosition
ry
has
lube for their sport, as it tends to do a better job staying put.
moremoves
thanthe
While the thinner products are ideal when you're going for
KamaSutraandseems
rate of speed, experimenting with the greater viscosity of thick
to be"somewhere
else"
water,based lubricants for fisting might be worth a try. Don't
duringthedeed,rightup
hesitate
to add more lubricant throughout the course of the
to thepointwhereshe
event;
it's
one good thing you can't get enough of.
callsyoubysomeone
4. So you're in a comfortable position and you're ready to get
else'sname.
-Kate Lacey
down to business. Make sure that you get yourself worked up
to a frenzy with the kinds of stimulation that you know will do
26 curve
the trick. Whether its nipple play
or pussy licking, hair pulling or butt
fucking, it's important to bring your body to a state of
high arousal with familiar activities before anybody goes push,
ing a fist in your direction.
5. At this point, your partner can begin to penetrate your
vagina with her fingers. Her palm should be facing your stomach
so that the thicker, more rigid part of her hand will be against
the perineum ( the flexible muscle between your cooter and your
ass) and not your pubic bone. It's important for her to pay close
attention to your body and apply a gentle, gradual pressure as she
slides more and more of her hand into your vagina. Meanwhile,
you can coordinate your response to her movements by fixing
the pattern of your breathing to the motion of her hand and
bearing down with your pussy muscles.
6. As her hand fills your cunt, it should narrow into a "duck''
shape, with the thumb tucked under, and the fingers drawn
around the thumb. From here, she can twist her hand into your
pussy until she is able to push through the ring of muscle at
the entrance of your cunt. Now her hand will ball up into a fist
inside of you, and you're off to the races. As you become accus,
Sex is supposed to be fun. Though a certain
amount of technical informationis crucial,focusing on the product ratherthan the process will
diminishthe joy of either.
I
to med to the sensation of having her whole mitt inside you, the
two of you can experiment with different sensations. Though
fisting can be an all,consuming adventure, don't forget the rest
of your body in the process. Free,standing toys like nipple clips
and strapped,on vibrators are great for no,hands action once
you get in the swing of things.
7. When you're ready to wrap it up, simply push your part,
ner's fist out with your pussy muscles as she slowly removes it
from your cunt. If your cunt appears unrelenting, have her use
her other hand to massage the muscles around her fist as she
takes it out.
8. Post,menopausal women and women who have had total
hysterectomies should take particular care before riding the
fisting bandwagon due to decreased elasticity. Male,to,female
transsexuals should avoid taking an entire fist, as surgically
constructed pussies are far less amenable to this activity.
So there's the scoop, pumpkin. Get the technical info by
all means; sexual knowledge breeds confidence and is vital in
and of itsel£ But forget about "correcting'' your "problems:' You
are absolutely fabulous regardless of whether you are able to
entertain two fingers or 10. ■
0
E,mailfb@fairybutch.comwith your queriesregardinglesbianlife,
sexualityand romance.
:I:
(.)
..J
r
a..
Lipstick & Dipstick
Advice
Am I Still Gay if I Do a Boy?
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I am a 23-yearold lesbian who has never been with a man.
My problem is that my best friend, a guy,
recently confessed that he has feelings for
me and asked if anything could ever happen between us. While initially I said, "No, of
course not," the idea was planted and now
I'm wondering what it would be like to be
with a man. I am concerned because I've
never had thoughts like this before, and I
don't know if this is really how I'm feeling
or just a curiosity thing. Would I be any less
of a lesbian if something physical happened
between us? - Concerned About the Cock
Lipstick:Of course not. Jump on board and go for
a ride. Just be clear that he shouldn't get his hopes
up, because you're probably not gonna like it.
Dipstick:Lip, I can't believe you're encouraging a
lesbian to sleep with a man.
Lipstick:Why not? Sexuality is complicated, and
that little jewel between our legs is its own connoisseur. If she's curious, single and has never done
it, what's the harm? I'm all for trying anything once
as long as it doesn't hurt, maim or poke anyone's
eye out. We don't all have to be gold stars like you.
Dipstick: I'm shocked right now. I had no idea
you'd sleep with a man.
Lipstick:Whoa, Dipthong! I'm giving advice, not
taking it. Besides, this tarnished star has already
been there, done that, and it's nothing to write
home about (sorry,Joe!). Shag him, CC!
Dipstick: It's a bad idea, CC, and you'll end up
regretting it. First of all, he's a good friend with
feelings for you, not a penis on a stick. Sleeping
with him to satisfy your curiosity is not cool. And
to answer your question, it will make }'OU less of a
lesbian. Only a select few of us are members of the
Gold Star Club. You should really think long and
hard-no pun intended-about giving up membership privileges.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I'm the perfect
daughter, perfect wife, perfect mother, with
a secret. I've known since my 20s that I am
0
::c:
(.)
a lesbian, but I was already married and
..J
:i:
Q.
pregnant, and I decided it didn't matter.
Wrong! Four children later, with a husband
who is a minister, I find myself in love with
a woman. My husband and I are not happy.
And in this small Southern town where we
live, this would make headlines. What do I
do? - Pretty Southern Belle
Lipstick:Why don't you beat your little town at
its own chit-chatty game, launch a PR campaign
and come out with flying colors? This, of course,
should be after you get a good lawyer and deal
with your husband's holy wrath. I heard of
this chick once who designed a
Web site for her coming-out,
loaded with a blog, a vocab
list and shots of her new
life as a lesbian On this
woman's site, there were
photos of her at Dinah
Shore, camping with a
bunch of dykes and, my fa,
vorite, on the isle of Lesbos
with a hot Greek goddess.
Opal
Dipstick: Lipstick, what
are you rambling about? Belle,
no one is perfect. You can bowl a perfect
game, get a perfect score on your SAT or grill a
steak to perfection, but you can't "be" perfect. Let
go of that ruse and coming out will be a hell of a lot
easier. Would you rather be perfect or happy? You
don't have to send out a press release to come out
of the closet. Start small. Tell a therapist first or a
friend. As a minister's wife, I'm sure you're already
an expert at the art of discretion. Kudos to Ellen
DeGeneres, but not everyone needs to come out
on the cover of Time.
Lipstick:Seriously Belle,you should also check out
Joanne Fleisher's book, Living Two Lives: A Guide
for Married Women Awakening to their Attraction
to Other Women and Carren Strock's classic book
Married Women Who Love Women. Both will help
you understand that you're not alone in this situation and should help you cope with the sadness
and guilt you might feel at leaving your children's
father in order to be true to yoursel£
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: My partner of
three years has been acting strange lately.
She's been hiding her cell phone whenever
it rings, and she never shows up on time.
About two weeks ago, we went to see
Nickelback in concert. When we got there,
I saw her texting someone, so I looked over
her shoulder and saw she was writing to
a girl. I confronted her, and she told me I
was crazy. Later that night, when she was
sleeping, I looked at her phone and saw
another message from this girl: "Goodnight
Sweet Cheeks. Until then ... see you in my
dreams." I woke her up, and we got
into a fight. She said she had no
clue why this girl was texting her
and promised to tell her to stop
and that she really did love me.
Things were fine for a week, and
then a couple of days ago there
was another text from the same
girl. I work nights, and after I'd
been gone, I found a text on
her phone that said: "It meant
so much to me that you held
me in your arms all night. I
love you." Again, I confronted
her, and she swears there's nothing going on. I'm so confused and
hurt and not sure what to believe. I
need some good advice. - Cell Hell
Lipstick: Dayum, this is· tragic. And not only
because she's a big fat liar, but also because you're
letting her pin you up as the fool. But before I
go on, I have a question: Do lesbians really go to
Nickelback concerts? Anyway, this woman is a
conniving wench who should get a boot up her ass
immediately. Just like that song you Jove, it's not
like her to say she's sorry. Your only mistake was
handing her a heart worth breaking. Dump her,
and do it fast, Cell Hell. And before you go, flush
her phone down the toilet! I'm not kidding.
Dipstick:Lipstick is right about everything except
flushing the cell. Instead, grab it and text the girl
back, pretending to be your girlfriend. Call her
Sweet Cheeks, Babe and throw in a Snookums for
good measure. Butter her up and get her to admit
to the sexing we all know is going on. Then, from
your own phone, send your girlfriend this text message: FUB. She'll know what that means. ■
Ask us anything about sex, love or lesbians at lipstick
dipstick.com.
July/ August 2007
I27
Advice
Astro Grrl
Summertime Stargazing
Thoughts Cancer {June 22-July 23)
Sex:Thoughts of love and lust need to be expressed. Speak from
of love the heart and she will hear. But will she respond:' Career:Gal
pals help you out of a work-related jam. Don't be a tower of jelly:
and lust Summon your nerves of steel to make all the necessary
changes.
need to be Leo {July 24-August 23)
expressed Sex:Proud lionesses want to surround themselves with beautiful
objects all through the summer. No names, please! Career:
You
this month, make great strides in your career now. Will you seize the opportunity or just hang on by your tail:1Some things never change.
birthday
{August 24-Sept. 23)
girls.Speak Virgo
Sex:Virgos are especially sexy, charismatic and sensuous, and
fromthe you can charm just about anyone you want this summer. What
a nice change of pace. Hurry! Career:
What you think is true on
heartand the job may not be. Is someone trying to pull the wool over your
virgin eyes:1
she will
Libra {Sept. 24-0ct. 23)
hear.But Sex:
You have a secret admirer who is trying to plot ways of
willshe seducing you. Why ask why:1Just lie back and wait for her plot
to thicken. Career:
This summer, you are recognized for all your
respond? hard work and amply rewarded. Enjoy.
Scorpio {Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
Sex:Don't be surprised if a certain girlfriend turns into a lovergrrl this summer. Plan a few friendly get-togethers-let's see
who gets friendly and who gets dirty. Career:
Problems on the
job can be solved if you put your mind to it. Will you put your
mind to it or put it out of your mind?
Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 22)
Sex:You seem to attract a higher class of lover this summer, if
you want. Archers will have the pick of the litter-you're into
trash, right:1Career:
Excess confidence and a sense of entitlement
can sidetrack you on the job. But this is old news to you. Will
you give or take, take, take:1
Capricorn {Dec. 23-Jan. 20)
Sex:Travel and explore new vistas this summer. Who knows
who is waiting for you on the other side of the world:1You won't,
until you get there. Career:
Your financial picture may change
soon. Money comes and goes now. Let's hope it comes more
than it goes.
Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19)
Sex:Your sexual appetite grows and your eyes become too big for
your stomach. Aqueerians never know when enough is enough,
and that's great! Career:
You think a lot about doing, but you may
think more than you act. Don't let projects pile up. Maybe you
can delegate:'
2s
I
curve
Pisces {Feb. 20-March 20)
Sex:Guppies have that je ne sais quoi now. I don't know exactly
what that is, but be sure to share it with someone special. Career:
Luck explodes in your career and great, profitable transformations are possible. Take advantage, or don't complain!
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Sex:There is a steaming cup of coffee eyeing you from the next
cubicle. Prepare for a summer that sizzles with a new romance
on the job. But how hot do you really want your work java to
be? Career:
Time to put your lusty thoughts aside and set your
mind on making lots of money this summer. Then you can
afford to buy her love in the fall.
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Sex:Light, flirtatious fun can lead to much, much more. Things
can get very heavy for sapphic Bulls. But remember: the harder
they come, the harder they fall. Career:
Daydreaming on the job
can be hazardous to your health. Escape from the rat race and
daydream on the beach instead.
Gemini {May 22-June 21)
Sex:Cook up something delicious at home this summer. Invite
her over or invite her in. She will happily bring the spice. Career:
Grand-scale changes are possible in your career. Some may surprise you. Maybe early retirement's not so bad. ■
For more advicefrom the stars, visit our astrologer,Charlene
Lichtenstein,online at thestarryeye.com.
>~
<(
z
z
c3
-,
thi1t~,
cool off
with curve!
Uw &t,W-~
v
~~
f£4&ia!r
1 O issues for
$24.95!
□ 2 years (20 issues) for $34.95
□ New order
□ Renewal
C=f
ii@♦
□ 1 year (10 issues) for $24.95
•••••
NAME
ADDRESS
STATE
CITY
ZIP
E-MAIL
□
Check or Money Order
CREDIT CARD NUMBER
□
Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover)
EXP. DATE
SIGNATURE
of first issue.
Curve is mailed in a plain envelope. Send this form to: Curve, P.O. Box 17138, N. Hollywood, CA 91615-7138. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery
Offer expires 9/30/07 and is valid in the U.S. only. (800) 705-0070 curvemag.com PROMO CODE: SHRLB
CHUCM
Dyke Drama
Michele Fisher
Dyk~s Playing Dirty
Listen up, lezzies: Stop being so freakin' mean to each other.
F
or a time, I was the co-host of a gay radio program in Portland, Ore. It
was several years ago, long before it became cool to be gay in the Pacific
Northwest. (My sister claims it is pretty cool now, but I will have to take
her word for it, as I already did my time in God's country.) This really great
gay guy named Howie and I used to broadcast live on Sunday nights at 10
p.m. from our little run-down studio at a public radio station in one of the
seedier corners of the city. It was a live show, but our skits were prerecorded.
We would have our friends and other folks come in and read and act for us.
Once in a while we would be able to trap some minor celebrity into recording
something for us. Usually it was a'60s or'70s TV actor who was in town doing a shopping center opening or a local theater production. So when a real
live dyke comedian came to town and said she would record a sketch with us,
we were psyched. Not only did she act in one of our radio plays, afterward
she hung out with us in the studio for the whole day and went out for drinks
30
Icurve
with us that night. We were hoping that she would invite us to one of her
Friday or Saturday gigs, but she didn't. We were too broke to pay for tickets
but happy to always have the memories of our day with her.
On Sunday, we began the show with a live monologue and then moved
into the material we had recorded earlier. About halfway through the show,
the phones started lighting up. Usually we loved getting phone calls (except
the death threats, which were plentiful but screened out by a volunteer at
the station), but that night, our fans turned on us. The calls had one theme:
Why were we stealing Comedian X's material:' It seems that on Friday and
Saturday night, most of the material little Miss Homo Celeb presented at
her shows was stuff she had lifted from our studio earlier in the week when
she had recorded for us.
Talk about unfair! She stole our material and left us looking like thieves.
We tried to get a hold of her right after the show, but, no surprise, she
could not be reached. We told everybody who
would listen how we had been robbed and
abused by her, but nobody seemed to care. We
finally reached her and confronted her, but she
laughed and told us we had just learned a valuable lesson about show business. Within a week,
Howie and I realized that it was pointless to try
to set the record straight. She was famous; we
were peons who smelled of sour grapes. Had
she been a straight girl, the gay press would have
been all over her, but because she was a lavendermedia darling, a blind eye was turned in her
direction. (No, it was not Ellen DeGeneres.)
But while we re talking about unfairness,
DeGeneres makes me mad because she is as likeable as she is cute and successful. She just
makes it impossible for you not to like her,
which makes me want to hate her even more.
Even if she turned evil, nobody would care
because she is so fabulous.
It's kind of like that thing with poor Jennifer
Aniston. She is the sweet and wholesome girl next
door. Anybody who would dare steal her husband would surely be despised by the world for
generations to come. Uh, unless the other woman
is a goddess who spends her free time rescuing
orphans around the world from certain death.
Suddenly the public wondered why Aniston was
being so mean. After all, Angelina Jolie was saving the children, and if she needed an assistant,
the least Aniston could do was step aside and be
classy about the whole thing. Right:'
Totally unfair! But who is going to listen:'
I grew up watching women be hateful to
each other and cut my teeth in gay bars watching Crystal and Alexis cat fight on Dynasty every
a:
~
w
a:
~
w
z
a:
w
I
~
week, but I somehow always expect better of us dykes. I thought being part of
an oppressed subculture would make us behave better toward one another.
Ha! That kind of thinking leads to a rough landing in Realityville. Fact is,
we save our most lethal venom for each other.
Why else would the woman who dumped you because you were moving
too fast end up marrying some girl she met online the weekend before and
then have the nerve to invite you to the nuptials? Maybe you could pick up
the rest of your stuff you left at her place on the way to City Hall. Or maybe
you should just leave your old underwear and juicer at her apartment and tell
them those things are their wedding gifts.
I know a dyke who is stuck with a mean old Siamese cat that she is allergic
to and cannot stand. Not only did her crumb-bum of an ex leave her with a
mess of mysterious credit card debt, she left her with a disagreeable feline as
well. When we told her to dump that crazy cat back with its hateful mom, she
said she tried, but her ex had moved into a building that had a no-pets policy.
The injustice of it all.
I say we start rebelling against injustice wherever it exists, including our
own backyards.
The next time some girl who screwed you over asks to borrow a couple of
bucks, don't give it to her; tell her you're so sorry, but you just spent your last
dollar on a get-well card for her soul.
When that female who stood you up for a date ends up in the same club
and starts to chat you up again as if nothing happened, wouldn't it be appropriate for you to tell her to get the hell away from you unless she is going to give
you that meaningless sex you missed out on?
You are bound to run into that roommate from hell who let her cats crap
all over your stuff and then told everybody you were a biatch because you
asked her for the three months of back rent she still owed you. Instead of giving her some phony-baloney face-cracking smile, walk past her and then turn
around and tell her she has a cat turd stuck to the back of her pants.
I am not suggesting that you go out and find an axe to grind with every
dyke in town or strive to alienate yourself from the entire lesbian nation, I am
just telling you that sometimes you have a right to be angry, and your forgiveness should not be automatic just because the offender is a vagitarian.
Consider it a favor to another sister when you tell her that you are sore
about what she did to you. If she knows she is going to get schooled for her
misbehavior, she is less likely to try it on the next woman.
I am going to strive to take out my frustrations on the people who deserve
it rather than the people who will put up with it.
With that in mind, I say, shame on you, LD, for stealing from Howie and
me and making us look bad. Drug use isn't an apology; it is an excuse, so don't
even try it.
You, woman who started false rumors about me to cover up your affair,
don't even think about saying hi to me until you own up to your evil deeds.
And you, big old bull dyke who needed me to teach you how to ride a
motorcycle and then wouldn't let me ride it after you mastered it, you also did
me an injustice. Don't be surprised when I flip you off when you zoom past
me. I feel better already. ■
SAN DIEGO
L
G
B
T
PRIDE
UNITED
FOR
EQUALITY
Parade• Festival• Arts• Culture• Community
July
21 & 22
@ SanDiegoPride.org
foreventdetails
e-news
SignupforfreePride
t's_.II
~.~11111
~
cox-"~ @- 911'fl
~ Cl■■IIIUllHI ~~•).,re~
carve
reFnccH ._,,, ~
The,-
@rnEOLDGLOBE
..
youfaelln'llt?
inslilx:t
,.Y'!,.,C}
at&t
~~EV
aisempraEnergf
f-iWd
-~
-
-
;;:;
July/August 2007
I
31
Politics
VictoriaA. Brownworth
Excuse Me, I Am Not Your 'Ho'
The language of misogyny and ownership still runs rampant in popular music.
A h, summer. I hate it. It's not just the hot weather, nor
#-\is it the aesthetics-I've always thought that almost
everyone looks ghastly in the summer. No, it's the music.
Music isn't different in the summer than at other times
of the year. It's just that in summer, people feel they have
carte blanche to blast their music from cars, SUV s, stoops,
backyards, beach blankets, anywhere. I like music; I just don't
want to hear someone else's at top decibel. I especially don't
want to hear someone else's music insulting and demeaning
me at top decibel. I don't want to be called"bitch;' "pussy"and
"ho" while I'm in my backyard trying to relax.
Some dismiss the oppressive nature of how hip,hop
treats women, arguing that the lyrics are part of black cul,
ture.That line doesn't work for me. As Alice Walker noted
in Warrior Marks, "Torture is not culture."And believe me,
language that incites violence is torturous.
Back in April, there was a furor over shock jock Don Imus after he
called the Rutgers University women's basketball team, who had made it to
the Final Four, "nappy,headed hos:• Imus was eventually fired after spon,
sors withdrew their advertising due to the controversy. Imus, though, was
only repeating what many men of all colors say daily on the radio, TV and in
music: Women are bitches, hos and pussies.We are, according to much of popular
culture, the sum of our genitalia: nothing more, mostly less. While the Imus con,
troversy was in full throttle, three young men from the Duke University lacrosse
team who had been charged with allegedly raping a black dancer at a frat party
had the charges against them dropped.
The two events were linked in all the wrong ways. Both the Duke players and
Imus were called innocent victims of political correctness. Yet none of these guys
really were innocent. Imus had been dissing women, queers, people of color and
any other minority he could find words to defame for more than three decades.
And the Duke boys? The woman withdrew her complaint of rape against them,
but their own videotape of the events showed the boys calling the two women
they hired as strippers "nigger;'"ho;'"pussy"and other epithets. They wanted the
women to fellate and fake,fuck a broomstick. In short, they wanted to demean
the women as much as possible through sexual and racial means. One of the three
boys charged had also allegedly been previously involved in a gay,bashing inci,
dent. Innocent they were not.
Because the Duke boys and Imus are white, they received major media
attention. But as Juan Williams on NPR noted during the Imus controversy,
black shock jocks and DJs use similar language about women daily, and there's
little outrage. There are no protests by Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson about that
sexism. Of course, our culture holds the host of a politically charged radio show
to a different standard than rappers and other men in entertainment, but it's
time for us to take the language of misogyny seriously in all its forms. African,
American filmmaker Byron Hurt addresses this in his documentary Hip,Hop:
Beyond Beats and Rhymes, which debuted at Sundam:e to critical acclaim last
January. As Hurt proclaimed in an interview in Current, "I'd be in the car on the
way home, saying to mysel£ 'What am I listening to?' The stuff was blatantly
violent, misogynistic and homophobic. It became dear that the music I was
listening to needed to be challenged:'
32
Icurve
But people weren't asking Hurt
about his perspective on the Imus con,
troversy in April. Rather, proponents
argued that black radio hosts often said
the same things without complaint. Well,
Hurt complained. (So had Bill Cosby
and C. Delores Tucker.) Hurt's docu,
mentary vividly expresses all the things
I think about rap and hip,hop: that fine
music and once,great transgressive lyrics
have been co,opted into a woman,hating,
queer,baiting, macho message that dam,
ages all those who listen to it.
Words like "bitch" and "ho" are used
as violence.Words like "pussy"and "cunt"
should have a beautiful and sensual context (as in "I love your sweet pussy"), but
when these words are tossed out on the street, backed by a raging bass beat, they
are like fists pummeling every woman or girl who hears them.
These words and the way in which they are framed are incendiary to men, by
which I mean that when men and boys hear those words in the context of that
music, the message sent is one of ownership and property: As West Coast hip,
hop pioneer Too Short sings,"Now take my bitch, she won't complain about shit .
... It ain't hard to tell she belongs to me/I pimped her 15 years in this industry:'
The message isn't very subliminal; it outright states that rape is OK.
Don't think female rappers get it right, either. "The majority of their music
centers on the same damaging objectified descriptions of women espoused
by male gangsta rappers;• says Jessica Johnson, an African,American adjunct
professor at Columbus State Community College. What do you think the _
white Duke boys were listening to at the party for which they hired black strip,
pers? I'll bet it was rap and hip,hop. The major market for that music is men
and boys, of all colors, under 25, but the biggest buyers, according to NPR, are
white teenagers.
Studies have shown that people become inured to violence when they see it
on a regular basis and thus become less empathetic and even sociopathic. What
happens when people listen to violent lyrics repetitively? What happens when
a boy listens to music that says the only way he can be a real man is to "hit that
pussy" or "pimp that bitch?" There's a fine line between pushing and pushing a
woman until she relents to having sex with you and flat,out rape. A very fine
line. But when the message one hears constantly is to nail that bitch, fuck that
ho and hit that pussy, and when we see rap or hip,hop performed by artis~s
always grabbing their penises, where does that message lead? The answers
would seem obvious and yet, Byron Hurt is only one voice.
Collectively, we don't sound nearly as loud as the music blasting in my
neighborhood right now, where little boys and girls can hear it. Music that
they are growing up to, the back beat of their childhoods, telling one gender
that they can do what they want to women and girls and telling the other
gender that they are nothing but cunts and pussies, bitches and hos.
When it gets cold again, the music will stop-outside. But inside all the hous,
es in my neighborhood and all across America it will continue to send the same
vicious message.Until someone says,"Enough!" ■
WHY LESBIANS LOVE LA LUCHA
IN THE NEWS
EastCoastSwing
are
marriageadvocates
Same-sex
onthe EastCoast.
gainingmomentum
to SeattleGayNews,Rhode
According
PatrickLynch
IslandAttorneyGeneral
wrotein a Feb.20 memothatmarried
of thestate
employees
same-sex
shouldbeallowedbenefitsequivalent
to thosewithfederalmaritalstatus.His
memo,postedontheGayandLesbian
Website,
andDefenders
Advocates
states,"RhodeIslandwill recognize
in
marriages... performed
same-sex
as marriagein Rhode
Massachusetts
the unofficialstateIsland."However,
attorney
GLAD
mentis nonbinding,
KarenLoewytoldLawyersWeekly.
NewJersey'scivilunion
Meanwhile,
lawis a stepahead.SeattleGayNews
thatsinceFeb.19,New
reported
Jerseyhasbeenformallytreatingmarfromotherstatesand
riagelicenses
countriesascivilunionsin thestateof
NewJersey.
Q
z
:5
f-
a:
Q:..
en
0
w
I::!
z
<
<
J:
:r
Cl.
0
en
¢
a:
~
:::i
~
:.:::
(.)
~
en
~
5
~
a:
w
J:
Cl.
~
en
a:
J:
(.)
"Don'tAsk,Don'tTell"UnderFire
Withthe MilitaryReadiness
Marty
Act,Congressman
Enhancement
is lookingto repeal
D-Mass.,
Meehan,
theU.S.military's"don'task,don't
tell" policy,callingit "outdated
anddiscriminatory,"according
to CNN.com.
Inadditionto
closetingan
integralpart
of thearmedforces,a recentstudy
the military
showsthe policyhampers
basedon
personnel
bydischarging
According
theirsexualorientation.
a 2005Government
to USAToday,
reportshowsat least
Accountability
with"mis800gayservicemembers
sioncritical"skills,includingdoctors
havebeen
andArabicinterpreters,
Harderto reportis the
discharged.
likeSgt.
numberof servicemembers
EricAlvawholefton hisown,tiredof
hisidentity.GovTrack.us
suppressing
showstheactis in thefirst stagesof
process.
thelegislative
GoneforGood?
CoachPortland
playPennStatefemalebasketball
ersnolongerfacethehomophobia
of women'scoachRenePortland.
contractdoesn't
AlthoughPortland's
endfor anothertwoyears,she
on March
herresignation
announced
Known
21,PennStateLivereported.
policyon herteam,
for a no-lesbians
recentlysettledoutof court
Portland
withformerplayerJenniferHarris,
whobroughtchargesof discrimination
The
againstPortland.
andharassment
Collegian
a
Online,
PennState
publication,
reported,
"Whether
the resignationwas
is unknown,
a partof thesettlement
termsare
sincethesettlement
confidential."
BodyFound
MissingWoman's
in CarTrunk
andhercoNicoleAbusharif
face
workerRobertEdwards
witha
in connection
charges
casespurring
bizarrehomicide
butfewreal
muchspeculation
reported
ABC7.com
answers.
allegAbusharif
that26-year-old
herpartnerof seven
edlysuffocated
Klein.TheChicago
years,Rebecca
40,workedwith
saysEdwards,
Tribune
andis nowbeingheldon$1
Abusharif
ofjustice,
millionbailforobstruction
havingliedto policeofficers
allegedly
in thedays
abouthiswhereabouts
Klein'sdeath.Abusharif's
surrounding
stateand
saysherweakened
defense
generalphysique-shesuffersfroma
backinjuryandis in livercancerremisof carsion-proveshewasincapable
whichincludes
ryingoutthescenario,
placingKlein'sbodyin thetrunkof a
parkedintheirgarage.
1966Mustang
financialgainasa
reported
TheTribune
motive.
possible
is soout
thatyourgovernment
to the realization
Imagineawakening
thatit's becomea farceof
of touchwiththe needsof yourcommunity
Imaginedecidingthisrendersyourgovernprocess.
thedemocratic
fromfurthersham
youdisengage
andin response,
mentillegitimate,
thatis more
andcreatea zonefor yourcommunity
politicalprocesses
wherethe rightsandneedsof yourcommunity
or lessautonomous,
andserved.
areheard,protected
members
That'sthe realityof LaLucha,oneof the mostvibrantmovements
people
in thewiderworld,begunamongthe indigenous
for autonomy
andtrans
to includelesbians
specifically
andexpanded
of Chiapas
or servedbytheofficial
people,aswellasothersnotacknowledged
anopenlylesbianmemberof
of Mexico.PatriaJimenez,
government
first),is amongthe movement's
(LatinAmerica's
Mexico'sparliament
"Noonewill befreeuntilall of us
emphasizing,
supporters,
prominent
arefree."
(whichmeans
LaOtraCampana
In early2006,activistslaunched
presidential
to theconcurrent
in counterpoint
"TheOtherCampaign")
traveledthrough
Fornearlya year,theOtherCampaign
campaign.
everystatein Mexicoonwhatwasbasicallya listeningtour,inviting
to speak
thosewhofelt unheard
theirtruthsandtheirmindsat unremeetings.
strictedtown-hall-style
title refersalsoto
Thecampaign
the kindsof peoplethecampaign
madesureto include:indigenous
people,factoryworkers,sexworkers,queerfolk,grandmothers,
womenandchildren.
andVanessa
MaitaValladolid
fromwomenwho
testimonials
Garciatraveledwiththetour,collecting
spoke(someof whichtheysharedwithus,below)andarecurrently
workingoi;ia bookaboutthewomenof the OtherCampaign.
began
whentheCampaign
in Chiapas
"I'd beenvolunteering
of these
bythedynamics
says."I wasenti:anced
there,"Valladolid
people
andpassions,
meetingsin whichpeoplevoicedtheirstruggles
whojust neededto beheard.Thebookis ourpromiseto thewomen
whospoke,to sharetheirstorieswiththeworld."
sexworkersandotherwomenarestill
"Evenin the U.S.,lesbians,
so I believewe needto buildbridgesto supportthese
marginalized,
womenacrossthe border,"Garciaadds.
marginalized
came
of theCampaign
announcement
"Themostdevastating
remainin
fromwomenof theKiliwatribe.Fewerthan60 members
group,whichlivesnearthe U.S.borderin Baja.After
thisindigenous
dwindle,
of strugglingto surviveandwatchingtheirnumbers
decades
the Kiliwawomenhavedecidedthattheywill nolongerbearchildren.
Ratherthanbringingchildrenintoa worldwheretheycan'tlivewith
asa
andculture,theyhavechosento disappear
theirownlanguage
says.
people,"Valladolid
a lesbiannamedVickicameforwardandtolda story
In Monterrey,
of policearrestinga groupof about40 womenin a barlateonenight:
asto whytheywere
anexplanation
"Thewomenkeptdemanding
I feel
Theyweretold:thisis a raidagainstprostitution.
beingdetained.
to offendmyfriendswho
to pointout,withoutintending
compelled
pure
thatthe majorityof themlookedlikeJohnWayne:
werearrested,
is laughable."
butch.Thenotionthattheywouldbeprostitutes
sayingthat
change,
And,in a rousingfinale,onelesbiandemanded
wouldliketo seeus ... happywithcrumbsthatthey
"Theauthorities
throwat us."- ArianeConrad
Adoption
StudySulliesSame-Sex
ofthe
to Dr.PaulCameron
According
gaysand
Institute,
Research
Family
liveshorter
whoaremarried
lesbians
His
heterosexuals.
livesthanmarried
of Homosexual
Distortion
report,"Federal
EarlyGayDeath?),"
(Ignoring
Footprint
queersin Denmark
statesthatmarried
liveat least20yearsfewer
andNorway
ofthe
to members
married
thanpeople
sex.Hisfindingsalsoinferthat
opposite
bygaysandlesbians
adopted
children
>>Read more testimonials from the women in the Other
they
before
mayloseoneorbothparents
Campaignat curvemag.com.
-Azania Baker
finishhighschool.
July/ August 2007
I33
It was Britney Spears' fault that we couldn't get piiia coladas.
Our remote, native-run accommodation was just a jet ski ride
away from her five-star resort on Turtle Island, and her proximity upset everything. Because of the diva's security needs, local
workers weren't able to restock our juices and soft drinks, and
a German tourist who went island hopping was barred from
sailing even in front of the beach where the world's most famous
navel might be sunning. We heard that a couple who landed
at the seaplane pier at Turtle Island was nearly shoved into
the ocean by Spears' henchmen, who saw a camera and feared
paparazzi action.
But we couldn't blame Spears for wanting to visit Fiji. Many
do, though few Americans appear in the mix of New Zealanders,
Aussies and globe-circling backpackers. Fiji is far enough from
North America and similar enough to Hawaii that most Yanks
don't make it the extra 3,000 miles, but they should.
Although the flight to Fiji is expensive, accommodations and
meals are not. Fiji is inexpensive to begin with, plus it offers a
great exchange rate. It's like Hawaii before Waikiki went highrise and Honolulu became a crime capital. Most resorts in Fiji
are virtually invisible from the water. The main city of Nadi
(rhymes with "candy") boasts an airport and a shopping strip but
minimal pollution, except litter. Instead of spending money at
malls and nightclubs, travelers enjoy the multisensory delights of
viewing unspoiled coral reefs, swimming and snorkeling in water
as clear as air and hanging out with the locals, who are proud to
share their land and its luxuries with foreigners.
We spent our first few days at the Sheraton Royal, a sumpI(/)
tuous resort that resembles most other sumptuous resorts: gor~
~
()
geous rooms a few yards from the waves, lively pools, lovely views
~ and ridiculous drinks at ridiculous prices. We lolled in the sun,
c§
(/)
dawdled at the spa for a jet lag recovery massage (so necessary)
3UJ
and checked out the white chapel where people can marry with
a.
>the vast blue Pacific as their backdrop.
~
~
So far, only straight people have married there, possibly
~
g
~
a:
<(
6
(/)
:J
..J
~
~
()
a:
1
because mainstream Fiji, which has long been under the influence of Christian missionaries, doesn't accept queers. Only
the cities have any semblance of gay culture. My partner and I
encountered zero hassles, but we also allowed people to mistake
us for friends or sisters. When we moved on to the outer island
resort of Oarsman's Bay-four hours by fast catamaran from the
island-there seemed no point in discussing our sexual
g main
orientation when we had to arrange important matters like snorCD
~ kel gear, drinks and dinner.
ci5
Besides, the Oarsman's staff knew that we were sharing a
~
a.
Q_ bed, but they were more concerned about showing us the coral
~
reef (with power snorkeling just steps off the beach), the sunset
0
~
=;
views, and the village's school and churches. Oarsman's Bay is
u:::
:5 owned and run by the villagers, who use profits from the tourist
:::>
CD
~
~
u.j
1U)
~
a.
Q_
z<(
z
zUJ
..J
()
()
~
(/)
a:
I
()
industry to improve their village school. Although desperately
poor by Western standards, the villagers brag about having
installed a flush toilet and extra classrooms for the 100 or so students. The village women who run a handicrafts market for the
tourists are grateful for the business; before the resort was built,
they had to travel to another island by boat to compete for tourist dollars. One lady told me, kindly, "We are happy to have you
here because you bring us money:'
Oarsman's Bay is remarkable not only for its spectacular
beach but also for what it lacks: no television, no phone, no
"Not only the colors but the shapes
and the sounds amazed us: Tiny
shrimp crackle inside the coral, and
parrotfish crunch coral and algae."
clocks, no radio, no air conditioning (and no need for it) and no
cars. At night, we heard only waves and wind; in the daytime, we
heard live native music and the big driftwood drum calling us
to eat, family-style, in the big open bure, a palm-thatched hut.
For about $70 a day, guests get all meals, a private bure with
bedroom and bath, and a magnificent beach shared with only a
dozen or so other people.
We couldn't imagine how anything could be better at our
final destination: the five-star Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Island
Resort on Fiji's second biggest island, Vanua Levu. But in three
decades of world travel, this is the best resort I've seen. Again, it's
partly what the resort doesn't have that makes it great: no electronics in the rooms, no unnatural noise, no stressors. Superb
amenities include spectacular three-course meals based on local
produce and seafood; luxurious, private bures full of flowers; and
nonintrusive, genuinely friendly staff.
Son of the ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, Jean-Michel
set out to promote enjoyment of and education about tropical
oceans. His marine preserve comprises a wide, deep band of
ocean, reef and sand around the hotel. Guests (of which there
are never more than 75 and usually only 40) can swim, snorkel
and dive in waters unmolested by fishermen or pollution.
My partner and I snorkeled ourselves silly,thinking of the Dr.
July/ August 2007
I35
Seuss book One Fish,TwoFish,Red Fish,BlueFish,
only here, the fish were aqua and silver darting into
orange coral, or lavender and black hiding in waft,
ing red fronds, or pink and green chasing Nemo,
like creatures into blue anemone. Far below us,
giant purple, and blue,mouthed clams lay waiting
for dinner, quiet moray eels coiled around rocks,
and the occasional ray swooped past. Not only the
colors but the shapes and the sounds amazed us:
Tiny shrimp crackle inside the coral, and parrot,
fish crunch coral and algae. Guided by Chris, the
resident marine biologist, we did a night snorkel in
60 feet of unlit water. Our fear was overcome by
the lulling waves, the enormous stars and shining,
fluorescent algae.
The Cousteau resort offers numerous ways to
explore the environment: the resident biologist
accompanies diving and snorkeling trips, offers slide
show talks at happy hour and eats with the guests,
so you can corner him for more information about
what you've seen underwater. Guests can volunteer
to help with environmental research, go on guided
nature walks or attend a kava,drinking ceremony
with the region's chief, a session that routinely turns
into a daytime dance,fest. Plus, the resort offers
daily excursions to various parts of the island.
On our waterfall excursion, the village's medi,
cine man, an ancient and vivacious soul called
Numiya, escorted a handful_of visitors up a wind,
ing road to the top of a mountain. En route, we
passed lush valleys of rivers and rainforest; in the
little villages, throngs of children cheered and
waved. The waterfall itself plunged into a deep,
clear pool where we could swim, paddle and watch
the wild crayfish.
The Cousteau commitment to the environment
shows in every aspect of the resort's housekeeping:
A huge organic garden supplies many of the edi,
bles, a gray,water conservation program is getting
underway, and the hotel uses minimal packaging,
employs reusable cloths instead of paper, avoids
plastic, composts food and recycles containers. The
social climate is equally benign: Vegetarians and •
nondrinkers are cared for.
So far, the Fijian culture hasn't been condensed
into sound bites and snow domes. Not everyone is
trying to sell you something, and it's easy to get to
know the locals and even drink and eat with them.
We had to stop ourselves from passing judgments
on their culture, in which sex,role stereotyping is
the norm and violence against women is rampant.
Like many other indigenous peoples, Fijians suffer
high rates of substance abuse. But Fijians remain
open to sharing their culture and learning about
others: and many exchanges seem mutually benefi,
cial. And, oh yeah, the Cousteau resort has even
held some of the country's first same,sex commit,
ment ceremonies a.s Fiji does everything else: with
grace, color and heart. ■
36
Icurve
WHERE DOWE
DRAW THE LINE?
How lesbianscan travel safely and ethicallyand still have fun.
By Kristen V. Brown
"Lovely lesbian ladies, come to my shop!" chanted
the merchants at the Grand Bazaar, all beckon,
ing to the women of the Olivia cruise tour. It was
the summer of 1999, and the group was travel,
ing through Turkey and Greece, post, Kosovo
war.Turkey's inflation rate was at a whopping 69
percent, but the women of Olivia had come to
save the day, or so the headlines of the Istanbul
newspapers read. They became B,list celebrities
in Turkey, having shop,shop,shopped earlier on
the trip in Kusadasi. This had quickly become
news in a country with a floundering economy,
and when they docked in Istanbul, Olivia's ladies
were greeted by a horde of Turkish paparazzi, all
coming to catch a glimpse at that week's tempo,
rary heroines.
Judy Dlugacz, founder and CEO of Olivia,
explains that while this wasn't the company's first
trip to Turkey, it was the first time in Istanbul,
and they were admittedly nervous. Visiting a
Muslim country can be tricky enough as a worn,
an, let alone a gay woman. Dlugacz had been
pretty much out her whole life, except for trips
back into the closet when she traveled. She start,
ed the travel portion of Olivia (originally found,
ed as a lesbian record label) because she thought,
"Wouldn't it be great to travel and be yourself?"
But even still, she says, sometimes it is neces,
sary to shield your identity to protect your safety.
And sometimes, in order to respect a culture, you
have to compromise a little.Just like you wouldn't
wear short shorts as a woman in Iran or Syria,
maybe you wouldn't hold hands, either. "I would
think twice before visiting any Muslim country;'
Dlugacz says.
While the women on this particular cruise
learned that sometimes people are more open
than expected, this is not always the case. Even in
the United States, it is often difficult to be openly
gay; in a foreign country where the laws may be
unfavorable, you'll be out of your element.
When she traveled to Rio de Janeiro (a city
often revered for its wild and crazy gay scene) on
a trip sponsored by the Brazilian government,
bodyguards and all, Gina Gatta, the lesbian
owner of LGBT travel,guide company Damron,
experienced quite pointedly Brazil's antigay
sentiments. Gatta says her crew was assaulted
by police officers in cahoots with the local taxis
when leaving a gay club after 3 a.m., with the
bodyguards off duty for the night. They searched
them, forced them to fork up all their cash, but,
only by a stroke of extreme luck, didn't arrest
them.
"This happened all the time there;' Gatta said. "The body,
guards had even warned us and given us a lawyer's number to
call if we were arrested:'
The Latest on Fiji
"Sometimes you find antigay people in places where you
don't expect it;' Aefa Muholland, a travel writer at PlanetOut,
explains. Some of Muholland's worst travel experiences hap,
pened in Spain, a country where same,sex marriages are
legally recognized.
On the flip side, traveler Gretchen Kelly says that she found
Whiletravelerscontinue
to floodFiji'sshores, the population in Syria was more accepting of homosexuality
Gay.com
reportsthat than in most other countries she's visited, despite the fact that it's
activistsandhuman a conservative Muslim dictatorship in which same,sex relations
rightsgroupsstill"tend can land you in prison. Walking through Allepo (a city in north,
to viewtheSouth em Syria, bordering Turkey), she even discovered
a rug shop
Pacificisleasasa named after Oscar Wilde.
In fact, although the laws in Muslim
sunny,gayHellwith
governments are usually unforgiving of the LGBT crowd, the
regards
to legislation
andculturalattitudes."
Aftera gayAussiewas
jailedfor havingsex
witha localin 2005,
homophobicpoliticos
havebeenanything
buttolerant.
TheU.S.
StateDept.,too,warns
U.S.residents
about
Fiji'sstill-activestate people in Muslim
countries are often very accepting of same,sex
of emergency
in,effect relationships,
which are very much a part of their everyday cul,
sincethecoupin 2006.
ture. So while two men would never be married in Syria, it is not
If yougo,remember
uncommon for a man or a woman to have a same,sex partner
militarycheckpointin
s
Suva,NadiandLautoka outside of his or her traditional marriage.
But as countries like Fiji continue to send up red flags
remainin place,though
thesituationin Suvais (because of antigay crimes or homophobic laws), does that mean
themostunstable.
To we should throw caution to the wind in search of wider adven,
checkwiththeState turer Or do we pay meticulous attention to State Department
Dept.for warnings,
visit travel warnings:' Kelly suggests that native literature of the
travel.state.gov.
Local country you're visiting might be the best way to get
a feel for
gaysalsosuggestnot the culture.
expressing
affectionin
"Read beyond just what's on Travelocity;' she says. "Talk to
public,evenin resorts,
people who have been there before you go:' And while it may
unlessyoustayat a
gay-owned
property take a lot for the State Department to issue travel warnings, les,
likeNadiHomestay bian travelers say you sometimes have to read between the lines.
Lynette Molnare, the director of Girl Power Productions in
BedandBreakfast
Provincetown
, R.I., and a photographer for Olivia, aptly points
(011-679-999-3723).
wherever we go is a nonissue;' says Dlugacz, "and we prepare
the guests mentally if we're going somewhere that is cultur,
ally unaccepting:' Recently, R Family Vacations canceled the
Bermuda leg of a cruise trip because of statements issued by
some churches that took issue with a LGBT cruise coming
to their country. Both companies say their cruises will not go
anywhere that is unsafe for their guests. Not to mention, there
is power in numbers. Countries recognize and welcome the
economic power of an entire cruise ship full of people, but
some of these cultures may have never had firsthand experi,
ences with gay people. Meeting a cruise ship full of 900 happy,
shop,ready lesbians has great power to change the way people
think about queers.
"On the Kenyan safari Olivia did, we changed so many minds
about lesbians;' says Dlugacz. "Our guests are incredible ambas,
sadors just by being there:'
As countries like Fiji continue to send up red flags because of homophobic laws, does that mean we should
throw caution to the wind or must we pay meticulous
attention to State Department travel warnings?
out that "until a couple of years ago, it was illegal to have gay sex
in 37 different states:'
Travel warnings do make comment on the politics of a coun,
try, but you can only find out for yourself (and through firsthand
accounts) what the culture is really like.
"Your safety zone isn't the same outside the U.S.;' Molnare
says. "But, then again, I wouldn't hold hands with my girlfriend
20 minutes up the Cape:'
And, she adds, ''I've been gay,bashed twice, but both times
were in San Francisco:'
Sometimes traveling solo isn't the safest option. One of the
added benefits of traveling with companies like Olivia or R
Family Vacations is that they do the legwork for you.
"When booking, we make sure that the friendliness
38
Icurve
The economy of travel is an incredible tool, but ethical
concerns sometimes come into play when deciding where to
pump your dollars. Can we visit Fiji and have fun at a low cost
when they've recently enacted antigay legislation:' Or what about
Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality is punishable by death:' Or
even Italy, where the Roman Catholic culture makes it hard for
gays to be anything but closeted:'
"Use your dollar as a wedge in places where people are being
exploited" says Kelly. She suggests using your money to support
gay businesses, even if you are just getting a tan for a few bucks _
and leaving.
And we can change people's minds, these women say. While
most of the world is not pro,gay, a lot of people have never met
an openly gay person, either.
"When I'm traveling, I come out whenever I think I can. This
is important, that people know they're interacting with a gay;'
says Molnare.
There are risks involved in traveling as a gay person. But there
are also risks involved in traveling as a woman, and even risks in
going places as an American. So should we just stay home:'
"If you want to live in a world where everything is neat, nice
and sewn up, don't go;' says Kelly. It's important to experienc~
other cultures, she says, and to bring those experiences back and
educate other people. If it's true that half of the problems in the
world stem from misunderstandings between different cultures,
perhaps as lesbians we can be ambassadors. We just have to be
cautious in doing it.
In order to do it ethically-and safely-you should read up,
know what you're dealing with and be mentally prepared.
'i\.s we travel around the world and can be out;' Molnare says,
"we're changing hearts and changing minds:' ■
at a Girl ants
CuRvEs Annua
c ssue
Oops, we did it again. We put together our biggest music issue ever, and
surprlslngly, there is nobody in It named Britney. It's all aboutwhat a girl
wants and what a girt needs in her iPod thtse days, and we hope with
our cacophony of musical interests-from the sexy, retro Shondes to the
cock-rockers AC/DShe to 1hefierce soulof Ebony Tay and the hllarity of
Over the course of her career,she's released eight albums, appeared
on TheL Wordand shared the stage with Ani Difranco and Elvis
Costello. So what's next for Toshi Reagon? Opera (she's the music
director for the upcoming The Tempationof St. Anthony)and an
upcoming album with her band, the Big Lovely.- JenniferCorday
You were on the cover of
CURVE'S music
Issue 1O years ago.
How has life changed for you, compared to what it was like
back then?
Well, I definitely have a bigger audience, and I do more shows.
I think I'm better at everything I do musically, and I'm more
consistently putting on really great performances.
Tell me about your last few shows.
It's always been a dream of mine to be an artist that doesn't have
a lot of boundaries, someone that can pursue a number of
different opportunities, so I feel very lucky to be able to do
that. I just did a gig for an organization called Fierce. The
club was packed with over 450 people-every color in the
rainbow! It's a great political activist organization full of
young queer people of color in New York. The next day, I
played in D.C. at a place called Jammin' Java to an audience
of mostly white straight people.
[Difranco J's church; it's absolutely gorgeous. Every dyke in
Buffalo will know where it is.
Tell me about the stage show you are doing, The Temptation of St. Anthony.
That is an awesome project. It's an opera directed by an avantgarde theater producer, Robert Wilson. He's really wellknown in Europe. I call him the Puff Daddy of theater
in Europe. My mother wrote the libretto and she always
envisioned a band, so she asked my band, the Big Lovely,
to be the orchestra. There are 16 singers, plus my band.
We've been doing it since 2003, touring different countries.
Nobody's ever done anything like this before. We played
a Paris opera house in 2005 and played in Sicily in 2003.
We've performed at the oldest surviving Greek amphitheater in the world. It's an amazing experience.
Are people surprised by your appearance?
I never see people who look like me, physically. The L Word
finally just got a butchy character this year. When I show up
at some of these different venues, there's usually only one or
two people of color playing, and that's got to change. I'm one
of the few people they have ever seen like me. Then, when
they hear the music, I think their view really changes.
You really do have a diverse following. Do you feel your
Are you changing attitudes about what Is mainstream?
music transcends all racial barriers?
Mainstream is what your heart will accept. It shouldn't be something that someone paid 2 or 3 million dollars to buy to get
your attention.
Music is the church for the whole congregation. It doesn't matter who you are, but it matters what you do.
Tell me about your appearance on The L Word-did that
garner you new fans?
Well, I got 40,000 hits on my site in two days and about 500 new
MySpace friends! But it's hard to tell if it really had an impact.
I'm not doing a tour right now, so it's hard to tell.
Do you think new technology, like iTunes and MySpace,
has helped build your fanbase?
Well, I don't know that it's blown up my audience, but it gives
people quicker access. People can google "Toshi" and find
me instantly.
How was the CURVEphoto shoot with the other artists?
It was really fun! I was there with God-des and She, and the
girl's hot!
lead singer from Lez Zeppelin-that
What did you wear?
I'm happy to collaborate with a stylist and all of that crap. But I
got there late, straight off the road, and I only had an hour.
I brought these clothes and they said, just wear that! They
took the pictures with me in my T-shirt, a big red T-shirt
with a fist.
Do you have a girlfriend?
Tell me about the new record.
I certainly do.
It's coming out in January of'08 on Righteous Babe.
Now that you're famous, do more girls hit on you?
Does Righteous Babe do everything for you?
People don't hit on me, c'mon! I'm a big flirt, but I'm totally
oblivious to being hit on: "Oh, wait, what do you want?
You're talking to met
Righteous Babe is great, but I'm still DIY. There's a team of wonderful women I've hired, and if we have something we need
to do, we get it done.
I'm playing Buffalo Pride. What's that like?
Buffalo is a great city, it's got really good people. Go see Ani
ToshiTimes Two
Oh,whata difference
a decademakes.Ten
then
yearsago,cuRvE's
Jane
editorRebecca
Alber-a musicloverat
heart-decidedto do
ourfirst musicissue.It
broughttogethersome
of thecoolestnamesin
dykerockat thetime
and,yes,thatwasToshi
gracingthe
Reagon
leftsideof ourcover.
Thoughshedidn'tmake
it ontothecoverthis
time,photographer
also
EricaBeckman
didn'tlettheheartthrobhidebehindher
guitarduringour2007
photoshoot.Now,a
decadelater,weadmit,
we still loveReagon
anda bunchof other
chickswhogracedthe
pagesof thatissue.
Whoelsewasin that
veryfirst musicissuein
1997?LeishaHailey's
Candyass,
Murmurs,
IndigoGirls,Kinnie
Starr,SarahMclachlan
andmore.- DAM
What's next?
I'm just a little rock 'n' roll kid-that's who I am and that's who
I'll always be. I just want to do good in the world. ■
July/ August 2007
I41
TeamoSupremo
Is anything cooler than Team Gina, the hot queer lyricists
behind the anthem "Butch/Femme"? We don't think so.
Life is just a big slumber party, according
to
hand and plastic:or like,spray-painted
I need a blingedout My LittlePoa}4
blinged-outsaddle but still[withl tuat •
Seattle's dectro-hip-hop rad girls, Team Gina.
Blendingretro beats with riffson politics and
pop culture, these two former Saeam Club
synthetic hair.
ado'80s
of
ethos
the
embody
dancers
badcup
You IINtftllon In the .....
Revolution,
lescence.Their debut EP, Gina Gina
that ....... la an eldlW llllttlll
is a campy,queered-out escape into a hot-pink,
cotton-candied,12-year-old'sf.mtasy worldfrom .....................
r.bemouths of two sassy Italiangirlswith a serious
MyLittlePony fetish.- Mel.anyWaltm-B«k
BliagtI foundthat in NewY~ alto.
She's Still a Bit
Misunderstood
Islamic hip-hop has a whole
new look.
With fresh, sharp-tongued lyrics and an
intuitive approach, Miss Undastood has finally
brought to Islamic rap what it has long been
missing: a female voice. Islam and hip-hop have
long found themselves intertwined-Islam
started appearing within the black community
at about the same time hip-hop appeared on
the scene-but it hasn't been until recently that
Islam found a distinct
voice for itself among
all the bling and
Ferraris of the mainstream rap industry.
And it wasn't until
Miss Undastood's lyrics that serious issues
for Muslim women
found their way into
the lyrics of Islamic
hip-hop .
But for the woman known as the "First
Lady of Islamic Hip-Hop;' rap stardom hasn't
come without consequence. Even as a mainstay
in the burgeoning Muslim rap scenes in Philly,
London and New York, being a loud-mouthed
woman with something to say in a community
where many men (and women) expect women
to sit quietly and not say a word hasn't exactly
made it easy to get a date. In fact, there are a
good amount of people whom she suspects
wouldn't mind telling her to sit down and shut
up. Her lyrics often tend to be more controversial than other Islamic hip-hop artists, such as
popular Muslim rapper Native Deen,
bringing up issues that many Muslims
would probably rather ignore. "I want
to be a voice for Muslim women;' she
says, "a voice for the woman's perspective in Islam:' And with the topics of
to the
her rap ranging from the hijab,
troubles and realities of co-wifedom,
this Musliminah is doingjust that.
But Miss Undastood frets not;
she's sure people will eventually wise
up, regardless of gender. "When you
give someone a mic, they have to have
something to say;' she says, "I think
that what I have to say is something all
people are going to realize they want
to hear:' - Kristen V. Brown
.........................
,,...
...,
.........
cwet:f,-,:Y Iwenttowaa
Whatla 1Nm Gina aH aboutt
GinaBliagi Whenwe 6rst got togetherwe acmallysat down and said, 'What are we gonna
srand fort We didn't want to bejust another
queer band. But then every tong we Wrote
was like,gay,gtiy,gay, wt'R py. But wire all
about having as much fun as possible. Gina
ptwtyrA
Genius said,'Let's makeit a political
lib
a
andno-~lam
mQre
androgynouspeople.
tram mm. rm startiQCto
and~~
ca.1Wtbem0ut.
GmiuarNot• $3f mat we
we:lovefemma, coo.
Femme•songa an
queerhip-hoppoliticalp~
are a nuachr--..... butdia
.,...,,,......,......,lntluenNf..,
leshian
....
.............
.. ,.................
,..,..........
.
~-............,
..,....,. ...............
ro.u
&maai You know; I still IO¥e them no
but
what.Honesty is the bat~
We aR
t seemslib all pop stars lip-~
actQADyboth trained sinpts and all ·of QIU'
p-ogramsare mre,but we wouldtotallylip&r fun. We havebeenknownto host
Camp is not jut for the boy.. Our
heavilyincorporate camp and drag
pop culture. Weevendid a mysticalsc:ad'
tQ Am DiFranco.
I wu dmstated..Icooka familyroad.trip
to the GrandCan
8 yearsoldand I
enmyW~£or
•
ltOtalyhad
I don'tknowif
• • longhairer
hadaausb on
era.
~
Genilaai'ThePad6c "NmlnrfhURl"!ll#i·.mJi•:·
saneishuge.W.ga
us patits kt the
Wflltllo,--knoW..... ,...,
Geniui 1'Jiae is
Gina.Check
peoplew;mc
Wt.re,poad
rwaae
Team •
July/ August 2007
I43
The first time I heard Swati's selftitled debut album, I wrote her publicist a
love letter halfway into the first song. "Tell her she changed my life;' I typed
feverishly, and I believed it, too. Her acoustic-electric-folk hard rock was
unlike anything I had heard, yet almost eerily familiar, sort of like when you
meet a new person and you feel like you've known each other forever."I call it
edgy acoustic music;' she told me. When I gushed passionately that, really,it's
so much morethan that, she responded with her characteristic modesty: "You
think sot I do.
A New York City native, Swati (Hindu for "star") was raised in a house
full of musical instruments. She picked up the trombone in elementary school,
played throughout her childhood and made it all the way to Carnegie Hall as
a teenager. The night of her Carnegie show, Swati quit the instrument forever
right after leaving the stage."! didn't like the confinement;' she explains."! had
been playing guitar for years at that point, and I really liked, rather than the
idea of playingmusic, really makingmusic:'
More than a decade lapsed between her last trombone performance and
her first rock album. In the meantime, she had been bartending, booking other
bands and working in rehearsal studios. Eventually, working with other artists
pushed Swati to develop her own album. "This is the first record that I can
honestly put out and say,'This is me;'' she explains. ''I've never been successdriven [or] ambitious; I never cared about being a rock star or anything like
that .... As I'm getting older, I'm kind of realizing that life is short and I'm
kind of being selfish. It's not so much ambition as much as I want to share [my
music] with people. The world gave me inspiration, and I want to put it out
back to the world:'
Though every one of the 10 tracks on her self-titled debut album are worth
obsessive repeat listening, her chilling cover of Bruce
Springsteen's 'Tm on Fire" seems to grab most people's
attention. Swati says that's the only cover she plays.
"My girlfriend broke up with me, you know, and I had
the flu at the same time. I was lying on the couch and
I didn't even own the record, and I just picked up the
guitar and started playing a song and I started singing those lyrics. It was almost like, subconscious that
I covered the song;' she says. "It was really how I was
feeling at the moment, and the song already existed, so
I didn't need to write it .... It's great when I play it. It's
very therapeutic:'
Another stand-out track is the down-tempo acoustic "Blackjack:' The music is straight-ahead folk rock,
but the lyrics are about spending a quiet evening with
an Atlantic City prostitute. "It's an absolutely true story;' Swati admits. She went out to a casino alone one
rainy night, began an especially unlucky game of blackjack, and met a call girl at the bar. When the girl asked
Swati's profession, she replied that she was a musician,
"but mostly I just, you know, I kiss ass to other musicians so they could feel good about themselves, basically;' she remembers. The girl responded that she did the
same thing, but with businessmen. Swati bought her
for the night. "I really loved to just have a friend there
with me ... that's it. I didn't want to have sex and
didn't want to objectify [her J;' she remembers.
'i\nd so we hung out the whole night and she'd
like, touch my leg or hold my hand when I got
the six card. Then we went and ate, played a little
bit more and I drove her home .... We gave each other
this unconditional platonic love. It was really wonderful. It was awesome:' They never saw each other again.
Like the rest of Swati, "Blackjack" is refreshingly
vulnerable and candid, almost uncomfortble in its honesty. Swati says she has no reservations about revealing
who she is through her music. "That's my personality;'
she says. "I think life is too short to be filtered. I don't
particularly like people that front and are pretentious,
and I think music is about connecting. How else are
z
<(
we supposed to connect if you're not personal with
~
~
(.)
people? So when I play to an audience, I look at them
w
co
like were connecting to each other, like a good convert3
cc
sation:' - CatherinePlato
w
r
Gem!TrulyOutrageous!
Leslie Hall (aka Leslie and the Lys) turns gem
sweaters and spandex into a career.
Leslie Hall's famous gem sweater collection Web site received more than 2
million hits in one month, exceeding its bandwidth and leaving her with an
$800 Internet bill. Enter Leslie and the Lys, a "beat~dazzled" performance
where the Iowa native lyrically throws down with songs like "Shazam I'm
Glamorous" and physically gets down
with her beaded sweaters and cos~
tumes, one of which was inspired by
Kristi Yamaguchi and Elvis Presley.
Trust us, it sounds like what it looks
like. We couldn't be more excited.
- Jaime Roca
Can you describe your stage
performances?
Well, my performance is me in home~
made gold~spandex bodysuits, my
hair fluffed and towering and my
makeup bright and glimmering.
I suit up, power up and explode
into my megahits and Internet
love jams. It's so pretty. You have
to see it to believe it. Tornado blasts of awesome gold gems. I'm trying to
help you understand.
What has been the general response from your audience?
Good. Nobody's asked for their money back. If people are turned off by my
confident, happy, overweight powers, they at least appreciate the craft and
enthusiasm. I run a tight show with lots of energy.
Please tell me more about your gem sweaters.
All the gem sweaters in the mobile museum of
gem sweaters are either rescued or made by fans.
These are sweaters that are thrown out to thrift
or garbage dumps. People stopped wearing them
and just tossed them out. You see, they do have
life and purpose once more. And my museum
allows all people to view the detail and glory of
each, and my shows are a perfect time to suit them
up and wear them .... My mother makes all my
performance clothes. These are the tight, stretch,
shimmer gear I use to 'ahh' the audience. They are
machine~washable, which the gem sweaters are
not. Dry clean only, gem sweater children.
Why rap?
Well, I looked around, trying to figure out how to really capture love and cash.
Trust me, I had no idea singin' and dancin' would be my second truest
calling, second only to my gem sweater rescue mission. My favorite music
is contemporary country. Me trying to tap into the rap game has been me
just fakin' it with style, class and enthusiasm. It's working.
How do you identify with queer culture?
I think gay men were first to be super~supportive of the glamour and glitz. I'm
really hoping the ladies step up and really crave and desire this lovely Iowa
Internet diva. I'm packin' hot, tender gems and jams. ■
July/ August 2007
I4 7
Brassy, British, bawdy and bright, the Bee Stings' vocalist, Valkyrie, is just as
likely to throw herself out of an airplane (on purpose) as she is to croon angelically on the band's latest album. Whether it's on a surfboard or behind a mic,
Valkyrie loves a rush. With each song, she and guitarist BB Stings partake in a
musical love affair of beats and notes that titillate listeners' ears while blowing
their minds. But the love affair stops when the music ends: Valkyrie is fantastically feminine and all lesbian. She's also open, honest and unpretentious about
who she is, what she does and the music she makes. - Jenny Sherwin
Music is in your blood. What is your first musical memory?
I remember singing songs with my Grandpa Federic_owhen I was a tiny little
girl. He designed and built his own electric sitar, _andI was singing along
in Spanish with him. There's a cassette tape of it somewhere. It's a shame
he never got to hear me sing as a grown-up ... bless his cotton socks.
Who were your earliest musical influences?
When I was little, I got a radio as a present, and I used to listen to loads
of '80s pop under my bed sheets with headphones on really, really quiet.
I'd often fall asleep listening to music and wake up listening to it in the
morning. I remember borrowing a cassette recorder and taping songs like
"White Lines" off of the radio.
The first live band I ever saw was the Damned, and I became totally hooked
on all things punk and goth. So, I bought a guitar, and when I first started
writing, it was all punk energy ... but I'm pretty sure all of that pop I'd
absorbed as a kid has also come out, too.
What it is about the guitar that makes it your instrument of choice?
The sound! The riff, it fascinates me. I love hearing it, and it was always the
guitarist I was looking at when I went to see a band. My first guitar was
a beautiful, sexy semi. I guess, now that I think about it, it excited me
48
I curve
because it had very feminine curves!
Well, since you brought that up ... you are openly gay. How has your
sexuality affected you as a creative artist?
Well, we all see the world in our own little way, don't we? I have to assume
that my inability to conform to the heterosexual ideal has affected my
songwriting. I guess, when I started writing, I avoided love songs because
I thought they were all cheesy cliches that made me want to puke. So, I
wrote about other stuff instead and tended to be more introspective. I
now realize that I merely couldn't relate to cheesy love songs in the heterosexual context and, in fact, I am actually quite capable of being a romantic
sap when it comes to women and love. So, I guess that's how my gayness
has affected my writing over time ... though I still avoid obvious cliches.
When did you first know that Bee Stings' guitarist, BB Stings, was
your musical soul mate?
Pretty much straight after hearing the demo he gave me. It took a while before
we figured out exactly what our sound was, but I definitely thought, "Yep,
this is the way to go:'
What is the message behind your music?
We aim to bring to life the utter beauty of the human experience ... and
maybe some of the utter mischief as well!
Has the band encountered any commercial resistance because you
are a lesbian?
I'm not sure. I mean, if a male record executive wanted sexual favors for a deal,
I'm certain I'd tell him to piss off if I was gay or straight ... just like anyone
with self-respect would. Also, I'm not sure if we're commercial enough yet
to have lost a major sponsorship deal due to a conflict between middle-class
ideals and my outrageous lesbian antics ... but I'll be sure to let you know!
The Bee Stings have a reputation for their detailed and intense
arrangements. What's the most elaborate
thing you've ever done to give auditory texture to a song?
We've smashed an awful lot of things up to get
decent samples to use in tracks. There's a
sound of smashing glass behind the synths
and guitars in a track called "Misadventure"
that sounds absolutely beautiful. One time, we
were specifically trying to get the sound of a
ninja slicing open an alien's head. It took abso,
lutely ages to get the squelching sound right by
gurgling yogurt next to a condenser mic. But
to get the sound of the head cracking open,
we were breaking wood and other things. It
turned out that tearing a polystyrene cup was
the most alien,skulkrunching
noise of all.
All of that was for approximately one second
of audio in one track. See, that's just for the
love of it!
You have a unique, eclectic vocal style. Do
you find that's helped or hindered the band
commercially?
I think that it's helping. I haven't had any formal
training. So, I suppose in a way, it's a good
thing that a lot of the individuality hasn't been
trained out of it.
Speaking of individuality, you seem to be
quite the adrenaline junkie. Is performing
music still the biggest rush for you? What
would come in second?
Definitely getting on stage does it for me. I often
don't drink before, as I enjoy the raw nerves.
Surfing in waves bigger than I should be out in
comes in second. I love it even though it scares
the shit out of me.
What about the Bee Stings' followers? What
feedback have you received from your LGBT
fans in Europe and in the U.S.?
Actually, we've had a really great reaction from the
gay community, and I'm always happy to reply
to any e,mails I get. I guess it's the party atmo,
sphere when we play a gig. There's a really great
electro,trash, indie,clash disco scene here in
London that I think our music fits into really
well. We've been taking T,shirt orders from
both the U.S. and Canada, so I know we've got
fans out there, and we'd love to play across the
pond as soon as we get a chance.
On the flip side, have you received any criticism from your gay fans?
(/)
~
2
~
g
8
I have to say that people from the LGBT commu,
nity often seem to think I'm straight ... possi,
bly because I don't mind wearing a bit of lippy
or a skirt when I'm onstage? I find that I don't
fit the preconception that people have of how
a lesbian should look. You'd think they'd never
seen The L Word,eh? ■
Speakingfor Herself
Brit electronica-pop sensation Imogen
H-.
It.
can do it all and look damn good whileclolnsl
Guitar Goddess
She scored Hate Crimes and gets
compared to Hendrix, but Ebony
Tay still wants to step it up.
I met singer-songwriter Ebony Tay at a popular gay hot spot in West
Hollywood and had a fabulous interview over a glass of red wine and mixed
baby greens. Sadly, we both got food poisoning and puked the rest of the evening. Thankfully, I recorded the conversation. - Jennifer Corday
Tell me about your latest record.
I have a five-song EP out called Stories of the Firehorse, with profits going toward global warming (awareness), and I also have a live CD on the way.
But I'm still actively promoting the soundtrack for Hate Crimes as well.
Why were you interested in working on the film Hate Crimes?
It was about standing up against the fundamentalists who judge people. I'm all
about nonjudging. Let's stop putting people in boxes.
So you wrote all the songs for the movie? It's really a very moving
collection of songs.
Yes, I scored the whole movie and produced the soundtrack. All the money
from CD sales goes toward AIDS and anti-violence [organizations).
Why are you so passionate about this cause? Has it affected you in
someway?
My brother was gay and his partner, my brother-in-law, jumped 22 stories and
committed suicide because his family wouldn't accept him, because he was
gay. My brother has never been the same. They were together for 15 years.
I vowed that I would do something to try and make it right.
I'm sure you are making a difference. Is he your only brother?
There were 11 of us. I was adopted as a baby into a poor, white, country family. My mom had a hard time when my brother came out of the closet at
first, but she eventually accepted it. She used to say that God just made the
angels that way. So if my family-right-wing gold miners-can accept
each other, why can't the rest of the world?
Do you hope to change the world with your music?
1:L
uS
~
w
~
~
(.)
>
t
I::,
(/)
z
0
t
::::>
0
0
a:
a.
8u5
~
LL
0
>-
~
::::>
0
(.)
Absolutely. I believe musicians are also physicians. My dad used to call them
"physicianeers:' You can heal people with your guitar.
You are an extraordinary player-I
saw you live at the San Diego lndie
Fest and was really impressed with your skill. How'd you get
so good?
I just took my first guitar lesson five months ago. And it helps to be single. I
am dating my guitar. I have bumped up my playing another 10 notches
since then.
Perhaps I should try that.
Women have to step up to the plate. We're still not being taken seriously at
the executive level. My manager calls me "Hendrix in a dress" and 'Janie
Hendrix:• But I'm not the first black woman to excel in music. Check
called her "Chuck Berry in a dress"out Sister Rosetta Tharp-they
and Memphis Minnie, who did Elvis songs. They were extraordinary
players, but they were black and they were women, so they got kicked
into the churches. ■
her
wt:la
The first time I saw Imogen Heap, I was nearly as encbtaW.
in
~
~
appearance as her voice. With an affinity for poofy
I
•
twidy
of
brand
her hair and her own uninhibited
dance when I think no one's watching), Heap's OilStag
her sweet, whimsical sound. She's been writing sooga
tO;
watching her prance around in a puffy pink &ock,it' not
uJ..
29-year-old Heap as a musical little girl.That's not to ~enc, though: Heap is a classicallytrained piano and SU:llltlf'UIMl!lr
also skilled in sequencing and engineering,and is •
aspect of producing her albums, from start to 6nish.
an upbeat Tori Amos-Bjork eleccronicahybrid, but
es her a little farther into that hard-to-describe
ing harmonies, infectious melodies and a solid
tracks are eqtially appropriate for dancing as for naal'Nll111•L
the crowds at her shows a fun bunch to observe.
Immi, as she's called by friends and &ns alike,
album, iMegaphone {an anagram of"Imogen Hapj
der age ofJ 1. She returned to the studio in 2062 a,.
eolo
electronica duo Frou Frou and released her aec.ond
Yourself,in 2005. That's when American ean
The melodic, wistful trade "Hide and Seelt
CSI: Miami and the second season finaleof The
base is especially strong in San Francisco,
long residency at famous music club BottomJ
~
"I had a great time,• she remembers,
have been technically old enough to be playing
have a drink there, probably. But it wu
for chat reason."
She's currently bade in the studio,
under RCA. "I'm quit:e I •
between this record and the
next record, I don't have to go
through the trouble of finding
another label that I'm happy
with, or, you know, not finding
a label,"she says. "I think I've
found a home with my music,
'cause I'm licensingthe recorcl
to them so rm not stricdy
confined to them. But I really
love the people that arework,
ing on this record."
a~
Heap doesn't yet ba.ve
lease date for the new album,
but in the meantime you can
cacch her on "Go Cm:en,"a
Greenpeace charity maderha
alsofeaturesSarahMcLachlan,
Annie Lennox and 8oruue
The Great Pretender
Chrissie Hynde goes behind the music.
When rock legend Chrissie Hynde formed the Pretenders in 1978, her trademark dark fringe, outspoken views and antifashion took America by storm.
She's remained the epitome of cool for almost three decades, and now she's
using her celebrity to campaign for animal rights in her role as spokesperson
for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. - Katrina Fox
When did you first become a vegetarian?
In 1969, when I was 17. I had never met a vegetarian.
So what led you to it?
I follow an Indian Vedic philosophy in which the cow is a sacred animal. If
you kill a cow, you will come back as a cow as many lifetimes as the cow
has hairs on his body. That's a lot of suffering.
You said in a 2004 interview that you are not interested in gender
issues. What did you mean?
I have never thought in terms of gay,Jewish and so on. I think in terms of
meat-eater and non-meat-eater-that's
how I see the world. What I say
is, I won't eat you if you don't eat me, I won't kill you if you won't kill me.
To me, that's a nice fair way of getting through the world.
Lesbianism and vegetarianism used to be almost synonymous with
each other, but nowadays it seems like a lot of dykes are eating
meat because they think it means they are not old-fashioned.
Well, we could say the same thing about people in the music business. Being a
product of the '60s, I thought
by now everyone in music
would be vegetarians. Not so.
So you can find a parallel in
the gay community.
As a celebrity, you get a
platform for your cause.
People are natural-born followers and imitators, so
they'll imitate someone else
doing something because they
think that person must be
cooler than they are. But our
only real thing is our own selfrealization, which is a very
personal path that everyone is
on. On the other hand, when
I was a cocktail waitress, no
one cared what I thought about things. So I can see the beauty of having
the platform, but whether I want it or not is something else.
Well, you're certainly more inspiring than some of the bland pop starlets who look and sound the same and use sex to sell their songs.
Oh, some of the pop stars that I've heard women say are female icons make
me hang my head in shame.
PETA's been accused of using sex to 'sell' the animal rights message.
What PETA does is fun. It's not the kind of sex that a lot of idiots in the
music business use when they turn themselves into soft-porn stars when
they're making their videos. To me, that's bullshit because they're serious
about it.
You've been Involved in quite a few PETA actions, including the time
you were arrested for cutting up leather jackets at a Gap store in
52 Icurve
New York. What was going through your mind as you were being led
away in handcuffs?
Well, I had a show to do the next night. I spent the night in jail and didn't
get out 'til 6 a.m. the next morning, and I thought my manager must be
thinking, oh fuck!
How are women's rights, gay rights, animal rights, environmentalism
and so on interconnected?
I know so many people in the music business and they're trying to solve the
world's problems, but they're big meat eaters. They don't make these connections. Like, I haven't seen An Inconvenient Truth, this film has all these
things about climate change but never talks about animal agriculture, so
it kind of makes you wonder, why is that always left out:' Anyone who
cares about the environment or calls themselves an environmentalist has
got to be vegan. Most people ask me, "Why are you bothering with animal
rights when there's all these issues with people:'" But you generally find
that if people are kind to animals they usually don't have all these other
problems. That's the beauty of animal rights because if someone can feel
compassionately about a dumb little animal, then obviously they're being
sensitive and they have a consciousness that can have empathy. ■
Lilliputian
Ego, BeautifulPop
Lily Allen is a pop singer with some substance.
With a honey-sweet voice and lyrics about crime, hard drugs and soft penises,
Lily Allen's not your average pop star, though she doesn't mind the label. "It's
quite weird to say it with my name in the same sentence;' she says."But I suppose that's what I am (and) I'm happy with it:'
During a show at San Francisco's Fillmore, Allen was pushing ghettofab in her white tank, baggy jeans and big gold hoop earrings. And toward
the end of the night, as she sang a soft and bittersweet cover of The Kooks'
"Naive" (arguably better than the original) with a beer in one hand and a
lit cigarette in the other, I couldn't help but think of how sexy Allen looked
sporting the same look that drove Britney Spears to the fallen pop star hall of
shame. Maybe it's that unapologetic edge, or the fact that her songs actually
say something original and worthwhile.
A Londin native, Allen attended 13 schools and was expelled from a few
before dropping out completely at age 15. A lifelong music junkie, Allen
began writing songs in her teens, sent out a demo and was eventually signed
by EMI. She owes much of her success to Internet marketing, particularly on
MySpace. While many artists of her stature are happy to pass the job on to
a PR team, Allen still maintains her own page on the site, using the opportunity to banter with fans, post tour
photos and respond to her own image
in the media.
With big doe eyes,
razor-sharp wit and a
mouth like a sailor, the
beautiful, brassy and opinionated singer has been a
journalist's dream come
true. When her single
"Smile" reached number
one on the U.K. charts,
Allen told a journalist from NME she was
going to celebrate with
cocaine. The joke secured her bad-girl image, and these days it's common for
her to read new gossip about herself in the tabs even when she's out of the
country. "I mean, it's hard when I get up, when I leave the house, but I can't
because there's people outside or I get followed;' she says.
Another downfall of being a woman in the music world is the constant
comparisons to lesser-known men in the music scene. "I always think it's an
easy way to describe someone. An easy way out:' - Catherine Plato
She'sa Very QuirkyGirl
Lauren Wood is deliciously off-beat.
They say
redheads
have more
fun, and
0
[
~z
a:
~
z
~
1r
a:
UJ
I
(/)
zUJ
_J
_J
~
Cl
>-
0
_J
u..
(/)
a:
I
()
the quirky and stylish Lauren Wood certainly livesup
to the stereotype. Her latest album, Love, Death &
Customer Service, is a mature collection of songs
that have been in the works for years. She lives in
the Hollywood Hills in one crazy-beautiful home
rumored to be the place to be for Hollywood parties. "It's completely wacked;' she says. "A'50s-style
Pee-Wee's Playhouse. It's really colorful with lots
of vinyl. Pink and turquoise with some fuzzy
Dalmatian accents on a zebra carpet:'
But let's get back to the record. Considering
Wood's very unique style, Love, Death & Customer
Service is a surprisingly tame collection of songs
that feature lush string arrangements and could be
perfect movie-soundtrack songs. I dig the funky
fresh grooves on "You Gotta Love Those Guys"
and "The Waiting Room;' and there's a very cool
version of"Time of the Season;' nicely rerecorded
with a Wood twist.
Prior to these projects, Wood was famous for
writing"Fallen;' the smash hit from Pretty Woman
and now a wedding favorite. She also did the duet
"Please Don't Leave'' with Michael McDonald,
which hit No. 3 on the charts, and has written
songs for Sammy Hagar,Johnny Mathis and Cher.
However, Woods says she never really writes for
anyone else. "I just write for mysel£ and then after
it's written people come to me;' she explains.
It was right after she graduated high school
that Wood realized she might be a lesbian. "I had
a huge crush on my art teacher. I didn't realize
what it was; I just thought I liked art. But what
I really wanted to do was marry her:' She started
another band with her boyfriend and found
herself attracted to the female backup singer. "I
started sleeping with her, too. We were all hippies
and nobody cared. You weren't planning the rest
of your life like people do now. We were enjoying
life in the moment:' Finally, she says, she figured
out the truth: she had been a "big old lesbian'' all
along. She has a lovely domestic partner of two
years but didn't bother with an elaborate wedding.
"We went to the UPS store and got married;' she
jokes of her notarized domestic partnership.
The new release, written and self-produced
by Wood, is certainly harder to sell without the
backing of the major labels that used to promote
Wood's work wholeheartedly. "It was like the heyday of music! I was on Warner Bros. when they
were the premier record company, in terms of
being supportive of artists. It was back in the day
when they weren't into cloning people. Artists like
Randy Newman, James Taylor and Joni Mitchell
were on Warner. We played classical cartoon
music and they loved it, and they never tried to
make us normal but completely supported us in
our craziness. There were huge budgets, and we
got to tour. It wasn't about sounding like anybody
else; they supported creativity and uniqueness.
Just doesn't exist anymore:'
This makes Wood's unique spirit of trendsetting lesbian individualism all the more thrilling.
''I've never known what that meant, to hop
onto someone else's bandwagon;' she says. "My
mom always encouraged my individuality and
never ever told me I was weird. She would say,
'Cookie Face, you can do anything you want; you
are brilliant!"' -Jennifer Corday
July/ August 2007
I55
The FirstLadies
of Cock Rock
Lez Zeppelin, Infinity, AC/DShe and Black
Diamond are bringing back rock, with women
(including many dykes) taking center stage.
bagpipes for AC/DShe's version of"It's a Long Way to the Top:' For the people
who believe that they're just another cover band, Williams claims with the braggadocio of her genre that "it only takes one song to convince them otherwise:'
......
••••••
••••••
......
.......
•••••••
••••••••
t••·······
•••••••••
,••••••••••
.......... .
•••••••••••
.......
~
:::::.
-···········
········
--·'
........
·-·
. ....
:::::
......
.....
..........
....
·~-4
:::::
''A friend of ours started a club and thought it would be fun to have us collaborate and do some cover songs;' explains Woody, lead singer of the wildly
entertaining Journey tribute band Infinity. Donning Fu Manchu mustaches
and wigs for their stage show, the group makes sure to camp it up, but if one
looks a bit closer, some of the 'guys" look like, well, guys. "We get called a lesbian band, but we're only partially a lesbian band;' Woody says about her fellow rockers, laughing."Two other members are straight men:'
The all-star Infinity lineup also features bassist Ronnie Barnett and guitarist Patricia Klein of the Muffs, keyboardist and guitarist Mike Flanagan
of Breech and drummer Sherri Solinger, who once kept a beat for the
Murmurs with some chick named Leisha Hailey.
Both a parody and a respectful ode to the soaring arena-rock balladeers,
the band is starting to generate some serious West Coast buzz. Selling out
every performance at Spaceland and garnering rave reviews in LA Weekly is
both good news for Infinity and validation to any doubtful club owners that
girls can indeed rock. And they don't look bad in leather.
Long considered a boy's club, the rock 'n' roll stage and, more specifically, the area of tribute bands, has traditionally been off-limits to females.
More often than not, the women in tribute bands are exceedingly underestimated, with many being subjected to intense scrutiny while attempting to
prove themselves.
"Sometimes [we would] wonder if the promoter would book us because of
the concept of it;' admits bassist RiffWilliams of the hard-rocking AC/DShe,
a Los Angeles homage to the Bon Scott-era that has braved stereotypes, accusations of lip-syncing and doubts about their playing ability. Williams asserts
that overcoming these preconceived notions took time and the dedication to
building a solid fan base. "We are so serious about what we do that it would
be hard now if people knew very much about us to interpret us as a novelty
act:'True to the craft, lead singer Bonny Scott is currently learning to play the
56
Icurve
Convincing the audience is the essence of a great rock show, and for many
women who grew up appreciating the likes of Journey, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC,
Kiss and others, it is a rite of passage to relive those days on the other side of
the stage.
"My first [Kiss) concert was in 1979, and I have gone every year since;'
confesses Leigh Westee (aka "Goddess of Thunder") of the Kiss tribute band
Black Diamond. "We study old videos and have choreographed moves. I
breathe fire and spit blood. Some shows we smash guitars at the end:' Meeting
at a Kiss fan convention, the women of Black Diamond take pride in their
interpretation of the 1970s full-makeup version of the theatrical rockers. From
making costumes and stage sets to hamming it up in photo shoots a la Gene,
Paul, Peter and Ace, the quartet has got the Kiss attitude down to a science.
With the aid of rereleased concert footage on DVD and bootlegs available
online, it is easier than ever to step into the shoes of the most notorious metal
monsters. "We are, in the truest sense, a tribute band and not a cover band;'
explains Williams of AC/DShe, who perfect their artistry by limiting their
repertoire to the AC/DC of fated frontman Bon Scott. "There are so many
songs in the [Scott] era that are good;' says Williams."We don't even feel like
we're limiting ourselves:'
It's one thing to be a fan, but to actually become the dudes they idolize is
a whole other trip for these cover queens. "If you'd seen my house, you would
understand. It's all over my walls. Kiss pinball machine, everything;' says the
Black Diamond bassist with enthusiasm. But dedication to the dream varies
from band to band, with some ladies eating, sleeping and breathing their idols
and others falling into the role quite by accident.
"It's not really a band we pursue like a normal band;' admits Infinity's lead
singer, Woody, who has been rocking the mike Steve Perry-style since the late
'90s. "It's something we get together and do once in a while. We have a great
time. As long as people come and sing along, we'll probably keep doing it:' This
nonchalant philosophy is in sharp contrast to the ladies of AC/DShe, who are
mum on any personal details outside of their stage personas, including real
names and employment in the straight world. "We don't want to take away
from the rock;' Williams adds with a smirk.
And then there are the bands who refuse even to be called tribute bands.
"We don't consider ourselves a tribute band;' protests Steph Paynes, lead
guitarist of the enigmatic Lez Zeppelin. "We just made a record with Eddie
Kramer who worked with Led Zeppelin. That he would choose to revisit
some of the masterpieces [for which) he himself is known is outside the realm
of what a typical tribute band would be able to do. It's a new paradigm:'
Recreating the work of one of the most influential bands of the last century
can be a daunting task, but Lez Zeppelin plans to set itself apart from the pack by
reinterpreting cock-rock classicsof days gone by with their own sexy swagger.
"It's the same as a classical musician would do with a Beethoven
sonata. When you go see someone like Max Vengerov play the violin, and
you know that it's one of Shostakovich's symphonies. People will come
and see us play this music to enjoy the way that we play it, not only to
hear Led Zeppelin recreated:'
The ladies have just finished up a European tour with stops in
Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the U.K., which Page and Plant
both called home. They have generated quite a bit of press along the way,
with fans and critics alike constantly inquiring about their decidedly
Sapphic moniker.
"When I thought of the name, I realized how good it was because of
all these reasons. I knew exactly what I was getting into. There are a lot of
issues that arise over gender. Led Zeppelin has always been seen as this
male band, this macho, sexist entity. But I'm not convinced that it has to
be categorized as a male thing. Women are just as forcefully sexual and
loud and hard;' says Paynes, successfully dodging the question, perhaps
because finding out that every member of Lez Zeppelin didn't fully live
up to the name would be a little like finding out that the Dixie Chicks
were from Cleveland.
Along with the music, mystery, booze and tight little outfits, rocking
the stage comes with the occasionally dubious fringe benefit of groupies. Some of which, when faced with the idols of their youth, can get a
bit overzealous. "I can tell they're looking at it and checking it out;' says
Infinity's Steve Perry clone, Woody, of the not-quite-authentic bulge in
her pants. "They'll grab it if I come to the end of the stage:'
Stepping into the platform shoes of their favorite rock luminaries is
likely to keep these artists constantly challenged as both the music and
the legends carry on, inspiring loads of pretty young things for years to
come. Perhaps someday, "Stairway to Heaven" will hold a place of honor
alongside the best compositions of the classical period. Until then, I will
admit to the fact that somewhere at my parents' house is a reel of Super 8
film featuring me in red Lycra pants and a ripped T-shirt, strumming on
a black Gibson knock-off. Just another hidden testament to the power of
the rock'n roll fantasy. - Melany Walters-Beck
g
:i:
(.)
g_
(.)
i~
u:::
zii:
~
w
::.:::
z
i
~
::J
w
a.
a.
w
N
t:l
d.
j
::.:::
(.)
w
(II
<3
a:
w
Justadmitit, youlikeVanillaIce.Bverything
fromtheooof swoopingblond
bangsand racing--striped
sidesto the metallicAmericanBagjumpsuitand
supershoulder-padded,
double-breasted
blazers.Youkeepit silentnow,but
badein the dayyouwentto a concertor two andpracticed
thesidewaysshufflein frontof yourmirror.Don'tlie.
Soundfamiliar?Thenyou'llloveG-Childfromthe VH-1 hit EgoTrips
White Rapper ow. G-Child, it turns out, idolizesthe Bar-topped
performer
turned reality-TV punk and isn't shy to admit it.
During the show; G-Child, aka Gina Mon, and 11 other contestants
living in one of the 'rthplacesof hip-hop, the South Bronx, facedvarious
challengesthat gaugedtheir talent and potential fur survivalin the hip-hop
music business, includingimportant lessonsabout daas and race relations,
two forces that still drivethe music today.
With two blond braids bursting out of her bandana downpast her 22year-old shoulders,this Vanilla Ice-lovinglesbianw~
an old-school'80s
hip-hop styleinto her lyricsto speakto those whodon't belong.
"I make my music fur the outcasts and peoplewho don't tnl they 6.tin,
peoplewhofeelhopeless,liketheir dreamsarejust a longahot,"G-Child says.
"I get a lot of respect by not only them but people young,old, gaJ straight,
black,white. It's a verydiversecrowd of fans.Theytellme I inspire them,and
that's amazing."
6recrackerand a "lime monater" on the
Describedas both a high-energy
show,22-year-oldG-Child wasone of onlythree femalevoices."It's not about
the money; shesays in episodetwo, connding to the othersthat shehas a gut
feelingshewill be going ~ome next. ''I'm here fur the hip-hop, the historyand
the lovein my heart:'
Her distastefor competition got her eliminatedin the third episode.
"Anythingthat involves
competition, I usuallykinda tum ntybackon," she
aays,reBectingon the show."I alwayssaythat I am a 1over,not a fitp.t:er."
When she wit perfunning,Q ..Child can be foundat a localAllentown,
Penn., tattoo ,hop, Sinner Ink, chillingwith her buddies, or throwingbadt
a couple beersat Diamonz, a lesbianbar in the nut toWD over.She's bappJ
she says,beingherse1£
My stylerepramta my individuality;•
she says."I don\: makelllU&ic
that's
not me.I d.on'tfeelthreatenedaboutan.ythina,
and I cakeead.1-, at a time.
I maim:ama wild lwe thow,and I can do this jult as good aa any ~ ... I
don'tneedto make a mill:just enouilt to makea liriagand keepon inspiring
people."- LesleySeacrist
0
SandboxLife
Grace Millo comes from
a family of opera stars
but she's all rock.
Singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist Grace
Millo-best known from her turn in the now,
defunct band Amanda's Waiting-is back with
her second solo release, Quicksand Ground. She
talks about her musical famil~ (opera stars
and punk rockers among them) and more.
-Jaime Roca
What influenced Quicksand Ground?
The basic theme started out being like the title
... relationship,driven, feeling consumed by
new passion while still battling old regrets
of lovers that had moved on, and strange
new sensations, both good and bad, that can
either lift you up to heaven or let the earth
consume you.... Then, in the recording of
the album, my mother was battling cancer,
and her illrtessand eventual passing changed
the meaning of'Where Are YouNowt quite
evidently,from being a song (about the) loss
of a lover,to the loss of someone who meant
my world to me, forever.
How did your family influence you?
I am so grateful for growing up in a family of
opera singers and spending much of my
childhood in Italy.How many people can be
given a chance like that .... [A)s the young,
est, I have been influenced to extremes. It
had to come out in a musical way.
Do you get a different response from gay
and straight audiences?
I almost always get a response from someone
[that) has been touched by a song ana that
transcends all, but honestly, it is wonderful
to look out into a room of gay women and
sing a line like 'I could go unlock your door,
is there room nough for two?' and have
that knowing connection. It's sexier, and
that makes it more fun. ■
58
Icurve
Four girls and no boys make for very
sexy jamborees and concerts.
Skimming
The Surface
This Asian hip-hopper
wants to be in your iPod.
A fiercelypolitical, queer woman of color with a
Tupac-tinged soul, Los Angeles-based hip-hopper Skim uses her beautiful voice to sing gritty
lyrics about poverty, injustice, the prison system,
police brutality and so on. Raised in Queens,
N.Y., she draws inspiration from a wide range
of sources, everything from Korean folk music
to R&B to reggae.
If you've never heard the words "arirang'' (a
traditional Korean folk song) or "poongmool"
(Korean percussion), you owe it to yourself to
listen to her CD For Every Tear.Produced by
former T upac manager Leila Steinberg and Femi
Ojetunde, the songs show promise from this
rapper who, according to her Web site, bridges
the gap "between man and woman, native and
immigrant, rich and poor, love and war:' The
songs weave between the personal and political, with the bluesy "Long Story" covering such
diverse territory as rape and an 18-year-old's life
sentence for murder. "How Do You Say" starts
out like any love song, until you realize it's a plea
for respect from a daughter to her father.
But Skim does more than just talk the talk,
she also puts in time serving as an artist-educator in Steinberg's organization, Assemblies in
Motion, which travels to schools, jails, juvenile
justice facilities and group homes to educate
and inspire at-risk youth. You can also find her
just as easily onstage for HBO's Def PoetryJam
or at a conference for queer people of color.
This self-assured rapper is breaking down stereotypes and gaining fans wherever she goes.
- Amy Silverman
July/ August 2007
I59
Six Questions and Two Odd Chicks
Esoteric and beautiful, the sister act CocoRosie is as rare as they come.
The mystical point where fairytales and folklore intersect is where you'll find
CocoRosie, a sister duo that has been serenading the independent,music
scene since their 2004 debut with their self,described brand of"homo thug,
graveyard disco, swamp,goth:' With their latest installment of fantastic freak
folk, The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn, Sierra Rose, 27, and Bianca
Leilani Casady, 25-the girls of CocoRosie-took some time to talk with us
(in unison, of course). - Asiana Ponciano
Is there a different dynamic when working with each other because
you're sisters?
It's safe and dangerous at the same time. We have no boundaries.
Do you identify with the queer community?
We identify with a community of people who are active in designing their
own reality and identity. This often entails beards on women, boys with
breasts and girlfriends with socks in the pants.
What are Coco Rosie's future goals in terms of your music and other
This CD is a departure musically and lyrically from your previous work.
projects?
We were on a creepy treasure hunt, exploring deep into the buried memories
of a wounded child. We were looking to discover something to unearth
the diamonds and let them gleam in the sun.
You promoted your last album, Noah's Ark, with a bicycle tour
around the country. Is anything similar to that going on to promote
Open an orphanage. ■
your latest album?
Weve been trying to plan a boat tour, mostly covering the river territories of
the world.
Do you look toward your Native American ancestry when
creating music?
We don't feel so inclined toward the blood running inside us. We gaze heav,
enward ... weary of our bodies.
There seems to be an air of fantasy surrounding your persona as a
group. Is the escapism that's infused in everything your group does
purposeful?
For us it's TV and Prozac that is providing escape for the fellow persons
around us. Living your own myth is walking straight into the fire. Our
fantasies teach us about who we are.
YourGirlfriendWas Hot LikeMe
The PCD ask "Don't cha?" and Akon wants to smack us-and
we love it. Does that make us bad lesbians?
It's Friday night in the Windy City. Temperatures
fall to a frosty 16 degrees, but the inside of Circuit
Nightclub is thick with the triethylene glycol haze
of the fog machine. Bodies writhe and undulate on
the small dance floor. The heady scent of booze,
sweat and perfum,e is as intoxicating as the halfprice drinks. Moving to the center of the floor, I am
coaxed by the throbbing bass line and the words of
Akan urging me to "Smack Thar:•
Huh? I hate this song. This thought occurs to
me as my hand reaches out to connect with the posterior regions of my giggling posse of female friends,
bouncing obliviously to the dancehall-infused hit
with misogynistic lyrics like "Women just ho'in, big
booty rollin';' and the very poetic "Bend you over,
look back and watch me smack that till you get
sore:' Aside from perhaps the SIM types, I'm guessing that getting spanked by a dude until they're sore
is not on the menu for most of the lesbians dancing
around me. Yet, here we are just the same, shaking
the booties, swinging the hair and yes, smacking
each other. What gives?
To be fair, my friends and I came of age well
after feminism's zenith in the late '70s. Most of us
weren't even alive in the '70s. The first president we
remember is Ronald Reagan. Maybe even George
Bush, the elder. So we missed out on the messages of bra burning and the alien concept of respect
for our bodies. Crawling out of suburbs and small
towns among the corn, we crept into cities, wideeyed and naive to the fact that there were women
out there who didn't shave their legs and who had
never slept with men, even during nights of drunken
debauchery. Somehow we were welcomed into these
communities like sorority girls on a consciousnessraising retreat. Wiser lesbians took us under their
wings and showed us the feminist bookstores and
coffeehouses. They gifted us with RubyfruitJungle
and did their best to undo the patriarchal brainwashing of our heteronormative youth. Along the
way, however, we rebelled. We would guiltily switch
on MTV's TRL when we thought no one was looking or put in that old Snoop Dagg CD while doing
our girlfriend's laundry.
As lesbians, we generally believe that we are
nicer to women than men are. We're sensitive. We
know what it's like to have our birthdays forgotten,
know that we need to be left alone with chocolate
when we have PMS, and that when our girlfriends
flirt with other women, we get jealous. This is obvious by the slamming of doors and the refusal to
make eye contact.
Even with all this knowledge and empathy, we
still get out there and shake our thing when we hear
the Pussycat Dolls sing"Don't Cha:•
What's wrong with us? We allknow better. But hidden in every clique of lesbians is that little "Don't Cha?"
"I know you like me./1 know you do./That's why
whenever I come around she's all over you./ And I
know you want it./lt's easy to see./ And in the back of
your mind/I know you should be home with me:'
Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot, a freak,
raw and fun? Sure. We all hope for a girlfriend
like that. And if she isn't? Well, there are plenty of
women on the dance floor whose eyes and hips and
all kinds of other body parts are wiggling to the
beat, promising that they are. And hips don't lie, do
they? - Melany Walters-Beck
~
...J
8
~
(.)
>-
Cl)
Cl)
::,
.e:..
~
UJ
~
I-
I
3::
Cl)
UJ
~
-,
ft
<(
Q,
a:
UJ
~
~
z
ii:
UJ
lntroducin the All-Stars
~
~
a:
0
z
UJ
a:
3
(,)
ri
a:
UJ
z
~
6
~
..J
a.
~..J
UJ
<{
I
(,)
~
~
0
!Q.
~
~
a:
::,
u..
3:
w
I
~:E
ri
Cl
§
Ill
~
~
(/)
0
a:
w
()
a:
~
~
<{
:E
0
I
(/)
uf
Cl
~
~
~
w
z
~
..J
w
~
()
~
ri
a:
~
!Q.
w
z::,
w
I
t-
c,i
B'
w
(f,
I
()
u
w
a:
w
a:
~
z
~
uf
a5
I
~
~>~
~
Herfifth album,GirlsandAirplanes,
AnneDeChant:
waswrittenwithlesbiansin mind,butthisOhioan's
musicis popularwithwomenandmenof allstripes,
thanksin partto a fewgutsytuneslike"Seconda cottageindustry
ClassCitizen,"(whichspawned
in theformof a protesttee).She'sbeeneverywhere
fromtheWhiteHouseto openingfor NorahJones
andJoanJett,andwestill can'tgetenoughof her.
(annedechant.com)
Theirfastandfuriouslickscanbefound,along
withGuk,RiotThisandAllor NothingH.C.,onthe
CDDon'tPck WithHer.
compilation
girl-powered
to KaylaLorraineWood,
TheCDhasbeendedicated
girlwhowasraped,torturedand
a 16-year-old
in MorenoValley,Calif.(ontherag.neO
murdered
A few musicians you
should know about.
of the mostdistinctivevoicesyou'llfind,andher
fusionof styleswill makea world-music
fascinating
(somimusic.com)
loveroutof naysayers.
ThisChapelHill,
TheMoaners:
N.C.,duois so belovedbylesbians,
theyhardlyneedmention.Buthere
it is: MelissaSwingleandLaura
Kingrule.(yeproc.com)
HerBattentheHatches
JennyOwenYoungs:
offersup 11nonlovesongsthatgetunderyourskin,
andhernewdigitalEP,TheTakeOffAll YourClothes
to
AliceDiMicele:Shetooka five-yearsabbatical
UhHuhHer:LeishaHailey'snewband.Doweneed EP,offersupa coverof Nelly's"Hotin Here"and
kidding)
(no
wilderness
Oregon
the
raft
and
kayak
listen
One
Weeds.
on
EP
appeared
digital
new
which
I,"
cool
Was
very
"Fuck
their
Oh,
more?
say
to
butfolksingerandkick-assguitaristDiMiceleis
andyou'rehooked.(nettwerk.com)
comesoutJuly24. (myspace.com/uhhuhhe1
at changbackwithanotheralbumaimedsquarely
(alicedimicele.com)
song.
through
world
the
ing
's
VH-1
hit
CD
new
Her
his
NyaJade:
AthensBoysChoir:With
of her
andUnicorns,
top20 in partbecause
CD,Jockstraps
Thethreehot,plus-sized
Hostess:
Charming
wonderfulcritiqueof thepharthisrapid-firespoken-word
offer
Hostess
Charming
womenof SanFrancisco's
industryin thetrack
poetryhomohopper maceutical
performance
with
colludes
that
music
body-centered
girly,
up
former
"OnePill."Thebeguiling
provesthattodaynotevenAlix
theirJewishandAfricandiasporas,
medstudent-whodoes
OlsondoesthisbetterthanKatz
andthepoliticaland
radicalbraininess
GlobalFundandhas
for theWomen's
Sorrygirls,scoreone
fundraisers
(the"band's"solomember).
politics.
eroticnexusof progressive
anAIDSbenefitconcertin Zambia-is a
organized
for the (trans)boys.(athensboyschoir.com)
mention
I
Did
up.
it
make
didn't
I
almostto a fault.(nyajade.com)
truth-teller,
they'rehot?(charminghostess.com)
KateReid:Onewoman,oneguitar,damnsexy
nativeon
If youmissedthisGuyana
Mz Fontaine:
A punkylesbian-feminist
onstage.
Thiscutebandfrom
Tourthisspring,snagthe com- lnvocal:
theHomoRevolution
whodoesn't
singer-songwriter
where
(England,
Northampton
or herCD,Spoken
pilationCD(homorevolution.com)
thisVancouver
mindthe moniker,
big
the
is
manufacturing
shoe
American
Caribbean
of
fusion
rare
a
for
Thoughts,
singeris sosuavewithherinstruthing,notthatlittlelesbiantown
hip-hopandBritishneo-soulin a verysexybutchy
mentshelookslikeshe'sbeen
is caustic,
in Massachusetts)
(mzfontaine.com)
dykepackage.
a GoGofor years.
playingWhiskey
andsodamn
funny,engaging
neO
(katereid.
they'rehardto put
harmonic
If their
TheNewBloods:
Keel,
down.Lettheirfirst full-lengthCD,Uneven
first,self-titled7-inch
activistperformer
D'Lo:Thiship-hop,spoken-word,
tideyouoveruntiltheytourtheU.S.~nvocal.co.uk)
releaseis anyindication,
tacklesa vastarrayof issues,frombrutalityto poliOre.-based
thisPortland,
ticsto divisionsamongethniclines.Anorganizer
SarahPortaro
Lesbiandrummer
YoungHusband:
mixedracebandwill be
andactivist,thisSriLankanoffersherownbrandof
makethis
ex-model)
(an
Rubens
Keesan
singer
and
one
down,
Hands
huge.
id)
(myspace.com/dlocok
gayHinduhip-hop.
oneveryhotband.(myspace.com/younghusband)
of thebestnewdykebandsin the lastdecade.
withanangelicsmile (myspacecom/thenewbloods)
SandraGrace:Asweetheart
ElleeVen:ThisSpanish,
whodreamsof remaking"ToAlltheGirlsI'veLoved
Italianand
Greek,Russian,
friendsrecorded
BlameSally:ThesefourCalifornia
Before,"Grace,formerleadsingerof NewYork's
DIVartist,Ellee
German
in onebandmate's
theirthirdCD,Sever/and,
herthirdalbum,DoYouHave
SisterSez,released
Ven(bornJessicaLazaro
homestudio.In it, thefolkrockerstackletough
to muchfanfare.A portionof salesof the
a Lover?,
Kunin)is knownfor her
George
and
breakups
cancer,
territory-breast
for a badpick-upline)goesto breast
CD(named
jamsandballads
dance
Americana.
of
sense
infectious
an
Bush-with
Princeton
ThisFlorida-based
cancerresearch.
andhernewmusic{blamesally.com)
andStanfordgrad(she'sgota mastersdegreein
spreadmostlythroughwordof mouthandadoring
is beautifulandwaygay.
science)
computer
fans.(el/eeven.com)
frontLesbian
band.
a
DJs-never disappoints
it's
woman;
a
It's
Nels:
tripod.com)
(sandragrace.
who
musician
womanNelsis a wing-tattoo-covered
TheIcicles:Thisbandmakesfortheperfectsumat theApolloanddidstudio
playedat Showtime
AcaciaSears:You'vegotto lovea girl namedfor
Theirsongsaresweetandcheerful
merconfection.
fromBritney
for everyone
workwithproducers
a tree,butthere'sa lot moreto adoreaboutthis
joyfulyouwantto eatthemup.
deliciously
so
and
school:
old
it
doing
she's
Now
Cent.
50
Spearsto
self-taught
melodic,hypnotic,
DianeAnderson-Minshall
(theicicles.com)
to
coast
from
venues
lesbian
and
bars
dyke
playing
debut
Her
musician.
Baltimore
coast.(myspace.comlnelsbeam)
offershintsof
album,Dia/tones,
Sendusa let» Didwe misssomeone?
andLisaLoeb,only
AniDiFranco
at
ormusician
band
favorite
your
about
ter
and
Ugandan
to
Born
Somi:
better.(sleepyrecords.com)
Thebestsuggestion
letters@curvemag.com.
parents,thisworldly
Rwandese
winsa freeCD.WhichCD?It'sa surprise.
to Lena
(comparisons
soprano
BruiseViolet:Thisall-girl,Latina/Chicana,
hasone
Hornearecommon)
punkbandis definitelynotchickrock.
hardcore
July/ August 2007
I 63
ERFUL
They produce artists, oversee publishing, sign hot
new acts, engineer enormous music festivals, place
songs in award-winning movies and secure radio
play for merging new talent. In a male-dominated
business, these women, lesbians and music industry
moguls exemplify girl power. By Jenny Sherwin
PHOTOS BY ERIC CHARBONNEAU
(BUNGE), GISELLE MONTE (SKLAR),
JOHN RUSSO (LAPOLT), PAUL HO STON (EGNEW), LIZ LIGOURI (LOPEZ),
THOS ROBINSON/G
IMAGES
(STEWART), ARY NUNEZ (DWECK),
SARA CORWIN (NEWMARK)
64
Icurve
0SHELLY
BUNGE
In 2002, Bunge was named executive vice president
of Sony Pictures Entertainment's music business
and legal affairs group, where she heads a department that oversees legal, administration, publishing and licensing for hundreds of films, television
shows and soundtrack albums, many of which
have received Grammy and Oscar nods (she has
received 20 gold and platinum records). "I think
that the music industry fosters diversity because
the appeal of the music itself crosses so many
sociological borders ... and the vast majority of the
audience isn't going to care if the singer is black or
Girls. A three-time Outmusic Awards judge, Sklar
was named by Indie-Music as one of the 15 People
You Should Know in the Biz.
ElDINA LAPOLT
With a background in both law and music, Dina
LaPolt is an expert in untangling complex contract
negotiations, copyrights and royalty analyses. She
heads LaPolt Law, a boutique entertainment firm
in Los Angeles. Prior to becoming an attorney,
LaPolt worked in the music industry as an artist, personal manager, booking agent and concert
promoter, all of which have allowed her to bring a
unique insight to her law practice. "I do not have
that 'I must get approval from a man' dynamic that
a lot of my straight women colleagues possess. If I
am in a room with several male attorneys negotiating a deal, I do not give a crap what they think of
me or how butch I am acting:'
ElDANIELLE EGNEW
white, male or female, gay or straight:' Under her
belt: the Spider-Man trilogy, both Charlie'sAngels
and Men in Black films, Jerry Maguire, Sleeplessin
Seattle, Philadelphiaand Dawson's Creek. Under
her charge are Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures
Television, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures,
Revolution Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics
and more.
ElLESLIE DWECK
Leslie Dweck spent years working for industry
veteran Ivor Cohen at Island Records, first as an
assistant, later a chairman. Dweck followed Cohen
to Warner Bros. before landing the job as director of
artists and repertoire for Atlantic Records. A power
player, she eschews labels: "I wonder if straight people ever think of themselves as 'straight people in the
music business: I'm just Leslie. I love all the pieces
of my puzzle, and I feel extremely happy not to be
boxed in by any social construct:' Dweck says she
doesn't sign any artist unless she's willing to lose her
job fighting for them. Next up on her roster: Ryan
Star, Snowwhite and Love Arcade.
II
MADALYN SKLAR
Madalyn Sklar is a music-business coach, consultant, motivator and author. Since 1996, she's run
GoGirlsMusic with a vision to promote, support
and empower women in indie music. "For me, it's
about being a woman in a male-dominated field. I
saw a need for female musicians to have someone
like me on their side, promoting and empowering
them:' GoGirlsMusic produces numerous events,
and Sklar has spearheaded more than 100 benefit
showcases for groups like Rock 'n' Roll Camp for
Danielle Egnew blew the glass ceiling off of the
independent-music scene in the '90s while fronting
and producing the popular all-girl band Pope Jane.
From there, she's produced numerous acts and
penned songs for country greats like Alan Jackson.
"Music is such a powerful universal language that
being a gay woman in music is almost like saying I'm
a red piece of sand on a beach. The expanse of the
beach is far more impressive than my red coloring.
However, you get enough red sand in one place and
you have quite the attraction:' Named one of the
Top Female Music Producers by Music Connection
magazine, Egnew owns Ave Vox Entertainment, a
film and music production company.
II
SHERYL GOLD
"It is my hope that, in speaking with others, I have
been able to inspire them to . . . continue their
dreams about being part of the music business;'
says entertainment attorney Sheryl Gold, who
is currently senior vice president of business and
legal affairs at Universal Music Group (with labels
including MCA Records and Decca) and oversees
the clearance of Universal music for ringtones.
II WENDY GOODMAN
Over a decade ago, Wendy Goodman was part of
the team who unveiled superstar Alanis Morissette
and Prodigy at Maverick Records. Later, at C2
Records she introduced Ricky Martin to the U.S.
market. Now at J Records (a subsidiary of RCA
Music Group), Goodman is director of adult formats for RCA, where she has been an instrumental participant in radio campaigns for Alicia Keys,
Christina Aguilera, Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson,
Dido, Sarah McLachlan and more. "It is important for me that I can serve as an example to other
young women. They can see what I have been able
to accomplish thus far with my career and know
that they can have the same opportunities regardless of their sexual orientation:'
EJROSIE LOPEZ
Since joining Tommy Boy Entertainment as head
of marketing in 2002, Rosie Lopez has focused on
promoting the label on a worldwide level, seeking
out and signing artists with an international appeal
and maximizing the power of the Internet as the
label's most valuable marketing tool. "To be out
and visible in our society is important because it
will eventually desensitize people to perceived differences. I personally believe that labels limit us,
and [I] look forward to living in a world where gender and preference are footnotes to being human
beings:' In 2004, Lopez co-founded Silver Label,
which releases The L Word soundtracks, among
other LGBT works, and she is now vice president
of Tommy Boy Entertainment.
E JENNY STEWART
As the manager of entertainment programming
for PlanetOut and Gay.com,Jenny Stewart reaches
5 million visitors every day. In 2005, she launched
RockOut, the first music channel to solely spotlight emerging gay and lesbian musicians. "If I
got to write my own obituary, music lover would
definitely come before lesbian. Similarly, I think
we need to reach a point in our society where for
every Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears or Avril
Lavigne, there are just as many openly gay female
singers:' Stewart, named one of POWER UP's 10
Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz, also masterminded PlanetOut's New Gay /Lesbian Pop Star,
an online competition where members vote to
chose the next hot LGBT superstar.
IIi]LINDAA.
NEWMARK
As executive vice president of acquisitions and
strategic projects for Universal Music Publishing
Group, Linda A. Newmark has been involved
in acquiring numerous music publishing catalogs (Def Jam Music) and signing various writers (Heart, the Bangles and the Pixies). A former
music attorney, Newmark was a VP for PolyGram
Music Publishing before joining Universal Music.
"I once read an article that said those who know
someone gay are more likely to support equality and oppose initiatives that would discriminate
against the LGBT community. I think that each
one of us being who we are in the music industry provides an opportunity for more people to
appreciate the contributions that we make, both
to the music industry and to society:' Newmark
is on the board of directors for the Association of
Independent Music Publishers. ■
July/ August 2007
I65
Reviews Music Watch
Babes of the British Invasion
I
The British are coming! By Margaret Coble
I'm All In,Christine
MartucciBand
(Sunsetswest
Records):
You
gottalovea girl who
describes
herselfasthe
lovechildof TinaTurner
andKurtCobain,
but
that'snotan
inaccurate
description
of thesoulful,slightly
pained,hard-edged
rocker,who'sdrawn
comparisontos
everyone
fromMelissa
Etheridge
to Janis
Joplin.ThisnewCD,
Martucciandher Young, white, British female singers seem to be dominating
band'ssophomore the headlines this year. And while three of our featured artrelease,
offersupa ists this month-UK.
"it" girls Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen
handfulof not-to-be- and Joss Stone-are
often mentioned in the same breath, each
missedtuneslike"Too
has her own distinctive style. The Puppini Sisters, on the other
Late"and"HereFor
hand, offer something totally different, but I just couldn't resist
You"thatanyMelissa
fanwill love.(christine including them.
martucci.
com)- Diane
Anderson-MinshallBack to Black, Amy Winehouse (Island/Universal}
If you haven't heard about Amy Winehouse by now, get out
from under the proverbial rock. In addition to appearing
almost daily in the UK. tabloid press due to her drunken
hijinks, her massively laud~d 2006 disc was finally released here
in the States in March, making her the darling of last springs
indie music industry extravaganza, South by Southwest. Just
one listen to her powerhouse voice confirms why: The 23-yearold white, Jewish, tattoo-dad soul singer from North London
has offered up a nostalgia-drenched 10-track album which
builds on the sound and success of her 2003 platinum-selling
debut, Frank. But while Frank showcased her emotive voice in a
jazz and hip-hop setting, garnering her comparisons to women
from Macy Gray to Billie Holiday, Back to Black revisits the
girl-group, rock 'n roll soul of the '50s and '60s-with a contemporary Ronnie Spector bad-girl twist. From the opening
refrain of the defiant, gospel-tinged "Rehab;' Back to Black doowops and be-bops its way through gritty stories oflove lost and
found, amongst other topics, but avoids the retro-cliche trap
via Winehouse's sly sense of humor, biting honesty and takeno-shit attitude. The unapologetic "You Know I'm No Good"
and the bluesy, melancholic "Back to Black" deftly exemplify her
66
I
curve
songwriting prowess, while "Tears Dry on Their Own' revamps
Ashford & Simpsons '70s classic '!\int No Mountain High
Enough;' making it wholly her own. At 36 minutes, the album is
a brisk but always gripping listen, leaving me jonesing for more.
(amywinehouse.co.uk)
Alright, Still, Lily Allen (Capital)
Similarly sensationalized in the UK., the Hammersmith-born,
21-year-old daughter of UK. entertainment celebrity Keith
Allen is the posher, wittier counterpart to Winehouse's boozy,
bawdy persona-though
equally potty-mouthed-and
the
British tabloids love to pit them against each other. Gossiprag antics aside, Allens across-the-pond success has followed
her to American shores; this albums early 2007 U.S. release
resulted in instant chart success and a much-publicized U.S.
tour. Musically, Allens soul-pop base draws on electronica,
R&B, reggae, ska, calypso and hip-hop influences-often quite
literally via samples, from everyone from the Specials ("Blank
Expression") to Professor Longhair ("Knock 'Em Out") to
Sandie Shaw ('t\.lfie")-mixing them together into a widely
accessible, beat-filled pop brew that belies her sharp-tongued,
privileged-classed observations and sardonic urban storytelling.
"Smile;' the Soul Brothers-sampling international hit single, has
gotten all the attention, but just about every track on the 37minute disc is infectiously hook-filled. I'm partial to the whimsical "LON" and beat-heavy "Everything's Just Wonderful:'
I can't personally decide if I love her or hate her, but damn
if I can't stop playing the disc repeatedly and singing along.
(lilyallenmusic.com)
Babes of the British Invasion continued on page 75
OTHER LICKS
TheTimeComesonHumming
Tracks,KateIsenberg(Three
production
Exquisite
Roads):
thisoutBayAreasingerspotlights
fresh,sparklingvoice
songwriter's
andintricateguitararrangements
whilepaintingauralvignettesof
urbanlesbianlifeandlove,asin
to Grace."
theopening"Streetcar
com)
(kateisenberg.
DeathOrGlory,QueenV (Royal
Noise):Drawingequalinspiration
fromJoanJett,JanisJoplinandPat
NYC'shottiehardrocker
Benatar,
dishesouttonsof attitudeandpower
fullchordsonherlong-awaited
lengthdebut,witha littlehelpfrom
friendsVernonReid(LivingColour)
Rage
andTomMorello(Audioslave,
(queenv.com)
AgainsttheMachine).
Heather Janiga
I TROUBADOR, GAYBY I
The
NinaHagen(Koch):
Fearless,
really.,centralstandard(self1983classicbythe
long-out-of-print
lives
Ah,DIVqueercore
released):
newwave-punk
eccentricGerman
in
in Minneapolis,
... apparently
vocalrangeis
operatic
an
with
diva
foursome
theformof thispop-punk
for thefirst
CD
on
available
finally
demomakesme
whoseseven-cut
operaenduring
the
including
time,
y'all.
on,
Rawk
dance.
And
smile.
discocultfavorite"NewYork,New
(myspace.comlcentralstandardrocks)
York."(ninahagen.com)
Singer-songwriter Heather Janiga's been rocking the San Diego coffee shop
circuit for years now as half of alt-country act Podunk Nowhere. The bluesrock-tinged duo released their first album this year and has plans for another
late this summer after finishing their West Coast tour. While Janiga's not personally of the Sapphic persuasion-the other half of Podunk is her husband,
Johnny-she's the proud daughter of a kick-ass lesbian mom. And it looks like
she turned out just fine. -
Catherine Plato
What is your fan base like?
Our fan base is small but growing and is filled with a wide range of personality types and ages. We seem to be a big hit with the ladies-which is
always a plus-but surprisingly, the gentlemen have taken a liking to us as
well. We like to try and write from a perspective that can be understood
from a male or female point of view, but I think there's an unavoidable
femininity on at least a couple of the songs, such as "Junkee Love" and
"Hanging on the Wind:' And there's Johnny, who really has a way with
the guitar. He plays with such intensity of emotion it's hard not to get
Bigis a
Big,MacyGray(Geffen):
fourthstudioofferinganda
mediocre
effort,
"comeback"
disappointing
talentsof
despitetheproduction
BlackEyedPeasmastermind
will.Lamandvocalcontributions
fromFergie("GladYou'reHere")
andNatalieCole("FinallyMadeMe
Happy").Brightspotsincludethe
funky"Okay,""WhatI GottaDo"and
film-noirtale
thetongue-in-cheek,
(macygraycom)
"StrangeBehavior."
OnDVD
OtherSideofBerlin,Ellen
111e
Allien(Deaf,Dumb+ Blind):This
fromTimeOut
package
CD-DVD
is partofa newtravelguide
magazine
actas
series,wheremusicalpioneers
In
totheirhometowns.
ambassadors
techno
globe-trotting
thisinstallment,
DJEllenAllienoffersan
superstar
tourof hernativeBerlin,
underground
mix
electronica
viaa 70-minute
Craig,
Carl
from
music
includes
that
EddiReader
Peacetime,
Bowie
David
Kittin,
Miss
Plastikman,
and
Glasgow-born
The
(Compass):
Attraction andAllienherself,plusa 48-minute
-basedformerFairground
videotourofsomeof her
MTV-style
vocalistservesuphereighthsolo
eatingandentershopping,
favorite
studioalbum,a 15-track,peacegreatwayto getto
A
haunts.
tainment
themedopusof Celtic-flourished
knowbotha newcityandoneof my
folk-poptoppedbyheremotive,
MC
voice.(eddireader.com) favoriteDJs.(ellenallien.de)crystalline
distracted by the beauty of it while I'm singing. I think that will attract a
lot of listeners alone.
Do you come from a musical family?
I'm the black musical sheep of the family. It's a mystery where I got this
desire from, but it's been a part of me for as long as I can remember. I've
found that the only way I'm at peace in my life is when I'm writing and
performing music.
How do you think having an "alternative" family influenced you?
I can't imagine my life any other way than having an alternative family. It just
feels right to me; this is my "normal:' The challenges that come along with
it are ones that build my character and help shape me to face adversity in
the world. I am angered by the dose-minded conservative politicians and
overzealous religious icons out there who are so scared of themselves, let
alone everyone else, that they can't fathom a society where a woman can be
married to a woman and a man can be married to a man and live among
other heterosexual couples in peace, chasing down the grand ol' American
Dream. I just don't understand why they take up so much of their time,
our time, in consideration of the political realm, debating issues such as this
when there are so many more pertinent national (and] world issues at stake
these days. ■
July/August 2007
I67
Reviews Sapphic Screen
Simply Seeking Sweet Revenge
I
Three great new films on fighting back. By Candace Moore
The Page Turner (Tartan Films)
A gently brutal film that will stick with you,
Denis Dercourt's French thriller works its
Twonewqueercomedy
DVDsaremustsfor
anyonewholikesto
laughat all thingslesbian.Outlaugh!
(wolfe
video.com)
goesinside
thefirst-everall-queer
comedyfestival(which
tookplacein 2005)
with performances
from
severalveryfunnygirls
(JenSlusser,
Sabrina
Got a grudge? These new indie flicks are about women who get
MatthewsandLea
angry,
then get even. A girl gang ridicules hetero-patriarchy, one
Delariaamongthem)as
woman
invests herself in another woman's life (and heart) in
wellas gaymalecomorder
to
exact revenge and a documentary provides a necessary
icsandsomehilarious
skits.If youhaven't voice for a victim who cannot speak.
seenthe NellieOlesons
tackleAnnCoulter, /tty Bitty 1itty Committee (POWER UP Films)
that'sworththe priceof Jamie Bab bit's latest lesbian feminist feature brings
the raw "rah
the DVDalone.Lauging rah" enthusiasm
of her first indie hit, But I'm a Cheerleader,
Matters
... More but the
pompoms have been switched out for spray paint, the
(villagelighthouse.com),
Bubble Yum replaced by the riot grrl. Hopped up on pedal-toAndreaMeyerson's
hilarioussequel,goes the-metal post-punk endorphins, loose Super 8 shots, Bikini
(wo)mano-a-mano
with Kill drums and wail and h.ot queer girls taking back the night,
fourveryfunnybroads: Itty Bitty will make you want to grab some friends with cool
ElviraKurt,Sabrina
Matthews,
VickieShaw
andReneHicks.Each
womanis funnierthan
the next,particulary
Kurt,whowrotefor
EllenDegeneres,
and
Matthews,
a regularon
ComedyCentral.
This
docgoesbeyondthe
stage,offeringglimpses
of thewomen'slives.
Funny,bitingand
verywitty,Laughing
Matters... Moreis a
must-see.-DAM
68
I
curve
hairstyles, rock out and speak up in protest of, well, something.
Anna (Melonie Diaz), a na'ive dyke who works the reception desk at a plastic-surgery clinic, is flung into the madcap
adventures of a radical feminist group, the Clits in Action,
after she nearly dials 911 on its suave ringleader, Sadie (Nicole
Vicius), for defacing public property. Who knew that, once
sharpened, Anna's quiet edge would lend itself so well to
organizing revolt, guerrilla art and romance with the
relationship-challenged:' While free-flung, fun and wild-eyed,
this film also feels intelligently intergenerational, layered with
sarcasm, hard-won knowledge and a glance back as well as forward. It's simultaneously a spoof and a rousing call. The feminist
waves lap together here, and the mix of urgency, collectivity and
sex positivism looks good in boots, as do the film's "committee"
of stars, including Daniela Sea, Jenny Shimizu and Guinevere
Turner. (power-up.net)
pawns forward through soft glances, red herrings and sudden jarring swipes, like those of
the butcher carving cutlets during its credits. Melanie Prouvost first appears as a pale
and uptight little girl thrown off her notes
at a recital by piano star Ariane (played by
the new Deneuve, Catherine Frot) signing autographs. A decade later, Melanie's
plain-yogurt looks have blossomed; all
grown and rosier, she's a subtle yet stunning
woman (Deborah Frans:ois) who equally dims
and lightens each room she enters in that
understated,
dewy-eyed French servant
way. Unrecognizable as the kid who flubbed
notes years ago, Melanie becomes a nanny to
Ariane's son and moves into the family's mansion for a season. The new babysitter enchants
her mistress through "intent" looks and musical literacy, turning Ariane's pages just in time with her music. While Ariane's
desire for her piano protege becomes transparent, Melanie flirts
without her resentment brimming much; we begin to think she
honestly adores and craves her musical mentor. In Dercourt's
film, pent-up love and pent-up anger don't always sync, but they
definitely duet. (www.tartan.filmsusa.com)
Trained in the Ways of Men (Reel Freedom Films)
A somewhat-disorganized documentary, Trained explores difficult terrain and serves as an elegy to a teen who lost her life too
soon. Gwen Araujo was 17 when, upon discovery of her male
genitalia, she was beaten severely and strangled to death by a
group of men she had considered her friends. While this film's
amateurish style is initially distracting, its thorough handling
of tragic content is transfixing. Statements from the defense
attorneys, who argued a "panic defense;' are interspersed with
interviews with Araujo's mother, Sylvia Guerrero, who reshaped
her pain to become an activist for transgender teens. The equal
camera time given to both sides of this case-the first trial for
which resulted in a hung jury-is an admirable aim at objectivity. It also allows the defense attorneys to hang themselves,
figuratively; these men present on film as asses with backward excuses for transphobic murderers, and the filmmaker's
comprehensive approach becomes the rope handed to them.
In effect, the lawyers, who did not literally wield the weapons, are delivered as part of the larger societal outlook and
the faulty "training" that led to such a tragedy. In this sense,
the documentary exacts, for Araujo and her family, a form of
post-trial revenge. (reelfreedom.com)
■
a..
:::,
a:
w
~
DVD PICKS
:c
0
a:
Cl
w
a:
!:!::..
w
Cl
a:
CD
0
~
~
of women,thisfilm,written
by DeanHowellandMichael
capturespoignant
Kearns,
fromthelivesof eight
episodes
gaymenaffectedbyHIVand
a womanwhois marriedto
oneof them.Theirlivesarenot
theyjusttouch
interconnected;
eachothersuperficially-orthat
believe.
is whatthecharacters
fromtheaudience's
However,
theirexistences
perspective,
byoneanother,
aredetermined
ThreeNeedles(Wolfe):Three
likethevirusthattheycontract
vignettesdealwiththespread
In
throughtheircasualencounters.
of HIVin differentcountries.
and
(Lucy Withexcellentstorytelling
China,a localentrepreneur
superbacting,thisfilm makesit
Liu)triggersa regionalAIDS
ontomymust-seelist.Though
outbreakbypayingfor blood
frompoorfarmersand youcanseethe lowbudget,you
donations
neverfeelit, andwithjustthe
collectingthemwithcontamirightmixof humor,drama,sentiIn Montreal,
natedequipment.
mentandintegrity,thestories
an infectedpornactor(Shawn
cheatsonhis HIVtests reachfar beyondwhatis actually
Ashmore)
beingsaidandshownonthe
andinfectsall hiscolleagues.
screen.(heretv.com)-US
AndinAfrica,a nun(Chloe
entersintoa desperate
Sevigny)
bargainto savea familyof
Thestoriesaretoo
orphans.
brief;hadanyonebeena fulllengthfeaturewewouldhave
hadthechanceto trulyempaand
thizewiththecharacters
at leastbeginto feelwhatthe
globalAIDScrisismeansfor the
peopleaffected.Instead,Three
servesas moreproof
Needles
that big-namestars,breathtakingsceneryandan important
make
topicdon'tautomatically
MelrosePlace:TheSecond
film.
for a fascinating
There's
(Paramount):
outcast-films.com. Season
(wolfevideo
neverbeenanythingsexieronTV
com)- UrsulaSteck
I'd fight
thanHeatherLocklear.
to thedeathto defendthatstate(TheWeinstein
Grindhouse
twoof thisoh-soment.Season
Withstripper
Company):
dramais
cattyandlesbo-erotic
turnedzombieslayerCherry
proof.Highfashion,highdrama
andlesbian
(RoseMcGowan)
Dr.Dakota(Marley anda supersexycastmade
wing-woman
hit,but
thisshowa mainsream
PlanetTerrorputsgirl
Shelton),
andher
thefactthat Locklear
fightsin a wholeothergalaxy.
constantly
femalecastmates
It's still hellafun to watch.But
lookreadyto rip eachother's
for a moviethat
beprepared
clothesoff is whatmadeit a
pushesthe limitof the horror
genre.(grindhousemovie.nelj babydykefavein thepostDesertHearts,pre-LWordera.
-Azania Baker
Ah,you'vegottalovethoseguilty
com/
(paramount.
pleasures.
NineLives(here!):Notto be
- Diane
for the RodrigoGarcia homeentertainment)
mistaken
Anderson-Minshall
movieof thesametitlethat
showsvignettesfromthe lives
Su Friedrich
I
FEMINIST FILMMAKER
I
Lesbian filmmaker and activist Su Friedrich's first works in the late '70s still retain
their revolutionary edge. Now an instructor of film production at Princeton University,
Friedrich lives in New York with her companion of many years in a fantastic home that
appears in her recent short feature The Odds of Recovery.Friedrich's body of work is
finally being released as a DVD collection at Outcast-films.com. - Sara Schieron
You came to film around the same time as other important feminist documentary makers: [Michelle] Citron, [Chantal] Ackerman and Friedrich are names
we often say together. Did you ever work with them directly?
No, but I worked with a lot of women artists as part of Heresies.Heresieswas a journal
that started in 1975 or'76, and I became part of the collective shortly after moving to
New York in '79. The editorial board was a collective,but we invited other women to
be on the board of each issue. It was a fantastic group, and there were really noted artists in the group like Lucy Lippard, who was my hero when I was in art school. Right
now Joan Braderman, who was part of the original collective,is making a documentary
about Heresies.
Was it shocking to depict lesbians together in the 1970s?
I made a decision early on that I would treat my activities or the things I did in my life as
absolutely normal. If I was going to talk about lesbianism, I wasn't going to pathologize
it. I wasn't going to set it apart or explain it. I was just going to say,''This is what happens. This is what I do. This is how it is:'In the case of something like Rulesof theRoad,
I simply described my relations with another woman, the break-up and the aftermath.
Was that an activist undertaking?
One of the famous slogans from the beginning of the women's movement is 'Tue Personal
is Political:' And now that's been repeated ad nauseam for 35-40 years, so it doesn't
have the same power anymore. Also, I think we're all familiar with people speaking
personally and seeing it as a political act, so we know that and there's nothing to it
anymore. Back then it was a big deal, and if you did something public about a private
experience, it was radical and transgressive and transformative. ... The situation is not
good for women filmmakers. It never has been, and I'm not sure it's gotten that much
better. I had a retrospective at [the Metropolitan Museum of Art] in September, and
I wrote this "thank you" introduction and I had just read this piece in Film Comment
by Paul Schrader in which he talked about writing a film canon, and in 60 films there's
not a single woman in the list. I was furious. So I incorporated that into my talkto say
I'm really happy to be having this retrospective, given the fact that women filmmakers
aren't supported and here is a perfect example. Trying to see work by other women is
really necessary because we don't get the same kind of support. ■
July/ August 2007
I69
Reviews In The Stacks
The Eyes Have It
I
A picture's worth a thousand words. By Rachel Pepper
These powerful new works demonstrate the power of visuals,
from a groundbreaking art installation to a haunting photo
from a family member.
EDITOR'S
PICK
TheBloodyBrits
(BywaterBooks):It's
nosecretthat lesbian
authorValMcDermid
is closeto Godin
my lit book,but as
editorialdirectorof
the newBloodyBrits
Press,an imprint
of lesbianBywater
Books,McDermid
has
steppedup hergame,
introducting
readers
to someof Britain's
mosttalentedmaleand
femalemysterywriters.
Amongnewmust-own
booksin theseries:
McDermid's
ownBlue
GenesandStarStruck
(thefifth andsixth
books,respectively,
in
the KateBrannigan
series)aswellas
PriscillaMasters'excellentNightVisit.Even
the handfulof menon
the imprintofferworthy
fare."I knowfrommy
ownexperience
how
hardit is for British
writersto geta toehold
in America,"says
McDermid.
"I'm
delightedto have
the opportunity
to
showcase
someof our
previously
hiddentalent
via BloodyBritsPress."
(bloodybritspress
com)
.
-DAM
Seecurvemag. <<
comformore
reviewsandexclusive
interview
withauthor
LauraRiehman
70
Icurve
The Dinner Party, Judy Chicago (Merrell)
How wonderful that with the opening of the Elizabeth A.
Sackler Center for Feminist Art in the Brooklyn Museum,
Judy Chicago's phenomenal Dinner Party-both the name of
the original art installation and the new book about it-has
finally found a home.
"The Dinner Party" first premiered in San Francisco's
Museum of Modern Art in 1979 and, a victim of longstanding apathy toward feminist art, has been in storage far
too long. The large-scale work,
a triangular configuration of
ceramics, china, needlework
and other media all built upon
a 'clinner table'' of sorts, celebrates women's contributions
throughout history. Many of
the plates are three-dimensional and have a rather vulvalike appearance, although one
is shaped like a piano for composer Ethyl Smyth and others
(like Sacajawea's)are flat.
"The Dinner Party" asks
us to consider the power and
beauty of these women along with their legacies and
asks why their names, and the names of so many other
women, often escape recognition. By presenting representational place settings for 39 individual women-including Ishtar, Sappho, Artemisia Gentileschi,
Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony and Natalie
Barney-we
remember the importance of these
women's contributions.
To create the original installation, Chicago collaborated with a multitude of craftspeople whose
work is lovingly captured in this stunning book, with
close-ups of needlework, cloth runners and the actual
plates themselves. The full-color photos were all taken
recently by Donald Woodman, who brings a fresh
eye to the project. The Dinner Party also pays homage to 999 other women, all of whom are more fully
explained in the book's text and "Heritage Panels;'
published for the first time here. This book will certainly introduce you to some new names in women's herstory,
including Emilie du Chatelet, Rebecca Lee and Queen Zenobia.
The book includes reflective notes from Chicago looking back
at the process of both the work's creation and its rebirth for exhibit, with accompanying black-and-white photos taken mostly
during the 1970s. Hurry to Brooklyn to see"The Dinner Party"
for yoursel£ but if you're unable to, then buy this book and rejoice that Judy Chicago's incredible masterpiece is finally getting
its due. (merrellpublishers.com)
Like Son, Felicia Luna Lemus (Akashic Books)
Novelist Felicia Luna Lemus creates a lovable young transgender character with Frank Cruz, hero of her second
novel Like Son. Cruz's father has just died, leaving him some
suits, glasses and a cane, and a packet of love
letters from his estranged ex-wife. Taking
his father's death as a sign, Cruz leaves his
uncaring mother in Los Angeles for a fresh
start in New York City.
As Cruz builds a new life on the East Coast,
he must cope with the aftermath of 9/11,
deal with a new and emotionally unstable
live-in girlfriend, Nathalie, and contend
with the history behind a photograph his
father gave him on his deathbed. The startling
image of Mexican avant-garde bisexual poet
Nahui Olin-a real person who is pictured
on the book's cover-firmly challenges Cruz to
piece together, and finally face, his family history in unexpected ways.
Lemus, perhaps the new face of queer
fiction, challenges lesbian readers in intriguing ways: to accept
that a femme writer can capture
the soul of a young tranny boy,
see that the reality of 9/11 and
its aftermath will indeed play
a role in new queer writings,
and understand the relationship
between Chicana/ o and queer
identity. Like Son is also a stylishly designed paperback, with
Edward Weston's famous photograph of Nahui Olin gracing the
front jacket and an accompanying, similar photograph of Lemus
on the back. Lemus, whose noteworthy debut, Trace Elements of
Random Tea Parties, was a hit a
few years back, continues to blaze a trail as one of our most
exciting young authors. (akashicbooks.com) ■
4th-9th
September
PAGE TURNERS
in Sex:TheNew
Wallowing
SexualCultureof 197Os
Elana
Television,
American
Levine(Duke):Inthewakeof
andthegay
sexualliberation
rightsandwomen'srightsmovementsof thelate'60sandearly
wassuddenly
'70s,television
awashwithnewsexualimagery,
Anyone
andinference.
innuendo
whowatchedTheLoveBoat
Showknows
or theNewlywed
that,butLevine,a journalism
of Wisconsinprofat University
takesit a stepfurther
Milwaukee
withthislivelyanalysisof how
(andsometimes
representations
sexualmores
lack)of changing
reflectedseismic
ontelevision
shiftsin popculture.Andwhile
duringthe '70swas
television
"wallowingin sex"likenever
before-with newfemalesex
Woman),
symbols(Wonder
humor(Three's
innuendo-driven
andanincreasing
Company)
on
numberof rapestorylines
daytimesoaps-Levinemakes
pointaboutthe
aninteresting
"sex"notallowedonTVduringthatera:braads,condom
andX-ratedfilms.
commercials
is Levine's
fascinating
Especially
takeonthedebaclearoundBom
the 1974film in which
Innocent,
youngLindaBlairis subjected
rape,aswellas
to a same-sex
theLesbianFeministLiberation's
boycottof
movefor anadvertiser
thefilm,arguingthat "Menrape,
womendon't.... Weregardthis
againstlesbifilm aspropaganda
- DAM
ans."(dukeupress.edu)
to
getswriters'block,shedecides
N.M.
spendthesummerin Coyote,
behind
to clearhermind.Leaving
thegirlfriend(rarelya goodidea),
Katesoonfindsherselfenraptured
and
bya castof oddballeccentrics
a foxyladysheriffnamed-get
this-Lee Foxx.A ladies'lady,
Foxxisthekindof playerKate
wantsnothingto dowith,butfate
elseinstore.Too
hassomething
fromback
badKate'sgirlfriend
homearrives;butof course,if she
didn't,hilarityanddykedrama
wouldn'tensue.
(bellabooks.com)-DAM
ing.Plus,thevariousoutdoor
whocontribute
adventurers
recipesalsosharesomefuntrail
- GP
tales.(globepequot.com)
w111111111
2007
www.womenfeslcom
of
Women
AfricanAmerican
theOldWest,TriciaMartineu
One
Wagner(GlobePequot):
thingabouttheseriesof books
aboutwomenof pioneerdays
is howoftenthey'reall about
whitewomenwhowentwest
or as
eitherwiththeirhusbands
If therearewomenat
prostitutes.
all in pioneerstories,they'retoo
women
Jamye oftenNativeAmerican
Women,
Loving
Women
withwhitemen.
whointermarried
The"Sex
(Quiver):
Waxman
covers Thisbooksetstherecordstraight
for Playgirl
Ed"columnist
accountsof
withextraordinary
allthebasesinthisnewbook,
womenlike
African-American
of its
witha title prettyindicative
content.Thoughtheadvicegiven BiddyMason(aslavewhofought
andMaryFields(the
for freedom)
here-fine, youknowwhat?I
gun-totingconventdwellerwho
couldn'treadit. Thisbookhas
fromtheCatholic
thehottestphotography wasostracized
probably
whohavebeenleftoutof
Church)
inthehistoryof lesbiankind,
andeverytimeI triedto actually thehistorybooks.Blackwomen
havelongbeenignoredby
readthewordsI gotsodamn
historyandthisslim
documented
thatI couldn'tmakeit
distracted
volumeis onelovely
butreadable
Thatsaid,
througha paragraph.
stepin rightingthat.
myfavoritebookin
it's probably
- DAM
(globepequot.com)
thewholeworldonartisticmerit
alone.I'msurethewriting'sgood,
Miami,Fort
OutAround
- GP
too.(quiverbooks.com)
& KeyWest
Lauderdale
(ThomasCook):ThisOutAround
Vegetarian
Upsmackin'
is theonlytotallygay-centric
and
Christine
Backpackin~
travelseriesto tacklethecountry
(GlobePequot):
TimConners
citybycity,offeringthelowdown
trailratsshareover
Seasoned
onqueerlife.Thispocket-sized
with
recipes,
150meat-free
guide,aimedat tuningyour
advicefor cookingandstoring
gaydarto allthingsSouthFlorida,
foodoutsidethecomfortsof a
listsnotonlygayhotspotsbut
kitchen.Evenif yourideaof a
alsotopsights,coolboutiques,
hikeis thejourneyfromyourcar
whereto shopfor the poochand
disheslike
to themallentrance,
Sky,GerriHill(Bella):
Coyote
somuchmore.(thomascook
HopiFryBreadandAlgonquin
WhenmysterywriterKateWinters AppleLeatherareprettyinterest- publishing.com)
- DAM
July/August 2007
I 71
sprinkled lots of the stories from the survey throughout the book, so read,
ers get these peeks behind other people's bedroom doors.
The e,mails I get that offend me aren't the sex questions but the homophobic
rants. Over the eight years we've been educating about sex and LGBTQ
issues, we've received several hundred of these angry e,mails, most of
them warning us of our impending trip to hell or our role in the downfall
of Western civilization.
You've given talks and workshops around the country. Where do
the kinkiest people live?
When our speaking business was first gaining momentum, we expected to see
big regional differences. But I have to say, after touring full,time for three
years and talking about sex in every region of the country, those differ,
ences never emerged in any significant way. No matter where we are, the
most common response to someone wearing one of our "I Love Female
Orgasm'' T,shirts or buttons is "me, too!" ■
Dorian Solot
I
Searchingfor the bigO?CuRvE
readersgetanautographecopy
d of
Solot'sbookfor a thirdoff the coverprice.Goto ilovefemaleorgasm.com
andusecouponcodeCURVE7
beforeAug.31.
AUTHOR, SEX EDUCATOR I
SOMEONE'S IN THE KITCHEN
''As a sex educator, at this point it's pretty hard to shock me with sex ques,
tions;' says sexpert Dorian Solot, co,author of I Love Female Orgasm. I
tried anyway, but to no avail. Along with her partner, Marshall Miller (both
bisexual), Solot has spent eight years doing hundreds of presentations on the
fine art of female orgasms-giving and receiving-in an extra,queer,friendly
manner. Funny, honest and informative, I Love Female Orgasm makes me
really wish I wasn't sitting at a desk right now, if you know what I'm sayiri.
- CatherinePlato
With so many sex books already on the market, what made you
want to write another?
A lot of what's already been written about female orgasm has this sort of
whispered tone, like, "Oh, we're so sorry you and your husband are having
these problems:•We wanted to write a book that was fun and celebratoryorgasm is a pretty fun topic, after all! In this day and age, there are a lot of
people interested in sex who aren't straight and/ or married. We felt like we
could include some of that troubleshooting information, like how to have
an orgasm, how to have multiples, how to help yo.ur girlfriend, along with
a lot of down,to,earth stuff on how to make sex even better and
more interesting for people who are already having a great time.
What are some of the challenges unique to girl-girl couples?
Well, I think there's often an expectation that because a lesbian is a
woman, she should automatically be able to give any other woman
an orgasm. That's a ton of pressure! Not being able to give your
partner an orgasm doesn't give you an Fin lesbianism. And just
because you're queer doesn't mean your orgasms flow freely.There's
such incredible diversity among women's bodies and how they re,
spond, which is why we provide tips for dealing with all these situations.
Do you ever have people ask you really bold personal questions or
tell you stories where you're like, whoa, too much info?
Sometimes people worry that their sexual issue is so unique or strange
that I'll be shocked by it. But, in reality, I've almost always talked with
other people who have the same experience. For the book, we conducted
a survey of nearly 2,000 people around the country, and the answers show
amazing diversity but also similar experiences over and over again. We
72
Icurve
I believecookbooks
area lesbian
dirtysecret.Whenwasthe last
timeyouadmittedto owning,or
evenreading,one?I haveabout
25,butadmittedly,
they'rehidden,
notdisplayed
prominently
alongsideJoanNestleandLeeLynch.
Thesenewcookbooksthough,
,
offereasyveg-friendly
recipes
dykeswill love.
TIieModemAyurvedlc
CookbookAmitra
,
Sondhi:The
5,000-year-old
holistichealing
traditionfromIndiaknownas
Ayurveda
is all aboutbalance,
sothis all-vegetarian
cookbook
is brokendownbydoshas.
Try:SpicyChickpea
Soupwith
coconut,cilantroandyogurt.
(arsenalpulp.com)
easyto make.Try:FreshAvocado
Shakes.(insidersguide.com)
TIieFlorida
KeysCookbook,
VictoriaShearer:
Takeparadise
homewithyou.
TheFloridaKeys
Cookbook
letsyou
dojustthatby
transporting
the
fusioncuisineof southernmost
Floridaintoa portable,mouthwateringcookbook.
Try:Yucca
WithGarlickySourOrangeSauce.
(insidersguide.com)
TIieProvidence
andRhode
IslandCookbookLinda
,
Beaulieu:
Everwonderwhata
WimpySkippy(spinachpie)or
TIieUttle Saigon
BlockIslandDoughnut
is?These
CookbookAnn
, Le: bigrecipesfromthe nation's
I spenta few of my
smalleststateholdthe key.Try:
formativechildhood Quahogs
(yes,it's nota fictional
yearsin LittleSaigon TVtown).(insidersguide.com)
(aVietnamese
area
WherePeopleFeast:An
of OrangeCounty,
IndigenousPeople'sCookbook,
Calif.,that was
populated
DollyandAnnieWatts:Oneof
duringthe 1975fall
of Saigon),
so I amthrilledby
thefirst booksto offerrecipes
anythingcelebrating
thecuisineof fromNorthAmerica'sindigenous
SouthernCalifornia's
Vietnamese peopleusingingredients
both
people.Thebookis chock-full
exoticandcommon.Try:
of great,healthy(oftenvegetarBlackberry
GlazedBeets.
ian)recipesthataresimpleand
(arsenalpulp.com)DAM
The movie that PlanetOut.com calls"The
most romantic lesbian filmof all time!"
tells the story of an Englishprofessor'slove
affair with a beautiful casinodlange girl
2-disc Collector,s Edition withNeverBefo
Seen Footage of the Fa11lfflf&~ Stene!
lesbianlover
Marshashows
d asksto stay
IncludesFree
Awesomequeer youth rock doc combines
portraits of queer youth and powerhouse
indie bands covering the music from
Hedwig and the Angry Inch. (Avail.8/7/07)
QU[Y8
ry of a pair of
into bed tolonely ho,use1Wffl,,.
n couple hold,,___
gether after
liulevard. Includes
ing hands on
Free Mini V°Ul ·11118.ookl
tival features
a plus Stephanie
e Kelly,The
Howard, Page H
Nellie Olesons, The GayMafia and many
~
more!
CurveMag.com
Wolfe·WolfeVideo.com
. Reviews Tech Girl
Untether Your Tunes
I
Walkman? Boombox? Music is more portable than ever. By Elle Kaycee
Words may be lyrical but they aren't really musical, and reading about songs is never as good as listening to them (although a few obsessive lyric bloggers
might tell you otherwise). There are loads ofladies for your ears to love this issue, but what's the best way to enjoy the great new tunes you're about to be
jammin' to? Don't worry, we've got you covered, with these tech-forward and affordable gizmos for your grooves.
Queer Ears
Tired of getting on the subway
with your headphones all tangled
in your bag strap? Cut down on the
knots with the funky Etymotic Ety8
Wireless Earphones. The adapter
iTunes on the Airwaves
Music can escape the earbuds thanks to the
Kensington Micro FM Transmitter for iPods, a
plug-in device that lets you broadcast songs from
an iPod to an FM radio, via unused frequencies.
Compatible with any dockable iPod, just connect
plugs into your portable player
and beams the signal to your ears
via Bluetooth. ($199/$299
with
iPod adapter, etymotic.com)
the transmitter and set the frequency, then tune
your home or car stereo to the same. For a list
of available frequencies in your area, check out
radio- locator.com. ($40, kensington.com)
Satellite Serenade
If you've paid the monthly subscription fees for either XM or
Sirius Satellite Radio, you'll welcome the chance to get more for
your buck by taking those songstresses out of your dashboard. The
Samsung NeXus 25 for XM and the
Sirius Stiletto SLlO are two great options that fit in the palm of your hand.
The NeXus can store up to 25 hours of
MP3 and WMA files as well as radio
programming, plus it includes a home
dock and is one of the smallest radio/
player combos available. The Stiletto,
which holds 10 hours of tunes, has a
full-color display and lets you schedule
recordings in blocks up to six hours
long. Each is available with a larger
memory capacity and includes software to help you manage your tunes.
($130, xmradio.com; $150, sirius.com)
Music Takes the Stage
All right, you've loaded all your faves into your iTunes library.
Now find out when they're coming to town. With the free
iConcertCal plug-in, you can find artists' upcoming concerts
in your area and around the world, straight from your iT unes
library. Plus, it works on Mac- and Windows-based systems.
(free, iconcertcal.com)
From left: Etymotic Ety8 Wireless Earphones, Samsung
NeXus 25, Kensington Micro FM Transmitter
74
Icurve
Babes of the British Invasion continued from page 66
Introducing Joss Stone, Joss Stone {Virgin)
Betcha Bottom Dollar, The Puppini Sisters {Verve)
The Dover,born, scarlet,haired 19,year,old is the youngest of this month's
singers but she's also arguably the most accomplished, having sold millions
of her two previous albums and won both Brit and Grammy Awards. This
third, Raphael Saadiq,produced effort gives more insight into who Joss Stone
is growing up to be and, in comparison to Allen's and Winehouse's recent
discs, is a smoother, sweeter, more Motown,faithful flavor of soul pop. Stone's
Hardly in the same pop,star category as the other gals mentioned above, this
burlesque,style, jazz,vocal trio is nonetheless equally notable in my book, due
to their pitch,perfect three,part harmonies and irreverent take on '40s girl,
groups like the Andrews Sisters. Inspired by the animated film The Triplets
of Belleville, Londoners
belting voice remains the main draw, but tunes like the snappy "Girl They
Won't Believe It" and funky first single "Tell Me 'Bout It" are fun, lighthearted
grooves sure to coat radio airwaves this summer. Mellow hip,hop collabo,
rations with rappers
Lauryn Hill ("Music")
Marcella Puppini, Kate
Mullins and Stephanie
O'Brien pay their re,
spects
to
sic era-via
like
"Mr.
that
clas,
favorites
and Common ("Tell
We're
What
Me
Now")
Gonna Do
Sandman;'
"Boogie Woogie Bugle
"Jeepers
and
Boy;'
also
Creepers" -but
offer up some super,
star power but per,
inject quirky covers like
Gloria Gaynor's "I Will
Survive;' Kate Bush's
"Wuthering
sonally, I'm can't get
enough of the funky,
drummer beats and
Heights;'
and the Michael Buble/
Pussycat Dolls mambo
hit,"SwaY:'Their kitschy
reworkings of Blondie's "Heart of Glass" and the Smiths"'Panic" totally crack
me up-though I admit, I'm singing along while I'm laughing."Hang the DJ,
ba,doo,bee doo,wop!" ( thepuppinisisters.com)
turntable,scratching
of "Put Your Hands
on Me'' as well as the
cool '70s,soundtrack
atmosphere of'Proper
Nice:' (jossstone.com) ■
OhMiBod™
The iPod®Vibrator
July/August 2007
I 75
·Reviews I Tried It
Moving in Circles
I expected exhibitionism but wound up with introspection. I By Ariane Conrad
would be good for a story or at least a laugh. What was the likelihood I'd ever
see the surely very girlie and fitness-obsessed women from the class again:' So
a-hooping I did go.
Christabel Zamor, aka Hoopgirl, was our drill sergeant, cheerleader
and guru. She had the 15 of us (all women except for a lone guy who didn't
attend the next two nights) in a full sweat within minutes. More amazing
than that, in the same amount of time she had the hoops circling our waists in
sustained motion.
Here's why: the new hoops used in adult classes today are significantly
heavier than the ones with which the Wham-O corporation made its fortune
in the 1950s and that we used as children. Because of the additional weight,
adult hoops require only a modest push attained by rocking the hips back and
forward (not side to side, as many beginners must discover) in order to get
them going and keep them going.
I ended the first night in a sheen of sweat and a glow of pride at my accomplishments. The second night, most of my classmates arrived striped with bruises
on the contact points at their hips, although I was unscathed due to my natural
padding. Bruising-heavy bruising-is quite normal for learners. The experts
recommend ice and arnica and putting the hoop down for a day or two.
ChristabelZamor
(right)partner-hoops
with Anah Reichenbac..
h,_________
~------~----
They called it hoop boot camp."This is going to be hilarious!! Who's int read
the e-mail from my friend Francesca, a top-notch connector and organizer
of adventures. The invitation was for introductory hula hoop classes at the
Women's Building in San Francisco. Three nights in a row, an hour and a half
each night. Links in the e-mail led me to promotional videos featuring the
woman teaching the class, who gyrated as neon hoops effortlessly spun on
and off her body at every conceivable angle.
"OK;' I wrote back to Francesca, game only because she was. ''I've signed
up. Dinner beforehand or drinks afterwardt
As it turned out, she never quite got her act together to sign herself up.
The class had filled quickly, as, I would learn, they always do. "Hooping" is a
new fitness craze; Beyonce reportedly does it to whittle her curves and hoopers are featured in Scissor Sisters' videos, while Lifetime TV and CosmoGIRL
recently counted hooping among their "hottest new workouts:'
Now I was stuck. My agonized misgivings stemmed from having never,
ever, even as a spry youngster, possessed the ability to keep a hula hoop going
for more than 45 seconds. Failure and humiliation seemed certain, not to
mention that I just don't do extravagant, extroverted, physical activities. I read
books, I surf only digitally, and it's only my baleful-eyed, urban foxhound who
takes the walks that comprise the bulk of my exercise.
But the boot camp had cost me a nonrefundable $80, and I figured it
76 j curve
...J
~
a:
w
CD
w
z
z
~
::)
(/)
That, it turns out, is harder than it sounds
because hooping is utterly, madly addictive.
By the third night of boot camp, Zamor had
taught us a dizzying number of tricks, none of
which I (or most of my classmates) had even
remotely mastered. And yet no matter how
many times my hoop went flying away or clattering to the floor, I picked it up to try again
and again.
Before we parted ways, Zamor encouraged everyone to maintain and expand their
skills by joining a local hoop group. In the San
Francisco Bay Area and across the country,
hooping devotees host regular meet-ups to
practice, dance, socialize and swap tricks and
tips for m:aking hoops and hooping costumes.
That sounded intimidating, though, so instead I started getting together for weekly practice sessions in a local park with a woman I'd met in class. After a few months, in which we managed to perform about half of the tricks we'd been taught in a little more than half the time, we got up the courage
to join the Bay Area hoopers one Sunday.
The diversity of the hoopers surprised me. There were dykes as well as men, both queer and straight;
there were solid-bodied folk and trim athletes alike; there were legal assistants, teachers, nonprofiteers
and cab drivers; teenagers and SO-somethings, too. Everyone was welcoming, and when I asked one
superstar if she could show me a sexy-looking sideways step-through move she'd perfected, I got a
charming smile and step-by-step instruction.
I was-am-smitten.
Nowadays I have a near-perfect attendance record with the Bay Area hoopers. We bring extra
hoops to entice passers-by and a great sound system to bring the beats into your blood. The atmosphere is uncompetitive, and participation is free. (If you're looking for a gathering near you, the online
magazine Hooping.org has the most comprehensive list.)
Down in the Los Angeles area, my hooping friend Elaine Walrath attends the hoop jam just south
of Santa Monica Pier on Sundays from 2 p.m. until sunset. Usually she performs with her trademark
rainbow hoop, which was handmade (as all adult-size hoops currently are, from irrigation tubing and
tape) for her by Anah Reichenbach, aka the legendary Hoopalicious.
"Being a hooper is definitely a good conversation starter and a novelty. I love how many people
come talk to me after I've finished or even when I'm walking down the street carrying hoops. I have
this dream that one day my hooping will be so mesmerizing to a girl that we will fall in love and live
Find someone
you clickwithon
pinksofa.com
happily ever after;' she told me.
So what's hooping done for mer Although I have yet to mesmerize someone into falling head over
heels for me, I have a host of new friends. My obliques and abs are definitely more defined than ever
before. On a deeper level, I've found my spiritual practice. I center inside the hoop and focus on the
interplay between my internal pulse and the pulses of the external world. I feel like I've gained confidence and some poise, too.
I've heard Zamor talk about moving through life in general as if she's still inside the hoop. She also
believes that hooping can help women deepen their sensuality and sexiness.
"You have to learn how to cooperate with the hoop like it's a partner;' she explained. That's true in
my experience, for sure.
Speaking of partner, perhaps the single sexiest (and most challenging) aspect of hooping is what's
known as tandem-hooping or partner-hooping, when two bodies enter the same hoop. It requires two
skillful hoopers of the same height and body type, ideally, who communicate extremely well and trust
z
iii
~
....J
0
<.!l
>~
~
each other.
"I guess it's a metaphor for relationships, minus the height requirement;' Walrath said about it.
Zamor told me, "Partner hooping is kind of a pinnacle in hoop dancing. It's ridiculously sensuous
and amazingly hot ... but you have to watch out for your costumes! My partner's chains would get
caught in my fishnets and vice versa. We'd get stuck, and we wouldn't be able to unfasten ourselves!"
I simply cannot wait to meet that particular challenge myself. ■
1 week free trial
Just enter the promo code
curve 78 when you join
jJ'.t~sofa.com
connecting lesbians
America's fastest growing lesbian website
July/ August 2007
I77
Find someone
you click with on
pinksofa.com
Gay and lesbian
travel specialists
• Eco adventure
• Sightseeing
• History
• Culture
• Events
+
Yukon Pride.ca
T. 867.668.2932
Custom
Yukon
adventures
- incomfort
andstyle
design
for
web
• identity
• print
al
I
eyes
• branding
1 week free trial
Just enter the promo code
curve78 when you join
) L1\sofa.com
•connecting lesbians
Americas fastest gr owing lesbian website
Jt seed
n6uveau
www. seed nouveau. com
LGBT REALTORS
IN YOURCITY!
Call today for a
FREE Consultation!
The Ultimate Gulde to
Pregnancy for Lesbians
by Rachel Pepper
A guide for every step of the way-from
your first ovulation kit right up through
the first weeks after your baby's birth.
~I LGBT Homes
925-867-HOME
Toll Free: 866-397-LGBT
www.LGBThomes.com
"I love it!"
-Ariel Gore, author of
The Hip Mama SurvivalGuide
$16.95, 288 pages
ISBN 1-57344-216-X
Call to Order! (800) 780-2279
or order onllne -.clelspress.com
Free Shipping
"One o t e most
romantic lesbian
destinations on the
planet." -Planet Out
www.highlandsinn-nh.com
•1-877-LES-B-INN
Bethlehem,NewHampshire
7Blcurve
Whole Lesbian Sex Book
A Passionate Guide
for All of Us
by Felice Newman
All-new second edition completely revised and
updated throughout
$24.95, 300 pages ISBN 1·57344-199-6
Call to Order! (800) 780-2279
or order online: www.cleispress.com
Free Shipping
SexToys
DVDs
BDSM
Calendars
Posters
Massage
Dils
517.B96.4B42
Alternative
GreetingCards.com
~
Lesbi
eaJEstate
_,·001
uyln1• Hom•1
Fr• Bu,er'•
A1al1tanc•
Selllng• Home?
FrNMarket
Anal,ala
Relomlng?
,,.. Relocatfon
KitanyCity,USA
®
your online gift store
www.altematlvegreetlngcards.com
an .687.e211
lesbian owned & operated
1-888-420-MOVE(6683)
www.LesbianRealEstate.com
Take10%Off!
UsecodeCURV£10
whenyou
shopon/ine!*offerexp.611107
Hand
forged
buckles
Handdyedleatherbelts
July/ August 2007
I 79
Top Ten ReasonsWe Love Michelle Bolong
With its classic Beatles tunes and lesbian dance
captains, what's not to love about LOVE? Cirque
du Soleil's newest Las Vegas show features beautiful Michelle Bolong, a veteran performer and Bay
Area-bred out lesbian. Here are the top 10 reasons
we love her (yeah, yeah, yeah!). - CatherinePlato
hard, and one day I smacked a boy with braces in
the mouth, making him bleed profusely;' she says.
"Even though I got in trouble, I still remember that
feeling of silent satisfaction. This was my vengeance
on him, since he believed my strength was inferior
to his own:' However, Bolong says she's more peaceful now, and doesn't beat up boys.
1. You'llnevercatchher lyingabouther age."I
turned 30 this year and I love it!" she says. 'Tm so
excited to enter a time in my life where I feel confident in who I am. The 20s were fun, but in some
ways a mess. So I keep saying, bring it on, 30s!"
my sexuality is part of my truth, and since I've
committed to always perform from my'truth; well,
they must go hand in hand:'
7. She'sa globe-trotter.
Bolong studied dance in
3.Shecankickyourasswithstyle.Before dancing,
all over the world. Her favorite country is her
Bolong studied tae kwan do. "As a child, I loved the
explosive power of kicking and punching:'
family's homeland, the Philippines. "When I'm
there, I am reminded how lucky I am to have all
that I do in America, but I'm also shown that one
doesn't need material wealth to be happy;' she says.
"My family there may not have much, but there is
this feeling of richness in the meals we share or in
the way we share with one another. The country's
beauty takes me out of my world of anxiety and
petty worries I might have:'
have to admit, I even enjoyed having to try to prove
myself to all the other boys in my (tae kwan do J
class.... It used to annoy me how they would never
kick me full-power because they were scared they'd
hurt me. I used to get so hyped up I would kick too
soIcurve
"The written word is perhaps one of my strongest
passions besides music. A single phrase ... could
make me weak-kneed or on fire:' Her favorite
authors include Toni Morrison, Dorothy Allison,
Sarah Waters and Julia Cameron.
9. She'sflexiblein morewaysthan one. Even
5. She'salwaysbeenout and proud."I feel that
2. She'sproudof her roots.Bolong spent years
performing with Liquid Fire, a Bay Area queer
women of color multimedia performance group."!
have to admit that even though I'm performing in
a massive production such as LOVE, my heart is
always in the small grass-roots theaters I used to
perform in;' she says.
4. She'supfora challenge
anddoesn'ttakeshit."I
8. She pridesherselfon beinga "literaryslut."
6. Butshe'sstill got her shyside.Despite making her living as a performer, Bolong says that she's
still quite introverted and takes a while to warm to
people. "Maybe that's why I became a dancer;' she
says. "My words come out through my body:'
though she's an indie-theater girl at heart, Bolong
has found a comfortable home among the bright
lights of Vegas. "You just have to come here with
an open mind and an ability to adapt. If you start
comparing Vegas to other cities that thrive on
culture, then you'll probably be very unhappy
here since you'll just see strip malls with corporate stores;' she says. "Yet it's all how you perceive
(it] .... I find that Vegas is a very transient city
where ... there is a large population of amazingly
talented performers who are here from all over
the world to entertain:'
London at the Laban Academy and has traveled
10.Sheknowswhatshewants.Though she's definitely got a soft spot for Brazilian samba dancers,
Bolong's biggest turn-on is passion. "It turns me
on to see a woman who is committed to what she
wants and won't back down. It turns me on when I
see my girlfriend on a photography gig of hers and
she's fighting people and obstacles just to get that
perfect shot;' she says. "That desire in her face and
the fearlessness of her actions leave me breathless
and wanting her:'■
:r
a:
en
~
~
:5
0
0
z
Camp has a whole new look.
The new, more rugged Subaru Outback with road-gripping All-Wheel Drive. It gets you out there with improved
style and increased comfort, while its available navigation system and the government's five-star crash test
rating* makes sure you get back. Ready for adventure. It's what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.
SUBARU
~
tlJtinJt ll>it:k
~,,~~~
,tJuu, luwu
"P'"'.fuluuJ
IIIIPLll■HIIGI&>
'l1Wtwww..aqua(ina.aim
AQUAFINA, AQUAFINA ALIVE, AQUA FINA ALIVE WELLNESSWATER, MAKE YOUR BODY HAPPY, VITAPLUS
and design ore trademarks
of PepsiCo, Inc. 5401000
OfficialWater Sponsorof:
THENAGAAA
WORLDSERIE2007
S
Phoenix,Arizona October 1-6
To registeryourteamfor an AquafinaAlive Kitvisit
the NAGAAAwebsitewww.series2007.org
See all items with this value
-
100 of the Sexiest Female Musicians on the Planet
THE BEST-SELLING LESBIAN MAGAZINE
The L Word's Shane
Speaks Out
FranklySpeaking
curve
THE BEST-SELLING LESBIAN MAGAZINE
Rockin' in the Free World
In the '?Os,lesbiansrecorded
their own albums under the
banner of "women's music."
That category today is so
much broader, but no less
important than that of those
rockin' female pioneers.
VOLUME
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 in Chief
Art Director
Photo Editor
Production Manager
Production Artist
Director of Operations
Catalog Manager
Catalog Department
Advertising Sales
M
usic has always been a big part of lesbian culture. In the '70s, when Olivia produced records instead
of cruises, lesbians recorded their own albums under the banner of"women's music:' The cassettes
were sold at almost~all~female concerts and passed along between lesbians, much like 'zines in the '80s
were, like a special brand of underground currency. Women's music distributors like Goldenrod and Lady
Slipper emerged to market these records and promote women-especially dykes-in music because main~
stream record producers and stores certainly didn't. Soon, women's music events, like the famed Michigan
Womyn's Music Festival, cropped up across the country, giving lesbians and their nonqueer sisters a safe
place to encourage, support and celebrate female musicians.
Of course, in the '90s came Lilith Fair and the emergence of openly queer female musicians, such as Melissa
Etheridge, Ani OiFranco and Indigo Girls, who all garnered attention not just from LGBT fans but from
the mainstream media as well. Today, the concept of'women's music" is so much broader, but no less impor~
tant than that of those revolutionary pioneers, such as Cris Williamson and Margie Adam.
1
This is why CURVE s music issue-our 11th annual-is so important. We've packed it with more women
than ever before, a whopping number of musicians (100 women and even some men) we think you should
know about, mostly independent artists whom you may never hear on the radio. Weve got exclusive inter~
views with mainstream performers such as Chrissie Hynde and Lily Allen, cool openly queer musicians
including Toshi Reagon, God~des & She and Erin McKeown, as well as newer bands that lesbians love:
Boyskout, Girl in a Coma, Lesbians on Ecstasy and the Shondes. In an age when women are eschewing
radio play in favor of iTunes and finding a cool dyke rocker is as easy as searching MySpace, it can still be
hard for indie artists like Skim and Kid Moxie to get noticed. There are always so many more women we
would love to cover, but were particularly happy with the way this issue turned out and hope you are, too.
Before you head out with your MP3 player, check out a few of the artists in this issue and then visit
curvemag.com for extra bonus interviews, video clips and so much more. And if you're in California
this summer, don't forget to come see us at one of these upcoming events: Monterey Pride (July 14),
San Diego Pride (July 21~22), Sacramento Rainbow Festival (Sept. 2) and Humboldt Pride (Sept. 30).
Rock on.
Web Producer
Online PR Manager
Marketing Coordinator
Marketing Representative
Editorial Assistants
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
Laura K. Cucullu
Michelle Ma
Katherine H. Nelson
Stefanie Liang
Amy Silverman
Ondine Kilker
Kelly Nuti
Flo Enriquez
Holly DeMaagd
Monier Ziaian
Diana L Berry,Joan Boccafola,
RivendellMedia
Nikki Woelk
Lindsey Taylor
Amanda Campa
Tammy Lam
Azania Baker, Asiana
Ponciano, Jaime Roca,
Lesley Seacrist
Contributing Writers Kathy Beige, Kristen V. Brown,
Ariane Conrad, Jennifer Corday, Gina DeVries,
Michele Fisher, Katrina Fox, Gillian Kendall, Elle
Kaycee, Kate Lacey, Myra LaVenue, Chartene
Lichtenstein, Karlyn Latney, Candace Moore, Sara
Schieron, Jenny Sherwin, Ursula Steck, Dave
Steinfeld, Melany Walters-Beck, Jocelyn Voo
Contributing Illustrators Julia Minamata, Phil Cho,
Katherine Streeter
Contributing Photographers Erica Beckman, Suzanne
Bernal, Eric Charbonneau, Cody Cobb, Sara
Corwin, Merry Cyr, Laura deWaal, Vicky Dawe,
Tim Flack, Chris Floyd, Matthew Furman, Vanessa
Garcia, Shawn Gersman, Amy Goldstein, Sophia
Hantzes, Amber Hopkins, Adrian Horn, Paul
Houston, Cal Joy, Michael Lavine, Liz Ligouri,
Nicola Marsh, RA McBride, Mary McCartney,
Clint McClean, Giselle Monte, Claire Norman,
Ary Nunez, Sean O'Hara, Sarah Quiara, Sherry
Rayn Barnett, Janet Rerecich, Annemarie Rewal,
Thos Robinson, Jess S. Erin Strater, Shari Swan,
Shomara Terceros, S. Theune, Michael Triplett,
Costas Vaniatis, Samantha West, Andrea Wing
Volume 17 Issue 6. CuNe (ISSN 1087-867X) is published monthly (except for
January and July) by Outspoken Enterprises, Inc., 1550 Bryant St., Ste. 510,
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 adcitional mailing offices (USPS 0010-355). Contents of CuNe
Magazine may not be reproduced in any manner, either whole or in part, without
written permission from the publisher. Publication of the name or photograph
of any persons or organizations appearing, advertising or listing in CuNe may
not be taken as an indication of the sexual orientation of that individual or
group unless specifically stated. CuNe welcomes letters, queries, unsolicited
manuscripts and artwork. Include SASE for response. Lack of any representation
only signifies insufficient materials. 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
Inquiries: Please write to CuNe, 1550 Bryant Street, Suite 510, San Francisco,
CA 94103, e-mail shop@cuNemag.com, or call 818-760-8983. Canadian
Agreement Number: 40793029. Postmaster: Send Canadian address changes
to shop@curvernag.com,
Curve, PO Box 122, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 688. Send
U.S. address changes to shop@curvemag.com,
Curve, PO Box 17138, N. Hollywood,
CA 91615-7138.Printedin the U.S.
A
2 j curve
17 NUMBER 6
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
Keyword: Curvemag Web site: curvemag.com
z::,
J:
Cl)
~
:5
LIJ
a:
Ol
c3
00
. ....
•
■ ■ II
I ■■■
..----
CEW ~ ru
WHJ c:JW rn
□ W
□ W
□
EDill ~ HJ
illill UJ:J [:El
CD
□ r:I:l
Will
I
rnw ~
oTC
-
~
QJ
BJ
C
~)I
0
L_JI_-_--
('j,
0
0
0
----'~•..____
•
~
•
_!__:..=--...;;:_-----"""----
f
OD
Features
July/August 2007
Volume 17#6
"Mainstream
media
and music
don'toffer
a spaceto
represent
queer
womenin a
waythat is
realisticand
empowering."
Ingrid Dahl of
Boyskout,
page 58
Special 11th Annual Music Issue: 100 Sexy Female Musicians
40
What a Girl Wants Interviews with tons of
56
The First Ladies of Cock Rock From AC/DShe
to Lez Zeppelin, girls rule. By Melany Walters-Beck
62
Is Your Girlfriend Hot Like Me? Do you feel
guilty playing Snoop Dagg and the Pussycat Dolls?
I don't. By Melany Walters-Beck
rockers, rappers and talkies including Toshi
Reagon (with Sarah Mclellan of Lez Zeppelin
above left), Girl in a Coma (bottom right), Team
Gina (top right), Miss Undastood, Swati, Erin
McKeown, the Shondes, Leslie Hall, Valkyrie,
Kid Moxie, the Cliks, Ebony Tay, Imogen Heap,
Chrissie Hynde, Billie Myers, Lesbians on Ecstasy,
God-des & She, Lily Allen, Lauren Wood,
Cover Girls: (from
G-Child, Grace Milla, Boyskout, Skim, Tika Milan,
CocoRosie and 23 more hot chicks.
left) Temim Fruchter
and Ingrid Dahl of
Ten Powerful Lesbians in Music Time to look
past the frontwomen and meet the ladies behind
the scenes. By Jenny Sherwin
Rachel Solomon of
the Shondes and
PICK YOUR FAVORITE COVER
34
Lynne T of Lesbians
Pacific's little island gets a bad rap but
this lesbian adores it. By Gillian Kendall
Erica Beckman
Hair: Deirdre Novella
Makeup:
Samantha Trinh
Assistant: Lori Naps
5
~
~
;f:
z
a
::?
~
Cl)
Cl)
0
(.)
1:i
(.)
36 Where Do We Draw the Line? As
Stylist: Karyn Larkin
<(
a:
<(
0
on Ecstasy
Cover photos by
~
I
Which cover would you rather see? In the end, the one you've
got won our debate. E-mail us at letters@curvemag.comwith
your favorite and why, and you just might win a free CURVEtee.
Travel: Freaky in Fiji The South
...J
a:
0
Also in This Issue
Boyskout, Louisa
::?
0
~
64
of the Shondes,
Leslie Satterfield
~
(.)
<(
lesbians flock to faraway places, how
do we play it safe and still explore the
world? By Kristen \I. Brown
Alternate Cover: (from left) Lynn T of
Lesbians on Ecstasy, Toshi Reagon,
Sarah Mclellan of Lez Zeppelin, and
God-des
z
:5
...J
~
(.)
(.)
::?
z
~
0
~
z<(
::?
::.::
(.)
w
Cl)
<(
(.)
cc
w
4
I curve
MIAMIANDBEACHES.COM or call 1-888-76-MIAMI
Four of Miami's most popular and renowned annual celebrations
highlight a noteworthy calendar of events, attracting visitors
from across the country and around the world.
For a complete
Additional
list of Miami events, visit FestivalSeason.com
information
can be found
at GoGayMiami.com
• White Party (11/21/2007- 11/27/2007)
• Winter Party Festival (2/27/2008 - 3/3/2008)
• Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (April 2008)
• Aqua Girl (May 2008)
Departments
July/August2007
"Iwantedto have
a realconversation
withthese kids
wherethey felt
comfortable
talkingabout
these really
difficultand
personalissues.
I thinkveryfew
peoplereally
listento what
these kids have
to say."
The L Word's Katherine
Moennig, on homeless
LGBT youth, page 22
2
Frankly Speaking Publisher Frances
Stevens reminisces on the history of
dyke rock.
24 Scene Dinah Shore gals sure know how
to have fun. In bikinis. Yeah, seriously.
26 Ask Fairy Butch The Fairy schools us
8
Contributors We've got some pretty
thoroughly on a super-hot topic.
68 Sapphic Screen Ah, the sweet taste
of revenge-all caught on camera in
these new girl-power flicks. Plus, feminist
filmmaker and activist Su Friedrich chats
about the biz.
new faces gracing our pages.
27· Lipstick & Dipstick Should a tried10 Letters Tell us how you really feel.
and-true lesbian uphold her dyke status
or try a guy? And why?
12 Out in Front Meet the latest queer
activists to catch our attention.
28 Astro Grrl Our resident astrologer
70 In the Stacks Rachel Pepper reviews
the latest and greatest lesbian lit, and
educator turned author Dorian Solot
teaches us about the big 0. Oh, and five
easy ways to indulge a cookbook fetish.
predicts that you'll read this column.
14 Curvatures Soccer babes, lesbofemme comics, MichFest and more.
74 Tech Girl These new gadgets make
30 Politics Victoria A. Brownworth's just
not down with misogyny, yo. Also, learn
about the ladies leading La Lucha.
16 Open Studio Glass artist Erika Brodie
shows her true colors.
your music sound better than ever. Plus,
you can take them with you.
18 Lesbofile Jane Pratt did not have sex
dykes behaving badly.
6
Icurve
~
~
her way to health, happiness and killer
abs. Time to get those hips shaking!
z
uf
a
a:
w
!:!:.
u
cc
z
66
Moennig talks about homelessness and
her new OurChart series, My Address.
J:
a:
<{
u
with that woman, she says.
22 Shane Speaks Out L Word star Kate
£Q.
(/)
0
76 I Tried It Ariane Conrad hula-hooped
32 Dyke Drama Michele Fisher's sick of
6
z
0
0
_J
Music Watch Margaret Coble rocks out
to the summer's hottest U.K. imports.
Also, a one-on-one with up-and-coming
alt-country chick Heather Janiga.
80 Top Ten Reasons We Love Michelle
Bolong This beautiful Cirque du Soleil
dancer has style, substance and a black
belt in tae kwon do.
~
w
!ci:
~
a:
0
z
_J
:::::>
~
Contributors
"My ex-girlfriend says that I've developed a sultrier
swagger to my step since starting to hoop;' says freelance writer ArianeConrad,
who penned "I Tried It" on
page 76. "The results of an inner transformation? Sure.
Also, though, according to my chiropractor, the hoop
is bringing more circulation to the mass of scar tissue
around an old hip injury of mine:' In any case, the
nearly daily practice is bringing much-needed balance
to the mostly computer-bound life of this nonprofiteer, writer and editor. Conrad's work appears in a forthcoming anthology Tipping
the SacredCow,published by AK Press. She recently finished editing the writing of
prison-system and green-jobs activist Van Jones for The VanJonesReader.Always
seeking further balance for her terribly serious pursuits, you'll find her hooping in the
desert later this summer at Burning Man 2007. Scantily clad, yes.
"I love what I do;' says freelance writer DaveSteinfeld.
"I just wish I could pay my rent:' Originally from
Connecticut, he has lived in the increasingly expensive
city of Manhattan since the '80s. At the moment,
Steinfeld contributes to a diverse group of radio
networks and magazines. In the last two years, he has
written about R&B for Essence,folk music for Sing Out!
and punk rock for Death + Taxes,among other publications. "If it's good music;' he says,"I enjoy writing about
it:' On that note, he is very happy to be contributing his first piece to CURVE, on the
hot new Toronto-based band the Cliks (page 50). "Meeting the Cliks was a positive
experience in more ways than one;' says Steinfeld. "In addition to getting to see and
talk to a talented new band, I learned about the transgender community, which,
admittedly, was not something I knew much about before:•
BI curve
"Being a passionate animal-rights advocate, I was
delighted to interview rock legend Chrissie Hynde;' says
Aussie-born, London-based freelance journalist Katrina
Fox,of her interview on page 52. "When she took time
out of her recent tour with the Pretenders to promote
a campaign for People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals, I asked her if she'd help me in my quest to turn
the queer community vegan by sharing her thoughts on
animal rights and meat eating and was thrilled when she
said yes!"Fox's work has appeared in various publications, including Diva and Nexus.
She currently writes predominantly for LGBT media, including Australia's national
lesbian magazine, LOTL, and has a regular weekly column, "Keeping Abreast;' in SX
magazine. Fox is also the editor of two books on sex and gender diversity; a third by
Haworth Press is due out later this year. A self-described "high-femme militant vegan;'
Fox enjoys combining a sense of camp and glamor with cruelty-free living. Visit her
online at katrinafox.com.
"Su Friedrich's first feature, The Ties That Bind, had a
massive impact on me and completely changed the way
I looked at social responsibility, motherhood, daughterhood and the home;• says writer SaraSchieron.
"If
traditional documentary was stalwart, unquestioning
authority, feminist documentary saw fit to undo that
impersonally arrogant view of' truth: Once I saw Ties
and learned there was more out there, it was clear that
feminist documentary was going to change film for me:'
A journalist and film studies instructor from California's South Bay Area, Schieron's
interview with feminist documentary icon Su Friedrich appears on page 69. Schieron
has reviewed films and interviewed filmmakers for publications such as the San
FranciscoBay Guardian,ReleasePrint magazine and Box Officemagazine.
Letters
Wedding Belles
Thankyoufor your
article,"Goingto the
Chapel"(Vol.17,#4).
Yougaveanexcellent
smattering
of couples
frommanydifferent
states;however,
I was
wondering
whya couplefromMassachusetts
wasnotamongthose
featured.Beingthat
mywifeandI arefrom
Massachusetts
and
knowingwhata long,
arduousroller-coaster
ridewe enduredto
finallyhavethis right,
we reallymissedthe
factthatourstate
wasnotrepresented.
Perhaps
cuRvE
would
beinterested
in doing
a regularfeaturehighlightingmorecouples.
I believeothersneedto
hearthestoriesof why
peopledecideto tie
the knot.Somein our
LGBTcommunity
just
don'tcareabouthaving
thesamerightsand
benefitsas heterosexualcouples,sothey
don'tpushin theirown
states.Manyarejust
happyto acceptthat
theyhavea ceremony
to declaretheirloveand
promiseto oneanother.
Evenif theyfeelthis
way,it is importantto
supportequalitysowe
arenotsecond-class
citizens.- Christina
Huber-Regele
andMary
EllenRegele,
Worcester,
Mass.
10
I curve
What were you thinking,putting MichelleRodriguezon the
cover(Vol.17, #4)? The woman
is ashamedof her sexualityand
now is tryingto get back intothe
closet.How sad and pathetic!"
-Breanna, via e-mail
The Closet Controversy
I am writing in response to the article outing Michelle
Rodriquez. As a lesbian, I find it absolutely despicable that
your publication would do this to another human being without asking permission. It sets us back. We are human beings
first. It is magazines and writers like yourselves that give us a
bad name. I am disgusted with this community. I will never
read or purchase your magazine and will encourage other lesbian and gay people to do the same. How dare you do this to
people. You should be ashamed of yoursel£
- Anonymous, via e-mail
Editor'sNote:Ever sincePerez Hilton posted in his blog,in error,
that Rodriguez came out in our pages,we'vebeenfielding concerns
like yours. If you read the article,you will see that the author did
not, in fact, 'out" Rodriguez; rather, the articlestated both that
"Rodriguez has never publicly come out" and "Rodriguez has
said she is not a lesbian."After hearing rumors of her relationship with Kristanna Loken, then seeingher on the coverof CURVE,
many people like Hilton erroneouslyassumed that we published a
coming-outstory. However, beingfeatured in a lesbianmagazine
or being supportive of LGBT rights does not indicate a person's
sexuality. We would hope queerreadersknow this best.
The Revolution Will (Not) Be Breastfed
Are Rebecca Walker's sentiments revolutionary ("The
MommyTrack;'Vol.17, #4)? The feminist movement doesn't
need to place a high premium on "women raising perfectly
healthy daughters:' The rest of the world already does that.
Oh, and the marker of"health" is that those healthy daughters
devote their lives to raising perfectly healthy daughters (and
sons) of their own. Raising kids is a very important thing to
do, but I am wary of anybody who sees maternal desires as
intrinsic to womanhood.
- Elizabeth Cukor, Richmond, Va.
Just Say No
Regarding the advice Lipstick gave Tense Terry regarding
Denise (Lipstick & Dipstick, Vol.17, #4): this is a very delicate
situation. Never advise, "Now light that fucker and take a hit"
and never advise taking a drink. This is very, very bad advice.
People are asking you for advice. Take it seriously.
-Liezl Siojo,Long Beach,Calif.
Dipstickresponds:
Lipstick, I told you we'd be in trouble.Now
I'm afraid our editor will insistyou go to rehab.
Lipstickresponds:
I've got one wordfor you both: humor. Why
don't you take that heavy coat of seriousnessoff and stay for a
while?My comical bend on the issue, one which I agree can be
very serious (I don't live in a vacuum), was meant to make you
smile,not cringe.If Ann Landers had advisedthe same, it wouldn't
have beenfunny and your complaintwarranted.But I'm not Ann
Landers, I'm Lipstick, and I poke a lot of fun and get myself in
trouble.Besides,with all the negativityin thispsychoticworld-like
terroristattacks and melting ice caps-isn't spontaneouslaughter
what people need?
Photo Most Foul
I was just reading the latest issue and am stunned by the tasteless and unneccesary photo of fake blood around a bathtub
drain that accompanies the disturbing news piece on the murder of Priscilla Pimentel ("Murder Most Foul;' Vol. 17, #3).
What possible explanation-other
than perverse titillationcould you offer for mocking up a death scene "visual" to accompany a real story about a gruesome murder? Did you think the
graphic description of her unspeakably violent death was not
adequate for your readers to conjure up horrifying images of
their own?
- Jen Kern, Washington,D.C.
Got Something on Your Mind?
E-mail letters@curvemag.com; write to CURVELetters, 1550
Bryant St., Ste. 510, San Francisco, CA 94103; fax to 415-8631609. Please include your name, city and state. Letters may be
edited for clarity and length.
Corrections
In our May issue (Vol. 17, #4), we misspelled the following
Web address: thesimplyweddingscompany.co.uk. In "Going
to the Chapel" (Vol. 17, # 4), Carla Pfeffer is from Belleville,
Mich., and J.C. Ransom is from Traverse City, Mich; Pfeffer
brought the cherry pies to Ransom's doorstep; and the fourth
couple is Nicole Gagnon and Jenn Novesky. In our June
issue (Vol. 17, #5), the Joan Nestle interview was written by
Stephanie Schroeder. CuRVE sincerely regrets the errors. ■
She Walks the Walk
Lesbian Life Coach
You should never underestimate the power of
a soccer mom.
For almost two decades, she re-engineered
business processes and implemented com pany-wide Web technology solutions for the
Fortune 500.
Today, PaulaGregorowicz
is a personal
coach. Through one-on-one consultations,
Gregorowicz assigns work sheets, reading selections, visualizations, experiential
exercises and more to help clients look inside
themselves and develop unique strategies to
achieve their business-and life-objectives.
Ironically, JennifeSchum
r
aker's
four children are involved with little league, swim team
and band practice, but none have ever played
soccer.
"I lifted that handle for myself because
people have this vision of a soccer mom;' says
Schumaker, a 40-year-old out LGBT rights
activist living in Escondido, Cali£ "I wanted to
get people's attention and let them know that a
lesbian mom is as much a mom as anyone else:'
Schumaker spends her life letting people
know. Last year, she embarked on a two-month
solo walk from San Diego to San Francisco
to bring attention not only to LGBT civil
rights, but to all those who feel marginalized.
Stopping people along her daily 10-mile route,
Schumaker talked to anyone she could engage
about how all people are interconnected.
"People really responded to me;' she says.
"Straight people were waiting ... [to] talk to
someone like me:'
Recently Schumaker faced off with the Boy
Scouts of America, where she couldn't be a den
mother because of the group's policy forbidding gays.
"Well, I mean, of course I could have lied,
and then they would have let me participate;'
says Schumaker, "but I find that just a little
ironic:'
Schumaker, who is engaged to Jamie Leno
Zimron, sister of Calif. state assemblymember
Mark Leno, promises an upcoming book and a
cross-country walk. - Sheryl Kay
Are you or do you know of a woman
on the front lines activism?
Writeua at letteraOcurvemag.com.
12
Icurve
As she was transitioning out of corporate
America and trying to handle the mental shift
from employee to business owner, Gregorowicz
herself turned to personal coaches.
The concept of coaching isn't new, but
Gregorowicz has personalized her company,
specializing in work with lesbians. She biogs
about her work at coaching4lesbians.com.
"I believe you shouldn't have to fear being
judged, or have to explain your personal life
or stress about coming out when you work
with a coach;' Gregorowicz says. "I work with
women on how to be comfortable in their own
skin anytime, anywhere, and [for] lesbians I
feel this really hits home, whether you choose
to live in or out of the closet:'
Being a gay woman, she says, gives her
needed insight and creates a comfortable
atmosphere for her clients.
"The women who work with me know
there's no unspoken elephant in the room;'
she says.
Gregorowicz says there's been no negative
feedback from her straight colleagues. In fact,
several have come to her wanting to know more
about the specific challenges lesbians face that
most people don't think about. And yes, she
happily coaches them, too. - Sheryl Kay
Sex and Death
Performance artist Pandora
Scootecalls
r
herself a "queermamasapien:'
"It means I'm queer-dyke, bi, omni, pan,
hetero, trisexual, all of the above-I'm a mom,
and I'm a human;' she explains,"and that's what
you need to know about me to know whatever it
is you want to know about me:'
Her candor, creativity and high energy are
evident in her provocative yet tender presentations, and her message is constant: Accept
yoursel£ whoever you are today.
Scooter gets her point across to her audiences
in hip-hop-inspired poetry, song and comedy.
The past three years have brought her national
acclaim with her two solo performances: Fear
Junkie: An Exploration of Fear, Consumerism
and Why I Sleep with the Lights On and
Samuraization: One Woman Learns to Have Her
Sushi and Eat It.
Her newest piece, still in development, is
called TheMommy Project: TheReal Poop on
Parenting, a spoken-word solo show about the
art of raising kids. She says she sees it as the
"antidote to Hallmark and Madison Avenue,
which tell us that parenting is all happiness and
gratitude, when really there's a pile of struggle,
pain and exhaustion in that mix, too:'
Community is key to Scooter, and she's
been known to sell her merchandise at her
performances on a sliding scale to accommodate
everyone'sfinancial situation.
Mommy project aside, much of Scooter's
work revolvesaround that three-letter word we
all seem to love:"sex:' She says it's a great way to
get the audience'sattention.
"I think we need to talk about sex a lot more
than we do;' says Scooter."Sex and death. Really.
Both. We need more fluency about both topics in
our culture:' - Sheryl Kay
~
NEWSWIMSUIT
SURFINGLESSONS
HOTGIRLFRIEND
(TAN LINES OPTIONAL)
ORBITZTLC
AlertsOrbitzTLC
Introducing
yourentiretravelexperience.
WhenyoubookonOrbitz,we'relookingoutfor youthroughout
like
travelinformation
Alertswithup-to-the-minute
Signupto receiveexclusiveOrbitzTLC
do arise,our
If problems
andgatechanges.
potentialweatherdelays,flight cancellations
travelexpertsarereadyto assistyou24/7.
a littleTLCwhenyoutravel?
Don'tyoudeserve
Curvatures
Is the Michigan Debate Over?
Lesbian Kiss
FromBoundto Buffy,
lesbiankissesin media
havealwayspiqued
ourinterest.Nowthat
Courtney
CoxArquette
hasbecomethe latest
Arquetteto garner
a Sapphicsmooch
(albeita boringone),
whoranksamongyour
hottestlesbiankiss?
Inclusion of transgender women at the Michigan Womyn's
Katherine
Moennig Music Festival has been a hotly debated issue for more than 15
andRosanna
Arquette years. Last year signaled a step toward resolution.
(above)in TheL Word
First, a brief history: In 1991, a woman named Nancy Jean
Rosanna
Arquetteand Burkholder was escorted off festival land because she was transHollyHunterin Crash sexual. After Burkholder's ejection, a policy that permitted only
"womyn-born womyn'' access to MichFest was retroactively
Courteney
CoxArquette
announced, and even postoperative male-to-female transgenandJenniferAniston
der
women were banned. Camp Trans, an annual pro-trans
in Dirt
woman activist event (camp-trans.org) held across the road from
AlexisArquetteand MichFest, began in 1994. For critics, the"womyn-born womyn''
JenniferTillyin Brideof
policy has become symbolic of trans women being frequently
Chucky
discriminated against within the lesbian community and being
PatriciaArquetteand excluded from women's spaces as diverse and vital as domestic
EllenDeGeneres
in violence shelters and community centers.
Goodbye
Lover
In 2006, Lorraine Donaldson, an out trans woman and
Camp Trans rep, was admitted to MichFest. "I declared myWhaddya
think? self as an out-of-the-closet trans woman at the gate;' she says.
Letus knowat "They informed me that there was an expectation that anyletters@curvemag.com.
one who bought a ticket would not be trans. I informed them
Yourresponse
just that I violate people's expectations every day, and that many
mightmakeit intoour women do. They said 'OK,' and sold me a ticket:' Shortly afnextissue. ter Donaldson's entrance, out trans woman Emilia Lombardi
facilitated a discussion at the festival on the newly retired policy.
"For the first time in years;' Lombardi says, "trans women were
part of the conversation:'
Soon after, though, MichFest management issued a press release stating that "the festival remains a rare and precious space
intended for womyn-born womyn:' Activist Jessica Snodgrass
says, "Festival management would rather erase the history of
our struggle than admit that times have changed ... :•
MichFest founder Lisa Vogel declined to comment for
this article, but directed us to a 2006 press release, in which
she states, "If a trans woman purchased a ticket, it represents nothing more than that womon choosing to disrespect
the stated intention of this festival:' But an intention and an
official policy are different, critics say. At no point in the press
release does MichFest ban trans women from attending, and
numerous MichFest attendees-including
the trans woman
advocacy group, Yellow Armbands-are
supportive of trans
women attending festival. Policing the womyn-born womyn
policy hasn't been easy. A 2001 MichFest handout promised
attendees that "no womon's gender will be questioned on the
land .. . Butch/ gender-ambiguous womyn should be able to
move about our community with confidence that their right to
be here will not be questioned:' But it too reinforced that their
policy "may mean denying admission to individuals who selfdeclare as male-to-female transsexuals or female-to-male transsexuals now living as men:'
So how are lesbian supporters of trans women encouraging
people to respond now that they say MichFest management has
asked trans women to ban themselvesf
Lina Corvus, Camp Trans 2007 representative, says"[We support] the efforts of groups like Yellow Armbands to work from
within to change the atmosphere of the festival.... [Camp Trans]
will remain activepromoting a spirit of tolerance and respect:'
Donaldson herself will be back at fest with YellowArmbands
this year, and she also encourages people to check out Camp
Trans. "There are ways to move forward that are respectful for
all the women involved, that are good for Camp Trans and good
for MichFest:' - GD
i::-·
en
w
u.
I
()
~
z
aa:
::J
ID
<(
z
0
~
w
0
en
w
0
~
z
~
l-
All About Michigan Womyn's Music Fest
a.
~
~
CJ:i
en
en
Despite the trans controversy, Michigan Womyn's
Music Festival (Mich Fest to attendees) has been a
CURVATURES
WRITTENBY preeminent women's gathering, offering community,
safety and solidarity (and rocking music) since 1976,
ArianeConrad,
when
it was founded by then 19-year-old Lisa Vogel
AzaniaBaker,Sheryl
Kay,MyraLaVenue, with her sister Kristie and Mary Kindig. Musicans
LesleySeacrist, themselves, they wanted a feminist alternative for
DianeAnderson- women in the music scene. For decades, it's been
Minshall,
Jaime
built, staffed and run by women and has launched
Roca,GinaDevries
the careers of notables like Tracy Chapman and at-
14
I
curve
tracted hot indie performers like this year's roster,
which includes Stacyann Chin (left), Bitch, and
God-des & She. It's because Michigan is so iconic
of the ideal feminist experience that many trans
women want to attend. Though the costs can be
steep for a week (up to $480, though sliding-scale
rates exist), a week at MichFest is seen, in some
dyke circles, as a queer rite of passage. But, whether this rite is a, well, right is still up for debate. For
more info, see MichFest.com. - DAM
~
g
~
dw
~
~
I
~::J
<(
I
()
~
_J
::J
~
Fightingfor Her Family
If you think a nine-time world champion kickboxer fights a tough
fight, you should meet the daughter of one. Raised by her champion mother, Ramona, and her mother's partner, Arzu, Marina
Gatto had to deal with not only general societal prejudice but
sometimes fierce taunting by local neighborhood kids, all because
she has two moms.
"I grew up with constant vandalism ... to our house, our cars
(and our] property, and constant threats;' says Gatto, now 18 and
a freshman at UC Berkeley."People threw rocks and fireworks at
us while yelling 'dykes, faggots, burn in hell:"
Luckily for Gatto, her moms were loving,doting parents who cultivated a tight-knit family of friends. Together, they supported her as
she grew up and helped her cultivate an incredibly strong self image
while nurturing her powerful desire to advance LGBT rights.
At age 14, she was already developing a national reputation for
speaking out on behalf of the LGBT community and appeared on
a Nickelodeon television special with Linda Ellerbee and Rosie
O'Donnell, tided My FamilyIs Different. That same year, 2003,
she was the youngest grand marshal in the history of the San
f
~
a:
w
::j
~
J
5
w
a:
:::>
(.)
w
J
(.)
~
~
. zw
~
~
J
w
z
z
ct:
:x:
(.)
u:::
c3
~
a:
:::>
t-
z
zw
a.
c§
z
~
~
Francisco LGBT Pride Parade.
Even through high school, Gatto worked on more than half
a dozen legislative bills regarding various LGBT and other civil
rights issues, confronted White House officials in Washington,
spoke at schools, appeared on numerous TV shows, achieved
National Honor Society status and even played varsity soccer.
Last summer, Gatto was honored with the Hispanic Heritage
Award, one of the most prestigious recognitions of Latinos in the
United States.
It was an especially important honor for Gatto because, she
says, "They are recognizing that as a young_Latina leader who is
also an LGBT rights leader, my work fighting for the rights of my
community, the LGBT community, is important and viral:'
And by the way, yes, Gatto is asked all the time, and no, she is
not a lesbian, just a lesbian activist. Her current significant others?
"The Latino Pre- Law Society, the Undergraduate Political
Science Association and the Issues Committee, the Peer Review
Board for the dorms, and BAMN (By Any Means Necessary],
which is currently organizing a march on Washington in support
of affirmative action and desegregation;' she says. "My work takes
a lot of time, but someday I'd like to find a special someone, and
that person would have to be as dedicated and passionate about
Kristanna Loken
Sarah Silverman
"First thing would have to be a really hot woman!
Someone very physically fit with big luscious lips
and a nice ass. A female version of MacGyver
would be hot." >> Kristanna Loken, on what
she would want if stranded on a desert island,
to Passport
"I don't want this government to be any part of our
love, so I have no interest in getting married. What
makes it less wrong than when interracial marriage was illegal? It's fucking barbaric.,; >> Sarah
Silverman, to The Advocate
"I love Eartha Kitt's Catwoman. She's now 80 years old
and still singing and wearing a velvet catsuit, so
she's my hero.">> Vanessa Williams, to
Entertainment Weekly
"I have always been really grateful that I wasn't in the
closet, and I didn't have to spend so much energy
concealing, because it really does change the
integrity of your work. And when you see somebody perform and then they come out, you just
see a freedom ... there's a certain freedom and
power in regaining your authentic self.">> Kate
Clinton, in The Bottom Line
the fight for equality and justice as I am:' - SK
July/ August 2007
I 15
Erika Brodie
IGLASS ARTIST I
Erika Brodie has electric rainbows flowing through her blood. A self,trained glass artist, Brodie, 29, discovered her passion for
color after
dyeing her sister's and brother's hair while growing up in Monroe, Mich.
'J\fter coloring hair and having so much fun with it, I realized you can't paint hair and have everyone be satisfied;' Brodie says.
"I took
the color back to my roots, literally, and began.drawing and painting again:'
Brodie channeled her innate creativity and began experimenting with various techniques
and mediums before settling on glass as her favorite, for its frailty and flexibility.To construct
her one,of,a,kind creations, she adheres glass to molds painted the day before, completing
each piece with a clear coat. "The great thing is that they have the appearance of stained glass
but are more diverse [because) you can do more with it;' Brodie says.
Her biggest sellers are vases and candleholders, but Brodie displays her art in its various
forms at several Michigan galleries. Her most recent work, titled "Picking up the Pieces;' was
largely inspired by the Virginia Tech shootings in April. "I wanted it to be uplifting and magi,
cal and full of hope;' says Brodie, who describes the piece as "fairies flowing with the planets,
which are o.ff,kilter:' "Picking up the Pieces" and some of Brodie's other glass pieces, photo,
graphs and paintings are also featured on Artwanted.com.
The kaleidoscope of Brodie's work is diverse and vivid, expressing her passion for the
diversity of life. "Happiness is something different to everyone, [and] my art is my happy
place;' she says with a smile. - Asiana Ponciano
16
Icurve
Curvatures
Babe Basics
Babes Kicking Balls
players and goofy names for the tournament divisions. Keeping with the
Gay Games program, they included
an opening ceremony to kick off the
tournament.
FOB has come a long way from
that humble inaugural event, lovingly
described by participant Julie Johnson
as her "first lesbian Christmas:' After
years of being the host city, San Francisco
passed the ball to Vancouver. FOB has
since also been held in Portland, Ore.,
and in Seattle. Co-founder Millie Supple
reflects, "It grew year by year into what
a Halloween, slash
it is now-almost
Gay Pride, slash Burning Woman soccer
event-that now has to tum teams away:'
The nightly FOB parties are usually
held in clubs around the host city and
Imagine a gathering of 300 queer women who play soccer by
day, dance together at night and, through it all, celebrate each
other and sportsmanship. We live in a time when many lesbians still stay closeted just to make a sports team, when NCAA
coaches make news for resigning after allegations of harassing their lesbian players. Homophobia in sports is still quite
prevalent, but not all women are willing to hide who they are
while they play the sports they love. Every Labor Day weekend
since 1991, a lesbian soccer tournament has
brought together women who love women
and love the game. It's called Festival of the
Babes, FOB for short, and it's publicized pri-
:J'
~
(/)
a:
I
~
UJ
:::i
z
UJ
~
<(
a:
>~
uf
~
(!)
Cl)
Q.
~
~
t-
a:
I
(!)
z
3:
~
a:
0
z<(
feature entertainment, such as skits, drag king performances
and go-go dancers. Countless numbers of couples have met at
these parties, and the atmosphere is much more intimate than
a Pride party filled with strangers. The parties from the 13th
FOB still resonate with bar owners in Portland four years later:
Bartenders were swarmed, they ran out of some liquors, and
the Saturday-night venue was packed. (The impact of 300 funseeking soccer players cannot be described, only experienced.)
Whocomesto FOB?:
lesbians
Soccer-playing
andwomenwillingto be
for lesbians
mistaken
Playersperteam:12
Gamesperteam:Four
(fiveif youmakethe
finals)
24
attendees:
Lesbian
teamsmadeupof 288
soccerplayers,plusall
thosefans
Playerscomefrom:
Oregon,
California,
Vancouver,
Washington,
andanywhere
Canada
that lesbiansplaysoccer
marily by word of mouth.
"We thought up FOB as a tournament
that would welcome and celebrate the participation of lesbians in the soccer community. It was about challenging homophobia in
sports and creating an environment in which
lesbians could be comfortable expressing
themselves;' says Alexa Wilkie, one of the
founders of FOB.
Babes began in 1991 after a San Francisco
lesbian soccer team, the Follies, returned
from the 1990 Gay Games in Vancouver, reveling in all the gay athleticism. The following spring, the Follies
played in a soccer tournament at the gay and lesbian Seattle
Sports Festival. The founding organizing committee, known
as the FOB Squad, left that event knowing they could put on
their own tournament and do an even better job. With very
little time to prepare, they each chipped in $100 to cover costs
and pulled together an eight-team tournament in San Francisco
that Labor Day weekend. They thought of ways to make FOB
fun and less focused on competition than other soccer tournaments. There were special "strip soccer" rules, costumed
Anannualseven-onsevensoccerfestival
heldby lesbiansfor
lesbiansoverLaborDay
weekend,FOBfeatures
anopeningceremony,
in
teamsbedecked
nightlydance
costumes,
partiesandkudosfor
actingFOBly(fun-loving).
Anexampleof FOBliness
is writtenin therule
book:Anyteamleading
by morethanfivepoints
hasto removeanarticle
of clothingfor each
pointscored.
subsequent
Anotherlong-heldtradition is to kissthe referee
at theendof eachgame.
Pastteamnames:
Beaver
Babeticians,
TheBrides,
Believers,
Stunts,DVB,
Cunning
EvilPop
Dzunukwa,
Half
Tarts,TheGrooms,
Kitties,LumberDykes,
Troop69
PurpleHooters,
Sometournament
names:The
division
"FOB is a safe and special event for women who love women
The
Tops,TheBottoms,
to come, play soccer and get as outrageous as they want;' says • Switches
Megan McNeal, a festival virgin until 2006.
Supple says she's amazed that"what we started 17 years ago
is still going strong and can still bring so many lesbians from all
walks of life together. It is a true spectacle ... and I hope to hell
it outlasts me!"
This year's 24-team festival is themed "Barely Legal" and will
forFOBroChance
manceand/ornewFOB
friends:100 percent
Website:festivalofthe
babes.com
be held in Portland, Aug. 31 through Sept. 2. - ML
July/ August 2007
I 17
Curvatures
Lesbofile
The Stars Come Out to Play
This summer a few new players join our team-or
News of public outings, secret rendezvous and
nymphomania abounds! Gay, straight, let's call the
whole thing off.
Role Call
Trouble's been brewing on the set of Greys
Anatomy. The upheaval started when Isaiah
Washington
called co-star T.R.Knighta "faggot" on
set in a less-than-playful tone, amid rumors that
Knight was closeted. Knight eventually-and
unapologetically-came
out after Washington's
less-than-graceful comment hit the news.
Although Washington publicly apologized for
using the slur and began attending anger management courses, few in Tinseltown believed that the
mea culpa was sincere.
But there's at least one gay person in Hollywood
sticking up for Washington: actor TammyLynn
Michaels,
wife of rocker MelissaEtheridge.
"(H]e
is not a bad man;' Michaels wrote on her blog in
Rosie O'Donnell-like free form. "[I] forgive his
words/because truth be told/ i do not believe/
the word/faggot/lives in his heart:' Oh, really?
confess past membership.
I By Jocelyn Voo
"I have had lesbian experiences in the past," Fergie
said. "I won't say how many men I've had sex with,
but I am a very sexual person." Inspiration for her
lesbian role in Grindhouse, perhaps?
cc'
~
~
<(
0
~
...J
w
Because we beg/ to differ.
<(
I
()
~
That's So Jane!
uf
a
a:
Talk about a comeback. JanePratt,founder and
recently ousted editor in chief of the eponymous
female-forward magazine Jane, told the New York
Post, "One of my dreams is to return to Howard
[Stern]'s show and tell him the truth about Drew
Barrymore
and me:' Huh? Years ago, when Pratt
was a regular guest on Stern's radio show, she
admitted that she'd had sex with a woman before
but didn't drop names. Now Pratt, who has a 4year-old daughter with her longtime boyfriend,
finally opened up the can of worms: "It was someone famous. I did have sex with Drew Barrymore:'
Incidentally, Barrymore was the cover girl for
Jane's debut issue in 1997. But immediately after
the issue hit stands, Pratt denied the reports. "The
quote that was in (the Post] was not exactly what
I said;' she told Metro, a free daily newspaper. "I
wouldn't just bring it up out of the blue .... I didn't
say,'I had sex with Drew Barrymore' or 'I had sex
with a famous person' or whatever it says there:•
Backpedaling ... it's so Jane!
w
!:!:.
()
co
~
w
!;;:
~
cc
0
z
...J
::,
a:
~
w
~
()
hump" in the inanely worded guilty-pleasure song
"My Humps;' she's talking to both sides. Men
just aren't enough for the insatiable Fergie, who
has always been candid with the press about her
sexuality. Britain's Mirror reported that the singer
rebelled against her Catholic upbringing when
she hit legal age, going on a drug-and-sex binge
that would put Lindsay Lohan to shame. "I have
had lesbian experiences in the past;' Fergie said.
"I won't say how many men I've had sex with, but
I am a very sexual person:• Inspiration for her lesbian role in Grindhouse, perhaps?
Lovely Lady Lumps
When Black Eyed Peas' frontwoman Fergiesings
that she's going to get you "love-drunk off my
18 I curve
Setting the Record Straight ... Sort Of
Out magazine's "50 Most Powerful Gay Men and
Women in America'' issue recently hit newsstands,
with two not-quite-out celebs on the cover. CNN
anchor Anderson
Cooperand actor JodieFoster
stand as loud and proud as two allegedly closeted
figures can, ranking No. 2 and No. 43, respectively,
on their power list. Foster, who was Forbes magazine's highest-earning female actor in 2005 at $27
million, has long refused to talk about her private
life. Her biography, Foster Child, written by her
brother, Buddy Foster, says she and her three siblings were raised by their mom and her mom's lesbian lover, whom Foster was named after. Forget
that Silence of the Lambs Oscar: Some say her
longtime denial of the L-word has been her best
acting yet, but looks like Oat's not buying it. ■
~
a:
w
::.::
()
w
0
z
w
a:
a:
c3
uf
a:
0
~
1I:
a:
~
~
~
~
w
I
Cl)
<(
z
a
a:
5
Curvatures
More GLAAD Tidings
Real lesbians (as opposed
to women who play lesbians on TV) were few and
far between at the 18th
Media
annual GLAAD
Awards in San Francisco
on April 28.
Emcee Kim Coles, while
stunning, went on at length
about how she'd love for all
the gay men in the room to get married already,
so she could see which male specimens would be
left for her.
But no matter; the dykes who were in attendance did us proud.
Phyllis Lyon (minus her partner, Del Martin,
who was under the weather) received the Pioneer
Award for the duo's lifetime of activism on behalf
oflesbian rights, from their 1955 founding of the
Daughters of Bilitis and publishing of The Ladder
to their historic marriage in February 2004 at San
Francisco's City Hall.
Singer-songwriter
and longtime gay rights
activist Margie Adam
presented Lyon's award,
explaining that Martin
and Lyon, now in their
80s, have always been at
the vanguard of LGBT
activism and are now
turning their attention to
LGBT elders as well as to marriage rights.
'Tm not saying y'all have to get married;' clarified Lyon, "we just should be able to get married.
Before Del and I pass on, we'd like to see all of
equal members of this country
us-L,G,B,T-be
... of the world! Not second-class citizens anymore:• She received the only standing ovation of
the night, and brought tears to many in the room.
One attendee commented afterward: "See,
LA. gets the superstars. But in San Francisco, we
have substance:• - AC
Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Lesbian
Remember dressing up as your favorite character and forgetting that it was
make-believe-or hell, even knowing it wasn't make-believe? From Japan
to the States, the pop-culture phenomenon of "cosplay"-a blend of the
words "costume"and "play"-has meandered into clubs, events and everyday
life in a subculture photographer Elena Dorfman describes as "unpredictable"and 'open-ended:' In her new book, Fandomania:Characters& Cosplay
(Aperature), Dorfman examines the blurred realities of costume and fan-
TakeAmerica's
travel
favoriteLGBT
tasy. Her images are sharp against black backgrounds, and the gender-bending roleplay is queer, colorful and generally fantastic: From a schoolgirl named Matthew to Amarant Coral
of FinalFantasyIX, Dorfman's subjects are all just who they want to be. - JR
:::E
0
(.)
u..i
~
:::E
jjj
a:
~
(!)
z
z
zw
-,
w
~
July/ August 2007
I 19
Curvatures
Never Fear, Superles Is Here!
It's not a bird, a plane or even that bastion of heroism,
Superman. Nope, it's Superles, the Spanish,tongued
lesbo,femme from the hilarious premiere issue of *7717,
a collage of comic strip illustrations, historic LGBT facts
and realistically detailed erotica.
The magazine,size comic book guarantees "100 per,
cent aventura gay" (that means 'gay adventure"), and
that's exactly what it delivers. Using WMDs (Weapons
of Makeup and Dresses), Superles spars with an angry
butch, encounters an anti,gay,marriage mob and helps
a femme desperate to escape her boyfriend. Her clever
combat maneuvers will have you laughing out loud.
Real photos of celebs including Angelina Jolie and Kate
Moennig add an entertaining bonus to the comic-a sort
of Where's Waldo? with sexy stars instead of geeky car,
toon boys.
The overall tongue,in,cheek narration is a true
delight. Even if you're not bilingual, *7717 is fun to
check out if only for its delicious depictions oflesbians getting it on and Superles' exquisite form in her
violet,clad suit. - AB
4.. gtacg'sgocialsTips for a Jammin' July 4th
~1~
Celebrate
your independence
with
a barbecue straight from the heartland,
Texas style. Yee-ha!
Mix It up.
Start by inviting a few friends over. Ask them to don their
favorite western attire. Why not mix up the grub, too?
Keep it blazin' with Stacy's®Texarkana.Hot Pita Chips. Or
cool it down with Stacy's®SimplyCheese"' Soy Thin Crisps.
Stay Quenched.
Drink in the reel,white and blue, with
homemade soda coolers. Add your
favorite fruit juice to any sparkling
beverage to create a colorful treat.
Cool off Inside.
When it's time to come in from the
blazing sun, don't lose that western
spirit. Pop in your favorite campy,
classic western DVD and grab some
Stacy's®Pita Chips.
Visit ~tac-gs~nacks.com
20 I curve
~tacg's Guacamole
Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados, peeled and mashed
I jalapeiio pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons tightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of I lime
I tablespoon red onion, chopped
Salt to taste
1-2 tablespoons chopped bacon (optional)
Tomato, chopped with seed removed (optional)
Directions:
Combine avocados with
jalapeiio, cilantro, lime
juice, and onion. Add
salt to taste. Garnish
with or mix in bacon
and tomato if desired.
Serve with Stacy's®Texarkana
Hot Pita Chips for dipping.
lJJ
~
0
z
w
a:
en
lJJ
0
C0XJ7Slal:¥'s
Pia 0.., ~.
n:.H nq,asanainadlll1inautesy ctSia!:¥'•
Pia0.., ~-
lJJ
U9edwillpanission.
0
a:
lJJ
~
I call this position
"U pwa rd-Facing
Pita Chip:'
Curvatures
"*
.. '\:
~.u
..
••
r
..
~
Las Vegas
Lesbians
Shane Speaks Up for Youth
The L Word's Katherine Moennig talks about teen homelessness.
When the new social-networking site
OurChart.com was launched by a handful of powerful women from The L Word
(including creator Ilene Chaiken and
actor Leisha Hailey), some expected it to
be merely another place for fans to gather
and discuss the hit Showtime dyke drama.
Turns out it's much more than that, with
some of the most innovative and original
lesbian programming coming down the
pike as well as an audience so vast it tops
other lesbian-centric sites, says OurChart
president Hilary Rosen. We chatted with
L Word star Katherine Moennig (aka
Shane) about her fascinating multi part
documentary, My Address: A Look at Gay
Youth Homelessness, just one of the Web
site's new series that promises to make an
impact on lesbian culture.
If youdon'thaveplans
for theweekend
after
July4, or you'realready
thinkingof takingyour
ownVegasvacation,
a groupof queerLas
Vegastravelpromotershastheanswer:
GayDays& Nights
LasVegas,
a series
of eventshappeningJuly4 to July7.
(Getit? 07-07-07,a
luckynumberin Vegas
we hear.)Amongthe
tentativehighlightsas
of presstime:Cirque
du Soleilshows(trythe
Now airing on OurChart.com, My Address follows
lesbo-erotic
Zumanity Moennig as she meets and spends time with LGBT teens
for sure),a special who have experienced homelessness. With her usual craggy
VIPreception
with
togs, stocking caps and cigarettes, Moennig fits right in with
performersspecial
,
the young adults and teens whom she meets. She never comes
packages
at ParisHotel,
across as a Hollywood star, but more like a concerned older
a hotlesbianpartyat
sibling who understands and shares their pain.
GirlBarLasVegas,
and
"I wanted to have a real conversation with these kids where
additional
lesbo-centric
they
felt comfortable talking about these really difficult and pertouropportunitiefrom
s
sonal
issues;• Moennig says."I think very few people really listen
ThanksBabs.com
and
to
what
these kids have to say:'
LasVegasandMore.com.
Moennig does more than
Formoreinfo,visit
GayDaysandNights.com.listen, though. Each segment
-DAM
of the documentary follows an
individual through their day,
talking about what homelessness
means for them, how they got
where they are, and what other
folks-especially
queers-can
do to remedy the situation.
The doc sprinkles in factoids
(one in five trans kids will need
homelessness assistance at some
point) with sometimes startling
commentary from social-service
experts (did you know that
hundreds of beds are needed
for homeless queer or trans
kids in New York every night?),
but it's surprisingly nonpreachy.
Moennig lets the kids speak for
themselves. She says that though
the filmmakers relied heavily on
22
j
curve
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force report on LGBT
youth homelessness for recent statistics, the report itself wasn't
the inspiration.
"I was originally inspired to do this project after visiting a
gay homeless youth shelter in Los Angeles last year;' she says.
Incredibly committed to getting the message out about homeless queer and trans kids-despite her hectic filming and production schedule for The L Word-Moennig talks to anyone
who will listen about the issue. But, that doesn't mean she's
willing to answer for them.
So what does she want the American public to know about
LGBT teenagers?
"This is actually one of the
questions we asked the kids in
My Address. I think I'd rather
let them answer for themselves;'
she says humbly. Don't think she
doesn't have recommendations
for how average women can
help change the plight of these
LGBT teens, one of the more
underserved populations in the
country.
"There are several social service organizations dedicated to
serving LBGT teens, such as
the Hetrick Martin Institute (in
New YorkJ;'Moennig says. "You
can look into donating to or
volunteering at these organizations. It's also important to just
stay aware of the issue so that it's
not forgotten:• - DAM
1ii
f2
~
s>-::E
0
(.)
~
~
(.)
a:
:::::,
0
your
part of
a
e
b
s
tting u
ou for le
Thank y
nity.
commu
m/pride
wamu.co
ton
Washing
Mutual
Insured.
are FDIC
1 Former CURVE cover girl Megan Morris (left) and friend Courtney get comfy at the
Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center Women's Night in April 2 Ladies enjoy the Center's
Women's Night bash 3 A bevy of beauties at Women's Night 4 Burlesque troupe the Pinup
Girls mix up trouble at the Gay & Lesbian Center event 5 Girl Bar founders Robin Gans
(left) and Sandy Sachs (right) flank the Dinah Shore Week Pure WHITE Party perfomer
Lucy Lawless 6 Two lovely women get close at the Pure WHITE Party during Dinah Shore
Week in April
~
>-
0
-,
...J
c3
~
7 More sexy ladies at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Women's Night celebration 8
Dressed to the nines for Women's Night 9 Lindsay Marsak of here! Networks (left) with
cuRvE's associate publisher Sara Jane Keskula 10 Lucy Lawless, looking fabulous at the
Dinah Shore Week Pure WHITE Party 11 Katherine Brooks (right), with a fellow film~
maker friend, received the L.A.C.E. Arts and Entertainment Award on Women's Night
12 Actor Jane Lynch was host of the Center's Women's Night 13 CuRvE's director of
operations, Flo Enriquez (center), happily gets sandwiched by Cal Joy (left) and CURVE's
Monier Ziaian at the Pure WHITE Party 14 Founders of the popular L.A. women's party
Ladies Touch (from left) DJ Syrehn, MC Shay Shay, Vivienne Perez and Mi Amour spun
their magic at Women's Night
July/ August 2007
I25
Advice
Is She Cheating?
Isyourbeloved
littlepork
chopknocking
bootswith
someothersidedish?
Somewarningsigns:
Ask Fairy Butch
Start From Scratch
Dear Fairy Butch: I've recently become interested in
vaginal fisting. My lover has been trying to get her enHertechnological
tire fist in me, but she can only manage to get four finhabitsaredifferentShe
.
hasa newcellphone gers and part of her thumb inside. We're using Comfort
number
andconve- brand lube and a glove. I can take a large dildo, so I'm
quite used to being penetrated. I figure if someone can
nientlykeepsthecall
historydeleted.
take
a fist in the ass, I should at least be able to take
Shehas
a newIMscreenname: one in my vagina. I hear of women being fisted all the
"HotForDykeNookie."time. Any idea as to what the problem
might be? Shehaspassword- Frustrated Fargo Fistee
protecteher
d laptopand
hourlyerases
allInternet
Dear Frustrated: I am absolutely delighted that you have
history.
Shequickly
decided to broaden, or should I say widen, your horizons.
minimizethe
s computer
The thought of all you marvelous Heartland lassies out
screenthemoment
you
there
demanding your sexual fulfillment makes this former
entertheroom.
Midwesterner more than a little verklempt.
She'sbuyingsuspiLike any act performed for the sake of sexual pleasure,
ciousthingsfor herself.
Lingerie,
a sportySUV though, a goal,oriented approach in the boudoir is more likely
andJ-Lostylebutt
to produce frustration than orgasms. While exploring uncharted
implantsShe's
?
usually territory is often mystifying and understandably sends many
a
socheapthatshereuses left,brained gal straight
to the nearest compass, slide rule and to,
teabagsfourtimes.The
do list, resist: Sex is supposed to be fun.
lasttimesheboughtyou
Though a certain amount of technical
flowers,everyone
was
information is crucial in successful fist,
WangChunging,
but
ing,
focusing on the product rather than
nowshehasa platinum
the
process
will diminish the joy of either.
chargeaccount
with
Here
are
some
tips:
1-800-Buy-the-Skank1. You're using a glove. Fabulous. In
Flowers.com
Shehasnew"friends," addition to safer,sex protection, a latex glove provides a won,
whokeepheroutall
derfully smooth, slick surface which eliminates rough skin,
night Shehasnightly banishes unsightly hangnails and makes the
whole shebang
amnesia
asto where loads more aerodynamic. Wearing
a glove on your nonfisting
theydragged
her,blindpaw can also come in handy for stimulating your partner's clit
folded,andforce-fed
her
or anus while fisting.
tequilabodyshots.When
2. Even though you've gloved your love, na;ls are best kept
thetwoofyouruninto
filed
and short for this project, and for goodness' sake, remove all
yourgirl's"workfriends,"
jewelry
before you tak~the plunge. Attention Viva Glam femmes:
theyaresurprised
to
sexpert Carol Queen says stick cotton in the tips of that glove and
hearthatshehasa wife.
have the best of both worlds. For ultrasensitivity, you can put a bit
She'slostthatlovin'
feelingin bed. But
of water,based lube on your paw underneath the glove.
beware,
because
the
3. Speaking of that divine elixir, it's important to keep a
opposite
couldalsobe
water,based lubricant on hand, so to speak. Though Comfort
true.Suddenllittle
y, Miss
fits the bill just fine, some fisting aficionados do prefer a thicker
MissionaPosition
ry
has
lube for their sport, as it tends to do a better job staying put.
moremoves
thanthe
While the thinner products are ideal when you're going for
KamaSutraandseems
rate of speed, experimenting with the greater viscosity of thick
to be"somewhere
else"
water,based lubricants for fisting might be worth a try. Don't
duringthedeed,rightup
hesitate
to add more lubricant throughout the course of the
to thepointwhereshe
event;
it's
one good thing you can't get enough of.
callsyoubysomeone
4. So you're in a comfortable position and you're ready to get
else'sname.
-Kate Lacey
down to business. Make sure that you get yourself worked up
to a frenzy with the kinds of stimulation that you know will do
26 curve
the trick. Whether its nipple play
or pussy licking, hair pulling or butt
fucking, it's important to bring your body to a state of
high arousal with familiar activities before anybody goes push,
ing a fist in your direction.
5. At this point, your partner can begin to penetrate your
vagina with her fingers. Her palm should be facing your stomach
so that the thicker, more rigid part of her hand will be against
the perineum ( the flexible muscle between your cooter and your
ass) and not your pubic bone. It's important for her to pay close
attention to your body and apply a gentle, gradual pressure as she
slides more and more of her hand into your vagina. Meanwhile,
you can coordinate your response to her movements by fixing
the pattern of your breathing to the motion of her hand and
bearing down with your pussy muscles.
6. As her hand fills your cunt, it should narrow into a "duck''
shape, with the thumb tucked under, and the fingers drawn
around the thumb. From here, she can twist her hand into your
pussy until she is able to push through the ring of muscle at
the entrance of your cunt. Now her hand will ball up into a fist
inside of you, and you're off to the races. As you become accus,
Sex is supposed to be fun. Though a certain
amount of technical informationis crucial,focusing on the product ratherthan the process will
diminishthe joy of either.
I
to med to the sensation of having her whole mitt inside you, the
two of you can experiment with different sensations. Though
fisting can be an all,consuming adventure, don't forget the rest
of your body in the process. Free,standing toys like nipple clips
and strapped,on vibrators are great for no,hands action once
you get in the swing of things.
7. When you're ready to wrap it up, simply push your part,
ner's fist out with your pussy muscles as she slowly removes it
from your cunt. If your cunt appears unrelenting, have her use
her other hand to massage the muscles around her fist as she
takes it out.
8. Post,menopausal women and women who have had total
hysterectomies should take particular care before riding the
fisting bandwagon due to decreased elasticity. Male,to,female
transsexuals should avoid taking an entire fist, as surgically
constructed pussies are far less amenable to this activity.
So there's the scoop, pumpkin. Get the technical info by
all means; sexual knowledge breeds confidence and is vital in
and of itsel£ But forget about "correcting'' your "problems:' You
are absolutely fabulous regardless of whether you are able to
entertain two fingers or 10. ■
0
E,mailfb@fairybutch.comwith your queriesregardinglesbianlife,
sexualityand romance.
:I:
(.)
..J
r
a..
Lipstick & Dipstick
Advice
Am I Still Gay if I Do a Boy?
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I am a 23-yearold lesbian who has never been with a man.
My problem is that my best friend, a guy,
recently confessed that he has feelings for
me and asked if anything could ever happen between us. While initially I said, "No, of
course not," the idea was planted and now
I'm wondering what it would be like to be
with a man. I am concerned because I've
never had thoughts like this before, and I
don't know if this is really how I'm feeling
or just a curiosity thing. Would I be any less
of a lesbian if something physical happened
between us? - Concerned About the Cock
Lipstick:Of course not. Jump on board and go for
a ride. Just be clear that he shouldn't get his hopes
up, because you're probably not gonna like it.
Dipstick:Lip, I can't believe you're encouraging a
lesbian to sleep with a man.
Lipstick:Why not? Sexuality is complicated, and
that little jewel between our legs is its own connoisseur. If she's curious, single and has never done
it, what's the harm? I'm all for trying anything once
as long as it doesn't hurt, maim or poke anyone's
eye out. We don't all have to be gold stars like you.
Dipstick: I'm shocked right now. I had no idea
you'd sleep with a man.
Lipstick:Whoa, Dipthong! I'm giving advice, not
taking it. Besides, this tarnished star has already
been there, done that, and it's nothing to write
home about (sorry,Joe!). Shag him, CC!
Dipstick: It's a bad idea, CC, and you'll end up
regretting it. First of all, he's a good friend with
feelings for you, not a penis on a stick. Sleeping
with him to satisfy your curiosity is not cool. And
to answer your question, it will make }'OU less of a
lesbian. Only a select few of us are members of the
Gold Star Club. You should really think long and
hard-no pun intended-about giving up membership privileges.
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: I'm the perfect
daughter, perfect wife, perfect mother, with
a secret. I've known since my 20s that I am
0
::c:
(.)
a lesbian, but I was already married and
..J
:i:
Q.
pregnant, and I decided it didn't matter.
Wrong! Four children later, with a husband
who is a minister, I find myself in love with
a woman. My husband and I are not happy.
And in this small Southern town where we
live, this would make headlines. What do I
do? - Pretty Southern Belle
Lipstick:Why don't you beat your little town at
its own chit-chatty game, launch a PR campaign
and come out with flying colors? This, of course,
should be after you get a good lawyer and deal
with your husband's holy wrath. I heard of
this chick once who designed a
Web site for her coming-out,
loaded with a blog, a vocab
list and shots of her new
life as a lesbian On this
woman's site, there were
photos of her at Dinah
Shore, camping with a
bunch of dykes and, my fa,
vorite, on the isle of Lesbos
with a hot Greek goddess.
Opal
Dipstick: Lipstick, what
are you rambling about? Belle,
no one is perfect. You can bowl a perfect
game, get a perfect score on your SAT or grill a
steak to perfection, but you can't "be" perfect. Let
go of that ruse and coming out will be a hell of a lot
easier. Would you rather be perfect or happy? You
don't have to send out a press release to come out
of the closet. Start small. Tell a therapist first or a
friend. As a minister's wife, I'm sure you're already
an expert at the art of discretion. Kudos to Ellen
DeGeneres, but not everyone needs to come out
on the cover of Time.
Lipstick:Seriously Belle,you should also check out
Joanne Fleisher's book, Living Two Lives: A Guide
for Married Women Awakening to their Attraction
to Other Women and Carren Strock's classic book
Married Women Who Love Women. Both will help
you understand that you're not alone in this situation and should help you cope with the sadness
and guilt you might feel at leaving your children's
father in order to be true to yoursel£
Dear Lipstick and Dipstick: My partner of
three years has been acting strange lately.
She's been hiding her cell phone whenever
it rings, and she never shows up on time.
About two weeks ago, we went to see
Nickelback in concert. When we got there,
I saw her texting someone, so I looked over
her shoulder and saw she was writing to
a girl. I confronted her, and she told me I
was crazy. Later that night, when she was
sleeping, I looked at her phone and saw
another message from this girl: "Goodnight
Sweet Cheeks. Until then ... see you in my
dreams." I woke her up, and we got
into a fight. She said she had no
clue why this girl was texting her
and promised to tell her to stop
and that she really did love me.
Things were fine for a week, and
then a couple of days ago there
was another text from the same
girl. I work nights, and after I'd
been gone, I found a text on
her phone that said: "It meant
so much to me that you held
me in your arms all night. I
love you." Again, I confronted
her, and she swears there's nothing going on. I'm so confused and
hurt and not sure what to believe. I
need some good advice. - Cell Hell
Lipstick: Dayum, this is· tragic. And not only
because she's a big fat liar, but also because you're
letting her pin you up as the fool. But before I
go on, I have a question: Do lesbians really go to
Nickelback concerts? Anyway, this woman is a
conniving wench who should get a boot up her ass
immediately. Just like that song you Jove, it's not
like her to say she's sorry. Your only mistake was
handing her a heart worth breaking. Dump her,
and do it fast, Cell Hell. And before you go, flush
her phone down the toilet! I'm not kidding.
Dipstick:Lipstick is right about everything except
flushing the cell. Instead, grab it and text the girl
back, pretending to be your girlfriend. Call her
Sweet Cheeks, Babe and throw in a Snookums for
good measure. Butter her up and get her to admit
to the sexing we all know is going on. Then, from
your own phone, send your girlfriend this text message: FUB. She'll know what that means. ■
Ask us anything about sex, love or lesbians at lipstick
dipstick.com.
July/ August 2007
I27
Advice
Astro Grrl
Summertime Stargazing
Thoughts Cancer {June 22-July 23)
Sex:Thoughts of love and lust need to be expressed. Speak from
of love the heart and she will hear. But will she respond:' Career:Gal
pals help you out of a work-related jam. Don't be a tower of jelly:
and lust Summon your nerves of steel to make all the necessary
changes.
need to be Leo {July 24-August 23)
expressed Sex:Proud lionesses want to surround themselves with beautiful
objects all through the summer. No names, please! Career:
You
this month, make great strides in your career now. Will you seize the opportunity or just hang on by your tail:1Some things never change.
birthday
{August 24-Sept. 23)
girls.Speak Virgo
Sex:Virgos are especially sexy, charismatic and sensuous, and
fromthe you can charm just about anyone you want this summer. What
a nice change of pace. Hurry! Career:
What you think is true on
heartand the job may not be. Is someone trying to pull the wool over your
virgin eyes:1
she will
Libra {Sept. 24-0ct. 23)
hear.But Sex:
You have a secret admirer who is trying to plot ways of
willshe seducing you. Why ask why:1Just lie back and wait for her plot
to thicken. Career:
This summer, you are recognized for all your
respond? hard work and amply rewarded. Enjoy.
Scorpio {Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
Sex:Don't be surprised if a certain girlfriend turns into a lovergrrl this summer. Plan a few friendly get-togethers-let's see
who gets friendly and who gets dirty. Career:
Problems on the
job can be solved if you put your mind to it. Will you put your
mind to it or put it out of your mind?
Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 22)
Sex:You seem to attract a higher class of lover this summer, if
you want. Archers will have the pick of the litter-you're into
trash, right:1Career:
Excess confidence and a sense of entitlement
can sidetrack you on the job. But this is old news to you. Will
you give or take, take, take:1
Capricorn {Dec. 23-Jan. 20)
Sex:Travel and explore new vistas this summer. Who knows
who is waiting for you on the other side of the world:1You won't,
until you get there. Career:
Your financial picture may change
soon. Money comes and goes now. Let's hope it comes more
than it goes.
Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19)
Sex:Your sexual appetite grows and your eyes become too big for
your stomach. Aqueerians never know when enough is enough,
and that's great! Career:
You think a lot about doing, but you may
think more than you act. Don't let projects pile up. Maybe you
can delegate:'
2s
I
curve
Pisces {Feb. 20-March 20)
Sex:Guppies have that je ne sais quoi now. I don't know exactly
what that is, but be sure to share it with someone special. Career:
Luck explodes in your career and great, profitable transformations are possible. Take advantage, or don't complain!
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Sex:There is a steaming cup of coffee eyeing you from the next
cubicle. Prepare for a summer that sizzles with a new romance
on the job. But how hot do you really want your work java to
be? Career:
Time to put your lusty thoughts aside and set your
mind on making lots of money this summer. Then you can
afford to buy her love in the fall.
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Sex:Light, flirtatious fun can lead to much, much more. Things
can get very heavy for sapphic Bulls. But remember: the harder
they come, the harder they fall. Career:
Daydreaming on the job
can be hazardous to your health. Escape from the rat race and
daydream on the beach instead.
Gemini {May 22-June 21)
Sex:Cook up something delicious at home this summer. Invite
her over or invite her in. She will happily bring the spice. Career:
Grand-scale changes are possible in your career. Some may surprise you. Maybe early retirement's not so bad. ■
For more advicefrom the stars, visit our astrologer,Charlene
Lichtenstein,online at thestarryeye.com.
>~
<(
z
z
c3
-,
thi1t~,
cool off
with curve!
Uw &t,W-~
v
~~
f£4&ia!r
1 O issues for
$24.95!
□ 2 years (20 issues) for $34.95
□ New order
□ Renewal
C=f
ii@♦
□ 1 year (10 issues) for $24.95
•••••
NAME
ADDRESS
STATE
CITY
ZIP
E-MAIL
□
Check or Money Order
CREDIT CARD NUMBER
□
Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover)
EXP. DATE
SIGNATURE
of first issue.
Curve is mailed in a plain envelope. Send this form to: Curve, P.O. Box 17138, N. Hollywood, CA 91615-7138. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery
Offer expires 9/30/07 and is valid in the U.S. only. (800) 705-0070 curvemag.com PROMO CODE: SHRLB
CHUCM
Dyke Drama
Michele Fisher
Dyk~s Playing Dirty
Listen up, lezzies: Stop being so freakin' mean to each other.
F
or a time, I was the co-host of a gay radio program in Portland, Ore. It
was several years ago, long before it became cool to be gay in the Pacific
Northwest. (My sister claims it is pretty cool now, but I will have to take
her word for it, as I already did my time in God's country.) This really great
gay guy named Howie and I used to broadcast live on Sunday nights at 10
p.m. from our little run-down studio at a public radio station in one of the
seedier corners of the city. It was a live show, but our skits were prerecorded.
We would have our friends and other folks come in and read and act for us.
Once in a while we would be able to trap some minor celebrity into recording
something for us. Usually it was a'60s or'70s TV actor who was in town doing a shopping center opening or a local theater production. So when a real
live dyke comedian came to town and said she would record a sketch with us,
we were psyched. Not only did she act in one of our radio plays, afterward
she hung out with us in the studio for the whole day and went out for drinks
30
Icurve
with us that night. We were hoping that she would invite us to one of her
Friday or Saturday gigs, but she didn't. We were too broke to pay for tickets
but happy to always have the memories of our day with her.
On Sunday, we began the show with a live monologue and then moved
into the material we had recorded earlier. About halfway through the show,
the phones started lighting up. Usually we loved getting phone calls (except
the death threats, which were plentiful but screened out by a volunteer at
the station), but that night, our fans turned on us. The calls had one theme:
Why were we stealing Comedian X's material:' It seems that on Friday and
Saturday night, most of the material little Miss Homo Celeb presented at
her shows was stuff she had lifted from our studio earlier in the week when
she had recorded for us.
Talk about unfair! She stole our material and left us looking like thieves.
We tried to get a hold of her right after the show, but, no surprise, she
could not be reached. We told everybody who
would listen how we had been robbed and
abused by her, but nobody seemed to care. We
finally reached her and confronted her, but she
laughed and told us we had just learned a valuable lesson about show business. Within a week,
Howie and I realized that it was pointless to try
to set the record straight. She was famous; we
were peons who smelled of sour grapes. Had
she been a straight girl, the gay press would have
been all over her, but because she was a lavendermedia darling, a blind eye was turned in her
direction. (No, it was not Ellen DeGeneres.)
But while we re talking about unfairness,
DeGeneres makes me mad because she is as likeable as she is cute and successful. She just
makes it impossible for you not to like her,
which makes me want to hate her even more.
Even if she turned evil, nobody would care
because she is so fabulous.
It's kind of like that thing with poor Jennifer
Aniston. She is the sweet and wholesome girl next
door. Anybody who would dare steal her husband would surely be despised by the world for
generations to come. Uh, unless the other woman
is a goddess who spends her free time rescuing
orphans around the world from certain death.
Suddenly the public wondered why Aniston was
being so mean. After all, Angelina Jolie was saving the children, and if she needed an assistant,
the least Aniston could do was step aside and be
classy about the whole thing. Right:'
Totally unfair! But who is going to listen:'
I grew up watching women be hateful to
each other and cut my teeth in gay bars watching Crystal and Alexis cat fight on Dynasty every
a:
~
w
a:
~
w
z
a:
w
I
~
week, but I somehow always expect better of us dykes. I thought being part of
an oppressed subculture would make us behave better toward one another.
Ha! That kind of thinking leads to a rough landing in Realityville. Fact is,
we save our most lethal venom for each other.
Why else would the woman who dumped you because you were moving
too fast end up marrying some girl she met online the weekend before and
then have the nerve to invite you to the nuptials? Maybe you could pick up
the rest of your stuff you left at her place on the way to City Hall. Or maybe
you should just leave your old underwear and juicer at her apartment and tell
them those things are their wedding gifts.
I know a dyke who is stuck with a mean old Siamese cat that she is allergic
to and cannot stand. Not only did her crumb-bum of an ex leave her with a
mess of mysterious credit card debt, she left her with a disagreeable feline as
well. When we told her to dump that crazy cat back with its hateful mom, she
said she tried, but her ex had moved into a building that had a no-pets policy.
The injustice of it all.
I say we start rebelling against injustice wherever it exists, including our
own backyards.
The next time some girl who screwed you over asks to borrow a couple of
bucks, don't give it to her; tell her you're so sorry, but you just spent your last
dollar on a get-well card for her soul.
When that female who stood you up for a date ends up in the same club
and starts to chat you up again as if nothing happened, wouldn't it be appropriate for you to tell her to get the hell away from you unless she is going to give
you that meaningless sex you missed out on?
You are bound to run into that roommate from hell who let her cats crap
all over your stuff and then told everybody you were a biatch because you
asked her for the three months of back rent she still owed you. Instead of giving her some phony-baloney face-cracking smile, walk past her and then turn
around and tell her she has a cat turd stuck to the back of her pants.
I am not suggesting that you go out and find an axe to grind with every
dyke in town or strive to alienate yourself from the entire lesbian nation, I am
just telling you that sometimes you have a right to be angry, and your forgiveness should not be automatic just because the offender is a vagitarian.
Consider it a favor to another sister when you tell her that you are sore
about what she did to you. If she knows she is going to get schooled for her
misbehavior, she is less likely to try it on the next woman.
I am going to strive to take out my frustrations on the people who deserve
it rather than the people who will put up with it.
With that in mind, I say, shame on you, LD, for stealing from Howie and
me and making us look bad. Drug use isn't an apology; it is an excuse, so don't
even try it.
You, woman who started false rumors about me to cover up your affair,
don't even think about saying hi to me until you own up to your evil deeds.
And you, big old bull dyke who needed me to teach you how to ride a
motorcycle and then wouldn't let me ride it after you mastered it, you also did
me an injustice. Don't be surprised when I flip you off when you zoom past
me. I feel better already. ■
SAN DIEGO
L
G
B
T
PRIDE
UNITED
FOR
EQUALITY
Parade• Festival• Arts• Culture• Community
July
21 & 22
@ SanDiegoPride.org
foreventdetails
e-news
SignupforfreePride
t's_.II
~.~11111
~
cox-"~ @- 911'fl
~ Cl■■IIIUllHI ~~•).,re~
carve
reFnccH ._,,, ~
The,-
@rnEOLDGLOBE
..
youfaelln'llt?
inslilx:t
,.Y'!,.,C}
at&t
~~EV
aisempraEnergf
f-iWd
-~
-
-
;;:;
July/August 2007
I
31
Politics
VictoriaA. Brownworth
Excuse Me, I Am Not Your 'Ho'
The language of misogyny and ownership still runs rampant in popular music.
A h, summer. I hate it. It's not just the hot weather, nor
#-\is it the aesthetics-I've always thought that almost
everyone looks ghastly in the summer. No, it's the music.
Music isn't different in the summer than at other times
of the year. It's just that in summer, people feel they have
carte blanche to blast their music from cars, SUV s, stoops,
backyards, beach blankets, anywhere. I like music; I just don't
want to hear someone else's at top decibel. I especially don't
want to hear someone else's music insulting and demeaning
me at top decibel. I don't want to be called"bitch;' "pussy"and
"ho" while I'm in my backyard trying to relax.
Some dismiss the oppressive nature of how hip,hop
treats women, arguing that the lyrics are part of black cul,
ture.That line doesn't work for me. As Alice Walker noted
in Warrior Marks, "Torture is not culture."And believe me,
language that incites violence is torturous.
Back in April, there was a furor over shock jock Don Imus after he
called the Rutgers University women's basketball team, who had made it to
the Final Four, "nappy,headed hos:• Imus was eventually fired after spon,
sors withdrew their advertising due to the controversy. Imus, though, was
only repeating what many men of all colors say daily on the radio, TV and in
music: Women are bitches, hos and pussies.We are, according to much of popular
culture, the sum of our genitalia: nothing more, mostly less. While the Imus con,
troversy was in full throttle, three young men from the Duke University lacrosse
team who had been charged with allegedly raping a black dancer at a frat party
had the charges against them dropped.
The two events were linked in all the wrong ways. Both the Duke players and
Imus were called innocent victims of political correctness. Yet none of these guys
really were innocent. Imus had been dissing women, queers, people of color and
any other minority he could find words to defame for more than three decades.
And the Duke boys? The woman withdrew her complaint of rape against them,
but their own videotape of the events showed the boys calling the two women
they hired as strippers "nigger;'"ho;'"pussy"and other epithets. They wanted the
women to fellate and fake,fuck a broomstick. In short, they wanted to demean
the women as much as possible through sexual and racial means. One of the three
boys charged had also allegedly been previously involved in a gay,bashing inci,
dent. Innocent they were not.
Because the Duke boys and Imus are white, they received major media
attention. But as Juan Williams on NPR noted during the Imus controversy,
black shock jocks and DJs use similar language about women daily, and there's
little outrage. There are no protests by Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson about that
sexism. Of course, our culture holds the host of a politically charged radio show
to a different standard than rappers and other men in entertainment, but it's
time for us to take the language of misogyny seriously in all its forms. African,
American filmmaker Byron Hurt addresses this in his documentary Hip,Hop:
Beyond Beats and Rhymes, which debuted at Sundam:e to critical acclaim last
January. As Hurt proclaimed in an interview in Current, "I'd be in the car on the
way home, saying to mysel£ 'What am I listening to?' The stuff was blatantly
violent, misogynistic and homophobic. It became dear that the music I was
listening to needed to be challenged:'
32
Icurve
But people weren't asking Hurt
about his perspective on the Imus con,
troversy in April. Rather, proponents
argued that black radio hosts often said
the same things without complaint. Well,
Hurt complained. (So had Bill Cosby
and C. Delores Tucker.) Hurt's docu,
mentary vividly expresses all the things
I think about rap and hip,hop: that fine
music and once,great transgressive lyrics
have been co,opted into a woman,hating,
queer,baiting, macho message that dam,
ages all those who listen to it.
Words like "bitch" and "ho" are used
as violence.Words like "pussy"and "cunt"
should have a beautiful and sensual context (as in "I love your sweet pussy"), but
when these words are tossed out on the street, backed by a raging bass beat, they
are like fists pummeling every woman or girl who hears them.
These words and the way in which they are framed are incendiary to men, by
which I mean that when men and boys hear those words in the context of that
music, the message sent is one of ownership and property: As West Coast hip,
hop pioneer Too Short sings,"Now take my bitch, she won't complain about shit .
... It ain't hard to tell she belongs to me/I pimped her 15 years in this industry:'
The message isn't very subliminal; it outright states that rape is OK.
Don't think female rappers get it right, either. "The majority of their music
centers on the same damaging objectified descriptions of women espoused
by male gangsta rappers;• says Jessica Johnson, an African,American adjunct
professor at Columbus State Community College. What do you think the _
white Duke boys were listening to at the party for which they hired black strip,
pers? I'll bet it was rap and hip,hop. The major market for that music is men
and boys, of all colors, under 25, but the biggest buyers, according to NPR, are
white teenagers.
Studies have shown that people become inured to violence when they see it
on a regular basis and thus become less empathetic and even sociopathic. What
happens when people listen to violent lyrics repetitively? What happens when
a boy listens to music that says the only way he can be a real man is to "hit that
pussy" or "pimp that bitch?" There's a fine line between pushing and pushing a
woman until she relents to having sex with you and flat,out rape. A very fine
line. But when the message one hears constantly is to nail that bitch, fuck that
ho and hit that pussy, and when we see rap or hip,hop performed by artis~s
always grabbing their penises, where does that message lead? The answers
would seem obvious and yet, Byron Hurt is only one voice.
Collectively, we don't sound nearly as loud as the music blasting in my
neighborhood right now, where little boys and girls can hear it. Music that
they are growing up to, the back beat of their childhoods, telling one gender
that they can do what they want to women and girls and telling the other
gender that they are nothing but cunts and pussies, bitches and hos.
When it gets cold again, the music will stop-outside. But inside all the hous,
es in my neighborhood and all across America it will continue to send the same
vicious message.Until someone says,"Enough!" ■
WHY LESBIANS LOVE LA LUCHA
IN THE NEWS
EastCoastSwing
are
marriageadvocates
Same-sex
onthe EastCoast.
gainingmomentum
to SeattleGayNews,Rhode
According
PatrickLynch
IslandAttorneyGeneral
wrotein a Feb.20 memothatmarried
of thestate
employees
same-sex
shouldbeallowedbenefitsequivalent
to thosewithfederalmaritalstatus.His
memo,postedontheGayandLesbian
Website,
andDefenders
Advocates
states,"RhodeIslandwill recognize
in
marriages... performed
same-sex
as marriagein Rhode
Massachusetts
the unofficialstateIsland."However,
attorney
GLAD
mentis nonbinding,
KarenLoewytoldLawyersWeekly.
NewJersey'scivilunion
Meanwhile,
lawis a stepahead.SeattleGayNews
thatsinceFeb.19,New
reported
Jerseyhasbeenformallytreatingmarfromotherstatesand
riagelicenses
countriesascivilunionsin thestateof
NewJersey.
Q
z
:5
f-
a:
Q:..
en
0
w
I::!
z
<
<
J:
:r
Cl.
0
en
¢
a:
~
:::i
~
:.:::
(.)
~
en
~
5
~
a:
w
J:
Cl.
~
en
a:
J:
(.)
"Don'tAsk,Don'tTell"UnderFire
Withthe MilitaryReadiness
Marty
Act,Congressman
Enhancement
is lookingto repeal
D-Mass.,
Meehan,
theU.S.military's"don'task,don't
tell" policy,callingit "outdated
anddiscriminatory,"according
to CNN.com.
Inadditionto
closetingan
integralpart
of thearmedforces,a recentstudy
the military
showsthe policyhampers
basedon
personnel
bydischarging
According
theirsexualorientation.
a 2005Government
to USAToday,
reportshowsat least
Accountability
with"mis800gayservicemembers
sioncritical"skills,includingdoctors
havebeen
andArabicinterpreters,
Harderto reportis the
discharged.
likeSgt.
numberof servicemembers
EricAlvawholefton hisown,tiredof
hisidentity.GovTrack.us
suppressing
showstheactis in thefirst stagesof
process.
thelegislative
GoneforGood?
CoachPortland
playPennStatefemalebasketball
ersnolongerfacethehomophobia
of women'scoachRenePortland.
contractdoesn't
AlthoughPortland's
endfor anothertwoyears,she
on March
herresignation
announced
Known
21,PennStateLivereported.
policyon herteam,
for a no-lesbians
recentlysettledoutof court
Portland
withformerplayerJenniferHarris,
whobroughtchargesof discrimination
The
againstPortland.
andharassment
Collegian
a
Online,
PennState
publication,
reported,
"Whether
the resignationwas
is unknown,
a partof thesettlement
termsare
sincethesettlement
confidential."
BodyFound
MissingWoman's
in CarTrunk
andhercoNicoleAbusharif
face
workerRobertEdwards
witha
in connection
charges
casespurring
bizarrehomicide
butfewreal
muchspeculation
reported
ABC7.com
answers.
allegAbusharif
that26-year-old
herpartnerof seven
edlysuffocated
Klein.TheChicago
years,Rebecca
40,workedwith
saysEdwards,
Tribune
andis nowbeingheldon$1
Abusharif
ofjustice,
millionbailforobstruction
havingliedto policeofficers
allegedly
in thedays
abouthiswhereabouts
Klein'sdeath.Abusharif's
surrounding
stateand
saysherweakened
defense
generalphysique-shesuffersfroma
backinjuryandis in livercancerremisof carsion-proveshewasincapable
whichincludes
ryingoutthescenario,
placingKlein'sbodyin thetrunkof a
parkedintheirgarage.
1966Mustang
financialgainasa
reported
TheTribune
motive.
possible
is soout
thatyourgovernment
to the realization
Imagineawakening
thatit's becomea farceof
of touchwiththe needsof yourcommunity
Imaginedecidingthisrendersyourgovernprocess.
thedemocratic
fromfurthersham
youdisengage
andin response,
mentillegitimate,
thatis more
andcreatea zonefor yourcommunity
politicalprocesses
wherethe rightsandneedsof yourcommunity
or lessautonomous,
andserved.
areheard,protected
members
That'sthe realityof LaLucha,oneof the mostvibrantmovements
people
in thewiderworld,begunamongthe indigenous
for autonomy
andtrans
to includelesbians
specifically
andexpanded
of Chiapas
or servedbytheofficial
people,aswellasothersnotacknowledged
anopenlylesbianmemberof
of Mexico.PatriaJimenez,
government
first),is amongthe movement's
(LatinAmerica's
Mexico'sparliament
"Noonewill befreeuntilall of us
emphasizing,
supporters,
prominent
arefree."
(whichmeans
LaOtraCampana
In early2006,activistslaunched
presidential
to theconcurrent
in counterpoint
"TheOtherCampaign")
traveledthrough
Fornearlya year,theOtherCampaign
campaign.
everystatein Mexicoonwhatwasbasicallya listeningtour,inviting
to speak
thosewhofelt unheard
theirtruthsandtheirmindsat unremeetings.
strictedtown-hall-style
title refersalsoto
Thecampaign
the kindsof peoplethecampaign
madesureto include:indigenous
people,factoryworkers,sexworkers,queerfolk,grandmothers,
womenandchildren.
andVanessa
MaitaValladolid
fromwomenwho
testimonials
Garciatraveledwiththetour,collecting
spoke(someof whichtheysharedwithus,below)andarecurrently
workingoi;ia bookaboutthewomenof the OtherCampaign.
began
whentheCampaign
in Chiapas
"I'd beenvolunteering
of these
bythedynamics
says."I wasenti:anced
there,"Valladolid
people
andpassions,
meetingsin whichpeoplevoicedtheirstruggles
whojust neededto beheard.Thebookis ourpromiseto thewomen
whospoke,to sharetheirstorieswiththeworld."
sexworkersandotherwomenarestill
"Evenin the U.S.,lesbians,
so I believewe needto buildbridgesto supportthese
marginalized,
womenacrossthe border,"Garciaadds.
marginalized
came
of theCampaign
announcement
"Themostdevastating
remainin
fromwomenof theKiliwatribe.Fewerthan60 members
group,whichlivesnearthe U.S.borderin Baja.After
thisindigenous
dwindle,
of strugglingto surviveandwatchingtheirnumbers
decades
the Kiliwawomenhavedecidedthattheywill nolongerbearchildren.
Ratherthanbringingchildrenintoa worldwheretheycan'tlivewith
asa
andculture,theyhavechosento disappear
theirownlanguage
says.
people,"Valladolid
a lesbiannamedVickicameforwardandtolda story
In Monterrey,
of policearrestinga groupof about40 womenin a barlateonenight:
asto whytheywere
anexplanation
"Thewomenkeptdemanding
I feel
Theyweretold:thisis a raidagainstprostitution.
beingdetained.
to offendmyfriendswho
to pointout,withoutintending
compelled
pure
thatthe majorityof themlookedlikeJohnWayne:
werearrested,
is laughable."
butch.Thenotionthattheywouldbeprostitutes
sayingthat
change,
And,in a rousingfinale,onelesbiandemanded
wouldliketo seeus ... happywithcrumbsthatthey
"Theauthorities
throwat us."- ArianeConrad
Adoption
StudySulliesSame-Sex
ofthe
to Dr.PaulCameron
According
gaysand
Institute,
Research
Family
liveshorter
whoaremarried
lesbians
His
heterosexuals.
livesthanmarried
of Homosexual
Distortion
report,"Federal
EarlyGayDeath?),"
(Ignoring
Footprint
queersin Denmark
statesthatmarried
liveat least20yearsfewer
andNorway
ofthe
to members
married
thanpeople
sex.Hisfindingsalsoinferthat
opposite
bygaysandlesbians
adopted
children
>>Read more testimonials from the women in the Other
they
before
mayloseoneorbothparents
Campaignat curvemag.com.
-Azania Baker
finishhighschool.
July/ August 2007
I33
It was Britney Spears' fault that we couldn't get piiia coladas.
Our remote, native-run accommodation was just a jet ski ride
away from her five-star resort on Turtle Island, and her proximity upset everything. Because of the diva's security needs, local
workers weren't able to restock our juices and soft drinks, and
a German tourist who went island hopping was barred from
sailing even in front of the beach where the world's most famous
navel might be sunning. We heard that a couple who landed
at the seaplane pier at Turtle Island was nearly shoved into
the ocean by Spears' henchmen, who saw a camera and feared
paparazzi action.
But we couldn't blame Spears for wanting to visit Fiji. Many
do, though few Americans appear in the mix of New Zealanders,
Aussies and globe-circling backpackers. Fiji is far enough from
North America and similar enough to Hawaii that most Yanks
don't make it the extra 3,000 miles, but they should.
Although the flight to Fiji is expensive, accommodations and
meals are not. Fiji is inexpensive to begin with, plus it offers a
great exchange rate. It's like Hawaii before Waikiki went highrise and Honolulu became a crime capital. Most resorts in Fiji
are virtually invisible from the water. The main city of Nadi
(rhymes with "candy") boasts an airport and a shopping strip but
minimal pollution, except litter. Instead of spending money at
malls and nightclubs, travelers enjoy the multisensory delights of
viewing unspoiled coral reefs, swimming and snorkeling in water
as clear as air and hanging out with the locals, who are proud to
share their land and its luxuries with foreigners.
We spent our first few days at the Sheraton Royal, a sumpI(/)
tuous resort that resembles most other sumptuous resorts: gor~
~
()
geous rooms a few yards from the waves, lively pools, lovely views
~ and ridiculous drinks at ridiculous prices. We lolled in the sun,
c§
(/)
dawdled at the spa for a jet lag recovery massage (so necessary)
3UJ
and checked out the white chapel where people can marry with
a.
>the vast blue Pacific as their backdrop.
~
~
So far, only straight people have married there, possibly
~
g
~
a:
<(
6
(/)
:J
..J
~
~
()
a:
1
because mainstream Fiji, which has long been under the influence of Christian missionaries, doesn't accept queers. Only
the cities have any semblance of gay culture. My partner and I
encountered zero hassles, but we also allowed people to mistake
us for friends or sisters. When we moved on to the outer island
resort of Oarsman's Bay-four hours by fast catamaran from the
island-there seemed no point in discussing our sexual
g main
orientation when we had to arrange important matters like snorCD
~ kel gear, drinks and dinner.
ci5
Besides, the Oarsman's staff knew that we were sharing a
~
a.
Q_ bed, but they were more concerned about showing us the coral
~
reef (with power snorkeling just steps off the beach), the sunset
0
~
=;
views, and the village's school and churches. Oarsman's Bay is
u:::
:5 owned and run by the villagers, who use profits from the tourist
:::>
CD
~
~
u.j
1U)
~
a.
Q_
z<(
z
zUJ
..J
()
()
~
(/)
a:
I
()
industry to improve their village school. Although desperately
poor by Western standards, the villagers brag about having
installed a flush toilet and extra classrooms for the 100 or so students. The village women who run a handicrafts market for the
tourists are grateful for the business; before the resort was built,
they had to travel to another island by boat to compete for tourist dollars. One lady told me, kindly, "We are happy to have you
here because you bring us money:'
Oarsman's Bay is remarkable not only for its spectacular
beach but also for what it lacks: no television, no phone, no
"Not only the colors but the shapes
and the sounds amazed us: Tiny
shrimp crackle inside the coral, and
parrotfish crunch coral and algae."
clocks, no radio, no air conditioning (and no need for it) and no
cars. At night, we heard only waves and wind; in the daytime, we
heard live native music and the big driftwood drum calling us
to eat, family-style, in the big open bure, a palm-thatched hut.
For about $70 a day, guests get all meals, a private bure with
bedroom and bath, and a magnificent beach shared with only a
dozen or so other people.
We couldn't imagine how anything could be better at our
final destination: the five-star Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Island
Resort on Fiji's second biggest island, Vanua Levu. But in three
decades of world travel, this is the best resort I've seen. Again, it's
partly what the resort doesn't have that makes it great: no electronics in the rooms, no unnatural noise, no stressors. Superb
amenities include spectacular three-course meals based on local
produce and seafood; luxurious, private bures full of flowers; and
nonintrusive, genuinely friendly staff.
Son of the ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, Jean-Michel
set out to promote enjoyment of and education about tropical
oceans. His marine preserve comprises a wide, deep band of
ocean, reef and sand around the hotel. Guests (of which there
are never more than 75 and usually only 40) can swim, snorkel
and dive in waters unmolested by fishermen or pollution.
My partner and I snorkeled ourselves silly,thinking of the Dr.
July/ August 2007
I35
Seuss book One Fish,TwoFish,Red Fish,BlueFish,
only here, the fish were aqua and silver darting into
orange coral, or lavender and black hiding in waft,
ing red fronds, or pink and green chasing Nemo,
like creatures into blue anemone. Far below us,
giant purple, and blue,mouthed clams lay waiting
for dinner, quiet moray eels coiled around rocks,
and the occasional ray swooped past. Not only the
colors but the shapes and the sounds amazed us:
Tiny shrimp crackle inside the coral, and parrot,
fish crunch coral and algae. Guided by Chris, the
resident marine biologist, we did a night snorkel in
60 feet of unlit water. Our fear was overcome by
the lulling waves, the enormous stars and shining,
fluorescent algae.
The Cousteau resort offers numerous ways to
explore the environment: the resident biologist
accompanies diving and snorkeling trips, offers slide
show talks at happy hour and eats with the guests,
so you can corner him for more information about
what you've seen underwater. Guests can volunteer
to help with environmental research, go on guided
nature walks or attend a kava,drinking ceremony
with the region's chief, a session that routinely turns
into a daytime dance,fest. Plus, the resort offers
daily excursions to various parts of the island.
On our waterfall excursion, the village's medi,
cine man, an ancient and vivacious soul called
Numiya, escorted a handful_of visitors up a wind,
ing road to the top of a mountain. En route, we
passed lush valleys of rivers and rainforest; in the
little villages, throngs of children cheered and
waved. The waterfall itself plunged into a deep,
clear pool where we could swim, paddle and watch
the wild crayfish.
The Cousteau commitment to the environment
shows in every aspect of the resort's housekeeping:
A huge organic garden supplies many of the edi,
bles, a gray,water conservation program is getting
underway, and the hotel uses minimal packaging,
employs reusable cloths instead of paper, avoids
plastic, composts food and recycles containers. The
social climate is equally benign: Vegetarians and •
nondrinkers are cared for.
So far, the Fijian culture hasn't been condensed
into sound bites and snow domes. Not everyone is
trying to sell you something, and it's easy to get to
know the locals and even drink and eat with them.
We had to stop ourselves from passing judgments
on their culture, in which sex,role stereotyping is
the norm and violence against women is rampant.
Like many other indigenous peoples, Fijians suffer
high rates of substance abuse. But Fijians remain
open to sharing their culture and learning about
others: and many exchanges seem mutually benefi,
cial. And, oh yeah, the Cousteau resort has even
held some of the country's first same,sex commit,
ment ceremonies a.s Fiji does everything else: with
grace, color and heart. ■
36
Icurve
WHERE DOWE
DRAW THE LINE?
How lesbianscan travel safely and ethicallyand still have fun.
By Kristen V. Brown
"Lovely lesbian ladies, come to my shop!" chanted
the merchants at the Grand Bazaar, all beckon,
ing to the women of the Olivia cruise tour. It was
the summer of 1999, and the group was travel,
ing through Turkey and Greece, post, Kosovo
war.Turkey's inflation rate was at a whopping 69
percent, but the women of Olivia had come to
save the day, or so the headlines of the Istanbul
newspapers read. They became B,list celebrities
in Turkey, having shop,shop,shopped earlier on
the trip in Kusadasi. This had quickly become
news in a country with a floundering economy,
and when they docked in Istanbul, Olivia's ladies
were greeted by a horde of Turkish paparazzi, all
coming to catch a glimpse at that week's tempo,
rary heroines.
Judy Dlugacz, founder and CEO of Olivia,
explains that while this wasn't the company's first
trip to Turkey, it was the first time in Istanbul,
and they were admittedly nervous. Visiting a
Muslim country can be tricky enough as a worn,
an, let alone a gay woman. Dlugacz had been
pretty much out her whole life, except for trips
back into the closet when she traveled. She start,
ed the travel portion of Olivia (originally found,
ed as a lesbian record label) because she thought,
"Wouldn't it be great to travel and be yourself?"
But even still, she says, sometimes it is neces,
sary to shield your identity to protect your safety.
And sometimes, in order to respect a culture, you
have to compromise a little.Just like you wouldn't
wear short shorts as a woman in Iran or Syria,
maybe you wouldn't hold hands, either. "I would
think twice before visiting any Muslim country;'
Dlugacz says.
While the women on this particular cruise
learned that sometimes people are more open
than expected, this is not always the case. Even in
the United States, it is often difficult to be openly
gay; in a foreign country where the laws may be
unfavorable, you'll be out of your element.
When she traveled to Rio de Janeiro (a city
often revered for its wild and crazy gay scene) on
a trip sponsored by the Brazilian government,
bodyguards and all, Gina Gatta, the lesbian
owner of LGBT travel,guide company Damron,
experienced quite pointedly Brazil's antigay
sentiments. Gatta says her crew was assaulted
by police officers in cahoots with the local taxis
when leaving a gay club after 3 a.m., with the
bodyguards off duty for the night. They searched
them, forced them to fork up all their cash, but,
only by a stroke of extreme luck, didn't arrest
them.
"This happened all the time there;' Gatta said. "The body,
guards had even warned us and given us a lawyer's number to
call if we were arrested:'
The Latest on Fiji
"Sometimes you find antigay people in places where you
don't expect it;' Aefa Muholland, a travel writer at PlanetOut,
explains. Some of Muholland's worst travel experiences hap,
pened in Spain, a country where same,sex marriages are
legally recognized.
On the flip side, traveler Gretchen Kelly says that she found
Whiletravelerscontinue
to floodFiji'sshores, the population in Syria was more accepting of homosexuality
Gay.com
reportsthat than in most other countries she's visited, despite the fact that it's
activistsandhuman a conservative Muslim dictatorship in which same,sex relations
rightsgroupsstill"tend can land you in prison. Walking through Allepo (a city in north,
to viewtheSouth em Syria, bordering Turkey), she even discovered
a rug shop
Pacificisleasasa named after Oscar Wilde.
In fact, although the laws in Muslim
sunny,gayHellwith
governments are usually unforgiving of the LGBT crowd, the
regards
to legislation
andculturalattitudes."
Aftera gayAussiewas
jailedfor havingsex
witha localin 2005,
homophobicpoliticos
havebeenanything
buttolerant.
TheU.S.
StateDept.,too,warns
U.S.residents
about
Fiji'sstill-activestate people in Muslim
countries are often very accepting of same,sex
of emergency
in,effect relationships,
which are very much a part of their everyday cul,
sincethecoupin 2006.
ture. So while two men would never be married in Syria, it is not
If yougo,remember
uncommon for a man or a woman to have a same,sex partner
militarycheckpointin
s
Suva,NadiandLautoka outside of his or her traditional marriage.
But as countries like Fiji continue to send up red flags
remainin place,though
thesituationin Suvais (because of antigay crimes or homophobic laws), does that mean
themostunstable.
To we should throw caution to the wind in search of wider adven,
checkwiththeState turer Or do we pay meticulous attention to State Department
Dept.for warnings,
visit travel warnings:' Kelly suggests that native literature of the
travel.state.gov.
Local country you're visiting might be the best way to get
a feel for
gaysalsosuggestnot the culture.
expressing
affectionin
"Read beyond just what's on Travelocity;' she says. "Talk to
public,evenin resorts,
people who have been there before you go:' And while it may
unlessyoustayat a
gay-owned
property take a lot for the State Department to issue travel warnings, les,
likeNadiHomestay bian travelers say you sometimes have to read between the lines.
Lynette Molnare, the director of Girl Power Productions in
BedandBreakfast
Provincetown
, R.I., and a photographer for Olivia, aptly points
(011-679-999-3723).
wherever we go is a nonissue;' says Dlugacz, "and we prepare
the guests mentally if we're going somewhere that is cultur,
ally unaccepting:' Recently, R Family Vacations canceled the
Bermuda leg of a cruise trip because of statements issued by
some churches that took issue with a LGBT cruise coming
to their country. Both companies say their cruises will not go
anywhere that is unsafe for their guests. Not to mention, there
is power in numbers. Countries recognize and welcome the
economic power of an entire cruise ship full of people, but
some of these cultures may have never had firsthand experi,
ences with gay people. Meeting a cruise ship full of 900 happy,
shop,ready lesbians has great power to change the way people
think about queers.
"On the Kenyan safari Olivia did, we changed so many minds
about lesbians;' says Dlugacz. "Our guests are incredible ambas,
sadors just by being there:'
As countries like Fiji continue to send up red flags because of homophobic laws, does that mean we should
throw caution to the wind or must we pay meticulous
attention to State Department travel warnings?
out that "until a couple of years ago, it was illegal to have gay sex
in 37 different states:'
Travel warnings do make comment on the politics of a coun,
try, but you can only find out for yourself (and through firsthand
accounts) what the culture is really like.
"Your safety zone isn't the same outside the U.S.;' Molnare
says. "But, then again, I wouldn't hold hands with my girlfriend
20 minutes up the Cape:'
And, she adds, ''I've been gay,bashed twice, but both times
were in San Francisco:'
Sometimes traveling solo isn't the safest option. One of the
added benefits of traveling with companies like Olivia or R
Family Vacations is that they do the legwork for you.
"When booking, we make sure that the friendliness
38
Icurve
The economy of travel is an incredible tool, but ethical
concerns sometimes come into play when deciding where to
pump your dollars. Can we visit Fiji and have fun at a low cost
when they've recently enacted antigay legislation:' Or what about
Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality is punishable by death:' Or
even Italy, where the Roman Catholic culture makes it hard for
gays to be anything but closeted:'
"Use your dollar as a wedge in places where people are being
exploited" says Kelly. She suggests using your money to support
gay businesses, even if you are just getting a tan for a few bucks _
and leaving.
And we can change people's minds, these women say. While
most of the world is not pro,gay, a lot of people have never met
an openly gay person, either.
"When I'm traveling, I come out whenever I think I can. This
is important, that people know they're interacting with a gay;'
says Molnare.
There are risks involved in traveling as a gay person. But there
are also risks involved in traveling as a woman, and even risks in
going places as an American. So should we just stay home:'
"If you want to live in a world where everything is neat, nice
and sewn up, don't go;' says Kelly. It's important to experienc~
other cultures, she says, and to bring those experiences back and
educate other people. If it's true that half of the problems in the
world stem from misunderstandings between different cultures,
perhaps as lesbians we can be ambassadors. We just have to be
cautious in doing it.
In order to do it ethically-and safely-you should read up,
know what you're dealing with and be mentally prepared.
'i\.s we travel around the world and can be out;' Molnare says,
"we're changing hearts and changing minds:' ■
at a Girl ants
CuRvEs Annua
c ssue
Oops, we did it again. We put together our biggest music issue ever, and
surprlslngly, there is nobody in It named Britney. It's all aboutwhat a girl
wants and what a girt needs in her iPod thtse days, and we hope with
our cacophony of musical interests-from the sexy, retro Shondes to the
cock-rockers AC/DShe to 1hefierce soulof Ebony Tay and the hllarity of
Over the course of her career,she's released eight albums, appeared
on TheL Wordand shared the stage with Ani Difranco and Elvis
Costello. So what's next for Toshi Reagon? Opera (she's the music
director for the upcoming The Tempationof St. Anthony)and an
upcoming album with her band, the Big Lovely.- JenniferCorday
You were on the cover of
CURVE'S music
Issue 1O years ago.
How has life changed for you, compared to what it was like
back then?
Well, I definitely have a bigger audience, and I do more shows.
I think I'm better at everything I do musically, and I'm more
consistently putting on really great performances.
Tell me about your last few shows.
It's always been a dream of mine to be an artist that doesn't have
a lot of boundaries, someone that can pursue a number of
different opportunities, so I feel very lucky to be able to do
that. I just did a gig for an organization called Fierce. The
club was packed with over 450 people-every color in the
rainbow! It's a great political activist organization full of
young queer people of color in New York. The next day, I
played in D.C. at a place called Jammin' Java to an audience
of mostly white straight people.
[Difranco J's church; it's absolutely gorgeous. Every dyke in
Buffalo will know where it is.
Tell me about the stage show you are doing, The Temptation of St. Anthony.
That is an awesome project. It's an opera directed by an avantgarde theater producer, Robert Wilson. He's really wellknown in Europe. I call him the Puff Daddy of theater
in Europe. My mother wrote the libretto and she always
envisioned a band, so she asked my band, the Big Lovely,
to be the orchestra. There are 16 singers, plus my band.
We've been doing it since 2003, touring different countries.
Nobody's ever done anything like this before. We played
a Paris opera house in 2005 and played in Sicily in 2003.
We've performed at the oldest surviving Greek amphitheater in the world. It's an amazing experience.
Are people surprised by your appearance?
I never see people who look like me, physically. The L Word
finally just got a butchy character this year. When I show up
at some of these different venues, there's usually only one or
two people of color playing, and that's got to change. I'm one
of the few people they have ever seen like me. Then, when
they hear the music, I think their view really changes.
You really do have a diverse following. Do you feel your
Are you changing attitudes about what Is mainstream?
music transcends all racial barriers?
Mainstream is what your heart will accept. It shouldn't be something that someone paid 2 or 3 million dollars to buy to get
your attention.
Music is the church for the whole congregation. It doesn't matter who you are, but it matters what you do.
Tell me about your appearance on The L Word-did that
garner you new fans?
Well, I got 40,000 hits on my site in two days and about 500 new
MySpace friends! But it's hard to tell if it really had an impact.
I'm not doing a tour right now, so it's hard to tell.
Do you think new technology, like iTunes and MySpace,
has helped build your fanbase?
Well, I don't know that it's blown up my audience, but it gives
people quicker access. People can google "Toshi" and find
me instantly.
How was the CURVEphoto shoot with the other artists?
It was really fun! I was there with God-des and She, and the
girl's hot!
lead singer from Lez Zeppelin-that
What did you wear?
I'm happy to collaborate with a stylist and all of that crap. But I
got there late, straight off the road, and I only had an hour.
I brought these clothes and they said, just wear that! They
took the pictures with me in my T-shirt, a big red T-shirt
with a fist.
Do you have a girlfriend?
Tell me about the new record.
I certainly do.
It's coming out in January of'08 on Righteous Babe.
Now that you're famous, do more girls hit on you?
Does Righteous Babe do everything for you?
People don't hit on me, c'mon! I'm a big flirt, but I'm totally
oblivious to being hit on: "Oh, wait, what do you want?
You're talking to met
Righteous Babe is great, but I'm still DIY. There's a team of wonderful women I've hired, and if we have something we need
to do, we get it done.
I'm playing Buffalo Pride. What's that like?
Buffalo is a great city, it's got really good people. Go see Ani
ToshiTimes Two
Oh,whata difference
a decademakes.Ten
then
yearsago,cuRvE's
Jane
editorRebecca
Alber-a musicloverat
heart-decidedto do
ourfirst musicissue.It
broughttogethersome
of thecoolestnamesin
dykerockat thetime
and,yes,thatwasToshi
gracingthe
Reagon
leftsideof ourcover.
Thoughshedidn'tmake
it ontothecoverthis
time,photographer
also
EricaBeckman
didn'tlettheheartthrobhidebehindher
guitarduringour2007
photoshoot.Now,a
decadelater,weadmit,
we still loveReagon
anda bunchof other
chickswhogracedthe
pagesof thatissue.
Whoelsewasin that
veryfirst musicissuein
1997?LeishaHailey's
Candyass,
Murmurs,
IndigoGirls,Kinnie
Starr,SarahMclachlan
andmore.- DAM
What's next?
I'm just a little rock 'n' roll kid-that's who I am and that's who
I'll always be. I just want to do good in the world. ■
July/ August 2007
I41
TeamoSupremo
Is anything cooler than Team Gina, the hot queer lyricists
behind the anthem "Butch/Femme"? We don't think so.
Life is just a big slumber party, according
to
hand and plastic:or like,spray-painted
I need a blingedout My LittlePoa}4
blinged-outsaddle but still[withl tuat •
Seattle's dectro-hip-hop rad girls, Team Gina.
Blendingretro beats with riffson politics and
pop culture, these two former Saeam Club
synthetic hair.
ado'80s
of
ethos
the
embody
dancers
badcup
You IINtftllon In the .....
Revolution,
lescence.Their debut EP, Gina Gina
that ....... la an eldlW llllttlll
is a campy,queered-out escape into a hot-pink,
cotton-candied,12-year-old'sf.mtasy worldfrom .....................
r.bemouths of two sassy Italiangirlswith a serious
MyLittlePony fetish.- Mel.anyWaltm-B«k
BliagtI foundthat in NewY~ alto.
She's Still a Bit
Misunderstood
Islamic hip-hop has a whole
new look.
With fresh, sharp-tongued lyrics and an
intuitive approach, Miss Undastood has finally
brought to Islamic rap what it has long been
missing: a female voice. Islam and hip-hop have
long found themselves intertwined-Islam
started appearing within the black community
at about the same time hip-hop appeared on
the scene-but it hasn't been until recently that
Islam found a distinct
voice for itself among
all the bling and
Ferraris of the mainstream rap industry.
And it wasn't until
Miss Undastood's lyrics that serious issues
for Muslim women
found their way into
the lyrics of Islamic
hip-hop .
But for the woman known as the "First
Lady of Islamic Hip-Hop;' rap stardom hasn't
come without consequence. Even as a mainstay
in the burgeoning Muslim rap scenes in Philly,
London and New York, being a loud-mouthed
woman with something to say in a community
where many men (and women) expect women
to sit quietly and not say a word hasn't exactly
made it easy to get a date. In fact, there are a
good amount of people whom she suspects
wouldn't mind telling her to sit down and shut
up. Her lyrics often tend to be more controversial than other Islamic hip-hop artists, such as
popular Muslim rapper Native Deen,
bringing up issues that many Muslims
would probably rather ignore. "I want
to be a voice for Muslim women;' she
says, "a voice for the woman's perspective in Islam:' And with the topics of
to the
her rap ranging from the hijab,
troubles and realities of co-wifedom,
this Musliminah is doingjust that.
But Miss Undastood frets not;
she's sure people will eventually wise
up, regardless of gender. "When you
give someone a mic, they have to have
something to say;' she says, "I think
that what I have to say is something all
people are going to realize they want
to hear:' - Kristen V. Brown
.........................
,,...
...,
.........
cwet:f,-,:Y Iwenttowaa
Whatla 1Nm Gina aH aboutt
GinaBliagi Whenwe 6rst got togetherwe acmallysat down and said, 'What are we gonna
srand fort We didn't want to bejust another
queer band. But then every tong we Wrote
was like,gay,gtiy,gay, wt'R py. But wire all
about having as much fun as possible. Gina
ptwtyrA
Genius said,'Let's makeit a political
lib
a
andno-~lam
mQre
androgynouspeople.
tram mm. rm startiQCto
and~~
ca.1Wtbem0ut.
GmiuarNot• $3f mat we
we:lovefemma, coo.
Femme•songa an
queerhip-hoppoliticalp~
are a nuachr--..... butdia
.,...,,,......,......,lntluenNf..,
leshian
....
.............
.. ,.................
,..,..........
.
~-............,
..,....,. ...............
ro.u
&maai You know; I still IO¥e them no
but
what.Honesty is the bat~
We aR
t seemslib all pop stars lip-~
actQADyboth trained sinpts and all ·of QIU'
p-ogramsare mre,but we wouldtotallylip&r fun. We havebeenknownto host
Camp is not jut for the boy.. Our
heavilyincorporate camp and drag
pop culture. Weevendid a mysticalsc:ad'
tQ Am DiFranco.
I wu dmstated..Icooka familyroad.trip
to the GrandCan
8 yearsoldand I
enmyW~£or
•
ltOtalyhad
I don'tknowif
• • longhairer
hadaausb on
era.
~
Genilaai'ThePad6c "NmlnrfhURl"!ll#i·.mJi•:·
saneishuge.W.ga
us patits kt the
Wflltllo,--knoW..... ,...,
Geniui 1'Jiae is
Gina.Check
peoplew;mc
Wt.re,poad
rwaae
Team •
July/ August 2007
I43
The first time I heard Swati's selftitled debut album, I wrote her publicist a
love letter halfway into the first song. "Tell her she changed my life;' I typed
feverishly, and I believed it, too. Her acoustic-electric-folk hard rock was
unlike anything I had heard, yet almost eerily familiar, sort of like when you
meet a new person and you feel like you've known each other forever."I call it
edgy acoustic music;' she told me. When I gushed passionately that, really,it's
so much morethan that, she responded with her characteristic modesty: "You
think sot I do.
A New York City native, Swati (Hindu for "star") was raised in a house
full of musical instruments. She picked up the trombone in elementary school,
played throughout her childhood and made it all the way to Carnegie Hall as
a teenager. The night of her Carnegie show, Swati quit the instrument forever
right after leaving the stage."! didn't like the confinement;' she explains."! had
been playing guitar for years at that point, and I really liked, rather than the
idea of playingmusic, really makingmusic:'
More than a decade lapsed between her last trombone performance and
her first rock album. In the meantime, she had been bartending, booking other
bands and working in rehearsal studios. Eventually, working with other artists
pushed Swati to develop her own album. "This is the first record that I can
honestly put out and say,'This is me;'' she explains. ''I've never been successdriven [or] ambitious; I never cared about being a rock star or anything like
that .... As I'm getting older, I'm kind of realizing that life is short and I'm
kind of being selfish. It's not so much ambition as much as I want to share [my
music] with people. The world gave me inspiration, and I want to put it out
back to the world:'
Though every one of the 10 tracks on her self-titled debut album are worth
obsessive repeat listening, her chilling cover of Bruce
Springsteen's 'Tm on Fire" seems to grab most people's
attention. Swati says that's the only cover she plays.
"My girlfriend broke up with me, you know, and I had
the flu at the same time. I was lying on the couch and
I didn't even own the record, and I just picked up the
guitar and started playing a song and I started singing those lyrics. It was almost like, subconscious that
I covered the song;' she says. "It was really how I was
feeling at the moment, and the song already existed, so
I didn't need to write it .... It's great when I play it. It's
very therapeutic:'
Another stand-out track is the down-tempo acoustic "Blackjack:' The music is straight-ahead folk rock,
but the lyrics are about spending a quiet evening with
an Atlantic City prostitute. "It's an absolutely true story;' Swati admits. She went out to a casino alone one
rainy night, began an especially unlucky game of blackjack, and met a call girl at the bar. When the girl asked
Swati's profession, she replied that she was a musician,
"but mostly I just, you know, I kiss ass to other musicians so they could feel good about themselves, basically;' she remembers. The girl responded that she did the
same thing, but with businessmen. Swati bought her
for the night. "I really loved to just have a friend there
with me ... that's it. I didn't want to have sex and
didn't want to objectify [her J;' she remembers.
'i\nd so we hung out the whole night and she'd
like, touch my leg or hold my hand when I got
the six card. Then we went and ate, played a little
bit more and I drove her home .... We gave each other
this unconditional platonic love. It was really wonderful. It was awesome:' They never saw each other again.
Like the rest of Swati, "Blackjack" is refreshingly
vulnerable and candid, almost uncomfortble in its honesty. Swati says she has no reservations about revealing
who she is through her music. "That's my personality;'
she says. "I think life is too short to be filtered. I don't
particularly like people that front and are pretentious,
and I think music is about connecting. How else are
z
<(
we supposed to connect if you're not personal with
~
~
(.)
people? So when I play to an audience, I look at them
w
co
like were connecting to each other, like a good convert3
cc
sation:' - CatherinePlato
w
r
Gem!TrulyOutrageous!
Leslie Hall (aka Leslie and the Lys) turns gem
sweaters and spandex into a career.
Leslie Hall's famous gem sweater collection Web site received more than 2
million hits in one month, exceeding its bandwidth and leaving her with an
$800 Internet bill. Enter Leslie and the Lys, a "beat~dazzled" performance
where the Iowa native lyrically throws down with songs like "Shazam I'm
Glamorous" and physically gets down
with her beaded sweaters and cos~
tumes, one of which was inspired by
Kristi Yamaguchi and Elvis Presley.
Trust us, it sounds like what it looks
like. We couldn't be more excited.
- Jaime Roca
Can you describe your stage
performances?
Well, my performance is me in home~
made gold~spandex bodysuits, my
hair fluffed and towering and my
makeup bright and glimmering.
I suit up, power up and explode
into my megahits and Internet
love jams. It's so pretty. You have
to see it to believe it. Tornado blasts of awesome gold gems. I'm trying to
help you understand.
What has been the general response from your audience?
Good. Nobody's asked for their money back. If people are turned off by my
confident, happy, overweight powers, they at least appreciate the craft and
enthusiasm. I run a tight show with lots of energy.
Please tell me more about your gem sweaters.
All the gem sweaters in the mobile museum of
gem sweaters are either rescued or made by fans.
These are sweaters that are thrown out to thrift
or garbage dumps. People stopped wearing them
and just tossed them out. You see, they do have
life and purpose once more. And my museum
allows all people to view the detail and glory of
each, and my shows are a perfect time to suit them
up and wear them .... My mother makes all my
performance clothes. These are the tight, stretch,
shimmer gear I use to 'ahh' the audience. They are
machine~washable, which the gem sweaters are
not. Dry clean only, gem sweater children.
Why rap?
Well, I looked around, trying to figure out how to really capture love and cash.
Trust me, I had no idea singin' and dancin' would be my second truest
calling, second only to my gem sweater rescue mission. My favorite music
is contemporary country. Me trying to tap into the rap game has been me
just fakin' it with style, class and enthusiasm. It's working.
How do you identify with queer culture?
I think gay men were first to be super~supportive of the glamour and glitz. I'm
really hoping the ladies step up and really crave and desire this lovely Iowa
Internet diva. I'm packin' hot, tender gems and jams. ■
July/ August 2007
I4 7
Brassy, British, bawdy and bright, the Bee Stings' vocalist, Valkyrie, is just as
likely to throw herself out of an airplane (on purpose) as she is to croon angelically on the band's latest album. Whether it's on a surfboard or behind a mic,
Valkyrie loves a rush. With each song, she and guitarist BB Stings partake in a
musical love affair of beats and notes that titillate listeners' ears while blowing
their minds. But the love affair stops when the music ends: Valkyrie is fantastically feminine and all lesbian. She's also open, honest and unpretentious about
who she is, what she does and the music she makes. - Jenny Sherwin
Music is in your blood. What is your first musical memory?
I remember singing songs with my Grandpa Federic_owhen I was a tiny little
girl. He designed and built his own electric sitar, _andI was singing along
in Spanish with him. There's a cassette tape of it somewhere. It's a shame
he never got to hear me sing as a grown-up ... bless his cotton socks.
Who were your earliest musical influences?
When I was little, I got a radio as a present, and I used to listen to loads
of '80s pop under my bed sheets with headphones on really, really quiet.
I'd often fall asleep listening to music and wake up listening to it in the
morning. I remember borrowing a cassette recorder and taping songs like
"White Lines" off of the radio.
The first live band I ever saw was the Damned, and I became totally hooked
on all things punk and goth. So, I bought a guitar, and when I first started
writing, it was all punk energy ... but I'm pretty sure all of that pop I'd
absorbed as a kid has also come out, too.
What it is about the guitar that makes it your instrument of choice?
The sound! The riff, it fascinates me. I love hearing it, and it was always the
guitarist I was looking at when I went to see a band. My first guitar was
a beautiful, sexy semi. I guess, now that I think about it, it excited me
48
I curve
because it had very feminine curves!
Well, since you brought that up ... you are openly gay. How has your
sexuality affected you as a creative artist?
Well, we all see the world in our own little way, don't we? I have to assume
that my inability to conform to the heterosexual ideal has affected my
songwriting. I guess, when I started writing, I avoided love songs because
I thought they were all cheesy cliches that made me want to puke. So, I
wrote about other stuff instead and tended to be more introspective. I
now realize that I merely couldn't relate to cheesy love songs in the heterosexual context and, in fact, I am actually quite capable of being a romantic
sap when it comes to women and love. So, I guess that's how my gayness
has affected my writing over time ... though I still avoid obvious cliches.
When did you first know that Bee Stings' guitarist, BB Stings, was
your musical soul mate?
Pretty much straight after hearing the demo he gave me. It took a while before
we figured out exactly what our sound was, but I definitely thought, "Yep,
this is the way to go:'
What is the message behind your music?
We aim to bring to life the utter beauty of the human experience ... and
maybe some of the utter mischief as well!
Has the band encountered any commercial resistance because you
are a lesbian?
I'm not sure. I mean, if a male record executive wanted sexual favors for a deal,
I'm certain I'd tell him to piss off if I was gay or straight ... just like anyone
with self-respect would. Also, I'm not sure if we're commercial enough yet
to have lost a major sponsorship deal due to a conflict between middle-class
ideals and my outrageous lesbian antics ... but I'll be sure to let you know!
The Bee Stings have a reputation for their detailed and intense
arrangements. What's the most elaborate
thing you've ever done to give auditory texture to a song?
We've smashed an awful lot of things up to get
decent samples to use in tracks. There's a
sound of smashing glass behind the synths
and guitars in a track called "Misadventure"
that sounds absolutely beautiful. One time, we
were specifically trying to get the sound of a
ninja slicing open an alien's head. It took abso,
lutely ages to get the squelching sound right by
gurgling yogurt next to a condenser mic. But
to get the sound of the head cracking open,
we were breaking wood and other things. It
turned out that tearing a polystyrene cup was
the most alien,skulkrunching
noise of all.
All of that was for approximately one second
of audio in one track. See, that's just for the
love of it!
You have a unique, eclectic vocal style. Do
you find that's helped or hindered the band
commercially?
I think that it's helping. I haven't had any formal
training. So, I suppose in a way, it's a good
thing that a lot of the individuality hasn't been
trained out of it.
Speaking of individuality, you seem to be
quite the adrenaline junkie. Is performing
music still the biggest rush for you? What
would come in second?
Definitely getting on stage does it for me. I often
don't drink before, as I enjoy the raw nerves.
Surfing in waves bigger than I should be out in
comes in second. I love it even though it scares
the shit out of me.
What about the Bee Stings' followers? What
feedback have you received from your LGBT
fans in Europe and in the U.S.?
Actually, we've had a really great reaction from the
gay community, and I'm always happy to reply
to any e,mails I get. I guess it's the party atmo,
sphere when we play a gig. There's a really great
electro,trash, indie,clash disco scene here in
London that I think our music fits into really
well. We've been taking T,shirt orders from
both the U.S. and Canada, so I know we've got
fans out there, and we'd love to play across the
pond as soon as we get a chance.
On the flip side, have you received any criticism from your gay fans?
(/)
~
2
~
g
8
I have to say that people from the LGBT commu,
nity often seem to think I'm straight ... possi,
bly because I don't mind wearing a bit of lippy
or a skirt when I'm onstage? I find that I don't
fit the preconception that people have of how
a lesbian should look. You'd think they'd never
seen The L Word,eh? ■
Speakingfor Herself
Brit electronica-pop sensation Imogen
H-.
It.
can do it all and look damn good whileclolnsl
Guitar Goddess
She scored Hate Crimes and gets
compared to Hendrix, but Ebony
Tay still wants to step it up.
I met singer-songwriter Ebony Tay at a popular gay hot spot in West
Hollywood and had a fabulous interview over a glass of red wine and mixed
baby greens. Sadly, we both got food poisoning and puked the rest of the evening. Thankfully, I recorded the conversation. - Jennifer Corday
Tell me about your latest record.
I have a five-song EP out called Stories of the Firehorse, with profits going toward global warming (awareness), and I also have a live CD on the way.
But I'm still actively promoting the soundtrack for Hate Crimes as well.
Why were you interested in working on the film Hate Crimes?
It was about standing up against the fundamentalists who judge people. I'm all
about nonjudging. Let's stop putting people in boxes.
So you wrote all the songs for the movie? It's really a very moving
collection of songs.
Yes, I scored the whole movie and produced the soundtrack. All the money
from CD sales goes toward AIDS and anti-violence [organizations).
Why are you so passionate about this cause? Has it affected you in
someway?
My brother was gay and his partner, my brother-in-law, jumped 22 stories and
committed suicide because his family wouldn't accept him, because he was
gay. My brother has never been the same. They were together for 15 years.
I vowed that I would do something to try and make it right.
I'm sure you are making a difference. Is he your only brother?
There were 11 of us. I was adopted as a baby into a poor, white, country family. My mom had a hard time when my brother came out of the closet at
first, but she eventually accepted it. She used to say that God just made the
angels that way. So if my family-right-wing gold miners-can accept
each other, why can't the rest of the world?
Do you hope to change the world with your music?
1:L
uS
~
w
~
~
(.)
>
t
I::,
(/)
z
0
t
::::>
0
0
a:
a.
8u5
~
LL
0
>-
~
::::>
0
(.)
Absolutely. I believe musicians are also physicians. My dad used to call them
"physicianeers:' You can heal people with your guitar.
You are an extraordinary player-I
saw you live at the San Diego lndie
Fest and was really impressed with your skill. How'd you get
so good?
I just took my first guitar lesson five months ago. And it helps to be single. I
am dating my guitar. I have bumped up my playing another 10 notches
since then.
Perhaps I should try that.
Women have to step up to the plate. We're still not being taken seriously at
the executive level. My manager calls me "Hendrix in a dress" and 'Janie
Hendrix:• But I'm not the first black woman to excel in music. Check
called her "Chuck Berry in a dress"out Sister Rosetta Tharp-they
and Memphis Minnie, who did Elvis songs. They were extraordinary
players, but they were black and they were women, so they got kicked
into the churches. ■
her
wt:la
The first time I saw Imogen Heap, I was nearly as encbtaW.
in
~
~
appearance as her voice. With an affinity for poofy
I
•
twidy
of
brand
her hair and her own uninhibited
dance when I think no one's watching), Heap's OilStag
her sweet, whimsical sound. She's been writing sooga
tO;
watching her prance around in a puffy pink &ock,it' not
uJ..
29-year-old Heap as a musical little girl.That's not to ~enc, though: Heap is a classicallytrained piano and SU:llltlf'UIMl!lr
also skilled in sequencing and engineering,and is •
aspect of producing her albums, from start to 6nish.
an upbeat Tori Amos-Bjork eleccronicahybrid, but
es her a little farther into that hard-to-describe
ing harmonies, infectious melodies and a solid
tracks are eqtially appropriate for dancing as for naal'Nll111•L
the crowds at her shows a fun bunch to observe.
Immi, as she's called by friends and &ns alike,
album, iMegaphone {an anagram of"Imogen Hapj
der age ofJ 1. She returned to the studio in 2062 a,.
eolo
electronica duo Frou Frou and released her aec.ond
Yourself,in 2005. That's when American ean
The melodic, wistful trade "Hide and Seelt
CSI: Miami and the second season finaleof The
base is especially strong in San Francisco,
long residency at famous music club BottomJ
~
"I had a great time,• she remembers,
have been technically old enough to be playing
have a drink there, probably. But it wu
for chat reason."
She's currently bade in the studio,
under RCA. "I'm quit:e I •
between this record and the
next record, I don't have to go
through the trouble of finding
another label that I'm happy
with, or, you know, not finding
a label,"she says. "I think I've
found a home with my music,
'cause I'm licensingthe recorcl
to them so rm not stricdy
confined to them. But I really
love the people that arework,
ing on this record."
a~
Heap doesn't yet ba.ve
lease date for the new album,
but in the meantime you can
cacch her on "Go Cm:en,"a
Greenpeace charity maderha
alsofeaturesSarahMcLachlan,
Annie Lennox and 8oruue
The Great Pretender
Chrissie Hynde goes behind the music.
When rock legend Chrissie Hynde formed the Pretenders in 1978, her trademark dark fringe, outspoken views and antifashion took America by storm.
She's remained the epitome of cool for almost three decades, and now she's
using her celebrity to campaign for animal rights in her role as spokesperson
for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. - Katrina Fox
When did you first become a vegetarian?
In 1969, when I was 17. I had never met a vegetarian.
So what led you to it?
I follow an Indian Vedic philosophy in which the cow is a sacred animal. If
you kill a cow, you will come back as a cow as many lifetimes as the cow
has hairs on his body. That's a lot of suffering.
You said in a 2004 interview that you are not interested in gender
issues. What did you mean?
I have never thought in terms of gay,Jewish and so on. I think in terms of
meat-eater and non-meat-eater-that's
how I see the world. What I say
is, I won't eat you if you don't eat me, I won't kill you if you won't kill me.
To me, that's a nice fair way of getting through the world.
Lesbianism and vegetarianism used to be almost synonymous with
each other, but nowadays it seems like a lot of dykes are eating
meat because they think it means they are not old-fashioned.
Well, we could say the same thing about people in the music business. Being a
product of the '60s, I thought
by now everyone in music
would be vegetarians. Not so.
So you can find a parallel in
the gay community.
As a celebrity, you get a
platform for your cause.
People are natural-born followers and imitators, so
they'll imitate someone else
doing something because they
think that person must be
cooler than they are. But our
only real thing is our own selfrealization, which is a very
personal path that everyone is
on. On the other hand, when
I was a cocktail waitress, no
one cared what I thought about things. So I can see the beauty of having
the platform, but whether I want it or not is something else.
Well, you're certainly more inspiring than some of the bland pop starlets who look and sound the same and use sex to sell their songs.
Oh, some of the pop stars that I've heard women say are female icons make
me hang my head in shame.
PETA's been accused of using sex to 'sell' the animal rights message.
What PETA does is fun. It's not the kind of sex that a lot of idiots in the
music business use when they turn themselves into soft-porn stars when
they're making their videos. To me, that's bullshit because they're serious
about it.
You've been Involved in quite a few PETA actions, including the time
you were arrested for cutting up leather jackets at a Gap store in
52 Icurve
New York. What was going through your mind as you were being led
away in handcuffs?
Well, I had a show to do the next night. I spent the night in jail and didn't
get out 'til 6 a.m. the next morning, and I thought my manager must be
thinking, oh fuck!
How are women's rights, gay rights, animal rights, environmentalism
and so on interconnected?
I know so many people in the music business and they're trying to solve the
world's problems, but they're big meat eaters. They don't make these connections. Like, I haven't seen An Inconvenient Truth, this film has all these
things about climate change but never talks about animal agriculture, so
it kind of makes you wonder, why is that always left out:' Anyone who
cares about the environment or calls themselves an environmentalist has
got to be vegan. Most people ask me, "Why are you bothering with animal
rights when there's all these issues with people:'" But you generally find
that if people are kind to animals they usually don't have all these other
problems. That's the beauty of animal rights because if someone can feel
compassionately about a dumb little animal, then obviously they're being
sensitive and they have a consciousness that can have empathy. ■
Lilliputian
Ego, BeautifulPop
Lily Allen is a pop singer with some substance.
With a honey-sweet voice and lyrics about crime, hard drugs and soft penises,
Lily Allen's not your average pop star, though she doesn't mind the label. "It's
quite weird to say it with my name in the same sentence;' she says."But I suppose that's what I am (and) I'm happy with it:'
During a show at San Francisco's Fillmore, Allen was pushing ghettofab in her white tank, baggy jeans and big gold hoop earrings. And toward
the end of the night, as she sang a soft and bittersweet cover of The Kooks'
"Naive" (arguably better than the original) with a beer in one hand and a
lit cigarette in the other, I couldn't help but think of how sexy Allen looked
sporting the same look that drove Britney Spears to the fallen pop star hall of
shame. Maybe it's that unapologetic edge, or the fact that her songs actually
say something original and worthwhile.
A Londin native, Allen attended 13 schools and was expelled from a few
before dropping out completely at age 15. A lifelong music junkie, Allen
began writing songs in her teens, sent out a demo and was eventually signed
by EMI. She owes much of her success to Internet marketing, particularly on
MySpace. While many artists of her stature are happy to pass the job on to
a PR team, Allen still maintains her own page on the site, using the opportunity to banter with fans, post tour
photos and respond to her own image
in the media.
With big doe eyes,
razor-sharp wit and a
mouth like a sailor, the
beautiful, brassy and opinionated singer has been a
journalist's dream come
true. When her single
"Smile" reached number
one on the U.K. charts,
Allen told a journalist from NME she was
going to celebrate with
cocaine. The joke secured her bad-girl image, and these days it's common for
her to read new gossip about herself in the tabs even when she's out of the
country. "I mean, it's hard when I get up, when I leave the house, but I can't
because there's people outside or I get followed;' she says.
Another downfall of being a woman in the music world is the constant
comparisons to lesser-known men in the music scene. "I always think it's an
easy way to describe someone. An easy way out:' - Catherine Plato
She'sa Very QuirkyGirl
Lauren Wood is deliciously off-beat.
They say
redheads
have more
fun, and
0
[
~z
a:
~
z
~
1r
a:
UJ
I
(/)
zUJ
_J
_J
~
Cl
>-
0
_J
u..
(/)
a:
I
()
the quirky and stylish Lauren Wood certainly livesup
to the stereotype. Her latest album, Love, Death &
Customer Service, is a mature collection of songs
that have been in the works for years. She lives in
the Hollywood Hills in one crazy-beautiful home
rumored to be the place to be for Hollywood parties. "It's completely wacked;' she says. "A'50s-style
Pee-Wee's Playhouse. It's really colorful with lots
of vinyl. Pink and turquoise with some fuzzy
Dalmatian accents on a zebra carpet:'
But let's get back to the record. Considering
Wood's very unique style, Love, Death & Customer
Service is a surprisingly tame collection of songs
that feature lush string arrangements and could be
perfect movie-soundtrack songs. I dig the funky
fresh grooves on "You Gotta Love Those Guys"
and "The Waiting Room;' and there's a very cool
version of"Time of the Season;' nicely rerecorded
with a Wood twist.
Prior to these projects, Wood was famous for
writing"Fallen;' the smash hit from Pretty Woman
and now a wedding favorite. She also did the duet
"Please Don't Leave'' with Michael McDonald,
which hit No. 3 on the charts, and has written
songs for Sammy Hagar,Johnny Mathis and Cher.
However, Woods says she never really writes for
anyone else. "I just write for mysel£ and then after
it's written people come to me;' she explains.
It was right after she graduated high school
that Wood realized she might be a lesbian. "I had
a huge crush on my art teacher. I didn't realize
what it was; I just thought I liked art. But what
I really wanted to do was marry her:' She started
another band with her boyfriend and found
herself attracted to the female backup singer. "I
started sleeping with her, too. We were all hippies
and nobody cared. You weren't planning the rest
of your life like people do now. We were enjoying
life in the moment:' Finally, she says, she figured
out the truth: she had been a "big old lesbian'' all
along. She has a lovely domestic partner of two
years but didn't bother with an elaborate wedding.
"We went to the UPS store and got married;' she
jokes of her notarized domestic partnership.
The new release, written and self-produced
by Wood, is certainly harder to sell without the
backing of the major labels that used to promote
Wood's work wholeheartedly. "It was like the heyday of music! I was on Warner Bros. when they
were the premier record company, in terms of
being supportive of artists. It was back in the day
when they weren't into cloning people. Artists like
Randy Newman, James Taylor and Joni Mitchell
were on Warner. We played classical cartoon
music and they loved it, and they never tried to
make us normal but completely supported us in
our craziness. There were huge budgets, and we
got to tour. It wasn't about sounding like anybody
else; they supported creativity and uniqueness.
Just doesn't exist anymore:'
This makes Wood's unique spirit of trendsetting lesbian individualism all the more thrilling.
''I've never known what that meant, to hop
onto someone else's bandwagon;' she says. "My
mom always encouraged my individuality and
never ever told me I was weird. She would say,
'Cookie Face, you can do anything you want; you
are brilliant!"' -Jennifer Corday
July/ August 2007
I55
The FirstLadies
of Cock Rock
Lez Zeppelin, Infinity, AC/DShe and Black
Diamond are bringing back rock, with women
(including many dykes) taking center stage.
bagpipes for AC/DShe's version of"It's a Long Way to the Top:' For the people
who believe that they're just another cover band, Williams claims with the braggadocio of her genre that "it only takes one song to convince them otherwise:'
......
••••••
••••••
......
.......
•••••••
••••••••
t••·······
•••••••••
,••••••••••
.......... .
•••••••••••
.......
~
:::::.
-···········
········
--·'
........
·-·
. ....
:::::
......
.....
..........
....
·~-4
:::::
''A friend of ours started a club and thought it would be fun to have us collaborate and do some cover songs;' explains Woody, lead singer of the wildly
entertaining Journey tribute band Infinity. Donning Fu Manchu mustaches
and wigs for their stage show, the group makes sure to camp it up, but if one
looks a bit closer, some of the 'guys" look like, well, guys. "We get called a lesbian band, but we're only partially a lesbian band;' Woody says about her fellow rockers, laughing."Two other members are straight men:'
The all-star Infinity lineup also features bassist Ronnie Barnett and guitarist Patricia Klein of the Muffs, keyboardist and guitarist Mike Flanagan
of Breech and drummer Sherri Solinger, who once kept a beat for the
Murmurs with some chick named Leisha Hailey.
Both a parody and a respectful ode to the soaring arena-rock balladeers,
the band is starting to generate some serious West Coast buzz. Selling out
every performance at Spaceland and garnering rave reviews in LA Weekly is
both good news for Infinity and validation to any doubtful club owners that
girls can indeed rock. And they don't look bad in leather.
Long considered a boy's club, the rock 'n' roll stage and, more specifically, the area of tribute bands, has traditionally been off-limits to females.
More often than not, the women in tribute bands are exceedingly underestimated, with many being subjected to intense scrutiny while attempting to
prove themselves.
"Sometimes [we would] wonder if the promoter would book us because of
the concept of it;' admits bassist RiffWilliams of the hard-rocking AC/DShe,
a Los Angeles homage to the Bon Scott-era that has braved stereotypes, accusations of lip-syncing and doubts about their playing ability. Williams asserts
that overcoming these preconceived notions took time and the dedication to
building a solid fan base. "We are so serious about what we do that it would
be hard now if people knew very much about us to interpret us as a novelty
act:'True to the craft, lead singer Bonny Scott is currently learning to play the
56
Icurve
Convincing the audience is the essence of a great rock show, and for many
women who grew up appreciating the likes of Journey, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC,
Kiss and others, it is a rite of passage to relive those days on the other side of
the stage.
"My first [Kiss) concert was in 1979, and I have gone every year since;'
confesses Leigh Westee (aka "Goddess of Thunder") of the Kiss tribute band
Black Diamond. "We study old videos and have choreographed moves. I
breathe fire and spit blood. Some shows we smash guitars at the end:' Meeting
at a Kiss fan convention, the women of Black Diamond take pride in their
interpretation of the 1970s full-makeup version of the theatrical rockers. From
making costumes and stage sets to hamming it up in photo shoots a la Gene,
Paul, Peter and Ace, the quartet has got the Kiss attitude down to a science.
With the aid of rereleased concert footage on DVD and bootlegs available
online, it is easier than ever to step into the shoes of the most notorious metal
monsters. "We are, in the truest sense, a tribute band and not a cover band;'
explains Williams of AC/DShe, who perfect their artistry by limiting their
repertoire to the AC/DC of fated frontman Bon Scott. "There are so many
songs in the [Scott] era that are good;' says Williams."We don't even feel like
we're limiting ourselves:'
It's one thing to be a fan, but to actually become the dudes they idolize is
a whole other trip for these cover queens. "If you'd seen my house, you would
understand. It's all over my walls. Kiss pinball machine, everything;' says the
Black Diamond bassist with enthusiasm. But dedication to the dream varies
from band to band, with some ladies eating, sleeping and breathing their idols
and others falling into the role quite by accident.
"It's not really a band we pursue like a normal band;' admits Infinity's lead
singer, Woody, who has been rocking the mike Steve Perry-style since the late
'90s. "It's something we get together and do once in a while. We have a great
time. As long as people come and sing along, we'll probably keep doing it:' This
nonchalant philosophy is in sharp contrast to the ladies of AC/DShe, who are
mum on any personal details outside of their stage personas, including real
names and employment in the straight world. "We don't want to take away
from the rock;' Williams adds with a smirk.
And then there are the bands who refuse even to be called tribute bands.
"We don't consider ourselves a tribute band;' protests Steph Paynes, lead
guitarist of the enigmatic Lez Zeppelin. "We just made a record with Eddie
Kramer who worked with Led Zeppelin. That he would choose to revisit
some of the masterpieces [for which) he himself is known is outside the realm
of what a typical tribute band would be able to do. It's a new paradigm:'
Recreating the work of one of the most influential bands of the last century
can be a daunting task, but Lez Zeppelin plans to set itself apart from the pack by
reinterpreting cock-rock classicsof days gone by with their own sexy swagger.
"It's the same as a classical musician would do with a Beethoven
sonata. When you go see someone like Max Vengerov play the violin, and
you know that it's one of Shostakovich's symphonies. People will come
and see us play this music to enjoy the way that we play it, not only to
hear Led Zeppelin recreated:'
The ladies have just finished up a European tour with stops in
Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the U.K., which Page and Plant
both called home. They have generated quite a bit of press along the way,
with fans and critics alike constantly inquiring about their decidedly
Sapphic moniker.
"When I thought of the name, I realized how good it was because of
all these reasons. I knew exactly what I was getting into. There are a lot of
issues that arise over gender. Led Zeppelin has always been seen as this
male band, this macho, sexist entity. But I'm not convinced that it has to
be categorized as a male thing. Women are just as forcefully sexual and
loud and hard;' says Paynes, successfully dodging the question, perhaps
because finding out that every member of Lez Zeppelin didn't fully live
up to the name would be a little like finding out that the Dixie Chicks
were from Cleveland.
Along with the music, mystery, booze and tight little outfits, rocking
the stage comes with the occasionally dubious fringe benefit of groupies. Some of which, when faced with the idols of their youth, can get a
bit overzealous. "I can tell they're looking at it and checking it out;' says
Infinity's Steve Perry clone, Woody, of the not-quite-authentic bulge in
her pants. "They'll grab it if I come to the end of the stage:'
Stepping into the platform shoes of their favorite rock luminaries is
likely to keep these artists constantly challenged as both the music and
the legends carry on, inspiring loads of pretty young things for years to
come. Perhaps someday, "Stairway to Heaven" will hold a place of honor
alongside the best compositions of the classical period. Until then, I will
admit to the fact that somewhere at my parents' house is a reel of Super 8
film featuring me in red Lycra pants and a ripped T-shirt, strumming on
a black Gibson knock-off. Just another hidden testament to the power of
the rock'n roll fantasy. - Melany Walters-Beck
g
:i:
(.)
g_
(.)
i~
u:::
zii:
~
w
::.:::
z
i
~
::J
w
a.
a.
w
N
t:l
d.
j
::.:::
(.)
w
(II
<3
a:
w
Justadmitit, youlikeVanillaIce.Bverything
fromtheooof swoopingblond
bangsand racing--striped
sidesto the metallicAmericanBagjumpsuitand
supershoulder-padded,
double-breasted
blazers.Youkeepit silentnow,but
badein the dayyouwentto a concertor two andpracticed
thesidewaysshufflein frontof yourmirror.Don'tlie.
Soundfamiliar?Thenyou'llloveG-Childfromthe VH-1 hit EgoTrips
White Rapper ow. G-Child, it turns out, idolizesthe Bar-topped
performer
turned reality-TV punk and isn't shy to admit it.
During the show; G-Child, aka Gina Mon, and 11 other contestants
living in one of the 'rthplacesof hip-hop, the South Bronx, facedvarious
challengesthat gaugedtheir talent and potential fur survivalin the hip-hop
music business, includingimportant lessonsabout daas and race relations,
two forces that still drivethe music today.
With two blond braids bursting out of her bandana downpast her 22year-old shoulders,this Vanilla Ice-lovinglesbianw~
an old-school'80s
hip-hop styleinto her lyricsto speakto those whodon't belong.
"I make my music fur the outcasts and peoplewho don't tnl they 6.tin,
peoplewhofeelhopeless,liketheir dreamsarejust a longahot,"G-Child says.
"I get a lot of respect by not only them but people young,old, gaJ straight,
black,white. It's a verydiversecrowd of fans.Theytellme I inspire them,and
that's amazing."
6recrackerand a "lime monater" on the
Describedas both a high-energy
show,22-year-oldG-Child wasone of onlythree femalevoices."It's not about
the money; shesays in episodetwo, connding to the othersthat shehas a gut
feelingshewill be going ~ome next. ''I'm here fur the hip-hop, the historyand
the lovein my heart:'
Her distastefor competition got her eliminatedin the third episode.
"Anythingthat involves
competition, I usuallykinda tum ntybackon," she
aays,reBectingon the show."I alwayssaythat I am a 1over,not a fitp.t:er."
When she wit perfunning,Q ..Child can be foundat a localAllentown,
Penn., tattoo ,hop, Sinner Ink, chillingwith her buddies, or throwingbadt
a couple beersat Diamonz, a lesbianbar in the nut toWD over.She's bappJ
she says,beingherse1£
My stylerepramta my individuality;•
she says."I don\: makelllU&ic
that's
not me.I d.on'tfeelthreatenedaboutan.ythina,
and I cakeead.1-, at a time.
I maim:ama wild lwe thow,and I can do this jult as good aa any ~ ... I
don'tneedto make a mill:just enouilt to makea liriagand keepon inspiring
people."- LesleySeacrist
0
SandboxLife
Grace Millo comes from
a family of opera stars
but she's all rock.
Singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist Grace
Millo-best known from her turn in the now,
defunct band Amanda's Waiting-is back with
her second solo release, Quicksand Ground. She
talks about her musical famil~ (opera stars
and punk rockers among them) and more.
-Jaime Roca
What influenced Quicksand Ground?
The basic theme started out being like the title
... relationship,driven, feeling consumed by
new passion while still battling old regrets
of lovers that had moved on, and strange
new sensations, both good and bad, that can
either lift you up to heaven or let the earth
consume you.... Then, in the recording of
the album, my mother was battling cancer,
and her illrtessand eventual passing changed
the meaning of'Where Are YouNowt quite
evidently,from being a song (about the) loss
of a lover,to the loss of someone who meant
my world to me, forever.
How did your family influence you?
I am so grateful for growing up in a family of
opera singers and spending much of my
childhood in Italy.How many people can be
given a chance like that .... [A)s the young,
est, I have been influenced to extremes. It
had to come out in a musical way.
Do you get a different response from gay
and straight audiences?
I almost always get a response from someone
[that) has been touched by a song ana that
transcends all, but honestly, it is wonderful
to look out into a room of gay women and
sing a line like 'I could go unlock your door,
is there room nough for two?' and have
that knowing connection. It's sexier, and
that makes it more fun. ■
58
Icurve
Four girls and no boys make for very
sexy jamborees and concerts.
Skimming
The Surface
This Asian hip-hopper
wants to be in your iPod.
A fiercelypolitical, queer woman of color with a
Tupac-tinged soul, Los Angeles-based hip-hopper Skim uses her beautiful voice to sing gritty
lyrics about poverty, injustice, the prison system,
police brutality and so on. Raised in Queens,
N.Y., she draws inspiration from a wide range
of sources, everything from Korean folk music
to R&B to reggae.
If you've never heard the words "arirang'' (a
traditional Korean folk song) or "poongmool"
(Korean percussion), you owe it to yourself to
listen to her CD For Every Tear.Produced by
former T upac manager Leila Steinberg and Femi
Ojetunde, the songs show promise from this
rapper who, according to her Web site, bridges
the gap "between man and woman, native and
immigrant, rich and poor, love and war:' The
songs weave between the personal and political, with the bluesy "Long Story" covering such
diverse territory as rape and an 18-year-old's life
sentence for murder. "How Do You Say" starts
out like any love song, until you realize it's a plea
for respect from a daughter to her father.
But Skim does more than just talk the talk,
she also puts in time serving as an artist-educator in Steinberg's organization, Assemblies in
Motion, which travels to schools, jails, juvenile
justice facilities and group homes to educate
and inspire at-risk youth. You can also find her
just as easily onstage for HBO's Def PoetryJam
or at a conference for queer people of color.
This self-assured rapper is breaking down stereotypes and gaining fans wherever she goes.
- Amy Silverman
July/ August 2007
I59
Six Questions and Two Odd Chicks
Esoteric and beautiful, the sister act CocoRosie is as rare as they come.
The mystical point where fairytales and folklore intersect is where you'll find
CocoRosie, a sister duo that has been serenading the independent,music
scene since their 2004 debut with their self,described brand of"homo thug,
graveyard disco, swamp,goth:' With their latest installment of fantastic freak
folk, The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn, Sierra Rose, 27, and Bianca
Leilani Casady, 25-the girls of CocoRosie-took some time to talk with us
(in unison, of course). - Asiana Ponciano
Is there a different dynamic when working with each other because
you're sisters?
It's safe and dangerous at the same time. We have no boundaries.
Do you identify with the queer community?
We identify with a community of people who are active in designing their
own reality and identity. This often entails beards on women, boys with
breasts and girlfriends with socks in the pants.
What are Coco Rosie's future goals in terms of your music and other
This CD is a departure musically and lyrically from your previous work.
projects?
We were on a creepy treasure hunt, exploring deep into the buried memories
of a wounded child. We were looking to discover something to unearth
the diamonds and let them gleam in the sun.
You promoted your last album, Noah's Ark, with a bicycle tour
around the country. Is anything similar to that going on to promote
Open an orphanage. ■
your latest album?
Weve been trying to plan a boat tour, mostly covering the river territories of
the world.
Do you look toward your Native American ancestry when
creating music?
We don't feel so inclined toward the blood running inside us. We gaze heav,
enward ... weary of our bodies.
There seems to be an air of fantasy surrounding your persona as a
group. Is the escapism that's infused in everything your group does
purposeful?
For us it's TV and Prozac that is providing escape for the fellow persons
around us. Living your own myth is walking straight into the fire. Our
fantasies teach us about who we are.
YourGirlfriendWas Hot LikeMe
The PCD ask "Don't cha?" and Akon wants to smack us-and
we love it. Does that make us bad lesbians?
It's Friday night in the Windy City. Temperatures
fall to a frosty 16 degrees, but the inside of Circuit
Nightclub is thick with the triethylene glycol haze
of the fog machine. Bodies writhe and undulate on
the small dance floor. The heady scent of booze,
sweat and perfum,e is as intoxicating as the halfprice drinks. Moving to the center of the floor, I am
coaxed by the throbbing bass line and the words of
Akan urging me to "Smack Thar:•
Huh? I hate this song. This thought occurs to
me as my hand reaches out to connect with the posterior regions of my giggling posse of female friends,
bouncing obliviously to the dancehall-infused hit
with misogynistic lyrics like "Women just ho'in, big
booty rollin';' and the very poetic "Bend you over,
look back and watch me smack that till you get
sore:' Aside from perhaps the SIM types, I'm guessing that getting spanked by a dude until they're sore
is not on the menu for most of the lesbians dancing
around me. Yet, here we are just the same, shaking
the booties, swinging the hair and yes, smacking
each other. What gives?
To be fair, my friends and I came of age well
after feminism's zenith in the late '70s. Most of us
weren't even alive in the '70s. The first president we
remember is Ronald Reagan. Maybe even George
Bush, the elder. So we missed out on the messages of bra burning and the alien concept of respect
for our bodies. Crawling out of suburbs and small
towns among the corn, we crept into cities, wideeyed and naive to the fact that there were women
out there who didn't shave their legs and who had
never slept with men, even during nights of drunken
debauchery. Somehow we were welcomed into these
communities like sorority girls on a consciousnessraising retreat. Wiser lesbians took us under their
wings and showed us the feminist bookstores and
coffeehouses. They gifted us with RubyfruitJungle
and did their best to undo the patriarchal brainwashing of our heteronormative youth. Along the
way, however, we rebelled. We would guiltily switch
on MTV's TRL when we thought no one was looking or put in that old Snoop Dagg CD while doing
our girlfriend's laundry.
As lesbians, we generally believe that we are
nicer to women than men are. We're sensitive. We
know what it's like to have our birthdays forgotten,
know that we need to be left alone with chocolate
when we have PMS, and that when our girlfriends
flirt with other women, we get jealous. This is obvious by the slamming of doors and the refusal to
make eye contact.
Even with all this knowledge and empathy, we
still get out there and shake our thing when we hear
the Pussycat Dolls sing"Don't Cha:•
What's wrong with us? We allknow better. But hidden in every clique of lesbians is that little "Don't Cha?"
"I know you like me./1 know you do./That's why
whenever I come around she's all over you./ And I
know you want it./lt's easy to see./ And in the back of
your mind/I know you should be home with me:'
Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot, a freak,
raw and fun? Sure. We all hope for a girlfriend
like that. And if she isn't? Well, there are plenty of
women on the dance floor whose eyes and hips and
all kinds of other body parts are wiggling to the
beat, promising that they are. And hips don't lie, do
they? - Melany Walters-Beck
~
...J
8
~
(.)
>-
Cl)
Cl)
::,
.e:..
~
UJ
~
I-
I
3::
Cl)
UJ
~
-,
ft
<(
Q,
a:
UJ
~
~
z
ii:
UJ
lntroducin the All-Stars
~
~
a:
0
z
UJ
a:
3
(,)
ri
a:
UJ
z
~
6
~
..J
a.
~..J
UJ
<{
I
(,)
~
~
0
!Q.
~
~
a:
::,
u..
3:
w
I
~:E
ri
Cl
§
Ill
~
~
(/)
0
a:
w
()
a:
~
~
<{
:E
0
I
(/)
uf
Cl
~
~
~
w
z
~
..J
w
~
()
~
ri
a:
~
!Q.
w
z::,
w
I
t-
c,i
B'
w
(f,
I
()
u
w
a:
w
a:
~
z
~
uf
a5
I
~
~>~
~
Herfifth album,GirlsandAirplanes,
AnneDeChant:
waswrittenwithlesbiansin mind,butthisOhioan's
musicis popularwithwomenandmenof allstripes,
thanksin partto a fewgutsytuneslike"Seconda cottageindustry
ClassCitizen,"(whichspawned
in theformof a protesttee).She'sbeeneverywhere
fromtheWhiteHouseto openingfor NorahJones
andJoanJett,andwestill can'tgetenoughof her.
(annedechant.com)
Theirfastandfuriouslickscanbefound,along
withGuk,RiotThisandAllor NothingH.C.,onthe
CDDon'tPck WithHer.
compilation
girl-powered
to KaylaLorraineWood,
TheCDhasbeendedicated
girlwhowasraped,torturedand
a 16-year-old
in MorenoValley,Calif.(ontherag.neO
murdered
A few musicians you
should know about.
of the mostdistinctivevoicesyou'llfind,andher
fusionof styleswill makea world-music
fascinating
(somimusic.com)
loveroutof naysayers.
ThisChapelHill,
TheMoaners:
N.C.,duois so belovedbylesbians,
theyhardlyneedmention.Buthere
it is: MelissaSwingleandLaura
Kingrule.(yeproc.com)
HerBattentheHatches
JennyOwenYoungs:
offersup 11nonlovesongsthatgetunderyourskin,
andhernewdigitalEP,TheTakeOffAll YourClothes
to
AliceDiMicele:Shetooka five-yearsabbatical
UhHuhHer:LeishaHailey'snewband.Doweneed EP,offersupa coverof Nelly's"Hotin Here"and
kidding)
(no
wilderness
Oregon
the
raft
and
kayak
listen
One
Weeds.
on
EP
appeared
digital
new
which
I,"
cool
Was
very
"Fuck
their
Oh,
more?
say
to
butfolksingerandkick-assguitaristDiMiceleis
andyou'rehooked.(nettwerk.com)
comesoutJuly24. (myspace.com/uhhuhhe1
at changbackwithanotheralbumaimedsquarely
(alicedimicele.com)
song.
through
world
the
ing
's
VH-1
hit
CD
new
Her
his
NyaJade:
AthensBoysChoir:With
of her
andUnicorns,
top20 in partbecause
CD,Jockstraps
Thethreehot,plus-sized
Hostess:
Charming
wonderfulcritiqueof thepharthisrapid-firespoken-word
offer
Hostess
Charming
womenof SanFrancisco's
industryin thetrack
poetryhomohopper maceutical
performance
with
colludes
that
music
body-centered
girly,
up
former
"OnePill."Thebeguiling
provesthattodaynotevenAlix
theirJewishandAfricandiasporas,
medstudent-whodoes
OlsondoesthisbetterthanKatz
andthepoliticaland
radicalbraininess
GlobalFundandhas
for theWomen's
Sorrygirls,scoreone
fundraisers
(the"band's"solomember).
politics.
eroticnexusof progressive
anAIDSbenefitconcertin Zambia-is a
organized
for the (trans)boys.(athensboyschoir.com)
mention
I
Did
up.
it
make
didn't
I
almostto a fault.(nyajade.com)
truth-teller,
they'rehot?(charminghostess.com)
KateReid:Onewoman,oneguitar,damnsexy
nativeon
If youmissedthisGuyana
Mz Fontaine:
A punkylesbian-feminist
onstage.
Thiscutebandfrom
Tourthisspring,snagthe com- lnvocal:
theHomoRevolution
whodoesn't
singer-songwriter
where
(England,
Northampton
or herCD,Spoken
pilationCD(homorevolution.com)
thisVancouver
mindthe moniker,
big
the
is
manufacturing
shoe
American
Caribbean
of
fusion
rare
a
for
Thoughts,
singeris sosuavewithherinstruthing,notthatlittlelesbiantown
hip-hopandBritishneo-soulin a verysexybutchy
mentshelookslikeshe'sbeen
is caustic,
in Massachusetts)
(mzfontaine.com)
dykepackage.
a GoGofor years.
playingWhiskey
andsodamn
funny,engaging
neO
(katereid.
they'rehardto put
harmonic
If their
TheNewBloods:
Keel,
down.Lettheirfirst full-lengthCD,Uneven
first,self-titled7-inch
activistperformer
D'Lo:Thiship-hop,spoken-word,
tideyouoveruntiltheytourtheU.S.~nvocal.co.uk)
releaseis anyindication,
tacklesa vastarrayof issues,frombrutalityto poliOre.-based
thisPortland,
ticsto divisionsamongethniclines.Anorganizer
SarahPortaro
Lesbiandrummer
YoungHusband:
mixedracebandwill be
andactivist,thisSriLankanoffersherownbrandof
makethis
ex-model)
(an
Rubens
Keesan
singer
and
one
down,
Hands
huge.
id)
(myspace.com/dlocok
gayHinduhip-hop.
oneveryhotband.(myspace.com/younghusband)
of thebestnewdykebandsin the lastdecade.
withanangelicsmile (myspacecom/thenewbloods)
SandraGrace:Asweetheart
ElleeVen:ThisSpanish,
whodreamsof remaking"ToAlltheGirlsI'veLoved
Italianand
Greek,Russian,
friendsrecorded
BlameSally:ThesefourCalifornia
Before,"Grace,formerleadsingerof NewYork's
DIVartist,Ellee
German
in onebandmate's
theirthirdCD,Sever/and,
herthirdalbum,DoYouHave
SisterSez,released
Ven(bornJessicaLazaro
homestudio.In it, thefolkrockerstackletough
to muchfanfare.A portionof salesof the
a Lover?,
Kunin)is knownfor her
George
and
breakups
cancer,
territory-breast
for a badpick-upline)goesto breast
CD(named
jamsandballads
dance
Americana.
of
sense
infectious
an
Bush-with
Princeton
ThisFlorida-based
cancerresearch.
andhernewmusic{blamesally.com)
andStanfordgrad(she'sgota mastersdegreein
spreadmostlythroughwordof mouthandadoring
is beautifulandwaygay.
science)
computer
fans.(el/eeven.com)
frontLesbian
band.
a
DJs-never disappoints
it's
woman;
a
It's
Nels:
tripod.com)
(sandragrace.
who
musician
womanNelsis a wing-tattoo-covered
TheIcicles:Thisbandmakesfortheperfectsumat theApolloanddidstudio
playedat Showtime
AcaciaSears:You'vegotto lovea girl namedfor
Theirsongsaresweetandcheerful
merconfection.
fromBritney
for everyone
workwithproducers
a tree,butthere'sa lot moreto adoreaboutthis
joyfulyouwantto eatthemup.
deliciously
so
and
school:
old
it
doing
she's
Now
Cent.
50
Spearsto
self-taught
melodic,hypnotic,
DianeAnderson-Minshall
(theicicles.com)
to
coast
from
venues
lesbian
and
bars
dyke
playing
debut
Her
musician.
Baltimore
coast.(myspace.comlnelsbeam)
offershintsof
album,Dia/tones,
Sendusa let» Didwe misssomeone?
andLisaLoeb,only
AniDiFranco
at
ormusician
band
favorite
your
about
ter
and
Ugandan
to
Born
Somi:
better.(sleepyrecords.com)
Thebestsuggestion
letters@curvemag.com.
parents,thisworldly
Rwandese
winsa freeCD.WhichCD?It'sa surprise.
to Lena
(comparisons
soprano
BruiseViolet:Thisall-girl,Latina/Chicana,
hasone
Hornearecommon)
punkbandis definitelynotchickrock.
hardcore
July/ August 2007
I 63
ERFUL
They produce artists, oversee publishing, sign hot
new acts, engineer enormous music festivals, place
songs in award-winning movies and secure radio
play for merging new talent. In a male-dominated
business, these women, lesbians and music industry
moguls exemplify girl power. By Jenny Sherwin
PHOTOS BY ERIC CHARBONNEAU
(BUNGE), GISELLE MONTE (SKLAR),
JOHN RUSSO (LAPOLT), PAUL HO STON (EGNEW), LIZ LIGOURI (LOPEZ),
THOS ROBINSON/G
IMAGES
(STEWART), ARY NUNEZ (DWECK),
SARA CORWIN (NEWMARK)
64
Icurve
0SHELLY
BUNGE
In 2002, Bunge was named executive vice president
of Sony Pictures Entertainment's music business
and legal affairs group, where she heads a department that oversees legal, administration, publishing and licensing for hundreds of films, television
shows and soundtrack albums, many of which
have received Grammy and Oscar nods (she has
received 20 gold and platinum records). "I think
that the music industry fosters diversity because
the appeal of the music itself crosses so many
sociological borders ... and the vast majority of the
audience isn't going to care if the singer is black or
Girls. A three-time Outmusic Awards judge, Sklar
was named by Indie-Music as one of the 15 People
You Should Know in the Biz.
ElDINA LAPOLT
With a background in both law and music, Dina
LaPolt is an expert in untangling complex contract
negotiations, copyrights and royalty analyses. She
heads LaPolt Law, a boutique entertainment firm
in Los Angeles. Prior to becoming an attorney,
LaPolt worked in the music industry as an artist, personal manager, booking agent and concert
promoter, all of which have allowed her to bring a
unique insight to her law practice. "I do not have
that 'I must get approval from a man' dynamic that
a lot of my straight women colleagues possess. If I
am in a room with several male attorneys negotiating a deal, I do not give a crap what they think of
me or how butch I am acting:'
ElDANIELLE EGNEW
white, male or female, gay or straight:' Under her
belt: the Spider-Man trilogy, both Charlie'sAngels
and Men in Black films, Jerry Maguire, Sleeplessin
Seattle, Philadelphiaand Dawson's Creek. Under
her charge are Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures
Television, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures,
Revolution Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics
and more.
ElLESLIE DWECK
Leslie Dweck spent years working for industry
veteran Ivor Cohen at Island Records, first as an
assistant, later a chairman. Dweck followed Cohen
to Warner Bros. before landing the job as director of
artists and repertoire for Atlantic Records. A power
player, she eschews labels: "I wonder if straight people ever think of themselves as 'straight people in the
music business: I'm just Leslie. I love all the pieces
of my puzzle, and I feel extremely happy not to be
boxed in by any social construct:' Dweck says she
doesn't sign any artist unless she's willing to lose her
job fighting for them. Next up on her roster: Ryan
Star, Snowwhite and Love Arcade.
II
MADALYN SKLAR
Madalyn Sklar is a music-business coach, consultant, motivator and author. Since 1996, she's run
GoGirlsMusic with a vision to promote, support
and empower women in indie music. "For me, it's
about being a woman in a male-dominated field. I
saw a need for female musicians to have someone
like me on their side, promoting and empowering
them:' GoGirlsMusic produces numerous events,
and Sklar has spearheaded more than 100 benefit
showcases for groups like Rock 'n' Roll Camp for
Danielle Egnew blew the glass ceiling off of the
independent-music scene in the '90s while fronting
and producing the popular all-girl band Pope Jane.
From there, she's produced numerous acts and
penned songs for country greats like Alan Jackson.
"Music is such a powerful universal language that
being a gay woman in music is almost like saying I'm
a red piece of sand on a beach. The expanse of the
beach is far more impressive than my red coloring.
However, you get enough red sand in one place and
you have quite the attraction:' Named one of the
Top Female Music Producers by Music Connection
magazine, Egnew owns Ave Vox Entertainment, a
film and music production company.
II
SHERYL GOLD
"It is my hope that, in speaking with others, I have
been able to inspire them to . . . continue their
dreams about being part of the music business;'
says entertainment attorney Sheryl Gold, who
is currently senior vice president of business and
legal affairs at Universal Music Group (with labels
including MCA Records and Decca) and oversees
the clearance of Universal music for ringtones.
II WENDY GOODMAN
Over a decade ago, Wendy Goodman was part of
the team who unveiled superstar Alanis Morissette
and Prodigy at Maverick Records. Later, at C2
Records she introduced Ricky Martin to the U.S.
market. Now at J Records (a subsidiary of RCA
Music Group), Goodman is director of adult formats for RCA, where she has been an instrumental participant in radio campaigns for Alicia Keys,
Christina Aguilera, Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson,
Dido, Sarah McLachlan and more. "It is important for me that I can serve as an example to other
young women. They can see what I have been able
to accomplish thus far with my career and know
that they can have the same opportunities regardless of their sexual orientation:'
EJROSIE LOPEZ
Since joining Tommy Boy Entertainment as head
of marketing in 2002, Rosie Lopez has focused on
promoting the label on a worldwide level, seeking
out and signing artists with an international appeal
and maximizing the power of the Internet as the
label's most valuable marketing tool. "To be out
and visible in our society is important because it
will eventually desensitize people to perceived differences. I personally believe that labels limit us,
and [I] look forward to living in a world where gender and preference are footnotes to being human
beings:' In 2004, Lopez co-founded Silver Label,
which releases The L Word soundtracks, among
other LGBT works, and she is now vice president
of Tommy Boy Entertainment.
E JENNY STEWART
As the manager of entertainment programming
for PlanetOut and Gay.com,Jenny Stewart reaches
5 million visitors every day. In 2005, she launched
RockOut, the first music channel to solely spotlight emerging gay and lesbian musicians. "If I
got to write my own obituary, music lover would
definitely come before lesbian. Similarly, I think
we need to reach a point in our society where for
every Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears or Avril
Lavigne, there are just as many openly gay female
singers:' Stewart, named one of POWER UP's 10
Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz, also masterminded PlanetOut's New Gay /Lesbian Pop Star,
an online competition where members vote to
chose the next hot LGBT superstar.
IIi]LINDAA.
NEWMARK
As executive vice president of acquisitions and
strategic projects for Universal Music Publishing
Group, Linda A. Newmark has been involved
in acquiring numerous music publishing catalogs (Def Jam Music) and signing various writers (Heart, the Bangles and the Pixies). A former
music attorney, Newmark was a VP for PolyGram
Music Publishing before joining Universal Music.
"I once read an article that said those who know
someone gay are more likely to support equality and oppose initiatives that would discriminate
against the LGBT community. I think that each
one of us being who we are in the music industry provides an opportunity for more people to
appreciate the contributions that we make, both
to the music industry and to society:' Newmark
is on the board of directors for the Association of
Independent Music Publishers. ■
July/ August 2007
I65
Reviews Music Watch
Babes of the British Invasion
I
The British are coming! By Margaret Coble
I'm All In,Christine
MartucciBand
(Sunsetswest
Records):
You
gottalovea girl who
describes
herselfasthe
lovechildof TinaTurner
andKurtCobain,
but
that'snotan
inaccurate
description
of thesoulful,slightly
pained,hard-edged
rocker,who'sdrawn
comparisontos
everyone
fromMelissa
Etheridge
to Janis
Joplin.ThisnewCD,
Martucciandher Young, white, British female singers seem to be dominating
band'ssophomore the headlines this year. And while three of our featured artrelease,
offersupa ists this month-UK.
"it" girls Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen
handfulof not-to-be- and Joss Stone-are
often mentioned in the same breath, each
missedtuneslike"Too
has her own distinctive style. The Puppini Sisters, on the other
Late"and"HereFor
hand, offer something totally different, but I just couldn't resist
You"thatanyMelissa
fanwill love.(christine including them.
martucci.
com)- Diane
Anderson-MinshallBack to Black, Amy Winehouse (Island/Universal}
If you haven't heard about Amy Winehouse by now, get out
from under the proverbial rock. In addition to appearing
almost daily in the UK. tabloid press due to her drunken
hijinks, her massively laud~d 2006 disc was finally released here
in the States in March, making her the darling of last springs
indie music industry extravaganza, South by Southwest. Just
one listen to her powerhouse voice confirms why: The 23-yearold white, Jewish, tattoo-dad soul singer from North London
has offered up a nostalgia-drenched 10-track album which
builds on the sound and success of her 2003 platinum-selling
debut, Frank. But while Frank showcased her emotive voice in a
jazz and hip-hop setting, garnering her comparisons to women
from Macy Gray to Billie Holiday, Back to Black revisits the
girl-group, rock 'n roll soul of the '50s and '60s-with a contemporary Ronnie Spector bad-girl twist. From the opening
refrain of the defiant, gospel-tinged "Rehab;' Back to Black doowops and be-bops its way through gritty stories oflove lost and
found, amongst other topics, but avoids the retro-cliche trap
via Winehouse's sly sense of humor, biting honesty and takeno-shit attitude. The unapologetic "You Know I'm No Good"
and the bluesy, melancholic "Back to Black" deftly exemplify her
66
I
curve
songwriting prowess, while "Tears Dry on Their Own' revamps
Ashford & Simpsons '70s classic '!\int No Mountain High
Enough;' making it wholly her own. At 36 minutes, the album is
a brisk but always gripping listen, leaving me jonesing for more.
(amywinehouse.co.uk)
Alright, Still, Lily Allen (Capital)
Similarly sensationalized in the UK., the Hammersmith-born,
21-year-old daughter of UK. entertainment celebrity Keith
Allen is the posher, wittier counterpart to Winehouse's boozy,
bawdy persona-though
equally potty-mouthed-and
the
British tabloids love to pit them against each other. Gossiprag antics aside, Allens across-the-pond success has followed
her to American shores; this albums early 2007 U.S. release
resulted in instant chart success and a much-publicized U.S.
tour. Musically, Allens soul-pop base draws on electronica,
R&B, reggae, ska, calypso and hip-hop influences-often quite
literally via samples, from everyone from the Specials ("Blank
Expression") to Professor Longhair ("Knock 'Em Out") to
Sandie Shaw ('t\.lfie")-mixing them together into a widely
accessible, beat-filled pop brew that belies her sharp-tongued,
privileged-classed observations and sardonic urban storytelling.
"Smile;' the Soul Brothers-sampling international hit single, has
gotten all the attention, but just about every track on the 37minute disc is infectiously hook-filled. I'm partial to the whimsical "LON" and beat-heavy "Everything's Just Wonderful:'
I can't personally decide if I love her or hate her, but damn
if I can't stop playing the disc repeatedly and singing along.
(lilyallenmusic.com)
Babes of the British Invasion continued on page 75
OTHER LICKS
TheTimeComesonHumming
Tracks,KateIsenberg(Three
production
Exquisite
Roads):
thisoutBayAreasingerspotlights
fresh,sparklingvoice
songwriter's
andintricateguitararrangements
whilepaintingauralvignettesof
urbanlesbianlifeandlove,asin
to Grace."
theopening"Streetcar
com)
(kateisenberg.
DeathOrGlory,QueenV (Royal
Noise):Drawingequalinspiration
fromJoanJett,JanisJoplinandPat
NYC'shottiehardrocker
Benatar,
dishesouttonsof attitudeandpower
fullchordsonherlong-awaited
lengthdebut,witha littlehelpfrom
friendsVernonReid(LivingColour)
Rage
andTomMorello(Audioslave,
(queenv.com)
AgainsttheMachine).
Heather Janiga
I TROUBADOR, GAYBY I
The
NinaHagen(Koch):
Fearless,
really.,centralstandard(self1983classicbythe
long-out-of-print
lives
Ah,DIVqueercore
released):
newwave-punk
eccentricGerman
in
in Minneapolis,
... apparently
vocalrangeis
operatic
an
with
diva
foursome
theformof thispop-punk
for thefirst
CD
on
available
finally
demomakesme
whoseseven-cut
operaenduring
the
including
time,
y'all.
on,
Rawk
dance.
And
smile.
discocultfavorite"NewYork,New
(myspace.comlcentralstandardrocks)
York."(ninahagen.com)
Singer-songwriter Heather Janiga's been rocking the San Diego coffee shop
circuit for years now as half of alt-country act Podunk Nowhere. The bluesrock-tinged duo released their first album this year and has plans for another
late this summer after finishing their West Coast tour. While Janiga's not personally of the Sapphic persuasion-the other half of Podunk is her husband,
Johnny-she's the proud daughter of a kick-ass lesbian mom. And it looks like
she turned out just fine. -
Catherine Plato
What is your fan base like?
Our fan base is small but growing and is filled with a wide range of personality types and ages. We seem to be a big hit with the ladies-which is
always a plus-but surprisingly, the gentlemen have taken a liking to us as
well. We like to try and write from a perspective that can be understood
from a male or female point of view, but I think there's an unavoidable
femininity on at least a couple of the songs, such as "Junkee Love" and
"Hanging on the Wind:' And there's Johnny, who really has a way with
the guitar. He plays with such intensity of emotion it's hard not to get
Bigis a
Big,MacyGray(Geffen):
fourthstudioofferinganda
mediocre
effort,
"comeback"
disappointing
talentsof
despitetheproduction
BlackEyedPeasmastermind
will.Lamandvocalcontributions
fromFergie("GladYou'reHere")
andNatalieCole("FinallyMadeMe
Happy").Brightspotsincludethe
funky"Okay,""WhatI GottaDo"and
film-noirtale
thetongue-in-cheek,
(macygraycom)
"StrangeBehavior."
OnDVD
OtherSideofBerlin,Ellen
111e
Allien(Deaf,Dumb+ Blind):This
fromTimeOut
package
CD-DVD
is partofa newtravelguide
magazine
actas
series,wheremusicalpioneers
In
totheirhometowns.
ambassadors
techno
globe-trotting
thisinstallment,
DJEllenAllienoffersan
superstar
tourof hernativeBerlin,
underground
mix
electronica
viaa 70-minute
Craig,
Carl
from
music
includes
that
EddiReader
Peacetime,
Bowie
David
Kittin,
Miss
Plastikman,
and
Glasgow-born
The
(Compass):
Attraction andAllienherself,plusa 48-minute
-basedformerFairground
videotourofsomeof her
MTV-style
vocalistservesuphereighthsolo
eatingandentershopping,
favorite
studioalbum,a 15-track,peacegreatwayto getto
A
haunts.
tainment
themedopusof Celtic-flourished
knowbotha newcityandoneof my
folk-poptoppedbyheremotive,
MC
voice.(eddireader.com) favoriteDJs.(ellenallien.de)crystalline
distracted by the beauty of it while I'm singing. I think that will attract a
lot of listeners alone.
Do you come from a musical family?
I'm the black musical sheep of the family. It's a mystery where I got this
desire from, but it's been a part of me for as long as I can remember. I've
found that the only way I'm at peace in my life is when I'm writing and
performing music.
How do you think having an "alternative" family influenced you?
I can't imagine my life any other way than having an alternative family. It just
feels right to me; this is my "normal:' The challenges that come along with
it are ones that build my character and help shape me to face adversity in
the world. I am angered by the dose-minded conservative politicians and
overzealous religious icons out there who are so scared of themselves, let
alone everyone else, that they can't fathom a society where a woman can be
married to a woman and a man can be married to a man and live among
other heterosexual couples in peace, chasing down the grand ol' American
Dream. I just don't understand why they take up so much of their time,
our time, in consideration of the political realm, debating issues such as this
when there are so many more pertinent national (and] world issues at stake
these days. ■
July/August 2007
I67
Reviews Sapphic Screen
Simply Seeking Sweet Revenge
I
Three great new films on fighting back. By Candace Moore
The Page Turner (Tartan Films)
A gently brutal film that will stick with you,
Denis Dercourt's French thriller works its
Twonewqueercomedy
DVDsaremustsfor
anyonewholikesto
laughat all thingslesbian.Outlaugh!
(wolfe
video.com)
goesinside
thefirst-everall-queer
comedyfestival(which
tookplacein 2005)
with performances
from
severalveryfunnygirls
(JenSlusser,
Sabrina
Got a grudge? These new indie flicks are about women who get
MatthewsandLea
angry,
then get even. A girl gang ridicules hetero-patriarchy, one
Delariaamongthem)as
woman
invests herself in another woman's life (and heart) in
wellas gaymalecomorder
to
exact revenge and a documentary provides a necessary
icsandsomehilarious
skits.If youhaven't voice for a victim who cannot speak.
seenthe NellieOlesons
tackleAnnCoulter, /tty Bitty 1itty Committee (POWER UP Films)
that'sworththe priceof Jamie Bab bit's latest lesbian feminist feature brings
the raw "rah
the DVDalone.Lauging rah" enthusiasm
of her first indie hit, But I'm a Cheerleader,
Matters
... More but the
pompoms have been switched out for spray paint, the
(villagelighthouse.com),
Bubble Yum replaced by the riot grrl. Hopped up on pedal-toAndreaMeyerson's
hilarioussequel,goes the-metal post-punk endorphins, loose Super 8 shots, Bikini
(wo)mano-a-mano
with Kill drums and wail and h.ot queer girls taking back the night,
fourveryfunnybroads: Itty Bitty will make you want to grab some friends with cool
ElviraKurt,Sabrina
Matthews,
VickieShaw
andReneHicks.Each
womanis funnierthan
the next,particulary
Kurt,whowrotefor
EllenDegeneres,
and
Matthews,
a regularon
ComedyCentral.
This
docgoesbeyondthe
stage,offeringglimpses
of thewomen'slives.
Funny,bitingand
verywitty,Laughing
Matters... Moreis a
must-see.-DAM
68
I
curve
hairstyles, rock out and speak up in protest of, well, something.
Anna (Melonie Diaz), a na'ive dyke who works the reception desk at a plastic-surgery clinic, is flung into the madcap
adventures of a radical feminist group, the Clits in Action,
after she nearly dials 911 on its suave ringleader, Sadie (Nicole
Vicius), for defacing public property. Who knew that, once
sharpened, Anna's quiet edge would lend itself so well to
organizing revolt, guerrilla art and romance with the
relationship-challenged:' While free-flung, fun and wild-eyed,
this film also feels intelligently intergenerational, layered with
sarcasm, hard-won knowledge and a glance back as well as forward. It's simultaneously a spoof and a rousing call. The feminist
waves lap together here, and the mix of urgency, collectivity and
sex positivism looks good in boots, as do the film's "committee"
of stars, including Daniela Sea, Jenny Shimizu and Guinevere
Turner. (power-up.net)
pawns forward through soft glances, red herrings and sudden jarring swipes, like those of
the butcher carving cutlets during its credits. Melanie Prouvost first appears as a pale
and uptight little girl thrown off her notes
at a recital by piano star Ariane (played by
the new Deneuve, Catherine Frot) signing autographs. A decade later, Melanie's
plain-yogurt looks have blossomed; all
grown and rosier, she's a subtle yet stunning
woman (Deborah Frans:ois) who equally dims
and lightens each room she enters in that
understated,
dewy-eyed French servant
way. Unrecognizable as the kid who flubbed
notes years ago, Melanie becomes a nanny to
Ariane's son and moves into the family's mansion for a season. The new babysitter enchants
her mistress through "intent" looks and musical literacy, turning Ariane's pages just in time with her music. While Ariane's
desire for her piano protege becomes transparent, Melanie flirts
without her resentment brimming much; we begin to think she
honestly adores and craves her musical mentor. In Dercourt's
film, pent-up love and pent-up anger don't always sync, but they
definitely duet. (www.tartan.filmsusa.com)
Trained in the Ways of Men (Reel Freedom Films)
A somewhat-disorganized documentary, Trained explores difficult terrain and serves as an elegy to a teen who lost her life too
soon. Gwen Araujo was 17 when, upon discovery of her male
genitalia, she was beaten severely and strangled to death by a
group of men she had considered her friends. While this film's
amateurish style is initially distracting, its thorough handling
of tragic content is transfixing. Statements from the defense
attorneys, who argued a "panic defense;' are interspersed with
interviews with Araujo's mother, Sylvia Guerrero, who reshaped
her pain to become an activist for transgender teens. The equal
camera time given to both sides of this case-the first trial for
which resulted in a hung jury-is an admirable aim at objectivity. It also allows the defense attorneys to hang themselves,
figuratively; these men present on film as asses with backward excuses for transphobic murderers, and the filmmaker's
comprehensive approach becomes the rope handed to them.
In effect, the lawyers, who did not literally wield the weapons, are delivered as part of the larger societal outlook and
the faulty "training" that led to such a tragedy. In this sense,
the documentary exacts, for Araujo and her family, a form of
post-trial revenge. (reelfreedom.com)
■
a..
:::,
a:
w
~
DVD PICKS
:c
0
a:
Cl
w
a:
!:!::..
w
Cl
a:
CD
0
~
~
of women,thisfilm,written
by DeanHowellandMichael
capturespoignant
Kearns,
fromthelivesof eight
episodes
gaymenaffectedbyHIVand
a womanwhois marriedto
oneof them.Theirlivesarenot
theyjusttouch
interconnected;
eachothersuperficially-orthat
believe.
is whatthecharacters
fromtheaudience's
However,
theirexistences
perspective,
byoneanother,
aredetermined
ThreeNeedles(Wolfe):Three
likethevirusthattheycontract
vignettesdealwiththespread
In
throughtheircasualencounters.
of HIVin differentcountries.
and
(Lucy Withexcellentstorytelling
China,a localentrepreneur
superbacting,thisfilm makesit
Liu)triggersa regionalAIDS
ontomymust-seelist.Though
outbreakbypayingfor blood
frompoorfarmersand youcanseethe lowbudget,you
donations
neverfeelit, andwithjustthe
collectingthemwithcontamirightmixof humor,drama,sentiIn Montreal,
natedequipment.
mentandintegrity,thestories
an infectedpornactor(Shawn
cheatsonhis HIVtests reachfar beyondwhatis actually
Ashmore)
beingsaidandshownonthe
andinfectsall hiscolleagues.
screen.(heretv.com)-US
AndinAfrica,a nun(Chloe
entersintoa desperate
Sevigny)
bargainto savea familyof
Thestoriesaretoo
orphans.
brief;hadanyonebeena fulllengthfeaturewewouldhave
hadthechanceto trulyempaand
thizewiththecharacters
at leastbeginto feelwhatthe
globalAIDScrisismeansfor the
peopleaffected.Instead,Three
servesas moreproof
Needles
that big-namestars,breathtakingsceneryandan important
make
topicdon'tautomatically
MelrosePlace:TheSecond
film.
for a fascinating
There's
(Paramount):
outcast-films.com. Season
(wolfevideo
neverbeenanythingsexieronTV
com)- UrsulaSteck
I'd fight
thanHeatherLocklear.
to thedeathto defendthatstate(TheWeinstein
Grindhouse
twoof thisoh-soment.Season
Withstripper
Company):
dramais
cattyandlesbo-erotic
turnedzombieslayerCherry
proof.Highfashion,highdrama
andlesbian
(RoseMcGowan)
Dr.Dakota(Marley anda supersexycastmade
wing-woman
hit,but
thisshowa mainsream
PlanetTerrorputsgirl
Shelton),
andher
thefactthat Locklear
fightsin a wholeothergalaxy.
constantly
femalecastmates
It's still hellafun to watch.But
lookreadyto rip eachother's
for a moviethat
beprepared
clothesoff is whatmadeit a
pushesthe limitof the horror
genre.(grindhousemovie.nelj babydykefavein thepostDesertHearts,pre-LWordera.
-Azania Baker
Ah,you'vegottalovethoseguilty
com/
(paramount.
pleasures.
NineLives(here!):Notto be
- Diane
for the RodrigoGarcia homeentertainment)
mistaken
Anderson-Minshall
movieof thesametitlethat
showsvignettesfromthe lives
Su Friedrich
I
FEMINIST FILMMAKER
I
Lesbian filmmaker and activist Su Friedrich's first works in the late '70s still retain
their revolutionary edge. Now an instructor of film production at Princeton University,
Friedrich lives in New York with her companion of many years in a fantastic home that
appears in her recent short feature The Odds of Recovery.Friedrich's body of work is
finally being released as a DVD collection at Outcast-films.com. - Sara Schieron
You came to film around the same time as other important feminist documentary makers: [Michelle] Citron, [Chantal] Ackerman and Friedrich are names
we often say together. Did you ever work with them directly?
No, but I worked with a lot of women artists as part of Heresies.Heresieswas a journal
that started in 1975 or'76, and I became part of the collective shortly after moving to
New York in '79. The editorial board was a collective,but we invited other women to
be on the board of each issue. It was a fantastic group, and there were really noted artists in the group like Lucy Lippard, who was my hero when I was in art school. Right
now Joan Braderman, who was part of the original collective,is making a documentary
about Heresies.
Was it shocking to depict lesbians together in the 1970s?
I made a decision early on that I would treat my activities or the things I did in my life as
absolutely normal. If I was going to talk about lesbianism, I wasn't going to pathologize
it. I wasn't going to set it apart or explain it. I was just going to say,''This is what happens. This is what I do. This is how it is:'In the case of something like Rulesof theRoad,
I simply described my relations with another woman, the break-up and the aftermath.
Was that an activist undertaking?
One of the famous slogans from the beginning of the women's movement is 'Tue Personal
is Political:' And now that's been repeated ad nauseam for 35-40 years, so it doesn't
have the same power anymore. Also, I think we're all familiar with people speaking
personally and seeing it as a political act, so we know that and there's nothing to it
anymore. Back then it was a big deal, and if you did something public about a private
experience, it was radical and transgressive and transformative. ... The situation is not
good for women filmmakers. It never has been, and I'm not sure it's gotten that much
better. I had a retrospective at [the Metropolitan Museum of Art] in September, and
I wrote this "thank you" introduction and I had just read this piece in Film Comment
by Paul Schrader in which he talked about writing a film canon, and in 60 films there's
not a single woman in the list. I was furious. So I incorporated that into my talkto say
I'm really happy to be having this retrospective, given the fact that women filmmakers
aren't supported and here is a perfect example. Trying to see work by other women is
really necessary because we don't get the same kind of support. ■
July/ August 2007
I69
Reviews In The Stacks
The Eyes Have It
I
A picture's worth a thousand words. By Rachel Pepper
These powerful new works demonstrate the power of visuals,
from a groundbreaking art installation to a haunting photo
from a family member.
EDITOR'S
PICK
TheBloodyBrits
(BywaterBooks):It's
nosecretthat lesbian
authorValMcDermid
is closeto Godin
my lit book,but as
editorialdirectorof
the newBloodyBrits
Press,an imprint
of lesbianBywater
Books,McDermid
has
steppedup hergame,
introducting
readers
to someof Britain's
mosttalentedmaleand
femalemysterywriters.
Amongnewmust-own
booksin theseries:
McDermid's
ownBlue
GenesandStarStruck
(thefifth andsixth
books,respectively,
in
the KateBrannigan
series)aswellas
PriscillaMasters'excellentNightVisit.Even
the handfulof menon
the imprintofferworthy
fare."I knowfrommy
ownexperience
how
hardit is for British
writersto geta toehold
in America,"says
McDermid.
"I'm
delightedto have
the opportunity
to
showcase
someof our
previously
hiddentalent
via BloodyBritsPress."
(bloodybritspress
com)
.
-DAM
Seecurvemag. <<
comformore
reviewsandexclusive
interview
withauthor
LauraRiehman
70
Icurve
The Dinner Party, Judy Chicago (Merrell)
How wonderful that with the opening of the Elizabeth A.
Sackler Center for Feminist Art in the Brooklyn Museum,
Judy Chicago's phenomenal Dinner Party-both the name of
the original art installation and the new book about it-has
finally found a home.
"The Dinner Party" first premiered in San Francisco's
Museum of Modern Art in 1979 and, a victim of longstanding apathy toward feminist art, has been in storage far
too long. The large-scale work,
a triangular configuration of
ceramics, china, needlework
and other media all built upon
a 'clinner table'' of sorts, celebrates women's contributions
throughout history. Many of
the plates are three-dimensional and have a rather vulvalike appearance, although one
is shaped like a piano for composer Ethyl Smyth and others
(like Sacajawea's)are flat.
"The Dinner Party" asks
us to consider the power and
beauty of these women along with their legacies and
asks why their names, and the names of so many other
women, often escape recognition. By presenting representational place settings for 39 individual women-including Ishtar, Sappho, Artemisia Gentileschi,
Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony and Natalie
Barney-we
remember the importance of these
women's contributions.
To create the original installation, Chicago collaborated with a multitude of craftspeople whose
work is lovingly captured in this stunning book, with
close-ups of needlework, cloth runners and the actual
plates themselves. The full-color photos were all taken
recently by Donald Woodman, who brings a fresh
eye to the project. The Dinner Party also pays homage to 999 other women, all of whom are more fully
explained in the book's text and "Heritage Panels;'
published for the first time here. This book will certainly introduce you to some new names in women's herstory,
including Emilie du Chatelet, Rebecca Lee and Queen Zenobia.
The book includes reflective notes from Chicago looking back
at the process of both the work's creation and its rebirth for exhibit, with accompanying black-and-white photos taken mostly
during the 1970s. Hurry to Brooklyn to see"The Dinner Party"
for yoursel£ but if you're unable to, then buy this book and rejoice that Judy Chicago's incredible masterpiece is finally getting
its due. (merrellpublishers.com)
Like Son, Felicia Luna Lemus (Akashic Books)
Novelist Felicia Luna Lemus creates a lovable young transgender character with Frank Cruz, hero of her second
novel Like Son. Cruz's father has just died, leaving him some
suits, glasses and a cane, and a packet of love
letters from his estranged ex-wife. Taking
his father's death as a sign, Cruz leaves his
uncaring mother in Los Angeles for a fresh
start in New York City.
As Cruz builds a new life on the East Coast,
he must cope with the aftermath of 9/11,
deal with a new and emotionally unstable
live-in girlfriend, Nathalie, and contend
with the history behind a photograph his
father gave him on his deathbed. The startling
image of Mexican avant-garde bisexual poet
Nahui Olin-a real person who is pictured
on the book's cover-firmly challenges Cruz to
piece together, and finally face, his family history in unexpected ways.
Lemus, perhaps the new face of queer
fiction, challenges lesbian readers in intriguing ways: to accept
that a femme writer can capture
the soul of a young tranny boy,
see that the reality of 9/11 and
its aftermath will indeed play
a role in new queer writings,
and understand the relationship
between Chicana/ o and queer
identity. Like Son is also a stylishly designed paperback, with
Edward Weston's famous photograph of Nahui Olin gracing the
front jacket and an accompanying, similar photograph of Lemus
on the back. Lemus, whose noteworthy debut, Trace Elements of
Random Tea Parties, was a hit a
few years back, continues to blaze a trail as one of our most
exciting young authors. (akashicbooks.com) ■
4th-9th
September
PAGE TURNERS
in Sex:TheNew
Wallowing
SexualCultureof 197Os
Elana
Television,
American
Levine(Duke):Inthewakeof
andthegay
sexualliberation
rightsandwomen'srightsmovementsof thelate'60sandearly
wassuddenly
'70s,television
awashwithnewsexualimagery,
Anyone
andinference.
innuendo
whowatchedTheLoveBoat
Showknows
or theNewlywed
that,butLevine,a journalism
of Wisconsinprofat University
takesit a stepfurther
Milwaukee
withthislivelyanalysisof how
(andsometimes
representations
sexualmores
lack)of changing
reflectedseismic
ontelevision
shiftsin popculture.Andwhile
duringthe '70swas
television
"wallowingin sex"likenever
before-with newfemalesex
Woman),
symbols(Wonder
humor(Three's
innuendo-driven
andanincreasing
Company)
on
numberof rapestorylines
daytimesoaps-Levinemakes
pointaboutthe
aninteresting
"sex"notallowedonTVduringthatera:braads,condom
andX-ratedfilms.
commercials
is Levine's
fascinating
Especially
takeonthedebaclearoundBom
the 1974film in which
Innocent,
youngLindaBlairis subjected
rape,aswellas
to a same-sex
theLesbianFeministLiberation's
boycottof
movefor anadvertiser
thefilm,arguingthat "Menrape,
womendon't.... Weregardthis
againstlesbifilm aspropaganda
- DAM
ans."(dukeupress.edu)
to
getswriters'block,shedecides
N.M.
spendthesummerin Coyote,
behind
to clearhermind.Leaving
thegirlfriend(rarelya goodidea),
Katesoonfindsherselfenraptured
and
bya castof oddballeccentrics
a foxyladysheriffnamed-get
this-Lee Foxx.A ladies'lady,
Foxxisthekindof playerKate
wantsnothingto dowith,butfate
elseinstore.Too
hassomething
fromback
badKate'sgirlfriend
homearrives;butof course,if she
didn't,hilarityanddykedrama
wouldn'tensue.
(bellabooks.com)-DAM
ing.Plus,thevariousoutdoor
whocontribute
adventurers
recipesalsosharesomefuntrail
- GP
tales.(globepequot.com)
w111111111
2007
www.womenfeslcom
of
Women
AfricanAmerican
theOldWest,TriciaMartineu
One
Wagner(GlobePequot):
thingabouttheseriesof books
aboutwomenof pioneerdays
is howoftenthey'reall about
whitewomenwhowentwest
or as
eitherwiththeirhusbands
If therearewomenat
prostitutes.
all in pioneerstories,they'retoo
women
Jamye oftenNativeAmerican
Women,
Loving
Women
withwhitemen.
whointermarried
The"Sex
(Quiver):
Waxman
covers Thisbooksetstherecordstraight
for Playgirl
Ed"columnist
accountsof
withextraordinary
allthebasesinthisnewbook,
womenlike
African-American
of its
witha title prettyindicative
content.Thoughtheadvicegiven BiddyMason(aslavewhofought
andMaryFields(the
for freedom)
here-fine, youknowwhat?I
gun-totingconventdwellerwho
couldn'treadit. Thisbookhas
fromtheCatholic
thehottestphotography wasostracized
probably
whohavebeenleftoutof
Church)
inthehistoryof lesbiankind,
andeverytimeI triedto actually thehistorybooks.Blackwomen
havelongbeenignoredby
readthewordsI gotsodamn
historyandthisslim
documented
thatI couldn'tmakeit
distracted
volumeis onelovely
butreadable
Thatsaid,
througha paragraph.
stepin rightingthat.
myfavoritebookin
it's probably
- DAM
(globepequot.com)
thewholeworldonartisticmerit
alone.I'msurethewriting'sgood,
Miami,Fort
OutAround
- GP
too.(quiverbooks.com)
& KeyWest
Lauderdale
(ThomasCook):ThisOutAround
Vegetarian
Upsmackin'
is theonlytotallygay-centric
and
Christine
Backpackin~
travelseriesto tacklethecountry
(GlobePequot):
TimConners
citybycity,offeringthelowdown
trailratsshareover
Seasoned
onqueerlife.Thispocket-sized
with
recipes,
150meat-free
guide,aimedat tuningyour
advicefor cookingandstoring
gaydarto allthingsSouthFlorida,
foodoutsidethecomfortsof a
listsnotonlygayhotspotsbut
kitchen.Evenif yourideaof a
alsotopsights,coolboutiques,
hikeis thejourneyfromyourcar
whereto shopfor the poochand
disheslike
to themallentrance,
Sky,GerriHill(Bella):
Coyote
somuchmore.(thomascook
HopiFryBreadandAlgonquin
WhenmysterywriterKateWinters AppleLeatherareprettyinterest- publishing.com)
- DAM
July/August 2007
I 71
sprinkled lots of the stories from the survey throughout the book, so read,
ers get these peeks behind other people's bedroom doors.
The e,mails I get that offend me aren't the sex questions but the homophobic
rants. Over the eight years we've been educating about sex and LGBTQ
issues, we've received several hundred of these angry e,mails, most of
them warning us of our impending trip to hell or our role in the downfall
of Western civilization.
You've given talks and workshops around the country. Where do
the kinkiest people live?
When our speaking business was first gaining momentum, we expected to see
big regional differences. But I have to say, after touring full,time for three
years and talking about sex in every region of the country, those differ,
ences never emerged in any significant way. No matter where we are, the
most common response to someone wearing one of our "I Love Female
Orgasm'' T,shirts or buttons is "me, too!" ■
Dorian Solot
I
Searchingfor the bigO?CuRvE
readersgetanautographecopy
d of
Solot'sbookfor a thirdoff the coverprice.Goto ilovefemaleorgasm.com
andusecouponcodeCURVE7
beforeAug.31.
AUTHOR, SEX EDUCATOR I
SOMEONE'S IN THE KITCHEN
''As a sex educator, at this point it's pretty hard to shock me with sex ques,
tions;' says sexpert Dorian Solot, co,author of I Love Female Orgasm. I
tried anyway, but to no avail. Along with her partner, Marshall Miller (both
bisexual), Solot has spent eight years doing hundreds of presentations on the
fine art of female orgasms-giving and receiving-in an extra,queer,friendly
manner. Funny, honest and informative, I Love Female Orgasm makes me
really wish I wasn't sitting at a desk right now, if you know what I'm sayiri.
- CatherinePlato
With so many sex books already on the market, what made you
want to write another?
A lot of what's already been written about female orgasm has this sort of
whispered tone, like, "Oh, we're so sorry you and your husband are having
these problems:•We wanted to write a book that was fun and celebratoryorgasm is a pretty fun topic, after all! In this day and age, there are a lot of
people interested in sex who aren't straight and/ or married. We felt like we
could include some of that troubleshooting information, like how to have
an orgasm, how to have multiples, how to help yo.ur girlfriend, along with
a lot of down,to,earth stuff on how to make sex even better and
more interesting for people who are already having a great time.
What are some of the challenges unique to girl-girl couples?
Well, I think there's often an expectation that because a lesbian is a
woman, she should automatically be able to give any other woman
an orgasm. That's a ton of pressure! Not being able to give your
partner an orgasm doesn't give you an Fin lesbianism. And just
because you're queer doesn't mean your orgasms flow freely.There's
such incredible diversity among women's bodies and how they re,
spond, which is why we provide tips for dealing with all these situations.
Do you ever have people ask you really bold personal questions or
tell you stories where you're like, whoa, too much info?
Sometimes people worry that their sexual issue is so unique or strange
that I'll be shocked by it. But, in reality, I've almost always talked with
other people who have the same experience. For the book, we conducted
a survey of nearly 2,000 people around the country, and the answers show
amazing diversity but also similar experiences over and over again. We
72
Icurve
I believecookbooks
area lesbian
dirtysecret.Whenwasthe last
timeyouadmittedto owning,or
evenreading,one?I haveabout
25,butadmittedly,
they'rehidden,
notdisplayed
prominently
alongsideJoanNestleandLeeLynch.
Thesenewcookbooksthough,
,
offereasyveg-friendly
recipes
dykeswill love.
TIieModemAyurvedlc
CookbookAmitra
,
Sondhi:The
5,000-year-old
holistichealing
traditionfromIndiaknownas
Ayurveda
is all aboutbalance,
sothis all-vegetarian
cookbook
is brokendownbydoshas.
Try:SpicyChickpea
Soupwith
coconut,cilantroandyogurt.
(arsenalpulp.com)
easyto make.Try:FreshAvocado
Shakes.(insidersguide.com)
TIieFlorida
KeysCookbook,
VictoriaShearer:
Takeparadise
homewithyou.
TheFloridaKeys
Cookbook
letsyou
dojustthatby
transporting
the
fusioncuisineof southernmost
Floridaintoa portable,mouthwateringcookbook.
Try:Yucca
WithGarlickySourOrangeSauce.
(insidersguide.com)
TIieProvidence
andRhode
IslandCookbookLinda
,
Beaulieu:
Everwonderwhata
WimpySkippy(spinachpie)or
TIieUttle Saigon
BlockIslandDoughnut
is?These
CookbookAnn
, Le: bigrecipesfromthe nation's
I spenta few of my
smalleststateholdthe key.Try:
formativechildhood Quahogs
(yes,it's nota fictional
yearsin LittleSaigon TVtown).(insidersguide.com)
(aVietnamese
area
WherePeopleFeast:An
of OrangeCounty,
IndigenousPeople'sCookbook,
Calif.,that was
populated
DollyandAnnieWatts:Oneof
duringthe 1975fall
of Saigon),
so I amthrilledby
thefirst booksto offerrecipes
anythingcelebrating
thecuisineof fromNorthAmerica'sindigenous
SouthernCalifornia's
Vietnamese peopleusingingredients
both
people.Thebookis chock-full
exoticandcommon.Try:
of great,healthy(oftenvegetarBlackberry
GlazedBeets.
ian)recipesthataresimpleand
(arsenalpulp.com)DAM
The movie that PlanetOut.com calls"The
most romantic lesbian filmof all time!"
tells the story of an Englishprofessor'slove
affair with a beautiful casinodlange girl
2-disc Collector,s Edition withNeverBefo
Seen Footage of the Fa11lfflf&~ Stene!
lesbianlover
Marshashows
d asksto stay
IncludesFree
Awesomequeer youth rock doc combines
portraits of queer youth and powerhouse
indie bands covering the music from
Hedwig and the Angry Inch. (Avail.8/7/07)
QU[Y8
ry of a pair of
into bed tolonely ho,use1Wffl,,.
n couple hold,,___
gether after
liulevard. Includes
ing hands on
Free Mini V°Ul ·11118.ookl
tival features
a plus Stephanie
e Kelly,The
Howard, Page H
Nellie Olesons, The GayMafia and many
~
more!
CurveMag.com
Wolfe·WolfeVideo.com
. Reviews Tech Girl
Untether Your Tunes
I
Walkman? Boombox? Music is more portable than ever. By Elle Kaycee
Words may be lyrical but they aren't really musical, and reading about songs is never as good as listening to them (although a few obsessive lyric bloggers
might tell you otherwise). There are loads ofladies for your ears to love this issue, but what's the best way to enjoy the great new tunes you're about to be
jammin' to? Don't worry, we've got you covered, with these tech-forward and affordable gizmos for your grooves.
Queer Ears
Tired of getting on the subway
with your headphones all tangled
in your bag strap? Cut down on the
knots with the funky Etymotic Ety8
Wireless Earphones. The adapter
iTunes on the Airwaves
Music can escape the earbuds thanks to the
Kensington Micro FM Transmitter for iPods, a
plug-in device that lets you broadcast songs from
an iPod to an FM radio, via unused frequencies.
Compatible with any dockable iPod, just connect
plugs into your portable player
and beams the signal to your ears
via Bluetooth. ($199/$299
with
iPod adapter, etymotic.com)
the transmitter and set the frequency, then tune
your home or car stereo to the same. For a list
of available frequencies in your area, check out
radio- locator.com. ($40, kensington.com)
Satellite Serenade
If you've paid the monthly subscription fees for either XM or
Sirius Satellite Radio, you'll welcome the chance to get more for
your buck by taking those songstresses out of your dashboard. The
Samsung NeXus 25 for XM and the
Sirius Stiletto SLlO are two great options that fit in the palm of your hand.
The NeXus can store up to 25 hours of
MP3 and WMA files as well as radio
programming, plus it includes a home
dock and is one of the smallest radio/
player combos available. The Stiletto,
which holds 10 hours of tunes, has a
full-color display and lets you schedule
recordings in blocks up to six hours
long. Each is available with a larger
memory capacity and includes software to help you manage your tunes.
($130, xmradio.com; $150, sirius.com)
Music Takes the Stage
All right, you've loaded all your faves into your iTunes library.
Now find out when they're coming to town. With the free
iConcertCal plug-in, you can find artists' upcoming concerts
in your area and around the world, straight from your iT unes
library. Plus, it works on Mac- and Windows-based systems.
(free, iconcertcal.com)
From left: Etymotic Ety8 Wireless Earphones, Samsung
NeXus 25, Kensington Micro FM Transmitter
74
Icurve
Babes of the British Invasion continued from page 66
Introducing Joss Stone, Joss Stone {Virgin)
Betcha Bottom Dollar, The Puppini Sisters {Verve)
The Dover,born, scarlet,haired 19,year,old is the youngest of this month's
singers but she's also arguably the most accomplished, having sold millions
of her two previous albums and won both Brit and Grammy Awards. This
third, Raphael Saadiq,produced effort gives more insight into who Joss Stone
is growing up to be and, in comparison to Allen's and Winehouse's recent
discs, is a smoother, sweeter, more Motown,faithful flavor of soul pop. Stone's
Hardly in the same pop,star category as the other gals mentioned above, this
burlesque,style, jazz,vocal trio is nonetheless equally notable in my book, due
to their pitch,perfect three,part harmonies and irreverent take on '40s girl,
groups like the Andrews Sisters. Inspired by the animated film The Triplets
of Belleville, Londoners
belting voice remains the main draw, but tunes like the snappy "Girl They
Won't Believe It" and funky first single "Tell Me 'Bout It" are fun, lighthearted
grooves sure to coat radio airwaves this summer. Mellow hip,hop collabo,
rations with rappers
Lauryn Hill ("Music")
Marcella Puppini, Kate
Mullins and Stephanie
O'Brien pay their re,
spects
to
sic era-via
like
"Mr.
that
clas,
favorites
and Common ("Tell
We're
What
Me
Now")
Gonna Do
Sandman;'
"Boogie Woogie Bugle
"Jeepers
and
Boy;'
also
Creepers" -but
offer up some super,
star power but per,
inject quirky covers like
Gloria Gaynor's "I Will
Survive;' Kate Bush's
"Wuthering
sonally, I'm can't get
enough of the funky,
drummer beats and
Heights;'
and the Michael Buble/
Pussycat Dolls mambo
hit,"SwaY:'Their kitschy
reworkings of Blondie's "Heart of Glass" and the Smiths"'Panic" totally crack
me up-though I admit, I'm singing along while I'm laughing."Hang the DJ,
ba,doo,bee doo,wop!" ( thepuppinisisters.com)
turntable,scratching
of "Put Your Hands
on Me'' as well as the
cool '70s,soundtrack
atmosphere of'Proper
Nice:' (jossstone.com) ■
OhMiBod™
The iPod®Vibrator
July/August 2007
I 75
·Reviews I Tried It
Moving in Circles
I expected exhibitionism but wound up with introspection. I By Ariane Conrad
would be good for a story or at least a laugh. What was the likelihood I'd ever
see the surely very girlie and fitness-obsessed women from the class again:' So
a-hooping I did go.
Christabel Zamor, aka Hoopgirl, was our drill sergeant, cheerleader
and guru. She had the 15 of us (all women except for a lone guy who didn't
attend the next two nights) in a full sweat within minutes. More amazing
than that, in the same amount of time she had the hoops circling our waists in
sustained motion.
Here's why: the new hoops used in adult classes today are significantly
heavier than the ones with which the Wham-O corporation made its fortune
in the 1950s and that we used as children. Because of the additional weight,
adult hoops require only a modest push attained by rocking the hips back and
forward (not side to side, as many beginners must discover) in order to get
them going and keep them going.
I ended the first night in a sheen of sweat and a glow of pride at my accomplishments. The second night, most of my classmates arrived striped with bruises
on the contact points at their hips, although I was unscathed due to my natural
padding. Bruising-heavy bruising-is quite normal for learners. The experts
recommend ice and arnica and putting the hoop down for a day or two.
ChristabelZamor
(right)partner-hoops
with Anah Reichenbac..
h,_________
~------~----
They called it hoop boot camp."This is going to be hilarious!! Who's int read
the e-mail from my friend Francesca, a top-notch connector and organizer
of adventures. The invitation was for introductory hula hoop classes at the
Women's Building in San Francisco. Three nights in a row, an hour and a half
each night. Links in the e-mail led me to promotional videos featuring the
woman teaching the class, who gyrated as neon hoops effortlessly spun on
and off her body at every conceivable angle.
"OK;' I wrote back to Francesca, game only because she was. ''I've signed
up. Dinner beforehand or drinks afterwardt
As it turned out, she never quite got her act together to sign herself up.
The class had filled quickly, as, I would learn, they always do. "Hooping" is a
new fitness craze; Beyonce reportedly does it to whittle her curves and hoopers are featured in Scissor Sisters' videos, while Lifetime TV and CosmoGIRL
recently counted hooping among their "hottest new workouts:'
Now I was stuck. My agonized misgivings stemmed from having never,
ever, even as a spry youngster, possessed the ability to keep a hula hoop going
for more than 45 seconds. Failure and humiliation seemed certain, not to
mention that I just don't do extravagant, extroverted, physical activities. I read
books, I surf only digitally, and it's only my baleful-eyed, urban foxhound who
takes the walks that comprise the bulk of my exercise.
But the boot camp had cost me a nonrefundable $80, and I figured it
76 j curve
...J
~
a:
w
CD
w
z
z
~
::)
(/)
That, it turns out, is harder than it sounds
because hooping is utterly, madly addictive.
By the third night of boot camp, Zamor had
taught us a dizzying number of tricks, none of
which I (or most of my classmates) had even
remotely mastered. And yet no matter how
many times my hoop went flying away or clattering to the floor, I picked it up to try again
and again.
Before we parted ways, Zamor encouraged everyone to maintain and expand their
skills by joining a local hoop group. In the San
Francisco Bay Area and across the country,
hooping devotees host regular meet-ups to
practice, dance, socialize and swap tricks and
tips for m:aking hoops and hooping costumes.
That sounded intimidating, though, so instead I started getting together for weekly practice sessions in a local park with a woman I'd met in class. After a few months, in which we managed to perform about half of the tricks we'd been taught in a little more than half the time, we got up the courage
to join the Bay Area hoopers one Sunday.
The diversity of the hoopers surprised me. There were dykes as well as men, both queer and straight;
there were solid-bodied folk and trim athletes alike; there were legal assistants, teachers, nonprofiteers
and cab drivers; teenagers and SO-somethings, too. Everyone was welcoming, and when I asked one
superstar if she could show me a sexy-looking sideways step-through move she'd perfected, I got a
charming smile and step-by-step instruction.
I was-am-smitten.
Nowadays I have a near-perfect attendance record with the Bay Area hoopers. We bring extra
hoops to entice passers-by and a great sound system to bring the beats into your blood. The atmosphere is uncompetitive, and participation is free. (If you're looking for a gathering near you, the online
magazine Hooping.org has the most comprehensive list.)
Down in the Los Angeles area, my hooping friend Elaine Walrath attends the hoop jam just south
of Santa Monica Pier on Sundays from 2 p.m. until sunset. Usually she performs with her trademark
rainbow hoop, which was handmade (as all adult-size hoops currently are, from irrigation tubing and
tape) for her by Anah Reichenbach, aka the legendary Hoopalicious.
"Being a hooper is definitely a good conversation starter and a novelty. I love how many people
come talk to me after I've finished or even when I'm walking down the street carrying hoops. I have
this dream that one day my hooping will be so mesmerizing to a girl that we will fall in love and live
Find someone
you clickwithon
pinksofa.com
happily ever after;' she told me.
So what's hooping done for mer Although I have yet to mesmerize someone into falling head over
heels for me, I have a host of new friends. My obliques and abs are definitely more defined than ever
before. On a deeper level, I've found my spiritual practice. I center inside the hoop and focus on the
interplay between my internal pulse and the pulses of the external world. I feel like I've gained confidence and some poise, too.
I've heard Zamor talk about moving through life in general as if she's still inside the hoop. She also
believes that hooping can help women deepen their sensuality and sexiness.
"You have to learn how to cooperate with the hoop like it's a partner;' she explained. That's true in
my experience, for sure.
Speaking of partner, perhaps the single sexiest (and most challenging) aspect of hooping is what's
known as tandem-hooping or partner-hooping, when two bodies enter the same hoop. It requires two
skillful hoopers of the same height and body type, ideally, who communicate extremely well and trust
z
iii
~
....J
0
<.!l
>~
~
each other.
"I guess it's a metaphor for relationships, minus the height requirement;' Walrath said about it.
Zamor told me, "Partner hooping is kind of a pinnacle in hoop dancing. It's ridiculously sensuous
and amazingly hot ... but you have to watch out for your costumes! My partner's chains would get
caught in my fishnets and vice versa. We'd get stuck, and we wouldn't be able to unfasten ourselves!"
I simply cannot wait to meet that particular challenge myself. ■
1 week free trial
Just enter the promo code
curve 78 when you join
jJ'.t~sofa.com
connecting lesbians
America's fastest growing lesbian website
July/ August 2007
I77
Find someone
you click with on
pinksofa.com
Gay and lesbian
travel specialists
• Eco adventure
• Sightseeing
• History
• Culture
• Events
+
Yukon Pride.ca
T. 867.668.2932
Custom
Yukon
adventures
- incomfort
andstyle
design
for
web
• identity
• print
al
I
eyes
• branding
1 week free trial
Just enter the promo code
curve78 when you join
) L1\sofa.com
•connecting lesbians
Americas fastest gr owing lesbian website
Jt seed
n6uveau
www. seed nouveau. com
LGBT REALTORS
IN YOURCITY!
Call today for a
FREE Consultation!
The Ultimate Gulde to
Pregnancy for Lesbians
by Rachel Pepper
A guide for every step of the way-from
your first ovulation kit right up through
the first weeks after your baby's birth.
~I LGBT Homes
925-867-HOME
Toll Free: 866-397-LGBT
www.LGBThomes.com
"I love it!"
-Ariel Gore, author of
The Hip Mama SurvivalGuide
$16.95, 288 pages
ISBN 1-57344-216-X
Call to Order! (800) 780-2279
or order onllne -.clelspress.com
Free Shipping
"One o t e most
romantic lesbian
destinations on the
planet." -Planet Out
www.highlandsinn-nh.com
•1-877-LES-B-INN
Bethlehem,NewHampshire
7Blcurve
Whole Lesbian Sex Book
A Passionate Guide
for All of Us
by Felice Newman
All-new second edition completely revised and
updated throughout
$24.95, 300 pages ISBN 1·57344-199-6
Call to Order! (800) 780-2279
or order online: www.cleispress.com
Free Shipping
SexToys
DVDs
BDSM
Calendars
Posters
Massage
Dils
517.B96.4B42
Alternative
GreetingCards.com
~
Lesbi
eaJEstate
_,·001
uyln1• Hom•1
Fr• Bu,er'•
A1al1tanc•
Selllng• Home?
FrNMarket
Anal,ala
Relomlng?
,,.. Relocatfon
KitanyCity,USA
®
your online gift store
www.altematlvegreetlngcards.com
an .687.e211
lesbian owned & operated
1-888-420-MOVE(6683)
www.LesbianRealEstate.com
Take10%Off!
UsecodeCURV£10
whenyou
shopon/ine!*offerexp.611107
Hand
forged
buckles
Handdyedleatherbelts
July/ August 2007
I 79
Top Ten ReasonsWe Love Michelle Bolong
With its classic Beatles tunes and lesbian dance
captains, what's not to love about LOVE? Cirque
du Soleil's newest Las Vegas show features beautiful Michelle Bolong, a veteran performer and Bay
Area-bred out lesbian. Here are the top 10 reasons
we love her (yeah, yeah, yeah!). - CatherinePlato
hard, and one day I smacked a boy with braces in
the mouth, making him bleed profusely;' she says.
"Even though I got in trouble, I still remember that
feeling of silent satisfaction. This was my vengeance
on him, since he believed my strength was inferior
to his own:' However, Bolong says she's more peaceful now, and doesn't beat up boys.
1. You'llnevercatchher lyingabouther age."I
turned 30 this year and I love it!" she says. 'Tm so
excited to enter a time in my life where I feel confident in who I am. The 20s were fun, but in some
ways a mess. So I keep saying, bring it on, 30s!"
my sexuality is part of my truth, and since I've
committed to always perform from my'truth; well,
they must go hand in hand:'
7. She'sa globe-trotter.
Bolong studied dance in
3.Shecankickyourasswithstyle.Before dancing,
all over the world. Her favorite country is her
Bolong studied tae kwan do. "As a child, I loved the
explosive power of kicking and punching:'
family's homeland, the Philippines. "When I'm
there, I am reminded how lucky I am to have all
that I do in America, but I'm also shown that one
doesn't need material wealth to be happy;' she says.
"My family there may not have much, but there is
this feeling of richness in the meals we share or in
the way we share with one another. The country's
beauty takes me out of my world of anxiety and
petty worries I might have:'
have to admit, I even enjoyed having to try to prove
myself to all the other boys in my (tae kwan do J
class.... It used to annoy me how they would never
kick me full-power because they were scared they'd
hurt me. I used to get so hyped up I would kick too
soIcurve
"The written word is perhaps one of my strongest
passions besides music. A single phrase ... could
make me weak-kneed or on fire:' Her favorite
authors include Toni Morrison, Dorothy Allison,
Sarah Waters and Julia Cameron.
9. She'sflexiblein morewaysthan one. Even
5. She'salwaysbeenout and proud."I feel that
2. She'sproudof her roots.Bolong spent years
performing with Liquid Fire, a Bay Area queer
women of color multimedia performance group."!
have to admit that even though I'm performing in
a massive production such as LOVE, my heart is
always in the small grass-roots theaters I used to
perform in;' she says.
4. She'supfora challenge
anddoesn'ttakeshit."I
8. She pridesherselfon beinga "literaryslut."
6. Butshe'sstill got her shyside.Despite making her living as a performer, Bolong says that she's
still quite introverted and takes a while to warm to
people. "Maybe that's why I became a dancer;' she
says. "My words come out through my body:'
though she's an indie-theater girl at heart, Bolong
has found a comfortable home among the bright
lights of Vegas. "You just have to come here with
an open mind and an ability to adapt. If you start
comparing Vegas to other cities that thrive on
culture, then you'll probably be very unhappy
here since you'll just see strip malls with corporate stores;' she says. "Yet it's all how you perceive
(it] .... I find that Vegas is a very transient city
where ... there is a large population of amazingly
talented performers who are here from all over
the world to entertain:'
London at the Laban Academy and has traveled
10.Sheknowswhatshewants.Though she's definitely got a soft spot for Brazilian samba dancers,
Bolong's biggest turn-on is passion. "It turns me
on to see a woman who is committed to what she
wants and won't back down. It turns me on when I
see my girlfriend on a photography gig of hers and
she's fighting people and obstacles just to get that
perfect shot;' she says. "That desire in her face and
the fearlessness of her actions leave me breathless
and wanting her:'■
:r
a:
en
~
~
:5
0
0
z
Camp has a whole new look.
The new, more rugged Subaru Outback with road-gripping All-Wheel Drive. It gets you out there with improved
style and increased comfort, while its available navigation system and the government's five-star crash test
rating* makes sure you get back. Ready for adventure. It's what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.
SUBARU
~
tlJtinJt ll>it:k
~,,~~~
,tJuu, luwu
"P'"'.fuluuJ
IIIIPLll■HIIGI&>
'l1Wtwww..aqua(ina.aim
AQUAFINA, AQUAFINA ALIVE, AQUA FINA ALIVE WELLNESSWATER, MAKE YOUR BODY HAPPY, VITAPLUS
and design ore trademarks
of PepsiCo, Inc. 5401000
OfficialWater Sponsorof:
THENAGAAA
WORLDSERIE2007
S
Phoenix,Arizona October 1-6
To registeryourteamfor an AquafinaAlive Kitvisit
the NAGAAAwebsitewww.series2007.org
See all items with this value
